How much to tip for excursions (%)?

Curious with food tips going up to minimal 18%-20%, what is the going rate for excursion guide tip %? Also do you tip differently for private excursion vs ship excursions? Thanks for any insight !

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There is no "standard" tip...if you feel a guide was informative and fun, tip what YOU feel it's worth. Some "guides" are simply drivers, and we don't usually tip them...after all, it's just transportation that we've paid for. We've had fun guides that really enhance the experience, and we'll usually give them $10-20 for a long excursion.

Tips are up to you...they are not required.

Like cb, I usually tip $10-$20 for our excursion operators. We always do independent excursions and never do excursions through the cruise line.

My son was a Captain in STT and did snorkel trips for the cruise lines. The Captain only makes a $100 a day and the crew 1/2 that. These guys work their butts off. The day starts at 7am and ends 6 pm. The mornings are stocking provisions, getting passenger manifest, sailing from the mooring ball to the cruise ship. After 2 trips 9am and 1pm , then comes maintenance, cleaning repairs, and off to the bars. So, if you had a great time, take care of these guys, no less than $10 a head. You would not believe how many people stiff these guys, it's amazing.

We will vary it up based on private vs. ship and also based on the total cost of the excursion and the quality of the tour guide and the driver.

Keith

Thanks for all of the input! We have always done around 10-15%/pp based on excursion price in the past. However just like the food tipping industry rising to at least 18% nowadays, just wondered if this had trickled over to excursion tipping. We also don't usually tip transportation unless its also part of the guided tour. I know it's supposed to be based on your own personal experience, and usually I budget the max and decide afterward if that's what they end up with. Some of the excursion operators are very good and do work hard for their money and deserve the tips. The worst we ever had were some of the ship sponsored tours that we did in Europe, every step of the way they had their hand out expecting something. We just got to the point where we just looked them straight in the eye and walked past them. I never feel obligated to tip according to what others do, however just wondered what the appropriate rate is now. This gives me a little more assurance we are doing the right thing. :)

I don't understand what you mean by "food tipping industry rising to at least 18%."

I thought the standard was 20% for good service. I actually did a quick search and every article I saw said for restaurant tips 15-20% in general. I don't know about a "rise".

I almost always have good service and I almost always tip 20%. Maybe that's why my service is good. Also, as someone who waited tables in college I know what it's like.

I don't understand what you mean by "food tipping industry rising to at least 18%."

I thought the standard was 20% for good service. I actually did a quick search and every article I saw said for restaurant tips 15-20% in general. I don't know about a "rise".

I almost always have good service and I almost always tip 20%. Maybe that's why my service is good. Also, as someone who waited tables in college I know what it's like.

Well the standard used to be 15% minimum of course going up to 20% or more for great service, whereas now the minimum seems to be 18%. Just basing this on restaurants where they now put the % amounts on the printed receipt. Was just curious if excursion tipping had also taken a hike as well. Not trying to get into a food tipping discussion only using it for a comparison, [emoji38]

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