Tipping Tour Guides?

[Kim]

Can anyone please tell me what the appropriate tip is for the tour operator? Is it a percent of the cost of the tour or an amount per person? Of course if the tour is wonderful we will add more that average, but I wondered.....what is average?

Thank you

[DebbiW]

As a first time cruiser, I've been wondering about that myself. Here's a quote from an article posted on the Cruise Critic home page:

 

Shore Excursions

For a half-day bus excursion I give the guide $2, $4 for a full-day excursion. If the guide has spoken with me at length individually or confided to me places for dining or shopping after the tour, I tip him/her $5 for a half day, $10 for a whole day. And I don't forget the driver. After all, he/she brought me safely down the Dolomites, or negotiated the traffic in Athens. I give him/her $1 for a half-day excursion, $2 for a full-day one.

[Nanatravel]

That is about average; $5 per person or more for the tour guide up to $10 for a driver/guide.

Bon Voyage

[NinaCO]

There was a recent CC article on tipping which is very comprehensive. The recommendation was $2 - $5 for a half-day excursion and $4 - $10 for a full-day (depending on the level of service received). A separate tip for the driver would be $1 (half-day) or $2 (full-day).