How Much Spending Money to Bring on a Cruise

Updated 25 October 2026 · 4 min read · Cruise Questions Canada editorial team

For a 7-night cruise, most couples spend somewhere between US$800 and US$2,000 on top of the fare, and big spenders can pass US$4,000. The easiest way to land on a real number is to split your spending into three buckets: what is already committed, what you spend on board, and what you spend in port.

Bucket one: costs that are already committed

Gratuities run about US$16–25 per person per day depending on the line and cabin, and are added automatically unless you prepay. A couple on a 7-night sailing should treat roughly US$250–350 as spent the moment they board. The gratuities guide for Canadians shows each line's rate and when prepaying makes sense.

If your fare came with prepaid gratuities or onboard credit, take that off this bucket first.

Bucket two: daily extras on board

These are the choices that swing your total most. Typical per-couple costs at recent prices:

• Drinks: a cocktail costs around US$13–16 plus a service charge, a beer US$8–10 and a glass of wine US$11–15.
• Specialty coffee: around US$4–6 a cup, unless you have a package.
• Wifi: about US$15–40 per device per day, depending on the line.
• Specialty restaurants: roughly US$30–80 per person.
• Spa, photos and shops: entirely optional, and easy to overspend on.

Drink and wifi packages turn this bucket into a fixed cost, but only pay off for heavy users. Are drink packages worth it runs the numbers.

Bucket three: the ports

This is the one first-timers forget. Ship excursions run about US$60–150 per person in the Caribbean and US$150–250 or more in Alaska. Add lunches ashore, taxis, souvenirs and tips. Two or three tours can cost more than a week of bar tabs, so decide your port budget before sailing.

Three sample budgets for a couple

Seven nights, figures in US dollars at recent prices, with a rough Canadian-dollar total.

A family of four needs more: gratuities apply to children on most lines, kids' drinks packages add up, and excursion prices multiply by four.

Cash, cards and currency

What to carry

Bring around US$100–200 per couple in small bills for porters, taxis and tips ashore. Everything on board goes on your account, linked to a credit card at check-in. How the holds and final charge work is explained in how onboard payments work.

Paying in Canadian dollars

Your account is almost always in US dollars. A credit card with no foreign-transaction fee saves about 2.5%, and it is usually better than letting the line convert your bill to Canadian dollars at its own rate. The CAD vs USD payment guide explains the options.

Keeping the total in check

Set a daily number, check the app every couple of days, and query odd charges early rather than on the last night. Walk the ports that reward walking, eat in the included restaurants most nights, and keep one or two treats you are genuinely excited about.

Shrinking all three buckets at once

Onboard credit and prepaid gratuities attached to a well-booked fare can wipe out much of bucket one and fund part of bucket three. Those extras appear on many sailings at the same fare you would pay without them, so ask what is included before you book.

Booking essentials: Is It Cheaper to Book a Cruise Through a Travel Agent · What Are Expedia Extras on a Cruise Booking · Onboard Credit Explained and How to Get More · Cruise Line Policies Compared: 8 Lines Side by Side (2026)