currency for Director's tip

Mom · July 2014

Perhaps the moderator can best answer this question. We are going on the Warsaw, Budapest, Vienna, Prague tour. Haven't gone to four countries on one tour before. What is the best currency to have for the Director and bus driver's tip?
Also, must we change currency in each country we enter or can we use what we had in the previous country?

AlanS · July 2014

I'm sure if Tim or Emily doesn't weigh in others will. The best approach is to use credit cards which are accepted in most of the places you will go and if you do need cash whether Euros, Zlotny, Forint, Czech Crowns, or other currency, get it from an ATM which are everywhere. You can also use USD and even Euros in many tourist places but you'll get the best exchange rate from an ATM. Don't bother getting foreign currency before you go. If you use as little cash as possible, you won't have to worry about having a lot of left over foreign currency to dispose of. As to the Tauck guide, they will take anything, but I believe most prefer $ USD.

TauckTim · July 2014

Hi there,

The best way to tip your tour director and driver is with either US dollars (at a rate of $8 per person per day and $6 per person per day, respectively), or with the equivalent amount in local currency. If exchanging currencies is a concern to you, you might just bring the equivalent amount in US currency and keep that with you for your trip. Or if you don't want to carry that much currency around, like AlanS said, you could use an ATM, and that will get you the best exchange rate.

I hope this helps!

-Tim

Leigh · August 2014

I've actually had some tour directors who did not live in the US, so if they were tipped in US dollars they had to exchange it to another currency. I try to tip in a currency that is common on the trip so that I know they can use it. For most of my trips, that has been the euro. On this trip, most of the places we visited accepted euros, even if they weren't the official local currency. As the others have mentioned, the best exchange rate would be from an ATM or directly through a bank before you leave home.

judy05 · August 2014

I have found that the best thing to do is to ask your TD which currency is preferred. The answer often depends on how many more tours he or she is doing in the current country. Simple question -- really makes no difference to me -- and I prefer to do whatever is their particular preference.

lovestravel · August 2014

Quite often we use a mixture of US and Euros, or whatever monetary unit(s) the countries we've been in use. Just be sure you get the conversion rates correct so that you don't tip less than you meant to. It can be a good way to get rid of excess foreign currency.

crackers54 · August 2014

The bus drivers are usually local and would prefer local currency. The TD all depends, but you have to figure they have a way of depositing whatever currency, so do not carry much money with them. I never asked, but would think they have a good international account to use overseas.

Richardb · August 2014

We have been on 7 Tauck tours from England and usually tip in the local currency of the tour end destination - maybe adding any left over notes from elsewhere if the tour covers several territories.

currency for Director's tip

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