The combined use of dyes and plasmonic nanoparticles provides new opportunities for the development of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) tags for imaging and sensing applications. Here, we report for the first time the detailed SERS study of cyanine5.5 and cyanine7.5 derivatives interaction with gold nanoparticles. SERS spectra were recorded for the solutions of nanoparticles of six different morphologies to reveal the combination of dye and plasmonic core with the highest optical response. Three compounds were tested to select the most appropriate functional derivative: cyanine5.5 amine, sulfo-cyanine5.5 amine and sulfo-cyanine5.5 NHS ester. Bare CTAB-stabilized gold nanoparticles and gold nanoparticles covered by oppositely charged polymers were used in the SERS study. The effect of chloride anions was tested for dyes adsorbed on both uncoated and coated nanoparticles. Amino derivative of non-sulfonated cyanine5.5 demonstrated the most intensive and stable SERS response which increases with the addition of chloride even when dye molecules are adsorbed on polystyrene sulfonate polymer layer. The study allows one to get acquainted with many findings that are useful for obtaining SERS and bimodal Raman-fluorescence nanotags containing dyes.