Currency

Hi

I am a Canadian and will be on board Discovery 2 Cuban Fusion on April 3,2018.

I will bring Canadian $ to covert in Cuba and US$ for Grand Cayman and Cozumel. What do you use on board for tipping etc. Pound Sterling or Euros.

How much would you think we would need if we are using a credit card for ship board expenses and would use pounds or euros for the xtra tipping.

Also does anyone know if the itinerary for April 3 been changed and confirmed.

Thanks

Dorothy

No tipping required but we do tip usually in local currency, but in the past we give anything we have and they are more than happy to receive it. Everything on the ship is in sterling and its not a good rate of exchange on the ship.

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As the pensioner's post, tips are included in the cruise price.

(But if you didn't book in the UK, do check your booking terms to see if tips will be added to your on-board account - on another tips-included UK cruise line, Americans that we met on the ship had auto-tips added to their account)

Also as per that post, most folk put their hands in their pockets at the end of their cruise for a cash tip for those who've personally served them, like their cabin attendant, mebbe waiters if on a fixed dining plan, mebbe a special barman. No specific sum & it's not a big deal, but at a rough guess most folk tip a total of around £15 - £20 or equiv per cabin.

A good opportunity to part with excess US or other currencies.

BTW, Thomson (sorry, Marella) are the only cruise line I know that charges for using a credit card. Hot news - from today, that's illegal in the UK. But I don't know whether that applies to settling your on-board account.

Worth checking when you're on-board, and mebbe using your debit card instead.

And don't accept the cruise line's offer to bill your card in CAD, cos as per the pensioner's post & like all cruise lines, the exchange rate on-board is very poor. Instead allow your card to be charged in ship's currency (sterling) and your card issuer will convert at a significantly better rate.

For the same reason, yes bring USD with you. And CAD to convert into convertible pesos (CUC) at the cruise terminal in Havana.

JB ;)

Tips will not be added to your on board account and as has been said previously you can tip whoever has given you good service in US dollars or sterling which we do in the Caribbean So rather than tip in sterling tip with the currency you will already have for Cozumel and Grand Cayman We will also be on this cruise and so far no changes to the itinerary and I can't see there being any We have done this cruise 3 times previously and no changes Only problem there could be if there are high winds in Cozumel there may be problems berthing. Last time when leaving Cozumel we hit the pier quite hard after being blown back in by strong winds.

You can pay your onboard bill by your debit or credit card but as said there will be a charge of probably 1.5% to 2.5% for using your credit card

It's a fabulous cruise having the overnight in Havana - enjoy

Sorry for butting in on this thread but, Vitalsign, can you recall which Cruise Terminal you were berthed at in Cozumel? Also, if it is not the one right in San Miguel, is there a shuttle service available to get into Town?

Yes you will be berthed in San Miguel and can just walk down the pier and you're in town There is only room for 2 Med size ships there and the larger ships usually US ones have to berth further south and have shuttle buses into town

That's great news. Many thanks for your response.