How much cash for a 7-day cruise?

[drmrchk]

How much cash do you experienced cruisers recommend for the 7-day cruise? I know you can pay several on-board gratuities with your credit card...but we'll need cash for room service, to leave in our staterooms, and for servers on the deck....plus I assume we need cash on the islands when we stop? I'm not worried so much about the AMOUNT of cash to take, just that taking $300 in small bills for tipping is this huge, obvious wad that's hard to carry. If we take big bills can we exchange them for ones on ship? I'm not sure how the whole cash thing on the ship works.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

How much cash do you experienced cruisers recommend for the 7-day cruise? I know you can pay several on-board gratuities with your credit card...but we'll need cash for room service, to leave in our staterooms, and for servers on the deck....plus I assume we need cash on the islands when we stop? I'm not worried so much about the AMOUNT of cash to take, just that taking $300 in small bills for tipping is this huge, obvious wad that's hard to carry. If we take big bills can we exchange them for ones on ship? I'm not sure how the whole cash thing on the ship works.

The cash in the room isn't necessary, or the servers on the pool deck.

The $12.00 per night that DCL adds to your onboard account covers your room host, dining room server, assistant server, and head server. Any beverages purchased will include a 15% gratuity. And, just for the record, the spa charge includes an 18% gratuity.

That $12.00 per day (per guest) breaks out to $4.00 per guest per night to your room host; $4.00 per guest per night to your dining room server; $3.00 per guest per night to your assistant server; and $1.00 per guest per night to your head server.

If you feel like you want to tip additionally to that, you can go to Guest Services and have the amounts changed (so that it's charge to your onboard account), or place additional cash in the gratuity envelope (along with the gratuity coupon you receive at the end of the cruise) to hand out.

If you wish, you can tip additionally (via cash, or adding it to the charge slip you get) to your beverage server.

Yes, you can break large bills onboard, at Guest Services.

Typically, if we're planning buying anything that has a large cost, we charge it. Small purchases can be made with cash, but be aware the change you get back will be in local currency.

 

[wjs3]

Agreed wiht the above--for on board, you don't need ot bring a ton of cash. For excursions, I like to have 20-40 per excursion to tip drivers, guides, etc. I also bring ~$100 as "just in case" money--roadside souvenirs, places that don't take credit cards (which I often use)...

No need to bring a ton of small bills. I usually work in 20s, along with whatever smaller bills I have in my pocket if i want to give a smaller tip.

But you don't have to worry about any of that while on the ship, so should take out of your equation.

 

[summerskye]

I would add that some cash for the room would be nice. I plan on ordering a few things via room service and want to be able to tip for the service. And, some cash on hand for the porters both before and after the cruise.

I plan on bringing a 100 in 1s and 5s. Another 100 in 20s. And a few big bills.

 

[clten]

For a 7 day cruise, we will bring about $100 in singles/fives -- mostly fives. We use these to tip Room Service, porters, shuttle drivers, etc. all the people you will interact with that you forget when you are planning!

If we have excursions planned, I'll have about $100 in 5's/10's mostly 10's for tips to the guides/drivers. Depending on the excursion we will tip $5/pp for just basic guide services up to $10/pp for smaller tours or more in depth tours. We always make sure we have at least one $5 -- there are times the driver has a tip basket out. We never know in those situations if the guide/driver split the tips or the guide keeps what is handed to them and the driver only gets what is put in the basket. So we make sure we have at least a $5 to give the driver.

We aren't big shoppers so we usually don't bring a lot of money with us in port. I do usually carry at least $100 in twenties as our "just in case" money -- just in case we need to take a cab back to the port or just in case I see something I can't live without, etc.

Anyone else, I add to gratuity slips of bar servers or go to Guest Services to add to tips for servers/cabin host.

 

[MunFam]

I would add that some cash for the room would be nice. I plan on ordering a few things via room service and want to be able to tip for the service. And, some cash on hand for the porters both before and after the cruise.

I plan on bringing a 100 in 1s and 5s. Another 100 in 20s. And a few big bills.

This is what I bring as well. There is nothing more annoying than needing to tip someone a few bucks and all you have is larger bills, so you end up giving a bellman a $20 for 2 bags or whatever. Or when you get in a cab and the fare is $7 and all you have is a $20 and the driver says no change...

 

[RedSox68]

The only cash you will need on CC is if you want to buy stamps at the post office, or are having hair braided. Otherwise, everything else is done with your room card.

We bring lots of ones and fives for room service and tip according to how much we order. The laundry doesn't take money anymore but uses your room card, and I think the supply machines do also.

 

[ludari]

For myself I bring about $250 cash for the very things people mentioned above. I also like to add cash to the envelops in addition to the standard tips slips for my room host and dining staff because I feel they always do an excellent job.

 

[tink1970]

I usually budget $200 in $1, $5, and $20 for porters, extra gratuities, room service and excursion guides' tip. Any left over is used on the drive home to satisfy my chic fil a and taco cravings

 

[tink too]

The only cash you will need on CC is if you want to buy stamps at the post office, or are having hair braided. Otherwise, everything else is done with your room card.

Last time we were on CC (January 2015) I brought cash to the island as DD wanted to get her hair braided. When it came time to pay, the lady handed me a charge slip. Has this changed to cash payment only now?

On a side note, while I waited for DD to get her hair wrap finished, a DCL CM came to the area to distribute envelopes to all the ladies - I assumed it was pay day by the expressions on their faces.

 

[RedSox68]

Last time we were on CC (January 2015) I brought cash to the island as DD wanted to get her hair braided. When it came time to pay, the lady handed me a charge slip. Has this changed to cash payment only now?

On a side note, while I waited for DD to get her hair wrap finished, a DCL CM came to the area to distribute envelopes to all the ladies - I assumed it was pay day by the expressions on their faces.

Sorry -- I may be wrong then. I have never paid for the braiding and just assumed they were independent vendors. Apparently not -- they must be on Disney's payroll. Thanks.