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Is it possible to spend no money on a cruise?

Technically, on the all-inclusive lines, you could go the entire trip without opening your wallet at all! Spending anything after embarkation is up to you, as the only things not included on any cruise line would be shopping, souvenirs, spa treatments and casino gambling.



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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. Here are some guidelines to help you decide how much money to bring on a cruise.

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Everything you pay for onboard a cruise is added to a cruise account, usually using your cruise card. This card is your room key, but it also serves as your payment card during the ship. Everything is added to an account, which you then have to pay off on the last morning of your cruise.

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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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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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Most cruise lines charge between $400 and $4,000 for a 7-night Caribbean trip in a balcony stateroom. Remember that these cruise costs are only estimates, and that prices can vary greatly based on the cabin style, time of year, number of individuals in the room, as well as cabin placement.

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On-board credit is money that can be used during your cruise for extras such as Shore Excursions, Spa Treatments, Speciality Dining or Gift Shop purchases etc. In plain English On-board credit is like 'free money'! This is basically a credit of money which is automatically deposited into your onboard spending account.

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Is food included on a cruise? You do not have to pay for food on a cruise – but you might want to. Unless you're sailing on an all-inclusive luxury cruise ship, you'll find two types of restaurants on board a cruise ship: free venues and extra-charge, specialty restaurants.

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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.

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The cheapest months to cruise to the Caribbean are May, September and October. The peak season for the Caribbean is December to April when it is driest – cheaper months tend to experience more rainfall and the risk of hurricanes causing changes to itineraries.

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Speer said some newbies opt to get their feet wet by taking a three-day cruise, but she warned that is a terrible idea. The cruise lines usually put their oldest vessels on their shortest routes, so in order to go on the nicer ships, you need to primarily do a seven-day or longer cruise, Speer said.

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The average cruise sailings range from five to 14 nights. Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Virgin Voyages, Holland America Line and MSC Cruises are among the lines offering short sailings.

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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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Everyone will need to present an accepted form of identification to board the ship based on their nationality/country of citizenship. Guests who do not bring required documents may be denied boarding.

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Despite these international stops, only open-loop sailing requires a passport for all travelers. For U.S. citizens, closed-loop sailing typically doesn't require anything more than personal identification, like a state-issued driver's license, and a birth certificate proving citizenship.

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An Onboard Expense Account, also known as your Seapass® onboard account, is the cashless system used for all onboard purchases and services. Depending on your ship, SeaPass cards are handed out at the pier or will be in your stateroom waiting for you.

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