Q for those that have done European Trips

[Tozzie]

I have a couple of questions for those that have done the European ABD's


1- Guide Tips- What currency did you use to tip Euros or American dollars and if you tipped in Euros how did you work it with the conversion as the suggested amounts are in $$'s

2- Did you need your passport as ID when using a credit card

3-If you arrived the day the tour started were the hotel rooms ready when you got to the Hotel. I know checkin time in 3pm but I was wondering if the rooms were ready earlier.

 

[wdwsos]

I have a couple of questions for those that have done the European ABD's


1- Guide Tips- What currency did you use to tip Euros or American dollars and if you tipped in Euros how did you work it with the conversion as the suggested amounts are in $$'s

2- Did you need your passport as ID when using a credit card

3-If you arrived the day the tour started were the hotel rooms ready when you got to the Hotel. I know checkin time in 3pm but I was wondering if the rooms were ready earlier.

1 - Did both, depending on what I had left over at the end of the trip. We'd bring tips in US dollars, but to to make my life easier, we'd swap out our Euro so that we wouldn't have to bring it home. I don't think the guides mind either way -- at least I hope not. And trust me that by the end of the tour, you'll know the conversion rate.

2 - I never had to show my passport when using my credit card on any of the four AbD trips we took.

3 - Twice yes, twice no and for the latter, we didn't have to wait too long. The one trip where we waited a bit longer was easy because the boys had gotten there before us (they were traveling Europe on their own for a few weeks before the AbD) and their room was ready. Sometimes all it takes is a shower to wake you up and get you back out again, even with no sleep!

Dotti

 

[WeLoveABD]

I used to bring Travelers Checks for the tips--but that is no longer suggested, so I stopped that. Instead, we just brought the max suggested tip amount in dollars and kept it in the safes in our rooms--and paid it at the end. No fuss no muss.

We DID need our passport in Barcelona at a grocery store--using a credit card--and of course that was the day we didn't carry it with us, so we had to put a lot of stuff back and use our meager cash stash. I'd at least always carry a photocopy of your passport.

Most of the time our rooms were ready--on the Knights and Lights we got in early and left the bags, and went exploring (the guides gave us tickets to the Eye, and maps etc).

 

[helenk]

I am so glad you asked about these questions because I was reading my paperwork last night and was wondering some of these same things.
I thought since the Euros were worth more than the dollar right now they'd probably appreciate the Euros.
We arrive a day early in Rome and are hoping our hotel will be ready as we land pretty early, about 8:45 am. I know it will be a while before we go through customs and get to the hotel, but that first flight will be a long one with the time change etc.

 

[marcemch]

I've always had great luck getting into a hotel room early when traveling to Europe. When we went to Germany with ABD, we arrived early - I think we got to the hotel around 9:30am. I thought there was very little chance that the room would be ready, but it was and I was so GRATEFUL! No matter what "they" say, I HAVE to have a nap!

I have always thought that you should ALWAYS have your passport with you, so I do. I think I've occasionally had to show it when making purchases.

I believe we tipped our guides in a combo of $ and Euros - not traveler's checks.

 

[tigger_ttfn]

When we did Ireland last year, our guides told us we could do Euros or Dollars that it didn't matter to them. Our course, one of guides was from Florida and the other from England. The tipping guide is in dollars, so we converted the amount to Euros and just got the money out of the ATM in Ireland.

We never needed our passport for credit card transactions.

We arrived the day of (about 10:30am at the hotel). Our room wasn't ready so they gave us a map of Dublin, told us to walk around and eat lunch. We got back around 1pm and it was ready.