RCCL Excursion Gratuities

[pcur]

My opinion is they are giving me transportation to see the subject of the tour.  That includes maintenance of the vehicle, insurance, fuel, tires, etc.  A few dollars per person there.

 

Then, the guide is obligated to tell me where we are going and what we are seeing.  That's a big portion of the tour.  HOW that is done is where the personal tip/no tip scale is used.

 

And, if the driver does a good job, ESPECIALLY on tricky roads (let's face it, the Caribbean Islands and Mexico don't spend a lot of money on infrastructure).  Greece and Europe are hilly/mountainous for the most part.  Every major city in the world has traffic issues and crazy drivers.

 

If I get lucky and the tour guide is friendly, funny, and knowledgeable, that's a world away from a comment as we drive by someplace.

 

If I get lucky and the driver is a dream on the Amalfi coast in a HUGE bus, that's tipping territory, too.

 

 

[paradise4me]

Always tip. Always

[alex_drew]

We always tip; the amount depends on the length of the tour and how much effort the tour guide put into their presentation.  We always tip the driver separately, too, just because I'm never sure if the tour guide is splitting the tip with them.  There are two of us, so driver usually gets $5 and the tour guide usually gets $10 or $20 (so $5 pp or $10 pp), just depends.  One time we gave the driver more because he was great and we gave the tour guide less than the driver because the tour guide was just, well, less than stellar...

[njkruzer]

Almost always.  Usually $5-$10.

[SNemeth]

We tip.  I decide near the end of the excursion how much.  I factor in time and service.