Tipping on Viking - Americans vs. Europeans

Not looking to start a war, but I am curious.

We have a Viking Rhine cruise lined up next month. I assume many Europeans will be onboard. American and European cultures are completely different when it comes to tipping. Americans are much more used to the idea of gratuities than are Europeans where workers receive a much higher base wage.

So I am wondering if Americans will be subsidizing Europeans when it comes to tips. Like others, I would rather have the tips included in the base fare, but that is not reality.

I tip based on the service. Don't be surprised if there aren't any Europeans on board.

I think Viking will know about the differences in tipping. Follow your gut feeling and/or recommendations of Viking I would say.

I agree with the previous poster in that you might have very few Europeans onboard. If there are any they will probably only be from the UK. Viking does only market in (native) English speaking countries.

Also, I do not think the crew is that much dependend on tips. There are rules of basic wage that have to be followed. However, from what has been mentioned here on cruisecritic it appears that the cruise director has a different employment agreement with the cruise company. In this case tipping has been mentioned as being important.

If in doubt, I am sure Viking will be able to help with your question if you send them an e-mail.

Have a great cruise.

notamermaid

Thanks to those who took time to give thoughtful answers. It surprises me that most of the passengers will be Americans. If so, my question is basically moot.

Thanks to those who took time to give thoughtful answers. It surprises me that most of the passengers will be Americans. If so, my question is basically moot.

Maybe. Many countries consider tipping rude. We just did a RTW trip and in some places they do not even have a line for a tip. Just because the ship is mostly Americans does not change the local culture.

Viking does list the "appropriate" daily tipping on their web site.

No idea if doing less or more would be acceptable. Or tipping individuals separately. Or how tipping is done when you order drinks that extra.

Perhaps when marketing to Europeans and Australians the tips are prepaid included in the fare. I've met Aussies on Avalon and they said they prepaid the tips

Thanks to those who took time to give thoughtful answers. It surprises me that most of the passengers will be Americans. If so, my question is basically moot.

FWIW, on our April Danube Waltz, there were only two couples who might not have been from the US. They were Asian and hung together so I never got to know them, they spoke accented English so they may have been from somewhere else. I agree with the PPs....don't expect very many Europeans.

Two viking cruises and mostly all Americans.

On one of our Viking trips the Aussie couple that we met were given vouchers (prepaid) to put in the tip envelopes at the end. This was addressed to those who prepaid their tips during the talk on tipping.

Just tip the suggested amount and Bobby Mc Ferrin or Bob Marley ;)

Don't worry be happy. . . Don't worry bout a ting

 

I agree with the previous poster in that you might have very few Europeans onboard. If there are any they will probably only be from the UK. Viking does only market in (native) English speaking countries.

 

They used to market to Germans. I remember seeing a Viking ship in Russia that I did not see advertised. I looked it up and it was on the Viking German website. This was a number of years ago and I remember reading they pulled out of the German market. Do you know why?

Thanks to those who took time to give thoughtful answers. It surprises me that most of the passengers will be Americans. If so, my question is basically moot.

I have a friend who cruised on Viking last week , he told me only 7 non americans on his cruise

Hello Coral,

They used to market to Germans. I remember seeing a Viking ship in Russia that I did not see advertised. I looked it up and it was on the Viking German website. This was a number of years ago and I remember reading they pulled out of the German market. Do you know why?

the German river cruising market is not booming, it is quite limited and had at the time when Viking took the decision still a slightly "older and relatively rich people" air about it. This sounds a little exaggerated I know, I mean this as a basic rule. On my river cruise in 2013 there was a couple in their thirties. Anyway, Viking saw the market stagnating, I suppose. They openly announced that they wanted to focus on the booming North-American market.

Last year somebody posted on cruisecritic a link to an article with the CEO of Viking that very clearly showed the marketing strategy.

There are still enough players on the German market and the companies are trying to update river cruising. There are theme cruises, "active" and cruises marketing to families. There is a wide choice to be had and in the last two years the number of German passengers has gone up.

As regards tipping: on the last day of my cruise an envelope was given to every cabin with a recommendation for tips. You could put in what you wanted, of course.

notamermaid

So I am wondering if Americans will be subsidizing Europeans when it comes to tips.

...or to put a European perspective on it, 'will Americans be over tipping as usual and causing problems for everyone else' :)

Don't give it a second thought, just follow the guidelines and you'll be fine.

If you feel that any particular individual has delivered exceptional service then a discreet extra tip handed to the individual will always be gratefully received, but it is never expected or required.

So I am wondering if Americans will be subsidizing Europeans when it comes to tips. .

Funny way of looking at it.

All tipping is done at end of trip, you are given two envelopes, one for tip to Cruise Diractor, other for rest of staff. You put suggested amount or whatever you want into the envelopes and put in a box at reception.

If you'd prefer to pay them with a credit card, you can add tips to the bill for optional excursions/bar bills etc when you pay on the last day.

Re number of Americans on the boats. That is because some boats are only advertised on the US website and other boats on the non-US websites. Sometimes if there are unsold cabins on sailings they'll open up to other country's Viking offices.

...All tipping is done at end of trip, you are given two envelopes, one for tip to Cruise Diractor, other for rest of staff. You put suggested amount or whatever you want into the envelopes and put in a box at reception.

 

If you'd prefer to pay them with a credit card, you can add tips to the bill for optional excursions/bar bills etc when you pay on the last day.

...

Someone has posted about "suggested" tips and some of those were for tour guides...my question is if we want to just put all of our tips on our ship account and pay with credit card will that cover the tours?

I guess my question really, are the tour guides on the ship with us, or are they local to the port?

And a side question, when you get on the ship do you get some kind of travel schedule for the whole week, or do they just do it day by day?

This will be our first river cruise and trying to figure some logistics. We like to "wander"...I was thinking there might be some ports we would probably skip the tour and just wander...BUT, someone had posted that the ship might/will drop you off and then continue to a different location, while you are on land.

Someone has posted about "suggested" tips and some of those were for tour guides...my question is if we want to just put all of our tips on our ship account and pay with credit card will that cover the tours?

 

I guess my question really, are the tour guides on the ship with us, or are they local to the port?

Greetings.

Typically, the tour guides are local to the port and are not on the cruise with you. We've made a habit of getting Euro coins for the tours and tip them after. Coach drivers as well.

And a side question, when you get on the ship do you get some kind of travel schedule for the whole week, or do they just do it day by day?

If you are specifically speaking of Viking cruises, you will receive a daily schedule in your room. Usually this is delivered to you by the ship gnomes while you are at dinner :)

This will be our first river cruise and trying to figure some logistics. We like to "wander"...I was thinking there might be some ports we would probably skip the tour and just wander...BUT, someone had posted that the ship might/will drop you off and then continue to a different location, while you are on land.

You are certainly free to wander, and the daily excursions are not mandatory, but the ship won't drop you off at an unscheduled location. Again, this is assuming that you're referring to Viking River Cruises.

Jeff

You are certainly free to wander, and the daily excursions are not mandatory, but the ship won't drop you off at an unscheduled location. Again, this is assuming that you're referring to Viking River Cruises.

 

Jeff

Thanks for info.

I'm pretty sure it was someone that was on Viking that posted that they left the ship in the morning for the "ship's provided 1/2 day tour" and then the ship continued on and they re-boarded the ship in different location. (not sure how far away?)

Thanks for info.

 

I'm pretty sure it was someone that was on Viking that posted that they left the ship in the morning for the "ship's provided 1/2 day tour" and then the ship continued on and they re-boarded the ship in different location. (not sure how far away?)

Yes, I'm sure that's possible to arrange. Sorry - I misunderstood your comment :)

Jeff

Thanks for info.

 

I'm pretty sure it was someone that was on Viking that posted that they left the ship in the morning for the "ship's provided 1/2 day tour" and then the ship continued on and they re-boarded the ship in different location. (not sure how far away?)

There may be occasions when the ship stops at port A for pax to board a bus to tour B and C and then the bus meets up with the ship at point D. You will find this out at the port talk. On the trips we took (not Viking), these situations were easy to figure out by reading the final itinerary.

Hello Coral,

 

 

 

the German river cruising market is not booming, it is quite limited and had at the time when Viking took the decision still a slightly "older and relatively rich people" air about it. This sounds a little exaggerated I know, I mean this as a basic rule. On my river cruise in 2013 there was a couple in their thirties. Anyway, Viking saw the market stagnating, I suppose. They openly announced that they wanted to focus on the booming North-American market.

 

Thanks for explaining!

We only cruised European river once 15 years ago. I vaguely remember that tipping envelopes were dropped in a wooden box. The recent Viking recommended gratuity is:

Program Director – €2 per guest, per day

Onboard staff – €12 per guest, per day

Local city guides – €2 per guest, per day

Coach drivers – €1 per guest, per day

that is €17 per guest, per day, or almost US$20 per guest per day.

If we plan for a 15 day/14 night cruise, the tipping alone would be $500-600 for 2 passengers. Is this "European Greed"?

Please, don't blame Europeans!

Some of these amounts are crazy to Europeans.

However he amounts are suggestions.

Our Avalon cruise had one couple from the UK, 40% Australian, 40% Canadian & the rest Americans.

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I can't comment on Viking in Australia but all the other river cruise lines that do business down here include the gratuities in the cost of the trip. It's fair to say that Aussies are generally not good tippers.