How much money do you all take with you

[gailli]

This is my first cruise 12/04/2005 and I was wondering how much money most of you take with you on your cruises? How do you take it, like travelors checks and cash or what? Thanks, Linda

[geoherb]

These days we charge most things to our shipboard account. We usually take around $150 in cash and $250 in travellers checks just in case. We make sure to have lots of $1 bills for tips and $5 bills for buying trinkets.

[jaw62901]

I was wondering the same thing so thanks for the answer.

[elleluv]

This is my first cruise 12/04/2005 and I was wondering how much money most of you take with you on your cruises? How do you take it, like travelors checks and cash or what? Thanks, Linda

 

We don't take a lot of cash with us. We use our credit card (miles!) for everything we can. On RCL ships you can also get cash at the casino cage using your seapass card. It is charged to the credit card that secures your seapass card as a purchase (not as a cash advance) and RCL doesn't charge a fee. I understand that is not the case with all other cruiselines, but it looks like you will be sailing on Explorer.

 

Have a great trip! :)

[gailli]

Guess I should have asked "How much do you spend on a 7 day cruise" I am using my ATM as my card for the Sailpass so I was wondering how much to allow to leave in the bank on the card????

[MizzCard]

All depends. Do you spend a lot on drinks? Will you want the ship pictures? Will you buy souvenirs on board? Are you planning tours...have you paid already or plan to purchase on board? We've never gone over $1,000 on our sea pass, but I always budget $1,500. I use my Credit Card, but the money is in savings, so when the bill comes in, it's paid for.

[jaw62901]

For my 7 day cruise, I'm figuring $100 a day for drinks, specialty resturants, and stuff like that and an extra $300 for incidentals.

[gailli]

Thanks I should be okay then, taking $2000 over and above my tips and excursions which I paid for already and put aside the tips already also, dont drink a lot but will have about two a day for me and two a day for hubby and we like to gamble.

[imosoreal]

Have to take enough to take care of excursions which already have a small deposit and hubby will probably take $1000 for other ship board fun. Of course I have my own little stash of about $800. I can't tell him about it because I'll probably blow some in the casino and who knows what a lady might see that she may like to buy.;) He will only give me about $20 per day for the casino which is definitely not enough but he doesn't want to hear that at all.:(

[texancruzer]

Be careful using your ATM card for your Seapass account.... I have read some horror stories on these threads about that.

 

Seems they put a hold on your bank account (since atm is your bank acct) and sometimes a bank will "freeze" the account thus making the holds that the ship puts on come back returned like a check.

 

I would definately check with your bank and explain the situation just to be sure. We always call our credit card co. and tell them to expect out of country charges. That way no problems....

 

As far as money.... we use our american express for ship account (was 800.00+ last cruise) and then take $1000. cash and $1000. in travelers checks. Since then have learned that you can get cash from casino and then use it for shore trips etc. instead of casino. But will probably still take the above (for emergencies - like medical ones or god forbid - missing the ship :eek: in a port.) You can always put it back in your bank when you get home - to pay off your credit card :D

[gailli]

Called the bank and they said for me to just call them before I leave and they will note my account so they wont freeze it, thanks for the advice.

[Stacylee]

On our last 5 day cruise, I took about $500 cash. We didn't do any pre-paid shore excursions - I paid cash for the few things we did. If your cruise is port intensive, that is where you spend the most. Taxi's here and there, trinkets etc. That eats the most money. I usually take travelers checks, but for this short trip I didn't worry about it.

[jaw62901]

Stacylee,

 

Thanks. It does seem that $1000 for my 7 day cruise will be enough. Hopefully this will cover,a few drinks during the day, a couple of meals during the week at one of the pay resturants if I want to, a few souveniors and a few hours a day in the Casino. I will probably get off at each port and take a look around for an hour or so, but probably won't plan any major excursions as the ship itself my vacation destination. This will leave me lots of time to check out the ship and stuff while many will be off the ship. My main cruise objective is to enjoy the cruise, enjoy the food, have a good time, relax and get lots of sun/

[Denese96]

I agree with the other answers. I take about $100 per day

+extra for incidentals. I am not a souvenir person. If I see something that catches my eye for someone, then I get it and no longer worry that "other" folks will be mad, jealous, hurt, and you fill in the blank that I did not bring them something back. I found that this helps me too because I can enjoy my entire vacation by not using who knows how much time shopping for trinkets. I should note that I have usually pre-paid for the excursions. My next cruise I plan to bring a little more because I enjoyed buying perfume-just because! The bottom line is however much you bring plan based on that and you will have a ball! Just like at home, if I do not have the money I do not spend the money AND I have a good time.

 

P.S. If you are not a drinker and/or shopper you will bring at least half of the money back home to be used as the deposit for your next cruise. Better yet, book your next cruise before leaving the ship and get stateroom credits to use as you wish.

[jaw62901]

Denese96,

 

What are stateroom credits?

[Denese96]

Hi Jason,

 

On RCCL (BTW is is my all time favorite so far...compared to Carnival only) they will give you from $100 to $200 credit added to your account to be used on the cruise. I was always apprehensive about booking before I left the ship (even though I knew I would be booking) because my vacation selection is based on availability and seniority at my company. I have just recently learned that if I neeeded to change it and it is before the final payment is made I truly would not lose any of my deposit or money paid and STILL get the stateroom credit. Is that cool or what?

[Ohestu]

I have no money to take with me, My wife spent it all on Cruise wear.:p