Tipping on private tours

[Seminole Mom]

My family has booked private tours with DenRus in St. Petersburg and Tours in Poland for our upcoming Baltic cruise. Anyone have suggestions or guidelines regarding tipping the driver and tour guide for their services? We're very generous when it comes to tipping for good service, but would appreciate any feedback. Also, I assume it's better to use local currency for tips.

Thanks!

Cindy :)

[LHT28]

This is from the DENRUS FAQ

As all over the world, it is customary also in Russia to tip your private tour guide and private driver after their work, provided it has been performed to your satisfaction. The recommended amounts should be in line with the western standards.

 

I read somewhere that you should tip $20. pp pd to the guide & $10 to the driver but it was from a Russian tour site (cannot find it now of course)

[Seminole Mom]

This is from the DENRUS FAQ

As all over the world, it is customary also in Russia to tip your private tour guide and private driver after their work, provided it has been performed to your satisfaction. The recommended amounts should be in line with the western standards.

 

I read somewhere that you should tip $20. pp pd to the guide & $10 to the driver but it was from a Russian tour site (cannot find it now of course)

Thanks for your help, LHT! I thought I read something about 10% for the guide and 5% for the driver for the 2 days....but couldn't find it either!

Cindy

[Peregrina651]

There has been a lot of discussion in this forum about tipping, especially for the St. P. tours, and you should be able to find it by using "Search this Forum" on the page that lists all the threads for this forum. Search twice, once using 'tip' and another time using 'tipping,' so that you are sure to find as much of the discussion as possible. The forum search seems to work even when the regular search function is down.

 

There are a lot of opinions out there as to what the proper amount is but there is absolutely no consensus on the issue or any sort of resolution on the subject.

 

I would suggest reading as much as you can find here and then decide what you feel most comfortable with.

[California Native]

i would like to say traffic in St. Petersburg on the days that I was there was crazier than SFO and LAX areas rolled into one...a big crazy free for all!

Your driver will more than earn his money and his tip should be higher than you would normally consider...

just for keeping you alive.

Be prepared to tip in Euros, if not add more to your USD as it's considered almost worthless.

Before you leave, know it's worth compared to the Euro..

I was in Victoria last week at the Canadian Dollar has more value than ours!

[nolaAlive]

If the US dollar is considered worthless, why do the tour operators accept them for tour payment?

[California Native]

They will jack up the prices to make it a level playing field

they take it as a courtesy to thier customers

I just looked it up, this is the interbank rate on xe.com and oanda.com

a currency exchange will be much worse

Monday, April 14, 2008

20 US Dollar = 12.66248 Euro

20 Euro (EUR) = 31.58940 US Dollar (USD

times have changed WORLWIDE when it come to our currency and how it is viewed by others

If you are going to tip in USD outside of the United States, make sure that you aren't short changing the person.

CruiseLine employees are paid in USD ~ now when they return home when they convert their money it really is miniscule amount.

 

 

 

[nolaAlive]

When the prices are quoted in USD, they can't jack them.

 

The official currency of Russia is rubles, not Euros.

 

If euros or dollars are used and they are in less than pristine condition, the exchange penalty is 10%,

[California Native]

Nola,

If you compared costs of tours in 2004, 2007 and now..

You would see a significant rise in costs of the PRIVATE tours

based on the decline of the worth of our dollar.

I'm quite familiar with international currencys and what is

considered legal tender and where. Sadly many people are not.

What I am saying is, if you are going to tip in USD make sure

you know what it is worth to the person you are tipping.

And then make the decision on the amount you feel is right in good conscience.

I can tell this is going to turn into a nasty thread

as all threads that have the word tip in them do.

So, I'm not going to engage any further.

That's not why I'm here on the boards

[WhenIsOurNextCruise]

We are on a private tour (just 2 of us) and asked our host what we should consider for tipping. Following is her reply.

 

Regarding the tipping for the guide and driver, it is up to the party to decide on the sum. But the usual practice is that the guide gets $100 and the driver - $50-80 US for both days.

When I inquired further, she responded that our total tip (from both of us) would be the $180, at our discretion. So 2 people 2 days $180, which interestingly, is almost exactly 15%. She graciously said, that because there were only 2 of us, she would understand if we tipped less and I responded that because there were only 2 of us, it seems like we should consider tipping MORE.

[nolaAlive]

Next2

 

The dollar is worth less, not worthless as you previously posted.

 

They do not jack the price based on the currency you use. The exchange rate is what it is.

[friendship]

Last year when we were in St Petersburg we tipped the driver five percent of our three day tour and the guide twenty. They certainly were well worth it!!

Also remember if you pay in US dollars make sure you have ones without any marking, ink, etc. I also found Viktoria our guide changed my rubles (at a fair rate) when we paid so I would not have to have rubles when I left. We also paid for their ten dollar lunches we had with the guide and driver. There were four of us to share.

[friendship]

Sorry that was ten percent for the guide!

[WhenIsOurNextCruise]

Last year when we were in St Petersburg we tipped the driver five percent of our three day tour and the guide twenty. They certainly were well worth it!!

Also remember if you pay in US dollars make sure you have ones without any marking, ink, etc. I also found Viktoria our guide changed my rubles (at a fair rate) when we paid so I would not have to have rubles when I left. We also paid for their ten dollar lunches we had with the guide and driver. There were four of us to share.

 

Did you use your ATM card to get rubles or did you bring some with you? And how many rubles do you suggest?

[CJcruzer]

We were on the Denrus 3 day tour last year - as to getting rubles, our guide took us to an ATM before we were going to lunch at Stolle Pies (they do not take anything but rubles) --- whatever rubles we had leftover at the end of 3 days we used in conjunction with US$ (not Euros) to supply the tips - this way we were able to get rid of our rubles (which the cruise ship did not sell or buy back)....

 

CJcruzer

[Seminole Mom]

 

 

I can tell this is going to turn into a nasty thread

 

as all threads that have the word tip in them do.

 

 

Where2next, I appreciate your feedback. My purpose in starting this thread was to solicit some advice from seasoned cruisers (such as yourself) who have traveled to the area and can share information based on their past experience. Thanks to all who posted...

I'll remember to leave the word "tip" out next time! ;)

Cindy

[chopper65]

Where2next, I appreciate your feedback. My purpose in starting this thread was to solicit some advice from seasoned cruisers (such as yourself) who have traveled to the area and can share information based on their past experience. Thanks to all who posted...

I'll remember to leave the word "tip" out next time! ;)

Cindy

I just received my Denrus tickets and info booklet for our cruise . The suggested tips in the booklet were 10 to 12 dollars per person for the 2 days for the guide and 3 to 5 dollars per person for the driver. They take either dollars or Euros as well as rubles This works out to 40 to 48 dollars and 12 to 20 dollars per couple for the 2 day value tour

[Seminole Mom]

I just received my Denrus tickets and info booklet for our cruise . The suggested tips in the booklet were 10 to 12 dollars per person for the 2 days for the guide and 3 to 5 dollars per person for the driver. They take either dollars or Euros as well as rubles This works out to 40 to 48 dollars and 12 to 20 dollars per couple for the 2 day value tour

Thanks, chopper65! I downloaded my tickets and some other information from DenRus but didn't receive a booklet, so I appreciate your input. :)

[LHT28]

We are on a private tour (just 2 of us) and asked our host what we should consider for tipping. Following is her reply.

 

Regarding the tipping for the guide and driver, it is up to the party to decide on the sum. But the usual practice is that the guide gets $100 and the driver - $50-80 US for both days.

 

Just curious ...how much was the tour package and duration for that kind of tip?

[WhenIsOurNextCruise]

Just curious ...how much was the tour package and duration for that kind of tip?

 

Just my husband and I plus driver and guide - About $620 each x 2 ($1,240) people covering 2 days including admissions to all museums, camera fees, hydrofoil tickets, visas etc. We have to purchase our lunch (and will purchase theirs if they wish to eat with us) and nighttime tickets/activities would be extra. I think the same itinerary with 4 people would have been about $450 each ($900 for us). $340 for 2 days didn't seem like that much of an upcharge for a once in a lifetime experience where we will have some freedom to change the itinerary as we go.

[LHT28]

Just my husband and I plus driver and guide - About $620 each x 2 ($1,240) people covering 2 days including admissions to all museums, camera fees, hydrofoil tickets, visas etc.

 

Just seemed like a lot for a tip but if you are paying big $$ then I guess it is reasonable

 

thanks

 

lyn

[California Native]

Whenisournextcruise....

I want you to know that when I did a tour with 10 with my mom for our B2B and then my DH and I saved and manipulated our travel budget in other ways to do a tour just the both of us for our cruise....

It was the BEST travel experience we have had when it came to a private tour.

Worth every single penny! A total 19 hour immersion...1 on 1 with our guide. She took us behind the scenes to so many places...The Residence Rooms in the Hermitage, Catherine Palaces Carriage Museum. If we wanted something in a gift shop we gave her the exact amount she handed it to someone she knew that worked there and we were out the door, bypassing all lines. Bathroom breaks were whenever we needed them...and usually we would pop into a very high end hotel to do it!

She took us on our city tour 1st thing, so when we went to take outside pictures Church of the Spilled Blood...we were the only ones there...just us! and the same for Our Lady of Kazan! Also, they were celebrating the city's bday last year and were able to walk on Nevsky Prospekt and be a part of the Celebration..she said they wouldn't do what we did unless it was 4 or less people!!!

I promise you will never think twice about the cost once you return!

Bon Voyage!

[johnandvictor]

I cannot wait to go on my tour! Everyone seems to have enjoyed theirs so much.

 

Tipping is pretty easy, if you ask me. 15% of what they billed me (which was US dollars) = X amount. I can give that to them in US dollars or I can do the conversion to give them the EXACT same amount in euros or in rubles. No matter what, they get 15% of what I paid - regardless of exchange rates. Not sure what the big fuss is all about.

[Peregrina651]

then my DH and I saved and manipulated our travel budget in other ways to do a tour just the both of us for our cruise....

 

It was the BEST travel experience we have had when it came to a private tour.

 

[snip]

 

I promise you will never think twice about the cost once you return!

 

 

Where2 is absolutely right. St.P is the highlight of this cruise. Cut corners everywhere else on the cruise, use public transport in the other cities and give up your morning lattes for the next year if you have to but plunk down whatever it takes for a private guide. You may never get back to St.P.

[Peregrina651]

I cannot wait to go on my tour! Everyone seems to have enjoyed theirs so much.

 

 

Darned right we did!! And you will, too. :D It was the vacation of a life-time!

 

BON VOYAGE!:D