Tipping on the Asia Land/Cruise Tour

I am doing the eight day land tour in China before we board the Diamond Princess. Can anyone tell me if we can use US Dollars for tipping or should we use Chinese CNY? We will have the crew members to tip on the River boat also the Tour Mgr. I read where Princess is suggesting $30 per day on the River boat, that seems high to me.

First of all, China in general is not a tipping society. So for example, there is no tipping in hotels or for taxi drivers.

However, the tourist industry does encourage tipping, both on river cruising and for tour guides.

Tips for Chinese are best done in the local currancy as that is what they can spend the easiest (imagine trying to tip a Chicago waiter in Chinese money). If they do get US $, they can exchange them, but that is extra effort for them.

When we were on a China river cruise a couple of years ago, the suggested tipping was $10/day/person. However that was not a Princess tour, but was with Viking.

By the way, we obtained the Chinese money we needed at at ATM at the airport upon arrival in China. You can also usually exchange US $ for Chinese currency at the front desk in hotels. The exchange rate is controlled by the government and is the same everywhere.

Since you are doing the Princess pre-cruise land tour and I assume you're asking about tipping the guides on the Princess tour, I'd bring lots of crisp new $1 bills. That's what I plan to do for my 3-day Princess pre-cruise tour in April/May. When I did a 16-day river cruise a number of years ago, I always tipped with $US. I also used $ to pay street vendors. I used ¥ only for bathrooms and in very few places.

I am doing the eight day land tour in China before we board the Diamond Princess. Can anyone tell me if we can use US Dollars for tipping or should we use Chinese CNY? We will have the crew members to tip on the River boat also the Tour Mgr. I read where Princess is suggesting $30 per day on the River boat, that seems high to me.

I did this tour in 2006.....Bangkok to Beijeing with the tour after the cruise. You will love this trip!

we had an excellent tour guide on the land portion...she told us up front that the individals who helped us around places (such as in Xian) were tipped by princess...however if you needed extra service - such as wheelchair help....you should tip.

We tipped in american currency...

I did this tour in 2006.....Bangkok to Beijeing with the tour after the cruise. You will love this trip!

 

we had an excellent tour guide on the land portion...she told us up front that the individals who helped us around places (such as in Xian) were tipped by princess...however if you needed extra service - such as wheelchair help....you should tip.

 

We tipped in american currency...

Thank's for the response. Can you give me an idea as to what you tipped the Tour Mgr and the crew on the Riverboat??

Thank's for the response. Can you give me an idea as to what you tipped the Tour Mgr and the crew on the Riverboat??

Again, ours was not on a Princess tour, but on Viking one.

Suggested amount for the ship personnel was $10/person/day

Suggested amount for tipping our tour guide who was with us on both land and the boat for 11 days was $100/person.

Again, ours was not on a Princess tour, but on Viking one.

 

Suggested amount for the ship personnel was $10/person/day

 

Suggested amount for tipping our tour guide who was with us on both land and the boat for 11 days was $100/person.

Caribill, thank you for help.