gratuities - euros or US dollars

[karen of PA]

We do not have prepaid gratuities on our upcoming Eastern Mediterranean cruise. Does it matter if we pay our gratuities with euros or US dollars?

 

Thanks,

Karen

[cruisestitch]

It will be easiest to simply have them charged to your SeaPass account. This, in fact, will be done automatically. Should you wish to pay in cash, instead, you will need to go to GuestnRelations to have the auto-tips removed. This can be done, but it leaves them the impression that some one has done something wrong and you are displeased with your service. Should you make that decision, either currency can be used, but Keeping the auto-tips removes the need to carry so much cash.

[karen of PA]

Thanks. I guess I didn't realize that Celebrity does an automatic gratuity charge. On our last Celebrity cruise, we had select dining so we had prepaid gratuities. On this cruise, we were assigned the early seating so we didn't get prepaid gratuities. So, if I understand you correctly, we will automatically be charged each day and then we can always give our waiter and cabin steward an additional gratuity at the end of the cruise if we choose??

 

Karen

[cruisestitch]

Exactly!

[Phxazzcruisers]

You can get a breakdown of the daily tips that will be charged to you from Guest Relations. It is dependent on the type of room you book. Enjoy your cruise !!!

[FangedRose]

I'm sailing ex UK next month. Pre-paid gratuities. Planning on extra tipping in UK sterling. More reliable than Euros at the moment.

[Redtravel]

On the ship, the automatic tipping is posted in your home currency...usually US dollars. Easy and convenient. If you are tipping off the ship, tip in the local currency. Euros are the preferred currency in most European-Russian ports. Even in Turkey which uses the Turkish lira, they like euros. While I agree with the person who said that the British pound is better, other than in British places, most people don't want the pound. Keep in mind, when eating off the ship, extending tips is not as often done as in the USA. Most European restaurants have prices that include service. I usually leave a little bit extra. Only the really touristy places remind you to add tips...just another way to make more money from the tourists.

[cruisestitch]

On Celebrity all prices, tips, etc. are always in US dollars no matter where the ship is sailing. The crew will accept all currencies, but they probably will end up having to convert them to US dollars to send home.

[FangedRose]

On the ship, the automatic tipping is posted in your home currency...usually US dollars. Easy and convenient. If you are tipping off the ship, tip in the local currency. Euros are the preferred currency in most European-Russian ports. Even in Turkey which uses the Turkish lira, they like euros. While I agree with the person who said that the British pound is better, other than in British places, most people don't want the pound. Keep in mind, when eating off the ship, extending tips is not as often done as in the USA. Most European restaurants have prices that include service. I usually leave a little bit extra. Only the really touristy places remind you to add tips...just another way to make more money from the tourists.

 

Yeah I agree. However the main reason I will be extra tipping in Sterling is convenience, not visiting eurozone countries so will not be taking any with me. As I said I have Pre-paid gratuities and these are extra tips ie the odd pound or two for bar tender etc. and the crew will be in Southampton at the end of the cruise and will be able to use the Sterling coins. They won't be able to use US dollars or euros.

[Phxazzcruisers]

Yeah I agree. However the main reason I will be extra tipping in Sterling is convenience, not visiting eurozone countries so will not be taking any with me. As I said I have Pre-paid gratuities and these are extra tips ie the odd pound or two for bar tender etc. and the crew will be in Southampton at the end of the cruise and will be able to use the Sterling coins. They won't be able to use US dollars or euros.

 

The crew will be more than happy to accept a tip in any currency. It is a tip, and they can change it to whatever currency they wish whenever they get tp a port. Enjoy your cruise

[cruisestitch]

Most crew do not get to go ashore on embarkation/disembarkation day so the coins will probably not be used ashore. They are much more difficult to convert for the pioses of sending money home to their families, so everyone should keep that in mind. That being said, you will receive their gratitude even if the tip is in a currency they can't immediately use so easily. Since the poster is from the UK and will have sterling, it is very appropriate to use that currency for tips, or US dollars or Euro.

[David Owl]

On a related subject, on a cruise to Iceland and Norway is it okay to tip coach drivers and guides in Dollars or would they expect it in their own currency.

[Phxazzcruisers]

On a related subject, on a cruise to Iceland and Norway is it okay to tip coach drivers and guides in Dollars or would they expect it in their own currency.

 

We have done Iceland and Norway several times and they were all more than happy to receive US Dollars.

[besberry]

On the ship, the automatic tipping is posted in your home currency...usually US dollars. Easy and convenient. If you are tipping off the ship, tip in the local currency. Euros are the preferred currency in most European-Russian ports. Even in Turkey which uses the Turkish lira, they like euros. While I agree with the person who said that the British pound is better, other than in British places, most people don't want the pound. Keep in mind, when eating off the ship, extending tips is not as often done as in the USA. Most European restaurants have prices that include service. I usually leave a little bit extra. Only the really touristy places remind you to add tips...just another way to make more money from the tourists.

On my Med cruise last year,although I'd pre-paid, I wanted to tip extra. I offered them the choice of dollars or Euros. Both the waiters said sterling, but that wasn't an option, so then they both chose Euro's. The stewardess chose Euro's. I was sailing ex-UK. On my Baltic cruise one waiter wanted Euro's the other wanted dollars.

[Gonzo70]

On a related subject, on a cruise to Iceland and Norway is it okay to tip coach drivers and guides in Dollars or would they expect it in their own currency.

 

Whenever possible it is best to tip people in the currency of the country where service is being provided. If it is in a country where US Dollars are widely accepted (i.e. many Caribbean countries) then it is more acceptable to tip in US Dollars. However in countries such as Iceland and Norway (where US Dollars are not widely accepted so far as I know) it is advisable to try and tip people in their own currency. Of course if this is not possible, it is better to tip them in a foreign currency than to not tip them at all.