How much cash should I bring on my cruise? This question pops up all of the time! I am always looking for a better answer than “it depends” but frankly, it does. In researching for this post, I saw that the average cash budget for cruisers is $100-$200 per person, per day.
Based on my experience, that amount seems quite high, especially since many cruise expenses are pre-paid. However, your cruise cash needs are unique to you and the experience you have planned. In this post, I will help you determine how much cash YOU need to bring on YOUR cruise. First-time cruisers fear not. I’ve got you!
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Pre-Cruise Expenses
First, let’s discuss some of the expenses that you have probably already accounted for in your budget. The biggest expense is likely your cruise fare which will include your port fees and taxes. Your cruise fare may have also included gratuities, and onboard “extras” such as wifi, a drinks package, or specialty restaurants often referred to as “perks” if they are included in your booking. If not, you can purchase them after your booking.
Your travel professional can help you with these or you can order them in your pre-cruise planner on the cruise line website. If you plan to purchase extras such as an alcohol package, WIFI, specialty dining, etc. these are typically purchased with a credit card prior to your sailing. You will likely receive a discount for purchasing in advance of your cruise so watch for those deals!
Related Post: The Extras of Cruising
Your Onboard Account/Onboard Expenses
Any purchases you make once onboard will be charged to your account at the time of your purchase via your cruise card. This may be called your sail & sign card or simply…your room key). All of your onboard expenses will be tallied over the course of your cruise and “settled” on your debarkation day (end of the cruise).
While some cruisers do set up a cash account on the first day of their cruise at guest services, most add a credit card or debit card to their account prior to the cruise to cover any onboard purchases. The line at guest services on embarkation day can be quite long. Once you are onboard, it’s really a cashless system.
Cashless System
Most cruises operate in a type of cashless society with any purchases being added to your account. However, there are a couple of instances you might want to have some small bills available while onboard.
Additional Tips
In addition to the automatic daily gratuities, some cruises like to tip crew members a few dollars here and there for their exceptional service. While this is certainly not mandatory, many cruisers tell me that it enhances THEIR cruise experience to show extra appreciation to the crew. Extra tips generally go to the main dining staff, bar service, stateroom attendant and room service delivery, etc.
Tip: If you give your bags to porters at the cruise terminal you will want to give them a tip of $1-2 per bag.
Casino Cash for Your Cruise
The casino is another opportunity where you may want to use cash. Cruisers can draw from their onboard account in the casino but some cruisers testing the fates allocate a certain amount of cold hard cash to use in the casino rather than charging it to their onboard account. I imagine it’s easier to stick to a set budget this way.
Cruise Port Day Experiences – Your Cruise Destinations
For most cruisers, their greatest cash needs come during a port of call. We will discuss this in greater detail. If this is your first cruise, you are likely busy researching and planning activities for each cruise port of your trip. It’s so exciting but can be a little overwhelming.
Cruising through the Caribbean is especially easy as the U.S. dollar is widely accepted as well as local currency. If you are cruising in Europe, you will want to exchange to the appropriate local currency prior to your trip (via your bank) or once you arrive in a foreign country.
Pre-booked Shore Excursions
If you have planned an excursion directly through the cruise line, that expense will be charged prior to your cruise or charged to your onboard account.
This can also be true if you have pre-booked an excursion with reputable tour companies such as Viator, etc. However, sometimes, only a deposit is pre-paid and the balance is due at the time of your excursion. I have found this to be the case for many day pass resorts.
It’s a good idea to keep your confirmation with you and read ALL of the details of the excursion carefully prior to your sailing. The confirmation provides important details regarding what is included in your excursions. Some excursions cover transportation, while others are completely inclusive of food, drinks, and activities. The confirmation will also include payment details if a deposit was paid. This will let you know if the final payment can be made with a credit card or must be in cash.
While details will vary from an excursion to excursion, there is generally an added note that gratuities are not included. This is an invitation for extra cash tips for great service by your tour operator, tour guide, driver, etc.
Read those details! We once paid nearly $100 for an excursion only to find out that it only included transportation to a private island and our beach chairs. The fee did not include any food/drinks. We were glad that we packed our travel towels as beach towels were also not available. Be aware of any extra expenses that may require cash.
We love our quick-drying towels and carry them in our excursion backpack every cruise! (Amazon link)
Transportation
In my experience in various ports of call, individual transportation such as taxis usually require cash. It’s a good idea to research ahead of time if taxis follow a flat rate to destinations (i.e. Cozumel) from the cruise port or if the taxis are metered. This can make a big difference in your cash planning.
When we travel to Cozumel, we enjoy spending the day at Paradise Beach. The current all-inclusive price is around $60 per person and we know that we can pay this fee with a credit card. Since we have cruised to Cozumel many times, we now skip the souvenirs, beach massages, etc. So, our cash needs for Cozumel will be the taxi transportation to and from the day resort and tips for our server at the resort.
If your plan is to walk around the port and explore the town, you may not need cash for a taxi but you may choose to buy your local souvenirs with cash.
A note about credit card companies – Most do not require you to set a travel notice any longer which is nice. However, I do recommend traveling with two cards just in case you have an issue with one of your cards. Additionally, most credit cards, especially those with travel rewards do not have any foreign transaction fees. Make sure your card does NOT charge these fees prior to your trip.
Cruise Port Day – Examples for Your Cash Planning
You may need cash for additional experiences during your port day even if you have pre-booked.
For example, in St. Maarten, many cruisers walk from the cruise port to a local beach. It’s an easy 10-15 minute walk. There is also a water taxi available which at the time of this post was around $7 per person/one-way. If you choose to take the water taxi, you may want to pay this fee in cash.
You can also rent a chair/umbrella at the beach or purchase a bucket of beers. In this environment, at a public beach, I would recommend paying in cash. Some vendors do accept credit cards but in this scenario, they may be taking your credit card back to a local establishment and it’s out of your hand for several minutes.
I also recommend carrying small bills that are in good condition. Some small islands actually have strict rules about the condition of cash that they will except like Roatan. Another important tip is to keep money separated in at least two locations or divided with your travel partner. This is just a safety precaution. I believe as a general rule that most people are good, but safety first!
Cash for Tips and Trinkets
If your activities are covered with your credit card, many times your cash expenses will be focused on tips and trinkets. Do you like to buy a lot of souvenirs for friends and family? Are you a generous tipper? Account for these small purchases when you plan your cash budget and you’ll be all set.
Related Post – Easy-to-Pack Travel Souvenirs
What if I Run Out of Cash?
Fear not. Take a deep breath. While you might incur an unfriendly fee, you can access more cash during your trip. You can visit the cruise ship atm machine, the atm machines in the cruise terminal or some cruise lines allow you to get charged to your account in the casino and then cash out via a slot machine. While the ATMs will charge a fee (sometimes a hefty one) it will be a better alternative than you being completely out of cash when you need it.
TIP: I just heard this from a friend and it’s brilliant for travelers. He uses his debit card as his “travel account”. The Schwab debit card allows you to take out cash from any ATM anywhere in the world and refund 100% of any withdrawal or ATM fees you pay. This is a foolproof way to avoid international ATM fees and get the best currency exchange rate possible.
Final Thoughts: How Much Cash Should I Bring on a Cruise?
In Conclusion, there is no need to stress about how much cash to take on a cruise. As long as you plan ahead and think through your daily activities, you should have no worries when it comes to bringing enough cash for a cruise. Make sure to take into consideration the currency exchange rate and any extra expenses that may come up.
Have you been tallying up your potential cash needs throughout this post?
To help you get started, I’m including my cruise budget planner free printable.
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