Tipping on excursions

[Hottubmomma]

On another line we frequent they encourage passengers to tip the bus drivers one dollar pp and two dollars pp for the guide. Is this the same for Norwegian? I want to make sure I have enough cash, as I don't like using ATM's when in foreign countries. 

 

[FLAHAM]

If it’s a bus load, I give three or four dollars to the guide.

[lissie]

42 minutes ago, Hottubmomma said:

On another line we frequent they encourage passengers to tip the bus drivers one dollar pp and two dollars pp for the guide. Is this the same for Norwegian? I want to make sure I have enough cash, as I don't like using ATM's when in foreign countries. 

 

And don't tip in US$ if that is not the currency of the country 

[ColeThornton]

4 minutes ago, lissie said:

And don't tip in US$ if that is not the currency of the country 

 

U.S. dollars are fine when taking excursions in the Caribbean.   Vendors have no problem taking greenbacks as tips.

[Hottubmomma]

2 hours ago, FLAHAM said:

If it’s a bus load, I give three or four dollars to the guide.

thanks

[Hottubmomma]

1 hour ago, lissie said:

And don't tip in US$ if that is not the currency of the country 

I ve been told most bus drivers and. guides love US currency

[casofilia]

Remember that there are countries where tipping is NOT "the norm".   Many of us were born and brought up, or now live, where that is the case.

[Hottubmomma]

Yes, that is often the case, I am just trying to determine what people do or if anyone knows what Norwegian recommends.

[BirdTravels]

3 hours ago, Hottubmomma said:

On another line we frequent they encourage passengers to tip the bus drivers one dollar pp and two dollars pp for the guide. Is this the same for Norwegian? I want to make sure I have enough cash, as I don't like using ATM's when in foreign countries. 

 

$5-$10 for the guide if it is a half day or full day tour. 

[ziggyuk]

1 hour ago, Hottubmomma said:

I ve been told most bus drivers and. guides love US currency

 

Depends where you are, not much use to a bus driver in Europe.

[Hottubmomma]

5 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

$5-$10 for the guide if it is a half day or full day tour. 

thanks

[TSUmom]

We tip just as Bird does.  Also on bus or van tours in most Caribbean ports the guide hints about tipping and the driver usually has a box or something similar up near him.  At least that has been our experience.

[phillygwm]

13 hours ago, casofilia said:

Remember that there are countries where tipping is NOT "the norm".   Many of us were born and brought up, or now live, where that is the case.

Agreed, but it's amazing how many guides, particularly ones catering to American tourists, have gotten used to the concept 🙂  If I'm not sure, I'll look for a tip jar or see whether the guide explicitly asks.  

 

12 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

$5-$10 for the guide if it is a half day or full day tour. 

Agree, this is appropriate, assuming the guide is decent.  I'm less worried about currency.  Sure, if I have the local currency, that's what I'll tip.  But if I don't, I won't feel guilty about giving the person USD though I might throw a bit extra knowing they probably won't get the full exchange value.

[vacation44]

Curious what everyone does if it is a private excursion? 

[ggTexasGal]

11 minutes ago, vacation44 said:

Curious what everyone does if it is a private excursion? 

Typically, the same guidelines apply.  We've seen "no tippers" and very generous tippers, so follow the usual rule of "at your discretion."

[MoCruiseFan]

19 hours ago, Hottubmomma said:

On another line we frequent they encourage passengers to tip the bus drivers one dollar pp and two dollars pp for the guide. Is this the same for Norwegian? I want to make sure I have enough cash, as I don't like using ATM's when in foreign countries. 

 

 

As with ALL tipping threads, the only correct answer is to tip anyone you want to tip, any amount you want to tip them, at any tie you want to tip them.  What others do is 100% irrelevant and quite frankly none of your/my business.

[CruiseMH]

4 hours ago, MoCruiseFan said:

 

As with ALL tipping threads, the only correct answer is to tip anyone you want to tip, any amount you want to tip them, at any tie you want to tip them.  What others do is 100% irrelevant and quite frankly none of your/my business.

At least this is the best way for the american,african and european continent.

In Asia there are some countries(Korea, Japan) where it would be almost an insult if you tip the guide/driver.

 

 

[borgerboy@aol.com]

On 2/9/2023 at 1:59 PM, Hottubmomma said:

I ve been told most bus drivers and. guides love US currency

Yes.  It probably goes without saying but no coins. Not even a bucket of silver dollars. And no currency from their neighboring countries. But they love US bills, even of the $2 variety

[phillygwm]

9 hours ago, borgerboy@aol.com said:

Yes.  It probably goes without saying but no coins. Not even a bucket of silver dollars. And no currency from their neighboring countries. But they love US bills, even of the $2 variety

I've done coins in larger denominations of the home currency (it's very difficult to convert coin.)  But I wouldn't hesitate to give a guide a couple €2 or £2 coins if I were in the Eurozone or UK and that's what was in my pocket.

[julig22]

10 hours ago, borgerboy@aol.com said:

Yes.  It probably goes without saying but no coins. Not even a bucket of silver dollars. And no currency from their neighboring countries. But they love US bills, even of the $2 variety

I'd consider that a nope on the $2.  Just got to Argentina and was the approached by the bartender and asked if $2 bills are legal - they had one and their bank wouldn't accept it. So I bought it from him, the exchange probably made him happier than the original tip!

[BirdTravels]

19 hours ago, CruiseMH said:

At least this is the best way for the american,african and european continent.

In Asia there are some countries(Korea, Japan) where it would be almost an insult if you tip the guide/driver.

 

 

All depends

 

i have had local guides in Japan flat out ask for a tip (more politely than in the Caribbean). And when booking private tours in Japan, the booking agent point out that:
 

 

implying that you are expected to tip the Japanese guide. 
 

So maybe in the long, distant past people did not tip, the local companies in Japan are encouraging it. 

Edited February 11, 2023 by BirdTravels

[complawyer]

we usually do $5 for the driver and $10 for the guide. if youre unsure, wait a little while before leaving the bus and see what other passengers are doing.

 

many times we hire a cab rather than take a cruise shore excursion.  since the driver spends a few hours with us and takes us exactly where we want to go we usually tip between 20-30

[AwesomO]

This might be better suited to the Dominican Republic board, but maybe there are other ports there have a similar set up that I'm not aware of. How much might you expect to tip the tourist guides that are just outside the port at Taino Bay? I know they'll walk with you to the city and give you a little tour. They work for tips. Is $20/per person reasonable for their service that may last 1-2 hours? Or more? less? I just want to be sure I am fairly compensating them for their time. I have no idea if they're paid by the city outside of tips.

[morrowz]

I am gobsmacked 🤦‍♀️Never crossed my mind to tip the bus driver or guide .and I have cruised around Japan and stayed I Tokyo for a week ,and never saw or heard anyone tipping the bus driver or guide .let alone anyone else .

[perakcruiser]

3 hours ago, morrowz said:

I am gobsmacked 🤦‍♀️Never crossed my mind to tip the bus driver or guide .and I have cruised around Japan and stayed I Tokyo for a week ,and never saw or heard anyone tipping the bus driver or guide .let alone anyone else .

No bus driver or guide in Japan would accept this tip, it is a unacceptable insultation to treat him as a beggar. In many cultures tipping is accepted but never in the form of giving some coins directly.