Tipping currency in North America
 

Probably a silly question, but is it assumed that all tips should be in USD? We are Canadian, leaving from Vancouver to Anchorage. It used to be more of a big deal, but the Canadian Dollar is almost at par with the American right now.. the issue is, our dollars and two dollars are coins.

It will be a pain to exchange a lot of cash prior to boarding just for tipping, but we can do it is necessary. The only thing I don't like about our coin system is that it seems so chintzy to hand over coins for a tip instead of an actual bill... even though they are worth the same thing. Thinking about it, it would actually be quite heavy to carry 30 to 50 one and two dollar coins on board.. hehe. The scanning machines at customs sure won't like us.

Guess we'll be visiting the bank. rofl

If you are speaking of tipping on the ship the tips are usually put onto the shipboard account so you don't have to use cash. A possible exception would be room service or porters at the dock.

Phil & Liz

For incidental tips, room service, porters, tours, etc. are recommended to be in U.S. dollars for most North American cruises.

That's the standard currency.

Take care,
Mike

Bar tips
 

I usualy bring a stack of us $1s for tipping the bar staff. I tip a buck each time I use my soda card at the bar and I give the bar service girl in the main dining room a big first day tip so she will remember to come see me often.

While USD is probabl recommended, I think using Canadian dollars would be perfectly alright. It certainly is the thought that counts and the staff will have the opportunity to change the money. It's not as though it's Honduran limpiras or Russian rubels. :p

Try GBP Pounds
 

In UK you need a leather coin purse to cart around all those small thick 1 gbp coins for tips. The CDN Loonie is lighter and bigger.
Staff appreciate any real currency they can exchange or use at places the ship docks,:)

On that cruise, the only Canadian port is probably Vancouver, so tip in USD. The crew only have one day a week in Vancouver, and it's a turnaround day, so there's not a lot of time to go out and spend (or exchange) it. I'm Canadian, and I have zero confidence in the USD right now, and it's a bummer to have to change it, when you know you're losing on both sides of the deal, but it's gotta happen. They can use USD at home (for the time being), but they probably won't be able to use CAN for a while.

I'm expecting this will change when the USD implodes under the bailout money and lack of direction in the economy, and the world reserve currency will shift to either the Chinese RNB, or something the IMF/World Bank cooks up (like an SDR), but for now, the USD is still the king of fiat/debt based money.

It is a good time to be Canadian though...gotta love having a stronger dollar than our little brother down south again. I think it might stay this way for a while now, until the USD collapses, it's game over, and the ships move off to Asia and Europe, where the money is...leaving the Americans in their FEMA camps, with Jersey Shore on, convinced that they still live in the best country in the world.

Use your credit card for most everything, and only exchange enough for tips.

On a US$ Ship
 

Either use the autotip system or use US$ as it is more acceptable and you can get from the ATM unit on the ship or cash a travellers cheque onboard.
I though will leave above normal tips , some small change in local currency as the local shop might accept or not. The crew do have access to their own purser

Agreed.
I was talking with the wait staff on a cruise, a few years back, and they told me that some pax tip in canadian dollars/ So for example they pay 3 canadian dollars in place of 3 US dollars.

This is being very cheap.

I always am amazed that cruiser's often overlook the small print regarding tipping. It does state US dollars is the currency for North America.

Some people, are very very cheap and will make any excuse not to tip.

I love cruising, and its a great way to enjoy your vacation.
There will always be cheap-skates everywhere.

A number of years ago X Canadian dollars would have been significantly less than the same number of U.S. dollars but now they are about par with one another. As of 11/16/2011 the 1 US dollar = 1.02 Canadian dollars. A little better deal for the crew if you tip in Canadian and they can exchange it before the rate changes. ;)

Times change but it is still the recommendation to tip in U.S. dollars.

Take care,
Mike