Cash

[travelerbug7]

First cruise upcoming and have no clue about some things. Would love to know your thoughts on:

 

1. How much cash to bring. I'm traveling with my almost 21 yr old daughter. She can't drink on the ship, so I won't drink much on board either. I didn't buy a drink package. I'll bring 2 bottles of wine and will prob. have 1-2 mixed drinks/night. We will both be drinking on the islands (St. Kitts, St. Lucia, Antigua, Barbados, St Maarten, + 2 nights in San Juan). For safety sake, we won't drink heavily, but will have fun. No clue how much drinks are in ports. We have excursions booked every port but one. I paid a deposit and assume I pay remainder in full, so that's easy. But how much extra (in addition to some drinks each) should we bring? Shopping - are items inexpensive or pricey? Not looking for fine jewelry but locally made pottery, etc. We're not cheap, nor will we go crazy. We mostly want to experience the culture. 

 

2. Do you take a credit or debit card? What if you underestimate and can't get a taxi back to ship?

 

3. What do you do with your cash while in port? We have a dolphin swim and a turtle swim. I don't wanna leave my $ in a backpack on the boat - and what about your Sail card? I can just see us losing stuff and not getting back on the boat lol. 

 

Any other pointers you have regarding $ would be greatly appreciated. 

[CruiserBruce]

Everything you buy on the ship will be charged to the room, and the credit card on file. So, other than any possible extra tipping, you will not need any cash on the ship.

 

No idea on the cost of drinks ashore, but bring lots of small bills for that. Getting change is usually not desirable.

[Shmoo here]

1 hour ago, travelerbug7 said:

3. What do you do with your cash while in port? We have a dolphin swim and a turtle swim. I don't wanna leave my $ in a backpack on the boat - and what about your Sail card? I can just see us losing stuff and not getting back on the boat lol. 

Sail cards, credit cards, and cash can all get wet.  My husband keeps his in a pocket in his trunks.  I use a time-honored place of concealment for us ladies 😉

 

 

[Essiesmom]

Check with your cruise line about the wine.  Usually it is one bottle per person 21 or over.  Not two bottles per cabin.  Since your daughter isn't quite 21 they might hold one bottle, or make you pay corkage on it.  EM

[mom says]

I can't tell you how much cash you will need because I don't know what or how much you want to buy or drink. But I can offer some pointers. As previously stated, all of your onboard purchases go onto your onboard account and are paid at the end of your cruise, usually by the credit card you put on file. The only cash you might want onboard are for tips for room service.

 

Port purchases from stores and restaurants: almost all will accept credit cards- Visa and MasterCard are the most accepted. Make sure you notify your CC companies of your destinations before you leave (otherwise they may suspect fraud and freeze them).

 

Markets and small vendors, taxis, etc: will likely require cash. USD will be accepted, but it is wise to carry small bills to avoid large amounts of change, which is likely to be in the local currency. We take a WAG at $100 cash per port day for souvenirs, food, drinks, and taxis. But we buy very few souvenirs. Excursions are extra. Dont forget to allow enough cash to tip your tour guide or driver.

 

Bring your estimated cash for the day ( the rest stays in your cabin safe), a credit card, your sail card, and photo ID (such as your DL) with you each time you leave the ship. All of these can get wet. Or you can buy a waterproof case on Amazon to hold your stuff, and wear it in the water. Leave your valuables on the ship if you're doing a beach day. 

[SRF]

The other place on board for cash is the casino.

 

I take about $50 a day in cash for the two of us, and normally bring home a good bit of that.  I use credit card for most purchases (food, drink, souvenirs).  

 

I use a water proof neck pouch if going in the water.  Cash, credit card, DL, and sail pass all fit fine.  They stay dry, but if they got wet, no problem.  People in the islands are used to being paid in wet or damp bills.

[travelerbug7]

10 hours ago, Essiesmom said:

Check with your cruise line about the wine.  Usually it is one bottle per person 21 or over.  Not two bottles per cabin.  Since your daughter isn't quite 21 they might hold one bottle, or make you pay corkage on it.  EM

thank you! Maybe I misunderstood, but I was pretty sure I read 2 bottles per stateroom. We're on RCI. I'll double check that.

[travelerbug7]

10 hours ago, mom says said:

WAG

 

10 hours ago, mom says said:

Markets and small vendors, taxis, etc: will likely require cash. USD will be accepted, but it is wise to carry small bills to avoid large amounts of change, which is likely to be in the local currency. We take a WAG at $100 cash per port day for souvenirs, food, drinks, and taxis. But we buy very few souvenirs. Excursions are extra. Dont forget to allow enough cash to tip your tour guide or driver.

 

Bring your estimated cash for the day ( the rest stays in your cabin safe), a credit card, your sail card, and photo ID (such as your DL) with you each time you leave the ship. All of these can get wet. Or you can buy a waterproof case on Amazon to hold your stuff, and wear it in the water. Leave your valuables on the ship if you're doing a beach day. 

thank you! Does your $100/day cover the tips too? How much do you tip a tour guide or driver?

I think I'm confused. Don't I print my sail card at home? Or is that just a ticket to get onto the ship? I thought I was told to print that at home during check-in, but maybe that's something else. That's why I didn't think it could get wet lol. What do you do about your phone when you go into the water? I looked into the waterproof cases (which still make me nervous), but I have an otterbox case on an 8+ and the I can't find one that doesn't say "not recommended for otterbox cases". I likely won't get in the water much, except maybe wading. I don't like the ocean. I'm trying hard to muster up the strength to snorkel w/ the turtles, but I'll likely stay on the boat, and this all may be a mute point. BUT if I can/do, I don't wanna leave our phone on the boat w/ the crew,

in my backpack.

[JimnKaren]

What you print at home is your initial 'boarding pass'. You will receive a laminated card, with your name on it, for purchases on the ship. Those purchases will be totaled and applied on the last day of the cruise.

 

Once, many years ago when we were in St. Maarten, we worried about someone misappropriating something while we were in the water. A friendly native, said that no one generally bothers other folks stuff and that he would keep an eye out. I have never heard of cruise passengers being looted at a beach in the Caribbean.

 

A phone at the beach? Why? Who you gonna call? Leave it in your cabin in your safe. If you are worried about theft, then you are not going to have a restful cruise.

 

Jim

Edited July 16, 2019 by JimnKaren

[mom says]

Why would the crew members on a dive boat steal your phone? Do you think it would be worth their jobs? Do you think any boat captain would tolerate such behavior, knowing that as soon as such an incident hit social media his business would be toast? And why are you bringing a phone on a dive boat? If its to take photos, just get a cheap camera and leave the phone on the ship.

[c-boy]

... when I go ashore I put cash and I D in this 

[mom says]

12 minutes ago, c-boy said:

... when I go ashore I put cash and I D in this 

What is that? Looks like a beer can sleeve with a coin purse attached.

[c-boy]

3 minutes ago, mom says said:

What is that? Looks like a beer can sleeve with a coin purse attached.

🤣 good one, an H2O  proof  ankle wallet

[travelerbug7]

1 hour ago, JimnKaren said:

What you print at home is your initial 'boarding pass'. You will receive a laminated card, with your name on it, for purchases on the ship. Those purchases will be totaled and applied on the last day of the cruise.

 

Once, many years ago when we were in St. Maarten, we worried about someone misappropriating something while we were in the water. A friendly native, said that no one generally bothers other folks stuff and that he would keep an eye out. I have never heard of cruise passengers being looted at a beach in the Caribbean.

 

A phone at the beach? Why? Who you gonna call? Leave it in your cabin in your safe. If you are worried about theft, then you are not going to have a restful cruise.

 

Jim

Thank you for this! I  have a friend who had things stolen while they were in the water. Some guys took from several people. I've not been to these particular islands, so that's the only knowledge I had. I assumed I'd want to bring my phone to check email in port. I won't be making calls. Is there a way to do that from the ship w/o buying a package? I'm only sailing w/ one of my young adult kids. I have three others and a husband staying home, so I'll want to have a way to receive emails in case of emergencies.

[CruiseGal999]

15 hours ago, travelerbug7 said:

First cruise upcoming and have no clue about some things. Would love to know your thoughts on:

 

1. How much cash to bring. I'm traveling with my almost 21 yr old daughter. She can't drink on the ship, so I won't drink much on board either. I didn't buy a drink package. I'll bring 2 bottles of wine and will prob. have 1-2 mixed drinks/night. We will both be drinking on the islands (St. Kitts, St. Lucia, Antigua, Barbados, St Maarten, + 2 nights in San Juan). For safety sake, we won't drink heavily, but will have fun. No clue how much drinks are in ports. We have excursions booked every port but one. I paid a deposit and assume I pay remainder in full, so that's easy. But how much extra (in addition to some drinks each) should we bring? Shopping - are items inexpensive or pricey? Not looking for fine jewelry but locally made pottery, etc. We're not cheap, nor will we go crazy. We mostly want to experience the culture. 

 

2. Do you take a credit or debit card? What if you underestimate and can't get a taxi back to ship?

 

3. What do you do with your cash while in port? We have a dolphin swim and a turtle swim. I don't wanna leave my $ in a backpack on the boat - and what about your Sail card? I can just see us losing stuff and not getting back on the boat lol. 

 

Any other pointers you have regarding $ would be greatly appreciated. 

 

I haven't seen anyone mention this ... so I will.  For your onboard account, please do NOT use a debit card.  The ship takes authorizations periodically and these can remain for many days/week or more.  Which puts a hold on your cash in your checking account.  It is best and easiest to use a credit card for your onboard account. 

 

NOW placing a credit card on your account makes it VERY easy to rack up $100s to $1000+ in spending.  The fun atmosphere, the ease of just showing your room key ... it IS your room key ... just like a hotel room key.  And you and your daughter may do separate things and voila ... money is spent. 

 

 

[travelerbug7]

1 hour ago, mom says said:

Why would the crew members on a dive boat steal your phone? Do you think it would be worth their jobs? Do you think any boat captain would tolerate such behavior, knowing that as soon as such an incident hit social media his business would be toast? And why are you bringing a phone on a dive boat? If its to take photos, just get a cheap camera and leave the phone on the ship.

Thanks. I don't know why anyone steals, but they do, so I don't leave belongings unattended. I've had things stolen right out of my purse.  My husband once had his phone lifted off his belt and never even felt it. We'd been in the country under an hour. Neither were on a tour, but once you've had that violation, it makes you more concerned. I was planning to bring my phone to check email at port. I'm not buying a package online, and I need to check email once daily. Is there a way to do that on the ship, if I don't buy the wifi package? I'd love to leave my phone behind, and would definitely use a camera instead.

[travelerbug7]

5 minutes ago, CruiseGal999 said:

 

I haven't seen anyone mention this ... so I will.  For your onboard account, please do NOT use a debit card.  The ship takes authorizations periodically and these can remain for many days/week or more.  Which puts a hold on your cash in your checking account.  It is best and easiest to use a credit card for your onboard account. 

 

NOW placing a credit card on your account makes it VERY easy to rack up $100s to $1000+ in spending.  The fun atmosphere, the ease of just showing your room key ... it IS your room key ... just like a hotel room key.  And you and your daughter may do separate things and voila ... money is spent. 

 

 

Great tips, thank you! Is there a way to check your account every couple days, so there's not a huge "surprise" at the end of the trip?

[Shmoo here]

37 minutes ago, travelerbug7 said:

I'd want to bring my phone to check email in port. I won't be making calls. Is there a way to do that from the ship w/o buying a package?

Generally, while the ship is in port, you can access shore connections, as the ship turns off their internet connection.  So you could check emails before leaving the ship for excursions or upon your return.

[SRF]

4 hours ago, travelerbug7 said:

thank you! Maybe I misunderstood, but I was pretty sure I read 2 bottles per stateroom. We're on RCI. I'll double check that.

 

RCI is two bottles per stateroom, as long as at least one person booked into the room is 21 or older.

 

So if you have two adults and two kids, book one adult and one kid in each room, then you can take 4. 😄

 

[SRF]

4 hours ago, travelerbug7 said:

 

thank you! Does your $100/day cover the tips too? How much do you tip a tour guide or driver?

I think I'm confused. Don't I print my sail card at home? Or is that just a ticket to get onto the ship? I thought I was told to print that at home during check-in, but maybe that's something else. That's why I didn't think it could get wet lol. What do you do about your phone when you go into the water? I looked into the waterproof cases (which still make me nervous), but I have an otterbox case on an 8+ and the I can't find one that doesn't say "not recommended for otterbox cases". I likely won't get in the water much, except maybe wading. I don't like the ocean. I'm trying hard to muster up the strength to snorkel w/ the turtles, but I'll likely stay on the boat, and this all may be a mute point. BUT if I can/do, I don't wanna leave our phone on the boat w/ the crew,

in my backpack.

 

$100 per day is CASH.  That would include tipping excursion guides or drivers.  I typically tip a guide $20 for two of us.  If no guide, just a driver, $5-10 depending.

 

You print your Set Sail pass (you said RCI), that is paper.  When you check in, they give each person a plastic card.  That if your room key, your pass on and off the ship, and how you charge things.  The only cash you can spend on board is tips to waiters and bar staff or in the casino.  And some venues you can tip on your cruise account.

 

As others have said, why take a phone to the beach?  Or there are waterproof containers for them, but there is always the possibility of leakage.  Or, one person stays with the stuff, and the duty rotates.

[CruiseGal999]

3 hours ago, travelerbug7 said:

Great tips, thank you! Is there a way to check your account every couple days, so there's not a huge "surprise" at the end of the trip?

 

Yes, some ships you can view your account on your TV.  You can call Guest Services and ask for the balance.  It takes a minute or so for them to pull up info.   OR ... if you see NO lines or only 1 or 2 people in line, go to guest services and ask for a print out.  That way you can SEE each item charged.  AND mistakes DO happen.  not often.  But it does happen that drinks you did NOT order get on your account.  It can & will be fixed. 

[travelerbug7]

5 minutes ago, CruiseGal999 said:

 

Yes, some ships you can view your account on your TV.  You can call Guest Services and ask for the balance.  It takes a minute or so for them to pull up info.   OR ... if you see NO lines or only 1 or 2 people in line, go to guest services and ask for a print out.  That way you can SEE each item charged.  AND mistakes DO happen.  not often.  But it does happen that drinks you did NOT order get on your account.  It can & will be fixed. 

Thanks!

[CruiseGal999]

3 hours ago, travelerbug7 said:

Great tips, thank you! Is there a way to check your account every couple days, so there's not a huge "surprise" at the end of the trip?

 

Also, unless you pre-paid (I don't know who you're sailing) the daily service charge or gratuities or whatever the cruise line is calling them ... money will be added to your onboard account each day.  Norwegian is $15/day for inside &/or balcony. But higher grade cabins are charged higher dollar amounts.  FYI

[cb at sea]

We never travel anywhere without a goodly amount of cash.  There is a safe in the cabin to store it.  We take abut $100 ashore (smaller bills) unless we KNOW we will be buying something pricey.

 

We take 2 credit cards....one for the ships account, and that one NEVER leaves the ship...it resides in the safe.  The other we will take ashore if we need to.

 

At beaches, we carry enough cash for renting chairs/umbrella, then any excess is slipped into the page of my old paperback book.  While in the water, we keep an eye on our stuff, but don't obsess over it...no one wants your clothes, flip-flops or old book.

 

 

[TNcruising02]

We take $100 to $160 with us when at the ports.  We never use our debit or credit cards while cruising.  We usually tip a total $10 per person for tours, such as $10 for the driver and $10 for the guide, which covers both me and my husband.  These are for group tours and not private tours.  We aren't big spenders, so we usually return to the ship with most of our money.  We take our driver's licenses and ship cards with us and leave our passports in the safe in our cabin.

As far as going to the beach, we either take a beach bag that locks or a small locking safe.  The beach bag we have is made by Kyss and the portable safe we got off of Amazon.  The safe is a Safego Portable Travel Lock Box with key and combination and was $45. Both of these can be locked to beach chairs. With the safe, I put it in a regular beach bag and lock everything to the chair.  I would never go to the beach or pool and just leave stuff in an open beach bag.  My husband always takes his phone and we always have cash.

I believe some places where you can swim with the dolphins have lockers, but I am not positive.