Trying to Figure Out How Much Cash To Bring For Misc Tipping

[taylortime05]

Hi,

 

There are 7 of us cruising next Sat on the Freedom. We already prepaid our tips and we all have a beverage package. I want to cover any other miscellaneous tipping for all 7 of us.

 

I'm trying to figure out how much cash to bring for tips for following. Is there anything else I need to tip extra?

 

1) 5 of us from FLL airport to Embassy Suites - not sure if we can use Uber XL or 2 Uber's.

2) 7 of us from Embassy Suites to port - I think we will need 2 Uber's.

3) 7 of us from port to FLL airport - I think we will need 2 Uber's.

4) Porters helping with suit cases

5) 6 of us on St. Kitt Volcano Hike

6) 7 of us on Captain Bob Excursion

8) 5 of us on San Juan ATV

9) 5 of us on Labadee Zipline

10) helping with chairs on Labadee

[easyboy]

Like airport porters, we give $2 per luggage to cruise terminal porters. We don’t give tip to Uber drivers as we load/unload luggages by ourselves.

 

 

 

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[Coralc]

I'm not doing all the math for you, so I will only make a general comment. On a one week cruise, we bring about $100 in small bills for two people. We don't always spend it all, so it goes back in the envelope for next time.

 

Excursions. We tip generally $5 and up to $10 per person. $1 a bag to porters. $5 per room per night hotel housekeeper and a dollar or two for Uber, taxis or shuttles. We also frequently tip bartenders $1 for drinks, even with packages. We tip the room steward $0-$20. We prepay gratuities and do not eat in the MDR.

 

I ended up tipping the Labadee chair guy $10 :o because DH forgot his wallet, and I had no smaller bills. Otherwise, it would have been maybe $3. :o

[CEOofVacation]

Everyone has tipping habits. In addition to auto grats, tip what you feel is excellent service and an amount that you feel is right and comfortable for you. On our last cruise, a 16-night TA cruise, we tipped an additional ~8% of the price of the cruise and we were in a sky suite and with the largest amounst going to the cabin steward and main server. The rest went to the assistant maitre'd, 2 assistant servers and 2 bar tenders at Michaels. None for a zero service butler and we almost asked guest services to remove his auto grat.

[fishtaco]

I know I am from Australia and many hate my comments in tipping threads but when we cruise from USA I only keep enough small bills to tip transport to the terminal and for wharf porters, for everything else I just go to the casino on the ship and change large bills into small bills,the cashiers happily split a hundred at a time into 20s 10s and 1,s so no need to carry big cow chokers of small bills to pay tips just change large bills up at the casino before shore tours and the like. :)

[Coralc]

I know I am from Australia and many hate my comments in tipping threads but when we cruise from USA I only keep enough small bills to tip transport to the terminal and for wharf porters, for everything else I just go to the casino on the ship and change large bills into small bills,the cashiers happily split a hundred at a time into 20s 10s and 1,s so no need to carry big cow chokers of small bills to pay tips just change large bills up at the casino before shore tours and the like. :)

 

:DWe don't carry it all at one time except in our money and card folder. We just take out what we think we will need for tips for the day from the safe, to go along with our regular spending money. :D

 

And I don't hate your posts at all, we have been to Australia and other countries and realize that it is very different. Australia was very refreshing! I sometimes wish it was that way in the US and other vacation destinations. What is even worse is that DH frequently leaves these tipping decisions up to me...unless I hand him the money, we all stand around looking awkward. :rolleyes:

[DonTheRadioGuy]

Like airport porters, we give $2 per luggage to cruise terminal porters. We don’t give tip to Uber drivers as we load/unload luggages by ourselves.

 

 

 

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You can tip Uber drivers on the app, anyway. No need for cash.

[bob@karen]

You can tip Uber drivers on the app, anyway. No need for cash.

 

 

 

Most Uber drivers prefer to load and unload bags from their cars to prevent scratches or other damage. We still tip them with cash though I understand that many don’t want to have a lot of cash with them so being able to tip on the app is helpful.

 

 

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[yuvraj]

Hi,

 

There are 7 of us cruising next Sat on the Freedom. We already prepaid our tips and we all have a beverage package. I want to cover any other miscellaneous tipping for all 7 of us.

 

I'm trying to figure out how much cash to bring for tips for following. Is there anything else I need to tip extra?

 

1) 5 of us from FLL airport to Embassy Suites - not sure if we can use Uber XL or 2 Uber's.

2) 7 of us from Embassy Suites to port - I think we will need 2 Uber's.

3) 7 of us from port to FLL airport - I think we will need 2 Uber's.

4) Porters helping with suit cases

5) 6 of us on St. Kitt Volcano Hike

6) 7 of us on Captain Bob Excursion

8) 5 of us on San Juan ATV

9) 5 of us on Labadee Zipline

10) helping with chairs on Labadee

 

I think you have everything covered but this is what I do. I walkthrough each step from landing at airport to getting back on the plane. I even go to the length of creating a spread sheet and I budget generously.

[marci22]

Curious, do people tip on the Labadee zip line excursion? Are you even carrying anything once you're up there? When and whom do you tip?

[Clarea]

Curious, do people tip on the Labadee zip line excursion? Are you even carrying anything once you're up there? When and whom do you tip?

Never read of tipping on the zipline, but I suppose people could do it.

[SilkySal]

I would take $500 cash, which should be more than enough for all of you.;)

[TheLargeFamily]

For the stuff you listed, you could expect to tip an average of $5 each item. Some may end up being less, others more- depending on their service. Bring an extra $10 for "cushion" in case you find that you need to tip more. So that would be $70 (you listed 9 items- but I added $5 per uber). Mostly 1's.... a few 5's.

 

Though we are cash payers for almost everything, so we tend to bring a lot of cash.

Edited January 2, 2018 by TheLargeFamily
miscount

[matj2000]

I always take at least $1000 in cash.

 

With $200 in singles....

[Elvis1209]

Remember what Steve Martin said: "I don't believe in tipping. I believe in OVER-tipping!" A couple of bucks to everyone makes for an enjoyable cruise. I look at it as money well spent!

 

Elvis

[cruiselvr04]

Others have addressed Uber and bags. We usually tip around 10% of the price paid for excursions. We find at least in the Caribbean they expect a tip and this seems fair to us.

Since RCCL runs the excursions in Labadee at least the zip line I would not feel the need to tip them unless I saw a tip jar at the bottom of the zip. There are a lot of people involved withe zip line.

[Havingfun2010]

Just a rule of thumb based on many international trips. Excursions should be 15% split between driver and tour guild. 10% tour, and 5% driver. Any type of taxi, I just round up. When you say porter, do you mean the guy that takes your luggage in throws it on a cart? For 15 seconds of work? Or the guy that takes you bag and brings it to your car from the terminal while you are handling the two kids? The longshoreman are really not tipped employees, but do as you please, since they will happily take your money!

[taylortime05]

Just a rule of thumb based on many international trips. Excursions should be 15% split between driver and tour guild. 10% tour, and 5% driver. Any type of taxi, I just round up. When you say porter, do you mean the guy that takes your luggage in throws it on a cart? For 15 seconds of work? Or the guy that takes you bag and brings it to your car from the terminal while you are handling the two kids? The longshoreman are really not tipped employees, but do as you please, since they will happily take your money!

 

I was talking about the porter that throws the luggage on a cart. They sure act like they expect a tip. I'm not sure what is appropriate.

[MrsPete]

For the two of us, I get $50 ... $25 in fives and $25 in singles. This gives us tips for general tips: meals on the road, bartender tips and occasionally room service tips.

 

In addition, I make envelopes for each excursion we plan to take ... the envelope contains whatever money we're likely to need for that day's plans: money to pay for the excursion itself, taxi money, meal money, and tip money. Of course, this varies depending upon our plans. I always put in a variety of small bills so we're prepared to tip whatever seems right once we arrive. Any money leftover goes back into the aforementioned general tips.

[cmmarch]

Hi,

 

 

 

There are 7 of us cruising next Sat on the Freedom. We already prepaid our tips and we all have a beverage package. I want to cover any other miscellaneous tipping for all 7 of us.

 

 

 

I'm trying to figure out how much cash to bring for tips for following. Is there anything else I need to tip extra?

 

 

 

1) 5 of us from FLL airport to Embassy Suites - not sure if we can use Uber XL or 2 Uber's.

 

2) 7 of us from Embassy Suites to port - I think we will need 2 Uber's.

 

3) 7 of us from port to FLL airport - I think we will need 2 Uber's.

 

4) Porters helping with suit cases

 

5) 6 of us on St. Kitt Volcano Hike

 

6) 7 of us on Captain Bob Excursion

 

8) 5 of us on San Juan ATV

 

9) 5 of us on Labadee Zipline

 

10) helping with chairs on Labadee

 

 

 

I brought $1000 in cash for fees and tips for 5 of us. Broke down into smaller bills - 1's, 5's, 10's, 20's and 50's. It is amazing how the cab fees/transportation fees etc add up. $10pp to Magen's Bay each way plus tip. 10-15% tip to tour guide on excursions etc.

Did not spend it all but with 7 people you will need some cash for sure. Have fun!

 

 

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[Lordnlkon]

We usually bring $500 in cash for the two of us. It's not all for tipping but that usually gets us through our cash needs. Anything left over is still cash that can be used at home.

[fishtaco]

I always take at least $1000 in cash.

 

With $200 in singles....

 

No need to take all them singles? you can cash large bills into singles in the casino!