Tipping guides

We will be on the Explorer next month. What is a suggested amount to tip guides and drivers?

Depends on how much we like them. Usually $5 for drivers and $10 for guides if they are good.

We used to give all the tip to the guide assuming they shared. We realized that may not be true so now give each five dollars ( we get local currency and give what is equal) for normal length tour..4 ish hours. If all day tour more tip. This is assuming they are decent. We have gotten on a couple of tours where we just wanted off and the guide drove us nuts. We may not have tipped them, don't remember.

The amount of the tip also depends upon the length of the excursion. We always tip the driver separately - about half of what we tip the guide (and sometimes the driver will get a tip and not the tour guide - if the tour guide is really sub-par).

Being Swiss we are not really into tipping...but we do realise that a good tour guide and a safe driver are invaluable. We tend to tip a good guide about $20 (for the two of us) and $5 to the driver. But it varies up and down depending on the quality... I agree with Jackie. There have been occasions when the driver got a tip from us but the guide did not... and once - vice versa (horrendous Spanish driver on a tour to Granada when we were on the Navigator!!)

This is why we do private but you get what you pay for.

This is why we do private but you get what you pay for.

We are going to Iceland 4 days ahead of an Explorer cruise in August. We have booked several days of private photo tours with an individual. The tours are very expensive. Should we tip him as well?

We are going to Iceland 4 days ahead of an Explorer cruise in August. We have booked several days of private photo tours with an individual. The tours are very expensive. Should we tip him as well?

Spent 5 days in Iceland last year before a Norway cruise and quickly found that in Iceland, you simply don't tip at all. They take a tip as an afront so simple, no tipping in Iceland. Also, most countries in Europe tipping is NOT like in the US as Gerry stated for Switzerland. We spent some time in Germany with a German and he told us to simply round up to the next Euro and that is a perfect tip. People in many other countries are paid well and don't live off their tips as they do in the US.

I did a bit of research so that we could have a bit of specificity on this thread for the TS. Assuming that the Explorer will still be in Europe, tipping will likely be expected. Here is a link to an article from Conde Nast Traveler (2015) that gives some good information:

http://www.cntraveler.com/stories/2008-11-11/etiquette-101-tipping-guide

In addition to that, in 2014, Business Insider listed countries where you do not tip:

Australia

Belgium

Brazil

China

Denmark

Estonia

French Polynesia

Hong Kong

Japan

Korea

New Zealand

Other than countries that specifically state that there is no tipping, I would definitely tip tour guides and drivers.

Note: I have no way of verifying the information provided in these articles. I have noticed some discrepancies in the Conde Nast and Business Insider articles.

Not altogether true.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g255055-s606/Australia:Tipping.And.Etiquette.html

In New Zealand 10% is more than generous. Taxis do not expect tips. I use the 10% guideline for restaurants and so do our friends that are native to Australia.

Restaurant workers do not work only for tips in New Zealand, so do not feel obliged to leave a tip when paying your check. If the service was excellent, leaving a 10% gratuity is more than generous and your waiter or waitress will certainly appreciate it. Tippingtaxi drivers in New Zealand is not a common practice.

We are going to Iceland 4 days ahead of an Explorer cruise in August. We have booked several days of private photo tours with an individual. The tours are very expensive. Should we tip him as well?

Even where tipping is customary or not customary you will never get 100% consensus.

I can only share my experience and that was based on my own research.

While in general tips are not expected, if you are very pleased with the overall tour and most importantly a tip would be a nice thing to do and it doesn't have to be very large. For a full day tour that we were very pleased with we did tip about $20.00. Again, it was not expected but just something we want to do.

In your case if it was me and I was very pleased with the tour I would tip the person and given you are with the individual for several days again if I was very pleased with everything I would take the person to lunch which we have done from time to time in situations like this one.

Remember, you are not going to get 100% consensus on this even from locals. For example in the USA if someone was taking a tour and wanted to know how much to tip the answers would also range.

I would not overthink this one and should your tour fall below expectations there is no need to tip as it really is not expected in Iceland based on our experience.

Keith

We have sailed with good friends who spend half their time in New Zealand and half their time in Australia.

Yes, for excellent service in restaurants he said many locals will tip.

However, they told us there is absolutely no need to tip on a tour in either of these two countries.

Again, we don't overthink it and if for some reason even with this knowledge we care to tip we will. Could be because the tour guide was exceptional or maybe they are back in grade school and we just though a tip would be nice. You certainly won't go to "tourist jail" if you tip somewhere even if it is not part of the local custom.

Keith

We have sailed with good friends who spend half their time in New Zealand and half their time in Australia.

 

Yes, for excellent service in restaurants he said many locals will tip.

 

However, they told us there is absolutely no need to tip on a tour in either of these two countries.

 

Again, we don't overthink it and if for some reason even with this knowledge we care to tip we will. Could be because the tour guide was exceptional or maybe they are back in grade school and we just though a tip would be nice. You certainly won't go to "tourist jail" if you tip somewhere even if it is not part of the local custom.

 

Keith

And there's my biggest problem with this whole tipping rubbish, you were asked not to tip, but "Oh well I will if I want to" is your attitude, but if I say, it's not custom to tip here so I won't tip in your country I'll be abused and called every name under the sun.

I'm sorry Jeith, you seem like a sensible person most of the time, but please explain the difference.

We don't want your tipping culture here but because tourists insist on tipping even after being told it's not the norm, some staff are starting look for it.

Remember the minimum adult wage here is just shy of $18 an hour even more at nights and weekends.

And there's my biggest problem with this whole tipping rubbish, you were asked not to tip, but "Oh well I will if I want to" is your attitude, but if I say, it's not custom to tip here so I won't tip in your country I'll be abused and called every name under the sun.

 

I'm sorry Jeith, you seem like a sensible person most of the time, but please explain the difference.

 

We don't want your tipping culture here but because tourists insist on tipping even after being told it's not the norm, some staff are starting look for it.

 

Remember the minimum adult wage here is just shy of $18 an hour even more at nights and weekends.

Let me try.

We took the advice of our friends. On our last visit to New Zealand and Australia we didn't tip any of the tour guides. The advice was well received and we followed it.

My point was that from time to time we might make an exception but then again that exception might happen in the USA.

For example, in the USA a tipping guideline is 15 to 20 percent in a restaurant. However, there are times that I will tip more then this for exceptional service, etc but although not often once in a while I have tipped far less then this for horrible service. My son is in hospitality services so I do tend in the states to tip on the higher side but if the wait staff was horrendous that will be reflected in my tip even though I know they might rely on the tips.

My point for Australia/New Zealand is that I do recognized that the tour guides are very well compensated but their might still be a circumstance where I decide to leave a tip. Yes, on an exception basis and I think if I do that it is not only a personal decision but that it is not doing to change the local customs.

I do find it very helpful though to ask locals who we know and value their option what is the custom. I do find that much more helpful then the tipping guidebooks, apps or write-ups because as TC mentioned I do find inconsistencies between all of these source. So I have found it helpful to ask locals. These days that is so much easier to do given that often on cruise you get to know people from various countries.

Keith

 

I do find it very helpful though to ask locals who we know and value their option what is the custom. I do find that much more helpful then the tipping guidebooks, apps or write-ups because as TC mentioned I do find inconsistencies between all of these source. So I have found it helpful to ask locals. These days that is so much easier to do given that often on cruise you get to know people from various countries.

 

Keith

I try very hard not to get into the tipping debate here, because our customs are so very different from the majority here. However, I think Keith has hit the correct answer above with his suggestion of asking a local what's expected in a particular situation. There is no universally correct answer.

Like Gilly, I do not want to get drawn into a tipping debate........but just to say there are two types of traveller who mildly annoy us:

1. Those who feel they have to be part of the "tipping police" - watching other guests intently to see who tips (and how much) and who doesn't; IMO it is a personal decision

2. Those who can't be bothered to provide tips in local currency e.g. tipping tour guides in US dollars when the whole cruise is in the eurozone :confused::confused:

Let me try.

 

We took the advice of our friends. On our last visit to New Zealand and Australia we didn't tip any of the tour guides. The advice was well received and we followed it.

 

My point was that from time to time we might make an exception but then again that exception might happen in the USA.

 

For example, in the USA a tipping guideline is 15 to 20 percent in a restaurant. However, there are times that I will tip more then this for exceptional service, etc but although not often once in a while I have tipped far less then this for horrible service. My son is in hospitality services so I do tend in the states to tip on the higher side but if the wait staff was horrendous that will be reflected in my tip even though I know they might rely on the tips.

 

My point for Australia/New Zealand is that I do recognized that the tour guides are very well compensated but their might still be a circumstance where I decide to leave a tip. Yes, on an exception basis and I think if I do that it is not only a personal decision but that it is not doing to change the local customs.

 

I do find it very helpful though to ask locals who we know and value their option what is the custom. I do find that much more helpful then the tipping guidebooks, apps or write-ups because as TC mentioned I do find inconsistencies between all of these source. So I have found it helpful to ask locals. These days that is so much easier to do given that often on cruise you get to know people from various countries.

 

Keith

Keith

I agree with your post, although personally, I would never tip more than 20%. Guess it's coming from the UK, where tipping, although prevalent is nothing like it is in the US.

We have friends in Australia and NZ who will never tip more than $10 (local ccy) in restaurants in their countries and nor is it expected. In UK restaurants 10% for good service is appreciated, but again not expected. The high-end establishments in cities, especially those in hotels or with celebrity chefs have tried to increase this by putting 'suggestions' on their bills, but most locals seem to ignore this (at least the ones I know!).

Depending on the length of a tour we'll typically tip the guide $10 and the driver $5, but will adjust for bad service or driving.

My tipping bugbear (in restaurants) is twofold (a) that anything less than 18% in the US is deemed an 'insult' and (b) - actually the thing that irritates me most - is that the tip % is expected on the wine too - IMHO UNLESS a bottle of wine needs decanting there is no additional "service" in pouring from a bottle that costs $40 or one that costs $140. I adjust my tip according to service and the cost of the house wine and accept the muttering - I am unlikely to visit again in most cases, or unlikely to be remembered if I do!

In the US just like any country it is part of the culture. We tip 15--20%. The US does not pay servers what other countries do and they offer little or no benefits.

TIP means here in the US To Insure Promptness.

Tipping is personal either on a cruise or anything else that provides you service. Nobody should dictate or tell anyone what to do regarding tipping. We tip some people on Crystal that is all inclusive and that is OUR business. Some Regent posters ridicule guests that tip on Regent and frankly they should mind their own business. I assure you no one will see them doing it.

I have read hundreds of threads on tipping and there is no right or wrong.

Miles

Tipping is personal either on a cruise or anything else that provides you service. Nobody should dictate or tell anyone what to do regarding tipping.

Miles

I agree, it's really a personal thing, and nobody see's you do it - so why should anybody care. When we cruise we use are Butler 9an others that provides service) and enjoy the service he/she provides. Getting the right dinner time, the place where we want to eat or service in the suite. The better the care, the better the tip. If it really wasn't allowed, they wouldn't take it-pretty simple.

Rick

I agree, it's really a personal thing, and nobody see's you do it - so why should anybody care. When we cruise we use are Butler 9an others that provides service) and enjoy the service he/she provides. Getting the right dinner time, the place where we want to eat or service in the suite. The better the care, the better the tip. If it really wasn't allowed, they wouldn't take it-pretty simple.

Rick

I also agree that it is a personal thing but this is what was asked by the TS so we are all responding. My DH brought to my attention that the word "tip" goes back a long ways and its origin is widely thought to be from Great Britain (a couple of hundred years ago).

Since the TS asked for "guidelines" that is what I posted above. On our cruise that ended Sunday, we tipped in U.S. dollars in Bermuda, Portugal and Gibraltar rather than in GBP, Euros and the Bermudian Dollar. IMO, it is better to tip in local currency than not at all.

Rick, one reason that I care is because it would be easy to assume that tipping tour guides/bus drivers is included in the cost of your Regent fare (even though it is spelled out in Regent literature). While slightly off topic, until recently, when you sign for your Canyon Ranch Spa services there was a place to write in a tip. Many passengers did leave a tip as they were not aware that an 18% tip was already included. It is my understanding that the space for a tip has been removed.

Keith, I am with you. I don't always do what they "say"...go from the heart.

Go from the heart...excellent reply and that is what we do here and abroad and on cruises. In other words what we do really is mind your own business. When people start paying our bills and travel expenses then you can tell us what to do.

Miles

No one is disagreeing about tipping being a private issue, however, there is a question on the table that this new cruiser would appreciate a response to.

Keith - wish you would visit here more often:D

I think the posters question has been answered after I backtracked the posts.

Travelcat, I agree with what you said and posted. I also got hit with the Spa tip like on "O". They never said a thing, how wrong was that. Once I was told about the Spa while on the ship (lucky me) I had it removed and told the manage what I was thinking. I agree also about with you about Regent, tip included. I will tip while on the ship "extra", but only if I feel like they did more than one should except. That's when the extra will come in. Also I really do enjoy and respect your views on cruising. Thanks for taking the time and sometimes more feedback than is needed (you know what I mean).

Rick