Currency for tips in Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Iceland

I would say, yes, its rude. (But, it's kind of you to ask) Their currency is not the $. They would have to take all their foreign currency to a bank to have it converted. There likely would be a fee and a less than favorable exchange rate. If it's standard practice to give the drivers and guides tips, I would guess there would be a QR code or some way to pay with a credit card. But, that's a guess.

Regarding US dollars......last year at a hotel I frequent in Scotland, one of the housekeepers, who I know, came up to me and handed me $10 in US currency. She had been left it as a tip. She said "it's no use to me."

I offered to give her the equivalent in British pounds. She refused. So instead, I knew she was an animal lover and donated the money to the local animal shelter when I returned to the US. (I also matched it out of my own pocket.)

Don't assume they can accept US dollars or credit cards.

Does your tour company offer suggestions about how the requested tips should be done, or where and when to make ATM withdrawals, and whether that’s anything they’ll be expediting, and just how much would be a reasonable withdrawal?

If they’re asking you to pay the tips, perhaps they can provide some level of guidance. We did get cash in Iceland, but our trip there was in 2014, before things became more and more cashless. In 2023, we visited both Denmark and Norway (not on a tour), and didn’t withdraw cash in either country.

I would never want to walk around with zero local currency, but then I tend to stay weeks in each country, so my situation isn't typical.

Based on my experience in 2022, I can tell you Norway is so close to cash-free that I had a very, very difficult time finding a bank-owned ATM in Oslo. When I did locate one, it had a line of 10-12 people waiting to use it. I don't know whether the situation was/is so extreme in other cities there, because I did not need to make a second withdrawal. In the end, I used a non-bank ATM that --to my surprise--didn't charge a fee or force me to accept DCC (Dynamic Currency Conversion). My guess is the owner makes enough money from users who do not understand DCC is a very, very bad deal that it doesn't need to assess a separate charge.

Obviously, I'm not suggesting Hawaii is a foreign country, but I just did a boat tour there. I signed up online, where there was an option to to add a tip. When we took the tour, there was a QR code where we checked in. There also was at least three QR codes for tip payments on the boat. With those countries you are traveling to using cc so heavily, I'd be surprised if there wasn't a similar set up, if tips were expected/common.

The tips mentioned are probably for the guide and the driver. Not an unusual request.

No to credit card and maybe to US $. However, US dollars are not as valued in the countries you mentioned as they have strong, perhaps stronger, currencies of their own. The dollar requires the recipient to go do an exchange. Instead of being a “reward”, it becomes a task with a bit of a burden. It can also seem like we Americans feel like the world should do everything our way and can’t be bothered with their country’s currency.

If you absolutely have no way to get local currency, then I guess something is better than nothing. However, you know in advance which countries you are visiting and how many days in each. You can plan in advance and either order currency prior to leaving or use ATMs once there.

Edited to add: Tips are always voluntary whether suggested by tour company or not….

Before the euro was introduced more than 25 years ago, any trip to multiple countries in Europe involved getting multiples currencies, and keeping track of what to use where. Tap-to-pay didn’t exist, credit and debit cards weren’t quite as pervasive, and travelers cheques were a standard part of any trip. Conversion fees were an accepted, regular part of the process. Having large amounts of various currencies wasn’t unusual. Now it seems like we don’t want to have to withdraw too much, especially if not being in a particular country for very long.

Let’s say you pulled out $100 to $200 worth for each country. Will that satisfy the tip needs, with anything extra going towards meals and some shopping before you arrive in the next country? Little cloth bags, or Ziplocs might be helpful for keeping various currencies separate, if you wind up wanting to hang onto any for future use.

I would put a huge question mark on the tour company because tipping is very unusual in Norway, Sweden and Denmark.

Yes, it is unusual and frankly appears out of touch with the local customs. Sounds like something is off here. I’d also consider a different company.

The tips mentioned are probably for the guide and the driver. Not an unusual request.

Maybe not internationally, but it is highly unusual in Scandinavia. Tipping a tour guide maybe less unusual, but the only place I’m aware of where it is expected is the “free” walking tours in the cities.

The tips are for the bus driver and the tour guide that we are with for a number of days. Personally, I'd like the cost included with the cost of the trip. Otherwise it would be much easier if I could just use a credit card! Thanks for all the answers.

It just occurred to me that it might also be helpful to know how the tour company expects the tipping will be conducted. Does each person tip individually, or do they pass around a communal “hat” on the bus, for people to add their tip? If the latter, then a credit card’s definitely not going to be anticipated.

What kind of tour is it? Is it a bus full of Americans traveling together tips might be expected for that reason. If they just book you on a bunch of local tours tips aren't expected and the text might just be a copy & paste from other destinations.

If you absolutely want to tip in cash - and I agree that tipping is unusual in developed countries - EURO would be a better choice. We just need to cross the border to Finland or Germany to use them.

When I was in Scandinavia, I didn't feel the need to tip. I was also not on a tour. And I have to say my 10 day trip was 99.9% cashless across Norway, Denmark and Sweden. That 0.1% was for some jewelry I wanted to buy from a stand on street in Hillerod. I took the equivalent of $30 at a nearby ATM and bought 3 pairs of earrings.

I'm a local. First, tipping is absolutely not part of our culture, and though some in the hospitality industry might accept them, people consider it cultural mperialism. Second, only the local currency is acceptable for payment. We don't want dollars. Most of our payments are actually electronic. But dollars are a definite no.

I am preparing to take a similar tour of Scandinavia, possibly with the same company as Diane. I won't mention the name, but I have taken several other tours with this same company. Their policy is to provide tip envelopes to each customer with the printed request that we tip the tour director $10 per day and the bus driver $3 per day, both in the local currency. They also ask that we pay approximately $2 to local guides, once again in the local currency. When I was recently informed that Scandinavia is virtually non-cash now, I asked the tour company whether there was another way to pay the tips, such as Venmo or Zelle or some such, since I didn't anticipate the need to otherwise use local currency in each country. The answer wasn't satisfactory, basically "it's our policy, so deal with it". This was all before I did my research on the racist legacy of US tipping culture, and the cultural insensitivity of foisting it upon residents of other countries. Rick Steves' policy of including tips in their tour price is one thing that I like most about their tours.

Would it be rude to pay the tips in USD rather than getting 4 types of currency?

For those tours that I've been on for which there is a tipping protocol, the company has specified (in the online "handbook" for the tour) the acceptable currency for tips, which is usually local and USD. On occasion, I've also seen Euros, where that wasn't the local currency. But that was clearly specified, and likely communicated to tour guides that USD (or Euros) were possible.

Go to the ATM (at a bank rather than the airport). Withdraw the smallest amount of local currency you require. Conduct the transaction in the local currency. Avoid the Dynamic Currency Conversion if it is offered. It is no benefit to anyone but the bank to convert to/from $.

Credit cards are used for practically every thing in these countries. I would be surprised if this is not an option. My answer above is targeted at those who insist on conducting business with paper money.