Tipping on Shore excursions Epic in Europe

[Quilting_Cruiser]

It's just a very different set up in the UK, we do tip in restaurants, bars, taxis etc but it's more about how the service was as apposed to it being a standard amount for everyone- it's also important to note that in the UK we have a very decent minimum wage so tips do tend to be regarded as an 'added bonus' to service staff, also there are restaurant chains in the U.K. That actually don't pass on tips to servers if it's added via credit card machine and not paid in cash! (This is legal by the way!) although when myself and husband travel to the USA we are aware of the tipping culture and make sure we tip accordingly- like you say, when in Rome!...

 

 

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U.S. tipping is based on service as well. But, you're correct that many people tip no matter what kind of service they receive. If I get poor service, I will tip about 15%, but if I get exceptional service, it may be as much as 25 or 30% (if it's 30%, I've probably had a couple drinks. LOL). I was out with a friend the other night and we had the worst service I've ever received in my entire life--my friend owns a restaurant and she told me I shouldn't tip at all. Wow, that was something I've never done before. But, I did write a note and tell her why I didn't tip her. It felt very odd and uncomfortable to me to not tip. Growing up, my father would throw a dollar on the table no matter how much the meal was. Even as a child I was upset by that. When I was an adult and had dinner with my parents, I always made an excuse to return to the table so i could leave a "real": tip for the waiter/waitress!

 

I pay attention to cultural norms when traveling and it feels odd to me in Europe to simply round up. I was reading a thread that I believe is linked in a previous post here. I was very surprised to learn that some in Europe consider it being an Ugly American to tip there--that we're flashing around our wealth and pushing our culture on others. I'm sure there are some who are self-important, but it's so ingrained in our culture that many of us are uncomfortable not tipping.

[NLH Arizona]

I was out with a friend the other night and we had the worst service I've ever received in my entire life--my friend owns a restaurant and she told me I shouldn't tip at all. Wow, that was something I've never done before. But, I did write a note and tell her why I didn't tip her. It felt very odd and uncomfortable to me to not tip.

I tip based on service as well, but refuse to tip for bad service, I will, however, let the Manager know why the server didn't get a tip.

[Quilting_Cruiser]

I tip based on service as well, but refuse to tip for bad service, I will, however, let the Manager know why the server didn't get a tip.

 

I probably should have talked with the manager, but chose to leave the note (politely worded, but to the point). I'll typically reduce the tip to much less for bad service, my restaurant-owning friend was adamant that the waitress needed a stronger message and that if one of her waitresses behaved the way this one did, they'd be talking!

[snchpnz]

You know what they say "When in Rome...". I didn't know how much to tip the guides either so I just watched what others were doing and did the same. I noticed many people didn't tip and those that did only gave a couple of €1 or €2 coins so I did the same. I don't know if that was appropriate or not but if others were doing it then so was I. The end/

[SquishTheWhale]

I am sure that they don't tip in any country including their own for any reason they feel they can justify but that doesn't make it right

 

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Keep your assumptions to yourself. I tip in the US over and above what I personally find reasonable because that is what is expected there. I will never attempt to remove the DSC on a ship.

 

I'm not about to start encouraging some ridiculous tipping culture in the UK too just because Americans believe they are the only ones in the world with the right of it.

[SpainAlien]

Keep your assumptions to yourself. I tip in the US over and above what I personally find reasonable because that is what is expected there. I will never attempt to remove the DSC on a ship.

 

I'm not about to start encouraging some ridiculous tipping culture in the UK too just because Americans believe they are the only ones in the world with the right of it.

I don't believe you should be telling others that the UK doesn't have a tipping culture. I am 54 and in my 20's worked as a waitress and barmaid in the evenings in both jobs I expected and received tips, taxi drivers always expected tips as did tour guides. Not big tips like there is on the scale of the US but tips none the less.

 

Nowadays many of those same staff are on ridiculous zero hours contracts and despite the minimum wage struggle to make a living wage and now you want people to stop tipping them

 

 

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[SquishTheWhale]

I don't believe you should be telling others that the UK doesn't have a tipping culture. I am 54 and in my 20's worked as a waitress and barmaid in the evenings in both jobs I expected and received tips, taxi drivers always expected tips as did tour guides. Not big tips like there is on the scale of the US but tips none the less.

 

Nowadays many of those same staff are on ridiculous zero hours contracts and despite the minimum wage struggle to make a living wage and now you want people to stop tipping them

 

 

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Seeing as I live here and have all my life I believe I'm just as qualified as you to comment on the tipping culture. As I've said before I do tip in restaurants- most of the time. And I'm not telling anyone not to do that. But I have never tipped a taxi driver, tour guide, delivery driver, hotel maid or any of the other professions you are supposed to tip in the US. Round up to the nearest £ maybe- I'm not going to ask the taxi driver for 20p back in change, although as you know they will never assume its a tip and try and withhold it. But I would never sit there thinking 'right my taxi fare was £12 so I'll tip him 15% on that'. And I've never met anyone here who does. To say they expect a tip is just not the case. Maybe in London I suppose but I don't spend a lot of time there.

 

So I believe its misleading to make out like US tourists are supposed to do the same here as they would at home. A post above was complaining that Brits don't tip themselves but tell Americans they should- I'm saying the exact opposite!

Of course if you want to tip they'll take your money. But it is 100% not expected like it is in the US.

[SpainAlien]

Seeing as I live here and have all my life I believe I'm just as qualified as you to comment on the tipping culture. As I've said before I do tip in restaurants- most of the time. And I'm not telling anyone not to do that. But I have never tipped a taxi driver, tour guide, delivery driver, hotel maid or any of the other professions you are supposed to tip in the US. Round up to the nearest £ maybe- I'm not going to ask the taxi driver for 20p back in change, although as you know they will never assume its a tip and try and withhold it. But I would never sit there thinking 'right my taxi fare was £12 so I'll tip him 15% on that'. And I've never met anyone here who does. To say they expect a tip is just not the case. Maybe in London I suppose but I don't spend a lot of time there.

 

So I believe its misleading to make out like US tourists are supposed to do the same here as they would at home. A post above was complaining that Brits don't tip themselves but tell Americans they should- I'm saying the exact opposite!

Of course if you want to tip they'll take your money. But it is 100% not expected like it is in the US.

Do we actually agree that the Brits do tip but not on the scale that there is in the U.S.

 

At no point have I said that 15% is expected to be applied. A couple of pounds on a meal in a restaurant, making the taxi fare up to the nearest pound on a short journey and maybe a pound to a tour guide.

 

It's not that we don't have a tipping culture It's just that we don't give big tips that's a different thing. It is misleading to advise Americans not to tip.

 

 

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[SquishTheWhale]

Do we actually agree that the Brits do tip but not on the scale that there is in the U.S.

 

At no point have I said that 15% is expected to be applied. A couple of pounds on a meal in a restaurant, making the taxi fare up to the nearest pound on a short journey and maybe a pound to a tour guide.

 

It's not that we don't have a tipping culture It's just that we don't give big tips that's a different thing. It is misleading to advise Americans not to tip.

 

 

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We do agree mostly! I guess I just found the comments (not by yourself) a little insulting about how Brits refuse to tip (wherever they visit) and expect Americans to tip big when on our soil, so felt the need to defend us as that's not true. I'm not advising not to tip if they want to, just that it's not expected.

[CostaFortune]

It's just a very different set up in the UK, we do tip in restaurants, bars, taxis etc but it's more about how the service was as apposed to it being a standard amount for everyone- it's also important to note that in the UK we have a very decent minimum wage so tips do tend to be regarded as an 'added bonus' to service staff, also there are restaurant chains in the U.K. That actually don't pass on tips to servers if it's added via credit card machine and not paid in cash! (This is legal by the way!) although when myself and husband travel to the USA we are aware of the tipping culture and make sure we tip accordingly- like you say, when in Rome!...

 

 

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I agree with the above, although we do have a lot of zero hour contracts in these companies that pay higher minimum wages. Particularly MaccyD's., whereby you could be sitting around waiting for a shift for 3 weeks!

 

There may be the fact that on cruise liners like NCL, we pay about double the fare to start with!

 

Tell me, who in the US is paying equivalent to £5,999 for a spa mini suite on the Bliss for 15 nights?

 

We don't get the opportunity to upgrade by bidding. I guess on the Bliss this would be difficult as it's full to the brim anyway, and no cabins to upgrade to. It's a hefty price to pay for such a small cabin, balcony and no bath, just a shower. If you deduct the Spa entries (roughly £295 per person for 7 nights - so say £1,200) that's still much more expensive than the US prices, that's not including flights, transfers, or first night hotel. So if you see us looking sleepy that first day, it's because we've been up for about 24 hours!

If anyone has any contact for booking companies that can do us a good deal for UK citizens, then please let us know! We won't moan about the gratuities then! [emoji6]

 

 

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