That said – let’s talk money!

What’s the first thing that happens to your cash in Vegas? It’s converted into those cute little easy-to-spend “chips” or slot machine “tokens – hey – “play money” right?

Cruise ships use the same mentality – upon check-in you receive a card commonly referred to as a “sea-pass” – it serves as your cabin key, your identification, AND your credit card for the duration of the cruise. Just charge everything to that little card – it’s “play money” – NOT!

You can secure your sea-pass with a credit card or a cash deposit – but, if you’re on a limited budget, be sure to keep a running total of your charges so you won’t find yourself out of business on the second of a seven day cruise. There is a running joke among veteran cruisers –the announcement: “would Mr.” so-and-so” please report to the Purser’s Desk” – means either a used-up cash deposit or a maxed-out credit card.

You can always tap the ATM for Casino play (the only venue on a ship where cash is accepted) but you can’t use it to purchase a cocktail.

On the last day of the cruise you will receive an itemized bill listing all those nasty bar charges you probably won’t even remember making. Just a hint – keep copies of all charge slips in an envelope and compare item for item to your final billing. Cruise lines can and do inadvertently make errors in posting to folios – you sure don’t want to pay for some other cruiser’s Long Island Iced Teas – or even worse, expensive Champagne do you?