How Much Money Should You Bring on a Cruise?
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When planning a cruise, it’s essential to bring enough spending money for port purchases, tips, souvenirs, and casino gaming.
Even though credit and debit cards have become more common, having some cash on hand can still be useful, especially for small transactions with local merchants who may not accept cards.
When deciding how much money you should bring on your cruise, think about factors like the length of your cruise, your shopping habits, and any tips you might need to give. Onboard expenses such as gambling in the casino may also require cash.
How Much Money Should You Bring on a Cruise?
I recommend bringing between $100 and $125 in cash per day. However, the amount of cash you should bring can differ significantly based on your itinerary, budget, destination and spending habits.
You don’t need to carry cash on the cruise ship. Your cruise card acts as a spending account. Simply swipe your card to pay for drinks, meals, and activities.
Here’s a list of things you’ll need to pay in cash:
- Tipping: Although gratuities are included with your cruise fare or charged to your onboard spending account, you might want to give extra tips to staff members who provide excellent service. To show your appreciation, you can leave cash for your cabin steward or dining room server.
- Purchases at Ports: When you disembark at different ports, local vendors, small shops, and markets may prefer or only accept cash. You can’t use your cruise card to purchase items in port, except at some cruise line private islands.
- Transportation on Shore: Taxis, buses, or other forms of local transport may not always accept credit cards, especially in regions where card payments are less common or come with high fees.
- Onboard Casinos: If you plan to gamble in the ship’s casino, you’ll need cash. Most cruise ship casinos operate mainly with cash, and even if you can charge your bets to your room, your winnings will be paid in cash.
- Laundry Services: Most cruise ships charge laundry service to your onboard spending account. However, some older vessels have self-service laundry facilities that require coins to operate.
- Gratuities for Porters at the Cruise Terminal: Tipping the porters who help you with your luggage at the cruise terminal is customary. Having small bills handy for this can ensure a smooth start or end to your trip.
- Emergency Situations: Emergencies can happen anytime, so it’s wise to set aside cash for unexpected situations or costs that might arise while on vacation.
- Souvenirs and Local Crafts: Buying from local artisans or at souvenir shops in ports often requires cash, and it’s also a great way to support the local economy.
- Safety: Credit card scams are an unfortunate part of our current world. While most merchants are well meaning, there are occasions where bad intentioned shop owners seal your credit card information. Using cash in ports of call is safer than credit or debit cards.
Generally, you should budget the same amount of money as you would for any other vacation. We recommend $100-$125 in cash per day for most people.
Keep Your Cash Safe
While on board the cruise ship, we recommend leaving most of your cash in the safe inside your stateroom, along with important documents, passports, credit cards, IDs, and more.
Factors to Consider
Several factors come into play when you’re trying to figure out how much money to take on a cruise. You’ll want to consider your shopping habits, destination, and the length of your cruise vacation.
How long your cruise lasts makes a big difference in how much money you’ll need. For a short trip to the Bahamas, you don’t need as much cash as you would for a two-week European tour.
The longer the trip, the more chances you’ll have to spend, especially at different ports. Longer trips often mean more coastal visits, where you might spend on shopping and activities.
Think about how you like to shop. If picking up gifts, local crafts, and souvenirs is your thing, you’ll need more money. Some travelers are happy just looking around, but others enjoy buying many items.
Be honest with yourself about your habits so you can plan the right amount of cash.
Do You Need Cash on a Cruise Ship?
You won’t need any cash on a cruise ship. Cruise ships operate on a cashless system where everything you purchase on board is charged to your onboard account. This account is linked to either a credit or debit card, making transactions smooth and convenient.
You’re given a cruise card that functions as a room keycard and a payment card. Some cruise lines like Princess Cruises and Virgin Voyages offer a wearable device instead of a traditional card.
Your cruise card or wearable device allows you to buy drinks, souvenirs, spa treatments, and specialty dining options. When you buy something, the cost is automatically charged to your onboard account.
At the end of your trip, you’ll get a detailed statement of all your transactions, and that’s when you’ll settle your bill.
One place where you might still use cash is the onboard casino. Most cruise ship casinos have transitioned to keycard payments, but olderships still use cash. You can buy chips with cash, and if you’re lucky enough to win, most payouts are in cash.
The convenience of swiping your keycard everywhere on the ship means you don’t need to carry physical cash, reducing the worry of misplacing money or theft. However, it can be easy to lose track of your spending.
You won’t see your total bill until the last day, so it’s crucial to keep an eye on your purchases to avoid any unwanted surprises.
What Currencies Should You Bring?
All ports in the Caribbean, Mexico, Alaska, and the Bahamas accept US dollars. If you sail around Europe, it’s best to take Euros as the local currency, which is accepted in most countries (except the UK and Norway, which only accept pounds and Norwegian Krone, respectively).
Do Cruise Ships Have ATMs?
Most cruise ships have ATMs on the boat, so there’s no need to panic if you run out of cash.
It’s important to note that cruise ship ATMs charge hefty fees to withdraw cash (usually around $7).
You’ll also find ATMs in most ports of call. However, these cash machines also charge substantial fees and might not be all that trustworthy.
It’s uncommon, but the ATMs on cruise lines might run out of money during the cruise. If you find yourself in this situation, there’s no need to panic.
You can get a cash advance at the Casino Cashier using a credit or debit card. But be prepared to pay a “convenience fee” of around 5% (typically with a $5 minimum fee).
Cruise ships also offer currency exchanges.
But be warned… the exchange rates are awful, and there’s always an exchange fee paid to the cruise line.
It is best to do so if you need to convert currencies before you set sail.
