Help needed. .Viking tipping

How much is expected? I apologize for the new thread but cannot see my search function on tiny mobile screen I am using here onboard. We have had a nice cruise after a horrid start in Bucharest. ..Thanks in advance for the advice as we debar tomorrow.

From My Viking Journey FAQ page.

From the Hotel Manager to receptionists, from restaurant servers to housekeeping, Viking’s onboard staff are 100% dedicated to serving our guests. Tips are not included in your cruise price, but are a voluntary way of showing satisfaction for good service. You may tip onboard staff in cash if you like, or you may charge your tips to your credit card at the end of the cruise (everywhere except Egypt, Southeast Asia and Portugal). These gratuities are distributed among the ship’s staff. The Tour Escorts or Program Directors that travel with you do not share in the onboard staff gratuities. It is customary to tip them separately in cash.

The following guidelines are based on typical amounts; they vary by region so please read the section for the region to which you will be traveling. Please note that local city guides and coach drivers are not included in the onboard gratuities; any tipping should be done in cash on the day of the tour as you are not likely to see them again.

Europe

In Europe, we recommend that you tip in euros. Guidelines:

Program Director – €2 per guest, per day

Onboard staff – €12 per guest, per day

Local city guides – €2 per guest, per day

Coach drivers – €1 per guest, per day

Russia

In Russia, we recommend that you tip in U.S. dollars. Guidelines:

Onboard staff – $15 per guest, per day

Tour Escort – $10 per guest, per day

Local city guides – $2 per guest, per day

Coach drivers – $1 per guest, per day

China

In China, we recommend that you tip in U.S. dollars. Guidelines:

Onboard staff – $15 per guest, per day

Tour Escort – $10 per guest, per day

Local city guides – $2 per guest, per day

Coach drivers – $1 per guest, per day

Southeast Asia

In the Mekong region and in Myanmar, we recommend that you tip in U.S. dollars. Guidelines:

Onboard staff – $15 per guest, per day

Tour Escort – $10 per guest, per day

Local city guides – $2 per guest, per day

Coach drivers – $1 per guest, per day

Egypt

In Egypt, we recommend that you tip in U.S. dollars. Guidelines:

Onboard staff – $15 per guest, per day

Tour Escort/Egyptologist – $10 per guest, per day

Local city guides – $2 per guest, per day

Coach drivers – $1 per guest, per day

Thanks so much!

The cruise director will also discuss at the final evening talk....or at least did on our Passau to Budapest cruise last year. We were able to put it on our account or in cash. My only complaint was that EVERYBODY had to stop by the desk to deal with it and close out your account. I would have much preferred for it to be automatically added and only folks who had an issue have to line up and wait at the desk.

I'd love to know how many people pay the suggested amount? To viking.

The cruise director will also discuss at the final evening talk....or at least did on our Passau to Budapest cruise last year. We were able to put it on our account or in cash. My only complaint was that EVERYBODY had to stop by the desk to deal with it and close out your account. I would have much preferred for it to be automatically added and only folks who had an issue have to line up and wait at the desk.

I like it the way it is. Tipping should be optional.

Give more if better than average and less if it isn't.

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Has anyone used an on board credit to pay for tips, maybe combined with a credit card? I have a $300 credit, don't think I'll use it all on drinks.

Has anyone used an on board credit to pay for tips, maybe combined with a credit card? I have a $300 credit, don't think I'll use it all on drinks.

Onboard credit cannot be used for tips.

Onboard credit cannot be used for tips.

Bummer. I will have to drink more then! Kidding. Maybe.

At least they accept credit cards for tips.

I like it the way it is. Tipping should be optional.

 

Give more if better than average and less if it isn't.

 

 

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I just wish they could figure a way to do it other than having to wait in line on your last cruise evening.

Bummer. I will have to drink more then! Kidding. Maybe.

 

At least they accept credit cards for tips.

You can do like we did, and give away drinks on your last evening.....of course I overshot the OBC and ended up spending more than I intended...but it was fun to be the bearer of "free" drinks!

I just wish they could figure a way to do it other than having to wait in line on your last cruise evening.

We never wait in line. Just go at an odd hour like 10pm.

I want to ask them to print boarding passes, which I heard they won't do. Are they more likely to help before I give the tips??? Or after??? :)

Good idea about drinks, thanks.

I want to ask them to print boarding passes, which I heard they won't do. Are they more likely to help before I give the tips??? Or after??? :)

 

Good idea about drinks, thanks.[/quote

 

With the exception of a single guide on our Russian River Cruise, I have found the staff on our 6 Viking cruise to be always willing to go out of their way to help and to be full of genuine friendliness.

I want to ask them to print boarding passes, which I heard they won't do.

Unless you are traveling with hand-luggage only there really is no point in printing boarding passes as you'll get them when you check-in your bags at the airport...

Unless you are traveling with hand-luggage only there really is no point in printing boarding passes as you'll get them when you check-in your bags at the airport...

Haven't printed them in advance in a decade.

Unless you are traveling with hand-luggage only there really is no point in printing boarding passes as you'll get them when you check-in your bags at the airport...

Don't plan to check bags, maybe gate check perhaps. But yes I suppose there must be a kiosk at BUD we can use or a check in counter.

Thanks again to everyone for the info. We are finishing our second seven day cruise and I again referred to the reply. Tipping was mentioned on both disembarkation talks but not the amounts. The credit card is handy. We tipped maid extra last time but don't seem to have the same one each time this cruise. Had a glitch on our transfer to airport and was asked to produce proof of purchase. Fortunately I always bring it with me but on all my travels had never been asked to produce it before...not on Embla but on Vilhjalm. In retrospect I should have said to pull up my booking number for that.

On our Viking cruise they denied our OBC even though I had written proof. Could not reach my TA for backup. On the last day of cruise they finally agreed that I had OBC !! I told them to use it for my gratuities--they agreed. By the way, our OBC's totaled $450, but it was too late for us to use it. This is why I will never cruise with Viking. Its AMA Waterways for me. They are great.

On our Viking cruise they denied our OBC even though I had written proof. Could not reach my TA for backup. On the last day of cruise they finally agreed that I had OBC !! I told them to use it for my gratuities--they agreed. By the way, our OBC's totaled $450, but it was too late for us to use it. This is why I will never cruise with Viking. Its AMA Waterways for me. They are great.

That's really too bad! Did you talk to your TA *after* the cruise? Did you ever get an explanation for what happened?

I no longer have a relationship with that TA. It was his error that caused the mess, but I had all my papers with me and Viking still would not budge. We had planned to use the OBC for additional excursions. (They charge for theirs). I have since found a wonderful lady who is super efficient and has already booked me on another cruise. Second one on AMA--I love them.

Dear gmaonboard4,

We regret to hear that you had difficulties with your on board credit. It's unfortunate that you weren't able to use your credit appropriately, and we would like the opportunity to further look into this situation. If you would like us to as well, please email us at TellUs@VikingCruises.com with your booking information and a summary of your experience, so we can further understand why you were denied your credit.

We look forward to hearing from you. Have a great day.

Best,

Viking Cruises

On our Viking cruise they denied our OBC even though I had written proof. Could not reach my TA for backup. On the last day of cruise they finally agreed that I had OBC !! I told them to use it for my gratuities--they agreed. By the way, our OBC's totaled $450, but it was too late for us to use it. This is why I will never cruise with Viking. Its AMA Waterways for me. They are great.

I want to ask them to print boarding passes, which I heard they won't do. Are they more likely to help before I give the tips??? Or after??? :)

 

Good idea about drinks, thanks.

Almost every river cruise we have been on has a "computer corner" with a printer... so you can go on line, check in and print your own boarding pass.

Fran

Almost every river cruise we have been on has a "computer corner" with a printer... so you can go on line, check in and print your own boarding pass.

 

Fran

 

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Viking has computers but no printer. At least they didn't last year.

On our Viking cruise they denied our OBC even though I had written proof. Could not reach my TA for backup. On the last day of cruise they finally agreed that I had OBC !! I told them to use it for my gratuities--they agreed. By the way, our OBC's totaled $450, but it was too late for us to use it. This is why I will never cruise with Viking. Its AMA Waterways for me. They are great.

That is a real shame. We had half of our promotion OBC left and used it for two of the future cruise certificates.