How Much Cash Do You Bring?

[BroncosFan2010]

DH and I are leaving in less than two weeks for our 7 day Southern Caribbean Cruise. We have enough cash to cover our excursions (non-ship charted), and are just curious as to how much cash you guys bring for stuff on the islands, casino, and room service or other tips???? We have excursions booked on 3 of the islands, so that leave two islands that we will probably get a taxi and hit a beach. We order room service for breakfast 3-4 times and late night snacks 3-4 times. We are not big gamblers, maybe $20 each, and we don't put that on the seapass. We want to buy a few things at the straw markets, but any big expenses (jewelry or alcohol) we will put on the credit card.

 

We are thinking about $500, with lots of singles...

 

What do you think? How much do you usually bring?

[cruisePRN]

We bring $1000, you can always take home what you don't spend but if you run short it's not much fun. At a minimum I would bring $100 per day so for 7 nights I'd figure at least $700.

[struther1]

We leave in a week for a 12 day southern caribbean and are bringing $500 as well, with many $5's and 1's for tips. This cruise is just my wife and I. This past July I took 11 people (9 kids) on a 5 day cruise which we drove three vehicles to, from Ohio to Florida, for that I brought $1500.

[Bakincakes]

We use our cash for the casino and land purchases of MINOR items.

 

For everything else we use our CC.

 

We bring $$ to tip bus drivers or cab drivers and the like. We also tip our tour guides, if they have done a good job of it. (Example) We did parasailing on Labadee and the boat ride back to shore was just as exciting as the parasailing. We tipped the boat crew as we departed after the excursion.

 

WE use $$ to tip for room service onboard ship and to tip porters, etc.

 

I'd say for a 7 day 1000-1500 is a fair to average amount.

[megr1125]

we took $1000 in Trav Cheques for our 12 nighter..........and came home with close to $700. Didn't use much in the casino, and we paid off the $125-ish balance on our Sea Pass before we got off the ship! (we had a big OBC due to cancellation of San Juan, and from the fuel surcharge refund, and booking in 2008 on another ship!)

 

unless you gamble a lot, you should be fine!

[honeywell]

For me, casino money is an additional cash budget that I manage separately from my cruise expense. I like to try and put any and all expenses on my credit card - I get frequent flier miles and if there is any dispute, the company backs me up. Otherwise, I use cash for room service tips, porters excursion drivers, etc. I don't really need to take much cash - $500 would be more than enough.

[BillOh]

I usually take $300 for a 7 day. That covers valets, excursion tips, and a few cash expenditures.

[tmoret]

I'd say for a 7 day 1000-1500 is a fair to average amount.

 

That is what we take. We almost always come home with cash. We always just put cash on the room for our bill. Then we just check it off and on threw the tv. Its better to have to much then not enough...

[max227]

Just an idea. For those with significant others who take credit cards. If you have more than one, each of you take different cards. That way if one of you gets them stolen or lost the other still has valid cards.

We always take 100 per day.

[JSQ01]

We have never taken more than $500, even for our 7-night cruise and we've had money left over...that being said though, we do not go to the casino and we didn't drink out in the ports. We used our cash for one or two excursions, small items we bought in ports, extra tips for our cabin steward and our waiters. We knew if we had more cash, we'd spend it.:D

[whyrlygig]

We are on the same sailing! Can't be soon enough huh? We plan to use use cash for all tips and any expenses off the ship. We don't go to the casino. We take about $1000 have almost always come home with 1/3 of that. We charge all on board expenses (cocktails, shopping etc...). We don't play bingo, go to the spa or casino and we don't buy photos. We have almost always spent about $100 per day on average.

[cb at sea]

Take more than you think you'll need, just in case! Your bank will let you re-deposit any unused cash! And don''t bring wads and wads of ones---bring enough for tipping the 1st day, but you can get larger bills broken on the ship. Larger bills are much easier to carry than, say, 100 ones!!!!!

[karena1]

For a 2 week vacation - one land and one cruise, we take $2500, and ALWAYS bring money home. But I like taking that much, so I don't have to worry. We can do pretty much whatever we want, and still come home with some, but just in case the CC doesn't work or whatever, I want enough that I don't have to worry.

 

Take lots of 1's and 5's for the taxies and vendors. Don't want to worry about change.