Curse of the $2 Bill... REALLY!?!

So my husband got a hole in one in a tournament and his prize was not a new car, but $200 paid in $2 bills. (Long story)

Anyway, I figured we could bring them and tip the many people we encounter on our cruise, but I'm reading it's unlucky/unwanted???

Any real experience out there?

Carnival miracle to Cabo and PV

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So my husband got a hole in one in a tournament and his prize was not a new car, but $200 paid in $2 bills. (Long story)

Anyway, I figured we could bring them and tip the many people we encounter on our cruise, but I'm reading it's unlucky/unwanted???

Any real experience out there?

Carnival miracle to Cabo and PV

 

 

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Be prepared to get a barrage of comments from this board on how $2 bills are unwanted. By the way, these comments will not be coming from crew members. On the other hand, any crew member who is tipped a single $2 bill will be happier than if you tipped him/her a single $1 bill!;)

So my husband got a hole in one in a tournament and his prize was not a new car, but $200 paid in $2 bills. (Long story)

Anyway, I figured we could bring them and tip the many people we encounter on our cruise, but I'm reading it's unlucky/unwanted???

Any real experience out there?

Carnival miracle to Cabo and PV

 

 

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I've read that because they are rarely seen that some places will not accept them (thinking they are not real currency). It might be hard for the crew to actually use them.

Out of the country many do not believe that the $2 bill is real.

Tip- thanks for the warning! ;)

I do wish they weren't real!! What the heck do we do with all these $2s??! The tooth fairy can only go so far!!! LOL

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Tip- thanks for the warning! ;)

 

I do wish they weren't real!! What the heck do we do with all these $2s??! The tooth fairy can only go so far!!! LOL

 

 

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I bet your bank would change them out for you so that you could still use the winnings on your trip. :)

You can easily use them on the ship.

In port you might have a problem so if you plan to use them in port just go to the bank at home and exchange them for other denominations.

Keith

If a $2 bill is hard enough to get accepted in the US imagine the difficulty a crew member would encounter outside the US. A few weeks ago we had somebody who thought it was cool to use "Kennedy" coins (US 50cent coins) as tips.

Take them to the bank.

Try passing a Susan B. Anthony or Sacagawea dollar if you think Jeffersons are unwelcome.

But in Norfolk, VA back in the 1960's the Navy always gave twos in pay - as an effort to show the contribution the base made to the local economy.

Tip- thanks for the warning! ;)

 

I do wish they weren't real!! What the heck do we do with all these $2s??! The tooth fairy can only go so far!!! LOL

 

 

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It's easy - take them to the bank and exchange for a different denomination bill or deposit in your checking account.

The problem in the Caribbean is that the stores/business's in port do not take worn/torn/heavily used U.S. dollars. Two dollar bills will not be accepted in most. Thus it becomes a problem for the crew to spend them unless they do an exchange on the ship. Much easier for them if you give crisp, clean U.S. bills. They of course will accept them, but it would be easier all around if you could use "regular" bills.

When the $2 bills first came out, my DH decided he wanted to save a bunch of them.

Well this past spring I finally convinced him to get them out of the safety deposit box and change them into money like $20's.

Banks in the US still take them.

Try passing a Susan B. Anthony or Sacagawea dollar if you think Jeffersons are unwelcome.

 

But in Norfolk, VA back in the 1960's the Navy always gave twos in pay - as an effort to show the contribution the base made to the local economy.

I remember that!! shut a lot of people up for awhile( until the next time.)

I actually love seeing the SBAs or Sacs. 90% of the time they are in with the quarters so I can buy them for two bits.

once or twice I even got them as change pretending to be 25 cents.

I volunteered at our Local Renn Faire this past October one day and got several $2 bills as well as a semi decent number.. at least 5 of the Sacs either as payment or tip.

they are a novelty item. the first one or two is cute and nice conversation starter,. after that they get annoying.

We were in Australia and a tour bus driver asked us if they were real. Someone thought it was cute to give it to him as a tip. Problem was, the bank wouldn't take it. So not only didn't they give him a good tip but they wasted his time in having to go to the bank. Totally worthless. People in the US don't like them. Why would you expect anyone else to?

A couple of years ago some guy went into Best Buy (US electronics retailer) to pay off his account with $2. bills.

The csr person called the cops....who were about to arrest him until their superior showed up and straightened it all out.

I have no preference for or against $2. bills. I do find great disappointment in clueless sales people.

I would not take them on a cruise to use for tips.

I would take them to our bank and get other denomination currency exchanged for the $2 bills. Why burden a person you wish to thank by tipping with 'cutesy' money they may have trouble using?

Tip- thanks for the warning! ;)

 

I do wish they weren't real!! What the heck do we do with all these $2s??! The tooth fairy can only go so far!!! LOL

 

 

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Take them to your bank and the bank will change them for you.

When the $2 bills first came out, my DH decided he wanted to save a bunch of them.

Well this past spring I finally convinced him to get them out of the safety deposit box and change them into money like $20's.

Banks in the US still take them.

Wow!!!!!!!!! Your husband must be an elderly gent for him to have been around when they "... first came out...". Do you still take him cruising?

When the $2 bills first came out, my DH decided he wanted to save a bunch of them.

Well this past spring I finally convinced him to get them out of the safety deposit box and change them into money like $20's.

Banks in the US still take them.

They first came out in 1862. I'm pretty sure he hasn't kept them that long.

When the $2 bills first came out, my DH decided he wanted to save a bunch of them.

Wow!!!!!!!!! Your husband must be an elderly gent for him to have been around when they "... first came out...". Do you still take him cruising?

The denomination of two dollars was authorized under a congressional act and first used in March 1862. I admire the husband's tenacity to hang on for 151 years! ;)

Be prepared to get a barrage of comments from this board on how $2 bills are unwanted. By the way, these comments will not be coming from crew members. On the other hand, any crew member who is tipped a single $2 bill will be happier than if you tipped him/her a single $1 bill!;)

Take your $2 bills to the bank and get 2 $100's! Easy to carry, and they can break them down on the ship. Or, simply stash them in a box somewhere....one day, you or someone will run across them....and think, "Oooo...found money!"

I can't help but think that giving unusual tips, whether it's two dollar bills, or silver dollars, etc., is more about the giver than the recipient. It seems that the giver wants (needs?) to be noticed and/or remembered, more than they care about the ease of use for the recipient.

They've already worked hard to earn your tip, consider whether you really need to be noticed so much that you'll also make them go out of their way to redeem or use it?

If you read my original post, it's that I have a bunch of $2 bills in my possession, not that I wanted to use them for no reason.

TY to the people for the bank suggestion... Yes I realize I can do that.

The reason I was asking for personal experience as opposed to anecdotes is because I was really trying to understand if this is a true issue or one of those many cruising urban legends.

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Okay I give what the heck is wrong with a $2.00 bill? It seems really .................interesting that people are "scared" of a legal tendered $2.00 bill. I wish they would bring ours back instead of the toonie.

tigercat