Tipping during a Mediterranean itinerary

[tooleman56]

Wondering how I should tip during our upcoming Mediterranean itinerary. I know that the shipboard currency is U.S dollars, however, the crew wouldn't be able to use U.S. dollars in a Med port, they would have to have euros. I will have some of both on our cruise. I'm currently working in a service-oriented industry after a long career in another field, so I really appreciate those that work primarily for tips. I'm not an over-the-top tipper, but I am generous. Are tips delivered in an envelope on board, or should I just leave a cash tip on the table for the waiter in say a specialty restaurant. I realize I'm under no obligation to tip beyond the daily charge on my shipboard account, but I'm sure I will.

[puppycanducruise]

Last year on our Med cruise, we left the auto tips in place.

We also tipped our room stewards and head waiter in euros. The head waiter we handed cash to when we thanked him on our last night in the MDR. The room stewards we handed cash to when we thanked them on our last day aboard.

[cb at sea]

Tips are put on your shipboard account, so you don't have to worry about currency! Those who serve you will get their tips in the right kind of money. If you wish to tip additionally, or for things like room service delivery, they will accept ANY kind of cash....whether Dollars or Euros!

[navybankerteacher]

Wondering how I should tip during our upcoming Mediterranean itinerary. I know that the shipboard currency is U.S dollars, however, the crew wouldn't be able to use U.S. dollars in a Med port, they would have to have euros. I will have some of both on our cruise. I'm currently working in a service-oriented industry after a long career in another field, so I really appreciate those that work primarily for tips. I'm not an over-the-top tipper, but I am generous. Are tips delivered in an envelope on board, or should I just leave a cash tip on the table for the waiter in say a specialty restaurant. I realize I'm under no obligation to tip beyond the daily charge on my shipboard account, but I'm sure I will.

 

Since shipboard currency is US$, it makes sense to tip in US$. Of course, if you have euros left over from your pre-cruise stay or from port visits, they would be welcomed. The fact is, that crew members do not get that much time off in ports, so their need for euros is not that great - and their whole purpose for being on the ship is to accumulate $ to bring/send home.

[sail7seas]

Crew have their own purser and they have a bank.

They will do absolutely fine with U.S. $. Don't worry they won't be able to use it. Most of their money is sent home to their families. They don't keep that much for their personal use.

 

If the currency of the ship is U.S. $ , tipping in $ is the norm.

[sail7seas]

Wondering how I should tip during our upcoming Mediterranean itinerary. I know that the shipboard currency is U.S dollars, however, the crew wouldn't be able to use U.S. dollars in a Med port, they would have to have euros. I will have some of both on our cruise. I'm currently working in a service-oriented industry after a long career in another field, so I really appreciate those that work primarily for tips. I'm not an over-the-top tipper, but I am generous. Are tips delivered in an envelope on board, or should I just leave a cash tip on the table for the waiter in say a specialty restaurant. I realize I'm under no obligation to tip beyond the daily charge on my shipboard account, but I'm sure I will.

 

If your bill is delivered to you in a folder, it is great to leave your tip inside it when you sign the slip. HAL ships do not provide for a tip line enabling a tip to be added so all extra tipping is done in cash. If there is no folder for the tab, it is fine to leave cash tucked under the side of coffee saucer or to hand it to the server if (s)he happens to be nearby when you leave.

 

Tips we leave for dining and cabin stewards etc, over and above the HAL automatically charged hotel service charge, are in envelopes on which we have written the person's name and a brief note of thanks.

 

 

 

Edited July 21, 2014 by sail7seas