Oh, boy...yet another tipping topic. But this one's slightly different.

[Anoynmous Phoenix]

Remember that the smallest € note is €5 so you would have to tip in coin smaller than that and they are not changeable to USD.

[erisajd]

The crew most likely sends most of their tips and money home - and they want to send it home in USD - without any conversion penalties - the USD is still king in most of the third world.  Tip in USD . . 

[chengkp75]

3 minutes ago, erisajd said:

The crew most likely sends most of their tips and money home - and they want to send it home in USD - without any conversion penalties - the USD is still king in most of the third world.  Tip in USD . . 

Yes, they send it home in US dollars, and the family gets a good exchange rate for converting to local currency.

[GLYNAGP]

Unless I'm departing from the US I tip in £UK or Euros.  I spoke to my Cabin Steward on my first UK departure and he said he was happy with either , He said most crew collect it and convert it to whatever they need when they go ashore. So that what I've carried on doing ever since. 

[julig22]

2 hours ago, chengkp75 said:

Yes, the desirability of $2 notes is an urban myth.  Heck, even stores in the US sometimes balk at taking them.

Correct. They might be cute and as far as I know, a crew member could exchange them onboard without an issue. But definitely not worth any effort to get them. And definitely don't try to use them off of the ship. Had a fairly young bartender approach me with one in Buenos Aires, asking me if it was counterfeit because the bank wouldn't take it. I bought it from him (I actually still have it), I think that made him happier than the original tip LOL.

And, just as stores in the US aren't always happy with large bills, neither are foreign establishments that do take US currency. Plan accordingly.

[julig22]

22 minutes ago, GLYNAGP said:

Unless I'm departing from the US I tip in £UK or Euros.  I spoke to my Cabin Steward on my first UK departure and he said he was happy with either , He said most crew collect it and convert it to whatever they need when they go ashore. So that what I've carried on doing ever since. 

Fair enough - but in the case of a US citizen who would need to convert currency in the first place, there is really no need with respect to tipping onboard. Spending/tipping while in port is a different issue.

[GLYNAGP]

1 hour ago, julig22 said:

Fair enough - but in the case of a US citizen who would need to convert currency in the first place, there is really no need with respect to tipping onboard. Spending/tipping while in port is a different issue.

I quite agree, its the same scenario for us but in reverse when cruising a US Cruise Line on this side of the Atlantic. Why change our currency when we don't need too.  

[zqvol]

The ship’s currency in $USD. Why make it difficult for the crew just give them $USD or charge it to your cabin.  

[Travel R]

We saw a lot of crew members getting off at each of the ports when we were sailing the med two weeks ago, so Euros would be fine.  Note, however, NCL is completely USD on their ships, so easier for them to use if they do not go ashore (which they do not always do) and may prefer to sleep. Another option is to ask the crew member if they need anything ashore and pick it up for them (without charging) - it will be both a benefit and save them time.

[Sugar Magnolia]

@schmoopie17 you already have your answer so no need for me to chime in on the tipping topic. Just wanted to wish you a safe and joyous journey. Hope to hear from you when you board the Escape in a few days.

 

[schmoopie17]

28 minutes ago, Sugar Magnolia said:

@schmoopie17 you already have your answer so no need for me to chime in on the tipping topic. Just wanted to wish you a safe and joyous journey. Hope to hear from you when you board the Escape in a few days.

 

Thanks much.

 

Looks like our two days in Rome will be the only days with rain in Rome over the next 10 days.

That darn dark cloud likes to follow me wherever I go...

[Sugar Magnolia]

3 minutes ago, schmoopie17 said:

Thanks much.

 

Looks like our two days in Rome will be the only days with rain in Rome over the next 10 days.

That darn dark cloud likes to follow me wherever I go...

 

That is just the universe's way to counterbalance your ever-present sunny disposition.

 

[Asawi]

48 minutes ago, schmoopie17 said:

Looks like our two days in Rome will be the only days with rain in Rome over the next 10 days.

That darn dark cloud likes to follow me wherever I go...

 

44 minutes ago, Sugar Magnolia said:

 

That is just the universe's way to counterbalance your ever-present sunny disposition.

 

I LOVE that way of looking at it! And FWIW, I was on a short land trip to Tromsö, Norway recently and managed to time it with the worst weather for a while. And yet I had a great time! Sunny disposition in action! 😄 

[zqvol]

5 hours ago, Travel R said:

We saw a lot of crew members getting off at each of the ports when we were sailing the med two weeks ago, so Euros would be fine.  Note, however, NCL is completely USD on their ships, so easier for them to use if they do not go ashore (which they do not always do) and may prefer to sleep. Another option is to ask the crew member if they need anything ashore and pick it up for them (without charging) - it will be both a benefit and save them time.

Don’t make assumptions. My experience is that most crew members use cards ashore, none of them haul around cash.

[Travel R]

59 minutes ago, zqvol said:

Don’t make assumptions. My experience is that most crew members use cards ashore, none of them haul around cash.

Not an assumption. If you give them Euros there is no need for any type of conversion or exchange rates, even with cards. If all a person has are Euros after a cruise and going home to a country where they do not use Euros, that is what they are going to give.

[Ticatraveler]

We live in Europe. We tip in dollars.  We use euros daily but on cruises we use dollars.

Since we are able to get dollars easily it saves us the exchange fees and the crew seems to use dollars for the most part.

[BirdTravels]

On 9/6/2024 at 2:28 PM, chengkp75 said:

Yes, the desirability of $2 notes is an urban myth.  Heck, even stores in the US sometimes balk at taking them.

 

Well, Chief, despite your world travels and time in Hawaii, there are cultures (including my culture) that consider a $2 bill bad luck (which is why I said it). The Encore casino tried to give me a $2 bill at their cage last month and I refused it. Eeewww. Yup, it is all superstition. It's a superstition in Hawaii, auwe. And, you can't really diss people for having superstitions. Just like whistling in a casino... bad luck... avoid people whistling at all cost,,, might as well leave your table because it is jinxed if someone starts whistling.  Or sticking your chopsticks up in your rice bowl... death. Superstition.

 

While NCL doesn't typically embrace superstitions, if you cruise over on MSC, you would never find a Deck 17, because the number 17 is bad luck in Italy (wishing death on someone). There are many US Hotels where you won't find a Floor 13. 

 

For me and my culture, $2 bill, not desirable. 

[cruiseny4life]

27 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

Just like whistling in a casino... bad luck... avoid people whistling at all cost,,, might as well leave your table because it is jinxed if someone starts whistling. 

Wait! So, I can get everyone to clear out from a table if I start whistling? One reason (beside the obvious downside to gambling) I don't take up table games is because they're just too crowded. I'm certainly not a high roller, so can't use those casinos, but if I can just whistle and have a personal table, well by golly!! I'm going to whistle...(I can't finish that old phrase). 

[Sugar Magnolia]

24 minutes ago, cruiseny4life said:

Wait! So, I can get everyone to clear out from a table if I start whistling? One reason (beside the obvious downside to gambling) I don't take up table games is because they're just too crowded. I'm certainly not a high roller, so can't use those casinos, but if I can just whistle and have a personal table, well by golly!! I'm going to whistle...(I can't finish that old phrase). 

 

I like to whistle while I work

 

[JSar]

On 9/6/2024 at 9:29 AM, 9tee2Sea said:

why not purchase Walmart gift cads instead?  When I ask crew members what they are going to do if they get the chance to get off ship while in port, almost all of them say " We are going to Walmart to pick up needed personal essentials".  Some even say the cruise line has a shuttle bus to drop/pick up.  I know not every country has a Walmart ( or a Walmart owned store) but eventually they will be in a port that has one. 

Walmart gift cards are only useful where there are Walmarts... Amazon might be a little bit more practical since it is a bit more global than Walmart. Why give them a gift card for a place that EVENTUALLY they MIGHT be in a port that has one? What if they never reach a port with Walmart? But cash is much more practical than any gift card. Gift cards tend to disappear in many households and never get used... 

[JSar]

On 9/6/2024 at 11:28 AM, chengkp75 said:

Yes, the desirability of $2 notes is an urban myth.  Heck, even stores in the US sometimes balk at taking them.

Heck - I have known young people who think they are fake because they had never seen one before!

[schmoopie17]

Celebrity has a similar discussion. So far it looks like the sophisticated Celebrity cruises prefer euros...so far.

 

 

[julig22]

1 minute ago, schmoopie17 said:

Celebrity has a similar discussion. So far it looks like the sophisticated Celebrity cruises prefer euros...so far.

 

 

Is Celebrity USD onboard only?

[kazes2004]

Just now, julig22 said:

Is Celebrity USD onboard only?

Yes, Celebrity is USD onboard.which is why I wanted some feedback from others that have cruised in the Mediterranean.  

[robinpow]

Either is just fine! Dollars are cheaper for us, because we don't have the extra to convert to euros. Since we pay a 'gratuity' fee to the cruise line, that money most likely is sent home. The extra cash they get from us, is more likely to be used ashore. Which means euro would be nice.