Looking for hints of room extras to bring.

[SM77]

Just now, duquephart said:

 

I get told to just go to the machine.

I cannot be told to go to the machine since I don't have an ATM card for that bank.  Maybe you need to switch to a bank that has better customer service!

[duquephart]

2 minutes ago, SM77 said:

I cannot be told to go to the machine since I don't have an ATM card for that bank.  Maybe you need to switch to a bank that has better customer service!

 

So I can get crisp $1 bills once every couple of years?

[SailingDeb2001]

On 6/7/2022 at 8:47 PM, LindaS272 said:

But it’s way too bright in the middle of the night. On our recent TA I brought a small nite light to plug into the razor socket under the shelf in the bathroom—it was perfect for low light navigation in the wee hours.

We bring small battery operated LED candles for the bathroom.  They work great to provide just enough light.

[Heidi13]

6 hours ago, duquephart said:

 

I get told to just go to the machine.

 

The day a teller tells me to go to an ATM, when I request cash, is the day I change banks, for one that still believes in customer service and tellers value their jobs.

[duquephart]

4 minutes ago, Heidi13 said:

 

The day a teller tells me to go to an ATM, when I request cash, is the day I change banks, for one that still believes in customer service and tellers value their jobs.

 

What are you going to do when you run out of banks?

[Heidi13]

21 minutes ago, duquephart said:

 

What are you going to do when you run out of banks?

 

Not an issue in Canada, our banks and credit unions still value the customer.

[imamshua]

On 5/13/2022 at 6:36 AM, longterm said:

Being a longtime Nespresso user, I brought my own favorite coffee pods; the machines in the staterooms use the original pods, not the Vertuo. I also travel with one of my favorite espresso cups--don't like drinking espresso from large cups.

 

Thank you for clarifying the type of Nespresso pods.  I read elsewhere that the provided pods were a medium roast and we prefer dark, Italian or French roasts so will bring our own (now that we know which to buy)

[FetaCheese]

On 6/12/2022 at 11:19 AM, SM77 said:

I don't use an ATM; I actually interact w/ a teller when I get cash.  

2 banks I use have machines that count out cash for teller's customer.  Machine also counts cash incoming for deposit.  Teller never counts it back, or coming in.  I do not like this.  I too, like new crisp/ uncirculated notes for vacation.  I have not asked tellers yet, if they have them.  

[KBs mum]

On 6/12/2022 at 3:17 PM, SM77 said:

This is great information about the increase in tips - I try to collect new bills as well since foreign banks are very particular about the condition of money when exchanged for local currency.  Sometimes when getting cash from our local bank I ask for new bills if possible, lately it has been hard to get new bills.  

Or get the local to use when in that country. Why make going to exchange it the other persons job? Turns a nice gesture into a hassle. 

Local is easy to get on arrival or from any bureau de change for any currency by ordering it in advance. 

We got 9 different currencies in one go for a small commission charge. Worth it for the time saved not having to locate a cash machine

[SM77]

2 minutes ago, KBs mum said:

Or get the local to use when in that country. Why make going to exchange it the other persons job? Turns a nice gesture into a hassle. 

Local is easy to get on arrival or from any bureau de change for any currency by ordering it in advance. 

We got 9 different currencies in one go for a small commission charge. Worth it for the time saved not having to locate a cash machine

It depends on where we are traveling.  In Europe we definitely get euros and other currencies.  When we went to Russia the preferred currency was US dollars. In South America, US currency was also preferred except in Chile, we bought Chilean pesos beforehand.   Also for tipping extra to the stewards, we gave them dollars.  Many of the crew did a lot of shopping in the US before going home so they preferred US currency.  

[KBs mum]

18 minutes ago, SM77 said:

It depends on where we are traveling.  In Europe we definitely get euros and other currencies.  When we went to Russia the preferred currency was US dollars. In South America, US currency was also preferred except in Chile, we bought Chilean pesos beforehand.   Also for tipping extra to the stewards, we gave them dollars.  Many of the crew did a lot of shopping in the US before going home so they preferred US currency.  

Accepted, if dollars are a popular unnoficial currency for whatever reason. In most countries they aren't. 

[FetaCheese]

Have paid tips in USD to drivers, guides, stewards, and all graciously accepted.

[KBs mum]

10 minutes ago, FetaCheese said:

Have paid tips in USD to drivers, guides, stewards, and all graciously accepted.

Graciously is not the same as gratefully. They may not have minded. They may have done. They would politely thank you either way. Local is nearly allways best. Ask onboard re. Which currency is preferred on that itinerary. 

[Heidi13]

18 minutes ago, FetaCheese said:

Have paid tips in USD to drivers, guides, stewards, and all graciously accepted.

 

Many golfers will have heard of a small town in UK called St Andrews, which is where I lived before moving to Canada. As a young lad, one of our best sources of income was carrying bags around the "Old Course".

 

We often carried bags for US citizens, many of whom provided tips in US Dollars. Yes, we graciously accepted the money, but I can assure you there was often grumbling and negative comments, as we trudged off to the bank or Post Office, to get it changed.

 

Having worked on the ships and more latterly traveled with our son, I am privy to some of the comments regarding tips between the hotel crew members. Your tips will never be refused, but on a ship operating outside North America, as most Viking ships are, you may become a topic of conversation in the crew bar, if providing US Dollars.

 

Therefore, in my experience, KBs Mum nailed it, providing US Dollars, where they are not the preferred currency, will have them received graciously, but probably not gratefully.  

[FetaCheese]

Thank you to  both for the advice.

[CurlerRob]

5 hours ago, Heidi13 said:

... the preferred currency ...

I completely agree that the preferred currency is the polite way, and that is most often the local currency, or, as posted earlier, USD in selected countries around the world (Indonesia is another one in my experience).

 

The question of 'preferred currency' is a bit more puzzling to me when applied to crew on the ship. The on-board currency is the USD; I presume the crew are all paid in a single currency (USD?); the ship sails to different countries with various currencies; the crew is comprised of multiple nationalities. So - what constitutes the polite currency for tipping a crew member, and keeping your picture off of the wall of shame in the crew bar? 😈

 

I am completely certain that it's not the beaverbuck 😁     🍺🥌

[LindaS272]

We were told by one of our room stewards on a VO cruise in 2019 that the crew regularly receives numerous currencies in tips and they trade among themselves for who can use which currency the most readily.

[Heidi13]

12 hours ago, CurlerRob said:

I completely agree that the preferred currency is the polite way, and that is most often the local currency, or, as posted earlier, USD in selected countries around the world (Indonesia is another one in my experience).

 

The question of 'preferred currency' is a bit more puzzling to me when applied to crew on the ship. The on-board currency is the USD; I presume the crew are all paid in a single currency (USD?); the ship sails to different countries with various currencies; the crew is comprised of multiple nationalities. So - what constitutes the polite currency for tipping a crew member, and keeping your picture off of the wall of shame in the crew bar? 😈

 

I am completely certain that it's not the beaverbuck 😁     🍺🥌

 

Rob,

 

While Viking's onboard currency for the pax is US$, I doubt many of the crew are paid in this currency. I'll try to provide some background info.

 

When I worked for P&O/Princess, we were all paid in Sterling, but by the time our son joined them they had multiple contracts and payment currencies. I recall sailing with him just after he received a UK contract. He was one of three 3rd Officers aboard and they all received a different salary and in different currencies. He was paid in Sterling, the Italian in Euros and the Indian in Rupees.

 

With the increasing restrictions on carrying large quantities of cash when flying, I expect most, if not all cruise ships, have ceased paying crew in cash onboard the ship. Yes, crew member used to pay-off ships and return home carrying a considerable quantity of cash.  About 15 yrs ago, Princess stopped cash payments onboard, so crew must have a bank account for direct deposit. I expect Viking have a similar process, where wages are paid into a home bank account. Note - I have not discussed this subject with any of the Viking crew I know, it is only speculation, based on industry knowledge.

 

My preference on providing gratuities to those that have gone above and beyond, in providing us service, is to provide their local currency, or preferred currency based on local customs. However, getting their local currency onboard a cruise ship is almost impossible. At home, these currencies must be ordered and take 3 to 7 days to arrive at our local bank, which isn't happening when we are only in ports for the day. Therefore, we provide the local currency in the ports they will be visiting, so they have cash for spending ashore. If they are going ashore and sending money home, the local currency also helps this process.

 

The previous post is also correct, in that crew members freely trade currencies onboard, but there is no guarantee on getting a reasonable rate, as it is supply and demand, and everyone looks out for themself. When our son worked Alaska cruising, he was paid US$ onboard the ship. Several of the crew received tips in CAN$, which was not the preferred currency, as they were only in Victoria for a few hours late evening. He purchased the CAN$ from the hotel crew.

 

[KBs mum]

12 hours ago, LindaS272 said:

We were told by one of our room stewards on a VO cruise in 2019 that the crew regularly receives numerous currencies in tips and they trade among themselves for who can use which currency the most readily.

That's the scenario Heidi13 encountered at St Andrews. Tips in a currency the person has a hassle to exchange for something they can use

[KBs mum]

13 hours ago, CurlerRob said:

The on-board currency is the USD; I presume the crew are all paid in a single currency (USD?); the ship sails to different countries with various currencies; the crew is comprised of multiple nationalities. So - what constitutes the polite currency for tipping a crew member, and keeping your picture off of the wall of shame in the crew bar? 

 

😁     🍺🥌

Easy, ask what is preferred, then you will know and can tip accordingly

[CurlerRob]

2 hours ago, Heidi13 said:

Therefore, we provide the local currency in the ports they will be visiting, so they have cash for spending ashore. If they are going ashore and sending money home, the local currency also helps this process.

Thanks Andy - the historical background was most interesting!

 

Your approach in providing currency for ports that the crew will visit makes sense - and balances sensitivity with the practicalities of needing to get the various currencies before departure.

 

My temptation would be to look at cruise beginning and end points, as it's possible that a valued crew member might not have shore time in country "X", and that currency might not be very useful one if they can't get ashore - an example being the various krone flavours, which aren't easily interchangeable. However, if one looks at the schedule, I suspect at least one of pounds, euros or dollars would fit the bill.

 

Gracias for the thinking!  🍺🥌

[CurlerRob]

1 hour ago, KBs mum said:

Easy, ask what is preferred, then you will know and can tip accordingly

A wide open question could have some risk - suppose you ask 4 crew and each requests different currencies - none of which you happen to have while on board?

 

Andy's suggestion for selecting currencies in post #68 seems a good one - and then allows a more targeted question such as "I'd like to offer you something extra, would you prefer currency X, Y or Z"? That seems a logical balance. 🍺🥌

[Heidi13]

3 minutes ago, CurlerRob said:

Thanks Andy - the historical background was most interesting!

 

Your approach in providing currency for ports that the crew will visit makes sense - and balances sensitivity with the practicalities of needing to get the various currencies before departure.

 

My temptation would be to look at cruise beginning and end points, as it's possible that a valued crew member might not have shore time in country "X", and that currency might not be very useful one if they can't get ashore - an example being the various krone flavours, which aren't easily interchangeable. However, if one looks at the schedule, I suspect at least one of pounds, euros or dollars would fit the bill.

 

Gracias for the thinking!  🍺🥌

 

It is tough to figure out when crew members get shore leave, as they have "In Port Manning" (IPM) requirements. SOLAS requires the Master to ensure that at all times the ship can enact an effective emergency response.

 

When in port and with gangways attached, it generally negates the need to evacuate the ship using the survival craft. This requires less crew, so some can go ashore.

 

If my memory is correct, I believe Viking use 1/3 or 1/4 of a department's ratings assigned to remaining onboard in any given port. They have separate in port Emergency Duty Cards. Those assigned as IPM are also designated in the security system, so if they forget and try to go ashore, it alarms at the gangway.

 

As with everything else onboard, IPM days are frequently traded or even sold to other crew members. Therefore, I agree it is challenging to figure out when crew can get ashore.

 

At the end of the World Cruise, we used both Sterling and Euros to provide to the crew, as those were the currencies we had that were the best fit for the circumstances.

[Jim Avery]

On 6/12/2022 at 3:08 PM, duquephart said:

 

What are you going to do when you run out of banks?

Back to the mattress....😱

[friendlyfifer]

On 6/21/2022 at 9:51 PM, Heidi13 said:

 

Many golfers will have heard of a small town in UK called St Andrews, which is where I lived before moving to Canada. As a young lad, one of our best sources of income was carrying bags around the "Old Course".

 

We often carried bags for US citizens, many of whom provided tips in US Dollars. Yes, we graciously accepted the money, but I can assure you there was often grumbling and negative comments, as we trudged off to the bank or Post Office, to get it changed.

 

Having worked on the ships and more latterly traveled with our son, I am privy to some of the comments regarding tips between the hotel crew members. Your tips will never be refused, but on a ship operating outside North America, as most Viking ships are, you may become a topic of conversation in the crew bar, if providing US Dollars.

 

Therefore, in my experience, KBs Mum nailed it, providing US Dollars, where they are not the preferred currency, will have them received graciously, but probably not gratefully.  

Are you coming here to St Andrews for the 150th Open in a few weeks time?