European Cruise, crew tip currency preferred?

[Alphawolf]

I have a European Cruise coming up and I was wondering if the crew preferred Euros or if Dollars are ok?  The less Euros I use the less currency conversion fees I have to pay but I would like to give the currency that would be preferred for the crew.

[Wineaux007]

1 minute ago, Alphawolf said:

I have a European Cruise coming up and I was wondering if the crew preferred Euros or if Dollars are ok?  The less Euros I use the less currency conversion fees I have to pay but I would like to give the currency that would be preferred for the crew.

U.S. Dollars is the preferred currency and the currency of the ship, although the crew won't turn down Euros if that's all you have.  

[the penguins]

1 hour ago, Alphawolf said:

I have a European Cruise coming up and I was wondering if the crew preferred Euros or if Dollars are ok?  The less Euros I use the less currency conversion fees I have to pay but I would like to give the currency that would be preferred for the crew.

Whatever you have - the ship will convert any currency for the crew. 

[Ine]

Euros are preferred so they can do their local shopping when they have free time. If they have US$ they have to change them and pay a fee for that. 

[cruisestitch]

One way or the other, conversion fees will be paid

[navybankerteacher]

Logically, the currency you paid for your cruise— likely US $, in use on the ship (most likely US$ or euro).  If you want to get fancy, that of the home countries of the bulk of the crew - perhaps Indonesian Rupiah or Philippine Peso - so they might be able to bring it home without exchange costs/complications.

[Toofarfromthesea]

Euros, so they can spend them ashore without having to worry about spending any time converting.  The currency you used to pay for the cruise is irrelevant since there is a vast gulf between a multi-million dollar corporation and a, e.g., Philipino crew member in Barcelona.  The US dollar no longer any special cachet in Europe.

[navybankerteacher]

3 minutes ago, Toofarfromthesea said:

Euros, so they can spend them ashore without having to worry about spending any time converting.  The currency you used to pay for the cruise is irrelevant since there is a vast gulf between a multi-million dollar corporation and a, e.g., Philipino crew member in Barcelona.  The US dollar no longer any special cachet in Europe.

Of course a Filipino crew member is not very likely to want to spend much of his tip income in Barcelona.  He is on the ship primarily to be able to bring as much usable cash as possible back to Cebu, Mindanao or wherever — and the US$ still outranks the euro in Manila.

[jeremyosborne81]

Whatever the currency is of the home port for the cruise.

[SPacificbound]

They are always happy to get any currency, we just use USD.

[ldubs]

13 hours ago, Alphawolf said:

I have a European Cruise coming up and I was wondering if the crew preferred Euros or if Dollars are ok?  The less Euros I use the less currency conversion fees I have to pay but I would like to give the currency that would be preferred for the crew.

 

USD are definitely OK.  

[CruiserBruce]

Dollars or euros are gladly accepted. No issue either way.

 

As to paying in the currency you paid for the cruise,  @navybankerteacher, wouldn't, for example, a Canadian booking a cruise on Holland America,  pay in CAD? Then tip in CAD? Seems complicated for the crew.

[the penguins]

14 hours ago, Ine said:

Euros are preferred so they can do their local shopping when they have free time. If they have US$ they have to change them and pay a fee for that. 

Your overthinking this.

Cruising in Europe the passengers will be from a mix of countries all with their own currencies. Each passenger will also have currency for the ports to be visited.

Crew will be tipped in an equally wide ranging number of currencies. It makes no difference what you tip with. Local currency can be spent in ports, $ 's onboard the ship and any coververtable currency can be handled via the ship (at better rates than we get).

Just don't convert odd money back use it for extra tips.

[DarrenM]

17 hours ago, Alphawolf said:

I have a European Cruise coming up and I was wondering if the crew preferred Euros or if Dollars are ok?  The less Euros I use the less currency conversion fees I have to pay but I would like to give the currency that would be preferred for the crew.

I had 40 dollars worth of turkish lira so I left that, I also left 40 euro too.

 

I roughly worked out that I gave around 75 dollars. But as I dont carry dollars they get whatever I have.

[VMax1700]

I tend to overthink it!  If it is early in the European cruise season then I have no problem in giving Euros.  (It is my currency and I have it in my wallet anyway).  However if it is getting late in the season I will delve into my stash of USD and give those instead of Euro.  Both currencies receive equal levels of thanks from the crew!