Money Matters...or so I'm told!!

[MickeyG]

Hope someone...anyone can help. We are a family of four taking our first cruise ever....on Carnival's Miracle this December. Just wondering what is a "realistic and practical" amount of cash to take along with us.

 

We are sailing for 7 days in mid-December. We have an 11 yr old daughter and a 13 yr old son. I understand that when food/beverages are purchase they are charged to our ship credit card (gratuities, too..I think). Then at the end of the cruise, everything is transfered to our personal credit card. Just wondering what items we would need for cash purchases and how much we should plan to take along with us. For shore excursions we plan to visit Paradise Beach in Cozumel, Majuhaul Beach in Costa Maya and do stingray city in GC. Not sure yet about Belize. If anyone has any ideas and suggestions about money matters we would be happy to take them.

 

Thanks!!!!!

 

Mick:)

[GoinCruisin]

There should be no purchasing of food, unless you go to the supper clubs (a few ships do have a few things you have to pay for), your beverages will be charged to your S&S account... the ship is basically "cashless"... your tips will be put on your S&S account as well ($10pp/pd)...almost everything will be put on your card (photos, beverages, spa, gift shop, etc)... you will need cash for the casino and bingo (you can charge bingo cards to your S&S but the line has always seemed long to do that)... you will need cash for additional tips (any additional to your steward/dining team/bar service and also tips for room service). You will need cash for tips to the baggage porters... as far as excursions, that really depends on which ones you take and how much you plan to do... I generally budget $100pd for myself. When you are in port, the amount you spend will be up to you and your level of activity, etc.... good luck and have fun!!!

[IBEEMOM]

MickeyG, What is your sail date in December? If it is on the 12th, you have an invitation to join our roll call with other members who will be going. Look us up.

[serene56]

If you visit the casino- take cash for that also= You could put it on your sign and sail card with a 3% charge for your money.

Bingo is either cash or sign and sail card. Tips for room service, Porters at the pier. Taxi drivers. and sovereniers. (take small bills for island shopping. Small vendors will tell you that they dont have change.

[sgriff17]

It depends on if you want to Gamble a lot or play Bingo on the ship...everything else can be paid with your SS card. As a rule, we generally bring 100p/p. Seems to work out well.

[MickeyG]

Thanks for all the info on money matters. I assume the $100 per person is for the entire cruise and not for each day. Please correct me if I am wrong. IBEEMOM...thanks for the invite. Our sail date is on the 19th, so we will be crossing paths as we are coming and going.

 

Thanks,

 

Mick:)

[cruisnmomof2]

I'm also trying to decide how much money (cash) to take. It'll be myself & 16 year old daughter. I don't see myself gambling that much and no bingo for me either. I'm thinking somewhere in the neighborhood of $350.00 total cash plus whatever daughter wants to take for her shopping in Cozumel. Should that be enough, or should I plan for more? Any help is appreciated. 17 days & counting! hehehehe!!!

[cantw82cruise]

We have a family of three and we usually budget $100 per day for the three of us. There are days when we spend less and days when we spend more. On the ship other then the casino and bingo liked mentioned above you will not need any cash. Then in the ports it will be mostly for shopping, cabs, drinking / eating (if you do that), tipping after a tour. It really just depends on your spending habits and what you like to do.

[cruisnmomof2]

Does you $100.00 per day include the sign/sail card money or is that just cash you are talking about? I hate to have too much, but I hate not having enough. I'll have a credit card with me, but don't want to use it if I don't have to, other than for the sign/sale card.

[cantw82cruise]

For us that does not include S&S stuff. We always come home with some cash just never want to run short. I usually charge where I can with my CC, then use cash for small purchases. Easier to deal on shopping when you have cash as well.

[sgriff17]

we do 100 p/p for the whole TRIP. Most things you can use SS and Credit Cards for! Why bring so much cash? You'll never use 100 p/p per day...unless of course you gamble, etc...

[cruisnmomof2]

That's what I was thinking also. I don't like the idea of having alot of cash with me.

 

thanks,

[serene56]

I like to prepay as much of my cruise as possible so once onboard I dont have to worry about monies. We buy drink coupons ahead of time. Also the photo coupon which prepays for our pictures we want. I prepay tips with final payment. I try to place at least $50.00 a month into Fun bucks which I can convert into shipboard credit.

[torybruno]

MickeyG -

 

Your kids might be at the age where they want alot of cash to play in the arcade.......tell them before hand to bring their own!

 

Actually for us, hubby and the boys get ready for dinner then go to the arcade while I have the whole cabin to get ready.

 

Enjoy your first cruise.....watch out, its addicting!

[RWolver672]

we do 100 p/p for the whole TRIP. Most things you can use SS and Credit Cards for! Why bring so much cash? You'll never use 100 p/p per day...unless of course you gamble, etc...

If you use private excursions, like hiring a cab to take you around the islands, you will need cash. The cab drivers don't usually take credit cards. This can be as much as $35-50 per person.

[sgriff17]

Rwolver - TRUE! Good point. I guess we've never come into that problem - yet - though...

 

There are also ATMS on the ship. About 6 bucks to withdraw money, but atleast it's there if you need it. (Atleast there were a few on the Paradise)

[1tonysmom]

The ATM's on the ship do charge outrageous fees and they are not refilled, so many times they will be empty before the end of the cruise. Be careful using credit cards in port. There are many horror stories of credit card numbers being stolen and sold. We bring most of our money in traveler's checks. You can use them most everywhere in port. We also had no problems cashing them at the purser's office or the casino during the cruise. Whatever we had left over at the end, I simply deposited back into our bank account. Happy cruising.

 

Joanne :)

[sailfool]

Have never sailed carnival, but am contemplating doing so. Regarding the drink coupons, if i did my math right they work out to $4.25 per drink before the gratuity is added. I like Heineken and premium scotch. Would I be better with the drink coupons or just having the drinks charged to my onboard account? Also, are the coupons good for any drink ( i mean would the same coupon purchase top shelf liquor such as glenfiddich scotch, or is there some limitation to what can be purchased with the coupons. Any help is appreciated. Thanks

[almitra]

Have never sailed carnival, but am contemplating doing so. Regarding the drink coupons, if i did my math right they work out to $4.25 per drink before the gratuity is added. I like Heineken and premium scotch. Would I be better with the drink coupons or just having the drinks charged to my onboard account? Also, are the coupons good for any drink ( i mean would the same coupon purchase top shelf liquor such as glenfiddich scotch, or is there some limitation to what can be purchased with the coupons. Any help is appreciated. Thanks

Hey Fool, ((wink))

 

I always buy the coupons, but ONLY because they are cheaper for frozen exotic cocktails exclusively. Meaning you will lose money if you waste them on beer or highballs. You can use 4 of them to buy a bottle of wine with dinner, however. They save about .75 per each on the frozen fancy drinks, so they will be worth investing in if you or significant other drinks those. HTH!

[1tonysmom]

Hi Michael. I have never used the drink coupons myself. From other posts I have read, they will save you money if you buy the fancy foo foo drinks, but won't save you much if anything on beer or regular mixed drinks. However, they might be a good way to budget yourself and have something paid for ahead of time. Not sure if they are good for the top shelf stuff. Maybe someone else out there has more info on this.

 

Joanne :)

[sailfool]

Thanks for the help.

[CruiseFever]

I've always thought it best not to "put all our eggs in one basket" as far as forms of payment are concerned split up travel funds between various forms of payment including cash, debit cards, credit cards, American Express travel funds cards, etc.

 

In the olden days I'd carry more cash then make a dash for the cabin safe as soon as we boarded to get rid of it. Now though I bring mostly bills that I can't get out of the readily available ATM machine network like ones and fives for tipping. Before I'd find it a real viable possibility that the ship's ATM machine(s) might be out before the end of the cruise what with passengers scrambling for tip money at the end. Now though, with the advent of automatic tipping, I've never found that to be the case and carry a minimum amount of cash.

 

Debit cards, in their infancy, could indeed be a "pain" to use as they were not widely accepted. Now with the addition of a Mastercard or Visa logo they're accepted almost universally. In fact, I called Princess before using one to guarantee my onboard purchases and they said they took "anything with a Visa or Mastercard logo on it" which is pretty much the norm these days.

 

As far as security is concerned with that logo they DO carry the same protection against fraud or theft that any credit card might. If there's any doubt about any of this, call your bank for verification.

 

I know a lot of people who DO use travelers checks quite successfully. As with any other form of payment though security steps should be in place to minimize your exposure in this area.

 

When I travel with DW for example, we split travelers checks and cash between the two of us then each of us split what we have between what we bring on our person and what we carry on in a briefcase or carry on bag that stays with us at all times. Not a good idea to put any valuables at all in checked luggage that will leave your control and be out of your sight. We also bring a variety of plastic payment. One card that we we each have and one that only I have and one that only she has.

 

That way, if any of this is lost or stolen we can still operate with a minimum amount of inconvenience. Sure, you can get travelers checks and cards replaced but its a pain in the neck to do as you are boarding a ship or shortly after arriving in your cabin.

 

I suppose that's why we use as our primary form of payment and to guarantee our on board purchases a dedicated debit card.

 

What I did was open a separate account at our bank to which I can transfer funds in as needed. The part I really like is that if I budget X dollars for a cruise I can easily stick to budget and not have to carry anything around with me.

 

No checks, currency, travelers checks to keep secure.

 

As to specifically how much you should take, that is so much a matter of what you have planned. With just DW and I on our first ever cruise by ourself without the kids I was shocked at how low our shipboard account bill was.

 

Here's more on that : http://www.lifeiscruising.com/how_much_cash_

[Miss Picante]

I would be careful not to use a credit card anyplace in port because there are very often problems with the card number being stolen even though you still have the card. According to this board, may people on a port stop in Cozumel last December had this happen to them.Since you go back on the ship for a few days, it can be a while before your credit card company can contact you and issue you a new card, which can be a pain. This has happened to me twice in the past two years and now I am careful not to use the card for things like meals, drinks, etc. in port. Traveler's checks are a much safer way of making sure you have cash if you need it.

[SouthernCaribbean]

Moving this thread up since several are asking cruise budgeting questions.

[JrMafia90]

We did the shore excursions you did, and in Belize you would want to do an excursion because we do and I heard if you don't you won't like Belize, but Belize is so beautiful. You have to see it to BELIZEit. WE did shark/ray alley snorkle, but that would be pretty pricey for a family of 4. I would recommend taking a taxi to Caye Caulker, there is shopping, nice beaches, and bars and resturants. If you don't do an excursions then go to Caye Caulker, you will love it. Or try the cave tubing, I heard it was nice, but a lot of walking and the water is cold, I would recommend going to Caye Caulker.