Cash at Ports

We are a family of 7 going on a Cruise to the following 5 ports. From family 3 are teenagers, 2 seniors, and DH and I. We have a excursion already in Barbados. Is it okay(enough) to take $500 cash at every port? This will be for taxi to nearby beach, any umbrella or chair rentals, and a lunch. Do you think this is enough for 7 ppl? I rather be prepared with more $$ than less.

PORTS:

Virgen Islands, Barbadoes, St. Lucia, St. Kitts, St. Maarten

Comments appreciated.

Yes

but take small bills because most vendors will say they do not have change for that 20 and give you change in their money

500 for 7 people seems like a lot of money

Considering what you're planning to do, $500 should be ample ... maybe $600 or $700 just to be on the safe side. Lots will depend on how much you spend on lunch & drinks and "other" things.

Have FUN! :D

I agree $500 is good, but why not use your credit cards and keep the cash for when you really need it?

That is a lot of cash to carry around. You might want to think about where you will put all that money when you are swimming at the beach. Personally, we have a waterproof fanny pack that we use to protect our cash and credit cards.

Hank

That is a lot of cash to carry around. You might want to think about where you will put all that money when you are swimming at the beach. Personally, we have a waterproof fanny pack that we use to protect our cash and credit cards.

 

Hank

I plan on carrying $150 in small bills and DH carries $250 (he's a big man; sweet teddy bear though) my dad will carry $100. I'm gonna bring 1 CC just in case. I do not know how much the taxi drivers charge each way for a big group so I want to be prepared. I have 6 other family members with my family if 7 so I'm not to concerned with who's watching my medium back pack.

I just figured 50 per family member.

Yes

but take small bills because most vendors will say they do not have change for that 20 and give you change in their money

 

500 for 7 people seems like a lot of money

Really? What is the average lunch off port at these ports. If that is a feasible question. We are probably going to visit the beach at these ports but just in case there are any rental fees to a beach chair or umbrella.

We've NEVER needed $500 per port...maybe $200 for a big family..depending on what you want to do!

Try to have smaller bills...the ship will break down larger bills for you, so you don't have to carry a huge wad of bills! Bring hundreds...and break them down to $20's and $10's on the ship.

Most places will take Visa and MC...few take AMEX.

Really? What is the average lunch off port at these ports. If that is a feasible question. We are probably going to visit the beach at these ports but just in case there are any rental fees to a beach chair or umbrella.

Spending $500 in a port for 7 people really is not lots of money all considered.

It cost money to have FUN! :D

LuLu

Spending $500 in a port for 7 people really is not lots of money all considered.

It cost money to have FUN! :D

 

LuLu

That's what I was thinking. I mean what if you go on a catamaran or something? Even if lunch is only $20 per person that is still $140! That Cat trip will cost around $75 pp - that equals $525. We usually do something in each port. We really aren't beach people. That said, we usually arrange it in advance and pay with a credit card.

OP - do some research in advance and see if you can organize personal tours. That is what we always do. We are treated like royalty being picked up directly from the ship. The money is paid in advance and you know what you are doing that day. Just make sure the tour people will give a 100% refund if the ship misses the port.

That's what I was thinking. I mean what if you go on a catamaran or something? Even if lunch is only $20 per person that is still $140! That Cat trip will cost around $75 pp - that equals $525. We usually do something in each port. We really aren't beach people. That said, we usually arrange it in advance and pay with a credit card.

 

OP - do some research in advance and see if you can organize personal tours. That is what we always do. We are treated like royalty being picked up directly from the ship. The money is paid in advance and you know what you are doing that day. Just make sure the tour people will give a 100% refund if the ship misses the port.

Thank you for the suggestion. I have been looking at things to do, and pay in advance as well. I found a excursion in Barbados and now I found one in St. Maarten. So it just the other 3 ports. I don't really think $500 is a lot. That is $70 per person. That's a mea and entrance to a beach all day pass(if we choose) a drink or two and maybe even a souvenir.

Spending $500 in a port for 7 people really is not lots of money all considered.

It cost money to have FUN! :D

 

LuLu

I totally agree. This is the reason why we have been planning and saving for this trip since June of 2014.

$500.00 in these ports seems like a lot of cash to me.

I would probably take less but that is a personal decision.

Be sure to split the money up so the two of you each take some and be sure to not leave it on the beach without anyone watching valuables at all time.

Keith

Some of the ports can be very expensive for lunch -- even hamburgers aren't cheap.

$500 in small bills should be okay. Divide it up among the 4 adults.

Some of the ports can be very expensive for lunch -- even hamburgers aren't cheap.

$500 in small bills should be okay. Divide it up among the 4 adults.

Thanks for all the knowledge. I am making sure that everything is covered.:)

500 should be more than enough, but that is a safe amount, as said take lots of small bills. We always use credit cards to larger stuff and cash for smaller.

We rarely leave the ship with more than $100 in cash for two people. It's a global economy. Everybody takes credit cards. No sense in being a mugger's delight.

We rarely leave the ship with more than $100 in cash for two people. It's a global economy. Everybody takes credit cards. No sense in being a mugger's delight.

Is the reason why you dont take cash over $100 because you have already payed for an excursion before reaching port?

even if you were to take just $50 for the both of you, if you see that we are a family of 7 and that would equal to $350 at the most. Im pretty sure my kids will ask for a souvenir from ech port as will my mom.

Better safe then sorry I always say..:)

500 should be more than enough, but that is a safe amount, as said take lots of small bills. We always use credit cards to larger stuff and cash for smaller.

Thanks for the great advice. We definitely use small bills.

Is the reason why you dont take cash over $100 because you have already payed for an excursion before reaching port?

even if you were to take just $50 for the both of you, if you see that we are a family of 7 and that would equal to $350 at the most. Im pretty sure my kids will ask for a souvenir from ech port as will my mom..

But the souvenir shops take credit cards. And yes we have usually paid for the excursion but even if we're taking a cab it's not that much.

Thanks for the great advice. We definitely use small bills.

Good plan.

Keep in mind that, except for the US Virgin Islands, every port you will visit have their own currency and you will likely receive change in local currency which is a major pain in the butt to convert back to US$.

Small US bills means you should not return to the ship with much in the way of foreign money.

For cost control, we always try to use credit cards for all purchases. Almost all activities accept cards except perhaps some taxicabs.

St THomas= GodfreytoursVI.com will give you a little bit of everything from shopping, tour of the island plus the beach for 35.pp

St Marten: http://www.bernardstours.com/

Both tours I have used in the past and will be using them in April again

Good plan.

 

Keep in mind that, except for the US Virgin Islands, every port you will visit have their own currency and you will likely receive change in local currency which is a major pain in the butt to convert back to US$.

 

Small US bills means you should not return to the ship with much in the way of foreign money.

 

For cost control, we always try to use credit cards for all purchases. Almost all activities accept cards except perhaps some taxicabs.

So I guess if we do come back to the ship with foreign currency they won't exchange it?

St THomas= GodfreytoursVI.com will give you a little bit of everything from shopping, tour of the island plus the beach for 35.pp

 

 

St Marten: http://www.bernardstours.com/

 

 

Both tours I have used in the past and will be using them in April again

Thanks for the information as I will look into this.

So I guess if we do come back to the ship with foreign currency they won't exchange it?

That's why you should carry small bills so if change has to be in local currency, you'll wind up with some local coins as unplanned souvenirs.

Even if your ship does do foreign currency exchange, they won't do coins, just currency.