Tipping in dollars for excursions

[NewtoCruising2011]

We are going on a Baltic cruise where we will be in many ports for only a few hours. The only expenses we expect to incur on shore are for tips for excursions. Is it acceptable to tip in USD? I would give a larger tip to avoid the hassle of dealing with Danish, Norwegian, Swedish currency as well as Euros. Interestingly, the tour guide for the St. Petersburg excursion suggests tipping in USD.

 

I know that it is a problem for a tour guide to exchange USD to his/her local currency, but if many people customarily tip in USD, one more is possibly not significant.

 

Thoughts?

Edited July 10, 2015 by NewtoCruising2011

[cb at sea]

Tipping isn't as much of the culture there, as it is here, to us. If I was in the States doing tours, and someone attempted to tip me in foreign money that I cannot exchange (and here, we really can't!!), I would not accept the tip.

 

1st, find out if tipping is expected. If it is, try and get some local currency....why make these folks work harder because you don't want to go to the trouble?

 

In Russia...sure..they want all the USD they can get.

[CruiserBruce]

Do employees at your favorite restaurant accept tips in Euros?

[NewtoCruising2011]

I am only proposing in tipping in dollars for cruise excursions, not restaurants, taxis, or any other shore activities. These are not private excursions. There are at least 24 people on each excursion.

[LHT28]

I am only proposing in tipping in dollars for cruise excursions, not restaurants, taxis, or any other shore activities. These are not private excursions. There are at least 24 people on each excursion.

 

They are not cruise line employees they are local companies contracted by the cruise line ...

If you do not or cannot tip in the local currency just do not tip

 

Sometime the ship will change a few USD to the local currency or hit an ATM

[Keith1010]

I too would tip in local currency.

 

The exception is St Petersburg. They will gladly welcome USA currency.

 

Keith

[CruiserBruce]

I am only proposing in tipping in dollars for cruise excursions, not restaurants, taxis, or any other shore activities. These are not private excursions. There are at least 24 people on each excursion.

 

Would you tip your favorite tour company back home in Euros?

[NewtoCruising2011]

They are not cruise line employees they are local companies contracted by the cruise line ...

If you do not or cannot tip in the local currency just do not tip

 

Sometime the ship will change a few USD to the local currency or hit an ATM

 

I would think that someone would prefer to get $20 US currency handed to them discreetly at the end of a tour to nothing at all, but I may be wrong.

[Velvetwater]

Tip in local currency as it saves the hassle of them exchanging (by time they have gone to a post office or Bureau they will not be much better off).Tipping in local coin also shows a certain amount of respect however much of a 'hassle' it might be...and it really is not.

 

Russia's economy is different however again Rubles would be best and if this this not possible Euros would be next best. Out of all the Baltic ports this may be the only one where dollars might be acceptable.

 

 

Also, another small note that Euros are a lot more acceptable than dollars in European ports that use different currencies and if you are visiting places like Estonia and Finland you may need them anyway so you could exchange in bulk. On our Baltic cruise we bought local currencies for all ports and found that not only did we get more bargains than our dollar paying friends but we had to lend our fellow cruisers coins for toilets and drinks.

Edited July 10, 2015 by Velvetwater

[LHT28]

I would think that someone would prefer to get $20 US currency handed to them discreetly at the end of a tour to nothing at all, but I may be wrong.

 

Where would they use them though ?

[Dayenu]

I would think that someone would prefer to get $20 US currency handed to them discreetly at the end of a tour to nothing at all, but I may be wrong.

 

I agree. Currency exchange places are in each large city, even if not familiar, a simple Google search will give an address. I'm sure they appreciate a tip in any currency in St Pete. It's not that the tour guide will have to run to an exchange place each time s/he gets a bill. There is no expiration date on paper :)

[dsrdsrdsr]

Your guide will have a bank account and will be able to pay foreign money in. Obviously he would prefer his own currency, just as you yourself would no doubt rather be given US dollars, but if someone in America insisted in giving you some Norwegian Kroner, I dare say you'd accept. (Though I also dare say you'd think Norwegians were strange fellows. As he will about you.)

[CruiserBruce]

Your guide will have a bank account and will be able to pay foreign money in. Obviously he would prefer his own currency, just as you yourself would no doubt rather be given US dollars, but if someone in America insisted in giving you some Norwegian Kroner, I dare say you'd accept. (Though I also dare say you'd think Norwegians were strange fellows. As he will about you.)

 

You might take those Kroner, but I am sure your opinion of the person who left them might not be too high. Not tipping in local currency is, IMHO, being disrespectful, and, to be honest, thinking only of your own convenience, and no one else's.

Edited July 10, 2015 by CruiserBruce

[SantaFeFan]

I would think that someone would prefer to get $20 US currency handed to them discreetly at the end of a tour to nothing at all, but I may be wrong.

 

I agree. Currency exchange places are in each large city, even if not familiar, a simple Google search will give an address. I'm sure they appreciate a tip in any currency in St Pete. It's not that the tour guide will have to run to an exchange place each time s/he gets a bill. There is no expiration date on paper :)

 

Your guide will have a bank account and will be able to pay foreign money in. Obviously he would prefer his own currency, just as you yourself would no doubt rather be given US dollars, but if someone in America insisted in giving you some Norwegian Kroner, I dare say you'd accept. (Though I also dare say you'd think Norwegians were strange fellows. As he will about you.)

 

 

So, because you can't be bothered to get local currency, you think it is OK to force them to go through the bother of exchanging your currency for theirs, and then to add insult to injury, lose the money for the fee the exchange service charges them to change it. They will end up with a smaller tip than you actually gave them, and have to go out of their way to spend part of their tip on the exchange fees.

 

Not sure why you want to make it tougher on people to make use of your "gift". Where I come from, a gift should be for the recipient's benefit, not for the giver's.

 

The only place I would tip or pay in US currency is a country that prefers such currency in place of theirs.

Edited July 10, 2015 by SantaFeFan

[diane.in.ny]

On our Baltic cruise we bought local currencies for all ports and found that not only did we get more bargains than our dollar paying friends but we had to lend our fellow cruisers coins for toilets and drinks.

 

Was wondering where you bought your currency? For a day in port, don't usually need much cash and I've found that places I check to buy foreign currency have minimums that are too high.

[zqvol]

I am only proposing in tipping in dollars for cruise excursions, not restaurants, taxis, or any other shore activities. These are not private excursions. There are at least 24 people on each excursion.

 

 

Same difference, if they cannot easily change the money ( and most can't) you are basically giving them nothing.

 

I would think that someone would prefer to get $20 US currency handed to them discreetly at the end of a tour to nothing at all, but I may be wrong.

 

You would likely be wrong. Would you want a tip in Pesos?

Edited July 10, 2015 by zqvol

[GUT2407]

I wonder if I can tip anyone in America in Francs???:confused::confused::confused::confused:

[Velvetwater]

Was wondering where you bought your currency? For a day in port, don't usually need much cash and I've found that places I check to buy foreign currency have minimums that are too high.

 

The UK has lots of places like Post offices and specialist money bureaus/shops to exchange small amounts but I am not sure what its like in the states? I imagine there are online places too but I never used them.

 

We also get money out at the port from local withdrawal machines which is often the best way to be honest, we only buy a bit in advance in case we cannot find a machine and end up wasting precious port time.

[LHT28]

Was wondering where you bought your currency? For a day in port, don't usually need much cash and I've found that places I check to buy foreign currency have minimums that are too high.

 

We also have some currency exchange booths at the local mall but in Canada we can just go to the bank & get foreign currency some we may have to order but usually not

[zqvol]

The UK has lots of places like Post offices and specialist money bureaus/shops to exchange small amounts but I am not sure what its like in the states? I imagine there are online places too but I never used them.

 

We also get money out at the port from local withdrawal machines which is often the best way to be honest, we only buy a bit in advance in case we cannot find a machine and end up wasting precious port time.

 

 

This is not the case in the US, other than in a few large cities, it is almost impossible to find a place to exchange money.

[NMLady]

This is not the case in the US, other than in a few large cities, it is almost impossible to find a place to exchange money.

 

We buy and sell our foreign currency through our bank, Wells Fargo.

Their minimum is for total currency being purchased, not each separate currency. We usually purchase the equivalent of $20-$50 per port and easily meet the minimum.

Just remember you cannot return coins to a bank, just currency. So either use all your coins or keep them as souvenirs.

 

We always tip in local currency.

Edited July 11, 2015 by NMLady

[jocap]

If someone gave me $20 tip, I'd have a good idea how much that was worth, mainly because sometimes I travel on US managed ships and keep up to date with certain money rates. However, the person accepting the tip may not know whether that money is a large or small amount in her currency.

I'd give euros, if you cannot manage local, as the guide will probably travel to a €€ country such as Spain or Italy for a holiday, or will know many people for whom the cash will be useful for travel.

Edited July 11, 2015 by jocap

[Keith1010]

This is one of those items that people will do what they think makes sense.

 

No one who has an opinion is gong to change their mind and now the OP knows that there is not one answer.

 

No different than the question how much to tip.

 

Keith

[SadieN]

AAA sells trip packs of various currencies.

[diane.in.ny]

We are going to be in Switzerland for a week precruise and I'm just planning on hitting an ATM at the airport when we land. That's what I usually do. But I can see the issue with one day in each country with a different currency.

 

Going to have the check with a local commercial bank to find out how much they charge.