How to handle multiple currencies in cruise to asia, india, and middle east

We are starting a Regent all-inclusive cruise in Bangkok and going to multiple countries, i.e. Thailand, Singapore, Malasia, three places in India, Oman, Dubai, and several other places mostly for one day only. How do we handle the tipping of tour guides and drivers of our prepaid excursions? I’m sure they would prefer to be tipped in their local currency, but we don’t want to be stuck with a lot of extra bills we will never use. Can we tip in dollars? Is tipping the norm in these countries? Thanks.

Keep to dollars .

We take small amounts of local currency and some US dollars.

You should be able to get the necessary small amounts of local currency you'll need at Guest Relations the night before getting into each port. However I would double check with the cruiseline as well as asking this on the Regent board.

I always take a small amount of the each country's currency.

We get some money in country at ATM's and in some cases we get some at our local bank even though we know we pay a higher exchange rate.

We do make sure we have local currency for Singapore, Thailand and for the ports we would visit in the UAE.

Keith

USD are good anywhere just be prepared to get your change in the local currency.

Don't convert $ at the guest relations. Their rate is pathetic.

Tips in US$ are welcomed by all taxis, tour operators, drivers and guides in Asia.

Or you can convert a few $ at the port, just outside the ship, as you get off. But at a poor exchange rate.

On the one day stops on ship excursions, we tip in USD. We exchange money or get from ATMs for multiple ports with the same currency and for pre- and post cruise travel.

Don't convert $ at the guest relations. Their rate is pathetic.

Tips in US$ are welcomed by all taxis, tour operators, drivers and guides in Asia.

Or you can convert a few $ at the port, just outside the ship, as you get off. But at a poor exchange rate.

For very small amounts we don't feel it's "pathetic" it's just a small convenience fee we feel that has no extreme bearing for the difference in cost.

For large amounts I prefer to get foreign currency from my local bank....I'm not at all comfortable using foreign ATM's and the possible problems that can certainly arise with them or taking the time to find them.

Glad it works for you...problem free...just offering the OP another option.

I saw a senior citizen exchanging 1500 [emoji387] Euro for just $1650 at guest relations on an American cruise line.

Now what do you think of that?

I saw a senior citizen exchanging 1500 [emoji387] Euro for just $1650 at guest relations on an American cruise line.

Now what do you think of that?

It was their choice/decision to make....and actually it certainly wouldn't be any of my business to monitor or comment on what anyone else was doing at guest services.

That's just what I personally "think of that".

We are starting a Regent all-inclusive cruise in Bangkok and going to multiple countries, i.e. Thailand, Singapore, Malasia, three places in India, Oman, Dubai, and several other places mostly for one day only. How do we handle the tipping of tour guides and drivers of our prepaid excursions? I’m sure they would prefer to be tipped in their local currency, but we don’t want to be stuck with a lot of extra bills we will never use. Can we tip in dollars? Is tipping the norm in these countries? Thanks.

For tips, you can generally use USD or Euro. Of course, we do try to get some small amounts of local currencies we may need from our home bank before we leave and augment that in port from ATMs.

One additional item: We save all extra different currencies (almost never convert them back to USD) and then use them on future cruises as extra tips onboard.

Money is money. The crew/tour folks have their own exchange practices.

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Of course, I was referring to cruises in Asia. In Europe I would never pay anything with USD .

Would someone with experience (and a liberal tipping policy) make suggestions as to amounts, in USD, for tipping a driver, tour guide, and taxi? I'm on HAL's Grand Asia in a few months, with ports in Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, and Vietnam.

Would someone with experience (and a liberal tipping policy) make suggestions as to amounts, in USD, for tipping a driver, tour guide, and taxi? I'm on HAL's Grand Asia in a few months, with ports in Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, and Vietnam.

If a guide goes out of his way to take your photos, then double his tip.

Funny Story.....A person took a taxi from the Bund in Shanghai to the cruise terminal. Like all good readers, he was told, everyone takes USD. So the taxi driver tells him and the meter says 96.00. He hands over $100.00 and says keep the change. Later after taking a 45 minute taxi ride, he ponders and posts that he thought the taxi driver ripped him off because a $100 fair was expensive.

The actual cost of the trip was only $15.00 but the meter and taxi driver only accepts CNY. The poster hands over money, and the taxi gladly takes the money and he did say keep the change.

$100 USD does not equal ¥100 CNY but rather about $15.00

Moral of the story. Always have local currency, and don't expect anyone to take cash in any other currency than theirs. They are not mini banks.