Why U.S. Dollars?

[deepsea21]

Everybody hates Americans. Everybody loves green dollars.

Not true at all. Everyone hates drunk American fools who think they are better than everyone else (can I say Cruise ship crowd without a massive backlash here). Everyone loves respectful people who take the time to learn some of the local language, customs and know what acceptable behavior is in the country they are visiting. Americans have a bad wrap lots of places and that reputation seems to be at its peak where the cruise ships dock.

 

[drrich2]

When a cruise ship docks, or a few of them, enormous #'s of foreigners descend upon a community in short order. Even a tourism-focused place may feel a bit invaded.

Thankfully for U.S. travelers, Cozumel seems to be so English-acclimated it's not necessary to know any Spanish to get by, but something you mentioned got me thinking.

Is there a good online resource for the quick 'Do's & Don'ts' of major tourist destinations? I'm not talking about trying to win an etiquette competition; just a concise list of the major ways to avoid giving offense.

Richard.

 

[mmmbelows]

Not true at all. Everyone hates drunk American fools who think they are better than everyone else

Hate to break it to the self-loathers but travel enough and you'll come to the realization that America doesn't have a monopoly on that.

 

[mediumone]

Hate to break it to the self-loathers but travel enough and you'll come to the realization that America doesn't have a monopoly on that.

True, but we seem to be particularly skilled at behaving like asses.

We returned from our 8th 12 day trip a month ago. We've always given out an "Ugly American" award after each trip. I'm happy to say that there were no contestants this last trip, but in 6 of the previous 7, it was no contest, as Americans took at least the top prize, and generally runner up as well. The one time that was the exception, the winner was a Brazilian woman on the ferry from the island to the mainland. Few enjoyed her non-stop singing for the duration of the trip.

 

[Christi]

Quite frankly... there is a double edged word at work everywhere overseas... Spend Dollars outside the tourist area where everything is priced in Pesos and your gonna get burned by the exchange rate that business wants to offer... Spend Pesos in the tourist area that is priced in Dollars and you're gonna get burned as well. Bottom line... you pay in the currency the prices are quoted in.

Our (collectively speaking for dive ops) pricing is calculated based on expenses - which as Dave mentioned above revolves around USD in our industry. Even If We were to price out in pesos - and provide quotes in pesos - it would be a moving target and would be equivalent to USD pricing.

I am not a bank, I am not in the business of making money off of other people's money. I'm also not going to take a hit on the exchange rate and lose money on an already very small operating margin. If my customers want to pay in pesos, I give them
The current exchange rate based on what my bank is giving. I cannot speak to how other shops handle the exchange rate, but I do know that no one will refuse pesos and that dive shops aren't getting rich or even saving significantly or even moderately with the exchange rate fluctuations. Prices here are also rising to meet the USD

 

[bilboinsa]

True, but we seem to be particularly skilled at behaving like asses.

We returned from our 8th 12 day trip a month ago. We've always given out an "Ugly American" award after each trip. I'm happy to say that there were no contestants this last trip, but in 6 of the previous 7, it was no contest, as Americans took at least the top prize, and generally runner up as well. The one time that was the exception, the winner was a Brazilian woman on the ferry from the island to the mainland. Few enjoyed her non-stop singing for the duration of the trip.

i believe this phenomenon is tied to the alcohol so readily pushed in the tropics. When we have traveled in Europe, and much of the experience being during sober daylight hours, I find that Americans are among the most reserved and polite....almost to their detriment. The "me-first" attitude of several other cultures astounded me when I first saw it. We rationalized it by remembering what insanely crowded lands many of these people came from, kinds like thirteen pups going for eight teats......

 

[mikeycanuk]

What I find odd is that resorts in PNG, Solomons for instance that cater 99% to Australia/NZ are in USD as well. I think it's hurting them at the moment as those currencies are way down.

 

[DjDiverDan]

What I find odd is that resorts in PNG, Solomons for instance that cater 99% to Australia/NZ are in USD as well. I think it's hurting them at the moment as those currencies are way down.

It's been a long, long time - like 26 years - but when I went to French Polynesia, Tahiti and Moorea, I had to pay everything in Polynesia Franks (affectionately referred to as Poly Frogs). I don't remember a single place that accepted U.S. Dollars, Australian Dollars, N.Z. Dollars, or any other foreign currency. Has it changed?

 

[mikeycanuk]

FP is still in XCP. It's a French colony (still) so heavens forbid you see anything in USD. In my opinion anyway. Even Fiji is USD.

 

[cvchief]

and much of the experience being during sober daylight hours,

Well scratch the European trip....