What's the Real Story on Viking Tipping?

Not sure which line you are referencing the CMs on the lines I sail with DO get paid, and not just in gratuities.

As per the post that started this thread I was referencing Viking...

They are not alone in this approach, but obviously the more inclusive/ no tipping lines do things differently.

I quizzed our Viking cruise director about the tips, because it was my first river cruise. He explained the independent contractor aspect, and that he alone got the tips from that particular envelope. The rest of the crew, including the captain, shared in the tips from the other envelope. I wish I had asked him if the other 51 (I think that was the number) share EQUALLY. So, I don't know how they divvy it up.

When we checked out, I asked what the "recommended amount" worked out to, and they told me 168 euros (12 * 2 * 7) so I said put us down for 200. Then we put money in separate envelopes and handed them personally to the young man who took care of our cabin, the maitre d, who really looked after our special dietary interests, and a small amount to the piano player. My wife and I actually like to tip to show our appreciation for excellent service. I guess it's an American thing. My wife tends to be more generous than me. At the end of the day I can say that we are fortunate enough so that an extra $200 or so won't make a difference to us.

Wow $200 on top of the suggested tips is very generous.

I agree. I have taken 4 Viking cruises and tipped the recommended amount and nothing more.

However, I always questioned (to myself) why we are asked to tip when sailing thru out Europe. After all, tipping is not necessary (meaning the locals don't) in a typical European restaurant. No tipping for cab drivers or even housekeeping in a hotel.

I agree. I have taken 4 Viking cruises and tipped the recommended amount and nothing more.

However, I always questioned (to myself) why we are asked to tip when sailing thru out Europe. After all, tipping is not necessary (meaning the locals don't) in a typical European restaurant. No tipping for cab drivers or even housekeeping in a hotel.

Sadly, I believe it's because Viking wages are low and the crew, mostly people behind the scenes that we do not see, rely on the tip money to help feed their families.

I would prefer that Viking INCREASE the fare to cover the tip money. But I have found Viking corporate to be intransigent.

I love Viking shipboard personnel.

I would prefer that Viking INCREASE the fare to cover the tip money. But I have found Viking corporate to be intransigent. I love Viking shipboard personnel.

It would be nice if all the restaurant chains in the USA did the same, but I guess that isn't happening either :)

Tipping does vary across Europe as well, it is not universally zero in all cases.

Same old advice applies, just add the recommended tips to the cost of the cruise and compare that with the lines that do include tips.

My problem is not on the cruise itself, it is all the people with their hands out on excursions. I wish the lines would pay and tip them, and just up our cost a bit. (Just on my way back from Vietnam and Cambodia on Ama; so these issues aren't unique to Viking.)

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We just returned from a Viking cruise on the Douro. We were given two envelopes for tipping during the cruise portion. One envelope was for the 3 Tour/Program Directors to share equally, and the other was for the ship staff, which Viking recommends should get a higher amount per day, per person. In addition, we tipped the bus drivers and local guides as needed. On this particular trip, the Tour/Program Directors get much less (Viking recommends 2 Euros per day, per person) since they really don't do much for the individual traveler unless you have a problem. It's the ship staff that works the hardest.

My problem is not on the cruise itself, it is all the people with their hands out on excursions. I wish the lines would pay and tip them, and just up our cost a bit. (Just on my way back from Vietnam and Cambodia on Ama; so these issues aren't unique to Viking.)

Actually, on both of our recent Viking cruises (China & Vietnam/Cambodia) and also on our Egypt cruise with Movenpick, our main guide handled all incidental tipping for us.

We never had to worry about finding small bills or deciding who to tip, we just gave the guide a small sum of money at the start and they handled the rest, along with a very open process of delivering the tips and a full accounting to the group of how it had all been spent at the end.

It made even Egypt essentially a zero tipping zone from our perspective.

Twototravel-

Is it true that on the Douro cruise that tipping to cruise staff must be made in cash and cannot be charged? If so, did they explain why? Thanks

Twototravel-

Is it true that on the Douro cruise that tipping to cruise staff must be made in cash and cannot be charged? If so, did they explain why? Thanks

Twototravel-

Is it true that on the Douro cruise that tipping to cruise staff must be made in cash and cannot be charged? If so, did they explain why? Thanks

Yes, tips must be given in cash. Recommended Euros, but I'm sure dollars would be okay too. The only thing you can pay with a credit card is your ship spending....drinks, souvenirs from their on board shop,etc. The WiFi is iffy even when docked, so they warn passengers to be flexible paying...if the WiFi is down when you go to pay off your account on the last full day, you will need to pay it in cash. WiFi was terrible going thru the locks and around high mountains along the river. Other times it was just slow due to so many people using their devices at once.

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Yes, tips must be given in cash. Recommended Euros, but I'm sure dollars would be okay too.

Just wondering why would you think dollars would be okay, too? The crew would have to go to a bank to and get dinged on the exchange rate .

RB

Grand Circle program directors do the tipping for local guides and drivers as well as the porters in hotels. Tips are cash only, one envelope for ship's crew, one for the program director. The amounts suggested by GCT in their documents are listed in usd; the bulk of our tips are in usd with non-Euro local currency include if we have any remaining.

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Yes, tips must be given in cash. Recommended Euros, but I'm sure dollars would be okay too.

Just wondering why would you think dollars would be okay, too? The crew would have to go to a bank to and get dinged on the exchange rate .

RB

Excellent point. Passengers too busy to be inconvenienced to get Euros before or during a cruise but do not mind making hard working crew take time to go to a bank and spend their valuable time off exchanging dollars for Euros. Of course everyone claims that they tip more in $ so as to cover the exchange. It's the inconvenience. Folks unwilling to be inconvenienced who don't mind inconveniencing someone with limited time off.

Try handing Canadian dollars to someone in the US in a Canadian border state.

We tip in dollars because the cruise line provides the the "suggested" daily tip amount in dollars.

I have never asked a crew member what they do with their cash. But I don't imagine that they keep several hundreds of cash (regardless of the currencies) in their cabins for weeks on end.; they likely do banking on a regular basis in order to make deposits.

Many crew members (depending on the line they work for) do not have a lot of free time to go do their banking. Banking hours are not like they are in the US. And because they are constantly sailing from country to country they do not have a 'home branch' ,so they are penalized with bank fees and for foreign exchange rates.

It's too bad some cruise companies do not make it easier for their staff and crew and let the guests know the use of € is preferred in Europe.

RB

This subject has been broached on other threads. People should tip local nationals in their home currency instead of in dollars! What do you think the reaction would be if some VN tourist gave a bellman a tip in VN currency? It’s not rocket science, just poor manners, part of that Ugly American Tourists thing.

Looking beyond that, one of many things I disliked about cruising with Viking in Europe was getting off a bus and having a tour guide and bus driver standing there with their hand stuck out. Made going to all inclusive Uniworld that much easier. No tipping required.

I am getting tired of some people on this site attacking you for every comment a poster makes. This time it was me, a while back several people criticized someone commenting on their wait in a hotel upon arrival...this is a site for sharing ideas, not jumping on people.

To end my commenting on this, we usually give the currency that is recommended, but if we can't, dollars or any currency is better than not tipping at all. Many crew members are not from the local country and send their money home, where US $ may give them a better exchange rate. I am not an Ugly American.

Many crew members (depending on the line they work for) do not have a lot of free time to go do their banking. Banking hours are not like they are in the US. And because they are constantly sailing from country to country they do not have a 'home branch' ,so they are penalized with bank fees and for foreign exchange rates.

 

 

 

It's too bad some cruise companies do not make it easier for their staff and crew and let the guests know the use of € is preferred in Europe.

 

 

 

RB

It does seem that getting tips in local currency would be easier for the crew. I have read that Viking's target market is senior Americans. Maybe Viking thinks it is easier to explain tipping in dollars to their passengers. IMO with the availability of ATMs and the knowledge that tips are expected, informed passengers could be able to come up with the local currency.

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Unless one is terribly math challenged, they can easily convert the recommended tip amount, provided in dollars, into the local currency.

I believe the implication that the cruise companies should provide tipping amounts in multiple different currency to be silly. Takes about 15 seconds to Do the conversions.

Those bus drivers and tour guides, especially in non Euro using countries like Hungary, shouldn’t be burdened with non local currency.

Can any of our European members explain how the banks handle a $ cash deposit into an account at that bank? What kind of exchange rate will the bank customer get?

Different banks and countries with different rules. When I lived there, no banks would accept any US bills smaller than a twenty. So no $1, $5,or $10 bills. Typically, there was a minimum conversion amount to do a transaction likewise.

I can't say for certain, but I imagine that the ship's purser would exchange currency for the crew members.

While on the subject of tipping, I have never understood why for a day or half-day excursion the bus driver expects a tip. Perhaps for a week or two week trip with the same driver who handles the luggage, but not for a short excursion.

Suggested tips for the boat staff (not guides) on every river boat I have been on were pooled. It would seem to me that all pooled tips in what ever currency would be converted to desired currency by a single designated representative, and this would not be left to each individual.

To stir the pot a little, what is local currency for boat staff on a Danube cruise that passes through countries using Euros, Hungarian Forint, Croatian Kuna, Serbian Dinar, Bulgarian Lev and Romanian Leu? Do the people that are adamant about tipping in local currency really submit an envelope containing 6 currencies prorated by the hours spent in each country. Personally when allowed I tell Guest Services to charge me a specific appropriate amount in whatever currency they are using (usually Euros) and it appears on my statement in US Dollars. I always try to tip local guides and drivers in their local currency, but if that is not available then in the unofficial secondary currency (Euros in East European countries). I make exceptions in countries that don't have a local currency (eg Zimbabwe) or have a currency that not even the locals want (eg Albania).

Thom