Answered: How Much Cash Should You Take On a Cruise? (2024)

Figuring out how much cash to take on a cruise is a big question that many cruisers — especially first timers — have before they even start to pack their bags.

From tipping to drinks to souvenirs to excursions, there are plenty of things you’ll find yourself spending money on. So exactly how much cash should your bring?

We’ll get into the details below, but before we get too far, you will likely be surprised that the amount of cash you need on a cruise is less than most people think.

Where You DON’T Need Cash During a Cruise

If you’re going to be spending money, then you definitely need to bring a wad of bills, right? Not so fast. On the cruise ship, you’ll need very little cash day-to-day.

You see, every cruise line now ties your room keycard to your onboard account. 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.

So for drinks at the bar, souvenirs in the cruise ship gift shop, or excursions booked while on the ship, you’ll charge them to your room and pay later. There is no need for cash.

The same goes for most gratuities. Cruise lines now offer prepaid options for gratuities to your room steward and dining room waiters. So you can pay them before you even get on the ship. Or you can wait until on the ship and they will be automatically charged to your account, with no need to pay with physical cash.

So where do you need cold hard cash these days?

Where You DO Need Cash For During a Cruise

We highly recommend paying for anything OFF of the ship in cash. Port areas in tourist areas in the Caribbean and Bahamas are typically safe from violent crime, but petty crime like theft — or credit card fraud — could happen. So if you plan to pay for meals and entertainment with a card, there is the risk of being overcharged, charged twice, etc.

For peace of mind, we prefer to simply pay in cash. All ports you visit in the Caribbean or Bahamas will accept U.S. dollars, so don’t worry about having to change over currency.

In addition to security, it’s also helpful to have cash as some places — such as smaller souvenir shops or taxi cabs — don’t accept credit cards. Credit card usage simply isn’t as widespread as it is in the United States.

If you are on the ship, then there are a few places where it is helpful to have cash, mainly for tipping. For example, room service should be tipped $3-5 per delivery. Luggage handlers should be tipped $2-3 per bag. And if you want to tip your room steward or waitstaff above the prepaid gratuity, then bringing a little extra cash is the best option.

Like to gamble? If so, then you’ll also want to bring cash to play with, although that too can be charged to your room in most cases. (We prefer to use cold hard cash at the casino instead of going through the process of charging to the room, however.)

Of course, this all means that the amount of cash you need to carry depends on your own spending habits. If you are a big spender, then you’ll want to bring more money. More moderate spenders will bring less. But in general, you just need money for those things you’re doing off the ship.

That said, there is some quick budgeting you can do. We’ve listed some easy calculations of what you can bring to make sure you have enough cash for your trip.

How Much Cash to Budget for a Cruise

Since the amount of money you need for each day varies depending on whether you are at sea or in port, we’ve broken down each below.

Keep in mind these are our suggestions for the typical Caribbean cruise. Your specifics may vary.

Cash for Day at Sea:

• Tipping (those not included automatically): $0-10 per day
• Gambling: Dependent on your gambling budget
• Miscellaneous: $0-20 per day
• Total: $0-30 per day + gambling budget

Comment: As you can see, you need very little cash on the ship as everything can simply be charged to your card via your onboard account. The one exception is for play in the casino. You can charge the room, but we prefer to use cash.

Cash for Day in Port:

• Taxis: $40 per day
• Tipping: $20 per day
• Meals: $10-20 per person, per meal
• Souvenirs: $10-20 per person, per day
• Miscellaneous: $20 per day
• Total: $100-120 per day

Comment: Off the ship, cash comes in handy. The amount you need will vary widely based on your plans in port. Just walking to a beach? You’ll likely not need much. Heading out exploring, shopping, and eating lunch? Budget more.

Of course, these are just guidelines. We’ve been on cruises and spent literally no cash in a day. We also know that some people love to let loose on a vacation and spend a bit more.

Our rule of thumb is that you should simply budget as much cash as you would for any other vacation, when in port. On the ship, however, you’ll need far less.

The good news is that if you bring too much cash, you can always put it back into your account when you return home.

And what if you run out of cash? Don’t worry. There are ATMs available on the ship. Although they charge hefty fees (around $6-8) to withdraw cash, they can help in a pinch. There will also be ATMs in the port areas.

How much cash do you bring on your cruise? Let us know in the comments below…

Popular: 39 Useful Things to Pack (17 You Wouldn't Think Of)

Read Next:

Popular: 107 Best Cruise Tips, Secrets, Tricks, and Freebies