Tipping currency in Europe

[kasowell2]

First time European  cruise leaving from Southampton and ending in Rome. My question is about the currency for tipping. 
Southampton and dock workers. The porters at the port are they expecting a tip like the workers in the unite states?
On the ship such as room service what currency is expected.  United States dollars or Great Britain pound? 
What about porters in Rome? Do they expect a tip too? I‘m guessing they do so I will have to get some euros  to tip them  too?

[Alakegirl]

Will the ship be coming back to Southampton or going on from Rome to the transatlantic? If it won’t be coming back to Southampton, the crew will have a harder time if you use pounds for room service tipping. Stick with US dollars.

 

 

[jelayne]

The currency of the ship is USD so if you can tip with that it makes it easier for the crew.  Some think that the crew can use the local currency when they go ashore but theses days the crew are not getting off the ship as much as they did pre pandemic, which wasn’t often then.

[HskrCrsr]

41 minutes ago, jelayne said:

The currency of the ship is USD so if you can tip with that it makes it easier for the crew.  Some think that the crew can use the local currency when they go ashore but theses days the crew are not getting off the ship as much as they did pre pandemic, which wasn’t often then.

 

Agreed. I was told on a European cruise a few years back that the ships are like miniature floating USA's. Tipping in USD was encouraged.

[the penguins]

6 hours ago, kasowell2 said:

First time European  cruise leaving from Southampton and ending in Rome. My question is about the currency for tipping. 
Southampton and dock workers. The porters at the port are they expecting a tip like the workers in the unite states?
On the ship such as room service what currency is expected.  United States dollars or Great Britain pound? 
What about porters in Rome? Do they expect a tip too? I‘m guessing they do so I will have to get some euros  to tip them  too?

It makes no difference to the crew. The ship will handle any currency for them. If you have left over Euros or £'s use those first (far better than converting them back into 💲's) then top up with 💲's if you need to. In Southampton tipping is not expected but if you do use £'s. Remember the smallest UK note (bill) is the equivalent of over 💲4). Have never tipped in Rome. For tips off the ship, restaurants etc we add those to the bill and pay by Credit Card.

[hrhdhd]

55 minutes ago, the penguins said:

It makes no difference to the crew. The ship will handle any currency for them. If you have left over Euros or £'s use those first (far better than converting them back into 💲's) then top up with 💲's if you need to. In Southampton tipping is not expected but if you do use £'s. Remember the smallest UK note (bill) is the equivalent of over 💲4). Have never tipped in Rome. For tips off the ship, restaurants etc we add those to the bill and pay by Credit Card.

£5 = ~$5.70, so closer to $6 than to $4.

[upwarduk]

All tips are covered if you have booked All Included.

They are part of your cruise fare.

i will add a small % if eating out, if the service has been good.

Edited September 17, 2022 by upwarduk

[Bigdrinks]

Tip in €’s, £’s or $’s. I guarantee  no one will hand it back! 

[wineoclock]

You absolutely do not need to tip from Southampton as it’s not expected. Mind you no one will hand it back. 

[Wineaux007]

The currency on the ship is USD.  That's the currency I would use when tipping on board.

 

When you arrive in Rome, you will not run into any luggage handlers.  You just pick up your staged luggage and go to your transport.  No customs or immigration there.

[the penguins]

5 hours ago, hrhdhd said:

£5 = ~$5.70, so closer to $6 than to $4.

Whoops, so used to doing it the other way. Sorry.

[RichYak]

I tip USD on cruise ships, regardless of itinerary.

[cruisequeen4ever]

Southampton dock workers don’t expect a tip at all. We were ready to tip even though we had been told no need to, and the guy was gone so fast with our luggage, we couldn’t even catch up to him to tip him. They truly don’t expect a tip there. Onboard, USD is always a safe bet for tipping. If it’s the end of the Southampton season, I’d try to avoid tipping in Pounds, but if it’s summer or spring, I’m sure they’d be fine with Pounds or USD. Euros are also good.

[wineoclock]

Yes definitely no need to tip in Southampton. 

[LuAnn]

I will be flying into Heathrow and the only time I will need any cash money would be to tip the person who handles the wheelchair at the airport. Would it be ok to tip them in US$? I have prepaid my transportation to Southampton. So I don't think I'll need any other currency while in the UK. Thanks for any info. 

[RichYak]

1 hour ago, LuAnn said:

I will be flying into Heathrow and the only time I will need any cash money would be to tip the person who handles the wheelchair at the airport. Would it be ok to tip them in US$? I have prepaid my transportation to Southampton. So I don't think I'll need any other currency while in the UK. Thanks for any info. 

Reach out to local friends and family. Someone might have a few spare GBP from a prior visit to trade for USD. That's what I do when I don't need much currency.

[Jim_Iain]

We generally tip in US $.   We usually only travel with modest local currency these days.  Covid really encouraged Electronic Payment Systems to flourish and 99% of the time anything I spend is via Apple Pay via my Chase Card.

 

I even bought a hot dog in Peggy's Cove and she took Apple Pay.   She said she really encourages it as it cuts down on her need to visit the bank.

 

Edited September 21, 2022 by Jim_Iain

[Jim_Iain]

2 hours ago, LuAnn said:

I will be flying into Heathrow and the only time I will need any cash money would be to tip the person who handles the wheelchair at the airport. Would it be ok to tip them in US$? I have prepaid my transportation to Southampton. So I don't think I'll need any other currency while in the UK. Thanks for any info. 

 

Good point... Tipping Porters and Wheel Chair attendants are defiantly something that we use cash for.   We usually have a couple hundred dollars in Euros and Pounds on hand that we pull out each trip.  Iain had to scramble recently because UK came out with new notes and they were to stop accepting the old notes.    Luckily his sister's bank swapped them out for him.

 

If you want to tip in Pounds you might have the attendant stop at an ATM using a card that doesn't charge ATM Fees and take out  $50 or so.    You will probably also need funds for your return trip.

[Wineaux007]

If you are going to tip in $$$, make it worth their while to have to go to the bank to exchange it.

[wineoclock]

6 hours ago, LuAnn said:

I will be flying into Heathrow and the only time I will need any cash money would be to tip the person who handles the wheelchair at the airport. Would it be ok to tip them in US$? I have prepaid my transportation to Southampton. So I don't think I'll need any other currency while in the UK. Thanks for any info. 

No it isn’t ok. And it isn’t necessary to tip. They won’t be expecting it either. Staff in the U.K. are paid a living wage and tips are unnecessary. They won’t say no to them however. If you want to to a pound coin is sufficient. 

[upwarduk]

5 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

Iain had to scramble recently because UK came out with new notes and they were to stop accepting the old notes. 

We have 10 days to use the old PAPER £20 & £50 notes.

However, you can pay them into your bank account.

[LGW59]

5 hours ago, upwarduk said:

We have 10 days to use the old PAPER £20 & £50 notes.

However, you can pay them into your bank account.

Is all of the money, coins and paper, with the queen on it, to be turned in?  If so, for how long will it still have any value?

[DCPIV]

52 minutes ago, LGW59 said:

Is all of the money, coins and paper, with the queen on it, to be turned in?  If so, for how long will it still have any value?

 

There's no word on whether it will need to be turned in.  The last word from the Bank of England was to stay tuned until after the period of mourning has ended.  That ended on Monday, but I expect they are not in an enormous hurry.  It takes time to get all those notes printed.

[terrydtx]

We sailed on the Reflection last month from Rome, the porters took our luggage as soon as we exited our transport and didn't expect a tip as they disappeared before we all got out of the vehicle.  Out itinerary was Italy, Croatia, Montenegro and Greece and we used Euros in all locations for tips including the extra tips we gave our butler and room attendant on the ship. Never had any problems using our CC at any location for any purchase.  Croatia currently used their own currency but as of January 2023 they will be on the Euro, but most places are taking euros now.

[wineoclock]

2 hours ago, LGW59 said:

Is all of the money, coins and paper, with the queen on it, to be turned in?  If so, for how long will it still have any value?

I doubt it. I will imagine that they will do it slowly. When I was young I remember coins from George VI reign.