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Tipping in Sydney


sellwingri
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We’re booking a private tour of Sydney with pickup at the airport. It’s a 4-5 hour tour of the area. Everything I’ve read is that tipping isn’t common in AU. Does this mean that we shouldn’t tip our tour guide?

 

Is this the same practice in NZ?

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We’re booking a private tour of Sydney with pickup at the airport. It’s a 4-5 hour tour of the area. Everything I’ve read is that tipping isn’t common in AU. Does this mean that we shouldn’t tip our tour guide?

 

Is this the same practice in NZ?

They’ll take it, but if you don’t you won’t be chased down or abused either.

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What GUT said. It's not required, but tour guides will be pleased to receive a 10 or 20 at the end of the day. Especially if you enjoyed the tour.

If there is a good vibe between me and the guide I sometimes ask if I can shout them a coffee or ice cream at a rest stop. Ditto for the driver, if driver and guide are different people.

Ultimately, in Australia we pay decent wages and tipping is not forced on customers.

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If you have paid in full for a tour that is all you are required to pay. The tour company pays the tour guide and wages here are governed. There is utterly no reason to tip anyone in this country.

 

If someone performs the Heimlich manoeuvre or CPR on you and saves your life - by all means buy them a drink.

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They’ll take it, but if you don’t you won’t be chased down or abused either.

 

 

 

When in LA, tour guide said at beginning of tour, I see we have Australians on board, just to let you know we tip here and then quoted how much he would like.

We did tip, but not what he suggested which was over the top. He wasn’t that good anyway.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

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When in LA, tour guide said at beginning of tour, I see we have Australians on board, just to let you know we tip here and then quoted how much he would like.

We did tip, but not what he suggested which was over the top. He wasn’t that good anyway.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

 

Yeah it’s just out of control over there.

 

And they don’t understand it themselves, look how many threads are started by Americans asking who to tip and how much.

 

I understand in some spots 25% is expected.

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Selwingri--As an American who lived in Australia for a few years, I can say that it was so refreshing NOT to be expected to tip for everything. So, in answer to your question--NO, you do not have to tip the guide and he/she will not be offended if you don't tip. Tipping is not a part of the Australian culture and your guide will be amply compensated without relying on tips from you or anyone else. So, feel free to show your "cultural awareness" and skip the tip.

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On ship tours everywhere else, both the driver and tour guide expect tips so this is great. It actually lowers the overall cost of the tour.

 

Great info! Our first visit to AU and NZ is in 55 days (not that I’m counting) so I want to learn everything I can.

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If you have paid in full for a tour that is all you are required to pay. The tour company pays the tour guide and wages here are governed. There is utterly no reason to tip anyone in this country.

 

If someone performs the Heimlich manoeuvre or CPR on you and saves your life - by all means buy them a drink.

 

What about New Zealand - what is the tipping culture there? Similar to Australia?

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What about New Zealand - what is the tipping culture there? Similar to Australia?
If anything, even more strongly anti-tipping. NZ is where a local warned me that the offer of a tip may be taken to be an insult (although it is not the only place like that).
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If anything, even more strongly anti-tipping. NZ is where a local warned me that the offer of a tip may be taken to be an insult (although it is not the only place like that).

My dad would take it as an insult.

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On ship tours everywhere else, both the driver and tour guide expect tips so this is great. It actually lowers the overall cost of the tour.

 

Great info! Our first visit to AU and NZ is in 55 days (not that I’m counting) so I want to learn everything I can.

 

 

I hope ou enjoy your visit

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Just curious if that also goes for restaurants? Is there any tipping expected when you have dinner out?

 

Thank you!

 

Camelia

Again they’ll take it, but you won’t be chased down the street if you don’t.

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Just curious if that also goes for restaurants? Is there any tipping expected when you have dinner out?

 

Thank you!

 

Camelia

 

For us it depends on the restaurant and service received. Say the bill was $77, we would round it up to $80. We also find it there is a big group and the bill can't be split, there is usually extra cash put in and that goes as a tip. If eating at a place where you pay as you order such a pub, unlikely to leave a tip.

 

Leigh

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For us it depends on the restaurant and service received. Say the bill was $77, we would round it up to $80. We also find it there is a big group and the bill can't be split, there is usually extra cash put in and that goes as a tip. If eating at a place where you pay as you order such a pub, unlikely to leave a tip.

 

Leigh

 

 

Similar, we went out last week just a cafe really, beautiful location. There would have been about 10 of us. A few real picky, can I leave that off, can I have this instead of... no xxxx in the salad, all that type of stuff. The girl was fantastic, everyone paid their own (so more hassle for her) I know a few of us added 10 to our part of the bill. I also made sure it came to her boss’ attention.

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<<Just curious if that also goes for restaurants? Is there any tipping expected when you have dinner out?>>

 

Tipping is not necessary in restaurants. The servers get paid a living wage and do not depend on tips to augment a paltry wage like in the U.S. You may see a line for a tip on your receipt, but you are not expected to add a tip. It's just how the machines are set up.

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If you have paid in full for a tour that is all you are required to pay. The tour company pays the tour guide and wages here are governed. There is utterly no reason to tip anyone in this country.

 

If someone performs the Heimlich manoeuvre or CPR on you and saves your life - by all means buy them a drink.

 

Taking a cruisetour on Princess in October and here is the info Princess provided for the land tour part of our trip...

Tipping

Gratuities are a personal matter and an expression of appreciation for genuine, personal service provided by knowledgeable and creative professionals. Below are suggested ranges (in Australian dollars) to assist you in determining what gratuity amount is appropriate. The customary end-of-tour gratuities to your tour director and full day touring motorcoach driver are not included, as they are at your discretion.

ServiceGratuityMealsAverage 10% gratuity for server in upscale restaurantsMotorcoach Driver$4 (AUD per person, per day)Escorted Tour Director$5 - $7 (AUD per person, per day)Taxi Drivers

 

 

The following is copied from our itinerary.

 

GRATUITY INFORMATION

Farewell to your Tour Director Today you will say goodbye to your tour director and conclude your Princess escorted tour. As traditions and customs vary widely across the globe, we often have guests ask what gratuity guidelines are appropriate for the region they are touring. It is our belief that gratuities are a direct reflection of the level and quality of service received. It is customary to extend gratuities as a sign of appreciation on the last day of your land tour. The following is the recommended industry standard for tour directors in Australia: Tour Director: 5.00-7.00 USD per person per day Extending gratuities is a personal matter and should be distributed on an individual basis without solicitation and not on behalf of any group.

 

 

 

Any thoughts from you locals? Don't want to

do anything inappropriate. Looking forward to our trip but need to gather info. Thanks

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Taking a cruisetour on Princess in October and here is the info Princess provided for the land tour part of our trip...

Tipping

Gratuities are a personal matter and an expression of appreciation for genuine, personal service provided by knowledgeable and creative professionals. Below are suggested ranges (in Australian dollars) to assist you in determining what gratuity amount is appropriate. The customary end-of-tour gratuities to your tour director and full day touring motorcoach driver are not included, as they are at your discretion.

ServiceGratuityMealsAverage 10% gratuity for server in upscale restaurantsMotorcoach Driver$4 (AUD per person, per day)Escorted Tour Director$5 - $7 (AUD per person, per day)Taxi Drivers

 

 

The following is copied from our itinerary.

 

GRATUITY INFORMATION

Farewell to your Tour Director Today you will say goodbye to your tour director and conclude your Princess escorted tour. As traditions and customs vary widely across the globe, we often have guests ask what gratuity guidelines are appropriate for the region they are touring. It is our belief that gratuities are a direct reflection of the level and quality of service received. It is customary to extend gratuities as a sign of appreciation on the last day of your land tour. The following is the recommended industry standard for tour directors in Australia: Tour Director: 5.00-7.00 USD per person per day Extending gratuities is a personal matter and should be distributed on an individual basis without solicitation and not on behalf of any group.

 

 

 

Any thoughts from you locals? Don't want to

do anything inappropriate. Looking forward to our trip but need to gather info. Thanks

 

 

Again, sure they’ll take it (most will anyway) but it’s not necessary.

 

No idea who writes these guides by Princess on how much to tip.

 

One Princess Cruise they published tipping guides in the patter before each Port, basically said 15-25%.

 

I said Rubbish. Never seen such amounts as ‘normal”. If there is a “normal” it might be some rounding up, or maybe 10% from the more generous, but that’s about it.

 

Unfortunately some staff, that see a lot of American tourists seem to be starting to expect it.

 

But please remember the minimum adult wage in Australia is about $17 an hour, plus penalty rates for some shifts.

 

Many NZers feel even more strongly that they don’t want the tipping culture to invade their land

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No idea who writes these guides by Princess on how much to tip.
I think it's not so much a question of who's writing them, but who they're being written for.

 

Tipping threads on CC repeatedly reveal a deeply-ingrained aspect of the US tipping culture: Tipping is a regarded as a moral obligation. If you don't tip, you're going to go to hell the fast way, and don't expect to get any sleep that night. And the more you tip, the better a person you are.

 

Within the US, where pay structures and scales are set up within that culture, that may all work very well. A visitor to the US would be doing their hosts a great disfavour to bring their own "I'm b@ggered if I'm going to tip anyone" attitudes with them (as some sadly do). When in the US, you need to tip properly for perfectly proper reasons.

 

But the culture seems to make at least some of the US audience feel very uncomfortable when they're in a different place where tipping is neither necessary nor expected, thus witness the content of the many threads about tipping in Australia and New Zealand. The feeling of moral imperative means that they just can't walk away without leaving a tip, however often they are told by locals that they can just walk away without leaving a tip.

 

So I do wonder whether the guides are written by people who think that they won't be listened to unless they tell their audience what their audience would prefer to hear. And as you say, few staff are going to positively refuse free money that's on offer, however unnecessary it is for the giver to part with it.

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<<So I do wonder whether the guides are written by people who think that they won't be listened to unless they tell their audience what their audience would prefer to hear.>>

 

 

Well said, Globaliser. I think it’s clear that Princess is writing for the American market and it not a true or fair description of the Australian/NZ tipping culture.

 

 

If I found out that Princess was recommending I tip a person making $17 per hour (when their US counterpoint might make $5 per hour before tips), I would be VERY annoyed.

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