Tipping for excursions?

[mbjonsn]

We're getting ready to leave for our cruise shortly and we're trying to determine how much cash to take with us.

 

Do you have a rule of thumb you follow for tipping guides for excursions? Do you tip by percentage or a flat amount?

 

Any guidance you can provide is appreciated. Thanks in advance!

[LMaxwell]

It depends on if it is an expensive private excursion, or a group tour on a bus or something like that. For a group tour on a bus, if the guide is informative/friendly we will tip a few dollars each. We don't take expensive private excursions, but if we did we'd tip more than a few dollars as long as it was a great experience.

[cb at sea]

We tip, WHEN we tip, a flat amount...it's not a restaurant! If we feel the experience is more than we paid for, we tip around $5-10....if it's mainly transportation, we don't tip....that's what we PAID for! It's all up to what you feel the experience is worth!

[trev71]

I don't know but I don't mind tipping at excursions. Normally I tip anywhere from 5$ depending on the quality of the tour. I do have a rule of thumb though if you ask to be tipped after an excursion chances are I wont be giving you any tip. Doesn't work that way, I have had that happen a few times though. aka dunn river falls

[erby2283]

If it's a private excursion (like swimming with turtles or an island tour that costs around $100 p/p) and I had a really good time, I usually tip about $10/pp (but it's usually just me and my bf). We have, on occasion, tipped even more when we felt we got a really good tour for a cheap price and after seeing the price of gas, just tipped more for gas knowing they probably didn't make much after lugging as around all day.

[Badger-Badger]

We are a family of 4 and usually tip $20-30.

 

We have done less when we felt the guide was "eh." But we have done more, such as in Europe or this past weekend in Dominica because the guide went above and beyond when he realized I was struggling due to a health condition (he sensed the problem and immediately offered the help I needed to keep up with everyone else).

[cruisegirl1]

On some private tours during a med cruise, we tipped about 10% to the tour guide and 5% to the driver.

 

Recently our excursions in the Caribbean are snorkeling and we drop $10 or so into the tip bucket.

 

Enjoy

 

M

 

Edit to add - just the two of us.

 

M

Edited April 6, 2015 by cruisegirl1

[knittinggirl]

We usually tip the driver a couple of dollars and the guide $5 to $10 depending. If the guide offers to take pictures of us, etc., we'll tip more. We're usually on tours which they stuff us on a big bus.

 

Sometimes, I regret tipping, like in Bruges when we had two guides, and our guide disappeared mid-tour and the remaining guide hurried so fast returning to the bus, she almost left me behind. I reported it to the Post-Cruise department, and got a partial refund, which has never happened before or since.

 

On one tour in Jamaica, the guide didn't protect us from the hustlers, and as it turned out, by the end of the tour, we had nothing left over for her.

Edited April 6, 2015 by knittinggirl

[phoenix1181]

We usually tip the driver a couple of dollars and the guide $5 to $10 depending. If the guide offers to take pictures of us, etc., we'll tip more. We're usually on tours which they stuff us on a big bus.

 

Sometimes, I regret tipping, like in Bruges when we had two guides, and our guide disappeared mid-tour and the remaining guide hurried so fast returning to the bus, she almost left me behind. I reported it to the Post-Cruise department, and got a partial refund, which has never happened before or since.

 

On one tour in Jamaica, the guide didn't protect us from the hustlers, and as it turned out, by the end of the tour, we had nothing left over for her.

 

 

I'm a little confused by this statement. Would you clarify please? Did they take your money or were you unable for some reason to say no?

[Paulette3028]

I'm a little confused by this statement. Would you clarify please? Did they take your money or were you unable for some reason to say no?

 

Love your response!

[galavant3]

We usually tip about $5 a person. Sometimes more, sometimes less.

 

We will tip extra if the guide or driver helps us navigate aggressive vendors.

[Oak Hill Cruisers]

We do lots of land tours with Gate 1 Travel and we like & use their tipping guidelines for local guides & drivers on our cruises.

 

Local Guides: We tip $3pp for half-day tours or $6pp for full-day tours.

 

Drivers: We tip $2pp for half-day tours or $4pp for full-day tours.

[MrsPete]

We ususally tip $5-10 per person, depending upon the length of the tour and the quality of the service. For example, I'm thinking about Dunn's River Falls in Jamaica. Our tour guide was great, but essentially all he did was pick us up at the pier, drive us to the gates, and gave us some advice before we went in -- that was, of course, exactly what we'd paid for, but it was minimal and we tipped about $5/person. On the other hand, when we did the ATVs in Cozumel, the tour guide was with us for the whole 2 hours or so of the ride and talked Myan history at each stop. That was worth $10/person because it involved more time and effort.

 

I suggest having a variety of small bills ready in your pocket so you can tip whatever you think is appropriate. We've always had a great time and have been happy to tip generously, but it's good to have choices.

 

I don't expect guides to help us avoid vendors. My best advice is to keep your hands in your pockets (or holding tight to your children's hands) and smile and nod as you walk right on through. Keep in mind that these people behave this way because they live in parts of the world where opportunities don't exist; if you couldn't feed your children, wouldn't you do just about anything to try to earn a dollar? You chose to walk through their world for 5-10 minutes. Don't make it into a big deal.

[mbjonsn]

Thank you all so much for your replies. They were all very helpful!

[griffy116]

We booked private tours when we were in the Med and their site gave a guideline. It stated that tips were not necessary, but if we felt inclined to tip, X was the recommended tip for a full day/half day tour. We were really appreciative of finding this information. We didn't want to wonder if we were too stingy/cheap or feel like we were overtipping at every port. I will confess that we occasionally gave more than the recommended amount because we had an extremely good guide at a few of the ports, but we generally used this guideline for all of our excursions. You can check out sites that do private tours and see what the recommendations are, if any.

[BonTexasNY]

We once were told by a tour guide on an RCI bus tour in Cozumel to please remember to tip her. She then went on in detail about how hard she worked for us and that she expected us to show our appreciation. Seriously? Of course we still tipped her but much less than we would have without the speech. She did little more than to point out sites on the bus and wait for us at each stop.

 

We took a Victor Bodden tour in Roatan and were so pleased with the tour guide, Joani (I still remember her name 4 years later), the four of us left her an extra $48.

[sross6019]

I usually tip 5% for the driver and 10% for the guide. Maybe more or less depending on how well they did and if there is more people involved. Before we go I put the tip money in an envelope with the port, date, amouint on the outside, and place it with the tickets. So that morning I grab it before we leaving.

[BLAMBKY]

We once were told by a tour guide on an RCI bus tour in Cozumel to please remember to tip her. She then went on in detail about how hard she worked for us and that she expected us to show our appreciation. Seriously? Of course we still tipped her but much less than we would have without the speech. She did little more than to point out sites on the bus and wait for us at each stop.

 

We took a Victor Bodden tour in Roatan and were so pleased with the tour guide, Joani (I still remember her name 4 years later), the four of us left her an extra $48.

 

Oh my....double whammy for me! If we go on a ship excursion, unless they go above & beyond, we usually do not tip. My logic is we are paying more than if we booked on our own & they have a built in supply of cruisers. Not saying I have never tipped a ship tour guide but they have to give service that I feel is exceptional and mostly not give the tip is part of my income speech. I am not sure if it is just my perception but it seems like on non ship sponsored tours, I am never "asked, hinted" for a tip....by the way, they always get above & beyond....

[BonTexasNY]

Oh my....double whammy for me! If we go on a ship excursion, unless they go above & beyond, we usually do not tip. My logic is we are paying more than if we booked on our own & they have a built in supply of cruisers. Not saying I have never tipped a ship tour guide but they have to give service that I feel is exceptional and mostly not give the tip is part of my income speech. I am not sure if it is just my perception but it seems like on non ship sponsored tours, I am never "asked, hinted" for a tip....by the way, they always get above & beyond....

 

The Victor Bodden tour was of course a non ship sponsored excursion.

 

We once took a glass bottom boat excursion from RCI and we didn't tip since it was a short bus trip to the boat. I doubt we tipped the boat "guide" also since there was hardly any commentary. Boat just went around in circles over the same rusty wreck. Tipping is a personal choice and you should never feel obligated.