Cash?

[A&S]

I'm trying to ascertain how much cash I should bring with me.

I understand that onboard, it is largely a cashless system. I have read that room service requires a tip. Can I use cash in the stores (not bars) in the promenade?

How much cash should I bring on port days?

[JanineM]

You will use your Seapass card to pay for any drinks or purchases on the ship - that includes the shops. The only time we use cash onboard is for room service (as you mentioned - we normally give about $2 for each delivery) and if we decide to give a larger tip to any of the crew who has served us. (We always put the tips on our card and give the vouchers to each individual)

 

Cash for the shore is another matter - it all depends on what you are planning to do. We use cash for taxis at different ports, or if we are buying small items in shops. But everyone seems to accept Visa, Mastercard or American Express as the primary method of payment. We normally carry about $100 in small bills for tips and taxis, and then maybe another $200 for purchases on shore. If we run out of money we can get it on the islands or even from the casino. If you're going to the Caymans you will find Canadian banks there.

 

I noticed you are from Canada ~ I know that some Canadians carry regular ATM cards (debit cards) that don't have the Visa logo. You can't use those most places. If you're using a debit card be sure it has the Visa logo. My sister only has an ATM card and she always runs into trouble when she travels outside of Canada.

 

Hope you enjoy your trip!

[39august]

You can always get cash in the casino charged to your Sea Pass card, and there is no charge for the service. We carry very little cash on our cruises and use the casino when we need more money. So much easier than looking for a bank or using an ATM!

[Lady_Gamecock]

You can always get cash in the casino charged to your Sea Pass card, and there is no charge for the service. We carry very little cash on our cruises and use the casino when we need more money. So much easier than looking for a bank or using an ATM!

 

 

39August brings up a perfect point! We ALWAYS are pulling money off our SeaPass card for tips/excursions/etc. The REALLY nice thing is that they do not charge you any type of "service fees" for it. Even if your paying your entire SeaPass bill on a regular credit card, they (Casino) charge it as if it's a purchase, not a cash advance. So no penalities from the boat and you're not paying the daily cash advance rate you normally would from an ATM!

 

Happy Cruising!!!

Lady_G