Peso or Dollars

[scubaduo92]

How about the departure fees at the airport? Will they take dollars?

 

[DandyDon]

How about the departure fees at the airport? Will they take dollars?

Those fees are built into your plane ticket price usually - already paid. Leave unwanted pesos in the Red Cross box.

I think that extra bag fees have to be paid in pesos, but the airlines will take credit or debit card payments.

It's not like they work hard enough for the measely pitance most leave as tips for the serving crowd, might as well make them go to their cambios and do their own exchange. Of course most take dollars, but dont get upset if some dont, that's all.

Since most allow 10:1 but the official rate today is 13.58:1 - I bet they get at least 12:1, and enjoy the 20% bonus.

And why are you whining about how much we tip? We seem to encourage tipping here, and the locals seem happy enough to stay for the work. They know that many air travelers and almost all boat visitors carry US Dollars, but they seem happy enough with them. I bet many hoard dollars the way the peso changes.

 

[budaman]

With the average wage most get in Cozumel, I doubt if there is much hoarding going on....dollars or pesos At the restaurants, we usually tip 15-20% based on what a similar meal here in the States would cost us. 15% seems to be expected here now & I feel we get much better service in Cozumel.

Mike

 

[judydivescoz]

We always pay for everything in pesos. I get pesos at the Santander ATM on 10. No additional fees with my bank. I know just what I am spending. Keep in mind that each vendor can set his/her own exchange rate which in alot of places may be 10:1 because it is an easy calculation. Paying in pesos can give young 20-30% advantage depending on the exchange rate.

 

[Geckotek]

Since tips were brought up....what do you guys usually tip your DMs, hotel staff, etc... Or do you?

 

[DandyDon]

Since tips were brought up....what do you guys usually tip your DMs, hotel staff, etc... Or do you?

Yep. Some properties quote deals with "taxes & tips included" but tipping is the norm still. How much is a personal choice, but $5/tank for DMs is a minimum I think, $1-2/day for a room maid altho you may need to include a note saying "maid" otherwise they may leave it - more for a couple maybe, etc.

 

[dolomite]

For me:
5 bucks per tank MINIMUM for the Divemaster AND the captain (so, a 2 tank morning dive is going to mean $20 in tips - MINIMUM)
3 bucks for the Maid (if I'm traveling solo - otherwise it's more. I usually leave it folded up like a Tee-Pee over the sink counter. I sometimes will also origami it into a shirt or something. In return, they counter with towels made into zoo animals.
Hotel staff, gets a buck or two whenever I make a request for whatever.

 

[Christi]

As mentioned above, merchants can set the exchange at whatever they want to - and some will try to take advanatage of then while others will try to stay cloe to the real exchange rate.

However, when tipping your crew - don't make the same mistake and shortchange them. If tipping in pesos, that is perfectly fine - just remember that $5 USD is NOT $50 pesos - it's actually more like $68 (call it $70) pesos!

Here's a little chart for you to get an idea of what your dollars are worth in pesos as of late (BTW - the $ sign is ued for both USD and MX pesos):

$5 USD = $70 pesos +/-
$10 USD = $140 pesos +/-
$15 USD = $207 pesos +/-
$20 USD = $280 pesos +/-
etc.
etc.

 

[blue steal]

We are going to Cozumel in January and was wondering if the cab drivers still took dollars or you had to have pesos.

What I had noticed on our last two trips for taxi fares was when I asked for what the fare would be to a destination, they would often quote in peso's, say 60 pesos, then I would ask how much in dollars and they would say $5, so it was usually a 12:1 rate. I would just pay in dollars.

 

[Mike]

Easiest way to avoid stress on my vacation I find if I'm paying for something in dollars, before I get in the cab for instance, if I'm worried about any of this is -

"How much to Mega?"

If he answers in peso - I ask for it in dollars.

Next question is do you have change in US dollars?

If the answer is no, then I just would grab another cab. But cabbies understand the drill and amazingly they always seem to have dollars for change if you ask them before stepping into their cab. Same thing goes for just about anyplace else. After all guys, common now, if it's 2 in the afternoon they've been collecting dollars all damn day long. You're not the first tourist paying with dollars for the day.