How much cash?

[mrsgthatsme]

Along with your credit card, how much cash do you bring when you cruise? We will be taking a 5 day cruise. Thanks!

[leaveitallbehind]

Really a personal decision. The cash on board spending would include the Casino, bingo, and art auction (if there is one on a 5 day). Any off shore purchases could be cash as well. The other things to keep in mind are porters and cab expenses and tips. But judge for yourself on the above. We usually don't take a lot as none of the above are big expenses for us - a few hundred??

Edited February 20, 2016 by leaveitallbehind

[GUT2407]

Would need a lot more information.

 

Things like where you are going and what you plan to do.

 

You could get away with none. Or take stacks and blow it all.

[Dayenu]

Cash is hardly needed on the ship, unless you want to tip someone additionally, or need a couple of dollars for room service.

 

It's on shore that it's needed. If you take a land tour - you will tip the tour guide. If you stay in a hotel (at least one night is recommended in case your flight is late or canceled) you tip the maid and bellman.

 

You may also want souvenirs and snacks on shore.

[happy traveler69]

Would need a lot more information.

 

 

 

Things like where you are going and what you plan to do.

 

 

 

You could get away with none. Or take stacks and blow it all.

 

 

yup!!! this just about sums it up!!!

[jennybenny]

We tend to take about $100 per day in cash. We take $100 in ones and $100 in fives for tips. If there is any left over, we add it to our onboard spending account on the last night

 

Oh and we do take more if we have specific things planned that would cost more. We like to keep on on board spending to a minimal.

 

We prepay tips, and prepay the drinks for everyone, AIBP for the adults and the big soda and everything else package for the kids.

Edited February 21, 2016 by jennybenny

[OCruisers]

It's impossible to know how much cash anyone else will need on a cruise.

Keep in mind, it's good to have adequate cash to cover your needs.

[cb at sea]

We usually bring about $1500-2000 on ANY weeklong vacation...seldom spend it, but it's nice to have! The bank will let you redeposit!!!

 

We just like to have cash on hand, IF we need it!

Edited February 21, 2016 by cb at sea

[MicCanberra]

You require no cash for any purchases on the ship if you have accredit card for your account or you will need lots if paying by cash, your choice.

[Clarea]

Along with your credit card, how much cash do you bring when you cruise? We will be taking a 5 day cruise. Thanks!

You can bring minimal cash and use an ATM card to get more if you need it. We use a Capital One card, which has no foreign transaction fees and reimburses ATM fees up to $30 per month.

[OCruisers]

We usually bring about $1500-2000 on ANY weeklong vacation...seldom spend it, but it's nice to have! The bank will let you redeposit!!!

 

We just like to have cash on hand, IF we need it!

 

Totally agree! Cash is always KING! ;) ... :D

 

LuLu

[MicCanberra]

Totally agree! Cash is always KING! ;) ... :D

 

LuLu

 

I hardly ever travel with cash and if I do it is certainly not huge amounts.

[Ashland]

We usually bring about $1500-2000 on ANY weeklong vacation...seldom spend it, but it's nice to have! The bank will let you redeposit!!!

 

We just like to have cash on hand, IF we need it!

 

We do the same...in addition...depending on where we're going I bring (outdated to some) also Cashier's Checks and cash them if ever necessary onboard my RCI ship....I would rather have more money than I need vs not enough...I'm also one of the very few on these boards that doesn't care to use an ATM when traveling.

[MicCanberra]

We do the same...in addition...depending on where we're going I bring (outdated to some) also Cashier's Checks and cash them if ever necessary onboard my RCI ship....I would rather have more money than I need vs not enough...I'm also one of the very few on these boards that doesn't care to use an ATM when traveling.

 

I will use ATMs when travelling, if I need some cash. I use a card that has no fees so all you get hit with is International ATM fee.

[Keith1010]

We bring more than we need mainly in case of an emergency. Yes, I realized we could go to an ATM. I would probably bring $500.00 with me for this.

 

You shouldn't need too much cash to spend related to the trip. Taxis, porters, tips for room service and maybe some trinkets in port.

 

Keith

[Bonnie J.]

We usually bring about $500-$600 mostly 10's & 20's. We are not shoppers but if we do buy something ashore that is not a souvenir, we use a charge card. We almost always come home with most of the cash after paying for private tours, that we added to what we bring. . But, we know how much those will cost so plan to have enough $$$ to pay for them too.

 

How does anyone spend $1500-$2000 on a cruise?

Edited February 21, 2016 by Bonnie J.

[tazaria]

We're doing nights in the South Pacific, with 3 port days (Noumea, Mystery Island & Vila) - I'm not particularly interested in buying sarongs and other market trinkets, with the exception of a souvenir for my son & daughter (10 & 8), so I'm trying to work out how much cash I will need to take. We've prepaid our drinks packages & gratuities and we have onboard credit for on the ship, but we're looking to do our own shore excursions. My understanding is that we can use credit cards on shore in Noumea and Vila, so I think minimal cash? Would a few hundred be enough do you think?

[DocF]

Here is how I do it. Your mileage will undoubtedly vary.

 

I figure on carrying enough cash to tip the shuttle driver for our offsite parking (both ways), the longshoreman who takes our checked bags (both on and off the ship), dining room waiter(s) if service is exemplary, cabin steward(s) if service is exemplary, $25.00 in ones for room service waiters, and less than $200 to spend ashore in ports. We are not big shoppers.

 

Al told, this comes to about $450.00 for a 7-10 day cruise.

 

Doc

[Flatbush Flyer]

As aforementioned, difficult to say.

 

Some passengers look forward to a once in a lifetime dining experience at a world famous (and probably expensive) restaurant ashore while others head to McDonald's. Will your mementos be a Christmas ornament or a piece of indigenous artwork (NOT the ripoff art "auctions" on some ships)? Bottom line is you may need hundreds or you may need thousands. To each his/her own.

[auntjoy036]

For two recent 7 night cruises for my elderly mother and me, I took between $300 and $500 cash each time, mainly 5s, some 10s and 20s. I prepaid as many expenses as I could. What remained were mainly tips - car service driver, wheelchair stewards at airports, curbside baggage handlers at airport, hotel bellman, wheelchair assistant at cruise terminal and from cruise line, tour bus drivers, tour guides, shuttle bus drivers, and those wonderful, smiling stewards who brought us breakfast in bed. Mom laughed at the ridiculously thick stack of 5s I started the trip with. None made it home. In part because we need extra assistance for Mom when we travel, ours is a very tip intensive life. Otherwise we needed very little cash in port (Alaska and Caribbean).

[zqvol]

Along with your credit card, how much cash do you bring when you cruise? We will be taking a 5 day cruise. Thanks!

 

 

Not a lot, maybe a couple of hundred at most. Typically I bring most of it back. Very little need for cash unless you are paying for excursions in cash.

[W8N2CRUZ]

There is a chapel on the Coral Princess. I called Princess and the phone rep. read from their policy, saying, "The cruise line does not place clergy on our vessels. However, if a member of the clergy is a passenger on board and requests through the Passenger Services Desk to lead services, they will be permitted to do so." So there may well be a minister who will step forward but Holy Week is probably such a busy time for most clergy that I don't imagine they would choose to vacation then. I know Holland America has an informal arrangement with a Catholic maritime religious order which provides a priest to conduct daily Mass on board many of their sailings.

 

Doc, we may be interested in joining you for the carriage ride, depending on the details. Is there a link to find out info -- duration, how far the pick-up point is from the ship, a little about the route? In answer to your question, my husband is from near Madison.

[W8N2CRUZ]

There is a chapel on the Coral Princess. I called Princess and the phone rep. read from their policy, saying, "The cruise line does not place clergy on our vessels. However, if a member of the clergy is a passenger on board and requests through the Passenger Services Desk to lead services, they will be permitted to do so." So there may well be a minister who will step forward but Holy Week is probably such a busy time for most clergy that I don't imagine they would choose to vacation then. I know Holland America has an informal arrangement with a Catholic maritime religious order which provides a priest to conduct daily Mass on board many of their sailings.

 

Doc, we may be interested in joining you for the carriage ride, depending on the details. Is there a link to find out info -- duration, how far the pick-up point is from the ship, a little about the route? In answer to your question, my husband is from near Madison.

[agabbymama]

My very first land trip oversees was in 1987, through a Travel Agent. She had been in the business approximately 25 years at that time. She recommended that whatever your trip cost, is the amount of cash to take with you.

 

If your trip was $500, then take an additional $500. I have used this formula for all of my travels over the last 29 years. The only time it didn't work was my Med cruise. I paid $2100 for the cruise + $700 airfare. By her formula $2800 should have been plenty, but it ended up costing $3200 pp. That has been my most expensive trip, even beating out 4 weeks to Australia.

 

In those days, traveler's checks were nice to use, but today they are difficult to find someone to take them, so I use cash now. I don't take my debit card with me to use an ATM. I do usually have a credit card or two (Capitol One is a good one with no additional fees), but don't use a credit card to obtain cash.

 

Have a great cruise!