Sipping cocktails while lounging on a deck chair on a South Pacific cruise is a travel dream for many Australians.
Even if your trip includes these basics, don’t be stung by high currency exchange rates, overspending on your trip or hidden traps.
Find out the top tips for travel money for cruises.
Your cruise fare will include all of the above. For other expenses, you will use a cashless cruising system where you pay with a cruise card for onboard purchases. The cruise card is also your room key and security pass to leave and re-board the ship at ports of call.
Although there are many benefits of paying your bill by cashless cruising, it can be tempting to spend more money on your trip than you anticipated. A credit card service fee will apply to your transactions, and the bank may keep the ‘pre-authorisation’ on your credit or debit card for up to 30 days.
The benefit of this system is that you get Express Check Out and don’t need to visit reception to settle your account.
Tip: Be aware that EFTPOS facilities are not always available onboard cruise ships. If it is available, you may be charged additional fees and charges.
Prepaid Visa cards and Travelex Visa cash passports are also not accepted onboard.
You may be able to exchange your money onboard into local currency for ports of call. The fees for this service and denominations they carry will vary according to the cruise company. There will be some ports when the ship does not have the local currency you need.
You may also be able to book onshore trips with your cashless cruise card. There are good reasons to take local currency on your trip. You will need it for souvenirs, duty-free items, shopping, food and drinks.
Credit cards and charge cards may be accepted in the resorts and large shops, but local markets will only accept cash.
Tip: Take local currency for each of your ports of call. Budget enough money to cover extras. Buy your currency before you leave for your trip. This will ensure that you have the currency you need for each port and helps you budget for your destination. A set budget will keep your spending on track.