Currency for tips

[watsonbeau]

As the currency on board is USD - what’s best to leave for personal staff tips if the ship is in European ports where it’s mainly the Euro - Euro or USD or GBP - we are on QV summer 24 on a 4 week Rome to Rome trip, so will have GBP as am in UK and Euros, but wondering about whether I should order some USD as well ? Thank you.

[Pushpit]

USD is best but the staff will be happy with Euros or GBP - the crew appear to have access to efficient ways to handle cash in different currencies. Plus in the case of GBP they usually get a certain amount of time off in Southampton every few weeks. There is a daily hotel charge, and drinks will also have a service charge, so there is genuinely no requirement to tip. But equally if you want to do it then any gratuities will be gratefully received.

 

Note that the Purser's Desk will willing break up larger USD notes down into smaller values for tipping purposes. 

[Winifred 22]

16 minutes ago, Pushpit said:

USD is best but the staff will be happy with Euros or GBP - the crew appear to have access to efficient ways to handle cash in different currencies. Plus in the case of GBP they usually get a certain amount of time off in Southampton every few weeks. There is a daily hotel charge, and drinks will also have a service charge, so there is genuinely no requirement to tip. But equally if you want to do it then any gratuities will be gratefully received.

 

Note that the Purser's Desk will willing break up larger USD notes down into smaller values for tipping purposes. 

They won’t mind any currency as they can spend it ashore. They all at some point get a chance on a rota  system to go ashore. Also you can get cash out  - dollars on your cruise card. I he e done this plenty of times. 

[Victoria2]

7 hours ago, watsonbeau said:

As the currency on board is USD - what’s best to leave for personal staff tips if the ship is in European ports where it’s mainly the Euro - Euro or USD or GBP - we are on QV summer 24 on a 4 week Rome to Rome trip, so will have GBP as am in UK and Euros, but wondering about whether I should order some USD as well ? Thank you.

As has been said, you don't need to tip extra but if you wish to tip personally, you can order US$$ or use Euros if you wish but why bother with any exchange rate. GBP will be absolutely fine.

My advice though is if you do want to utilise other currency, don't use the Front Desk as an exchange facility. Their rates are favourable to Cunard and not the passenger.

[Solent Richard]

I know a Grills maître d' who was most grateful to receive an envelope with all my unspent Turkish Lira. 😂

[watsonbeau]

Thank you - have previously left tips mainly as GBP or USD, and paid surplus USD into onboard account rather than exchange it. Wasn’t sure about Euros. Will likely leave any left over as tips to avoid exchange. 

[RJChatsworth]

A few years ago I asked our cabin steward about tips in currencies other than USD.  He said it didn’t matter which currency they received because Cunard gave preferential currency exchange rates for the crew transferring money to their own country.

[majortom10]

Doesn't matter how many times my post is removed I will still leave auto gratuities in situ on my account and not tip any extra.

[foodsvcmgr]

Not necessary to purchase different currency for tipping, whatever one has on hand from the region sailed or one’s home currency is fine and appreciated by the crew.

[D&N]

It's unlikely to be the case here but if tipping in GBP best to stick to standard Bank of England notes. Banks in the EU are generally reluctant to accept Scottish notes if any crew were to try and change them.

[exlondoner]

5 minutes ago, D&N said:

It's unlikely to be the case here but if tipping in GBP best to stick to standard Bank of England notes. Banks in the EU are generally reluctant to accept Scottish notes if any crew were to try and change them.

And I think the same would apply in most smaller shops in Soton.

[D&N]

22 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

And I think the same would apply in most smaller shops in Soton.

Staff tend to scrutinise them more but I've never had any problem spending them. I wouldn't have presented a £20 for a bottle of water. I suppose having a detectable Scottish accent helped authenticate them.

Banks have generally exchanged them for English notes without any trouble.

The Polish removal driver that brought our things here from Scotland had already been paid balances by other clients before he got here and wouldn't have been able to get rid of them until his next UK visit.

[2Oldpeopleinlove]

We’ve always used dollars, and no one has turned them down yet.

[BlueRiband]

I use my US dollars but any widely circulated currency - used at the ship's embarkation ports - could be easily converted.  Crew members probably do their own currency exchanges among one another.

[ovccruiser]

As long as you tip using notes not coins, any currency will be acceptable, usually easy changed at banks

[david63]

1 minute ago, ovccruiser said:

As long as you tip using notes not coins, any currency will be acceptable, usually easy changed at banks

If the coins are of a currency that they visit regulary then I doubt that they would have a problem spending them - after all they do go ashore buying supplies and must get some change in coins.

[Winifred 22]

If you want to know where the nearest supermarket is, whatever port you are in ask a crew member they will know the nearest and cheapest. So no issues with as you say currency of frequently visited ports. At the end of the day money is money which I am sure they are grateful to receive.