Spending nothing

When you call tell them you need to change your account to a cash account

Thanks!

Yes, we prepaid the gratuities!

You seem quite knowledgeable so one more question if you don’t mind: do they put a hold on the debit card to start or just charge as you charge?

no hold.

no hold.

Thanks!

The last time I went, the only money I spent was on the photo package. I prepaid for zoom and gratuities. I used the obc for my drinks.

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Last 3 cruises, other than extra tips to staff, we didn't spend any extra money on the ship.

odds of spending no money onboard? We got the soda package, prepaid for the shore excursion and plan to only eat at free places. Are we being unrealistic to think we can spend little to nothing onboard? No drinking or gambling.

It really depends on your willpower. Will you be tempted to buy a souvenir in one of the stores. A cocktail, even once. You can get away without spending anything extra however, I have not managed this.

One thing you do have to be careful about is if you spend on anything it can add up fast so you really need to keep track. Also, if a crew member offers a mixed drink (e.g., at sail away) it may not be free.

Also, I would strongly recommend packing any over the counter medication (e.g., cough drops, Ibuprofen, band aids, etc.) that you might need/want.

Although not technically onboard:

Usually you need a couple of dollars to tip the person (e.g., tour guide) providing the Shore Excursion. You don't absolutely have to but it is generally expected

Also, you will probably need a few dollars a bag to tip the porters at the dock where you board.

The only extra money is the tips we give in the Sky Lounge during the Loyalty drinks get together, daily. We have not spent one more penny over our last six cruises for anything else, including drinks, tours, specialty restaurants, extra tips, etc. Everything, in our estimation, grossly over priced and paying the price wouldn't add anything to the pleasure of the cruise.

It really depends on your willpower. Will you be tempted to buy a souvenir in one of the stores. A cocktail, even once. You can get away without spending anything extra however, I have not managed this.

 

One thing you do have to be careful about is if you spend on anything it can add up fast so you really need to keep track. Also, if a crew member offers a mixed drink (e.g., at sail away) it may not be free.

 

Also, I would strongly recommend packing any over the counter medication (e.g., cough drops, Ibuprofen, band aids, etc.) that you might need/want.

 

Although not technically onboard:

 

Usually you need a couple of dollars to tip the person (e.g., tour guide) providing the Shore Excursion. You don't absolutely have to but it is generally expected

 

Also, you will probably need a few dollars a bag to tip the porters at the dock where you board.

This all makes sense. I just know that things are grossly overpriced on board so I don’t want to get in over my head. I don’t drink so that’s not an issue.

Not hard for us not to spend on the ship itself. We pre-purchased our soda+Voom package and we have OBC which will go toward any drinks we purchase.We pay the petsitter who will be staying at our home to watch after our 3 little furbabies. We have our tips on auto-gratuity, but we count on this expense before we board. We usually book a tour from an independent vendor. Our expenses start with airport parking, tip to shuttle from parking to airport, tip for shuttle from airport at port city to hotel, uber or lift plus tip to get to the port, tips to the porter at the pier. We have to eat on the day we arrive in the port city. Taxi and tips to taxi in port, gotta have a few souvenirs and a meal and drinks in ports, especially since we are visiting places that have been hit hard with the hurricane, including the marketplace on Labadee. Then transportation back to the airport at the end of the cruise, and finally a tip to the shuttle driver who returns us to the airport off-site parking. There's always another meal on the day we head home too. That's what drives the cost of the cruise up over the cost of the actual cruise itself for us. It's not the additional spending we do on the ship.

Not hard for us not to spend on the ship itself. We pre-purchased our soda+Voom package and we have OBC which will go toward any drinks we purchase.We pay the petsitter who will be staying at our home to watch after our 3 little furbabies. We have our tips on auto-gratuity, but we count on this expense before we board. We usually book a tour from an independent vendor. Our expenses start with airport parking, tip to shuttle from parking to airport, tip for shuttle from airport at port city to hotel, uber or lift plus tip to get to the port, tips to the porter at the pier. We have to eat on the day we arrive in the port city. Taxi and tips to taxi in port, gotta have a few souvenirs and a meal and drinks in ports, especially since we are visiting places that have been hit hard with the hurricane, including the marketplace on Labadee. Then transportation back to the airport at the end of the cruise, and finally a tip to the shuttle driver who returns us to the airport off-site parking. There's always another meal on the day we head home too. That's what drives the cost of the cruise up over the cost of the actual cruise itself for us. It's not the additional spending we do on the ship.

Yes, the pre and post cruise money has been taken care of with pre-payments thankfully. I am just budget conscious.

There will be pressure from everyone trying to get you to spend $. It will be tough but you can resist!

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odds of spending no money onboard? We got the soda package, prepaid for the shore excursion and plan to only eat at free places. Are we being unrealistic to think we can spend little to nothing onboard? No drinking or gambling.

Nope, you are not crazy. This is easily done. Have a great trip.

Nope, you are not crazy. This is easily done. Have a great trip.

Thanks!!

The only only way I've been able to do this on RCCL is with lots of OBC from Visa points.

You don't need to have OBC to do a cash account. When you do your online check in, check the box for cash account. Once on board, you'll get a notice almost every day reminding you that your Seapass will be frozen if you exceed $200. And they'll want you to come to GS to pay it down. Just ignore the notices.

Being Canadian we almost always have our onboard account as a cash one and the notices we've gotten state we can charge up to $500 before a payment is required. Most recent was earlier this month on Anthem.

I must have missed the cash part :-/

You can go back and change it. You'll just have to reprint your SetSail Pass.

You can go back and change it. You'll just have to reprint your SetSail Pass.

Thanks!!

odds of spending no money onboard? We got the soda package, prepaid for the shore excursion and plan to only eat at free places. Are we being unrealistic to think we can spend little to nothing onboard? No drinking or gambling.

We have been on many cruises (especially 3 nighters) were we don't spend a dime. We prepay the beverage pkg and we are good

Yes, we prepaid the gratuities!

You seem quite knowledgeable so one more question if you don’t mind: do they put a hold on the debit card to start or just charge as you charge?

Time to find a TA that gives OBC, specialty dinning and pre paid grats as a perk.

We always have our gratuities free with royal through our agent. With OBC for two cabins it gives us another $250 so we will not owe anything.

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Thanks!!

You're welcome! I just did that today myself - that's how I know. :)

You don't need to have OBC to do a cash account. When you do your online check in, check the box for cash account. Once on board, you'll get a notice almost every day reminding you that your Seapass will be frozen if you exceed $200. And they'll want you to come to GS to pay it down. Just ignore the notices.

So would you have to pay down the balance with cash? Or at this time could you put the room balance on a CC and continue to keep it as a "cash" account?

odds of spending no money onboard? We got the soda package, prepaid for the shore excursion and plan to only eat at free places. Are we being unrealistic to think we can spend little to nothing onboard? No drinking or gambling.

We had purchased the soda package for our two sons, but got onboard and had a coupon for 2 free, so guest services credited it back. We spent a little here and there (I didn't have deluxe so my drinks were purchased), and had to go but some meds for my son who ended up with a double ear infection.

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So would you have to pay down the balance with cash? Or at this time could you put the room balance on a CC and continue to keep it as a "cash" account?

You can pay some down with a credit card and keep it as a cash account.

Being Canadian we almost always have our onboard account as a cash one and the notices we've gotten state we can charge up to $500 before a payment is required. Most recent was earlier this month on Anthem.

Spending limits for cash accounts,

Cruises 6 nights or less is $300

Cruises 7 nights or longer is $500