Tipping on a Mediterranean cruise

[MAHA]

We have never cruised in the Mediterranean before and I was wondering about the tipping onboard. We always tip well and have never done the prepaid gratuities. Does anyone know if the tipping is preferred in Dollars or Euros? I am trying to figure out how much we need for this cruise in Euros so we can plan ahead. Is it easier to prepay the gratuities?

Thanks!

Mary Anne

[Artemis908]

There was actually a thread already about this topic, you can check it out here and hopefully find an answer

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1551484

[Sirkeline]

;)They prefere their tips in Euros - more worth

[LeeGrant]

;)They prefere their tips in Euros - more worth

 

agree 100%

[MAHA]

There was actually a thread already about this topic, you can check it out here and hopefully find an answer

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1551484

 

 

Thanks for the link. I did do a search for tipping, but instead of Europe used the Mediteranean and it did not show this thread.

Mary Anne

[Ashland]

agree 100%

Disagree...RCI ships no matter where they are sailing use the US$..so tip in US$'s....

[pcur]

We've been on several European cruises, and the crew on every one of them told us they prefer Euros.

 

If they are European themselves, then they don't have to pay an exchange fee to deposit the Euros in their own bank accounts. Also, any of the crew, when they have a few precious hours off the ship, don't want to take the time to exchange US$ to Euros, so it makes it easier for them if they already have the Euros.

 

If you do tip in US dollars, please keep in mind that they are spending them in Europe, and they have an exchange rate to deal with.

 

If you do auto tipping on your shipboard account, then that money is credited to their accounts in US$

 

What I do is go to an ATM in port and take a withdrawal, which is in Euros. I'm paying the exchange rate when my US bank account is debited, but I'm giving the crew the Euros.

[MAHA]

Thanks for all the replies. I am asssuming that if you tip in Euros, you do use an exchange rate to find out how many Euros would be equivalent to the recommended or more Dollar amount.

Mary Anne

[davenew]

We have never cruised in the Mediterranean before and I was wondering about the tipping onboard. We always tip well and have never done the prepaid gratuities. Does anyone know if the tipping is preferred in Dollars or Euros? I am trying to figure out how much we need for this cruise in Euros so we can plan ahead. Is it easier to prepay the gratuities?

Thanks!

Mary Anne

 

Haven't you heared - Europeans don't tip, or so it is believed. :D:p

I don't believe it matters because we were told by the dining staff that the money goes into a central "pot", and is paid out in the form of a pay cheque.

[pcur]

Haven't you heared - Europeans don't tip, or so it is believed. :D:p

I don't believe it matters because we were told by the dining staff that the money goes into a central "pot", and is paid out in the form of a pay cheque.

 

The central pot concept may be true of auto tipping, but cash tips handed directly to the crew member is theirs to keep. All my posts above are in reference to cash tips handed directly to someone.

[Bobal]

Disagree...RCI ships no matter where they are sailing use the US$..so tip in US$'s....

 

Dollars are not much use to them whilst they're spending money in port - and even though they have precious little time off they do get off the ship sometimes.

 

If they are European themselves, then they don't have to pay an exchange fee to deposit the Euros in their own bank accounts. Also, any of the crew, when they have a few precious hours off the ship, don't want to take the time to exchange US$ to Euros, so it makes it easier for them if they already have the Euros.

 

If you do tip in US dollars, please keep in mind that they are spending them in Europe, and they have an exchange rate to deal with.

 

If you do auto tipping on your shipboard account, then that money is credited to their accounts in US$

 

Well said :)

[Sequim88]

Interesting - had not considered this for upcoming cruise. We do MTD so are pre-paid but we almost always add little if the service level warranted. So we will probably do the "extra" in € this time.

 

Sort of hoping with Euro at fairly low level to Dollar it might get a little closer to par by May.

[LeeGrant]

Disagree...RCI ships no matter where they are sailing use the US$..so tip in US$'s....

 

Just not true, sorry.

 

Cannot see US Dollars being much use down under either ;)