Excursion gratuities

[chefestelle]

It has been SOOO long since I cruised! I'm looking forward to going next year. I will be taking my sister who has decent mobility but some days has to use mobility aids. So I have decided to do ship excursions instead of independent ones. My question is, how much of a gratuity do you pay the excursion people (see? Long time since I cruised!)? I did google it but they are saying $2-4 whether half day or full day and that just doesn't ring any bells. Also, ship excursions tend to run more expensive than ones you seek out yourself so I'm sure they're not based on the excursion value either. Can anyone give me some insight or link me to a thread where this was already discussed? I did search but everything seems to relate to onboard tipping. Much appreciated... yes, I'm already planning for next August!  So exciting to be back and reading the reviews!

[navybankerteacher]

I believe that someone who provides me with a service - particularly if it is well done - which I have arranged, is entitled to a gratuity.  Somehow if it is a contractor retained by the cruise line, in which case the line would seem to be the one to pay, i would feel less inclined to give a gratuity -- unless, perhaps, there had been truly over the top service.

[2wheelin]

36 minutes ago, navybankerteacher said:

I believe that someone who provides me with a service - particularly if it is well done - which I have arranged, is entitled to a gratuity.  Somehow if it is a contractor retained by the cruise line, in which case the line would seem to be the one to pay, i would feel less inclined to give a gratuity -- unless, perhaps, there had been truly over the top service.

I don’t expect that the cruise line contract with the provider includes a tip. I believe that would be up to each individual on the tour. I would tip the same as if on an independent tour unless the independent tour is private. In that case I would tip more.

[LHT28]

ships tours we usually give $5-10 PP  depending on the  the tour

 

Private tours  we give 10-15% of the tour price PP 

YMMV

 

Do not think there is  any right or wrong answer ..give any amount you want

[clo]

8 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

ships tours we usually give $5-10 PP  depending on the  the tour

 

Private tours  we give 10-15% of the tour price PP 

YMMV

 

Do not think there is  any right or wrong answer ..give any amount you want

So does that mean that the ship tours include a gratuity?

[Heidi13]

I consider tipping a private matter and it is based on the level of service provided to us and local customs.

[Elaine5715]

40 minutes ago, clo said:

So does that mean that the ship tours include a gratuity?

No, they don't.

[Essiesmom]

Remember that although ship tours usually cost more than booking the same tour yourself, the tour company does not get the full amount.  Part of it goes back to the cruise line.  Thus the provider may be taking home less than if you book privately.  Personally I would give the same.  EM

[clo]

1 hour ago, Heidi13 said:

I consider tipping a private matter and it is based on the level of service provided to us and local customs.

Tipping is certainly based on the service but IMO a certain amount is necessary unless one is in a country where tipping isn't really done.

[Heidi13]

23 minutes ago, clo said:

Tipping is certainly based on the service but IMO a certain amount is necessary unless one is in a country where tipping isn't really done.

 

So if you are on a tour and you receive one of the really poor guides, am I reading your reply correctly that you feel obligated to provide some form of gratuity?

 

On our last cruise, we received a couple of poor guides. In one of the ports, we learned more from pax on the ship, after we returned, than from the guide. In those circimstances, with poor service, I feel no obligation to reward the tour guide.

[cb at sea]

I think it really depends on what the "excursion" is..  If it's a guided tour of some sort, and you have a wonderful time, then tip.  If it's merely transportation to a DIY thing....no tip is needed.  It's totally up to you and the value you perceive.   

 

We've had a few "excursions" where our guide is about as interesting as a rock....and some that have really added to our day.......so bring a few bucks, and play it by ear!

 

[1025cruise]

I usually plan to tip $5 to the tour guide. The service has to be really exceptional for me to tip more.

What busts my butt is when the tour guide and the driver are two people and both expect to be tipped. As far as I'm concerned, they can work that out between themselves.

[ldubs]

All good answers and clearly this is an extremely variable thing based on individual preference.   I'm sure some tip $1 and some $20.  In general, for a one day ship excursion we give $5 PP for good experiences.   That might vary depending on something as basic as what local currency we might have in our pockets.    If the excursion guide provides assistance for someone with mobility issues, a gratuity is certainly in order.  So how much?  IDK,  $5 seems good?   $10?  

 

 

Edited August 29, 2021 by ldubs

[ldubs]

29 minutes ago, ldubs said:

All good answers and clearly this is an extremely variable thing based on individual preference.   I'm sure some tip $1 and some $20.  In general, for a one day ship excursion we give $5 PP for good experiences.   That might vary depending on something as basic as what local currency we might have in our pockets.    If the excursion guide provides assistance for someone with mobility issues, a gratuity is certainly in order.  So how much?  IDK,  $5 seems good?   $10?  

 

 

 

Evolution of thought (and "edit" timed out).  As previously said by another poster this is a personal thing.  If someone thought $5 too much or too little, they would be correct.  

[clo]

1 hour ago, 1025cruise said:

What busts my butt is when the tour guide and the driver are two people and both expect to be tipped. As far as I'm concerned, they can work that out between themselves.

When we've done escorted land tours, there was an amount recommended per day for the guide and a much smaller amount for the driver. Maybe $5 and $1.

[lenquixote66]

15 hours ago, chefestelle said:

It has been SOOO long since I cruised! I'm looking forward to going next year. I will be taking my sister who has decent mobility but some days has to use mobility aids. So I have decided to do ship excursions instead of independent ones. My question is, how much of a gratuity do you pay the excursion people (see? Long time since I cruised!)? I did google it but they are saying $2-4 whether half day or full day and that just doesn't ring any bells. Also, ship excursions tend to run more expensive than ones you seek out yourself so I'm sure they're not based on the excursion value either. Can anyone give me some insight or link me to a thread where this was already discussed? I did search but everything seems to relate to onboard tipping. Much appreciated... yes, I'm already planning for next August!  So exciting to be back and reading the reviews!

The least I ever tipped was $10 and the most $20 to the tour guide.

$5.00 to $10 to the bus driver

[rkacruiser]

5 hours ago, cb at sea said:

I think it really depends on what the "excursion" is..  If it's a guided tour of some sort, and you have a wonderful time, then tip.  If it's merely transportation to a DIY thing....no tip is needed.  It's totally up to you and the value you perceive.   

 

We've had a few "excursions" where our guide is about as interesting as a rock....and some that have really added to our day.......so bring a few bucks, and play it by ear!

 

 

This poster describes my position.  If the guide is really good and/or helpful, he/she will receive a larger gratuity than one that "goes through the motions".  The same with the bus/van driver.  If the driving is challenging, then the person deserves a bit more than a $1 or $2 tip.

 

I must add my most recent observations of cruise guests ending a shore excursion.  Increasingly, I have seen that neither the guide nor the driver receive any gratuity.  

[rkacruiser]

My Nephew, who is an Alaskan citizen, has worked during the Summer for a tour company based in Anchorage.  His tours are in a van; he is the guide and driver.  He loves Alaska and has lived there long enough that he has had many years of experiences to share with his guests.  He is quite enthusiastic about his State.  His basic salary is low and he does appreciate gratuities.  The stories I have heard of his experiences about tipping from his guests run the gamut of a couple giving him a very large tip for a run of the mill half day tour to those who offer nothing but a "thank you" when they leave.  Generally, he has found that the longer the tour, the more generous his guests are.  

[Nebr.cruiser]

We hardly ever take ship tours, so not sure how tipping works there.  We'd probably tip about $5 pp depending on quality and length of tour.

 

For independent tours we usually tip $5 pp for a half day, $10pp for a longer day and a smaller amount to the driver, if the guide isn't also driving.  For a really top quality tour we might add an extra $5pp or more.

[wrmiles]

When we took a float  plane tour in Alaska and a helicopter tour in Hawaii, we tipped the pilot because they didn't crash.

[Ashland]

7 hours ago, 1025cruise said:

I usually plan to tip $5 to the tour guide. The service has to be really exceptional for me to tip more.

What busts my butt is when the tour guide and the driver are two people and both expect to be tipped. As far as I'm concerned, they can work that out between themselves.

We have no problem tipping the driver directly as well...Some of them we've had did an amazing job navigating and getting us there safely and back again.

[1025cruise]

16 minutes ago, Ashland said:

We have no problem tipping the driver directly as well...Some of them we've had did an amazing job navigating and getting us there safely and back again.

My issue is that I'm not prepared to tip two people. I've only brought enough cash in suitable bills to tip one. The driver and tour guide can easily split what they get.

[Ashland]

37 minutes ago, 1025cruise said:

My issue is that I'm not prepared to tip two people. I've only brought enough cash in suitable bills to tip one. The driver and tour guide can easily split what they get.

Your choice...We bring enough local currency (if needed) to cover small unexpected expenses...you just never know.

[lenquixote66]

2 hours ago, 1025cruise said:

My issue is that I'm not prepared to tip two people. I've only brought enough cash in suitable bills to tip one. The driver and tour guide can easily split what they get.

Many years ago I had a job in which gratuities paid more than salary.A woman in a mink stole gave me a sealed envelope and asked that I not open it until I arrived home.I did so and opened it to find the sum of $2.00.

[ontheweb]

9 hours ago, lenquixote66 said:

Many years ago I had a job in which gratuities paid more than salary.A woman in a mink stole gave me a sealed envelope and asked that I not open it until I arrived home.I did so and opened it to find the sum of $2.00.

Was it a $2 bill or was it two single dollars?

 

Did you take it to the racetrack and turn it into a much larger amount?

Edited August 30, 2021 by ontheweb
added last sentence