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How much money should you bring 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.



The amount of "extra" money you should bring on a 7-day cruise depends on your spending habits, as the base fare typically covers your room, main meals, and basic entertainment. For a comfortable mid-range experience in 2026, a good rule of thumb is to budget between $50 and $100 per person, per day for "onboard" and "in-port" expenses. This budget should cover daily gratuities (often $16–$20/day), a few specialty cocktails or sodas, and modest spending in ports like lunch or small souvenirs. If you plan to participate in organized shore excursions, which can cost anywhere from $75 to $250 each, your budget should increase accordingly—potentially adding another $400 to $600 to your total. Additionally, if you enjoy gambling in the casino, spa treatments, or fine dining at "upcharge" restaurants, you should set aside a dedicated fund for those luxuries. While most expenses on the ship are charged to your "SeaPass" card, carrying about $200–$300 in small cash denominations for tipping porters, tour guides, and local vendors in port is highly recommended to ensure a smooth and generous travel experience.

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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.

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Most veteran cruisers recommend that you budget between £75-£100 per day for other costs. You can cut back on spending and reduce your budget. However, you're probably going to need at least £50 a day. So, once you've booked your cruise, you'll want to set aside around £350-£700 for other costs.

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So how much money do you need? The answer to this question varies a lot by person, their travel habits, spending preferences, length of the cruise and destination. 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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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.

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Paying gratuities and tipping the staff aboard a cruise ship is not compulsory but is considered the right thing to do. Cruise Tipping is a gesture of goodwill to reflect your gratitude for the service provided and to say a big “Thank You” to the crew members.

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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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Again, cash might be the only thing they will take, and in most of the Caribbean you can tip in U.S. currency. As a side note, it can be nice to have some cash on your cruise so you can also tip people like street performers while in port.

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Here are seven ways to avoid spending any extra money once you've boarded your cruise ship.
  1. Just drink water, juice, and coffee. ...
  2. Replace a paid shore excursion with self-guided tours. ...
  3. Stay on the ship. ...
  4. Get the most out of included places to eat. ...
  5. Do your homework during the packing process. ...
  6. Save money on laundry.


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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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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.

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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.

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If you're looking for “vacation,” then it's obvious that a seven-day cruise (or longer) would be more ideal. With that many days, you can actually get into the rhythm of ship-life and leave the stresses of home behind.

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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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(1). You have the right to refuse this automatic gratuity charge and may compensate cruise staff on your own terms. However, you will need to notify the front desk of this desire. Otherwise it will appear on your bill when your cruise ends and it will be charged to your credit card on file.

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61% tip their stateroom attendant an additional $20–$40 per couple per week, 26% tip $40–$70, and 13% tip an additional $70–$140. The average amount tipped to the head waiter was an additional $20–$50 per week per couple.

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Tipping isn't mandatory on a cruise, but you should consider that gratuities distributed onboard a modern cruise ship are much more than mere bonuses. Most mainstream cruise lines pay cruise workers a low base wage.

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Never use a debit card on a cruise. In many situations you can use cash for the pre-authorisations, but just remember that you'll need to have enough to cover the full amount of this charge, which, in some cases, can be pretty steep. You'll then get your cash back at the end of your stay or cruise, minus any charges.

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Ensure cabin safety and make sure the door and balcony are properly locked at all times. Consider storing your travel documents and other valuables in a secure spot, such as a room or ship's safe.

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As for your person, you will go through a metal detector. We have yet to go through a port that has the body scanners that have caused so much controversy at airports. This means you can keep things in your pockets, as long as is isn't metal. You also do not have to remove belts or shoes.

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Here are some of the major things you don't need to pack for a cruise.
  1. Soap and Other Toiletries. Most ships are equipped with soap, shampoo, conditioner, lotion and shower caps. ...
  2. Hair Dryer. Ships all come equipped with hair dryers. ...
  3. Clothesline. ...
  4. Beach Towels. ...
  5. Dirty Laundry Bag. ...
  6. Books. ...
  7. Snacks. ...
  8. Booze.


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