What to do with local currencies you end up with in change?

Here is a tip we have done on past cruises. Usually --- "usually" -- that is usually with air bunnies -- you can request change back in port in your currency but often times they prefer to hang on to it and give you local currency back because they would rather get the better exchange than you. What do you do with all this change. Here are some suggestions:

1. We come with one envelope per port we visit. If we end up with local currency we mark the envelope where it came from, put the cash in, and seal it up. On the last night of the cruise, we give it to our waiter. They love this because it helps them when they are in port and want to barter a better deal.

2. Same deal with envelopes as above but rather than giving away we keep for a future trip. One note is if you do this idea, date the envelopes. Often times some countries will update their currency and the older coins and notes are no longer valid.

Anyone else have any ideas what to do not including throwing 3 centavos into a fuente?

Here is a tip we have done on past cruises. Usually --- "usually" -- that is usually with air bunnies -- you can request change back in port in your currency but often times they prefer to hang on to it and give you local currency back because they would rather get the better exchange than you. What do you do with all this change. Here are some suggestions:

 

1. We come with one envelope per port we visit. If we end up with local currency we mark the envelope where it came from, put the cash in, and seal it up. On the last night of the cruise, we give it to our waiter. They love this because it helps them when they are in port and want to barter a better deal.

2. Same deal with envelopes as above but rather than giving away we keep for a future trip. One note is if you do this idea, date the envelopes. Often times some countries will update their currency and the older coins and notes are no longer valid.

 

Anyone else have any ideas what to do not including throwing 3 centavos into a fuente?

Pretty good idea but on our european trip every country would either take euros or usd. And in the caribbean or mexico they always want usd. So i have never been in that situation. One thing relatives used to do when they would come back from europe before the euro was to give all the kids in the family the change as souvenirs, i still have all kinds of coins. Actually it was the start to collecting coins later in life.

Or you can ask for change back in your native currency - which in your case is USD and widely used - and avoid the issue altogether. That's what we do. The ship also should be able to exchange currency through the purser as well.

Or you can ask for change back in your native currency - which in your case is USD and widely used - and avoid the issue altogether. That's what we do. The ship also should be able to exchange currency through the purser as well.

On the vista the purser wont exchange currency, they have a atm like machine that will do it.

In Europe you can generally use bills of varying currencies at your departure airport. They will usually take all your bills even if of differing currencies and cumulate them for a single purchase. I usually drop the coins in the local donation stands or give them to the stews on airlines which do collections for local charities. No neede to keep lots of little coins. Still have a 10 ruble bill which I spirited home. Ha, it's probably worth less than the 50cents value when I got it.

In Europe you can generally use bills of varying currencies at your departure airport. They will usually take all your bills even if of differing currencies and cumulate them for a single purchase. I usually drop the coins in the local donation stands or give them to the stews on airlines which do collections for local charities. No neede to keep lots of little coins. Still have a 10 ruble bill which I spirited home. Ha, it's probably worth less than the 50cents value when I got it.

The memories are worth more then the hassle toexchange most currencies unless its a large amount.

On some lines they have a box for the crew fund we throw the change in there or just leave it for the housekeeping staff along with some USD

If it is a large sum we put it in envelopes for the next trip to Europe

Keep them for souvenirs

If it is a place I plan to go back to I probably will keep it. If it is a place I have no intention of returning to I figure out a way to donate it. If we are leaving from the airport (Australia and then New Zealand) there was a huge bowl right there in the middle of the airport. I think we had around $15 dollars in change and so I went around to the rest of the members of our group and asked them for their money and through it into the big bowl in Auckland.

The memories are worth more then the hassle toexchange most currencies unless its a large amount.

I'm not exchanging anything, I am buying things and using up all my foriegn currencies. There is no hassle, the cash register does all the calculations. Do I get the best exchange rate, of course not, but this is a simple method to get rid of small amounts of bills you may have accumulated from a variety of countries. As I mostly charge purchases it has become less relevant but was great when in Copenhagen off a Baltic cruise since you do acquire a variety of differing currencies on that trip. Less relevant on the continent with Euro's. I tend to keep my pounds, both the currency and the extra ones from the buffet.

I mentioned this because I doubt many Americans might be aware of it as certainly no US stores even in airports will do this.

We normally leave it for our cabin steward along with our regular extra tip we give in addition to our auto tip.

We bring it home with the plan to go back and spend it.

This November we will take our Peso collection with us on our Cruise down to Mexico.

Next may we will return CAD to shops in Vancouver.

Bob

Euros, Pounds, and Canadian currency we keep in our safe and pull back out the next time we travel to someplace where we need them. I planned our time in Croatia so we had less than a couple dollars worth of Kuna left on our final day, and we gave them to nieces and nephews as they liked the different coins when they were younger. We had a ton of XPF and paid our last night's hotel room and dinner with them, and then put the last few dollars worth into an official charity collection bin at PPT before we got on the plane. We usually put left over coins in the little charity collection envelopes BA passes out as well.

small coins, ( ex - Krona, Croatia ) I give to my waiter ( only if I know the ship is going back) . Euro - USD - british Pound ( I put in an envelope and will use next time I travel.

Here is a tip we have done on past cruises. Usually --- "usually" -- that is usually with air bunnies -- you can request change back in port in your currency but often times they prefer to hang on to it and give you local currency back because they would rather get the better exchange than you. What do you do with all this change. Here are some suggestions:

 

1. We come with one envelope per port we visit. If we end up with local currency we mark the envelope where it came from, put the cash in, and seal it up. On the last night of the cruise, we give it to our waiter. They love this because it helps them when they are in port and want to barter a better deal.

2. Same deal with envelopes as above but rather than giving away we keep for a future trip. One note is if you do this idea, date the envelopes. Often times some countries will update their currency and the older coins and notes are no longer valid.

 

Anyone else have any ideas what to do not including throwing 3 centavos into a fuente?

I have been on ships where they have money donation jars. Or else you might find a donation jar somewhere before you reboard the ship.

DON

Local currencies from your trip make good souvenirs, especially for grandchildren

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I have been on ships where they have money donation jars. Or else you might find a donation jar somewhere before you reboard the ship.

 

DON

Great idea. I knew international airlines did that. Didn't know cruises did that too.

I usually put it in a donation jar at the airport or in one of those little donation envelopes passed out the plane.