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Whether you bring your own laptop and use Wi-Fi on your cruise, or park yourself at the computer center onboard, you will pay high rates for often slow to mediocre connections. On the up side, connection speeds are improving, and select cruise lines can offer land-like speeds. If you do plan on buying a lot of professional photos, look for cruise ship packages or ask about any specials on offer. Many souvenir stores carry the same products, so compare prices before buying. Cruise Staff Work Hard -- Allow the Autogratuities to StandGenerally, tipping on a cruise is not and should not be an area where you can save money. You can adjust the auto-gratuities at the ship's purser's desk or choose to tip below the recommended amount if you feel you've received subpar service.
Cash Machines on Cruises
Many people are fine just taking a very minimal amount of cash and using a credit card in port. This will depend upon how comfortable you are using a credit card and how many smaller stores and restaurants you think that you will visit where you will need cash. It is suggested to touch base with your bank to let them know you will be vacationing out of the country.
Port days
This makes it easier to make small purchases, hand out tips as needed, navigate taxis, etc. Often small merchants or vendors won’t (or can’t) provide change for large bills. There are many wonderful tours and excursions that will not be available on the ship. And if you book a local tour guide or attraction off the ship you will want some cash to pay for it. Here is why I still include cash on my packing list before a cruise vacation.
I spent $2300 on a 4-night Virgin Voyages cruise. Here is what everything cost from a $116 trolley ride to $67 worth of ... - Cruise Blog
I spent $2300 on a 4-night Virgin Voyages cruise. Here is what everything cost from a $116 trolley ride to $67 worth of ....
Posted: Mon, 02 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
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But if you need to see the ship doctor, get a prescription or even get treatment, then this can be an unexpected and unplanned event. And some of the main dining rooms can offer fantastic menus and superb food, some of the best you will eat anywhere. It isn’t easy to know the answer to how much cash you should take on a cruise to participate in auctions. If you want to join in, you most likely are not on any budget at all.
So where should you get cash if you didn’t bring any?
Cruise lines sell shore excursions -- guided tours and experiences in the various ports of call -- but they do inflate prices above what the actual tour operators charge. Depending on your cruise line, gratuities may be automatically charged to your onboard account every day. These charges are given to the wait staff, cabin stewards and other crew members who serve you during your voyage. For example, if one person plans to put onshore meals and activities on a credit card, you may want to have cash ready to pay for your share immediately.
Also, these days with the smart phones and readers, many things like tours, that used to be cash only, and now credit card friendly. We will be in Europe for 23 days on a land tour- driving around the Alps- in May and June. That will be mostly for food, we are not much into trinkets.
Specific cruises can be much lower… or much higher… depending on your specifics. For example, sailing an interior cabin is drastically cheaper than sailing in a balcony room. And cruises departing in January or February are less expensive than sailing at the height of summer. But we have some estimates below to give you an idea of the cost of taking a cruise. The entire industry was shut down for almost all of 2020 and slowly made its return in 2021.
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You could sail on an entire cruise without needing any cash at all. In Japan, tipping at a restaurant or cafe can be considered rude. Whereas in Singapore, Vietnam, and Thailand, tipping is not expected, but staff are becoming more familiar with tourists tipping and some may accept it. If you are cruising in Europe, keep in mind that public washrooms in Europe may require payment .
Beware of Foreign Transaction Fees on Credit Card Purchases
Popular beach activities like banana boat rides or renting some chairs with a bucket of beer often require cash. For those enjoying a wonderful excursion while in port, such as a great day out on a boat or walking tour, many people like to give a little extra something to their tour guide and bus driver. For further savings after you're already onboard, you can book your next sailing while you're still on the present one. No matter how much you plan and prepay from home, you will always need to budget for “spending money.” And cruise ship extras can get pricey. When deciding how much cash you should take on a cruise, we are also talking about how much money you will need on your credit cards. By following these tips, you can minimize the risk of losing or misplacing your cash while on your cruise.
Once you are on the ship, you use this card just like a credit card to charge items to your account, which you pay at the end of your trip. But even gambling in the casino can be a cashless experience — and not just because you lose all your money! As with beverages and spa services, you can also charge casino play to your cruise account using your cruise card. But, unless you satisfy certain VIP or loyalty club criteria, there will likely be a significant fee for doing so. Additionally, some onboard services and activities may require cash, such as the casino, vending machines, and some shore excursions.
Also, you may want to bring an extra $20 a day for tipping crew members. Also, consider any excursions you plan to take and bring cash for tipping tour guides. The rule of thumb is to tip the guide 10% to 20% of the tour cost, depending on how much you enjoyed the experience. For example, you might give the guide $5 to $10 for a half-day excursion or $10 to $20 for a full-day tour.
Tipping beyond the automatic service charge is a controversial topic that we won’t dive into in this article. The cheapest time to cruise is during hurricane season, the period of time between June and November when hurricanes are most likely to occur in the Atlantic. If you've already paid for your cruise in full, you can work with your cruise line to see if, given the circumstances, they might offer you an upgrade.
Additionally, bar tabs are automatically charged a 15 to 20 percent gratuity; some lines also add on a 15 to 20 percent gratuity to spa services. When the maitre d' performs a special service, such as arranging for a birthday cake to be brought to the table, he should be tipped as well. Laundry and dry-cleaning charges on a cruise can be steep (approximately $3 to $7 to wash and press a shirt, for instance). Check to see if there is a self-service launderette, and use it. Typically, washing and drying one load of clothes comes to a reasonable price, though some lines offer complimentary self-service laundry. While many onboard activities are free, other special activities incur extra fees.
However, you will most likely not get a great exchange rate, so for small transactions, you may want to have some Mexican Pesos with you. Always ask before you are seated at a restaurant whether or not they take credit cards – most places in popular cruise port destinations in Mexico will take cards. Onboard gratuities are charged to your account by most cruise lines these days, but you may want to bring extra so you can personally give extra to the crew in cash. Although credit cards are preferred by many, I am team cash for most port expenses, certainly for smaller transactions like souvenirs, snacks, drinks and taxis. Australia is not prone to as much tipping and some cruise lines, like Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises, have their daily gratuities as part of their cruise fare. While onshore, tips of around 10% are considered appropriate at restaurants and bars.
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