CA$H on hand

[kircaldy007]

this is our first cruise and I'm wondering how much cash / traveler's checks we need to have with us. I usaully charge everything - but I'm assuming that I should plan on having enough cash for my daily excursions....taxis, resturants, shopping etc ??

 

Is there anything on the ship that I'd need cash for (besides tipping??)

 

thanks in advance

[karena1]

Ship - cash for tipping (if you don't prepay on your ship card), or tipping extra than the prepaid amts, and cash for the casino - although I think you can get this on your seapass also if you want.

 

Take cash for taxi's, local vendors, and the like. TAKE SMALL BILLS!! In some of the islands, you will not get US$ back if you need change. We always take a bunch of $1's, $5's and 10's with us. You can also get change at Guest relations, but I usually just go to the bank before I leave home and get the change I want. You can take some $20's with you for longer cab rides. The only time I take bigger bills out to the islands is if I am going to do something special - ie rent waverunners or parasail.

 

How much to take depends on what kind of shopper you are or what you plan to do on the islands. I usually budget $1000 a week for incidentals. We don't buy much as far as trinkets, so the cash is normally for cabs, beach chairs, drinks, etc. I end up always bringing cash home, but would rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

 

Any major purchases - jewelry, booze, etc, you can pretty much charge.

[banderboo]

I usually bring a small amount of cash with me (usually around $100) and then get any additional amounts I need from the casino. That way I don't have to worry about carry around a large amount of cash and everything is charged to my seapass card so I know exactly what I've spent.

 

You won't need any cash onboard except for tips.

[AZjohn]

No, it’s totally a cashless system on board except for the tips you mentioned and of course the casino. But you can get cash from the casino charged to your onboard account, so keep that in mind if you run out of cash during your cruise.

Have a great cruise!

John

[texancruzer]

This may sound like overkill......but here is what we do.

 

Sea Pass account goes on American Express card. That is everything on the ship except tipping for room service. Everything.

 

We bring $ 1000.00 in travelers checks and put them in the safe.

 

We bring $ 1000.00 cash. This is $ we begin to spend at the airport for meals in route, (gas if we drive to port - not fly), taxis, excursions not prepaid for, excursion tipping, meals in port, shopping for small items, room service tipping, and some casino fun :D Hopefully there is enough left to pay for car parking at the airport when we get back :o

 

The travelers checks are for emergencies. We do not touch them. When I get home I use them to pay off the American Express bill ( for a 7 day cruise we average an $ 800.00 Seapass bill) This includes our wine pkg, our tips for staff, other alcoholic drinks, water/sodas, purchases in the ships stores, etc) That way we get rewards for our American Express charges. Havent paid for airfare in years ;)

 

We usually book our cruises 8-10 months in advance. By the last payment date I have the cruise paid for, advance excursions paid for, and money saved for above.

 

It is always better to have too much than too little :p

 

Have a great 1st cruise !!!!!

[montana7442]

We are considering switching to American Express for airline miles. But, I'm concerned that A.E. is accepted in a lot of places...like grocery stores, restaurants. Is that true?

Dee Dee

[cb at sea]

Take a MC or Visa--American Express is NOT always accepted in foreign countries! It will be accepted on the ship for everything else.

We don't bother with traveler's checks--too much trouble! We do bring a goodly amount of cash--if we don't use it, it goes back to the bank! Most foreign stores will take MC or Visa, but the straw market stalls generally want cash only.

When taking alot of cash, take LARGE bills, and break them (as needed) on the ship. Large bills aren't as bulky as $1000.00 in, say, $20.00's!!!! We take smaller bills ashore for those spur of the minute purchases.

[isujim]

This may sound like overkill......but here is what we do.

 

Sea Pass account goes on American Express card. That is everything on the ship except tipping for room service. Everything.

 

We bring $ 1000.00 in travelers checks and put them in the safe.

 

We bring $ 1000.00 cash. This is $ we begin to spend at the airport for meals in route, (gas if we drive to port - not fly), taxis, excursions not prepaid for, excursion tipping, meals in port, shopping for small items, room service tipping, and some casino fun :D Hopefully there is enough left to pay for car parking at the airport when we get back :o

 

The travelers checks are for emergencies. We do not touch them. When I get home I use them to pay off the American Express bill ( for a 7 day cruise we average an $ 800.00 Seapass bill) This includes our wine pkg, our tips for staff, other alcoholic drinks, water/sodas, purchases in the ships stores, etc) That way we get rewards for our American Express charges. Havent paid for airfare in years ;)

 

We usually book our cruises 8-10 months in advance. By the last payment date I have the cruise paid for, advance excursions paid for, and money saved for above.

 

It is always better to have too much than too little :p

 

Have a great 1st cruise !!!!!

 

We do almost the same plan.............we take more than we need but can always bring it home.

[zuscruiserz]

Take a MC or Visa--American Express is NOT always accepted in foreign countries! It will be accepted on the ship for everything else.

We don't bother with traveler's checks--too much trouble! We do bring a goodly amount of cash--if we don't use it, it goes back to the bank! Most foreign stores will take MC or Visa, but the straw market stalls generally want cash only.

When taking alot of cash, take LARGE bills, and break them (as needed) on the ship. Large bills aren't as bulky as $1000.00 in, say, $20.00's!!!! We take smaller bills ashore for those spur of the minute purchases.

 

I would rather take travelers checks instead of large amounts of cash, esp. when flying. We cash them on the ship just as you would have to do for large bills anyway, and if they are stolen, they can be replaced - whereas cash cannot. We also bring about $200 in cash - small bills - for tipping and snacks before the cruise.

[texancruzer]

We are considering switching to American Express for airline miles. But, I'm concerned that A.E. is accepted in a lot of places...like grocery stores, restaurants. Is that true?

Dee Dee

 

 

You know it seems like a while back alot of places stopped taking AE.... but now we hardly (if almost never) come across places that don't take it. And yes.... I buy my groceries with it, gas, just about anything. Then at the end of the month I pay my bill online with money in my checking account ( that I could have used my debit card to pay for all the above - but wouldnt get rewards for ).

 

As far as out of the country..... we have used it on all 3 previous

cruises..... as well as 3 trips to Bahamas last year and a trip to the Florida Keys. Also in Mazatlan Mexico at all the restaurants we ate at, for 2 day trips and shopping. Have never had a problem with currency conversion..... or bad charges etc.

 

Anyway..... we take quite a bit of CASH, CREDIT CARDS (not just AE) and TRAVELERS CHECKS. I guess I am just overly ready for anything ;)

[AFT_LOVER]

so I take $100 for onroute expenses & the we get cash from the casino if we use all the OBC money ($500 per cruise) and that is a charge not a cash advance on our RCCL VISA, so more double points for more OBC for next cruise.

 

AMEX wins for large money items with extra warranty & great protection against ID theft. As far as Delta miles, forget them. 253,000 miles & we haven't flown anywhere. And the miles expire in Deceber, so we have to eat at a restaurant that gives miles to extend it for another year. In 2007 we got bumped form a Hawaii flight & waitlisted for a cruise flight in London. So I went BLUE to use at restaurants, hotels, shopping and maybe a flight like Virgin with 420 miles to London special. I use cheap airfare to fly & forget the miles.......

[lovemylab]

I use my visa card to set up my seapass account. I also have my gratuities automatically charged to my seapass account.

 

I take along a small amount of cash for spending before I get on the ship (i.e. taxi's, meals, snacks).

 

The rest of our money is in the form of travellers cheques. They can easily be cashed at the guest relations desk...anytime we went there was never a line. At the end of the cruise we put any leftover amount towards our Seapass account.

 

I don't use visa/MC for my spending as I get a far better exchange rate on USD through my local bank. I do take a credit card onshore with me for emergencies.

[BigUofKFan]

No, it’s totally a cashless system on board except for the tips you mentioned and of course the casino. But you can get cash from the casino charged to your onboard account, so keep that in mind if you run out of cash during your cruise.

Have a great cruise!

John

 

 

John,

 

Are there any transaction fees?

 

Thanks.