Tour guide tipping

[newmexicoNita]

I think the tours are covered by the automatic tipping that you pay while on board I think it’s called the DSC or something... I don’t recall anyone on prior excursions tipping cash after a tour... but there was 1 time when we took a water taxi somewhere and the skipper was helping people up from the boat to the concreate dock and people were putting a few dollars in his hat... he also took us around to all the ocean front mansions that the stars live in and told us funny stories about them

oh my no, the tips for tour guides are not covered in your daily service charge. The tour guides are privately hired, especially in this case as the OP has pretty much said they hired a company for an all day tour. As for how much to tip, everyone has his/her own idea on this. We usually tip about $5 for a few hour tour and $10 for a full day tour.

[Gampy1967]

If they slipped me a few cuban cigars for the trip home I would tip them much better.. :)

[Visigoth]

In Russian language a gratuity is called chayeviye, which literally means "for the tea". Tipping small amounts of money in Russia for people such as waiters, cab drivers, and hotel bellboys was quite common before the Communist Revolution of 1917. During the Soviet era, and especially with the Stalinist reforms of the 1930s, tipping was discouraged and was considered an offensive capitalist tradition aimed at belittling and lowering the status of the working class. So from then until the early 1990s tipping was seen as rude and offensive. That has changed since the breakup of the Soviet Union but the negative attitude toward it has remained. Cuba is still a communist country. This doesn't mean that they don't want your tip, but they will likely not appreciate your gesture.

[jdvmd]

Last week, we were in Havana and used Rolando (Roly) with Blexie Tours. Cost for the four of us was 130 CUCs. Our day was phenomenal. I tipped Roly 50 CUCs and gave our driver, 20 CUCs. Total: 200 CUCs for four people.

[cruiser man 60]

Tipping is a very American custom that they have spread around the world and it's now getting out if hand. The tour guides are well paid and if everyone on a trip gives them a top every day they will probably be earning more than the guests tipping them!!

[jdvmd]

Our guides's parents were both dentists and their salary was $16 a month,

[$hip$hape]

$0.00.

 

I bet you're a tour guide's favorite customer.

In a way, I agree with Maniacal Cruiser.

When we leave a guide with cash, it's nobody's business.

I don't even care if my DW also leaves something.

"Don't let your left hand know what your right hand is doing"

Michael

[newmexicoNita]

Our guides's parents were both dentists and their salary was $16 a month,

I think I would question that one? But if you think it is true, I guess that is ok as well.

[jdvmd]

I think I would question that one? But if you think it is true, I guess that is ok as well.

Don't doubt this for a second. We have been to Cuba two times in the last year and a half and have met several different people and their stories are all very similar. The work force is inverted in Cuba with professionals at the bottom. Not how it is here. On Friday, our Lyft driver was a general surgeon. His wife a family practioner. Monthly salary in Cuba - $16.

[adjensen]

My wife and I generally give the guide $20 and, if there's a driver, he gets $10. Sometimes I want to give a little more when I see that few people are tipping them, which I do not understand. A few weeks ago, I was on a tour at GSC, where there was this extended family from India (about a dozen of them,) and the grandfather was just obnoxious -- at one point, he shoved the guy steering the boat out of his seat so that he could sit there and pose for pictures!

 

Guess what they tipped?

 

Not one thin dime. I overtipped and told the guide that I was sorry for the way he was treated by that asshat.