Tipping on Shore Excursions

Okay, help a novice out.... I know that it is customary to tip your shore excursion guide but how much is expected per person? I know, I know....it depends upon how long, where, what kind of service BUT just generally speaking, how much would one tip let's say on a tour to Stingray City or Dunns Falls? Do you tip the hired tour operator and then the actual guide that helps you climb???? Do the taxi drivers expect a tip every time you get in their cab? I am posting this on several boards because I would appreciate as much feedback as people are willing to give....(P.S. I also heard that you should tip whoever handles your lugguage. THAT could get pricey! (If you consider how many people handles them from the airport on.....)

Many, many thanks!

Taxi drivers generally expect a tip unless you work out a price before getting in the taxi and say that it includes a tip. As for tour guides - we generally tip $5.00 to the guide and $2.00 to driver if we are on tour bus. At Dunn's Falls, the person who guided you up the falls will gladly take a tip - I think most people give him a couple of dollars. I know it seems like every time you turn around you are tipping someone, but remember a lot of the people in the tourist locations depend on tips for their income - they are generally not paid well if at all.

In Jamaica we tipped the guide for the falls $10. We were 3 in our family and went with several other families. We tipped the guide in the garden $5, and tipped Mickey from A to Z Jamaica planners very well, since he was with us all day.

The tipping did annoy me though. Have a price and be done with it.

We did not tip taxi drivers (in the other ports) as a rule, perhaps if the fare was low and he drove well, we gave a little, one or two dollars, but the fare in Grand Cayman was $4pp for 2 miles or so, and they crammed gazillion people into the car, no tip was necessary I thought. It worked as a bus. I don't tip busdrivers here in the states if I happen to go on a bus to the airport etc.