Brittish Isles With Scotland & Ireland - still confused on tipping and payments

[DaisyRose]

Hello,

I've read a number of threads, and I'm still a bit confused on payments and tipping in Brittish Isles, Scotland, and Ireland.  I think I'm believing that almost everything can be paid with credit cards, especially restaurants and pubs, and that we generally won't tip in those places.  It seems the only places that tips would be generally expected and appreciated would be tour guides and bus drivers.  It seems even small purchases such as souvenirs or a few snacks can be made with credit cards.  Do I have this right? Thanks in advance for your help!

[david63]

19 minutes ago, DaisyRose said:

It seems even small purchases such as souvenirs or a few snacks can be made with credit cards.

Depends on where you are and how much you are spending. Some places will accept CCs for small purchases and some will not accept them at all. Also cards such as Amex are not widely accepted anywhere. To be on the safe side take some cash.

 

23 minutes ago, DaisyRose said:

almost everything can be paid with credit cards, especially restaurants and pubs,

Generally that is the case.

 

24 minutes ago, DaisyRose said:

It seems the only places that tips would be generally expected and appreciated would be tour guides and bus drivers

The tipping culture in the UK is vastly different to that in the US and whilst tips are not always expected they are generally appreciated.

[Lady Arwen]

My DH is a Brit, living in Canada, and he said that although tipping is not mandatory nor expected, any gratuity is much appreciated.  We’ll be there in September and we will tip in restaurants, bars, cabs, tour guides and hotel people who help us out.  We most always use a credit or debit card.  They have tap and go technology, the same as we have in Canada.  Cash will be offered as tips.

[sunviking90]

You’re right tipping is not required, but we did “round up” a little bit in most places leaving a few pounds if service was good. You’ll need very little cash, but be sure you have a MC or Visa as Amex isn’t always accepted.

[Married15]

Just back - we were able to pay everything with CC. We did tip our tour guides with cash though, sometimes it was pounds, dollars or euro. Sometimes a combo of the three depending on what we had. We also tipped our cabin steward and wait staff with cash. 

[Justpackingmybags]

In some restaurants there will be an option to add a tip onto the bill when you pay by card. Some places will state on the bill that a gratuity has been added. And cash tips are always welcome in all hospitality places, plus drivers etc. 10% is an acceptable amount, but it’s at your discretion as to the amount you add. Most of mainland Europe plus the Republic of Ireland accepts Euros, GB £ for Great Britain & Northern Ireland.

Contactless payments are ok up to £100

[DaisyRose]

Thank you everyone for these answers, which help me a lot!  I'll bring MC & V credit cards and a little cash.  

[tml1230]

32 minutes ago, DaisyRose said:

Thank you everyone for these answers, which help me a lot!  I'll bring MC & V credit cards and a little cash.  

you may want to check if your credit cards have a foreign transaction fee...a lot do...that 3 % to 5 % "fee" adds up quickly.

[JG&Lcruisingnewbies]

In restaurants I tend to still leave a tip. A lot of restaurant card machines will ask you if you wish to leave a tip, and add however much you wish.

 

as others have said, Mastercard & Visa are the cards to have, they are accepted everywhere. Check if you have transaction fees and how to get around those

 

you can use cash. Most places prefer card.

 

Tap & Pay (no pin) is up to £100. There is no daily maximum amount of times or total £.

I’ve stuck my card onto ApplePay & use my phone to pay contactless now. ApplePay doesn’t have the £100 limit. I don’t know about an android equivalent.

most places in UK don’t accept $$ or even €€ to pay. I have seen this asked.

 

Some non European cruisers don’t always realise that common ports for British isles cruises Cobh & Dublin are in Ireland. Ireland use EUROS & are not part of the United Kingdom

 

 

[Justpackingmybags]

One thing I forgot to mention is that you will often see a prompt asking if you want to pay in local currency or dollars (or whatever your home currency) Opt for local currency and your bank will convert it at a far better rate. Onboard will be in US$ & I always pay my account in that currency for exactly the same reason- bank rate is more favourable than the Princess rate.

[robbinsca]

Just back from the British Islands. We could pay for almost anything with a card. We had several situations where the restaurant did not even give us the option of adding a tip, and only one where a service charge had been added. Tour guides were delighted to get a few extra pounds or euros.

[Deisemum]

The contactless payment is Ireland is up to €50 otherwise pin no. required.

 

 

[capriccio]

As others have said, bring Visa or Mastercard.  Better still bring both or 2 of each (different accounts).  If one of your cards is lost/compromised you have backup.  And in a worst case scenario of high on shore medical bills that must be paid before release from the hospital (or in some places before treatment) you have enough coverage.  The vast majority of overseas medical facilities don't take US insurance even if you have international coverage.

[bjkTX]

We did that cruise last fall and before we left I was told I could use a CC for everything - and very little if any tipping.  Every tour we signed up for seemed to specify they wanted to be paid in cash - I only used my card for one - and tipping seemed to be the norm rather than the exception. 

[Simon-t]

You will be able to pay for pretty much everything on card.

 

We do tend to tip in restaurants, unless there is a service charge already included (check the bill). 10% is fine. Even then, it is not "expected" in the way it is in North America. Lots of people do not tip in restaurants and it will not cause offence.

 

Tipping in pubs and bars is not really a thing.

 

Taxis, the tradition was to round up to the nearest pound, but with contactless card payments that seems to have fallen away. In the unlikely event I was paying in cash I would probably round up, but virtually all payments are contactless (in the main cities at least).

 

I would take a small amount of cash to tip tour guides, where tips are appreciated (and sometimes expected).

 

In short - you are not going to offend anyone in the UK by not tipping, but tips in restaurants and to tour guides will be appreciated.