hlsess Posted November 25, 2015 #1 Share Posted November 25, 2015 What is customary ? We have several private tours booked..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken_nyc Posted November 25, 2015 #2 Share Posted November 25, 2015 15% for OK service 18% for good service 20% for excellent service Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrenalineRush Posted November 25, 2015 #3 Share Posted November 25, 2015 (edited) In Europe 10% is usually reserved for outstanding service. It's totally different than North America. Several threads on it, here is a recent one http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2245823 You can feel free to tip as much as you like. Edited November 25, 2015 by AdrenalineRush Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
campolady Posted November 25, 2015 #4 Share Posted November 25, 2015 (edited) 15% for OK service18% for good service 20% for excellent service Way too high for Spain! Nothing for OK service - all service is expected to be OK! 5% is the norm for good service and never higher than 10%. Edited November 25, 2015 by campolady Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare WrittenOnYourHeart Posted November 25, 2015 #5 Share Posted November 25, 2015 Way too high for Spain! Nothing for OK service - all service is expected to be OK! 5% is the norm for good service and never higher than 10%. Will they actually turn down more than 10%? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
campolady Posted November 25, 2015 #6 Share Posted November 25, 2015 Will they actually turn down more than 10%? Of course they won't turn it down - but you will be laughed at after you leave! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare John Bull Posted November 25, 2015 #7 Share Posted November 25, 2015 In Europe 10% is usually reserved for outstanding service. It's totally different than North America. Several threads on it, here is a recent one http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2245823 You can feel free to tip as much as you like. Way too high for Spain. Nothing for OK service - all service is expected to be OK! 5% is the norm for good service and never higher than 10%. Agreed 100%. Servers are paid OK wages to serve. Wages are the bread and butter, tips are the jam. Only those who give good-to-excellent service get the jam. JB :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hlsess Posted November 25, 2015 Author #8 Share Posted November 25, 2015 Thanks. I thought it was less than USA. Trying to figure out my euros for our trip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LondonTowner Posted November 25, 2015 #9 Share Posted November 25, 2015 I agree with Campolady. My Spanish friends hardly tip at all. In a restaurant they would only leave the change on the table. 10 per cent would be the absolute maximum, only left by tourists and foreigners. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken_nyc Posted November 25, 2015 #10 Share Posted November 25, 2015 I guess Spain is different than Italy, this is from a tour company in Rome: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken_nyc Posted November 25, 2015 #11 Share Posted November 25, 2015 Way too high for Spain! Nothing for OK service - all service is expected to be OK! 5% is the norm for good service and never higher than 10%. How about elsewhere in Europe, like Rome or Florence for a tour of 8 people? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ohiogymrat Posted November 25, 2015 #12 Share Posted November 25, 2015 I guess Spain is different than Italy, this is from a tour company in Rome: They are cashing in on the way people in the States like to tip. You just won't see tipping viewed in the same way by actual Europeans taking those same tours. It would be interesting to see if those tipping guidelines are mentioned on the Italian/Spanish/French translations of that website. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LondonTowner Posted November 25, 2015 #13 Share Posted November 25, 2015 Even if those recommendations were translated into the other European languages they would be flogging a dead horse. People are paid to do a job and getting a tip is a bonus, not something to be relied upon to pay the bills. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LondonTowner Posted November 25, 2015 #14 Share Posted November 25, 2015 Ken nyc I speak Spanish and can understand French and Italian, so would be interested to see what is written regarding the tipping in other languages. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken_nyc Posted November 26, 2015 #15 Share Posted November 26, 2015 I certainly will check it out tomorrow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
campolady Posted November 26, 2015 #16 Share Posted November 26, 2015 (edited) How about elsewhere in Europe, like Rome or Florence for a tour of 8 people? We would never tip more than 10% anywhere in Europe - nor would we be expected to. With the guidelines you quoted you are being well and truly ripped off. If you all enjoy your tour I would give 10% giving 70% to the guide and 30% to the driver (if you give the whole tip to the guide expecting him to share it with the driver the driver may well not get anything!). Edited November 26, 2015 by campolady Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hlsess Posted November 26, 2015 Author #17 Share Posted November 26, 2015 so they really do NOT expect a tip then.... that makes it easy!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeHeartCruising Posted November 26, 2015 #18 Share Posted November 26, 2015 Will they actually turn down more than 10%? Believe it or not, in Barcelona several years ago, I actually DID have a taxi driver tell me that my tip was too much. He made me take some of it back. I'm sure this doesn't happen all the time, but I was quite surprised when it did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken_nyc Posted November 26, 2015 #19 Share Posted November 26, 2015 I don't see any other language choices on the website so I guess they go after US and Canada clientele thats why they have that tip guideline. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken_nyc Posted November 26, 2015 #20 Share Posted November 26, 2015 We would never tip more than 10% anywhere in Europe - nor would we be expected to. With the guidelines you quoted you are being well and truly ripped off. If you all enjoy your tour I would give 10% giving 70% to the guide and 30% to the driver (if you give the whole tip to the guide expecting him to share it with the driver the driver may well not get anything!). Thank you Campolady for your guidance on tipping in Europe! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4774Papa Posted November 29, 2015 #21 Share Posted November 29, 2015 15% for OK service18% for good service 20% for excellent service I strongly disagree with this percentage for a tour or excursion tip. Based on this standard, if we took a $150 excursion X 2 = $300, for excellent service we should tip $60. I know people that never tip at all on tours or excursions. My sense is that a typical tip for excellent service for a full day tour will be about $10 for the tour guide and perhaps $3 to $5 for the driver. Also, it depends on the country, In places like Australia and Japan tipping is not expected at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken_nyc Posted November 29, 2015 #22 Share Posted November 29, 2015 I strongly disagree with this percentage for a tour or excursion tip. Based on this standard, if we took a $150 excursion X 2 = $300, for excellent service we should tip $60. I know people that never tip at all on tours or excursions. My sense is that a typical tip for excellent service for a full day tour will be about $10 for the tour guide and perhaps $3 to $5 for the driver. Also, it depends on the country, In places like Australia and Japan tipping is not expected at all. Didn't you tip 20%? 20% of $300 = $60. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
campolady Posted November 29, 2015 #23 Share Posted November 29, 2015 (edited) Didn't you tip 20%? 20% of $300 = $60. Maybe I am reading 4774Papas post incorrectly, but I assumed he was saying that if he used your 20% he would have to pay $60 tip on a $300 tour which he strongly disagrees with and that he personally would expect to give $10 to the guide and $3-5 to the driver. Edited November 29, 2015 by campolady Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4774Papa Posted November 29, 2015 #24 Share Posted November 29, 2015 Maybe I am reading 4774Papas post incorrectly, but I assumed he was saying that if he used your 20% he would have to pay $60 tip on a $300 tour which he strongly disagrees with and that he personally would expect to give $10 to the guide and $3-5 to the driver. That is what I said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken_nyc Posted November 29, 2015 #25 Share Posted November 29, 2015 That is what I said. My apologies! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now