msalzman1 Posted June 26, 2016 #1 Share Posted June 26, 2016 Hi. Just wondering can I tip my tour guides in USD, or do I need to exchange $ for the currency of those ports? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Banjo Posted June 26, 2016 #2 Share Posted June 26, 2016 Hi.Just wondering can I tip my tour guides in USD, or do I need to exchange $ for the currency of those ports? Thanks I tipped the driver and guide in $'s in St Petersburg. They thanked me and seemed happy to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loeb Posted June 26, 2016 #3 Share Posted June 26, 2016 I think it depends, in Russia they generally want / prefer US$ but the bills must new or close to new. Other Baltic countries will want local currency or Euros. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eandj Posted June 26, 2016 #4 Share Posted June 26, 2016 U.S. currency is fine. Doesn't have to be "new" bills. Just don't hand over any of those worn,wrinkled or torn bills we like to hand off to someone else at home. ;) When the guides change them to their preferred, they need to be in decent shape. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msalzman1 Posted June 26, 2016 Author #5 Share Posted June 26, 2016 Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruzsnooze Posted June 26, 2016 #6 Share Posted June 26, 2016 Do a goggle search and see what the tipping customs for the countries you are visiting. Most European countries do not tip as often or as much as America does. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hydrokitty Posted June 26, 2016 #7 Share Posted June 26, 2016 Do a goggle search and see what the tipping customs for the countries you are visiting. Most European countries do not tip as often or as much as America does. And there are some European countries were people would have a very hard time converting American $$ into local currency. In fact, there was one where it was illegal for them to do so, but I don't remember which one it was. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RavennaM Posted June 26, 2016 #8 Share Posted June 26, 2016 Tipping definitely isn't necessary in Scandinavia. We are not use to tip here at all. If you still want to give a tip, use Euros. It costs more in here to change from dollars to Euros than the actual tip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiggertastic Posted June 26, 2016 #9 Share Posted June 26, 2016 I'd ask yourself if you worked in the tour industry in your country, would you be happy taking a tip in another currency. Some countries such as Russia take them and price their trips in dollars but only clean bills. The other countries don't do it, it costs them a lot to exchange them and you devalue your tip and they have to take out time to make it happen. We made sure we had some of each currency as it was one transaction on one website and a pick up at the airport. That little bit of effort was much appreciated by the tour guides Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nekzaadvakil Posted June 27, 2016 #10 Share Posted June 27, 2016 Did the amazing Scandinavia cruise last year. Most of the places we did on our own with the exception of St. Petersburg and Berlin. We tipped USD in St. Petersburg (although we had a few roubles since we were in Moscow pre-cruise) and Euros in Berlin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merlin5353 Posted June 28, 2016 #11 Share Posted June 28, 2016 (edited) Hi.Just wondering can I tip my tour guides in USD, or do I need to exchange $ for the currency of those ports? Thanks Just off the Silhouette after our Baltic cruise. In SPB, our guides like US dollars, but will happily accept Euros. Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Helsinki, Tallinn and Stockholm tips were in Euros. As far as exchanging for Rubles or Kronors: only if you want a souvenir. Edited June 28, 2016 by merlin5353 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chunky2219 Posted June 29, 2016 #12 Share Posted June 29, 2016 Can't speak for Russia, but I worked for a long time in Sweden and still speak a bit of the lingo. Don't worry about currency for a tip, they don't need one. The Swedes tend to pay their people properly (as does all of Scandinavia) so the only purpose of a tip is to satiate the pre-programmed impulse you yourself have to hand over a few bills. When in Rome ....... etc. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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