Tipping butler and concierge

[tupperstamper]

We are currently on the Dawn doing the British Isles. I'm not sure what currency to tip in ie. Euros, Pounds, it.. What do you usually do?

[graphicguy]

Ask them what they prefer.  I'm betting Customer Service can provide the type of currency they prefer.  My guess is it's U.S. dollars.

[kelib]

6 minutes ago, tupperstamper said:

We are currently on the Dawn doing the British Isles. I'm not sure what currency to tip in ie. Euros, Pounds, it.. What do you usually do?

The ships currency is actually US dollars. You can always just ask their preference but I think anything will be fine since tge ship will convert for them

[CILCIANRQTS]

53 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

Ask them what they prefer.  I'm betting Customer Service can provide the type of currency they prefer.  My guess is it's U.S. dollars.

If I’m sailing in Britain and Europe, why on earth would I want US dollars??
Pounds or Euros can be spent directly at full value. Dollars face conversion loss.

[ChiefMateJRK]

4 minutes ago, CILCIANRQTS said:

If I’m sailing in Britain and Europe, why on earth would I want US dollars??
Pounds or Euros can be spent directly at full value. Dollars face conversion loss.

Wouldn't you suffer the same loss when you used US dollars to acquire Pounds or Euros before the cruise?

[CILCIANRQTS]

2 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

Wouldn't you suffer the same loss when you used US dollars to acquire Pounds or Euros before the cruise?

The issue deals with what currency the crew would want.

I’m assuming the passengers have pounds or euros in their wallet for the trip.

[graphicguy]

33 minutes ago, CILCIANRQTS said:

If I’m sailing in Britain and Europe, why on earth would I want US dollars??
Pounds or Euros can be spent directly at full value. Dollars face conversion loss.

I believe the crew are paid in U.S. Dollars.  And, I believe that’s the currency used in the crew’s stores.

 

At least that’s what I remember from my Mediterranean cruises.

[davencl]

1 hour ago, CILCIANRQTS said:

The issue deals with what currency the crew would want.

I’m assuming the passengers have pounds or euros in their wallet for the trip.

Just returned from a northern European cruise.  I never used euro's or pounds.  Always paid with a credit card which charges no extra fees.  I think the crew would overall prefer dollars as most crew would have little use for pounds or euro's as generally not from Britain or Europe.  However I have no first hand knowledge.

[ChiefMateJRK]

1 hour ago, CILCIANRQTS said:

The issue deals with what currency the crew would want.

I’m assuming the passengers have pounds or euros in their wallet for the trip.

Then why did you mention conversion loss, and why do you assume that passengers would have pounds or euros in their wallet?  European passengers, sure.  But the OP is from Utah USA.

[CILCIANRQTS]

1 hour ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

Then why did you mention conversion loss, and why do you assume that passengers would have pounds or euros in their wallet?  European passengers, sure.  But the OP is from Utah USA.

Because they’re traveling in Europe??

[Yinster]

Give staff whatever you have. Whatever currencies it may be, I'm positive they will be thankful. 

[ChiefMateJRK]

52 minutes ago, CILCIANRQTS said:

Because they’re traveling in Europe??

I've only been in Utah once, and we used US dollars.  If there is "conversion loss" to tip in Euros or pounds, I'm pretty sure that they would experience it at some point.  Logic is taking (another) beating here.

[casofilia]

I think that you will find that the crew are very grateful for any tip they receive no matter what currency.

 

 I think they send notes (bills) home and the family exchanges at a bank.   Coin they will try to exchange for notes or spend in port.

[BirdTravels]

7 hours ago, tupperstamper said:

We are currently on the Dawn doing the British Isles. I'm not sure what currency to tip in ie. Euros, Pounds, it.. What do you usually do?

US Dollars is the currency of the ship (regardless of current location). The crew can use that to make purchases. 

[dobiemom]

6 hours ago, casofilia said:

I think that you will find that the crew are very grateful for any tip they receive no matter what currency.

 

 I think they send notes (bills) home and the family exchanges at a bank.   Coin they will try to exchange for notes or spend in port.

I doubt that they send any currency through the mail where it can be stolen. 

[KeithJenner]

Once on a European cruise I asked a bartender whether he preferred tips in Euros or Dollars.

 

He said it made little difference to him, but at the time he preferred Euros as one Euro was worth more than one Dollar. There is less of a difference at the moment.

 

I currently have dollars and euros in my wallet and I intend to use both for tips when we get off tomorrow.

[SalthMate]

18 hours ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

I've only been in Utah once, and we used US dollars.  If there is "conversion loss" to tip in Euros or pounds, I'm pretty sure that they would experience it at some point.  Logic is taking (another) beating here.

 

I have to strongly agree with @ChiefMateJRKhere.

[UKstages]

i have a unique situation.

 

in the before times, i traveled extensively to the philippines. i always kept filipino currency (equivalent to maybe forty to sixty US dollars) to have with me for the next trip, fir airport expenses or tips to car service drivers. on my last trip, i won the equivalent of about USD 1000 at a casino in manila. then the pandemic came and shut down all my travel to the philippines. so, for the past few years, i have held a large sum in filipino pesos.

 

i have take some of that with me on each of of my last three cruises, since the restart. if my butler or concierge or room steward is filipino, which they almost always are... i ask if they'd prefer to be tipped in pesos. only one has ever said no.

 

so, i tip those folks in pesos... the equivalent amount i would have given in dollars. they have told me that it gives them some "mad money" with which to hit the ground running when their contract ends and they go home.

 

again, this is a unique situation that applies to virtually nobody except me!

 

when not topping in pesos, i tip in US dollars.

[Captain_McSorely]

9 hours ago, SalthMate said:

 

I have to strongly agree with @ChiefMateJRKhere.

 

Me too 🐀.