Two More Newbie Questions...

[Ukigirl]

Sailing on the Oasis in 5 days, we have been counting down for months and so excited. Haven't cruised in 20 years, probably the last real vacation we take as a family since my son is 21 and daughter is 16. I have found this forum a lifesaver, thank you to everyone for all the info and tips. Here's a couple more questions...how much cash should we bring? We are tipping the last day so got plenty of 5's and singles in addition to paying for extra services like room service, luggage valet, etc., plus cash for excursions which will be mostly food and cab rides. I'm thinking $500? You feel completely safe keeping that cash in the room safe? Another question is does soda package include tonic water?

 

Larysa

[Cigar King]

We usually bring more cash...mainly for the casino. OTOH, if you run out there;s always a cash station. (both on board and in the ports) Not sure about the tonic water, but I don't see why not.

[Buckeye State Cruisers]

I agree with Cigar King. Our last cruise we took $1500 and didn't use it all but I would rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it :p. We usually spend cash in the ports unless we are making a large jewelry purchase. And small bills help for taxis and vendors that don't have correct amounts.

[cruiseguy1016]

If you are tipping in cash, I don't think $500 will be enough. I always figure out how much cash I need for tips and put that money in a separate envelope to bring with me. After that, I think you might still need more than $500. It disappears faster than you think. Cab fares (and tips) to/from airport. Cab fares (and tips) to/from the hotel. Shore excursions, food at the ports etc. I would bring more. And yes, the cash will be safe in your safe.

[Coralc]

Sailing on the Oasis in 5 days, we have been counting down for months and so excited. Haven't cruised in 20 years, probably the last real vacation we take as a family since my son is 21 and daughter is 16. I have found this forum a lifesaver, thank you to everyone for all the info and tips. Here's a couple more questions...how much cash should we bring? We are tipping the last day so got plenty of 5's and singles in addition to paying for extra services like room service, luggage valet, etc., plus cash for excursions which will be mostly food and cab rides. I'm thinking $500? You feel completely safe keeping that cash in the room safe? Another question is does soda package include tonic water?

 

Larysa

 

Welcome to Cruise Critic. If you are only bringing $500 in cash for 4 people....you might want to consider adding the gratuities to your seapass account instead of paying with cash. You will receive a form in your stateroom midweek that will allow you to do this.

 

Then it goes on the credit card bill. Cash goes pretty quickly if you are doing stuff in ports.

[bighairtexan]

At minimum I'd bring twice that, even if you're not gambling. That $500 will be pretty much eaten up by tips including suggested tips, room service, tips for the porters, cab rides, tips for the cab rides. You may want cash for small purchases in port. Lunch etc. For 4 ppl, definitely $1000 bare minimum and I'd keep that in a safe and feel very confident. I've kept much much more than that in safes on many cruise ships. I've even VERY STUPIDLY left rather large amounts out in the cabin and it was never missing and had it been it would have been my fault.

[Coralc]

Minimum gratuities for 4 people is $326.20 if you check tpkeller's tip calculator: http://cruisetip.tpkeller.com/ :D (on a 7 night cruise)

[Ukigirl]

Great so it sounds like we can charge our tips and that will free up some money. We booked through Costco which I would highly recommend, have $400 in ships credit and then I noticed a price decrease, call them and got upgraded, we are now in Category D1, rooms 9596 and 9591, anyone stayed on the 9th deck? Also, is the minimum age at Solaruim pool area 16 or is it adults only (21)?

[Clarea]

Great so it sounds like we can charge our tips and that will free up some money. We booked through Costco which I would highly recommend, have $400 in ships credit and then I noticed a price decrease, call them and got upgraded, we are now in Category D1, rooms 9596 and 9591, anyone stayed on the 9th deck? Also, is the minimum age at Solaruim pool area 16 or is it adults only (21)?

Solarium minimum age is 16.

[foxgoodrich]

Yes, you can charge your tips to your account onboard. You'll get a form in your cabins to fill out for putting your tips on your account - seems like it usually appears on the 3rd or 4th day of the cruise. You'll fill it out, sign it, and take it to Guest Services. (or you can just go and ask at Guest Services and they can help you do it!:)) Anyway, once that form is turned it, the tips are charged to your onboard account.

 

Then, on the last day of the cruise you'll get envelopes and vouchers, so you just put the voucher in the envelope for each person (cabin steward, waiter, ass't waiter, headwaiter) and hand them out the last night. Even if you forget to hand them out, or if you can't find somebody to hand them the envelope, they still get the tip doing it this way.

 

Have a GREAT cruise!!

Judy

[cb at sea]

If you have an OBC, that can be used toward any ship purchases...including tips, if you add them to your account.

 

Don't bring wads of small bills....way too bulky! Bring large bills and have them broken down on the ship.....Hundreds are easier to carry than bunches of five and ones!

[BillOh]

You've already gotten some good answers that are all based on good experiences, but we don't know what cruise you are going on and how many days? If you use the casino a good point was made, if you don't then cut that number back a bit. If you planning on shopping in many ports, take some cash with lots of denominations, especially 1s and 5s. I've learned in Mexican cruise ports to have smaller bills. If you see something you want for $7 and all you have is a $20 bill, you can count on 15 minutes or more to get change.

[racnwdow]

I have always been an envelope person. I put each person's tip in an envelope before we go. I figure an additional $10 or so in each envelope in case we got exceptional service. Can always not give it to them. Also kept any taxi tips in another envelope. And if we need cash for other things those go into envelopes that are marked for that purpose. That way we don't accidently spend money somewhere where it wasn't supposed to or we don't run out.

[Ukigirl]

Yes, I was planning on having all the tips already in envelopes before we leave but my question about charging tips is can you charge exactly how much you want, not the required. What if we don't eat in the MDR and don't need to tip head waiter every night? Believe me, we won't be stingy but don't want to over tip either. We will be on the Oasis this Saturday by the way. No, we don't plan on spending time in the casino, not our thing. By the way, what's OBC....onboard credit? How does that work?

[cruiseguy1016]

Yes, I was planning on having all the tips already in envelopes before we leave but my question about charging tips is can you charge exactly how much you want, not the required. If you have the tips charged to your room, it will be the recommended amount. It can't be less. If you want to tip more, you can give it in cash. What if we don't eat in the MDR and don't need to tip head waiter every night? I believe that the tips for the waitstaff is pooled. The waitstaff rotates between the MDR and the other restaurants on the ship. When you tip the staff in the MDR it gets shared with other waitstaff that generally goes untipped. Believe me, we won't be stingy but don't want to over tip either. We will be on the Oasis this Saturday by the way. No, we don't plan on spending time in the casino, not our thing. By the way, what's OBC....onboard credit? Yes How does that work? Cash is not accepted for purchases on the ship. All spending on the ship gets charged to your on board account which you need to set up with a credit/debit card or cash. Your OBC is a credit to your expense account on the ship. It can be used for any expense on the ship i.e. specialty restaurants, gift shop, shore excursions, tips, drinks....anything that you would charge to you expense account.

 

Enjoy your cruise!!

[Racing fan]

You always can get an American Express cash advance if needed; its expensive but it saves you from carrying lots of cash. Travelers checks are harder and harder to find. AAA does not issue them anymore. We have always felt safe using the room safe. Keep your passports, expensive cameras, phones along with cash and personal checks in there too.

[dacsmom]

I would also take a bit more cash. Sometimes your OBC does not show up on the first or second day. Also just to be on the safe side take documentation that says you are getting the OBC. I had an issue on another cruise line where I did not get my OBC and it wasn't until the last day that it was applied. I was told it would have been easier if I had brought an e-mail saying I was supposed to get the OBC. Not saying it will happen, but it never hurts to be prepared.

[Cigar King]

I'm not sure it really matters when the OBC is assigned, just as long as it is before the end of the cruise. That being said, the advice about bringing documentation (for everything) is spot on. Chance favors the prepared mind.

[lrn2cruise]

I cant remember how much cash we took????? on FOS last summer!

 

$500.00 sounds good. We put everything on our credit card and had some on board credit too, which helps tons.

 

I think next time we will go through Costco also. I went straight through RCI last time. I like all the extras that Costco gives. Our Discover card gives 5% back too.

 

We had plenty on ones for tipping.

[copnlpn2]

Larysa - when you booked your cruise, you registered a credit card number. Unless you change to another credit card at check-in, any purchases you make on the ship will be charged to that credit card. Once you're on your cruise, your tips, adult beverages, RCCL excursions booked onboard, purchases in the ship's stores, etc., will be charged to your card on record so you won't need cash for any of those things.

 

When you board the ship, you'll be given a credit card of sorts that opens your cabin door. Since there are no cash purchases on the ship, you'll use that card for any onboard purchases; the total amount of those purchases will be charged back to the credit card you listed at the beginning of your cruise...therefore you won't have to pay for those things until you return home and get your credit card statement.

 

Also...let's say you have $500 onboard credit (lucky you!) when you board the ship. Your first $500 of purchases on the ship will be covered by your onboard credit and any amount you spend onboard above the $500 will be charged to your credit card.

 

As other posters have said, you'll need cash to pay for transportation to/from the ship, tips for cabs/porters, any purchases not made with a credit card while shopping at a port of call, and for any "extra" tips you choose to give above and beyond the set tipping amount. (You can use a credit card in port but be aware that there is sometimes a small foreign transaction fee to do so.)

 

I may be telling things you already know, but I said what I said because I sensed you were a tad confused about onboard credit, tips, etc. Hope this helps!

[Ukigirl]

I know I keep dwelling on the tips and I guess I'll have to make that clear the first day that we will be paying with cash in envelopes at the end of the cruise even though we will have an OBC. I've got my envelopes all ready for obligatory tipping but also have set aside for room service, porters, and "special requests" like asking for an extra shot of liquor in a drink from a bartender?? Our kids will have a separate room and since my daughter is messy as hell, I'm thinking extra tip for cabin steward.

[Coralc]

I know I keep dwelling on the tips and I guess I'll have to make that clear the first day that we will be paying with cash in envelopes at the end of the cruise even though we will have an OBC. I've got my envelopes all ready for obligatory tipping but also have set aside for room service, porters, and "special requests" like asking for an extra shot of liquor in a drink from a bartender?? Our kids will have a separate room and since my daughter is messy as hell, I'm thinking extra tip for cabin steward.

 

The suggested tip amounts are for each night of the cruise. There is no disclaimer that says "Unless we eat elsewhere". EDIT: We eat elsewhere every night, either WJ or alternative restarants. But we sign up for My Time Dining and tip for the full length of the cruise. They take turns working in the Windjammer, without tips.

 

By paying the recommended gratuities you are insuring that the staff that takes care of you on vacation is appropriately compensated.

 

Yes it is a flawed system and open to controversy, but it is their system. :)