Are $2 bills appreciated for tips?

[Ret MP]

1 minute ago, smokeybandit said:

Crew members have told me they don't like them. So that's enough for me.

And I won't fault you for that.  It's your decision based on your experience.  It's not mine but that doesn't matter. 

[reallyitsmema]

24 minutes ago, ZoeyVictoria said:

We always tip $1 per Diamond drink or bottle of water. We were on the Jewel on Christmas and took along some Florida holiday scratch off lottery tickets. We added a ticket to the usual $2 tip for two drinks, thinking it would be fun.  The servers were puzzled/interested/curious, but not at all familiar with lottery tickets.  It really wasn’t fun for them and we won’t do it again.  I think they generally just prefer cash in denominations that they are familiar with. 

 

Nice idea but how were they going to cash in the ticket if they won?  Unless you were going to do it for them, it would have been hard for them to get any winnings.

[Ret MP]

1 minute ago, lenquixote66 said:

In 2008 when Travelers Checks were in vogue I went to my local bank to buy some.The VP of the branch who knew me walked over to greet me.She asked where I was traveling to and I said Alaska.Her reply “someday I want to go to that country”.

Who's buried in Grant's Tomb?  NOTE:  the not so obvious is that nobody is buried in a tomb.

Does it take 18 months for twins to be born?

Is Chocolate Milk made from brown cows?

 

[ZoeyVictoria]

2 minutes ago, reallyitsmema said:

 

Nice idea but how were they going to cash in the ticket if they won?  Unless you were going to do it for them, it would have been hard for them to get any winnings.

We thought they would be able to cash them while they are purchasing supplies, snacks, etc. at a Florida port, as we frequently see crew members returning to the ship with store bags.  We certainly would have bought a winning ticket back from them and cashed it later, but we are not heavy drinkers and don’t return to the same bars frequently. One of them did recognize us and told us he hadn’t known what to do with the ticket and asked his roommate. He said he did not win, but they had fun scratching. It wasn’t our greatest idea, but there was no harm done. 

[Ret MP]

2 minutes ago, ZoeyVictoria said:

We thought they would be able to cash them while they are purchasing supplies, snacks, etc. at a Florida port, as we frequently see crew members returning to the ship with store bags.  We certainly would have bought a winning ticket back from them and cashed it later, but we are not heavy drinkers and don’t return to the same bars frequently. One of them did recognize us and told us he hadn’t known what to do with the ticket and asked his roommate. He said he did not win, but they had fun scratching. It wasn’t our greatest idea, but there was no harm done. 

From North Port at Port Everglades, there is a Walgreen or CVS and many other convenience stores/gas stations within an easy walk on 17th Street Causeway.  Cashing in a lottery for the crew that docks at North Port is an easy thing to do. If they can't leave the ship, they can ask another crew member who is allowed and trustworthy to cash it in for them.  

 

Mid Port/South Port is a completely different story.

[gavvy]

Feed them into a slot in the casino then cash out the ticket. Saves all those odd looks when you try to cash them.

I was given 10 of them as change once in Disney you swear I was trying to pay with monopoly money when I tried to use them. Ended up using one as a book mark.

[Joseph2017China]

Well, I don't tip extra, and always tip the customary amount.  Prepay my tips, and drinks have 18% added to it.  

 

How many people of the $2 tippers, will walk into a store at home, or in port, and pay with the $2 bill?  I bet most do not,  because if they did, they would know that no one wants them.  The reason is, not because it is $2 but because it is not a circulated currency like the €2 coin.  My suggestion is only tip in circulated currency, and leave the $2 bill to giving to grandkids who think it is cool

[not-enough-cruising]

28 minutes ago, George C said:

I haven’t done it but I see nothing wrong with 2 dollar bills , money is money . I just took out a hundred in singles and a hundred in fives for tips plus larger bills.

money "should" be money, but in foreign markets money "isn't always" money.

 

The $2 bill is a perfect example

[Ret MP]

3 minutes ago, Joseph2017China said:

Well, I don't tip extra, and always tip the customary amount.  Prepay my tips, and drinks have 18% added to it.  

 

How many people of the $2 tippers, will walk into a store at home, or in port, and pay with the $2 bill?  I bet most do not,  because if they did, they would know that no one wants them.  The reason is, not because it is $2 but because it is not a circulated currency like the €2 coin.  My suggestion is only tip in circulated currency, and leave the $2 bill to giving to grandkids who think it is cool

 

 

I don't use $2.00 bills when not on a cruise very often.  But, there are many still in circulation and that's a bold statement that "no one wants them".  I've used them in my local stores on occasion/when I had them and I know lots of folks that don't mind getting them, not just grandkids.  I'll take them anytime. 

 

The bills are still in circulation, obviously.  There is no order to print any right now but that doesn't mean they won't be if needed in the future.  There is no order to do away with the bill, permanently.   

[Ret MP]

17 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

money "should" be money, but in foreign markets money "isn't always" money.

 

The $2 bill is a perfect example

Yep, we can not control what foreign financial institutions do or don't do unless coerced.  However in the U.S. all U.S. bills are "Legal Tender".  It says on each bill, "THIS NOTE IS LEGAL TENDER FOR ALL DEBTS, PUBLIC AND PRIVATE".   What does that mean? Not much, unfortunately.  Why?  What are you going to do if a business doesn't accept it?  Call the Treasury?  They'll laugh and hang up.  But, most of the businesses that don't accept the bill in the U.S. don't accept it out of ignorance. 

[DallasGuy75219]

2 hours ago, Ret MP said:

When I travel abroad, I go out of my way to NOT be the ugly American.  However, when I go to countries where much of their revenue is from American tourists and they don't 1.  try to meet me halfway in speaking English and 2. won't accept a $2.00 bill, I'll tell/ask them that  1.  if they want my money, they need to try to communicate with me and 2. if they want to sell their product to me they need to take my legal tender as is. 

I go out of my way to NOT be the ugly American, however I act exactly like an ugly American🙄

[Ret MP]

2 minutes ago, DallasGuy75219 said:

I go out of my way to NOT be the ugly American, however I act exactly like an ugly American🙄

Apparently, you didn't read post #36.

[DallasGuy75219]

4 minutes ago, Ret MP said:

Apparently, you didn't read post #36.

I did, but the point is you must not "try" very hard.

[Flannel1]

As a Brit about to do a cruise which will very fleetingly involve the US this autumn (and after a fair few years covid etc and all that!) pls can someone provide a summary in a couple of bullet points with a few words about what is wrong or difficult with US legal tender currency and in particular 2 dollar bills? Apologies - I maybe late on this thread and a complete numpty about US currency and particular bills. But if someone could succinctly summarise the pros and cons it may help those that don’t tend to use it until we have to ( which for us will be October) sorry no judgement or anything else here other than fact finding as I don’t know - genuinely!

[ShillyShally]

1 hour ago, gavvy said:

Feed them into a slot in the casino then cash out the ticket. Saves all those odd looks when you try to cash them.

I was given 10 of them as change once in Disney you swear I was trying to pay with monopoly money when I tried to use them. Ended up using one as a book mark.

I was thinking of doing this but wasn’t sure if I could feed them in anywhere, as in wasn’t sure they’d be recognized as having $2 denomination instead of $1.

[Flannel1]

Before I get flamed here my q is about 2 dollar bills isn’t that legal tender? I am probably so naive but I would say unaware….

 

[Ret MP]

1 minute ago, DallasGuy75219 said:

I did, but the point is you must not "try" very hard.

Laughable! 

 

However, I'll ask you, let's say you are an easygoing guy and you go into a business and they don't provide you a service that you know that they can and should provide, they don't at least try to meet you halfway with communications, do you just turn the other cheek and purchase an item or service not knowing anything about the item or service or do you take issue with the business, the employee or the manager/owner?  It doesn't matter where the business is.  Have you ever complained about a service or product?  Have you ever walked out of a business because you didn't feel you were receiving the product(s) or service(s) you expected?  BTW, you can do that without being ugly about it.  

 

I like to know what I'm purchasing and if they want my money, they should want my money.  

[ShillyShally]

1 minute ago, Flannel1 said:

Before I get flamed here my q is about 2 dollar bills isn’t that legal tender? I am probably so naive but I would say unaware….

 

Yes $2 bills are legal tender just not common in the marketplace.

[Ret MP]

2 minutes ago, Flannel1 said:

Before I get flamed here my q is about 2 dollar bills isn’t that legal tender? I am probably so naive but I would say unaware….

 

It is legal tender, for sure.  However, there are some ignorant people and businesses that won't accept them, apparently.  Not that I've experienced.  The bill is not widely used and therefore the ignorant may not accept them.  

[DallasGuy75219]

19 minutes ago, Flannel1 said:

Before I get flamed here my q is about 2 dollar bills isn’t that legal tender? I am probably so naive but I would say unaware….

 

 

18 minutes ago, ShillyShally said:

Yes $2 bills are legal tender just not common in the marketplace.

 

15 minutes ago, Ret MP said:

It is legal tender, for sure.  However, there are some ignorant people and businesses that won't accept them, apparently.  Not that I've experienced.  The bill is not widely used and therefore the ignorant may not accept them.  

Legal tender means the payment must be accepted in payment of a debt, not that it must be accepted for any transaction.

 

Specifically, the wording on US bills is "legal tender for all debts public and private".  US Code defines legal tender as "United States coins and currency (including Federal reserve notes and circulating notes of Federal reserve banks and national banks) are legal tender for all debts, public charges, taxes, and dues."

 

Even in the US, when you walk into a store and want to buy something, you don't have a debt, so paying with legal tender doesn't force the merchant to, for example, accept a $2 or payment all in pennies.  Even if they won't accept a $2 bill out of ignorance that $2 bills are in fact real currency, they're within their rights not to accept it.  Similarly, some convenience stores and small merchants post signs that they don't accept bills over $20; they're also within their rights to do so.

[reallyitsmema]

16 minutes ago, Flannel1 said:

Before I get flamed here my q is about 2 dollar bills isn’t that legal tender? I am probably so naive but I would say unaware….

 

 

Yes, two dollar bills are legal tender but they are not something you see used.  They were reintroduced to eliminate the need for lots on one dollar bills and it never caught on.  1's, 5's, 10's, and 20's are what you received as change in stores.  I can't tell you the last time I saw a two dollar bill in a store, they just aren't something people use everyday.

[ShillyShally]

2 minutes ago, DallasGuy75219 said:

 

 

Legal tender means the payment must be accepted in payment of a debt, not that it must be accepted for any transaction.

 

Specifically, the wording on US bills is "legal tender for all debts public and private".  US Code defines legal tender as "United States coins and currency (including Federal reserve notes and circulating notes of Federal reserve banks and national banks) are legal tender for all debts, public charges, taxes, and dues."

 

Even in the US, when you walk into a store and want to buy something, you don't have a debt, so paying with legal tender doesn't force the merchant to, for example, accept a $2 or payment all in pennies.  Even if they won't accept a $2 bill out of ignorance that $2 bills are in fact real currency, they're within their rights not to accept it.  Similarly, some convenience stores and small merchants post signs that they don't accept bills over $20; they're also within their rights to do so.

Ha, I should hold them for my final Royal payment if they had a cashier type location I could do that at 🙂  

[Vibe]

3 hours ago, ShillyShally said:

Agree, will make sure to convert them!  Here's hoping I have no issue doing that!

Your bank should be able to convert them, it is legal US currency 

Edited March 12, 2023 by Vibe

[ShillyShally]

2 minutes ago, Vibe said:

Your bank should be able to convert them, it is legal US currency 

Yeah I don’t use a local one though know mine has an agreement I can still use most. I could always use it to pay my on board bill!

[Joseph2017China]

1 hour ago, Flannel1 said:

As a Brit about to do a cruise which will very fleetingly involve the US this autumn (and after a fair few years covid etc and all that!) pls can someone provide a summary in a couple of bullet points with a few words about what is wrong or difficult with US legal tender currency and in particular 2 dollar bills? Apologies - I maybe late on this thread and a complete numpty about US currency and particular bills. But if someone could succinctly summarise the pros and cons it may help those that don’t tend to use it until we have to ( which for us will be October) sorry no judgement or anything else here other than fact finding as I don’t know - genuinely!

Simply put it’s not widely printed or used.  Yes it is money but you just don’t see it and it’s become more of a novelty. It’s always a discussion in these boards since giving it to a foreigner to USA just make so it harder for them to use internationaly