Another tipping question

[Alabama Alan]

I'm not finding a consensus when searching this forum for stingray/snorkling excursions.

 

Do most of you tip a percentage of your excursion cost, or tend to have a set amount for 1/2 or full day trips? For that matter, do you often tip the same amount for your captain, crew, driver, etc? Or more for those who work with you the most?

 

I'm just curious as to what most visitors find customary.

[TurtleTagger]

10%-20% is customary.

[cb at sea]

I think it depends on the quality of the tour....if you get what you paid for, and nothing more...then no tip, or a small tip is what we do. If the guide is funny, informative or otherwise engaging, we tip more! Generally, $10-20 for two of us, if the tour warrants it. We expect the tip to be divided however they see fit. We generally do not tip drivers. We paid them to drive us!

 

There is no "set" amount. Excursions are expensive...and tips are appreciated, but not required. It's all up to YOU!

[TurtleTagger]

Some reading that may prove enlightening. Please be advised Cayman is considered a first world country, just like the US, but with both a higher standard and cost of living:

 

1) http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g191-s606/United-States:Tipping.And.Etiquette.html

 

"Tour Guides: 15% - 20% + depending on quality (knowledge, friendliness, etc)"

"Taxi Driver: 10-15% of fare, based on service."

 

 

2) http://www.cntraveler.com/travel-tips/travel-etiquette/2008/12/Etiquette-101-Tipping-Guide

 

"DON'T BE A JERK: TIPPING, CARIBBEAN-STYLE

 

Guides and Drivers: Most Caribbean tourists, when not vegetating on a beach, go off on bus tours and tip the guide a couple of dollars, but if you take a private tour, tip your guide about $25 and your driver about $10 for the day. Veith suggests another option: Ask a taxi driver what it will cost to take you here and there for a day, then tip 20 percent on top of that.

 

Dollars Accepted? Yes, except in the French Caribbean, which uses euros.

 

P.S. "If you charter a boat, they'll include the service charge,” says McCabe, "but if the captain takes you to 47 different little coves and jumps overboard to show you a conch, you can tip more." For spa treatments, tip 15 to 20 percent, "although you can probably do 10 to 15 percent in Mexico and the Dominican Republic and still feel pretty good about it," says Veith."

 

3) http://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?id=132

 

Shore Excursions

For a half-day bus excursion, I give the guide $2; or $4 for a full-day excursion. If the guide has spoken with me at length individually or confided to me places for dining or shopping after the tour, I tip him/her $5 for a half day and $10 for a whole day. And I don't forget the driver. After all, he/she brought me safely down the Dolomites or negotiated the traffic in Athens. I give drivers $1 for half-day excursions, $2 for a full-day ones.

 

4) http://travel.usatoday.com/cruises/post/2009/05/hot-topic-in-the-forum-tipping-guides-on-shore-excursions/66824827/1

[Keith1010]

For that type of tour around $10.00 per person would be fine.

 

Keith