How much cash to bring?

[rlstamps]

What would you say would be a good amount of cash to bring on a 7 day cruise on Oasis going to Eastern Caribbean? We plan on doing the tips as the auto amounts and anything else we feel like giving to specific people would be cash. We will also be going to St John on our own so I know we need cash for that. While on board I would assume you don't need a whole lot of cash other than room service tips and extra tips for people. Also, do you tip at specialty dining or is that included? So what would be a good amount of cash?

Edited June 12, 2014 by rlstamps

[Out to sea!]

You can actually use a CC most anywhere in the Caribbean now. Granted, some people might reel in shock over doing so, but I have have without an issue. I normally take about $200 cash and any major purchase goes on the CC (for a 7 night cruise).

 

Tips for specialty dining is included in the fee. You may wish to give more if you so choose but it is not required.

 

The only cash taken on board I believe is for Bingo or if you have a cash account, then at GS to top up your account if it's getting low.

Edited June 12, 2014 by Out to sea!

[George C]

I always bring a lot of singles and fives for tips, a few hundred should be good unless you want to hit the casino. St Johns is great, love trunk bay.

[delirious9876]

(No cash needed for Bingo)

[DC2OC]

There is a safe in the room to stow extra cash

.....Frank

[Guest maddycat]

You'll need cash to play in the casino and to tip for room service. Everything else on board goes on your sea pass card. If you run short of cash, there is an ATM on board. At one time you could cash a check at guest services for up to $200. I don't know if this is still the case.

[Life is Good Cruising]

Even though there are at least 2 ATMs on board, one in the casino (how convenient) and the other near Guest Services, there has been many times/days when the ATM was not working.

 

If by chance you run out of money and need additional funds, you can always get money at the casino cashier with a 5% service charge.

[iuki]

If you plan on purchasing "duty free" items that total more than $800, be sure you have cash on you. When they say "duty free," we weren't aware that it only applies to the first $800 (felt so stupid) :o

 

My husband bought me a beautiful alexandrite and diamond ring in Falmouth, Jamaica. When we returned to Port Canaveral, we were taken to the Customs Division and had to pay an additional $42. They only accept cash, no credit cards or checks.

 

Customs was quite interesting as we stood there waiting our turn. They were going through EVERYTHING, including people's "dirty" clothes. Yuck! :eek:

[cruzsnooze]

Room service and specialty dining is already in your auto tips. SO how much do you shop in port? How much do you eat or drink in port? I like to have $1000 so I'm not limited in what I might want to do. I also take many tours from venders on the piers so that is a cash deal.

[orville99]

We usually bring enough so none of the slot machines in the casino feel under appreciated :o

[BekkaW]

Room service and specialty dining is already in your auto tips. SO how much do you shop in port? How much do you eat or drink in port? I like to have $1000 so I'm not limited in what I might want to do. I also take many tours from venders on the piers so that is a cash deal.

 

Neither of these is in the auto tips.

 

The specialty dining fee includes some gratuity, and if you wish to add more you can do so by cash or charging to your sea pass. For room service we usually take a wad of $1 bills and tip between $2 - $5 depending on the size of the order. Overall I would say a few hundred would generally see you through unless you want to hit the casino.

[cruiseguy1016]

Here are some other reasons that you might need tip money. Are you flying? Taking a taxi to and from the port? You'll probably want to tip the driver. Some people tip the baggage handlers at the port. What about other shore excursions? Will you be taking any tours where the guide or driver should be tipped? We usually bring about $500. We try to use our credit card in most places but tips are always cash.

[GaryT-UK]

I'm off to the W Caribbean later this year (Jamaica, Grand Cayman, Cozumel). In Europe I normally take a small amount of each local currency for souvenirs, drinks & snacks etc, with Euros and my cash/credit cards for emergencies (I prefer not to have to use my cards).

Would it make sense to do the same in the Caribbean or does everyone accept US Dollars?

[orville99]

I'm off to the W Caribbean later this year (Jamaica, Grand Cayman, Cozumel). In Europe I normally take a small amount of each local currency for souvenirs, drinks & snacks etc, with Euros and my cash/credit cards for emergencies (I prefer not to have to use my cards).

Would it make sense to do the same in the Caribbean or does everyone accept US Dollars?

 

Everyone accepts US dollars in those three ports.

[Robert & Debra]

On our last cruise we brought $1300 and we spent every bit of it. I did use it to pay the balance on our excursions and I tipped more than any other cruise I have taken. On top of the prepaid tips. I think if we had brought less we would have just spent less and made due but we had a lot of fun so it was worth it.

[Havingfun2010]

$500.00 is my answer. Whenever I am on vacation, I bring $500.00 cash. I use credit cards all the time. I never worry about it. The cash is handy to buy small items, leave tips, the casino, or if not on a ship, such as a land vacation, it is for tons of small things, like parking, tolls, (out of state) etc. Most of the time, I come back with several hundred dollars.

[BeachLover01]

My DH and I took $300 (5-$20, 10-$10, 10-$5, and 50-$1). We walked around in Nassau and bought a few items at the Straw Market. At St. Thomas we went to Coki Point and paid $35 for a cab and $20 for lunch. We also purchased a few items there. At St. Maarten we went to Maho and walked to Mullet Bay. The cab cost about $20 each way and we asked to be dropped off at the Straw Market on the way back where we purchased a few items. At the end of our cruise, we had about $80 left.

 

Edit: We also used some money to tip room service, extra to our waitress and extra to our room attendant. All of our actually gratuities were pre-paid.

 

 

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Edited June 13, 2014 by BeachLover01

[sleepless]

Room service and specialty dining is already in your auto tips. SO how much do you shop in port? How much do you eat or drink in port? I like to have $1000 so I'm not limited in what I might want to do. I also take many tours from venders on the piers so that is a cash deal.

 

 

To my knowledge, tips for room service are not included in auto tips. We always bring a stack of one's to cover this extra.

[matj2000]

I bring around $1500 broken down in $100's, $20's, $10 & $5's.

And around $200 in one's for tips.

[Folk Singer]

I always bring a lot of singles and fives for tips, a few hundred should be good unless you want to hit the casino. St Johns is great, love trunk bay.

 

 

ditto

[JBSteelerfan]

 

Tips for specialty dining is included in the fee. You may wish to give more if you so choose but it is not required.

 

.

 

Can you add the additional tip on your seapass card, or must it be in cash??

[Out to sea!]

Can you add the additional tip on your seapass card, or must it be in cash??

 

It has been awhile since I have sailed on RCCL (though i have booked the Indy for a family cruise next year) but I believe it can be done either or.

 

One question I have for more recent cruisers, everyone seems to be saying you need to bring cash for the casino. Can you not just put it on your Seapass card like on Carnival (at least for slots)?

Edited June 14, 2014 by Out to sea!

[megr1125]

It has been awhile since I have sailed on RCCL (though i have booked the Indy for a family cruise next year) but I believe it can be done either or.

 

One question I have for more recent cruisers, everyone seems to be saying you need to bring cash for the casino. Can you not just put it on your Seapass card like on Carnival (at least for slots)?

 

Nope...

 

maybe on some ships, but no, you can't just get cash from your sea pass and use that card in the slots....yet. (again, maybe on the newer ships or as they change out the slots to ones from the 21st century, but heck, the tickets that print out can't even be cashed out in a machine like in a land based casino..at least not on the ships I've been on:eek::rolleyes:)

[Out to sea!]

Nope...

 

maybe on some ships, but no, you can't just get cash from your sea pass and use that card in the slots....yet. (again, maybe on the newer ships or as they change out the slots to ones from the 21st century, but heck, the tickets that print out can't even be cashed out in a machine like in a land based casino..at least not on the ships I've been on:eek::rolleyes:)

 

It's not so much getting cash from the sea pass card. On Carnival, you put your card in the slot machine, tell it how much you want to charge to your account and then you can play off of that amount. That way, you don't need to bring cash with you. This is available even on the oldest ship in the Carnival fleet.

 

If you have winnings, then you cash out to a ticket, take that to the cashier, and get your winnings.

Edited June 14, 2014 by Out to sea!

[gordiej]

One question I have for more recent cruisers, everyone seems to be saying you need to bring cash for the casino. Can you not just put it on your Seapass card like on Carnival (at least for slots)?

As others have mentioned, you can get cash at the cage charged onto your shipboard account for a 5% fee. It doesn't matter if you're using it for slots, table games, or to buy a T-shirt in port.

 

If you want more than ~$100 (but less than the limit of either the ATM or your bank) you're better off using the ATM (flat fee of $5-6)

 

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