$2 bill demand ~ Did Cruise Critic cause this?

[dc-snoopy]

Can't they just change it on the ship if they are in a port that doesn't recognize the money? I'm sure they get several forms of currency from folks from everywhere.

 

Yes, but why make them do this? As I said, how would you like it if your job paid you in currency that you had to change first to spend? This is supposed to be a "thank you" not a "thanks for nothing."

 

And the casino teller closes the same time that the casino closes, which means, if they haven't already gotten it changed, it's even a bigger hassle for a last minute run out to port.

[alcheme]

Yes, but why make them do this? As I said, how would you like it if your job paid you in currency that you had to change first to spend? This is supposed to be a "thank you" not a "thanks for nothing."

 

Well, I get direct deposit now, but before that I was paid via check. I then had to go get that check cashed (or more accurately, deposited in my bank account less any cash I wanted to keep on hand) before I could spend it. Even with the direct deposit, I would have to find an ATM or someplace to cash a check before having it in the form of cash. I think you're possibly overstating the inconvenience of being paid in something other than immediately spendable cash.

[CruisenOne]

Ecuador uses USDs as their official currency.

 

When we were there last November, I saw quite a few $ 2.00 bills; along with the $ 1.00 coins.

Could be that the U. S. Mint is printing the $ 2.00 bills for Ecuador:confused:

JMHO

 

The reference to the U. S. Navy using $ 2.00 bills made me smile.

When I was in the Navy (Many moons ago), I kept a coffee can in my locker. I would put my change and $ 2.00 bills into it.

[aaerobear]

This is all so silly, the crew has a bank on board the ship where they can change money and deposit their cash to be held for them and get foreign currency. A tip is a tip, give them whatever you have or feel like giving. If a crewmember told you they don't like $2 bills, maybe they were hoping you would UP the tip to a 5.

 

I have never met a crewmember that was not grateful for whatever tips they were given. Remember that many cruises do not even start or stop in the US and the official currency of most of the cruiselines (yes, I know there are exceptions) is the US$,but crewmembers can not spend much of that in foreign countries like the EU and other European countries.

 

As far as, what is legal tender, most countries do not accept US or Canadian currency for purchases (or any other currency that is not their own), if a shop accepts it, then feel lucky, they are doing it as a favor to the customers, there is NO requirement to accept ANY foreign currency. Try paying for anything in the US or Canada with Euros or Yen.

[Nitra]

I cant think of one person on the ship that I hand just dollar bills to, even a 2 dollar bill. I tip at least 5 dollars a time, even for porters, so make sure I have some singles but mostly make sure I have 5s and 10s for tipping. Guess I tip better than most?? Do you hand them a bunch of singles or 2 dollar bills?? I am confused.

 

Being married to a crew member who is from another country, yes they are going to show appreciation to you if you give them 2 dollar bills, but when they get down to the crew area, they are going to say something different because many of them do not know what they are. They dont care about them at all really. They would rather have singles at least, most of them just wire the money home anyway and 2 dollar bills mean nothing to them. We are getting a bigger kick out of giving them than they are of getting them.

 

Heck stock up on 5 dollar bills and hand those out and look how much appreciation you get! I still am confused since the only tipping I do is the porters for my bags, at the end of the cruise for bartender and the normal stuff. I do not order room service but if I did I would give them at least a 5 dollar bill, but that is just me.

[rsscaptain]

We are getting a bigger kick out of giving them than they are of getting them.

 

 

Guess it goes to show that there IS more happiness in giving than in receiving! :D

[tampagal61]

I had also planned on getting $2. bills for tipping on the cruise. But after reading this thread, I suppose I'll rethink that.

 

Still, I don't understand why there should be a problem. It's legal tender. There shouldn't be any problem accepting them as tips or spending them anywhere that takes any other US tender.

[PantherFan]

I got a kick out of this thread because it reminds me of my college years when I worked as a waitress at a local resort.

 

Some people would tip in crisp $1. bills...........I would be gracious but behind their backs I would complain, I was a struggling college student you know:rolleyes: throw me a $5.!

[Sea Island Lady]

Look, it doesn't matter what we think or how good the $2 bill is. This subject has been posted many times and the truth is that MOST crew members would prefer NOT to receive a $2 bill. I have also heard that the ship will not exchange them.

 

Ask your room steward or the room service steward the next time you leave a tip. We did and they said "no, too much trouble.";)

 

And to the poster that tips $5 no matter what, we tip $2 per bag, $2 for room service per person (usually $4 deliveries - two $2 bills) and we tip our steward, and waiters at least $20 over their standard gratuity.

[Ephraim]

Gee, remind me never to take up a career as a "lady of ill repute" in the prairie provinces. It evidently doesn't pay very well!:eek:

 

Lisa:)

 

This was in the early 1900s. If you find a time machine, you might find this to be quite fair wages.

 

But now, my pockets weigh me down with the Loonie($1) and Toonie($2) coins.

 

How many can you hold on to? Don't you pull them out and use them to pay? I love the loonies and toonies, it's so easy to handle rather than pulling out my wallet.

[mommykim]

The last time I checked, $2 bills and $1 coins were real money, just as real as $1 bills. It's legal US currency and spends just like any other money.

 

I find it odd how people think sometimes. Years ago, my husband was going on a fishing trip to Alaska, not on a cruise but directly flying there. He had a client give hime some Canadian cash to use there. They guy had no idea the money wouldn't be of any use in Alaska :rolleyes: . Oh well, we kept it and used it the next time we were in Canada.

 

I remember years ago we ate at a table with a couple on their honeymoon. They were from Australia and we are from the US. Well, after the cruise they were touring the US for another 3 weeks and then going home. We exchanged addresses but I managed to lose theirs and back in 1991 very few people had email. Well, imagine my surprise when I got a letter from them with no return address on it and a note telling me to enjoy the change from their trip as it was more trouble to try and change the "funny money" into real money than it was worth. I look expecting there to be a few $'s. Nope, they'd mailed me almost $400 on $5, $10's and $20's.

[996turbos]

I like to hand out $1.00 gold coins but if that gets them upset then they can put air in thier pockets. Don't want the money. Politly decline. No skin off my nose. In fact, lets change this thread to a rowdy group that says "SKIP the TIP'!!!!:eek: See how fast they figure out how to exchange, spend, and otherwise love the $2.00 bill or gold coin. I tip for my pleasure. They don't have to accept it. So all you fellow cheepo's and trinket tossers yell out loud SKIP the TIP! Now flame away you lovers of $5.00 bills and political correctness:p :p

[cruzincurt]

"Still, I don't understand why there should be a problem. It's legal tender. There shouldn't be any problem accepting them as tips or spending them anywhere that takes any other US tender."

 

I don't use them so I assume others don't like them either. There is no spot in the cash register for them at the local supermarket. I refuse to buy stamps from a vending machine at the post office since it gives $1 coins as change. Would you like getting a $2 bill as change at McDonalds?

 

The "Red Hat" ladies like to use them as $2 bets at the racetrack.

 

Maybe, those who favor $2 bills can just stop at the Purser's desk when boarding and exchange for those $2 bills, then pass them out again. They would just stay in circulation on the ship.

[TPKeller]

I guess the ultimate test would be to offer them a $1 bill or a $2 bill. I would be very interested in finding out which one they took! ;)

 

Theron

[hank56]

First we get chastized as a group for not tipping/enough from the "staff" now we aren't tipping with the correct denominations. For the life of me I cannot fathom why anyone would ask such a personal question of a crew member. Do you ask your hotel staff, restaurant staff etc. such questions ? If I'm not mistaken, tipping is a personal exchange for whatever the reason, can't it remain that way ? We all tip our own way who is the authority to correct anyone on their way. If the crew doesn't care for my tips, oh well life goes on. I tip what I feel is right and have had no complaints so far. I am also adult enough to realize they won't complain to my face. Life it too short folks stop agonizing over matters beyond our control. We as a whole can't all be right or wrong for that matter.

 

Cruise more, enjoy more, worry about others less.

[volleyballmom87]

Correction, it is legal tender IN THE US.

So, they have no requirement to accept currency that they do not know or trust, e.g. coins of any sort (and note, very few Caribbean business will accept US currency coins) or $2 bills.

 

Believe it or not I have been in businesses in the US that would not take a $2. Teens (and sadly, some adults) that are left alone at a fast food restaurant and have never seen a $2 bill, are hesitent to accept them. One time they tried to accuse a friend of mine of giving them counterfit money:rolleyes:

[TPKeller]

Believe it or not I have been in businesses in the US that would not take a $2. Teens (and sadly, some adults) that are left alone at a fast food restaurant and have never seen a $2 bill, are hesitent to accept them. One time they tried to accuse a friend of mine of giving them counterfit money:rolleyes:

That could be entertaining... hand them your cell phone and invite them to call 911.

 

Theron

[shipknotshore]

I remember years ago we ate at a table with a couple on their honeymoon. They were from Australia and we are from the US. Well, after the cruise they were touring the US for another 3 weeks and then going home. We exchanged addresses but I managed to lose theirs and back in 1991 very few people had email. Well, imagine my surprise when I got a letter from them with no return address on it and a note telling me to enjoy the change from their trip as it was more trouble to try and change the "funny money" into real money than it was worth. I look expecting there to be a few $'s. Nope, they'd mailed me almost $400 on $5, $10's and $20's.

 

What a great story. You must have been shocked...to say the least. I'm just wondering .. did you use that money as a partial pmt. for your next cruise???? :p

[Sea Island Lady]

First we get chastized as a group for not tipping/enough from the "staff" now we aren't tipping with the correct denominations. For the life of me I cannot fathom why anyone would ask such a personal question of a crew member. Do you ask your hotel staff, restaurant staff etc. such questions ? If I'm not mistaken, tipping is a personal exchange for whatever the reason, can't it remain that way ? We all tip our own way who is the authority to correct anyone on their way. If the crew doesn't care for my tips, oh well life goes on. I tip what I feel is right and have had no complaints so far. I am also adult enough to realize they won't complain to my face. Life it too short folks stop agonizing over matters beyond our control. We as a whole can't all be right or wrong for that matter.

 

Cruise more, enjoy more, worry about others less.

Personal question? :rolleyes:

We asked because of all the threads we had read on CC. Before tipping, I wanted to know what the room service waiter preferred. We gave him a choice between four $1 bills or two $2 bills. We wanted to give what the crew appreciated the most. And yes, we once asked the waitress in our home town restaurant whether she preferred a cash tip, or if we could put their gratuity on the check card. She said cash, because they don't get the check card tips for a few days.

 

We had several $2 bills left over after the last time we used them, so I tried to spend them in town. You wouldn't believe the looks I got from people who acted like they had never seen the bills. I almost felt like a criminal trying to pass off counterfeit bills. :eek: I have an idea of what the crew members go through.

[dc-snoopy]

First we get chastized as a group for not tipping/enough from the "staff" now we aren't tipping with the correct denominations. For the life of me I cannot fathom why anyone would ask such a personal question of a crew member. Do you ask your hotel staff, restaurant staff etc. such questions ? If I'm not mistaken, tipping is a personal exchange for whatever the reason, can't it remain that way ? We all tip our own way who is the authority to correct anyone on their way. If the crew doesn't care for my tips, oh well life goes on. I tip what I feel is right and have had no complaints so far. I am also adult enough to realize they won't complain to my face. Life it too short folks stop agonizing over matters beyond our control. We as a whole can't all be right or wrong for that matter.

 

Cruise more, enjoy more, worry about others less.

 

It's only personal if you make it so. At one point, I was conversing with my cabin attendant and asked if he liked the new US $2 bills. He said that they were too hard to spend and they were not popular with the crew. I asked this in the middle of the week when it would not necessarily seem like I was asking what to tip him with.

 

And, it is polite to make a gesture like a gratuity in the manner in which it will best be received. If you found out someone didn't like the nickname you called them even when trying to be friendly, would you change? If you were trying to be nice to someone, would you do something nice in a manner that irritated them? I'm not saying anyone wasn't trying to be nice, but once you find out that they don't care for the $2, won't that make you consider using some other currency to leave them a gratuity in the future? Isn't this board about sharing knowledge about cruising? And for some, the information that many crew members don't care for the $2 is information worth sharing. Since several have mentioned they have to make a special request for $2 bills and sometimes in advance since they are not necessarily kept by all banks, doesn't this mean that maybe it isn't worth that effort, to just go with $1's, $5's and $10's for tipping?

[sisocialworker]

wonder if they don't like the new presidential dollars either?

anyone who doesn't send them to me:)

[mommykim]

What a great story. You must have been shocked...to say the least. I'm just wondering .. did you use that money as a partial pmt. for your next cruise???? :p

 

Our next cruise was our honeymoon that we took for our fifth anniversary :rolleyes: We did indeed take the money along and used it for extras that we really could not afford at that time. This was a cruise that I made my husband SWEAR to me we would not go into debt for. It wasn't until our 15th anniversary that I found out he put everything else in our life on the credit card so he could honestly tell me we'd paid cash for the cruise :eek: :D

[PantherFan]

I personally do get a kick out of the $2. bills and remember getting them from my grandmother for my birthdays and I think I still have them.

 

I know they are cool to give out but let's be a wee bit practical.

 

The service help on a ship are from different countries and I could see how they would mistake them as counterfit since they are not in wide circulation anymore.

 

Haven't we all gotten "that look" when we have a new $20. and the gas station questions it?

 

When I travel, I want to make things as easy on me as for the service staff. I try to be as generous as possible (within reason, I am not going hand out $20.'s) with the bell hop, valet, room steward, wait staff where ever I go ship or resort and I always give out cash..............usually dominations of $5.'s.

 

It just seems like $1.'s are too low these days unless it is something small like a cup of coffee.

 

Have you ever thought of giving your paperboy a check for service? Probably not, they usually don't have a checking account and have to give it to Mom or Dad to cash for them..............hassle, hassle, hassle...

 

I would think it would be the same for the service folks, if they get off in a port they want cash for phone calls, incidentals etc...they can't put a $2. bill in a change machine for coins..... just my opinion :)

[Schplinky]

Crew can deposit money into their onboard accounts just the same as we can withdrawl from them so I'm not sure why $2 bills are a problem, although I'm also not sure why folks think it's cute to give them.

 

as others have stated, we don't use bills under $5 anymore and this hasn't caused tears in pants everywhere. A coin circulates for 20 years while a bill rarely circulates for more than 6-9 months (according to the tour we took at the mint) so I'm not sure why the government in the U.S. doesn't just withdrawl the bills. It's a waste of money, no pun intended.

[RammerJammer]

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