How much money should I take on a 7 day cruise?
As a general rule, plan to have $50 to $100 each day in the local currency. Also, you may want to bring an extra $20 a day for tipping crew members. Make sure to include smaller bills for tips. Fifty to a hundred dollars a day should be enough to cover small purchases, tips and snacks at each port.
And how much cash should you take on your next cruise? We're here to help you figure it out! Experts say the average cruise passenger spends anywhere from $52 to $89 per day, but the amount you'll spend will, of course, vary based on cruise line, ship, experience and your individual preferences.
Most guests bring $50-$120 cash per day to spend during the cruise. You will have many opportunities to purchase duty free goods, take exciting shore excursions, buy local souvenirs, play your chance in the casino, or enjoy some pampering in the spa.
To help you plan, we suggest you limit your luggage to a maximum of one bag per person if you're travelling on a cruise of 3-5 nights, and to no more than two bags per person, for cruises of 6 days or longer.
If you are wondering what to pack for a Caribbean cruise that lasts 7 days, here are a few guidelines: Swimwear: 3 swimsuits and at least 3 swim cover-ups. Casual Looks: Pack at least 4 pairs of shorts, 5 – 7 t-shirts, 3 pairs of pants, 3 skirts, and a couple of day dresses.
Most slot machines will just take your cruise card, but some will also take cash. Very few cruise ship casinos are cash-only but a few do exist. (Windstar and Silversea are examples.)
In general, plan on giving $16–$23 in gratuities per day for each passenger. Note that the amount should be tabulated for each individual in your party—don't try to tip once per couple or group. So if you're planning to go on a 7-day cruise, expect to give a total of between $112 and $161 per person in gratuities.
Compared to the last “normal year” in 2019, food spending was up at Royal Caribbean Group and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings. The former spent roughly $150 million on food in the third quarter of 2019, while Norwegian spent $57 million. Both companies have seen fleet expansion since then.
Typical extra tips may be $15-20 per passenger for a seven-day cruise paid to the cabin steward for exceptional work, or an extra $10-20 per passenger to a waiter who offered spectacular dining service. Similarly, it is often acceptable to tip $1-3 when room service is delivered depending on the size of the order.
For longer-duration general travel, a 90 to 100-liter bag is an ideal volume, as we mentioned earlier. It provides plenty of space for over a week's worth of clothes and gear and usually will still stay comfortably under the 50-pound baggage weight limit.
How big of a bag can I bring on a cruise?
Each checked bag and carry-on bag should not weigh more than 50 pounds and, when lying flat, bags must not exceed 16 inches high, by 24 inches wide (the length of the bag is not a factor). For security screening purposes, all luggage should be unlocked. Oversized luggage and locked luggage may cause delivery delays.
While there are no standard suitcase dimensions for checked bags across the board, here are a few typical sizes and their packing capacities: Small checked bag – 24x17x10. 5 inches; ideal for 4 to 7-day trips. Medium checked bag – 27x18.
I change 2-3 times per day but many items may be worn more than once during the cruise. I've only cruised to the Caribbean. I usually have a day clothes (shorts, shirt or casual dress), then change for dinner, and then often change to jeans or something for hanging out at karaoke or seeing a band or something.
7 Night Cruises - Usually on Day 2 and 6. 8 - 10 Night Cruises - 2 Formal Nights, Days vary by ship and sailing. 11 - 14 Night Cruises - 3 Formal Nights, Days vary by ship and sailing. 15+ Night Cruises - 3 or 4 Formal Nights, Days and number vary by ship and sailing.
However, most cruise lines are based in the U.S., where the crew members' pay structure is based on tips. If you refuse to tip on principle, you are impacting the salaries of the people who have served you well onboard.
What is the cheapest time to book a cruise? Prospective cruisers can usually find "a lot of good deals at the beginning of the year" during wave season, Goldberg-Glazer said. That period typically lasts from January until March. However, the optimal time to book may depend on when you plan to sail.
Shelf-stable snacks like chips, pretzels, protein bars or any other items packaged in sealed wrappers are permitted on every major cruise line. Just stick with store-bought goodies including candy, savory snacks, cookies or granola bars instead of whipping up a batch of homemade muffins or sandwiches to bring with you.
We do offer complimentary drinks to eligible players once they have reached a certain level of play: Slot Players: Any guest who earns the required number of points during a single voyage departing from North America and Europe will be eligible to receive the 'Drinks On Us!' card.
While the automatic service charges will cover their basic gratuities, it's generally considered good form to tip them a bit extra for a job well done, especially if you have made any special requests. Should you choose to, for a seven-night cruise, consider tipping about $2 to $3 per person, per day.
Cruise lines generally prefer to have tips given electronically to maintain cashless environments onboard their ships, but passengers who do prefer to tip in cash should give cash in the ship's stated onboard currency.
Do you tip the bartender on a cruise ship?
Whether or not to tip a cruise ship bartender is at each passenger's discretion. Big ships will automatically add a gratuity of about 18 percent to your massage at the spa or to a blowout in the salon. There may also be a space for an extra tip if you want to add one.
Free Food on Cruises: Meals are free of charge in cruise ship main dining rooms, buffets and select specialty venues such as Princess' International Cafe, Carnival's Blue Iguana Cantina and Guy's Burger Joint, Royal Caribbean's Park Cafe and Boardwalk Dog House and Norwegian's O'Sheehan's.
Food and beverages
As part of the cruise price, there is always complimentary food of many types and flavors. Drinks included are tap water, some juices and iced tea on most lines; everything else typically costs extra. Coffee and tea are complimentary, but you'll need to pay for specialty coffee beverages.
Yes, food can be delivered to your cabin 24/7 on most major cruise lines' ships. Typically, the room service menu features a Continental breakfast (some lines offer a few hot items, sometimes for an extra fee), plus an all-day menu of sandwiches, salads, pizza, perhaps a few hot items or appetizers, and dessert.
For bartenders and housekeepers, you may also want to offer a generous tip at the beginning of the cruise (again, $20 or more, depending on your needs) to ensure great service while on board. As for daily housekeeping gratuity, $2 to $5 per person per day is a good rule of thumb.
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