How much cash are you taking & why?

[abismom04]

Right now, my husband and I are taking $300 cash. Neither of us is a drinker, we're taking each a 12 pack of our own soda, our excursions are paid for.

 

Is the realistic? This is our first cruise, 7 night, 8 day (Conquest 9.30.07) and we have 3 ports of call.

 

Thoughts?

[Matlily]

Hi there, I am a first time cruiser and going with others that cruised before and they tell me to take $200 per port stops which for us is also on the conquest so $600.00 that way you don't have to worry about anything and if you have left overs all is good. But if you see a item or something you really would like than you can spurge and buy it. :D

[SheriNtexas]

Right now, my husband and I are taking $300 cash. Neither of us is a drinker, we're taking each a 12 pack of our own soda, our excursions are paid for.

 

Is the realistic? This is our first cruise, 7 night, 8 day (Conquest 9.30.07) and we have 3 ports of call.

 

Thoughts?

 

It depends on what you think you will spend on souviniers, if anything, at the ports. Since this was my 16yo daughter's first cruise, she spent more, buying typical souviniers, etc. However, we will have the same itinirary on our cruise next April and we won't have to buy tshirts, shot glasses, post cards, etc. Make sure you have small bills to pay porters, bus drivers, room service, etc. I just got off Conquest and the ATM ran out of money by the 5th day! If you don't think you will spend much, then $300 should be fine! You can always bring a credit card and use that in port, but it depends on where you are shopping! I tried to use my ATM card in Cozumel and it wouldn't take it for some reason! You will need cash for the casino as well! Have fun!!:)

[hughvh]

My wife and I are casual drinkers and we budget $100 per sea day. Last cruise we came in well under budget.

[cathyz]

We usually take more than $1500 for a week-long cruise to spend the night before the cruise in a hotel/restaurant/bar, in the ports for food/drinks/stuff, for extra cash tips onboard, and of course in the casino. Anything we buy on board goes on the S&S account and is backed by a credit card. I'd rather have cash to take home than run out!

[SheriNtexas]

Right now, my husband and I are taking $300 cash. Neither of us is a drinker, we're taking each a 12 pack of our own soda, our excursions are paid for.

 

Is the realistic? This is our first cruise, 7 night, 8 day (Conquest 9.30.07) and we have 3 ports of call.

 

Thoughts?

 

 

In Jamaica, my daughter and I did the Dunns River Falls tour, and we bought a DVD of the climb, and by the time we gave a tip to the guide and the bus driver, I had almost run out of money! That personally made me nervous! Keep in mind that, depending on what excursions you do, you may want to buy photos, dvd's, etc! After Dunns River Falls, we did a dolphin encounter and we bought 2 photo's of the dolphin "kissing" us, lol! The dvd for the dolphin encounter was right at $50, so we didn't buy that!!

[abismom04]

Ah, I was afraid of this.... I am freaking out that we do not have enough $$ to make this cruise happen. :-( The cruise itself is paid for but there is so much other stuff to think about. I just don't know if we have the cash for it!!! (We don't have a credit card.)

[Matlily]

Ah, I was afraid of this.... I am freaking out that we do not have enough $$ to make this cruise happen. :-( The cruise itself is paid for but there is so much other stuff to think about. I just don't know if we have the cash for it!!! (We don't have a credit card.)

 

If you don't have it then just take what you do have, if your excursion are already booked then extras is just lunch and a drink. I am not a big shopper so I will probably come back with money.

 

Don't worry about it you have it booked your going to have a fab vacation :D

[Matlily]

If you don't have it then just take what you do have, if your excursion are already booked then extras is just lunch and a drink. I am not a big shopper so I will probably come back with money.

 

Don't worry about it you have it booked your going to have a fab vacation :D

 

 

Oh and don't go to the Casino!!!! that helps a lot:p

[SheriNtexas]

Ah, I was afraid of this.... I am freaking out that we do not have enough $$ to make this cruise happen. :-( The cruise itself is paid for but there is so much other stuff to think about. I just don't know if we have the cash for it!!! (We don't have a credit card.)

 

 

Well, if your cash supply is limited, then it makes it easier to decide what you can and can't buy! If you don't plan on buying pictures in port or souviniers, then you should be fine. If you don't order room service, you don't have to worry about tipping! The fun thing about a cruise is that not only is it what YOU make of it, you control what you do and don't spend as well! You said you don't have a credit card, are you putting up cash against your onboard account? Is the $300 in addition to what you will spend onboard, or is the $300 to use for your account while you are onboard? It is entirely possibly to NOT spend very much while on a cruise if you don't order anything from the bar, order soft drinks, buy pictures, stuff like that! The tips will be automatically added to your account, and that will be $10 per day per person, so it would be $140 for you and your dh. Of course you can adjust that, up or down, if you feel the need to. If $300 is all you have to spend, then that is all you have, and you can cruise and not spend very much money at all!!:)

[victory2020]

We forgot $ on one cruise & didn't miss it at all. Most stuff in ports is just junk anyway & you'll never miss not buying it.

[RjayB]

Oh and don't go to the Casino!!!! that helps a lot:p

 

I second this suggestion. Those dang slots stole $250 from me last cruise:eek:

[firefly333]

My wife and I are casual drinkers and we budget $100 per sea day. Last cruise we came in well under budget.

 

On sea days this all goes on your sea card, so why would you be taking cash for drinks on sea days?? :confused: You pay your sea pass in cash???

 

I bring about $400 or so, for souveneirs in port. I bring two cash envelopes, one with twentys and one with 1s, 5s, and a couple of 10s for tips.

 

I put everything on the ship on my sea pass, cash is only for in the ports and tips.

[Ms. Fun Bunch]

Right now, my husband and I are taking $300 cash. Neither of us is a drinker, we're taking each a 12 pack of our own soda, our excursions are paid for.

 

Is the realistic? This is our first cruise, 7 night, 8 day (Conquest 9.30.07) and we have 3 ports of call.

 

Thoughts?

 

 

I would suggest taking $100 per day per person. You never know what you might want to buy.

[ruskatab]

Does that 300.00 dollars include the tips since you dont have a credit card? Wow I wish I was that disciplined to only spend 300.00 total. We spent 1000.00 cash and put 600.00 for our sea pass account on the credit card and thought we were doing good. I did win 480 on the last night so that helped with the credit card bill.

[jpg1747]

7 day cruise, 4 ports, 2 sea days - I only take a couple of hundred dollars in cash - for incidentals, tips and lunches in port. I prepay as much as I can and put the rest on my S&S/credit card. I just wish I could book and prepay my spa time too.

[mrdood]

...as you can see, everyone has a different idea, your financial situation is unique to you, just make a budget and stick with it. Besides tips, you are not obligated or expected to spend on anything... It is up to you to decide.

[klfrodo]

Ah, I was afraid of this.... I am freaking out that we do not have enough $$ to make this cruise happen. :-( The cruise itself is paid for but there is so much other stuff to think about. I just don't know if we have the cash for it!!! (We don't have a credit card.)

 

Does the $300 take into account for the $10 per person per day gratuities that they automatically put on your account?

 

That will total $140 for gratuities. That only leaves you with $160 total cash.

 

That will get you 1 excursion each and either a couple of drinks or a couple of soda's.

 

Personally, I couldn't do it. You have no back up emergency funds in case things don't go like clock work.

[abismom04]

LOL yep there are lots of ideas here.

 

We don't plan to gamble, or drink, but souvenier wise, my husband wants a bottle of liquor and I want a cool purse. Other than that, we plan on lying on beaches, and doing a whole lotta nothing. We like windowshopping and sight seeing, people watching.

 

Our excursions are already paid for, and we're taking our own soft drinks on board.

 

I appreciate all the different views and BTDT experience... really $300 is all we have... lol so that better work!!! But now i Have a whole slew of questions about the sail and sign cards... lol

[SheriNtexas]

LOL yep there are lots of ideas here.

 

We don't plan to gamble, or drink, but souvenier wise, my husband wants a bottle of liquor and I want a cool purse. Other than that, we plan on lying on beaches, and doing a whole lotta nothing. We like windowshopping and sight seeing, people watching.

 

Our excursions are already paid for, and we're taking our own soft drinks on board.

 

I appreciate all the different views and BTDT experience... really $300 is all we have... lol so that better work!!! But now i Have a whole slew of questions about the sail and sign cards... lol

 

 

Well, doing a "whole lot of nothing" is VERY cheap!! LOL! There were several times during the cruise where I just sat in a chair on deck 5 where the casino and teen area is, and just "people watched"! I have to say that watching the teens coming and going and all that was very interesting!

 

Make a new thread if you want and ask away about the sail and sign card!!:)

[nothomeonacruise]

I hate to say how much we spent on photos (both casual and formal), but I think it's well worth it. We also bought t-shirts and other things, too. You may want to have additional tip money. We always give our waiter, steward and their assistants extra tips. (On top of the autotip) You'll have to tip your room service people, too. (just to let you know) :)

[river_sand_bar2]

Ah, I was afraid of this.... I am freaking out that we do not have enough $$ to make this cruise happen. :-( The cruise itself is paid for but there is so much other stuff to think about. I just don't know if we have the cash for it!!! (We don't have a credit card.)

 

I cant remember the exact issues with this... If you use an ATM card for your S&S card, don't they put a cash amount on it to cover any thing that comes up??

 

No credit card, they may ask for more cash up front to cover things... might want more information on this.

[emerson279]

So........reading all this about the amount of cash needed, I saw someone say they were bringing their own sodas. Can we bring sodas and snacks on board with us?? Are there ice machines like in hotels? Can you take your own sodas out on the deck with you or do the waiters get mad?? Help!

[SheriNtexas]

I hate to say how much we spent on photos (both casual and formal), but I think it's well worth it. We also bought t-shirts and other things, too. You may want to have additional tip money. We always give our waiter, steward and their assistants extra tips. (On top of the autotip) You'll have to tip your room service people, too. (just to let you know)

 

This next trip, I might not buy as many photos, but our daughter is growing up and well it's hard not to buy them! :)

 

 

This was my 16yo daughter's first cruise, and she went to every photo place she could find to have her picture taken, and as usual, most of them came out great, lol!! We spent more money on pics than I had planned, but it IS hard to give up good photos, and she will be in college in a couple of years, so it was well worth it! Plus, for once, the pictures of both of us together came out great too( I am the one who usually takes awful pictures, lol)! Of course, in spite of how awful I looked in the picture of the dolphin "kissing" my cheek from our excursion in Jamaica, we just HAD to have THAT photo too, lol!!

[SheriNtexas]

So........reading all this about the amount of cash needed, I saw someone say they were bringing their own sodas. Can we bring sodas and snacks on board with us?? Are there ice machines like in hotels? Can you take your own sodas out on the deck with you or do the waiters get mad?? Help!

 

 

I have never asked for extra ice besides what is always in the bucket in our room, but you could probably get some from your steward or from room service. Yes, you can bring your own snack onboard! I was on Conquest and the snack stuff-candy, pringles, stuff like that was kind of pricey, as you can imagine!! Also, you can get fruit, yogurt, etc. from the buffet and take it to your room as well! I felt kind of funny doing that one time, thinking it was like stealing or something, until i thought about it and realized that no matter WHERE i ate it, it is paid for!!:D I'm sure you can take your own soda on deck with you, or just bring one of those HUGE cups with lids and fill it up before you head to the deck!!