Tipping guides

[zqtchas]

Just wondering; when (if you do) tip the guides, do you tip in you home currency or the local one.

[Gourmet Gal]

I don’t tip on ship’s excursions, just assume all-inclusive means tips are covered, too.  But when tipping my own private guides I try to tip in local currency.

[Lois R]

I do, especially if I feel like the guide has been really good. And I use local currency.

[rkacruiser]

40 minutes ago, Lois R said:

I do, especially if I feel like the guide has been really good. And I use local currency.

 

I do as well and I will also use local currency if I have that.  That's one of my reasons why I attempt to obtain some of the currency for whatever countries I will be visiting prior to departure.  Argentina was a country where my bank could not obtain currency.  My guides there readily accepted U. S. dollars.  

[cruiseej]

1 hour ago, Gourmet Gal said:

I don’t tip on ship’s excursions, just assume all-inclusive means tips are covered, too.

 

I don't think that's a correct assumption. 

 

1 hour ago, zqtchas said:

Just wondering; when (if you do) tip the guides, do you tip in you home currency or the local one.

 

It depends where you are in the world, I suppose, but in many areas, tipping in US dollars or possibly Euros is perfectly fine, as currencies are easily converted by the tour guides at their local banks. If we were cruising in one country for a period of time — e.g. Greek islands for a week — I'd obtain local current y, but if we're making a single port stop in a country, that's too difficult to accomplish. 

[zqtchas]

I was told by the ships tour people that they don’t take care of the tipping.

[Gourmet Gal]

Then when SS includes excursions but not the tipping for guides then they cannot claim the cruise is all-inclusive.  When I pay for a ship’s tour or hire my own guide I always tip.  In fact, on group tours organized by the ship and I’ve paid for I rarely see other people tip the guide or driver.  SS should take a cue from Four Seasons Jets which covers tipping across the board.  Also, many river cruise lines include tours and I’ve never seen those guides tipped.

Edited March 8, 2022 by Gourmet Gal

[WesW]

We always tip on excursions as Silversea makes it clear that tips on excursions are not included.  We follow this guide; $5 for half day excursions, $10 for full day excursions (more if the guide truly goes above and beyond).  Understand, tipping is at the guest's discretion but believe these excursion personnel deserve a tip.

Edited March 8, 2022 by WesW

[cruiseej]

4 minutes ago, Gourmet Gal said:

Then when SS includes excursions but not the tipping for guides then they cannot claim the cruise is all-inclusive.  When I pay for a ship’s tour or hire my own guide I always tip.  SS should take a cue from Four Seasons Jets which covers tipping across the board.  Also, many river cruise lines include tours and I’ve never seen those guides tipped.

 

We've always tipped local guides on river cruise excursions as well as ocean cruise excursions. in each case, the money flows from the cruise line to the excursion company, but the tour guides and drivers rely on direct tips from customers to supplement their salary.

 

As for it not being all-inclusive, there are other things which aren't completely all inclusive. Laundry. Spa. Premium wines. You should think of the included excursion as simply a regular excursion for which SS is paying the excursion fee rather than you; the tipping is still up to you. 

[Stumblefoot]

6 hours ago, Gourmet Gal said:

I don’t tip on ship’s excursions, just assume all-inclusive means tips are covered, too.

Ouch! Really, really bad assumption. Especially when SS states tips are not included on excursions.

[nowornever]

I wouldn't dream of not tipping the tour guide unless they're awful which has only happened once or twice.  I think they would rather have local currency in most countries but in some less developed ones ,USD or Euros are welcomed.   I know tipping is a hot button subject like smoking or formal dressing so there is always a difference of opinion. 

[nowornever]

And a little extra to share with the always amazing drivers is always appreciated too.

[Silver Spectre]

On this particular trip it’s been US$ all the way. For some of our ports it’s difficult to obtain local currency and for a day in either South Africa or Jordon credit cards will suffice. Euros work almost everywhere in Europe except in the UK.

[Will Work for Tiramisu]

I heartily agree that you should tip the guide, as well as the driver.  We've been on so many tours where the driver negotiated the bus through narrow winding roads, frequently resulting in spontaneous applause when some impossible turn was completed.  These folks deserve a thank you, and it is much appreciated.  I go out of my way to make sure I have a good range of cash and coins with me, so can tip appropriately on these outings.  I consider it a small investment in international good will, and it is always gratefully received, particularly by the drivers, who maybe have to hope the guide will share some of the take.  

[MBP&O2/O]

.... and we went on one where the driver bumped another car in the car park and then clipped the wall going out of the exit. It went downhill from there! Nobody tipped and most people complained.

[dawntrdr]

We recently engaged a private guide in Athens for several days and we had chance in quieter moments to discuss numerous topics including the business of tour guiding.  Our guide stated that contracts with cruise lines for group tours are the least desirable of all of his work.  Guides work harder on these jobs than any others and for less money.  The tips they receive make it possible for guides to do this work rather than some other very basic job that would pay more.  So, I am going to tip a guide every time unless the service was truly appalling or dangerous (which thankfully has never happened).  It makes good tours continue to be available for all of us.

 

By the way, if you want to see a funny but true movie about the business of tour guiding, rent "My Life in Ruins" starring Richard Dreyfuss and Greek-American actress Nia Vardalos.

 

Oh, and to be on topic, we tip in local currency if it is easy to get beforehand such as Euro or British pounds.  In places like Dubai, Yemen, Jordan or Egypt, we tip in Euro if we have it.  It just doesn't make sense to try to get the local currency for one port.

 

Edited March 8, 2022 by dawntrdr

[Gourmet Gal]

12 hours ago, Stumblefoot said:

Ouch! Really, really bad assumption. Especially when SS states tips are not included on excursions.

Can you direct me to where on the SS or My SS site this is stated?  In practice on any group tour I’ve been on the tippers are a very distinct minority.  Sometimes I am the only tipper.

[carefreecruise]

when taking any bus tours, we usually sit in the back and can see, that about 10% or less normally tip and when the guide is entraining and engaging, that goes up to 30% to 40% of guests tipping. (These are just averages and can very depending on how many are in the group.)  

 

Sorry to say, we always tip in American dollars when we are only in that country for one day. It cost more to convert to local currency and better off giving that extra amount to the guide. Most tell us they prefer US currency over their local stuff, anyway. Out of hundreds of times of international tipping, have only had one guide in Berlin ask why. 

Edited March 8, 2022 by carefreecruise

[Lois R]

27 minutes ago, carefreecruise said:

when taking any bus tours, we usually sit in the back and can see, that about 10% or less normally tip and when the guide is entraining and engaging, that goes up to 30% to 40% of guests tipping. (These are just averages and can very depending on how many are in the group.)  

 

Sorry to say, we always tip in American dollars when we are only in that country for one day. It cost more to convert to local currency and better off giving that extra amount to the guide. Most tell us they prefer US currency over their local stuff, anyway. Out of hundreds of times of international tipping, have only had one guide in Berlin ask why. 

Hi, but wouldn't that depend on your full itinerary? If you are sailing all around Europe, wouldn't you have some Euros with you? I mean, I bring some US $ with me but If, for example I am sailing around Spain, Italy, France, etc.......I would use their $ for tips especially....I always have euros with me when in Europe.

[Fletcher]

2 hours ago, dawntrdr said:

 

 

Oh, and to be on topic, we tip in local currency if it is easy to get beforehand such as Euro or British pounds.  In places like Dubai, Yemen, Jordan or Egypt, we tip in Euro if we have it.  It just doesn't make sense to try to get the local currency for one port.

 

Yemen?????

[dawntrdr]

7 minutes ago, Fletcher said:

Yemen?????

Haha, I meant Oman.  But if I were in Yemen, I would still use Euro.

[carefreecruise]

Exchanging money while in foreign countries is not for novice. Very rarely do you find third-party offering fair exchange rates. Not to long ago a guest showed me the receipt for his exchange from Euro's to Croatian currency, all happy is only cost 3%. After looking it over, I told him, the cost was 16%. They manipulated the daily rate of each country to hide the other 13%. So, he basically already tipped before he got the money in his hands… 

[Port Power]

18 hours ago, cruiseej said:

 

We've always tipped local guides on river cruise excursions as well as ocean cruise excursions. in each case, the money flows from the cruise line to the excursion company, but the tour guides and drivers rely on direct tips from customers to supplement their salary.

A great number of countries do not have a tipping culture. Workers, including guides and bus drivers, are paid a good basic wage, Rather than a wage supplement, being given tips is an untaxed bonus.  Tipping is not the norm everywhere.  

[fdnycruiser]

2 hours ago, Port Power said:

A great number of countries do not have a tipping culture. Workers, including guides and bus drivers, are paid a good basic wage, Rather than a wage supplement, being given tips is an untaxed bonus.  Tipping is not the norm everywhere.  

Japan would certainly fit in that category. I always tip in US $$$ , or maybe Euros in an EU nations. In most other countries they usually prefer the stability of the US dollar. 

[Stumblefoot]

13 hours ago, Gourmet Gal said:

Can you direct me to where on the SS or My SS site this is stated?

I typed “silversea excursion gratuities” into Google and this was the first result shown.