Tipping questions; where to get $1 and $2 bills?

[AmazedByCruising]

After having read a zillion tipping questions, here's are mine.

 

1) Where to get $1 and $2 bills? My local -Dutch- bank wouldn't have those. Would Guest Relations be able to give me small notes in return for my credit card number & signature?

 

2) Not having $2 handy, writing an extra $2 on a a 1 beer, 1 white wine bill seems a whole lot ado about $2 and I'm not sure crew would appreciate it. Is it?

 

3) A related question, would crew mind being tipped casino chips? I guess it's common in the casino bar, but maybe the cabin steward would get strange looks by the purser turning them in? Last time I left my remaining (OK, forgotten), useless at the time, chips in my cabin.

[GUT2407]

After having read a zillion tipping questions, here's are mine.

 

1) Where to get $1 and $2 bills? My local -Dutch- bank wouldn't have those. Would Guest Relations be able to give me small notes in return for my credit card number & signature?

 

2) Not having $2 handy, writing an extra $2 on a a 1 beer, 1 white wine bill seems a whole lot ado about $2 and I'm not sure crew would appreciate it. Is it?

 

3) A related question, would crew mind being tipped casino chips? I guess it's common in the casino bar, but maybe the cabin steward would get strange looks by the purser turning them in? Last time I left my remaining (OK, forgotten), useless at the time, chips in my cabin.

 

If you mean American.... Yes Purser's desk should be able to help with $1s, $2 bills are pretty rare, I'm not sure they'll charge your CC for them though so take some larger bills and get them changed.

 

Though it may vary by line and itinerary.

 

You do know that the crew will take anything. Last cruise I saw a crew member buying some chocolate in the Cadbury Factory in NZ, I could recognise in his hand Aus$ NZ$ US$ GBP Euro Francs Lira Yen and Marks, together with a variety of notes I didn't know.

[sail7seas]

Front Office, Casino, br ing some with you.

Edited June 17, 2016 by sail7seas

[sail7seas]

On HAL ships, exTra tipping is done in cash. you cannot write a tip onto a bar bill. FFront office, will break large bills into small denominations. YOU CN WRITE IT IN ON SOME CRUISE LINES. I see OP is from Holland and may be sailing HAL.

Edited June 17, 2016 by sail7seas

[spookwife]

Do not bother trying to get $2 bills. No one outside of the US accepts them and 90% of the US has no idea they are legal tender.

[SadieN]

Do not bother trying to get $2 bills. No one outside of the US accepts them and 90% of the US has no idea they are legal tender.

 

 

$2 bills and $1 coins are practically useless within the US. I think your percentage is a bit low. ;).

 

This guy got arrested for using $2 bills to buy electronics at Best Buy. http://mobile.wnd.com/2005/04/29732/

Edited June 17, 2016 by SadieN

[Pandora1958]

At your Bank of course

[maryjaden]

At your Bank of course

 

The OP is Dutch and stated local bank did not have them.

[Flatbush Flyer]

OP: your Dutch bank can certainly get $1 USD bills. Just specify how many when you purchase USD before you cruise.

[Been There, Planning That]

We travel with American cash but our local bank usually just has larger denomination bills.

 

Sometimes the front desk has willing to exchange for $1s but not always. Even $5s for tour tipping are not always readily available. We have American cash but usually in $10s and higher.

 

Ruth

[OCruisers]

Assume you'll be taking US Dollars with you for your cruise.

Yes, you can easily get your larger US bills broken down at the Purser's Desk (Guest Relations) without a problem.

Enjoy your cruise. :)

[AmazedByCruising]

OP: your Dutch bank can certainly get $1 USD bills. Just specify how many when you purchase USD before you cruise.

 

Looked it up. My bank refers to another one because they stopped giving out foreign currencies in cash altogether. The referred bank, which even does nothing but changing money, doesn't sell $1 dollar bills.

 

My guess: if ships could deliver a nice box containing 100 crispy $1 bills like you could order flowers in your cabin, for just $120, at least some people would buy those.

[maryjaden]

We travel with American cash but our local bank usually just has larger denomination bills.

 

Sometimes the front desk has willing to exchange for $1s but not always. Even $5s for tour tipping are not always readily available. We have American cash but usually in $10s and higher.

 

Ruth

 

I have to agree with Ruth. On our cruise to Bermuda, the front desk did not have anything smaller than a $20. If you have larger American cash, my suggestion would be go to the casino and exchange there. One word of caution, note the casino hours as they are generally closed in port, so you would have to do it the night before.

[Shmoo here]

I have to agree with Ruth. On our cruise to Bermuda, the front desk did not have anything smaller than a $20. If you have larger American cash, my suggestion would be go to the casino and exchange there. One word of caution, note the casino hours as they are generally closed in port, so you would have to do it the night before.

 

We have often broken our larger ($20, $50) bills for smaller $1 and $5 bills at the guest services desk. With no problem.

[mikedw]

Do not bother trying to get $2 bills. No one outside of the US accepts them and 90% of the US has no idea they are legal tender.

About a month or so ago, I've started to get about $10-20 worth of $2 bills a week and use them for tipping in restaurants and general transactions. Never had any trouble. From what I've read they love them in Mexico.

 

To the OP,

 

Most banks in the US have them, sometimes they have to go to the vault since they don't keep them in the drawer, but if want a large quantity, they have to order them from the Federal Reserve which they are more then happy to do. They come in straps of 100 bills. Not sure where you're at but the larger banks might be able to order them for you. My experience is most people love getting them.

[navybankerteacher]

$2 bills are very rare in the US and virtually unknown elsewhere: not worth bothering to get for tips, as $1 and $5 bills work well - and they are always available at casino if not at purser's desk.

[OCruisers]

$2 bills are very rare in the US and virtually unknown elsewhere: not worth bothering to get for tips, as $1 and $5 bills work well - and they are always available at casino if not at purser's desk.

 

Absolutely agree with the above ^^^^!

Get $1 & $5. :)

[LHT28]

If you have a bank card like Debit card I would use an ATM in the USA (if possible ) then get change at the front desk or Casino

Maybe fellow passenger would be kind & change some larger bills for you

Some cruise lines will charge you up to 5% to get money from your credit card not to mention the extra charge on your credit card when you get a cash advance

If you are not going to the USA then maybe the currency booth at the airport can give you USD for a fee of course ;)

 

We can get $1 at our TD Bank in Canada maybe not $100 worth but enough to get started ;)

[Cruisin' Chick]

Agree with many about the $2 bills. I would not accept them as change as I know I would have trouble trying to use them at stores, etc. I've had problems using the one dollar coins in machines, so I would try to avoid getting these too.

[donaldsc]

About a month or so ago, I've started to get about $10-20 worth of $2 bills a week and use them for tipping in restaurants and general transactions. Never had any trouble. From what I've read they love them in Mexico.

 

m.

 

Do you think that the people whom you stick with the your $2 bills are really going to tell you what they think of you and the $2 bills. They are trained to be nice to everyone - even the ones that make problems for them simply because they think that they are being cute. Most places in the US have absolutely no idea what a $2 bill is. What do you think the overseas exchange places think of them?

 

I would love to know where the idea that giving tips with $2 bill started. Would be interesting.

 

DON

[138east]

The big question is where the OP is cruising and on what cruise line.

 

My understanding is that on European cruises Euros are acceptable as tips. If it's a US cruise, then get some dollars and make a point of changing them down to smaller denominations before you board the ship.

 

When I go to Europe, I always have at least some Euros and make a point of quickly acquiring some change and smaller bills.

[cb at sea]

PLEASE do NOT use $2 bills! No one likes them....many countries don't recognize them. Please don't give the person to whom you're showing gratitude a big hassle!

[AmazedByCruising]

I would love to know where the idea that giving tips with $2 bill started. Would be interesting.

DON

 

I just knew that they existed and thought those would come in handy. Little did I know that I should keep them as a, albeit nearly worthless, collector's item :D

[flamomo]

I cruise with Princess, and have never had a problem getting $1 bills in exchange for larger bills, either at the Passenger Services desk or from the casino cashier, no matter where the cruise itinerary is taking me.

 

And on Princess, one CAN add a tip to a bar tab.

 

JMO, but ..... You should not bother looking for $2 bills ..... they are a real oddity, even here in the US, and almost never seen. It's been years since I have even seen one.

[navybankerteacher]

I cruise with Princess, and have never had a problem getting $1 bills in exchange for larger bills, either at the Passenger Services desk or from the casino cashier, no matter where the cruise itinerary is taking me.

 

And on Princess, one CAN add a tip to a bar tab.

 

JMO, but ..... You should not bother looking for $2 bills ..... they are a real oddity, even here in the US, and almost never seen. It's been years since I have even seen one.

 

$2's are only useful when giving a cash birthday gift to a tween grandchild: one $10, two $5's, three $2's and four $1's. (Assuming $30 is about right.)