Amadeus tips - is this accurate?

[Coral]

I am going on the Tolstoy this summer. On Amadeus website - it mentions the recommended tipping at:

 

$15 a day for Crew

$4 a day for Cruise Director

$1 per tour for the Tour Guide

 

Gratuities should be given in rubles or dollars.

 

So it looks like $20 a day for 12 days - $240 for the cruise.

 

I am surprised at some of the amounts coming from someone who has done regular cruise ships which usually are $10-$11 a day. I always tip above and beyond and have no problems paying the $20 a day. I have never tipped a CD before and am really surprised that tour guides are tipped $1 per tour. This seem almost insulting...

 

Do many people tip above the $20 per day? Is there anyone else I will need to tip?

[Coral]

Also, how much is laundry? I did read that I would pay for this up front with rubles...

 

I did read this: Stamps, laundry and services provided by the onboard doctor and hairdresser must be paid for in rubles at the time of purchase.

[TataTom]

Coral:

On our late October 06 cruise on the Amadagio (belongs to Amadeus) we were told that the suggested tipping was 3 Euros per passenger per day for the Cruise Director, 12 Euros per passenger per day for the crew, and if a particular tour guide did a "particularly good performance" it was customary to reward them with one Euro.

 

I'm pretty sure most of us tipped the recommended or higher, we had wonderful service from the crew and the Cruise Director did a great job. I also noticed that probably less than half would tip the tour guide unless he/she were really good, then most people did tip a Euro.

[Coral]

Thanks TataTom.

 

Were you given an option to tip in Euros or Dollars or was Euros best. I am trying to figure out how much of each currency to bring. It would be easier if we could put this on our shipboard account.

[TataTom]

Hi Coral:

I may have misled you, the cruise we were on was "Magnificent Europe" and we cruised from Budapest to Amsterdam. We encountered three currencies, the florint in Hungary, the crown in Slovakia and the euro everywhere else. There was an abundance of ATM machines, and we just used them with our bank debit card to withdraw whatever local currency we needed. Whether it will be the same in Russia I do not know. Any debit card with a 4 digit PIN will probably work.

 

As a rule, for tipping and such dollars will do, but the recipient much prefers currency he can use without having to make a conversion somewhere. All our larger purchases were made with a credit card, so we only needed local currency for tips and small buys like beer and pretzels and ice cream cones.

 

As for the big one at the end of the journey, we used euros, but they will accept almost anything. Dollars are fine. And I'm pretty sure you could put the tip on your credit card if you wanted to.

 

Make sure your credit card companies know that you will be using the card in Europe or Russia, otherwise they may assume it was stolen and reject the charges.

[Coral]

Tatatom - thank you for your comments. I figured you were in Europe. I was just wondering if dollars or their currency was better for tipping. I am struggling on how much cash to bring and of what currency.

[TataTom]

Hi Coral:

If you knew that ATM's would be available, I would only bring maybe $50 worth of local currency, which for you would be rubles, and I would get that probably at the airport currency exchange. Any further needs I would use my debit card in the ATM.

 

However, if ATM's are few and far between on the Tolstoy cruise, then I would cover my bets and bring more than $50, probably $250 worth. You already know that you can use rubles to pay the big end-of-cruise tip so that will soak up any left over rubles, and you can make up any shortfall with dollars.

 

I haven't been to Russia since 1990, and then only to Moscow on a business trip, so my knowledge of tourist things in Russia is really limited and certainly outdated. I do remember that at that time the ruble was basically worthless outside of Russia, and lots of luck if you wanted to convert left over rubles into another currency. Your left over rubles were only useful as souvenirs.

 

We need some advice from someone who has recently gone on the Tolstoy cruise. Anybody listening? We need your input!

[relevart]

Hi Coral,

 

I did Russia last year on GCT. One thing about tipping the crew on riverboats (at least on Viking and GCT) is that they divide evenly all tips (other than your tour director) between the whole crew. That is the Captain down to the dishwasher. I was really surprised when I first heard that. As for rubles I wouldn't bother getting any before you go, when we got to the airport in Moscow there were plenty of ATM's. Some people did not get their money there and the ship staff showed them where the ATM's were. We were told th they preferred Rubles but they would take dollars. As I recall I gave them a mix of both.

 

Have a great trip!

[Yosemitegal]

TataTom,

We will be on Amadeus "Magnificent Europe" in July (Amsterdam to Budapest). Did you bring Euro's with you or did you get them at the airport when you arrived? Will there be time to exchange currency before being transfered to the boat?

Also, I have heard that there is a fee when using your Visa/Mastercard. Do you know if they all charge the same fee, or is one better than another to use. My Visa card is through my credit union and not a big name bank, does it matter?

I've heard that Budapest is a good place to buy gifts to bring home. Is the shopping pretty much the same all along the cruise. I dont want to pass up gifts along the way if I cant get them in Budapest. But I dont want to buy along the way only to find out that I should have waited and bought in Budapest at a better exchange rate.

Yosemitegal :)

[TataTom]

Hi Yosemitegal:

We brought a few euros with us when we left the US, got them in Chicago at OHare, just enough for cab ride or whatever. We flew into Budapest, and there were cash exchanges at the airport. You will be flying into Amsterdam, and there will be plenty of ATMs there to get euros, and also cash exchanges. The ATM's usually have a better rate. You will find ATM's all along the cruise, getting euros will not be a problem. Any left over when you get to Slovakia (they use the crown) or Hungary (they use the florint), you can exchange into crowns or florints at a cash exchange. However, if you only have a few euros, forget it, the exchange fee will make the transaction useless. You can always use left over euros to pay the end of cruise tip.

Shopping is pretty much the same all along the cruise, lots and lots of things to buy but you will find different things to buy in different stops, especially in Budapest. Be sure to visit the central market in Budapest, and be sure to offer less than the original price. I would not wait until Budapest to buy something I wanted. If you did not find it there you would be disappointed. Just spend your money gently as you cruise, you will have more fun.

You will absolutely LOVE this cruise!

[Yosemitegal]

TataTom, Thanks for the information. We will be leaving from San Francisco airport, I'm sure they will have a place that I can buy a few Euro's so that we will have some to start with. I Can hardly wait until July!!!:D

[H2Otstr]

Also cruisers can ask their friends who have been to Europe if they have any Euros left that they would like to sell. I always bring back more than I have spent, so I have some for the next time.

I had about 50 BP from my last time in London, which I new I was not going to use, so I sold them to my friend who was going to London. Worked well for both of us. Just looked up the exchange rate on Currency Converter web site, and sold them.

[calberry]

We will be leaving from San Francisco airport...

 

Sounds like we must just about be neighbors (we live a short taxi ride from SFO, and I work downtown), and it appears we share the same love. Check my avatar (which I do change periodically). And our license plate is YNPLVRS.

 

We already have two cruises in the works (see signature), but after seeing part of Europe on a 'big' ship this fall, we figure it would be fun to look into a river cruise as well. The "Magnificant Europe" on the Amadagio sounds PERFECT. We can't wait to hear your stories.

 

Steve

[tban]

Our last cruise was the Christmas Time cruise aboard the Amadagio in December from Budapest to Prague. It was our 4th river cruise (we really like the river cruising concept) and we arrived in Budapest with only US$ in our pocket. The taxi driver from the airport to the ship took US$ without a problem -- $ 30 for the ride. All expenses on the ship - bar, internet, not included excursions, etc., are going to your ship's account and we charged them at the end of the cruise to a credit card. The same can be done with the tip for crew and cruise director - you get a form and you authorize how much tip you want to be charged to your credit card. We obtained Euros on a daily basis from local ATM's with my BOA ATM-card without a problem. we never had difficulties finding an ATM machine. In Prague there is one just accross the street from the Renaissance hotel. The exchange rate was even better than what one would have gotten cashing traveler cheques - we brought ours back home again. Credit card are accepted at stores and hotels (Prague in our case) however at local restaurants and bars/pubs you need local currency (obtained at ATMs). On our last day we had to leave early and did not get breakfast at the hotel. So we had breakfst at the airport and use up all our left over kronas and euro coins - our waitress got a nice tip and we got rid of all these heavy coins.

[Coral]

For some reasons I was thinking tips could not be put on the shipboard account. If they can - this will make life a whole lot easier.

 

Unfortunately, internet is not an option on our ship :(

[Coral]

This is on Amadeus' website for Russia concerning tips:

 

Gratuities

Gratuities to your cruise director and ship's crew are not included in the vacation price. While the amount of these gratuities will depend upon your degree of satisfaction for services received, many of our clients have asked us for general tipping guidelines.

 

For a good job, we recommend $4 per passenger per day for the Cruise Director and $15 per passenger per day for the crew, which will be divided up among all the ship's personnel. It is also customary to acknowledge a particularly good performance of a local guide by leaving a tip of $2-3 per tour. Gratuity should be given in cash only - rubles or $USD.

 

------------------------

 

This has been updated as when I looked previously it was saying $1 for tours.

 

It does says Gratuity should be given in cash only.

[Benita]

Theresa, Gratuities should be in cash. The only time you need rubles (however you spell it) is for laundry. You also have to pay cash (US dollars OK) if you want to buy the video of the trip. You need rubles for the subway, if you decide to use it.

We brought along a stack of 50 one dollar bills (they only want new ones there, so get it from your bank) as well as about $100 in fives and tens). We used the ATM at the airport to get roubles, and there were ATMs wherever we stopped on the city tours or Moscow and St. Petersburg. Make sure you know your 4 digit PIN.

There is not much to buy on this trip - bring your credit card. Let your credit card company know you will be in Russia, so they don't question your transactions. If you are part of a couple, each should carry a totally different card from the other in the event of loss or robbery - this way, one of you still has a card.

[clint and sue]

Hi Coral,

We have taken a number of cruises (most with Amadeus Waterways, admittedly) and have never found tips could be charged. Our latest, (July 07) on the Tolstoy, we found we could use $US almost everywhere. Yes, ATMs were available but often busy and don't forget the daily limit, etc. Even with prior notice our VISA got a "lock" that required a phone call (they said they just "needed to verify" purchases, but how would you know without the ability to call). Thankfully we could borrowa cellphone from our lovely tour director. Our group (of 7) found many things worth purchasing: pashmina scarves, large wool scarves, laquer boxes, amber jewelry, Christmas decorations, nesting dolls and wonderful orginal art work (watercolors and oil paintings - better than any postcard). Street vendors often took credit cards but we found $20 to work wonders - ex. - 2 5x7 original watercolors of St. Petersburg.

 

We have made 85-minute DVDs that cover the travels of our 3 Amadeus Waterways cruises: "Cruising Europe's Great Rivers" -Amsterdam to Budapest, "Prague - Paris and Cruise" (through Germany), "Curising Russia - St. Petersburg to Moscow on the Volga".

[Coral]

Hi Coral,

We have taken a number of cruises (most with Amadeus Waterways, admittedly) and have never found tips could be charged. Our latest, (July 07) on the Tolstoy, we found we could use $US almost everywhere. .

 

Clint and Sue - I know you! I saw you in Lincoln a few weeks ago. I want to thank you as you two helped me quite a bit!

 

Generally, I don't buy things on cruises or vacations. My pictures are my souveniors but I have to admit, I LOVE Russian crafts (and would love water colors prints of St. Petersburg). During my 8 week trip to Europe when I was younger - Russia was the only place that I purchased items.

 

So on this trip, it is difficult to figure out money situations as I really think this will be the trip where I purchase things.

 

Great to see you on CC!

[Coral]

Theresa, Gratuities should be in cash. The only time you need rubles (however you spell it) is for laundry. You also have to pay cash (US dollars OK) if you want to buy the video of the trip. You need rubles for the subway, if you decide to use it.

We brought along a stack of 50 one dollar bills (they only want new ones there, so get it from your bank) as well as about $100 in fives and tens). We used the ATM at the airport to get roubles, and there were ATMs wherever we stopped on the city tours or Moscow and St. Petersburg. Make sure you know your 4 digit PIN.

 

Thank you. I had planned on getting new US Dollars from the bank. You have given me some great ideas. I really owe you as you have continued to provide me great information for my trip!

 

I am traveling solo on this trip - so hopefully I won't be robbed. I figure I survived the gypsies in Rome and they are the worst that I have ever seen so hopefully I will do ok in Russia.