Currency change and tipping ?

[zorky12]

First time cruising in January. Going to Mexico, Grand Cayman, and Jamaica. Do we need to get the correct currency for those ports? Also we have prepaid for gratuity but at the end of a 6 day cruise what should we leave our room steward? It is my wife and myself. Also do you hand it to them or leave it somewhere? Anyone else should be tipped? I typically never really carry cash because i don’t like a wallet in my pocket so how much cash should I have on board with me?

 

 

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[Clarea]

All those ports take USD. Other questions are dependent on cruise line.

[Schoifmom]

As Clarea said, all of those ports take USD. As far as tipping your room steward, if you have prepaid gratuities it is not necessary to tip further unless they render extraordinary service. The amount is totally an individual decision.

[Gloworm2]

If you wish to tip extra beyond the auto gratuity, you would place that $ in an envelope and hand to the room

Steward. There’s usually an envelope left in your room towards the end of the cruise. If you need more just ask guest services. I also tip extra to the MDR head waiter. But please note that I do this in addition to the auto gratuities. I pay those so all the other people

Who benefit from that type of tipping bet their share. For a 7 night cruise, I give $40-50 each to steward and waiter

 

 

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[Keith1010]

If you are shopping for items in stores I would use a credit card as you often do better with that then using USA cash. Just use a credit card without a foreign transaction fee and if you don't have one Capital One has one without any kind of annual fee that has no international transaction fees.

 

Keith

[Gloworm2]

I would use cash when shopping in ports. Too many credit card scams out there. I had my card compromised in London at a major store. So won’t use it in small island shops

 

 

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[zorky12]

Thank you for the replies. Since I have the anytime dinning selected we probably won't have the same waiter/waitress I assume. Our reservation shows this. I am not really sure if this means we have both 6:00pm or anytime dinning. I think I will pay for everything off the ship in cash. We will definitely tip our room steward beyond the auto that we already paid. Those workers work really hard and are under paid.

 

Your Time 5:45-9:30 (Confirmed)

Early Dining 6:00 PM (Waitlisted)

[Honolulu Blue]

Thank you for the replies. Since I have the anytime dinning selected we probably won't have the same waiter/waitress I assume. Our reservation shows this. I am not really sure if this means we have both 6:00pm or anytime dinning. I think I will pay for everything off the ship in cash. We will definitely tip our room steward beyond the auto that we already paid. Those workers work really hard and are under paid.

 

Your Time 5:45-9:30 (Confirmed)

Early Dining 6:00 PM (Waitlisted)

 

It looks like you're going on Carnival. Since I have some experience with them, I can better answer your questions.

 

What you quoted means you have Your Time Dining now and hope to get Early Dining. There's a good chance you'll get it in the two months between now and your cruise.

 

As mentioned, US$ is accepted in most places in all of those ports. I'd recommend cash for small purchases and a credit card for the larger ones. The automatic gratuities cover only the staff on the ship, except for the bartenders. Bartenders are tipped separately. In addition, you have porters, taxi drivers, shuttle drivers, tour guides and drivers, and the tender staff that you may or may not want to tip.

[easyboy]

If taking a shore excursion, you may also need some $$$ if you believe that the tour guide and/or driver deserves a cash tip.

 

 

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[ronrick1943]

US Dollars are OK, and for the cruise staff tipping--depends on the service, if it's good and made your vacation better yes.

[donaldsc]

All those ports take USD. Other questions are dependent on cruise line.

 

The problem w paying in USD is that many vendors will give you change in local currency. Pay w CC if possible.

 

DON

[cb at sea]

Most cruise lines charge the gratuity for cabin attendant, waiters, ass't. waiters and head waiter to your account on a daily basis....those folks are taken care of by those tips. If you wish to leave additional, you certainly can! You can get envelopes from customer service to put any additional tip in...leave it in your cabin, or table, or hand it to each person...up to you. Just remember how much you've already tipped!

[Wayfairers]

To get local cash at your stops ATMs work great. We’ve used them all over the world to get local cash

 

 

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[carrieluvsgreg]

Just a side note- although all the ports you mentioned do take US currency, I think it bears noting that at least in Cozumel- they do not accept US change- only bills.

A few years ago I thought I had a brilliant idea of saving change to help me barter. I found out the hard way that they do not accept coins. [emoji20]

 

 

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[LHT28]

If you have local coins & never plan to return to that port leave them for the crew.... they will be returning there ;)

[SRF]

Or keep small amounts of local cash as a souvenir of your trip.

 

Many places that will take coins, take them at an insane exchange rate. :)

[notentirelynormal]

The problem w paying in USD is that many vendors will give you change in local currency. Pay w CC if possible.

 

DON

 

You can always make sure before you make the purchase that they will give you back US dollars and also bring small bills. In other words, don't make a $2 purchase with a $20 bill. Have plenty of singles with you.