Independent Tour Tipping Question

[sharmorr]

Trying to do the right thing: (1) Booked on an all day tour with independent company in Scotland (4 people in car - total cost = 340 GPB). How much tip would be appropriate per person? (2) Booked on independent tour from LeHavre to Normandy (8 in van - total cost = 980 Euros) - how much tip is appropriate per person? (3) is 10% appropriate for car company to/from London/Southampton? (4) what is appropriate for ship excursion tours? All replies are appreciated.

[Putterdude]

For an all day tour in Scotland I would think in terms of 10 GBP per person.

In Le Havre, you haven't indicated how long the excursion is but for a 1/2 day I would think in terms of 5 e per person and double that for a full day.

A 10% tip for your transfer would be generous.

Ships tours, hard to say but something in the range of a couple of GBP's to 5 GBPs would likely be in order.

[sharmorr]

perfect! Thank you so much for your advice.

[fabnfortysomething]

10% of tour cost is a reasonable and easy to work out sum rounded up or down for private tours if it has been a really good tour

[sharmorr]

Thank you, Fab!

[wheezedr]

We generally do around 10% in a way that gets us a round number in the local currency. It also depends on the tour group size. If your in a small to medium bus with both a guide and a driver don't forget the driver as well. Taxis in Europe is often a round up of the fare so we can give simple bills without getting change

[idahospud]

If you have both local currency and US dollars on you, consider asking your tour guides if they have a preference of what type of currency they'd like to be tipped with. We did tours in Lisbon, Paris, and London and all three of our tour guides preferred US dollars. They all were planning trips to the US and wanted to save the tips for their visit.

[Putterdude]

If you have both local currency and US dollars on you, consider asking your tour guides if they have a preference of what type of currency they'd like to be tipped with. We did tours in Lisbon, Paris, and London and all three of our tour guides preferred US dollars. They all were planning trips to the US and wanted to save the tips for their visit.

 

That is likely fair information, but we tend to lose sight on these boards that not everyone who cruises is an American, for instance I am not. So when we travel the last thing we carry is USD, we carry the coin of the realm.

[idahospud]

That is likely fair information, but we tend to lose sight on these boards that not everyone who cruises is an American, for instance I am not. So when we travel the last thing we carry is USD, we carry the coin of the realm.

Good point. Thanks for the reminder.

[4774Papa]

10% of tour cost is a reasonable and easy to work out sum rounded up or down for private tours if it has been a really good tour

 

I like to organize a lot of private tour when cruising, although occasionally take the ship's excursion when the distance travelled is far and missing the ship is more of a risk, or when prices are the same.

 

Tipping is different each country or area of the World. For example, tipping in Australia or Japan is not done or rarely done.

 

Tipping in the USA is generally more than in Europe.

 

In my opinion, tipping tour guides on ship's tours is less than on private.

I know people on cruises that never tip at all on ship's excursions.

 

We generally tip for half a day ship tour about $5 pp unless the tour is $40 pp and then it drops to $4. Full day would be more. I usually tip the bus driver a couple of dollars unless we have travelled a long and/or difficult distance, then I give $5 or 5 Euros.

 

For private tours, it depends on the country. Northern Europe has less a tipping culture than the Mediterranean. For example, tipping in Scandinavia, would be a bit less.

 

Still, If we are paying $150 pp for a full day tour, I will usually give $10 pp it the tour was excellent. The best thing you can do is write a review on TripAdvisor with positive comments and specifically name the tour guide.

 

I think 10% is a bit much, for example, we once took a very long tour that cost $199 pp. No way was I tipping $40 for DW and self.

 

When we sometimes take the Free Walking Tours that some cities have and enjoy the tour, I usually give $30 for a three hour tour for both of us.

[flames9]

When setting up private tours..I let each individual person of the group decide to tip or not to tip.....everyone has their own view on tipping,lol

[LondonTowner]

In Europe a £5 or 5 Euros per person is enough. We don't have a tipping culture as in the US.