Excursion Tipping

[capecruzer]

Hi fellow cruisers :) We are booked on three excursions, two private and one from the Celebrity ship. What is tipping policy? We almost always do our own thing via taxi or rental car and as I'm putting together our budget it occurred to me that we might be expected to tip?

 

One excursion is a speed boat tour of the Pitons including lunch and beach time, one is a sea turtle/snorkel cat trip and one is transportation only to a nearby island (STJ from STT). What is acceptable in these cases?

 

Also, do you regularly tip in the specialty restaurants or is that included in the upcharge?

 

TIA. Brenda

[Tiggertastic]

We always gauge on how good the guide was, I wouldn't say it's an expectation, more a personal choice

[Maligator]

I'll usually tip based on what I perceive is the effort and enthusiasm I see. Coach and boat operators will almost always get at least five bucks/euros or ten if it's a particularly long journey. Guides get ten. Sometimes, like the guide in Malta, who spent more time going over all the "important" businesses than anything historical, they'll get squat.

 

I also keep in mind that many tours will pool their tips at the end and split it. In Naples, I tipped the driver and the guide. When I went back to retrieve my sunglasses a few minutes later, they'd dumped their tips on a seat and were dividing it.

 

In Europe, we tip cab drivers and bellmen a couple of euros. I understand their restaurants pay a living wage, so tipping is not expected. Rick Steves said that tipping can even be considered rude or degrading in some places. However, I think most of the operators/waitstaff/etc in the Caribbean islands would appreciate a gratuity.

[cb at sea]

Yes..a tip is dependent on your enjoyment. Something that is simply transportation....well, we paid for that...no tip.

 

If there is a guide that is fun and personable and imparts some sort of patter or knowledge...then we tip....usually $5-10...

 

There are no guidelines....let you enjoyment be your guide. Remember how much you've already PAID for the tour....folks seem to forget that!

[tangerinebunny]

People in the Caribbean have so much less than we do that a small tip from us counts as much more for them.

 

We never tip for poor service. But we enjoy offering a tip appropriate to our income. I suggest that you only tip what you can afford.

 

And yes, from what I've seen, guides and bus drivers do share their tips (no idea of the split).

[Snit13]

Yes..a tip is dependent on your enjoyment. Something that is simply transportation....well, we paid for that...no tip.

 

If there is a guide that is fun and personable and imparts some sort of patter or knowledge...then we tip....usually $5-10...

 

There are no guidelines....let you enjoyment be your guide. Remember how much you've already PAID for the tour....folks seem to forget that!

 

You may have paid for simply transportation, but the driver probably has family to feed and really would appreciate a tip, even if small. Have you ever worked in the hospitality industry?

 

We always tip...big or small... depends on the service.

[Fouremco]

We always tip unless the service provided is not up to a reasonable standard. Most work very hard to please and deserve something in return.

[Careyoakie]

15 to 20%. [emoji383] Just like at home. Those in the service industry don't make a lot of money, so I feel this is appropriate.

 

 

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[jelayne]

With a little research we find what is the custom for that country/area and tip accordingly. There are some apps that provide info on many areas.

[GUT2407]

Surely what's right for one won bright for all when it comes to tipping.

[Keith1010]

Do not overthink tipping. Decide shortly before your tour ends how much to tip. We base it on the location of the tour, our enjoyment, its length and the total cost.

 

Keith

[gergles]

Zero. You've already paid for the guide, the transportation, and everything else.

 

If you are impressed by the guide or the transportation, extra cash certainly would not be remiss, but someone at some point has to make a stand against 'tip creep' into every single situation.

[Banjo]

Do not overthink tipping. Decide shortly before your tour ends how much to tip. We base it on the location of the tour, our enjoyment, its length and the total cost.

 

Keith

 

I agree with this.

 

I feel no obligation to tip if the guide who takes you to a historical site, maybe gives you a 3 minute blurb on the site either in or just outside the bus and finishes with be back at the bus in 3 hours.

 

I will tip a guide that does provide actually guiding through the historical site.

[eandj]

Yes..a tip is dependent on your enjoyment. Something that is simply transportation....well, we paid for that...no tip.

 

If there is a guide that is fun and personable and imparts some sort of patter or knowledge...then we tip....usually $5-10...

 

There are no guidelines....let you enjoyment be your guide. Remember how much you've already PAID for the tour....folks seem to forget that!

 

This is pretty much our philosophy. We pay for a service, tour, driver etc. Done. Now, if the guide made the tour or day's activity more fun or interesting than we expected, we will add a nice gratuity at the end of the service out of appreciation, not duty.

To help out residents, we prefer to use local owned businesses when available and safe.

[Fouremco]

Zero. You've already paid for the guide, the transportation, and everything else.

 

If you are impressed by the guide or the transportation, extra cash certainly would not be remiss, but someone at some point has to make a stand against 'tip creep' into every single situation.

When you go to a restaurant, your bill pays for the food, the cook, the server and everything else, but there is an expectation in the US and some other countries that you leave a tip as well. Judging by what you read on Cruise Critic, not only do most passengers leave their shipboard gratuities in place, but the majority also give an additional gratuity to bartenders, dining room staff and room stewards, to name but a few. So where and why do you make a stand? Do you have to be impressed by a waitress at your local diner to tip her, the same standard that you use for tour guides? Or is one automatic and the other discretionary? If so, why?

 

I'm not trying to stir the pot, but instead just to get a better idea of people's criteria for tipping.

[Big Chief]

"]When you go to a restaurant, your bill pays for the food, the cook, the server and everything else, ..."

 

I don't know what the rules are in Ottawa, but in New York State the law sets the minimum wage for restaurant servers at less than $3 an hour. Granted, this is based upon the long standing tradition of tipping, but it is, nonetheless, the reality.

Edited November 18, 2015 by Big Chief

[Ayton lady]

In the UK the minimum wage which applies to all workers is £6.70 an hour for 21 yr olds and over £5.30 for under 21yr olds. This rather backs up that it depends where you are in the world has an influence on the tipping culture in that area.

[NantahalaCruiser]

In the UK the minimum wage which applies to all workers is £6.70 an hour for 21 yr olds and over £5.30 for under 21yr olds. This rather backs up that it depends where you are in the world has an influence on the tipping culture in that area.

 

And then you have cultures like Japan that may actually be offended by a tip!