Tipping on Princess Shore Excursions

[cruzsnooze]

5 hours ago, JimmyVWine said:

Bottom line:

 

 

We are on vacation. One that we are fortunate and blessed enough to afford. The collective $60 that the guide receives means way more to her and her family than the $5 that you parted with means to you.

That's charity not a tip

[cruzsnooze]

52 minutes ago, PTMary said:

 

It's because Americans are generous. Especially when someone helps us enjoy visiting their countries. Nothing arrogant about generosity. I have never had anyone refuse a tip, no matter where. If they thought it was arrogant, they would have refused the tip.

 

But I do agree with researching the cultural ways of countries being visited. It shows respect. 

They don't think they are arrogant we are.   In China I asked a tour guide why they solicit tips since they are a non tipping country. He told me because you Americans  seem to enjoy  handing  out free money and we're not stupid, we take it. He went on the tell me most other countries don't tip and they don't expect it either. It's only Americans who do this so freely. We are disregarding the culture we visit and using our own culture in foreign ports when we do this. I personally research the culture I'm visiting and abide by their ways. 

 Incidentally, In Australia before I realized my mistake I was handed back my tip and told off politely. 

[The Greater Fool]

If someone could come up with a tipping on the dress code thread it would solid gold.

 

Gauranteed!

Edited February 5, 2023 by The Greater Fool

[cr8tiv1]

Just received a text from someone living in Japan:

 

"Yes tipping is never done here and not necessary"

 

And yes, I have tried to "tip" people (can't recall exact situation right now/senior moment) but have been told they are not allowed to accept it.  Maybe rare.  

[KLM3164]

2 hours ago, cruzsnooze said:

Americans appear arrogant with their handing out money so freely. 

I know the 3 people I tipped today didn’t see my tips as arrogant. They seemed very grateful for recognition of their excellent service.

I don’t tip to be arrogant I tip to show gratitude for a job well done.

 

From my perspective I feel the arrogant people are the ones who walk away from a tour without tipping. I’m amazed on how many arrogant Americans do this. 

[JimmyVWine]

1 hour ago, cruzsnooze said:

That's charity not a tip

Giving a little extra to someone who just spent 4 hours sharing with me their history, culture, food, music, art and passion for their homeland is most certainly not “charity”. It is a gratuity, which shares the same etymology as the word “grateful.”  
 

gratuity

noun

gra·tu·i·ty grə-ˈtü-ə-tē  

plural gratuities

: something given voluntarily or beyond obligation usually for some service

Synonyms : TIP

 

Charity would be giving money to someone on the street who is soliciting money with no expectation that there will be anything exchanged in return. The money given to someone who has provided me with an unforgettable experience, taught me things I did not know, and allowed me to see a part of the world in a new light fits squarely within the definition of “gratuity/tip”. It breaks my heart that people cannot understand the difference. Especially people who place so much value on foreign travel. 

[JimmyVWine]

2 minutes ago, KLM3164 said:

I know the 3 people I tipped today didn’t see my tips as arrogant. They seemed very grateful for recognition of their excellent service.

I don’t tip to be arrogant I tip to show gratitude for a job well done.

 

From my perspective I feel the arrogant people are the ones who walk away from a tour without tipping. I’m amazed on how many arrogant Americans do this. 

Wish I could “Like” this a thousand times. 

[roadster08]

I've been on several excursions where the guides were uncomfortable accepting tips. 

 

Usually say to them "I really enjoyed the tour. Please have your next cup of tea/coffee/espresso on me or donate this to your favorite charity. "

 

They always smile and accept the tip. 

[donaldsc]

12 hours ago, KLM3164 said:

I’m currently on a Mexico cruise and doing 3 Princess shore excursions. The attached photo from the Princess website shows recommended tips for shore excursions. These recommendations seem low so I’m wondering what others tip for GOOD service for 1/2 day and full day tours. I realize tipping is subjective but if you would share your thoughts I’d appreciate it.

 

We are now on a Viking cruise.  We have been tipping $5 for the 2 of us for one of their 2 - 3 hour tours and we just tipped $10 for the 2 of us for a very good 6 hour tour. Because the driving was very difficult we also gave the driver $5.  I saw some people who tipped $2 or $3 for this tour. IMHO they should be ashamed of themselves..

 

DON

[LibertyBella]

Yes, we Americans probably are overly generous and a bit free with our funds, which is perhaps WHY so many people want to and have immigrated to our nation, because we have many freedoms and a very good standard of living.

 

I think the Princess recommendations are a bit low--we always try to tip at least $5.00 for half-day tours, and more for full-day.  And yes, we ALWAYS tip, even if they remind us about a tip, because in many countries the tour guides make peanuts as compared to the U.S. standard of living.

 

And yes,  I have tipped in Asian countries and my tips were graciously received.  

 

 

[mrmarklin]

Many Americans have no idea of how low wages are in developing countries. The wages for a bus driver in Mexico are USD 640 per month. It’s this high only because in Mexico this is a unionized industry. 
In general, wages are much lower than this, unless one is unionized or a professional. 
 

Mexico is one of the richer developing countries, so this would be the gold standard in most of Latin America. 
 

USD640 is not that much. 
 

I spent $591 on dinner last night for my wife’s birthday.  There were nine of us, and we don’t drink alcohol. Just a little perspective.

[caribill]

17 hours ago, AZjohn said:

Princess should pay these people a very decent wage from what they are charging passengers.

I feel tips should then be zero. Why should passengers feel responsible adding tips if Princess is not paying them decent pay??

 

The excursion companies pay the people.

 

Princess has no part in setting the payt for the tour guides and drivers.

[caribill]

16 hours ago, JimmyVWine said:

Maybe we run in different circles. I’ve never taken an excursion (Princess or private) where anyone ever asked me for a tip let alone begged.

 

I often have been on a Princess excursion when the guide made one or more announcements "encouraging" tipping. Many times the bus will have a visible sign encouraging tipping.

 

I also have been on locally operated tenders from ship to shore where the tender staff ask for tips.

[caribill]

16 hours ago, JimmyVWine said:

So if you are keeping score, the only places where tipping or rounding up is unwelcome is in non-touristy parts is East and Southeast Asia. And since I am a tourist, I will be in the touristy areas. 

 

And if you are observant, you will see that people native to the area do not tip for same services that you are tipping for.

 

Tourists, especially Americans, have changed the culture to expect that non-locals will tip.

[JimmyVWine]

4 hours ago, caribill said:

 

And if you are observant, you will see that people native to the area do not tip for same services that you are tipping for.

 

Tourists, especially Americans, have changed the culture to expect that non-locals will tip.

An impossible generalization to prove. You’d have to interview a large representative percentage of that group of locals to know what they do and do not do. 

[damiross]

13 hours ago, mrmarklin said:

Many Americans have no idea of how low wages are in developing countries.

Other countries have lower wages but they also have lower cost of living. https://www.worlddata.info/cost-of-living.php

[donaldsc]

20 hours ago, PTMary said:

 

It's because Americans are generous. Especially when someone helps us enjoy visiting their countries. Nothing arrogant about generosity. I have never had anyone refuse a tip, no matter where. If they thought it was arrogant, they would have refused the tip.

 

But I do agree with researching the cultural ways of countries being visited. It shows respect. 

 

We were in Australia a few years back on a land trip and we did a 10 day or so outback tour.  Most of the people on the tour were Australians but there were 4 Americans - us and another couple.  We did not want to be the ugly American in either a positive or negative sense so we asked the Australians what the tipping protocol was.  Remember this was a 10 day tour so we were close to the 2 guides for an extended period.  The Australians said that the guides were well paid so no tips were necessary but buying a few rounds of beer at the last day would be a nice gesture.   We did not tip but we did [ay for some beer.  None of the Australians tipped.  The other American couple tipped.

 

DON

[SomewhereGirl]

17 hours ago, donaldsc said:

 

We are now on a Viking cruise.  We have been tipping $5 for the 2 of us for one of their 2 - 3 hour tours and we just tipped $10 for the 2 of us for a very good 6 hour tour. Because the driving was very difficult we also gave the driver $5.  I saw some people who tipped $2 or $3 for this tour. IMHO they should be ashamed of themselves..

 

And someone else tipping $10 and $20 might say you should be ashamed of yourself.  Maybe people should mind their own business.  BTW, $5 and $10 sounds cheap, not generous.  But it's none of my business

[Rick&Jeannie]

On 2/4/2023 at 1:30 PM, voljeep said:

we will tip the tour guide - well, if deserved ... he/she can 'tip-out' the driver at their discretion.

Same here... there have been a couple of times where we actually did tip the driver as well...but it was for extraordinary circumstances.

[SiliconCruiser]

On 2/4/2023 at 6:36 AM, KLM3164 said:

I’m currently on a Mexico cruise and doing 3 Princess shore excursions. The attached photo from the Princess website shows recommended tips for shore excursions. These recommendations seem low so I’m wondering what others tip for GOOD service for 1/2 day and full day tours. I realize tipping is subjective but if you would share your thoughts I’d appreciate it.

 

It should be noted that excursion operators at all ports are not operated by Princess, rather they are contracted by Princess.  They are paid by Princess after Princess extracts their share of your excursion fees.  Contrary to Princess' claims of getting you back to the ship on time, those same companies may also be operating other tours and are very familiar with the cruise ship schedules.  So much so, that they are often aware of any changes the porting times well before you are.  That being said, if your tour bus is delayed in traffic, the very same company may have some of their own buses ahead of the "Princess" bus that are also stuck in traffic.
One company in Hawaii, Roberts is very familiar with most of the excursion routes.  They contract with Princess for excursions, but also have their own excursions for the same routes.  They also contract with some of the municipalities in Hawaii for their public transit bus service.  In one instance they called me when we were in Honolulu to tell me that they had to refund my excursion because "Princess took our last accessible bus."  After explaining that my wife's motorized wheelchair could be folded and fit into the baggage compartment, they said they might have a solution.  When we arrived, they had sent a 55 passenger bus with a luggage compartment ... for 16 passengers!  Our destination specialist on the ship just said "that's the Aloha spirit."

[KLM3164]

7 minutes ago, SiliconCruiser said:

There are lots of people who are citizens of other countries living both Canada and the U.S.  Many are from cultures where tipping is not customary.

Your comment has sparked another question for me. If I go to a country such as Australia or Japan where tipping isn’t done and may be considered rude, what do people from these same countries do when they come to the United States where tipping is expected for good service? I’d love to hear from anyone who lives in a country where tipping isn’t customary. 

[SiliconCruiser]

3 minutes ago, KLM3164 said:

Your comment has sparked another question for me. If I go to a country such as Australia or Japan where tipping isn’t done and may be considered rude, what do people from these same countries do when they come to the United States where tipping is expected for good service? I’d love to hear from anyone who lives in a country where tipping isn’t customary. 

They often do not tip as it is not customary in their country, if they're part of an organized tour, the tips are often factored into the tour price.  In countries like Taiwan, tipping is not expected, though most restaurants where you are served will add a 10% service fee.  As I recall, my late wife's relatives in the UK (native born Brits of Welsh descent) did tip at some establishments (but at my age, sometimes my memory may play tricks on me. 😂

[Hlitner]

On 2/4/2023 at 7:25 PM, KLM3164 said:

I know the 3 people I tipped today didn’t see my tips as arrogant. They seemed very grateful for recognition of their excellent service.

I don’t tip to be arrogant I tip to show gratitude for a job well done.

 

From my perspective I feel the arrogant people are the ones who walk away from a tour without tipping. I’m amazed on how many arrogant Americans do this. 

Having lived in a foreign country that has a no-tipping culture and another foreign country that expects tips at a level somewhat less than folks give in America, I think the true arrogance (perhaps Ugly American) are the folks that ignore the local mores/customs and force their own standards on folks.  Even when folks accept your tip, their thinking is akin to "what an idiot" or "Americans have no class."  In some countries (Japan is a great example) tipping is considered a patronizing insult by most folks.

 

The best honor and gratitude you can offer folks when visiting their country is to abide by their own mores/customs be it tipping, shaking hands, and even a bow.  

[Guest ldtr]

30 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

Having lived in a foreign country that has a no-tipping culture and another foreign country that expects tips at a level somewhat less than folks give in America, I think the true arrogance (perhaps Ugly American) are the folks that ignore the local mores/customs and force their own standards on folks.  Even when folks accept your tip, their thinking is akin to "what an idiot" or "Americans have no class."  In some countries (Japan is a great example) tipping is considered a patronizing insult by most folks.

 

The best honor and gratitude you can offer folks when visiting their country is to abide by their own mores/customs be it tipping, shaking hands, and even a bow.  

Though there are a couple of situations in Japan where tipping is allowed such in some Ryokans.  However, as with many other things in Japan even those few situations  when tipping might be considered to be in line with custom there is a bit of a ritual involved such as placing the tip in a small decorated envelop and presenting it with two hands in a fashion similar to how one exchanges business cards in Japan. 

 

Fortunately the Japanese just consider westerners to be Gaijan (foreigner) and therefore do not expect us to follow or even understand most Japanese customs. Though in most cases they are far too courteous to say so.  One just does not want to be a Baka Gaijan.

 

 

Edited February 6, 2023 by ldtr

[eggypann]

On 2/4/2023 at 8:47 AM, DallasGuy75219 said:

Or tour guides who feel the need to remind guests that tips are accepted (or even more ballsy, "encouraged").  I will probably still tip them, but the amount just got decreased when they said that.

Just because someone mentions that tips are accepted should not mean they get less of a tip. Some people don't even think about the fact that they should tip. If someone tells me how much, yes then I would ignore them. But just mentioning the fact that tips are accepted is just a reminder. I don't think of it in a negative way at all.