Turning leftover Euro's back in

[John Bull]

12 hours ago, furloughedagain said:

 

Regarding Euros: When planning for a cruise in the US I bring a lot of cash for tips and gratuities. Tips for porters at the port, tips for shuttle drivers, tips for tour guides etc. How much cash in Euros is enough to have on hand? Also, is it still appropriate to tip those on board using dollars? (Those who aren’t tipped automatically such as Suites lounge servers, concierge, etc.)

 

 

 

Tipping in Europe isn't as widespread as in the USA, and it's certainly at a much lower level.

Wages are subject to minimums - tips are earned, they're not a right. 

Overall, if you tip at half the level as in the USA you won't be far out-of-step.

 

Europeans don't tip porters at the port for simply taking your bags from you and putting them on a belt or trolley - if they carry or trolley your bags any distance at the terminal then 2 to 5 euros.

Shuttlebus drivers tend to be tipped only by North Americans, so anywhere between 0 and 5 euros.

Private transfer drivers €5 for a few miles up to €10-€20 for a journey of an hour and more - that's total, not per passenger.

Bars. Bar-tenders aren't tipped.

Restaurants. Many restaurants in tourist areas add a service charge, by law service charges should be displayed on menus outside the premises and at tables. If so, there's no need to tip extra - same as on US ships with daily charges or "tips" (🙄). Where no service charge is added, if service is good 5% to 10% is the norm., if service is poor then zilch is the norm.

Those are MY figures, other folk have different ideas - and some folk are anti-tipping, period. It's all very much YOUR decision based on what you think fair, but please please please don't export the American tipping culture - remember, "when in Rome ......"

Tipping high isn't considered as generous, it's considered as foolish & the giver is a mug.

 

Tipping on-board is ideally in ship's currency. Even in Europe, on US ships the ship's currency is usually USD. 

Unless it's the last cruise of the season, euros are fine - even GBP depending on the itinerary.

 

Americans seem to get better exchange rates from ATMs, even currency bureaux, in Europe than the rates offered by their home US banks.

 

JB 🙂

 

[alserrod]

I strongly agree, tips are earned in Europe, they are not a right.

I remember a small restaurant owner who told me that tips where so small that he strongly preferred a five star review in Google with a large comment and some pics rather than a simple tip.

I remember visiting Alhambra monument webpage in Granada (the monument most visited in Spain). They say it is forbidden to tip employees and employees cannot accept any kind of tip.

It is just another point of view. Tips aren't welcome, of course, but they aren't so common as in the US, and by far, are strongly smaller.

I would use a rule... if you are going to visit four restaurants, tip only in the best one of them from your point of view. If the second would be great but not the best, consider to spend more money there...
But it is always considered service is incluided in the price, whatever the price would be.

About currency, please, always in local currency.

 

[FLCruiser97]

I have learned a lot from this thread. Thank you for all the information. I shall use it on my trip next April.