Spending Money for Cruise?

Question

Hi All,

Im going on a cruise the end of Sep. My cruise and flight are already paid for. Im not buying any new clothes or things like that. I wanted some suggestions on saving spending money for my cruise. I had a budget to save and it seems like it's always something that comes up that you have to dish out more money. I dont use credit cards. I use only cash. I have a full time job and a side business. Ive done online surveys. Ive sold items on Ebay. Please give some suggestions. Thanks!

Thanks everyone for the replies.

Answer 1

you have about a month, so you could commit to saving a certain amount of money each week from your paycheck which will just be for the vacation. if something comes up, ask yourself, 'can this bill wait until i get back?' if it can, great. if not, well, you'll have to tighten your belt.

i went on a cruise a few years ago and instead of paying with cash, everything on the cruiseship was charged to our room. you can cruise absolutely free if you don't drink, get massages, or go on shore excursions. at the end of the cruise, we paid the bill with cash or credit card. it worked great, but it's really easy to rack up the bills.

Answer 2

You do need to bring extra money on most cruiselines. Tips are automatically included in your bill and there will very likely be SOMETHING you need to buy. I'm sure many people will have some suggestions on cutting expenses, starting savings accounts, all good ideas. here are additional alternatves: didn't see what cruiseline you're going on, but many have gift certificates you can buy ahead of time and use on board. Decide how much you want to spend on the cruise extras. Then, each month when you save some $$ you can buy a gc. That way when the cruise comes, you have a built in "spending account" and don't go over it.
Alternatively, you could put aside money each month in the form of a prepaid Visa or Amex gift card, same concept.

Now, the upside is that money is put aside for the cruise stuff and you can't spend it elsewhere. The downside is the money is tied up and not earning interest or available to you in case of emergency.

Some of the "extras" on most cruises (some cruises include alcohol tips etc): sightseeing/tours, alcohol, soft drinks, certain "extra" restaurants, spa, photos, souvenirs/gifts/the siren call of the duty free, tips, casino, possible incidentals (forgot sunscreen, whatever).

Answer 3

I just went on a Roya Caribean Cruise for the first time. You are expect to pay about $10 a day, total, in tips to your cabin attendant, and dinning room waiters.

Alcoholic drinks were also additional. $5 beers. $8 fancy drinks with little umbrellas. You could get decent $25 bottles of wine at dinner and you could cork an unfinished bottle and drink it the next night.

There was food and non-alcoholic drinks available at no extra charge virtually 24 hr a day.

We had land-side excursions, too, which ranged from $20 to rent snorkling equipment for the afternood to a submarine rides for a few hundred dollars.

Other than that, it was just optional stuff, souveniers, gamblind in the casino and such.

Oh, you never used cash on the ship. It was all put on your "Sea Pass Card" which is also your room key. You have to put down a credit card to cover charges on your pass. I am not sure what happens if you don't have a credit card. Maybe they'd let you put cash deposit.

Answer 4

If you don't drink (or drink that MUCH), you shouldn't be out of pocket that much money on acruise. I just went on a cruise with royal a month ago and I spent about $550 ..this included drinks for 2 people, lots of fancy pictures, and gratuities. If you were to watch your drinking and take your own pics..you could be out only like $150 and have afantastic time.

Answer 5

well im going on a cruise this christmas and if everything is prepaid and all then what you should do is just save save save. dont spend it on thinkgs u dont need. you may want a new shirt or a new purse or some extra food like junk food. only get the things u need and then by the end of september you should have all the money you need. rite now i have like 200 dollars saved up this summer and im only a 14 year old girl. i babysit my brother. and trust money can build up fast just as well as it can dissapear fast.

Answer 6

If you have prepaid for your cruise the only things you will need money for additionally are:

Gratuities: They will amount to about $10 per person in your cabin per day; about $70 each for the week. When you check in at the pier they will set up an on-board charge account for you to cover any and everything you may buy on ship. They will issue you a "cruise card" which will also serve as your room key and pass to get on and off the ship. At the end of the cruise they will add the gratuity to your tab and you can pay with a credit card or cash, your choice.

Alcoholic drinks and soft drinks: Coffee, tea, milk, juice, and lemonade and punch will be provided free but you must pay for drinks (alcoholic beverages) and they will add a 15% gratuity to each drink of soft drink order. You can save on drinks by ordering them in a plain glass rather than the souvenir glasses they often use. You can also save money if you can by taking a six-pack of bottled water and soft drinks with you in your carry on. Since you cannot take these through airport security you would have to get them after leaving the airport.

Photographs: Cruise lines will take plenty of photographs of you all over the ship, in the dining room, and as you exit the ship in ports. These will cost a lot, like $15 to $20 for most. Skip them and save yourself a lot of money. Take your own camera and have the other passengers photograph you on and off the ship.

Tours/Excursions: These are listed on your cruise line web site and you can reserve them well before the cruise and pay for them also. If you wait until you are on ship to book tours they will be charged to your on board account (then you can pay cash to settle your account on the last day)

Souvenirs: Anything you buy on ship from a gift shop or duty free shop goes on your on board account. Things that you buy on shore you pay cash or credit card for.

Casino: If you plan to gamble on ship you will need cash for that.

Other: most cruise lines have what they call "specialty" restaurants where there is a gratuity/service charge. All other food on board is free and its not really necessary to budget for food; you cannot eat all that will be available.

Your room will likely have a safe so you can keep your cash safe until its time to pay your bill. So you will need in addition to what you have already paid at least the money for gratuities and add to that whatever else you plan to buy as outlined above.

Answer 7

last year my hubby and i went on a last minute cruise and only took 700 bucks for 5 days including a night before stay and money while we fly etc... we paid our excursions and tips in advance and we bought a wine package and were able to take our own 24 pack of pop onboard.(royal caribbean and carnival both allow this) we ended up with 200 left. before u leave the ship on dismark eat breakfast for free instead of at the airport.

this might sound ghetto but we have a jar that we drop coins in and we cash it in and it feels like you got free money. instead of giving the correct change example 23.74 ill give 24 and that change goes in the jar. also look through coats etc... and in the car. like i said it sounds cheap but when u cash it in u wont

Answer 8

Well why don't you try to put all the money that you want to save in an envelope...give it to a neighbor that u trust, or have someone hide it in ur house for you...that way you wont know where it is, and you wont spend it...hope this helps!= ]

Answer 9

Sounds like you're doing some good things.Well you could try a yard sell if you're able to.


And how do you get paid for doing online surveys. Can ya e-mail me to let me know?

Answer 10

You may want to call a travel agent, and see what the price may very, dinners, shows, even see where you may be stopping on shore and put an expense to the side. Don't sell all your personal items. Just enjoy yourself. Cash is good, credit cards bite you in the butt.