Tipping on a shore excursions

[fire&teacher]

What is everyone's thoughts on tipping after a shore excursion? Do you and if yes, how much? Planning to whale watch and helicopter/dog sledding.

[OCruisers]

Yes, folks normally tip. How much depends on the service received.

[Lucky TGO]

What is everyone's thoughts on tipping after a shore excursion? Do you and if yes, how much? Planning to whale watch and helicopter/dog sledding.

 

I do. But I hate telling people what too do. You do what you think is best. $$$

Tony

[Valiamo]

For us it all depends on what the tour guide had done during the excursion and if they made it any more special. I typically tip 10% of the tour's price, and more if they have done something above and beyond.

 

We did a Bernard's Tour in St. Maarten, and the tour guide was a hoot, and provided water and beers for the group, (he got a much nicer tip).

 

Had a trip to a beach and a butterfly farm the next time, and hardly heard a peep from either the driver or the tour guide.. alas she got a poor tip from us, and almost nothing from the other cruisers on the tour.

[Treven]

I've given zilch for a piss-poor "guide" who didn't want any questions asked until at the end of the excursion, not while we were at a particular site. I've given $5 for a half-day excursion, and $10 where the guide was knowledgeable and wanted the visitors to learn something about what we were seeing and/or where we were going.

 

It boils down to what you are comfortable doing at the end of the excursion. One thing that really irks me are guides who expect or almost demand that we give him a tip.

Edited March 18, 2016 by Treven

[joybook]

Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Do whatever you feel like. Don't concern yourself with what others may be doing.:)

[Thermy]

I'd love an idea about how much is customary. I'll be doing an Alaska cruise solo this August and would like to be able to budget for tipping on excursions.

 

I get a bit befuddled with tipping in general - would this be like tipping at restaurants? 15% for good service, 10% for not-great and 20% for great service? Or would 10% be a satisfactory tip? Or $10 like was mentioned earlier in the post. I don't want to be rude, but I also don't want to burn through a good chunk of my budget by inadvertently over-tipping.

 

Any help would be appreciated!

[caribill]

I typically tip 10% of the tour's price, and more if they have done something above and beyond.

 

 

I think shore excursions are one thing where price has nothing to do with what the tip should be.

 

For example, why should a tour guide be tipped more because:

o The price of the tour includes an expensive admission to a site

o The price of the tour includes the cost of a meal (including meal tip) that the guide has absolutely nothing to do with preparing or serving

o The price of the tour includes the cost of the bus or other vehicle used

o The price of the tour includes a good bit of $$ that the cruise line keeps to cover its expenses and profits

 

To me, what Treven suggests below is more in line with what should be done

 

I've given zilch for a piss-poor "guide" who didn't want any questions asked until at the end of the excursion, not while we were at a particular site. I've given $5 for a half-day excursion, and $10 where the guide was knowledgeable and wanted the visitors to learn something about what we were seeing and/or where we were going.

 

[muggo11]

I keep tipping simple. If two guides, $10 each plus I always give $5 to the bus driver. If 1 guide, $20. But if the guide is not good, rude, whatever i would not tip at all. Overall, I have been very satisfied with shore excursions both via the ship and booked independently.

 

 

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[wishfulone]

We tip an exceptional guide. Someone lack lustre, disinterested or without the specific knowledge gets nothing. Don't worry about what others are doing, just tip according to how you feel.

[easyboy]

Only when satisfied with service provided.

[Keith1010]

On private ones we tip based on the country we are in. In some places a tip is never expected.

 

Keith

[bigsky]

I don't like when they don't do much but they sure try and suck up to you towards the end. Maybe giving a sob story of really needing money. One time we have a good tip and could tell he wasn't satisfied! I don't feel obligated, but if we're truly happy, we'll tip what we want. I wouldn't worry too much about this. Keep some 5's and 10's and give if u want to.

Most of ours we're pretty happy.

 

 

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[Ahall2015]

We went on our first cruise last year and didn't even think about tipping the guides on our shore excursion. Never even crossed our minds. UNTIL the guides reminded us that tipping was always welcome. We had a blast! So we did tip and the guide told us everyone on the boat would split the tips. We gave $10. By the looks on some peoples faces, they were not happy that the guides were reminding us that tips were welcome, and many did not give anything, but I was actually glad he mentioned it because I would have never thought of it and they really did do a great job.

 

I do think tho that like any tipping it is your own personal decision. There is no right or wrong.

[zqvol]

Tipping is not need on shore excursions. In spite of what they will tell you they are not working for your tips alone. If you want to leave something that is fine but it is not required nor is it necessary.

[cb at sea]

I agree...if the guide is fun and informative, tip what you think that's worth..bearing in mind all you've paid already!

 

If a guide is boring...no tip at all. If the "excursion" is mainly transportation...no tip.

 

Of course they will all start pushing the "tip us" thing....wouldn't you? But, tips are not required. It's up to you and you alone!

[geoherb]

My suggested tip would be $5-$10 for the whale-watching excursion and $10-$20 for the helicopter one--or more if you feel like they worth exceptionally good.

[KirkNC]

Yes, folks normally tip. How much depends on the service received.

 

That's our approach as well.

[fire&teacher]

Thank you to everyone that responded about tipping on Alaska shore excursions. One last question, Is the suggested price, per person or per group? We are a family of 4 adults.

[Nic6318]

Hi there

 

I don't have any question about tipping some tour guide giving a fun filled experience. Five or ten dollars is fine depending on the activity and usually appreciated.

 

Growing up I always had been told that you don't typically tip a business owner. In some situations it might be considered insulting.

 

What I am getting at is that some tours such as flights/helicopter tours can range from 200-600 per person that is a lot of money for a family. Certainly it is more than I would normally spend to fly to Florida from Detroit. I would never consider tipping the pilot or the flight attendants for that matter.

 

So in this instance giving a token tip would seem insulting but giving a 15% tip per person would not seen reasonable to me.

 

Any thoughts?

[Nebr.cruiser]

We usually tip $5 to $10 dollars a person on excursions, depending on length of tour. For a really exceptional guide or very long, complicated tour, probably more.

 

So far I haven't had a guide so terrible that I didn't tip at all.

[easyboy]

What I am getting at is that some tours such as flights/helicopter tours can range from 200-600 per person that is a lot of money for a family. Certainly it is more than I would normally spend to fly to Florida from Detroit. I would never consider tipping the pilot or the flight attendants for that matter.

 

So in this instance giving a token tip would seem insulting but giving a 15% tip per person would not seen reasonable to me.

 

Any thoughts?

In your scenario, I think they are not expecting tips as well.

[Lucky TGO]

I did a duck tour once and I think the young man was drinking. It was so bad the people just wanted to get off that duck boat. Do you give him a tip?? :eek:

Tony

[wishfulone]

I did a duck tour once and I think the young man was drinking. It was so bad the people just wanted to get off that duck boat. Do you give him a tip?? :eek:

Tony

I'd be more inclined to report him to his boss.

[Treven]

A few years ago, ok several years ago, I took a snorkeling excursion out of Key West. I don't swim so I took the trip just to experience the locale, barely out in the Atlantic Ocean. Anyway after the trip, which included a light luncheon onboard, as we were approaching the dock the driver of the boat/guide stated, "Since we've taken care of you all day now it's your turn to take care of us". One of his crew then held up a small bucket with TIPS painted on the side. He didn't get anything from me, nor from a lot of folks on the tour.

 

I think that if there was the bucket on the dock where we landed I and possibly others would have tipped them. But not when we were "expected" to tip them.