Currency of tips onboard

Which is what? pesos?, euros? rael? , what is their regular currency, it can depend where their home is or where the ship is sailing .

Here in Australia, the ship's on board account could be AUD, or USD, but I reckon the staff wouldn't say no to either.

As already said, their onboard currency.

There's a difference between "saying no" and giving something appreciated. Most people who get Christmas or birthday gifts won't "say no" to them... but that doesn't mean that trout tie, or metal detecting sandals you gave is most appreciated. :p

This is what I've always understood to be the case:

On Aussie-based ships for those who booked in Australia and NZ (where there are no daily gratuities) then the recipient can keep any cash tips.

 

Where daily gratuities are charged it depends on whether the guest removes the gratuities or not. If they do remove them then the recipient has to hand in any cash tips to go into the tipping pool, but if the daily gratuities are paid then cash tips are returned to the recipient to keep.

Correct, that is the situation with Princess Cruises.:halo: With handing in/retention anyway. Last year the last night on Island Princess I saw the headwaiters hovering around the MDR tables and taking the 'envelopes' given to the table waitstaff by pax. It was pretty sad to witness that.

As already said, their onboard currency.

 

There's a difference between "saying no" and giving something appreciated. Most people who get Christmas or birthday gifts won't "say no" to them... but that doesn't mean that trout tie, or metal detecting sandals you gave is most appreciated. :p

Correct, that is the situation with Princess Cruises.:halo: With handing in/retention anyway. Last year the last night on Island Princess I saw the headwaiters hovering around the MDR tables and taking the 'envelopes' given to the table waitstaff by pax. It was pretty sad to witness that.

Hope they weren't disappointed with all the USD notes they got.;p

Hope they weren't disappointed with all the USD notes they got.;p

USD = The Universal Currency.:cool:

I don't think the cabin stewards/waitstaff would appreciate a tip in Baht or Rand though.:o Unless a few million were handed over, one would need one of those A4 envelopes.:halo:I would like to see the head waiters trying to put a few of those in their pockets.

USD = The Universal Currency.:cool:

 

I don't think the cabin stewards/waitstaff would appreciate a tip in Baht or Rand though.:o Unless a few million were handed over, one would need one of those A4 envelopes.:halo:I would like to see the head waiters trying to put a few of those in their pockets.

that would be very funny seeing them stuffing a wad of rupees into their pockets.

So you want the OP to either keep the NZD they have left over or get it exchanged first before giving it as a tip. I think any crew member would rather just have the larger amount of money and they can exchange it themselves or use it when they go ashore..

Actually, the OP said that they would be having USD and asked whether they needed to get NZD... so you want the OP to get it exchanged first before giving it as a tip - when it wouldn't be preferred by the staff member anyway.

USD = The Universal Currency.:cool:

 

I don't think the cabin stewards/waitstaff would appreciate a tip in Baht or Rand though.:o

Indeed. And good thing there aren't any cruises via Zimbabwe!

Actually, the OP said that they would be having USD and asked whether they needed to get NZD... so you want the OP to get it exchanged first before giving it as a tip - when it wouldn't be preferred by the staff member anyway.

But the on board currency will be AUD and you want the OP to pay in the ship's regular currency rather than what is convenient to the tipper. I think the tip can be whatever currency they want to tip and the staff member can do whatever with it.

Prepay your gratuities then you only have to worry about tipping for exceptional service, usually at the end of the cruise.

But the on board currency will be AUD and you want the OP to pay in the ship's regular currency rather than what is convenient to the tipper. I think the tip can be whatever currency they want to tip and the staff member can do whatever with it.

The crew get payed in AU$ ??? I think they are payed US$ and the company that transfer the money are US owned so the money is in US$ The OP is from USA . Mic you win the argument but no help to the OP in answering the Question .

Prepay your gratuities then you only have to worry about tipping for exceptional service, usually at the end of the cruise.

READ OP post # 1

He has payed all gratuities .:rolleyes:

He has US$

IF He has a reason to give a tip may He tip in US$ ? OR must he change into NZ$ ?

THE CORRECT ANSWER IS ??? ;)

READ OP post # 1

He has payed all gratuities .:rolleyes:

He has US$

IF He has a reason to give a tip may He tip in US$ ? OR must he change into NZ$ ?

THE CORRECT ANSWER IS ??? ;)

Whew!

The answer is Yes,

But the on board currency will be AUD and you want the OP to pay in the ship's regular currency rather than what is convenient to the tipper. I think the tip can be whatever currency they want to tip and the staff member can do whatever with it.

No, that's not what I said at all. Go back and read my very first post instead of making stuff up.

And I still maintain that they can tip in whatever currency they want, and the staff will accept it.

READ OP post # 1

He has payed all gratuities .:rolleyes:

He has US$

IF He has a reason to give a tip may He tip in US$ ? OR must he change into NZ$ ?

THE CORRECT ANSWER IS ??? ;)

Either, USD or NZD, who really cares, the crew won't, as Mic said...they will take just about anything.:')

And nothing wrong with asking, so as to find out something that the crew appreciate or benefit from more either, rather than just giving what is 'convenient'.

Either, USD or NZD, who really cares, the crew won't, as Mic said...they will take just about anything.:')

I imagine that they would take a half used Opal Card if it was on offer. I don't think they would prefer it. The original question was which currency was more convenient to the staff, USD or local, not which currency they will or will not turn their nose up at.

So many people seem to be willing to throw money at a system with very little idea of how it actually operates. Some believe that tips go straight into the back pocket of the receiver. Some believe it gets pooled at some level and redistributed. I have even heard it suggested that all tips are appropriated by the cruise line.

Personally, I think it's the second, but I don't know for sure, and it sounds from this thread that nobody else knows for sure what goes on either. Allowing staff members to pocket tips would seem to me to be a recipe for resentment and rancour among the staff. As we all know, tips are basically arbitrary and don't necessarily go to the deserving who may be working as hard or harder in the background.

If I were correct, I would imagine that the ship would convert the pooled currency into whatever currency the staff member is getting paid and so the question would be moot.

I agree.

The reason there are different stories is different situations exist.

Where tips are optional then if not paid through the line staff declared so that the ship knew they weren't withheld for poor service. If gratuities were paid through the ship then the staff member kept the extra, which is what is happening here. The cruise line wants staff to be rewarded if they really impress customers so don't collect extras - as that wouldn't be much of an incentive to give extra delightful service if you had to hand it in anyway. What's the point of going the extra mile?

And then there's also the internal transfers between staff e.g. when there's a special reason, staff members may individually share the tip they receive with supporting crew who help them out. e.g. Butler does favour for one suite guest, but needs to get laundry distributed at same time, so asks room attendant to help with that (or food distribution, or whatever), and then shares some of the tip he gets because room attendant has supported him.

So, not one rule for all, but in general USD is widely accepted so a safe bet, as is onboard currency.

For what it is worth, I have always read/heard that if auto tips are left on, then the extra goes to the person intended. Perhaps they have to turn them in first.

When I give an extra tip, I put it in an envelope with the recipients name, our cabin number, our names, and the words "auto tip left on".

I truly hope that this extra thank you goes completely to the intended person.

I will be tipping in USD. Thanks for all the help.

What's the point of going the extra mile?

What's the point for non front line staff? I would suggest that it would be more advantageous in the long run to single out for praise the staff member who has gone this extra mile. That way the company would at least know who to promote and reward internally, rather than just have that staff member being bung a few bucks. Of course you could do both, but I doubt many tippers actually do.

And then there's also the internal transfers between staff e.g. when there's a special reason, staff members may individually share the tip they receive with supporting crew who help them out

As for the "extra mile". Doing your job is not going the extra mile. Bringing me ice because my fridge is bung is not going the extra mile. Being pleasant is not going the extra mile, it's a minimum requirement for the job. Saving me or a member of my family from drowning is going the extra mile.

Too many times staff are being rewarded for simply doing their jobs. In the US this may be necessary since they consider charity to be an acceptable alternative to a living wage. However, here where we have such gratuities fully built into the fare, it is not.

For me going the extra mile is doing something outside the normal job description and/ or doing it without being asked.

What's the point for non front line staff?

The tipping model doesn't apply to non-front line staff so it's a moot point.

However, for tipped staff, many like that model as they can get more from it compared to the pay they would get as a salaried employee. They play to its strengths by doing extras, and thus getting more.

I would suggest that it would be more advantageous in the long run to single out for praise the staff member who has gone this extra mile. That way the company would at least know who to promote and reward internally, rather than just have that staff member being bung a few bucks. Of course you could do both, but I doubt many tippers actually do.

As you say, they can do both, which is why they have the rating system as well. Tipped staff also try to get a benefit through that... but as an employee, many want to maximise the opportunities.