tipping in Norway and Copenhagen

Hi we are leaving for our cruise in a few weeks and I am getting ready to order our foreign currency. We have all of our tours paid for already so I'm trying to figure out how much cash to bring. In Norway I need just tipping money and maybe a little spending money does anyone know what a proper tip is in Norway? Like how much would you tip for every 100.00 you spend? Also how about Copenhagen how much would you plan on tipping there? We would appreciate any advice Thank You very much

I assume you are talking about tipping your tour guides in Denmark and Norway. Neither of those countries has a tipping culture as we do in the United States and workers in those countries do not depend on tips for their income (unless you are taking one of the "free walking tours", which you probably are not.) If you want to tip a guide, then 5 - 10% should be good.

Tips are not an automatic and expected practice there as mentioned.

While some Americans tip as if at home. We follow local practices when we travel. And we tip those that add something to our tour, dinner service , hotel concierge services, etc. because we want to, not because someone says we need to. You will get many opinions. It's up to you.

Thank you that is the information I am looking for. All of our tours are paid i just want to make sure I tip the right amount. When we go on vacation I like to organize everything into folders and envelopes with the right amount of money then I can add if needed to.

As mentioned: Tipping is not expected anywhere (although the culture is sneaking in a little bit), but of course appreciated, so it is perfectly acceptable not to tip. For good or exceptional service, you can tip 5 to 10 % at restaurants, if a taxi driver does a good favor, you could tip him too by rounding the bill if you pay cash. Otherwise, I would not tip reataurants, taxis or anybody else. I would put it this way: tip if you feel you have received a service better than expected. For standard regular service, don't tip.

I would put it this way: tip if you feel you have received a service better than expected. For standard regular service, don't tip.

Exact how it works - tips already included.

I've lived in the U.S. for over 20 years and I will never understand the obsession of Americans over tipping in non-tipping countries... For me it's such a relief to be on a trip somewhere in Europe, looking at the prices on the menu and knowing that it's exactly how much my dinner is going to cost me!

Thank you for all the advice, good to know about the tipping policy. We have only been to Europe one other time last year and it was Nice and Italy so we did tip there and our guides were very pleased. Just wanted to make sure on Norway and Denmark.

I must say I did read this thread with huge interest.

Never have I heard that tipping is not "necessary" or never tip for standard service.

Very few places has it included.

The service industry all over the world and also in Norway is a low paid profession so tipping is a polite and nice way to say "Thank You" for the service provided.

I would give a few or 5 NOK if I have coffee in a cafe. For a lunch maybe in the NOK 40 region.

For guides who has enriched my experience I would suggest in the NOK 50 region per person.

I must say I did read this thread with huge interest.

 

Never have I heard that tipping is not "necessary" or never tip for standard service.

Very few places has it included.

 

The service industry all over the world and also in Norway is a low paid profession so tipping is a polite and nice way to say "Thank You" for the service provided.

 

I would give a few or 5 NOK if I have coffee in a cafe. For a lunch maybe in the NOK 40 region.

For guides who has enriched my experience I would suggest in the NOK 50 region per person.

I plan on tipping I was just making sure on the amount and the service, although some think its not necessary I believe most are happy with a little extra.

I plan on tipping I was just making sure on the amount and the service, although some think its not necessary I believe most are happy with a little extra.

You and me both;) (high 5:D)

You and me both;) (high 5:D)

I keep it around 10% for restaurants, tours, taxis, etc. As was mentioned, tips are typically not expected but appreciated.

If you want to tip a taxi driver in Copenhagen, using a credit card, tell them up front before they run the bill. Unlike the U.S., you are not able to add the tip to the receipt.

How about tipping on a Copenhagen canal tour? I don't want to offend by tipping or not.

How about tipping on a Copenhagen canal tour? I don't want to offend by tipping or not.

I cant remember how much we tipped or indeed if we tipped(:eek:)

We got the tickets from a ticket booth and the commentaries was recorded (?)

***

Regarding taxis the same applies in Norway. I usually just round up the bill if I use a card.

We did two B2B cruises out of Copenhagen last Sept/Oct and spend several days in Copenhagen as well as one day in Bergen, Norway.

My sense was that tipping in restaurants is similar to that in Germany. Leave the small change or if you want a modest amount.

As four tour guides, I believe tipping was customary, if you felt the tour guide was good.

How about tipping on a Copenhagen canal tour? I don't want to offend by tipping or not.

This is not a private tour. Would you tip on a hop on hop off bus because the driver handed you earphones to listen to commentary?

(Unless you hired a private boat tour)

This is not a private tour. Would you tip on a hop on hop off bus because the driver handed you earphones to listen to commentary?

 

(Unless you hired a private boat tour)

I would not tip on a canal tour nor would I do it on a HO/HO bus. Even in the tip-crazy U.S., that's not expected.

This is not a private tour. Would you tip on a hop on hop off bus because the driver handed you earphones to listen to commentary?

 

(Unless you hired a private boat tour)

I didn't know the boat tour would be recorded commentary. Sorry. And the last HOHO bus tour I was on was in Philadelphia and I'm sure there was a "tips" jar, but that was probably that US thing. Did a one-day bus tour outside of London with probably 40 strangers, so that wasn't exactly private, but the guide and driver came right out and asked for tips/gratuities/whatever. Maybe that was an England thing.

I didn't know the boat tour would be recorded commentary. Sorry. And the last HOHO bus tour I was on was in Philadelphia and I'm sure there was a "tips" jar, but that was probably that US thing. Did a one-day bus tour outside of London with probably 40 strangers, so that wasn't exactly private, but the guide and driver came right out and asked for tips/gratuities/whatever. Maybe that was an England thing.

For the canal tour or HoHo perhaps a dollar if the announcer was good.

For the canal tour or HoHo perhaps a dollar if the announcer was good.

Thank you. That's what I was thinking. I can't begin to imagine the wage for a canal boat captain. :p $1-2 won't break the bank.

Thank you. That's what I was thinking. I can't begin to imagine the wage for a canal boat captain. :p $1-2 won't break the bank.

I find this odd. Do you also tip the captain and first officer on domestic flights? What about the flight attendants who are actually serving customers? Regional airline crews in the U.S. (especially junior employees) are often paid very little and the median salary is only around $25-30K/year.

I've never understood the arbitrary line between who should receive tips and who should not. I'm not trying to start a flame war. I'm genuinely confused, since it usually comes down to customer interaction and pay, but it still doesn't seem to be evenly applied.

I find this odd. Do you also tip the captain and first officer on domestic flights? What about the flight attendants who are actually serving customers? Regional airline crews in the U.S. (especially junior employees) are often paid very little and the median salary is only around $25-30K/year.

 

I've never understood the arbitrary line between who should receive tips and who should not. I'm not trying to start a flame war. I'm genuinely confused, since it usually comes down to customer interaction and pay, but it still doesn't seem to be evenly applied.

Tipping the canal boat captain is nothing like tipping the airline captain. The canal boat captain narrated our tour, just like a tour guide.

Tipping in the USA is the custom. However airline crews are on salary and tipping has never been customary for those people.

Tips form a large part of the income for wait staff and others in the service industry. The minimum wage is lower than for other workers, because of their tips. In very nice restaurants, a good waiter/ess can make a very good income.

Also, it is normal to tip porters that assist you with luggage or bus drivers at airports that do the same.

I prefer the tipping over a service charge at a restaurant (will little or no tip), since the tip is an incentive for good service.

We lived in Germany for four years and traveled widely in Europe, finding that the table service at restaurants that charged a service charge had poorer service.

I'm confused myself, kaisatsu, so I thought I should ask. Tipping cab drivers, bellman, porters, etc is common knowledge. I have read online articles about airlines not allowing flight attendants to accept tips so some passengers must try (wouldn't occur to me though). I haven't been on a canal boat tour before so I just wasn't sure. I'm still confused why there would be a different expectation for different types of what are essentially group tours. It's all good. If I wouldn't miss $1-2, then the boat narrator probably wouldn't either.;)

The reason the subject of tipping becomes confusing and debatable is because people have different reasons for/philosophies of tipping. Now add in that the tradition is different around the globe and tourists could spin the conversation forever.

If you feel it's your responsibility as a customer to pay the living wages for a service worker, no matter the service, then tipping is probably going to be necessary in your opinion. If you feel you want to reward a worker for adding something to your experience, then probably not all workers will get equal gratuities. And a country's traditions play a role for sure.

It's always a personal choice. What someone else tips or doesn't tip never steers us one way or the other. It's the worker who determines that gratuity amount from us.;)

Tipping the canal boat captain is nothing like tipping the airline captain. The canal boat captain narrated our tour, just like a tour guide.

Sorry! I thought I saw somewhere in the previous comments that the commentary was pre-recorded. I was wondering why someone would tip the person who drives the boat. (Hence the comparison to pilots.)