Viking Tipping - High pressure??

[nancyevans]

HenrysAunt, we tip here in the US but I like to know how much a cruise is actually going to cost. That's one of the reasons we chose Scenic. We,too, tipped the cabin attendant who worked so diligently.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[hawkeye65]

We have prepaid gratuities. What gratuities are NOT included in that.

 

Sent from my SM-T350 using Forums mobile app

[Wa Cruiser]

We have prepaid gratuities. What gratuities are NOT included in that.

 

Sent from my SM-T350 using Forums mobile app

 

If you are referring to the "Pre-paid Onboard Gratuities" that is part of Viking's Choice 3 Offer, my understanding is that Viking will pre-paid for us gratuities for the Program Director and Onboard staff (guidelines: €2 and €12 per guest, per day, respectively). We are still responsible for gratuities to the Local Guides and Coach Drivers at the recommended €2 and €1 per guest, per day, respectively.

[philw1776]

Recommend UNIWORLD and other completely all-inclusive river lines instead of Viking if you do not want to tip.

Tiping is not mandatory. My guess is that Viking wages are low and these hard working people really do depend on tip money spread through the crew. Viking recommends a certain amount 15 Euros I think per passenger times nights cruised for the entire crew in general plus a 2 Euro per day per passenger separate for the Cruise Director. If I did not agree to pay this I'd travel with Tauck, etc. fine cruise lines instead.

And yes, based on 3 Viking cruises, some cruise directors mention this more vociferously in their briefings than others.

 

I booked my latest Viking cruise with the "offer" of all pre-paid tips.

If I ran Viking, I'd jack up the price a couple hundred bucks and eliminate onboard tipping (except for tour guides who are independent contractors).

[mushroom]

Tips to the tour guides are also included if you're on Uniworld. It really does make it nice to know everyone is taken care of. It's totally up to you if you choose to add additional tip to what's already been covered.

[hawkeye65]

If you are referring to the "Pre-paid Onboard Gratuities" that is part of Viking's Choice 3 Offer, my understanding is that Viking will pre-paid for us gratuities for the Program Director and Onboard staff (guidelines: €2 and €12 per guest, per day, respectively). We are still responsible for gratuities to the Local Guides and Coach Drivers at the recommended €2 and €1 per guest, per day, respectively.

Yes, that is what we got. Thanks for the info.

 

Sent from my SM-T350 using Forums mobile app

[chlives60]

We have been on 4 Viking River Cruises and the Douro was different in that all the employees of all the ships on the Douro are subcontractors so to speak from a Portugal company that controls all of this, so even if they have the Viking logo on their uniforms they could be working at Uniworld ship the next month. The cruise director explained to us that since they were not technically employees of Viking the cash method of payment was the only way to tip on that cruise. We had to go with our cousins the last night of the cruise and find a cash machine to get the tip money for all.

On the other 3 cruises we were told about tipping the bus drivers and tour guides in each city, this was before Viking got their own busses. And somewhere towards the end of the cruise the tour director may have said something about charging tips, which we usually do, but give a little extra to our cabin person, and anyone who gave us extra service. One cruise 8 of us sat at the same dinner table each night and the waiter was very good to use so at the end we gave him an envelope from all of us. But never felt any pressure as to tipping only suggestions as to what you should give pp per day.

[TravelerThom]

I'll have to take your word for that mate but in the case of Tauck and Scenic the CD's are company employees. Working for tips alone is not a job I can see many taking on.

While I would prefer to have an all-in price MOST cruises (both ocean and river) function by paying most of the staff little or nothing, and expecting tips to cover those employees. In China our guide mentioned that he liked working with the tour company we were using because they didn't make HIM pay for the privilege of getting tipping clients (apparently many companies did charge). He did well enough to own a condo and a car (and this was 12 years ago).

 

I just consider that the "suggested" tip should have been included in the"real" fare and accordingly consider it a Service Charge and budget for it from the beginning. I have almost always had great service, and do not begrudge paying those guys (but, as said, I'd prefer an upfront charge on everyone).

 

Thom

[nancyevans]

I'd like to get an idea of how much extra Viking passengers actually pay above the basic cruise cost. How much in tips, transfers to and from the ship, beverage package and extra tours. Could help with planning future cruise.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[philw1776]

Tips: 12 euros/night/passenger for crew 2 euros/night/passenger for cruise director

Cash to room steward varies maybe 10-20 euros per cruise

Cash to dinner servers if eat at same table every night

2+ euros per tour to tour director 1 euro per tour to bus driver

 

Transfers $0

 

Beverages @ 8.5 euros per cocktail maybe 34-42 max euros for cruise

Free Captain's champaign toast, free cocktail hour for returning "Explorer Society" passengers

 

Optional tours: depends on amount taken and price. Some take none since the included tours take all morning. We take most of the optional tours in the afternoon but not all. Tour prices from ~59 euros per person to much more