Tipping & Excursion Time

What is appropriate tipping for the helicopter pilot and the musher if you go on this excursion?

Also, what time of the day is best for the helicopter excursions?

Tipping is truly a personal matter. You must judge whether you feel as though they went above and beyond to make your adventure the very best it could be. If not, give them a couple of bucks and be done with it. But if you feel they were great, give them $10 each or more if you feel the urge. I have often given $20 for an exceptional job.

On that note, is it appropriate to tip on a tour that is conducted by the owner?

For example, we've booked with a family-owned company in Ketchikan and our pilot is one of the owners.

I understand tipping etiquette in general, but is it appropriate to tip under these circumstances?

Thanks!

~ trish

Well I always have but that's just me...

I'm usually a good tipper,but also look for cues as to whether the person is expecting a tip. Maybe it's my own stupid mistake,but I saw no opportunity to tip a helicopter pilot. When we landed,we were hustled off the copter by the ground crew as the pilot sat at the controls. There was no chance for us to approach him and he never approached us. The only time to tip would have been during the trip. Guides who are looking for tips are usually pretty obvious about it. On the White Pass and Yukon run,the onboard guide on our car came around and shook everyone's hand (talk about obvious) at the end of the trip. On post cruise bus tours the charge slip the driver had us fill out had a line for "gratuity". On our pre-cruise tour,the guide was asked about how much to tip the maids at the hotels. Her answer was, "I've never heard of tipping a maid.". This from somebody who earns a large part of their income from tips.

I always tip, and have been blasted some times. :) I don't care WHO owns the company, if I get an enjoyable, and safe tour, I always tip. For shuttle drivers a $1 to $10pp for extended touring. Clearly up to the individual but service industry employees on the whole depend on tips so at least consider them.

Ditto to HVSteve. There wasn't any opportunity, since my purse was locked up and we had to exit quickly for the next group to go up.

I always tip, and have been blasted some times. :) I don't care WHO owns the company, if I get an enjoyable, and safe tour, I always tip. For shuttle drivers a $1 to $10pp for extended touring. Clearly up to the individual but service industry employees on the whole depend on tips so at least consider them.

BQ is right. Many of these folks are dependent on a 5 month season to make the majority of their annual income. I've never experienced a member of an excursion team that didn't put forth tremendous effort in hopes that you'll fall in love with their home and remember your Alaska adventure forever. Maybe this is a good time to remember the meaning of the words...TIP = To Insure Promptness. Typically given before service is given, something you might give a matre'd or waiter or even your room steward on board the ship (I always do this). A Gratuity is an extra something to express your gratitude for a job well done. If you're taking an excursion make sure you have gratuity money in an accessible pocket. If you're departing a helicopter in a rush and you feel you should give the pilot a gratuity, make the effort to give it to the pilot, don't wait on them. They made the effort for you, you might want to return that favor.

I guess having run a tour company in Alaska, I'm sensitive to this matter more than most...I'll get off my soapbox now :) Sorry :o

We just reached forward to the helicopter pilot before we got out, tapped him on the shoulder, handed him his tip folded up and thanked him. We wore fishing-type jackets with lots of pockets.

When my Mt. McKinley pilot helped me out - and they had put me in the co-pilot's seat (probably just lucky there, we were a party of three), I made sure to give him $20 for the honor of that seat.

If someone is medicore and doesn't assist when it's obviously needed, doesn't have their heart in it and we're feeling underwhelmed (after having spent a small fortune), I don't tip.

BTW, I met my room service waiter while we were both waiting for the tender. I found out a lot about him and he found out about some of my health problems because we had to wait in this long line. I could tell he was a very sincere young man. When he brought my breakfast the next day, which would be my last one on board, I asked my husband to tip him twenty (I was still asleep). We had always tipped him a couple of dollars when he brought my breakfast (my husband preferred eating at the buffet). Well because he had spoken to me, that breakfast tray had a lovely bowl of fresh sweet strawberries - something I hadn't asked for. Later that day he surprised us with a gorgeous bowl of grapes for my husband that was dropped off and he quickly left, clearly not wanting a tip.

We originally had the plan to tip our room steward $20 on arrival just to set the tone. We did that and he was terrific and we tipped him at the end as well. But now I feel this way about it. It isn't just to insure good service. It's because these are very nice people who work very hard. They may be there without their families and they will return home at the end of their contract for a few months. They may be the only working member of their family. Anyway, what I'm trying to say and it's coming out rather clumsy is that they are people. And once I saw them that way instead of servers, I think they saw me as a person, not just as a passenger.