Can you use cash on Royal Caribbean ships?

Cash is not accepted at the onboard shops. All purchases made at the Royal Shops must be made using your Seapass® card.



Royal Caribbean operates on a cashless "SeaPass" system, meaning you cannot use physical cash for day-to-day purchases like drinks, specialty dining, or souvenirs while on the ship. When you check in, you must establish an onboard expense account linked to a credit card, debit card, or a cash deposit. If you choose the cash-backed account option, you can visit Guest Services once onboard to deposit physical currency (USD) into your account. Your SeaPass card then acts as your "cruise debit card." Physical cash is still useful, however, for extra gratuities to specific crew members, gambling in the casino (though you can also charge this to your room), and for use in port during shore excursions. In 2026, Royal Caribbean's mobile app allows you to track your spending in real-time, and any unspent portion of a cash deposit will be refunded to you at the end of the sailing, usually in the form of a check or cash at the Guest Services desk on the final morning.

People Also Ask

You will most likely need cash while you're off the ship, especially in foreign ports. Not only can it save you money in foreign transaction fees that most credit card companies charge, but if you're traveling to certain parts of the world, you may encounter places where credit cards aren't accepted.

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There is a $500 daily limit on cash accounts for 7+ night sailings and $300 for 2/3/4/5 night sailings. Once the daily cash limit is reached, we will call the guest and inform the guest that the limit has been reached.

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Many people suggest $100 per day, and this has generally worked well for me in my cruising experiences, but there are a lot of variables to consider.

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How do I pay for purchases onboard? All onboard purchases are paid for using your cruise card, which doubles as your room key. This card is set up before boarding and serves as your ID to get on and off the ship, provides you access to your cabin and makes for easy swiping when you decide you need a pina colada.

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Royal Caribbean guests wishing to purchase a drink package can do so either prior to their cruise via the Cruise Planner web site or once onboard their ship. Once purchased, you must pay for the package for the duration of your cruise.

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So which food is included and which cost extra? While not all the food on Royal Caribbean is included, there is enough food and drink for you to enjoy that is included so you will not need to pay extra for food. However, you may feel inclined to pay for drinks or meals anyway as a way to enhance your cruise.

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A valid passport is required; visas are required where they apply. This includes Europe, Asia, Central and South America. For additional passport information, visit www.travel.state.gov. Royal Caribbean International strongly recommends that all guests travel with a valid passport during their cruise.

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In most cases, you can simply explain that you do not have a credit card and they'll come back to you with a Plan B (they want your money so there will definitely be a Plan B). Never use a debit card on a cruise.

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If you plan to remove tips from your onboard bill, you will need to plan in advance to bring enough cash for personal tipping, then wait in a potentially long line at the guest services desk to remove the auto-gratuities and chase down all the crew members you wish to thank on the last evening.

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Use the ship's safe, or bring your own. When not in use, your jewelry and cash should be kept in a safe. Every cruise ship cabin comes with a safe; there also are portable safes you can purchase for added security. (Crewmembers, like any hotel staff, have the ability to open your safe in the event you're locked out.)

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Guests are not obligated to book a shore excursion and free to explore ports of call on their own.

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7-8 Daytime Outfits On your 7 day cruise, you'll need a casual daytime outfit for each day, plus at least one backup outfit in case you get wet.

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ATMs are typically available on board cruise ships belonging to major cruise lines like Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, Celebrity, Holland America, Princess (& many others). However, most charge considerably higher fees for use in addition to any charges assessed by your bank.

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