Since I always need wheelchair assist while cruising - I need cash for tipping (although not mandatory - I appreciate the help I get)! And I tip shore excursion drivers & guides! And my last few Caribbean cruises I was visiting islands that had been hit by hurricanes & I truly tried to help the local economies - bought many t-shirts & fridge magnets & gifts for friends/family at home - just to help the locals of St. Thomas & St. Martin!! I’ve cruised with friends who not only spent cash in the casino on the ships - but also went into the casinos in the ports - and they would put $10.00 bills or $20.00 bills into the slot machines! I generally bring about $100.00 per day in cash - but I also usually come home with cash - and I do use my credit cards in the ports (if I decide to buy jewelry)!
Emma, as an American who has lived in Europe, I appreciate your understanding about American tipping habits. It really is a different aspect of our culture.
Our cruise is our time not to use the internet ( it’s used so much in our daily lives ) so we just go in a cafe in a port and let home know where we are and check all ok and that’s it - no internet - honestly it’s amazing
While Tipping is expected in the US ( don't get me started on tipping, i'm not a fan). 20% is standard for dinner. 15% is completely fine for lunch. Plus we're talking about sit-down meals. There's no reason to tip if you're buying from a fast food place or getting a coffee.
I usually cruise the Caribbean and bring @$700 for a 7 day cruise. I don’t gamble, maybe the husband might splurge $20 a night. I love to spend some $at port to help out the locals.
Number one take away tip from this one always research your ports. I've saved so much money by doing that. There is one in Norway, p&0 do that do an 'excursion' which is basically a coach trip to a the top of a fjord, there is a bus stop that takes you up and back down again for less and you can spend more or less time there depending on how you feel.
We have the gratuity added already on our fares in Australia and if there is outstanding service been done usually they are tipped more individually then
I typically bring $50-$100 for the cabin steward (depending on cruise length), $50-$100 for the solo host, about $50 for the dueling pianos show, and about $100 in small bills for incidentals like refrigerator magnets in port. On top of that I bring about $1,000 for the casino. I would add that even though I put a credit card on my account, I usually take some casino money to the customer service desk on the last day and pay-off my account with cash. This is usually not too much, about $200.
The Netherlands & Germany you need 50 cents to use the toilet. It was rude awakening my 1st time in Europe. I don't know about London, our trip was canceled in 2020. Maybe next year!? It's good to have cash for a backup, just in case.
I allow myself a specific budget at a casino. Not being a big gambler, I typically play the machines (slots, poker) and allow 20 or 40 in coin. The most I have won was around 40k and the biggest loss was around 15. I get bored over time and stop. I don't spend significant winnings but if I gain a handful of coin and having fun then I will toss it in the cup and keep playing. But I do not go over my limit. If I had a lot of disposable cash. I would buy someone shoes or a coat or a meal or put a new roof on someone's house. I have fun in the casino and doing other things, too. But when the time is up there are plenty of things to go do.
While not on a cruise, I prefer using cash. I am feeling old. Thank you. Just as I typed that above, You said “be there or be square”. I do not feel as bad now. Thank you again.
I discovered to my horror, that the loo in the tourist office in Bergen, Norway, only took a credit/debit card. There was a sign on the door, "No Coins". I'd left my card on the ship becase I still had a couple of hundred kronor to use up on the last day of the cruise!
In terms of tips if you book in Australia on an Australian or New Zealand departing cruise then tips are already included already in your fare for most cruises.....
Lol, my last visit to the on board casino I got £100 in chips, I gambled for about an hour, then I counted out my original £100 and just splurged the rest. Plenty of fun, the thrill that I might win a few hundred and at zero cost. It’s the only time I visit casinos.
Thank you for this video, Emma. Your videos are always so informative. I was wondering how much cash to bring with me on my next cruise in February. You made it easier to figure out. Thank you.
Yes, Norway is notoriously expensive. Many friends off mine took advantage off that when we where younger and went to Norway and worked for a few months, bringing food with them from Sweden, so they didnt have to eat the expensive food in Norway and could enjoy the big salary entierly when they came home :P
i would always book excursions far away from port especially two three hours one way from port. examples london berlin paris mont st michel brussels florence rome milano siena assisi orvieto figueres seville cordoba granada st petersburg.
This video is so helpful. It’s really hard to get information about pricing, what’s included, gratuities etc so this video really helped. Never been on a cruise so planning for next year. I’m about 50 Emma Cruises videos in so feel like I’ve sailed the world :)
also which currencies , how much each? so if we book excursions every day, we will only need cash for lunch? shuttle from marseilles to arles, nimes, avignon? you can google prices of art galleries and museums.
On my last cruise to New Caledonia I took about 1000XPF to spend ashore. Also I had $100 per day on my onboard credit, and I ended up getting $100 back which I had not spent
I do not possess a credit card only debit card so as going on a Marella Cruise first time in Feb I’m most probably going to have £500 cash for the week as want to use the steak speciality restaurant and might get my hair done but hope this will be more than enough. Will have little bit extra for port visits.
I live in a small town with no bank and one inconvenient ATM, so on my recent cruise I took no cash. I wish I had taken some, as I had no way to tip the lady in San Juan with the pretty donkey that I photographed (I felt like such a creep). I had not taken a comb and tried to buy one in a small drug store in San Juan, but their electricity was still out from the hurricane 3 years ago, so they only took cash. That turned out to be a good thing (for me) since I found a better comb at a Walgreens near the port.
maybe a suggestion you could have given, ok not bringing cash, but maybe get yourself a credit card that doesn't have fees on foreign currencies (there are a few around). About internet, as well, I'd suggest it depends what country you are going. if you are heading to europe, most likely every bar in the port will have free wifi or mcd as you suggested :)
Tipping 10% in America is okay. It's not generous, but it's the "expected" minimum. If you're a person with enough income to travel to other continents on vacation though, 15 to 20% is probably more appropriate. This is for servers at restaurants, bartenders, etc. For a haircut or a short cab ride I'd tip 20% regardless.
If you are a Brit, isn't it best to put your credit/debit cards away and just spend cash? Since August I have been offered £1 = $1.08 to £1 = £1.29. If you have a 3% overseas service fee and a mediocre rate of exchange (specified by Visa) , you could be losing up to a quarter of your money. With Sterling being so unstable, I'd prefer to load $400 each in cash as onboard spends and then have $300 each for taxis/meals etc. The cards are just there for emergencies, but then we can, just about afford to have two cruises outside Europe a year.
I have credit cards which don't have any fees and the conversion rates are often better than if I got bought euros or dollars in the UK. Cards are so much easier you'll never convince me to use cash 😉❤️
As a UK cruiser I have been on Marella which has tips included, P&O and CMV which didn't. I wouldn't dream of cancelling the gratuities, I dont like automatic tipping but it does make it easier. Even so, on Marella, we tip any waiters who look after us well and the poor suffering steward who looks after our cabin. In Europe we take euros and any spare we use for our next holiday unless our daughter visits us and she kindly tidies them up in to her purse - it must be something to do with the name Emma! Our next trip will be a problem because it is a week touring India, nine days cruising from Singapore through Malaysia and Vietnam then a week in China. I haven't a clue what to take but dollars would seem sensible, any advice would be welcome.
@@seanwilliamson6360 Yes, I think it is getting more common across cruise ships to include gratuities especially from the UK. The cruise I mentioned in my original post was cancelled as was the week in China - something cropped up early in 2020. We did India, stayed in Dubai for a while and did a cruise around the Gulf instead. That was on a Royal ship - Jewel of the Seas and the gratuities and drinks package were painful to pay. We are on Princess in Autumn 2020 and the package isn't too bad with drinks, Wifi, gratuities included for £30 pp per day..
Following your rich facial expressions along what you are saying, I can accurately say when you don't actually believe in what you are saying, or when you think something is out of line (without actually saying it). Good girl
Haha!! That's an interesting comment. Any examples? I can't think of anytime in the video where I've said anything I don't believe in. Maybe talked about things I don't like...
Enough for The unlimited drinks package. Got my Royal Caribbean cruise lined up for the fall. Going to be a .20 BAC for an entire week!!! If the bartender cuts me off I will fight them. It’s a unlimited drink package. Royal Caribbean I am a violent alcoholic I don’t handle disrespect or getting cut off well. I am banned for life from Carnival because my drunk friend high on PCP laced cocaine we bought from a guy on the beach in Mexico. He got into a big fight with ship security. He used a lido deck chair as a weapon against security. I jumped in to help my drunk brother out. He got kicked off the cruse however I recently found out I am banned for life from Carnival because of this event or a different cruse when I punched a passenger in the mouth because they tried to steal something from me. However no drugs where found I threw them overboard or flush them if we have a inside room. My brother and a bunch of our friend are all coming we are ready to party party party. We need no rules no cloth cruses.
We exchanged £1000 into Euros 5yrs ago and still have more than half of it despite cruising for at least 2wks every year. Never spend much just maybe a coffee or Icecream when we are wandering around the ports and occasionally a red bus if we are going somewhere new. We always tend book cruises when your getting extra free onboard credit and rarely spend more than that whilst we are onboard, in fact last time on RCI I spent the last day aboard trying to “spend” all my credit 😱😂😂
Not even you should pay for internet packages. Isn't it possible to collect footage and pictures and stuff and work when you are back home? I mean... it's not really vacation while working, right? Life is to short for that.
some interesting points,but If anyone is looking for info on tips to save money while on a cruise look at Megarno Cruise Saver Magician (should be on google have a look)? our mate suggested it extraordinary
My pet sitter likes to send me a message and photos every day and I find it reassuring _too_ So I tend to log on for a few minutes in the library every day. It’s not much use getting back to the uk to find a message saying “your cat needs to visit the vets”
An interesting development with the current COVID-19 pandemic is a lot of business are moving away from any kind of cash transactions. Theoretically, providing there's a card reader mounted on the sales counter, this minimizes exposure for employees by limiting the hand-to-hand transactions between employees and customers. It'll be interesting to see if this continues after the pandemic subsides.
British channel, presented by a British lady presenter. Pounds or gbp or £££’s are easily translated via google or similar. Did your mum purposely raise you to be rude?
Since I always need wheelchair assist while cruising - I need cash for tipping (although not mandatory - I appreciate the help I get)! And I tip shore excursion drivers & guides! And my last few Caribbean cruises I was visiting islands that had been hit by hurricanes & I truly tried to help the local economies - bought many t-shirts & fridge magnets & gifts for friends/family at home - just to help the locals of St. Thomas & St. Martin!! I’ve cruised with friends who not only spent cash in the casino on the ships - but also went into the casinos in the ports - and they would put $10.00 bills or $20.00 bills into the slot machines!
I generally bring about $100.00 per day in cash - but I also usually come home with cash - and I do use my credit cards in the ports (if I decide to buy jewelry)!
Emma, as an American who has lived in Europe, I appreciate your understanding about American tipping habits. It really is a different aspect of our culture.
Our cruise is our time not to use the internet ( it’s used so much in our daily lives ) so we just go in a cafe in a port and let home know where we are and check all ok and that’s it - no internet - honestly it’s amazing
Yessss I love it! Disconnecting is so good. I'd do it more if it wasn't for this haha 🤣❤️
Emma Cruises The sacrifices you make for us Emma !!? 😆🤣😜 Always appreciated x
Most toilets in central areas in Norway don't take coins any more, you need a credit card to access it. Count on 10-20 NOK. (1-2 USD/EUR).
Very true! 😀
While Tipping is expected in the US ( don't get me started on tipping, i'm not a fan). 20% is standard for dinner. 15% is completely fine for lunch. Plus we're talking about sit-down meals. There's no reason to tip if you're buying from a fast food place or getting a coffee.
I usually cruise the Caribbean and bring @$700 for a 7 day cruise. I don’t gamble, maybe the husband might splurge $20 a night. I love to spend some $at port to help out the locals.
That sounds good! Always good to support the local economy 😁❤️
Number one take away tip from this one always research your ports. I've saved so much money by doing that. There is one in Norway, p&0 do that do an 'excursion' which is basically a coach trip to a the top of a fjord, there is a bus stop that takes you up and back down again for less and you can spend more or less time there depending on how you feel.
Yes!!! Exactly. Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
Last cruise, out of Australia, I went in with a friend, we left $200 each for the room stewards. It seemed a good amount for 14 days
@ForceStarWars P&O Pacific Jewel - Melb to Vanuatu back in 2019
We have the gratuity added already on our fares in Australia and if there is outstanding service been done usually they are tipped more individually then
I love those fridge magnets 😁 i always end up buying one
I typically bring $50-$100 for the cabin steward (depending on cruise length), $50-$100 for the solo host, about $50 for the dueling pianos show, and about $100 in small bills for incidentals like refrigerator magnets in port. On top of that I bring about $1,000 for the casino. I would add that even though I put a credit card on my account, I usually take some casino money to the customer service desk on the last day and pay-off my account with cash. This is usually not too much, about $200.
The Netherlands & Germany you need 50 cents to use the toilet. It was rude awakening my 1st time in Europe. I don't know about London, our trip was canceled in 2020. Maybe next year!? It's good to have cash for a backup, just in case.
Fingers crossed for you 😁🙏
Go to a coffee shop in London and use the toilet there for free.
I allow myself a specific budget at a casino. Not being a big gambler, I typically play the machines (slots, poker) and allow 20 or 40 in coin. The most I have won was around 40k and the biggest loss was around 15. I get bored over time and stop. I don't spend significant winnings but if I gain a handful of coin and having fun then I will toss it in the cup and keep playing. But I do not go over my limit. If I had a lot of disposable cash. I would buy someone shoes or a coat or a meal or put a new roof on someone's house. I have fun in the casino and doing other things, too. But when the time is up there are plenty of things to go do.
While not on a cruise, I prefer using cash. I am feeling old.
Thank you. Just as I typed that above, You said “be there or be square”. I do not feel as bad now. Thank you again.
I discovered to my horror, that the loo in the tourist office in Bergen, Norway, only took a credit/debit card. There was a sign on the door, "No Coins". I'd left my card on the ship becase I still had a couple of hundred kronor to use up on the last day of the cruise!
Nooooo!!!!!!!!!!
In terms of tips if you book in Australia on an Australian or New Zealand departing cruise then tips are already included already in your fare for most cruises.....
Lol, my last visit to the on board casino I got £100 in chips, I gambled for about an hour, then I counted out my original £100 and just splurged the rest. Plenty of fun, the thrill that I might win a few hundred and at zero cost. It’s the only time I visit casinos.
Definitely paying to use toilets is very key to traveling, unfortunately! Great tips in this video!
Haha! So true. People often for get it. Thank you 😁❤️
I do the same thing with a McDonald's when we are traveling (if we are not pulling our RV). I really have been wondering about this.
Thank you for this video, Emma. Your videos are always so informative.
I was wondering how much cash to bring with me on my next cruise in February.
You made it easier to figure out. Thank you.
Yes, Norway is notoriously expensive. Many friends off mine took advantage off that when we where younger and went to Norway and worked for a few months, bringing food with them from Sweden, so they didnt have to eat the expensive food in Norway and could enjoy the big salary entierly when they came home :P
i would always book excursions far away from port especially two three hours one way from port. examples london berlin paris mont st michel brussels florence rome milano siena assisi orvieto figueres seville cordoba granada st petersburg.
Brilliant video Emma this is really useful especially as my first ever cruise I rapidly approaching
Thanks Wayne! 😁❤️ Where are you cruising to? Very excited for you!
@@EmmaCruises norway on the iona
@@arsenalguy1972 when? same here :)
@@senbone9615 end of august
This video is so helpful. It’s really hard to get information about pricing, what’s included, gratuities etc so this video really helped. Never been on a cruise so planning for next year. I’m about 50 Emma Cruises videos in so feel like I’ve sailed the world :)
Hahah, love this! Thank you! 😁❤️
Yep..if ur a gambler $$$. unless u want markers charged to ur cc via room ..which on MSC its 10% fee..🤪
also which currencies , how much each? so if we book excursions every day, we will only need cash for lunch? shuttle from marseilles to arles, nimes, avignon? you can google prices of art galleries and museums.
Do you recommend having currency for each country that would be visited or how would we handle this?
On my last cruise to New Caledonia I took about 1000XPF to spend ashore. Also I had $100 per day on my onboard credit, and I ended up getting $100 back which I had not spent
Ooo that's always nice! 😁❤️
You can get cash from the onboard casino and there usually is no service charge.
I love that tip 😀❤️
What do you do with leftover NOK/TRY or SGD/HKD/VDN/JPY from that Asian cruise?
I do not possess a credit card only debit card so as going on a Marella Cruise first time in Feb I’m most probably going to have £500 cash for the week as want to use the steak speciality restaurant and might get my hair done but hope this will be more than enough. Will have little bit extra for port visits.
That sounds perfect! Marella do amazing steak. Have the best time 😁❤️
Thanks This was helpful
I live in a small town with no bank and one inconvenient ATM, so on my recent cruise I took no cash. I wish I had taken some, as I had no way to tip the lady in San Juan with the pretty donkey that I photographed (I felt like such a creep). I had not taken a comb and tried to buy one in a small drug store in San Juan, but their electricity was still out from the hurricane 3 years ago, so they only took cash. That turned out to be a good thing (for me) since I found a better comb at a Walgreens near the port.
Ha ha, oh dear! Your town must be tiny to not have a bank!? At all!?
Hi Emma, have look at starling for UK & overseas spending
Yesss know them well, good suggestion 😊💕
maybe a suggestion you could have given, ok not bringing cash, but maybe get yourself a credit card that doesn't have fees on foreign currencies (there are a few around). About internet, as well, I'd suggest it depends what country you are going. if you are heading to europe, most likely every bar in the port will have free wifi or mcd as you suggested :)
Tipping 10% in America is okay. It's not generous, but it's the "expected" minimum. If you're a person with enough income to travel to other continents on vacation though, 15 to 20% is probably more appropriate. This is for servers at restaurants, bartenders, etc.
For a haircut or a short cab ride I'd tip 20% regardless.
I see an Epiphone guitar in the background. Do you play? 😊
$20 for a taxi fund? In New York, it costs $20 just to look at a taxi from a distance, lol.
Just kidding. Love your channel, Emma :-)
Haha so true! 😂
On average I take 250-300 Euro’s on a 12-14 day cruise.
If you are a Brit, isn't it best to put your credit/debit cards away and just spend cash? Since August I have been offered £1 = $1.08 to £1 = £1.29. If you have a 3% overseas service fee and a mediocre rate of exchange (specified by Visa) , you could be losing up to a quarter of your money. With Sterling being so unstable, I'd prefer to load $400 each in cash as onboard spends and then have $300 each for taxis/meals etc. The cards are just there for emergencies, but then we can, just about afford to have two cruises outside Europe a year.
I have credit cards which don't have any fees and the conversion rates are often better than if I got bought euros or dollars in the UK. Cards are so much easier you'll never convince me to use cash 😉❤️
yes toilets . often i find mcdonalds or starbucks even buy least expensive item for toilet.
people need to realize, those casinos are in international waters and have horrific odds. Same as the casinos on indian reservations.
As a UK cruiser I have been on Marella which has tips included, P&O and CMV which didn't. I wouldn't dream of cancelling the gratuities, I dont like automatic tipping but it does make it easier. Even so, on Marella, we tip any waiters who look after us well and the poor suffering steward who looks after our cabin. In Europe we take euros and any spare we use for our next holiday unless our daughter visits us and she kindly tidies them up in to her purse - it must be something to do with the name Emma! Our next trip will be a problem because it is a week touring India, nine days cruising from Singapore through Malaysia and Vietnam then a week in China. I haven't a clue what to take but dollars would seem sensible, any advice would be welcome.
I'm booked on P&O for next, they say on their website that tips are included. This must be a recent update.
@@seanwilliamson6360 Yes, I think it is getting more common across cruise ships to include gratuities especially from the UK. The cruise I mentioned in my original post was cancelled as was the week in China - something cropped up early in 2020. We did India, stayed in Dubai for a while and did a cruise around the Gulf instead. That was on a Royal ship - Jewel of the Seas and the gratuities and drinks package were painful to pay. We are on Princess in Autumn 2020 and the package isn't too bad with drinks, Wifi, gratuities included for £30 pp per day..
120-150€ costa cruises.
Following your rich facial expressions along what you are saying, I can accurately say when you don't actually believe in what you are saying, or when you think something is out of line (without actually saying it). Good girl
Haha!! That's an interesting comment. Any examples? I can't think of anytime in the video where I've said anything I don't believe in. Maybe talked about things I don't like...
@@EmmaCruises could be your efforts to stay balanced as you go. main point here that, my comment is rather about you, than what you actually say)
@@reallynext6999 idiot 🥊
Enough for The unlimited drinks package. Got my Royal Caribbean cruise lined up for the fall. Going to be a .20 BAC for an entire week!!! If the bartender cuts me off I will fight them. It’s a unlimited drink package. Royal Caribbean I am a violent alcoholic I don’t handle disrespect or getting cut off well. I am banned for life from Carnival because my drunk friend high on PCP laced cocaine we bought from a guy on the beach in Mexico. He got into a big fight with ship security. He used a lido deck chair as a weapon against security. I jumped in to help my drunk brother out. He got kicked off the cruse however I recently found out I am banned for life from Carnival because of this event or a different cruse when I punched a passenger in the mouth because they tried to steal something from me. However no drugs where found I threw them overboard or flush them if we have a inside room. My brother and a bunch of our friend are all coming we are ready to party party party. We need no rules no cloth cruses.
tip money
summary: with excurcions get 150 usd for each day.
If you're going to spend the maximum on everything! It would make me feel sick to spend all of that haha 😂❤️
We exchanged £1000 into Euros 5yrs ago and still have more than half of it despite cruising for at least 2wks every year. Never spend much just maybe a coffee or Icecream when we are wandering around the ports and occasionally a red bus if we are going somewhere new. We always tend book cruises when your getting extra free onboard credit and rarely spend more than that whilst we are onboard, in fact last time on RCI I spent the last day aboard trying to “spend” all my credit 😱😂😂
It’s only money! US Dollars
Ok
12:51
Not even you should pay for internet packages. Isn't it possible to collect footage and pictures and stuff and work when you are back home? I mean... it's not really vacation while working, right? Life is to short for that.
Who me? I couldn't run this channel without cruise content haha! ❤️
@@EmmaCruises i constantly make use of my camera on board and work with it when back home. Cruise lines should sponsor you for that 😀😂🤣
some interesting points,but If anyone is looking for info on tips to save money while on a cruise look at Megarno Cruise Saver Magician (should be on google have a look)? our mate suggested it extraordinary
My pet sitter likes to send me a message and photos every day and I find it reassuring _too_
So I tend to log on for a few minutes in the library every day.
It’s not much use getting back to the uk to find a message saying “your cat needs to visit the vets”
I'm surprised by the amount of people that don't carry cash at all. For anything less than 20 quid, I usually pay cash, otherwise card.
In the last year I’ve literally used £0 in cash 🤣🤣🤣🤣
An interesting development with the current COVID-19 pandemic is a lot of business are moving away from any kind of cash transactions. Theoretically, providing there's a card reader mounted on the sales counter, this minimizes exposure for employees by limiting the hand-to-hand transactions between employees and customers.
It'll be interesting to see if this continues after the pandemic subsides.
casino please bring cash so you dont overspend.
What is the advantage for the towns these ships visit? Nothing but overcrowding. Stop this nonsense.
The cruise industry supports many many cities with tourism 👏🏼💕
Pounds? WTF...
What?
British channel, presented by a British lady presenter. Pounds or gbp or £££’s are easily translated via google or similar. Did your mum purposely raise you to be rude?