On board cash requirements

3weeks to out first cruise experience!!

I understand that most of the on board spend is done cashless through your sea pass card. But I imagine I'll need some cash for things like the casino for instance :)? If that's so, should I take US dollars or euros. Obviously euros would be better for any shore trips as we're off to the Med.

I am not sure about the casinos but in the past you could use cash in the machines or your seapass card. Enjoy your cruise

Actually most casino stuff is done on your Seapass too. Really the only need for dollars (that I can think of offhand, anyhow) is for tips. You'll want some smaller bills for room service tips, and maybe a few larger bills for additional tips if you find that someone has gone above and beyond (favorite bar waiter, stateroom attendant). That part is totally optional, of course, and I definitely don't want to start a ruckus about tipping - just saying that tips are where we end up using cash onboard. I think dollars are just fine for this purpose, no reason to pay f/x fees for tips.

I use cash in casino

It keeps me to my gambling budget

Cash for room service and port tips

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Ok, we've established that it's a good idea to have some cash. But does the ship trade in euros, or GBP even? Or is it only US dollars?

Ok, we've established that it's a good idea to have some cash. But does the ship trade in euros, or GBP even? Or is it only US dollars?

Usually you can exchange Euros and dollars and the currencies of the ports you are going to from customer services. The exchange rate is ok but it is convenient. You can also also get different currencies (not all) from the cash machine on board.

Ok, we've established that it's a good idea to have some cash. But does the ship trade in euros, or GBP even? Or is it only US dollars?

You're better off getting currency from the post office before you go - much better rate. As the previous poster mentioned $$ for on board tips and casino if you wish to do cash and euros seeing as you are doing the Med. Any left over $$ you can use for tips or pay towards your ship bill

If you are going to gamble in the Casino bring US dollars. If you charge to your sea pass they will charge you 5% commission. So you will have lost even before you play!

If you will be primarily in ports that take a single currency (Euros) and you need more cash than just tips and a cold drink, you will save money by using an ATM on shore.

If you are going to gamble in the Casino bring US dollars. If you charge to your sea pass they will charge you 5% commission. So you will have lost even before you play!

If you will be primarily in ports that take a single currency (Euros) and you need more cash than just tips and a cold drink, you will save money by using an ATM on shore.

Thanks for the advice Cindy & Joe. I'll get some $$.

using an ATM on shore.

Just as a caveat to that - alot of UK banks have high transaction charges as well as poor rate of exchange when using ATM's - we usually prefer to use cash but each to his own

If you plan to go to the casino, bring cash. While you can use your ship card, this means the line will ultimately be paid with your credit card and will have to pay those percentage credit card charges. Thus they will discount your money up front. I doubt there is a casino anywhere that will allow you to use anything other than cash except with a high discount.

As to the type of cash, AFAIK all the casinos operate in dollars. For example, you can put dollars into the slot machines, but I'm not aware they can do Euros, and the payoff are done in dollars. If I am wrong, somebody please let me know. If I'm right, and if you bring Euros you will have to exchange them up front at whatever rate the ship is offering, which as has been mentioned above is likely not the best rate out there.

If you plan to go to the casino, bring cash. While you can use your ship card, this means the line will ultimately be paid with your credit card and will have to pay those percentage credit card charges. Thus they will discount your money up front. I doubt there is a casino anywhere that will allow you to use anything other than cash except with a high discount.

 

As to the type of cash, AFAIK all the casinos operate in dollars. For example, you can put dollars into the slot machines, but I'm not aware they can do Euros, and the payoff are done in dollars. If I am wrong, somebody please let me know. If I'm right, and if you bring Euros you will have to exchange them up front at whatever rate the ship is offering, which as has been mentioned above is likely not the best rate out there.

Thanks jan-n-john, that's really helpful too.

Since room service is included in the daily service charge you needn't worry about that for cash unless you want to. I can't think of one occasion I used cash for on my last cruise last week. The casino entry fee for a tournament went straight on my sea pass card. Off the ship is entirely different and you know about the tours, taxis, you'll need.

If you visit casino and use your sea pass, they charge a fee, I think 5% of amount you request. For example if you buy casino credit on the website for the value of $25 us dollars, they charge you $26.25 for the "charge".

I too take a specific amount to "play" with and when I'm down, I'm out of the game. I've come home with O dollars and sometimes up to as much as $125 in cash.

Since room service is included in the daily service charge you needn't worry about that for cash unless you want to. I can't think of one occasion I used cash for on my last cruise last week. The casino entry fee for a tournament went straight on my sea pass card. Off the ship is entirely different and you know about the tours, taxis, you'll need.

Room service tips are NOT included in the daily gratuity posting

Room service tips are NOT included in the daily gratuity posting

They certainly are, just ask at guest relations and they will give you a paper with a break down and they are included.

If you visit casino and use your sea pass, they charge a fee, I think 5% of amount you request. For example if you buy casino credit on the website for the value of $25 us dollars, they charge you $26.25 for the "charge".

 

 

They charge that 5% only if you take cash from the cashier. If you are paying for a blackjack or slot tournament there is no service charge.

In the European areas where tourists go, credit cards are accepted just about everywhere, for private tours, restaurants, cafes, shops, and admission to attractions, even for the hop-on-hop-off buses and boat rides.

On cruises that travel around from country to country stopping one day here and two days there, we find using a credit card that does not charge a fee for currency conversion to be the easiest way to pay for almost everything.

It makes it so convenient not needing to bother exchanging money for multiple foreign currencies. What I like best is not getting stuck with a lot of change in different foreign currencies and needing to sort them out.

We especially appreciated doing it that way on a northern Europe/Baltics cruise where there were so many different foreign currencies involved.

But I would suggest getting a separate credit card with a low limit, preferably chip and pin, to use just for this purpose in order to avoid any concerns about the possibility of having one of your major credit cards compromised.

As you are from the UK, I cannot see the point in taking any dollars. If you feel the need to give an extra gratuity for anything we just give in Euros. The staff all have time off at some point and they can use them then for phonecards, toiletries, gifts for their family etc.

They never object to receiving any currency.

We never take any dollars, general gratuities go on the seapass card, we don't use the casino.

A tip is not expected for room service, but the odd dollar/euro is nice to give for their service. The nighttime fee (midnight to 5am?) would go on your seapass card).

As you are from the UK, I cannot see the point in taking any dollars. If you feel the need to give an extra gratuity for anything we just give in Euros. The staff all have time off at some point and they can use them then for phonecards, toiletries, gifts for their family etc.

 

They never object to receiving any currency.

 

We never take any dollars, general gratuities go on the seapass card, we don't use the casino.

 

A tip is not expected for room service, but the odd dollar/euro is nice to give for their service. The nighttime fee (midnight to 5am?) would go on your seapass card).

I am also from UK.

I would change my money into € for expenses in Europe and also have my Post Office Credit Card with me. They do not charge for currency conversion, so it is the one which I register to my Sea Pass card.

Just make sure that you tick the box on your Xpress pass to allow the Credit Card provider to do the conversion. If I remember correctly, Celebrity charge 3%. (Post Office 0%):)

We actually Pre-Pay our Gratuities, as we have Select dining, so would have no need to have any $ with us for a European cruise, as we don't play in the Casino.

They certainly are, just ask at guest relations and they will give you a paper with a break down and they are included.

You are talking about the daily gratuity charge of $12.50 (approx) This covers your room steward, waiter and assistant waiter. It does NOT cover room service tips. These are optional. Some people don't tip a dime, others give $2 or so.

As you are from the UK, I cannot see the point in taking any dollars. If you feel the need to give an extra gratuity for anything we just give in Euros. The staff all have time off at some point and they can use them then for phonecards, toiletries, gifts for their family etc.

 

They never object to receiving any currency.

 

We never take any dollars, general gratuities go on the seapass card, we don't use the casino.

 

A tip is not expected for room service, but the odd dollar/euro is nice to give for their service. The nighttime fee (midnight to 5am?) would go on your seapass card).

Why do,you say room service tips are not expected? They are most assuredly expected.

Room service is included and falls under "other people" who service you. They also use our daily gratuity for their incentive programs which I think is wrong because I intended all my DSC to go to staff but it's their game, their rules so I play by their rules.

Room service is included and falls under "other people" who service you. They also use our daily gratuity for their incentive programs which I think is wrong because I intended all my DSC to go to staff but it's their game, their rules so I play by their rules.

Where did this notion that room service tips are included? The food that comes to you via room service is included in your cruise fare. A tip to the delivery person IS NOT INCLUDED anywhere.