Monetary transactions on cruise ships function differently than what you are likely used to on land, but the good news is that making purchases and monitoring your spending while cruising is very simple and straightforward. There are a few important things you need to know.
Cruise ships are mostly cashless
Cash is not accepted on cruise ships to make purchases, and carrying cash is also not necessary for tipping service staff. All purchases and charges are facilitated through an onboard account that essentially functions like a credit card. Charges are posted to the account, and you are obligated to pay off the balance later. When checking in for your cruise, it is essential to register a credit card that will be directly linked to your onboard account. At the end of your cruise, your credit card will be charged for the amounts owing in your onboard account.
When making purchases on the ship, all transactions are processed by using your key card, or in the case of a Princess cruise, your medallion. Your key card functions not only as a room key, but also an ID card and spending card. At no point during your cruise will you need to pull out cash or other payment cards.
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| The wearable Princess Medallion replaces the traditional key/payment card on Princess Cruises. Photo by Princess Cruises. |
The only place where it is typically possible to transact in cash is at the guest services desk. Here you can hand over cash that will be credited to your onboard account. This is a good way of getting rid of US cash that you won’t need after your vacation.
What about tips?
As mentioned in my introduction to cruising article, each stateroom is charged an automatic gratuity of around $15-20 USD per day depending on the cruise line and your stateroom category. $18 seems to be the average. These automatic gratuities are shared fairly among the crew members. Additionally, when purchasing drinks or specialty dining, an automatic gratuity for these items is also charged that will be clearly indicated on the bill.
As you are on your cruise, you can rest easy knowing that you have already tipped every crew member, and you do not need to worry about handing out cash for every situation that a crew member assists you. In my experience, I find that the service staff on cruise ships are very relaxed and do not place any kind of pressure on you to tip because they know that you have already done so.
If you see people handing out cash to crew members, chances are they are new to cruising and are not aware of the conventions surrounding this, or they might have felt inclined to show their appreciation to certain crew members.
Currency
As most cruise lines are based in the USA, the currency for your onboard account will be US dollars for the vast majority of cruise lines. This is true even if you are sailing from other countries. For example, a Mediterranean cruise on an American cruise line uses US dollars, not Euros. However, at the end of your cruise, your credit card will most likely be charged in your local currency based on the conversion rate to US dollars. At the conclusion of my recent Royal Caribbean cruise, I was charged in Canadian dollars. Depending on which country you are from, this might not be the case, so you should assume that you will be charged in US dollars and be aware of any foreign currency fees charged by your bank or credit card issuer.
Do I even need to bring US or local currency?
It’s possible that you might not need to bring any cash on your cruise vacation at all. There are only a few situations where I think you might need it:
- Tipping tour guides and drivers on shore excursions
- Paying for taxis and tipping the driver in places that don’t have Uber or a similar cashless service
- Purchasing items from local vendors who don’t accept credit cards, such as at a straw or craft market
An important tip to remember is that the currency of some Caribbean nations, such as Bermuda and The Bahamas, is pegged to the value of the US dollar, so you can simply bring US currency and not have to worry about acquiring the local currency.
Monitoring your spending
It’s important to monitor your onboard account to ensure that you are aware of all posted charges. The most convenient way to do this is by using the cruise line’s iPhone or Android app. You will likely already be using the app for many other things during your cruise. On most cruise lines, you can also check your onboard account on the TV in your stateroom. If you see charges you are not sure about, it is important to visit or call the guest services desk before the final day of your cruise to settle any discrepancies.
What if you don’t settle your account?
You will not be permitted to disembark the ship. You must have a valid credit card connected to your onboard account or have the account balance completely paid off before you will be permitted to disembark.
Conclusion
As you can see, payments are very simple and straightforward on cruise ships. The cashless system is easy, convenient, and transparent. It is important to remember that you will need a credit card to connect to your onboard account, and that transactions are typically in US dollars regardless of where your cruise is going. Also remember that daily gratuities will be charged to your onboard account if these were not prepaid at the time of booking or included as part of a promotion or all-inclusive package.
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