A note about tips from a newbie

Hi, we took our first cruise last month (HAL to Alaska,,, amazing!!!) and just wanted to point out the one thing we didn't think of: the amount of tip $ we used for excursion staff. This is voluntary, of course, but these guides work hard and we had amazing guides/drivers, we wanted to tip well. Just something to consider when you're planning.

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We have always tipped our guides and drivers -- on all cruises and land vacations.

Thanks for the reminder! We are going on our 1st cruise in a few weeks. I knew in my head that we would need to tip guides, but hadn't thought about budgeting for it. We are taking a few fairly expensive excursions - flight seeing and such. Do you happen to know what a good guideline for tipping is for this type of thing. Our excursions range in price from the 200's pp to 500 pp.

There are no "guidelines"....tip what your budget and the experience feel worth to you. Bear in mind, tour guides are paid fairly well...not like service folks on the ship! An additional $10-20 pp is more than ample.

Hi, we took our first cruise last month (HAL to Alaska,,, amazing!!!) and just wanted to point out the one thing we didn't think of: the amount of tip $ we used for excursion staff. This is voluntary, of course, but these guides work hard and we had amazing guides/drivers, we wanted to tip well. Just something to consider when you're planning.

 

 

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Cheers, we always have a tip ready for the guide and or the driver of the tour (for most parts of the world).

On our last excursion we were reminded that the 1) tour guide 2) bus driver and 3) entertainer at the excurion all appreciated tips. Prior to that I just thought of one person per excursion needing to be tipped, so after this I remind myself to prepare for more tips.

There are no "guidelines"....tip what your budget and the experience feel worth to you. Bear in mind, tour guides are paid fairly well...not like service folks on the ship! An additional $10-20 pp is more than ample.

I am concerned that you continue to put this notion forward. You may think that $10-15 per hour is being “paid fairly well”, but I disagree. Like servers in restaurants, guides and drivers rely on tips to make a living wage. It will of course vary from country to country, region to region, but this sort of part-time seasonal job is not some high-paying entry to high living.

Stan