We are heading on a cruise in February - our first one. On the ship we realize that everything is charged to your room. When you go ashore are there banks to use debit cards, should you bring cash, or charge cards? What works best?

What part of the world are you traveling to in Feb.??

Sorry.... We are cruising to Grand Cayman, Roatan, Belize City and Cozumel aboard NCL (Norwegian Sun) 02/19 - 02/26

Credit cards and ATMs. You should also be able to get cash onboard, charged either to your account or your credit card (which I guess is the same thing)

cruss99--
I just got back from all of those ports. No need to do a money exchange. Use credit cards for larger purchases and cash for the smaller ones.

Take a handful of one dollar bills for tipping on the islands, postcard purchases, meals on land, etc.

When you get back, let us know how you liked the SUN! Bon Voyage!

Bring a credit card... in this area of the world do not bring a ATM or by any means a Debt card...
Credit cards are insured and take 30 days to post. A debt card is not insured and if list a theif can drain your account total and you have no recourse with the bank.
Caution in Beleze or any mexican port !!
dont take any thing ashore you cant aford to loose........

Another option, if you don't want to bring lots of cash or use your credit card, is to bring travelers checks.

The pursers desk will glady cash them for you, as will most merchants in these ports. They're also insured if they get lost or stolen.

I agree that you should not attempt to use a debit card for the same reasons already posted.

I agree with the posters that recommended no ATMs in Mexico. My 18 and 22 yr old daughters returned from a trip to Mexico and the ATMs worked fine, except when we got the monthly statement. There were about $500 in extra withdrawals. Thankfully we reported this to our bank, and after investigation they returned about $400 back. We were lucky, but next time in Mexico, its secured credit cards for our family.

Some banks (and Bank of America in particular) is now giving same protection on their Visa debit cards as with credit cards. You could always just get cash on board with same card if you did not want to use it on shore.