How much to tip for private excursions?a lot of

Four of us are doing 3 private excursions (one each in Skagway, Juneau and Ketchikan). They are each 4-5 hours in length. What is a reasonable tip for each person to give the driver/guide? Should it be based on a percentage of the per person tour cost? The tours are fairly expensive, but a lot of personal service is involved.

Thanks for any help with this. We're leaving in 2 weeks on the Coral Princess.

We always do private excursions. It all depends on how good the service actually is. We tip anywhere from nothing to 20%. If you have a separate drive and then a guide, we always give the driver a few bucks.

I think OP is asking if you are paying a large amount for each on an excursion what would be the normal tip per person. At least I'd like to know that since I have 6 people, 4 of which are kids and a 20% tip of $3,300 is close to $500. That seems like a lot for a tip.

I think OP is asking if you are paying a large amount for each on an excursion what would be the normal tip per person. At least I'd like to know that since I have 6 people, 4 of which are kids and a 20% tip of $3,300 is close to $500. That seems like a lot for a tip.

Sorry, I thought I answered it. If I feel the person deserves a tip, I tip about 20%. We used the same guide in Rome for a week. He picked us up at our apartment everyday. There were 2 adults and two teens. Each day cost 500-600 euro. I paid him more than 20% at the end of the trip. He was amazing to us, going above and beyond what any other guide has done for us. He was worth every penny we paid him! I have been on tours where the guide did nothing special at all and I gave about 10 to 15%. Tipping is a personal thing. Some people give nothing or just a buck or two. I'm not one of those unless I don't get good service.

I think OP is asking if you are paying a large amount for each on an excursion what would be the normal tip per person. At least I'd like to know that since I have 6 people, 4 of which are kids and a 20% tip of $3,300 is close to $500. That seems like a lot for a tip.

Tipping is a personal decision and I won't criticize what people tip, unless they tip nothing to a great guide.

We do mostly private tours that I arrange and I have found that in Europe, tipping expectations from the guides and bus drivers are NO WHERE NEAR 20%. In fact, 10% is still too high. I usually tip for a good tour 10 Euros for a full day tour to the guide and 5 Euros to the bus driver. That is for both DW and self. I watch what others give or I can see what they hold in their hands before they tip. My tipping is definitely in the zone for most, while I see that some don't tip at all.

Tipping is a personal decision and I won't criticize what people tip, unless they tip nothing to a great guide.

 

We do mostly private tours that I arrange and I have found that in Europe, tipping expectations from the guides and bus drivers are NO WHERE NEAR 20%. In fact, 10% is still too high. I usually tip for a good tour 10 Euros for a full day tour to the guide and 5 Euros to the bus driver. That is for both DW and self. I watch what others give or I can see what they hold in their hands before they tip. My tipping is definitely in the zone for most, while I see that some don't tip at all.

Tipping in Europe I was told to "round up" - never 20% but it's all subjective like food.

I too wonder what is expected or reasonable for Alaska as many tours can hit the $500pp range. Also basing it on a short business/tourist season. Always a dilemma :confused:

Hi, all--thanks for your replies to my questions. I guess I was more concerned about Alaskan tours, since they're kind of pricey, and it being the U.S., do you tip more than usual? We've traveled in Europe, Central and South America and the Caribbean, so have figured those out--sometimes up to 20%, depending on the tour, the guide, the driver, etc. I agree that some of the guides are so excellent, you feel like no tip is big enough!

Two of the tours we'll have just a guide/driver, the other one we may have the guide/driver and a "trainee." The rates actually aren't per person, but a one price for everyone, which we've divided in four. But we'll tip individually (or per couple), since each person or couple may feel differently about tipping. (I should've explained that better.)

And Canada's another story--but I'll ask that on the Canadian Port of Call board, since we'll be spending a few days pre-cruise there.

Thanks again!

Hi, all--thanks for your replies to my questions. I guess I was more concerned about Alaskan tours, since they're kind of pricey, and it being the U.S., do you tip more than usual? We've traveled in Europe, Central and South America and the Caribbean, so have figured those out--sometimes up to 20%, depending on the tour, the guide, the driver, etc. I agree that some of the guides are so excellent, you feel like no tip is big enough!

 

Two of the tours we'll have just a guide/driver, the other one we may have the guide/driver and a "trainee." The rates actually aren't per person, but a one price for everyone, which we've divided in four. But we'll tip individually (or per couple), since each person or couple may feel differently about tipping. (I should've explained that better.)

 

And Canada's another story--but I'll ask that on the Canadian Port of Call board, since we'll be spending a few days pre-cruise there.

 

Thanks again!

I tend to tip about the same anywhere, except probably a little more in the US and Third World countries than Europe, but not much more.

Tipping has been discussed quite a few times in the past. I went into the search box for the Alaska thread and entered "tipping"--- the link below shows a few more posts that you can take a look at --- hopefully, it will be of some help to you.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/search.php?searchid=106104269

Your tag line reads "private tours." I hope you tip on ship excursions as well...those people don't get paid that much and work hard. Of course, the usual caveats apply - if service is lousy, small or no tip. I usually tip $5 - $10 for myself and a few bucks for the bus driver if it involves a transfer, especially if they do a city tour on the way.

Tipping has been discussed quite a few times in the past. I went into the search box for the Alaska thread and entered "tipping"--- the link below shows a few more posts that you can take a look at --- hopefully, it will be of some help to you.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/search.php?searchid=106104269

The link doesn't work.

I am traveling to Alaska in July. I have some expensive excursions booked and I do intend to tip if the service is good.

Usually I tip the driver $5 to $10 pp depending on how long i've been in his vehicle if it's a good long ride, I'd probably give him $20.

The actual tour guides I usually give at least $20 may be more depending on how long and how great it was.

There are those who don't tip, those who tip very little and those who tip a lot. Hopefully, the tour guides will get a mix off all and not just no or low tippers, because they do rely on the tips.

charlie

Tipping in Europe I was told to "round up" - never 20% but it's all subjective like food.

 

I too wonder what is expected or reasonable for Alaska as many tours can hit the $500pp range. Also basing it on a short business/tourist season. Always a dilemma :confused:

This is the dilemma. I'm already paying a small fortune for the "once in a lifetime" tours. Tipping for a couple for a $500 trip is around $200 for the tour itself. I'm tipping for six people so 20% for me would be $600 plus an extra $2000. That's a lot of money. Especially when my other tours are expensive. For six people at 20% the total works out to $3,750 in just tips.

I think this illustrates one of the many problems with tipping culture in the US: consistency (or, rather, the lack of it). It's not at all obvious whether it's customary to tip my helicopter pilot. For those who sneer at the non-tippers, I'd ask: did you tip the pilot who flew you to the port city? No? What's the difference? Is it because one is transportation and the other recreation? So you tipped the captain of the cruise ship, then?

Which is not to say it's wrong to do so. A similar argument could be made on the other side (you tip the bus driver, why NOT the pilot?), but all this leads to tip creep: without guidance, people afraid of stiffing others tip in situations where no tip is expected, and over time as more do so, it becomes expected.

This is the dilemma. I'm already paying a small fortune for the "once in a lifetime" tours. Tipping for a couple for a $500 trip is around $200 for the tour itself. I'm tipping for six people so 20% for me would be $600 plus an extra $2000. That's a lot of money. Especially when my other tours are expensive. For six people at 20% the total works out to $3,750 in just tips.

I think if you did a statistical survey on tipping for tours by cruisers that the 20% tip would be off the charts. My sense is that the median tip for a day tour would be around $10 pp and for half a day, $5 pp. I suppose when a 20% is on the tour, the guide must believe that her or she has hit the jackpot.

I would agree that in this particular situation, 20% would be a bit insane (over 3000$ tip???). On the other hand, tipping what some posters say of 5-10 dollars would be, in my opinion, equally ridiculous and insulting to the guide. If my family were the only trip of the day for an excursion of this high cost, I would probably tip several hundred dollars (300?) or more if my family had a great time. When you book a trip that costs a lot, you should expect that you might need to tip more if you loved the trip. As everyone mentions, tipping is a very personal thing. We aren't talking about excursions in Europe, where tipping is less. This is Alaska, the US. We all know what tipping is like and have to use our own judgement of what is fair, without being a totally cheap . (Sorry to the 5-10$ guys). This is also not like the cattle boat cruise sponsored trips where the guide is being tipped by 100 people. In this case, the guide is being tipped on a tour with just 6 people. Using the OP's original numbers of a $500 per person excursion, a 10$ tip is only 2%. You don't go to a ultra fine dining restaurant and tip $5 per person on a dinner that cost each person over $100. If you can't afford a fair and reasonable tip (once again noting that a true 20% tip would be totally crazy), don't book the excursion. You just need to find a good number somewhere between the crazy 3000+ tip and the kind of cheap 5$ tip. Don't flame, this is my opinion only.

If you have hired a driver and not a "guide" I would tip less. If you are on a huge tour bus with 50 others I tip less. If I have a guide that is taking us around personally and they are going out of their way, I tips well! When I book a tour I budget a tip into it and yes, it can be a huge tip.

To insert a different but related point of view, from one who was self-employed dealing directly with clients, I think it makes a real difference if you are dealing with an employee or with the owner of the business.

I feel that if you are dealing with a one person company in which the owner is also providing the service, ie, a whale tour with the owner of the boat, a tip should not expected or appropriate. The owner establishes the price they feel is competitive. If it the compensation depends upon tipping then the pricing is not where it should be. In this case I do not tip.

If I am dealing with an employee then a tip is appropriate.