Tipping on River Cruises?

[Shopinpat]

I have just booked our first River Cruise for 2011 with Viking.

Can someone explain the proceedure for tipping on these river boats. I have not been able to find any info on this topic.

thanks

Pat

[coasters]

I have just booked our first River Cruise for 2011 with Viking.

Can someone explain the proceedure for tipping on these river boats. I have not been able to find any info on this topic.

thanks

Pat

 

Pat, see the below text from the Viking web site.

May be unique to a specific location, best to look up your specific cruise. Do a search ..tipping on the Viking site.

Jerry

Tipping

 

 

Tips are not included in your cruise price, but are your way of showing satisfaction for good service. You may tip onboard staff in cash or charge your tips to your credit card at the end of the cruise. For local guides, we recommend tipping at the end of each tour in cash. We suggest a gratuity of $10-$12 U.S. per guest, per day which is distributed among the ship’s staff, including your Program Director. Additional tipping is at the guest’s discretion. You can use these guidelines for other service providers: • Airport Porters – $1 U.S. per bag

• Hotel Porters – $1 U.S. per person, on check in and check out

• Local Guides – $1-$2 U.S. per person, per day

• Drivers – $.50-$1 U.S. per person, per day

• Hotel Room Attendants – $1 U.S. per person, per day

• Restaurant Wait Staff – Restaurants often add a service charge to bills, but an additional tip of 5%-10% is customary

• Viking River Cruises Guide/Hospitality Desk (during land or extension programs) – $3-$5 U.S. per person, per day of service

[letsgo39]

Why does Viking suggest tipping in U.S $ while in Europe? I would not do that.They would then have to exchange $ to Euros. Very inconsiderate IMHO.

[Ship's Wake]

Feel free to tip in a mixture of currency it you need to. Not sure what your Viking itinerary is, but if you are going to Hungary and have leftover forints, include these in your tip amounts.

 

The reception desk on your ship can and will convert whatever denomination you tip in over to their preferred currency for the crew.

 

Joe

[coasters]

Why does Viking suggest tipping in U.S $ while in Europe? I would not do that.They would then have to exchange $ to Euros. Very inconsiderate IMHO.

 

Letsgo39

I think that the guidelines are in USD simply for your convenience. When in Europe one would likely convert these $$ numbers to the local country currency.

On the other hand, when we were recently in China and Ukraine, the crew and local guides often preferred tips in US dollars.

Our program manager was helpful in all cases, telling us in each situation, in what currency we should tip.

Not to worry!

Jerry

[Margate Cruiser]

They told us they wanted your money in a pool. Then they would distribute from the Captain on down to the dish washer. If you wanted to give extra beyond there tip pool you can.

 

We have cruised on many ocean liners over the years never heard of a tip pool for the entire crew. We have always gave to the cruise fund ( Seabourn) but went to buy items for the crew. Like a new bike a new computer for the crew quarters. Has anyone had this experience?

[squarevanman]

When it ran easycruise2 had a box at reception for tips which were distrubuted among the crew. When I tried to give a tip to an individual I was asked to put it into the box. On my Nile trip last year tips were put into an envelope and then into a box for the whole crew to share.

[nordski]

Letsgo39

I think that the guidelines are in USD simply for your convenience. When in Europe one would likely convert these $$ numbers to the local country currency.

On the other hand, when we were recently in China and Ukraine, the crew and local guides often preferred tips in US dollars.

Our program manager was helpful in all cases, telling us in each situation, in what currency we should tip.

Not to worry!

Jerry

Exactly.

 

When we're cruising in Europe we don't carry US$. They are just suggesting an amount and letting you make the conversion to the currency the crew prefers.

[nordski]

They told us they wanted your money in a pool. Then they would distribute from the Captain on down to the dish washer. If you wanted to give extra beyond there tip pool you can.

 

We have cruised on many ocean liners over the years never heard of a tip pool for the entire crew. We have always gave to the cruise fund ( Seabourn) but went to buy items for the crew. Like a new bike a new computer for the crew quarters. Has anyone had this experience?

I need help understanding the difference between a a "tip pool" and "cruise fund"

 

After much discussion on the HAL board, most people agreed that if you choose not to contribute to the pooled fund which is deducted daily from your credit card, and give individual tips, then it is expected that the recipient will pool that money with the rest of the relevant staff.

 

The idea is not to forget those who toil behind the scenes. I would think it a good idea.

[letsgo39]

Exactly.

 

When we're cruising in Europe we don't carry US$. They are just suggesting an amount and letting you make the conversion to the currency the crew prefers.

 

 

I have heard that about China too.Not been there yet!

 

I also only carry local currency in Europe and it does seem to me that some people who have never traveled before might think they could tip in USD by those instructions from Viking. Hope not.I just dug out an old (2 years ago) Avalon booklet and their tipping guidelines are definitely in Euros. That amount of tip in a restaurant is way to much. You could tip up to the next round amount but bear in mind that Europeons do not tip.There has been many discussions on Fodors on this very subject.

[Margate Cruiser]

Is just an amount put into a pool for the crew to use as they wish. In one case there was a young lady who had to get home for her mothers funeral. These kids don't make that much money. So the crew fund helped her buy her ticket. I am sure you get the idea. We cruise alot on Seabourn and this is a common thing.

[Shopinpat]

Thanks for the info.

We are going from Basel to Amsterdam. I did not realize that the tipping can be different from area to area. I will go on the web site and check.

I am still a bit confused.

Thanks

Pat

[STUR]

I have just booked our first River Cruise for 2011 with Viking.

Can someone explain the proceedure for tipping on these river boats. I have not been able to find any info on this topic.

thanks

Pat

We are booked on Uniworld River Duchess Tulips & Windmills Antwerp to Amsterdam April 23,2010

Picked up my Documents today from TA

Received a nice Document Wallet with Luggage Tags

After reading sugestion booklet Gratuities I find them a little High ?

Ship staf and Crew 10 euro per cuest per day

Cruise Mananger 3 euro per cuest per day

Total 260 euro for the 10 day cruise Is about $360 american

What are you going to tip

[Paulinda]

Yes, the tips are 10 E per person per day for crew and 3 E per person for CM. Other cruise lines suggest the same rates. I plan on following the suggested tip standards and will tip individuals a bit more if they provide superior service. Considering how much I'm paying for the cruise the suggested amounts don't seem to be out of line. What do you normally tip on an ocean cruise? Have a good cruise and report back!

[old grump]

Nothing! I travel Regent on the seas and Tauck on the River.;)

[letsgo39]

Nothing! I travel Regent on the seas and Tauck on the River.;)

 

 

Your tipping,just they are including it.For sure.

[Margate Cruiser]

Seabourns and regent include tips. Now crystal give you 1000.00 per person to spend as you want. Crytal on most cruises if you go threw a good travel agent and he if he or she the belongs to a group they include the tips. I have found the general rule on the big ships 12.00 a day per person. Some give more alot give less. When you see inside cabins for a week for going 500.00 what do you think the tips will be? Not very much. I feel sorry for those people for those people that work those cabins they demand alot.

 

I have a man one man show used him for 35 years and got the best deals around. I would never trust a on line company you deal with www. And then they want a booking fee. Agents get now 12-15-18 % so what's with the booking fee.

[cohengm]

For my last land cruise, I got the best price from an online agency. I then took this price to a person I've known for years in the TA business. I gave him the details of my price. I wasn't comparing Cadilac with a Yugo - this was for the exact itinerary. He couldn't come with $2000 of what I was paying (overall), claiming he was a "full service" agency. However, his full service agency didn't know "didily squats" when it came to information about this offering by a large cruise provider. I believe that sometimes you have to pay for services provided. In this case, the services provided by the one-man operation were far less than what was available through the "online" agency. Oh, by the way, I only dealt with one person at the online agency, by phone, and we were on a first name basis.

[webfoot]

We also have a wonderful relationship with our TA .. we send e-mails back and forth even when we are not traveling ... and e-cards for special occasions. She is a great TA and I hope she stays with the agency for many years to come .... or at least while we are still able to travel. She filled us in on the tipping situation as we were booking our first river cruise ... and also gave us hints about tipping when we went to Fiji, New Zealand, Australia and Hawaii on a land trip...

[Shopinpat]

I know this topic always brings many comments. I have sailed on Regent and love it however keep in mind whether you pay on board or you pay up front you are still paying for tips!

I do like the idea that it is included in the price of the cruise then I can tip whomever I want in addtion. Trying to figure out if you give someone a tip do they get to keep it or not to me is somewhat disconcerning.

 

And I do realize you tip differently in different locations however I wanted to get some idea as to what they suggest for river cruising Of course this does not mean you do have to tip that because a tip is a tip and I think therein lies the problem.

 

If the cruising industry is so concerned about their staff getting tips they should include it in the price of the trip. They are hoping everyone pays a minimum amount of tips hence suggested amounts however there will always be guests who do not think they should have to tip and if they call it a tip that is what it is it is voluntary unless otherwise noted.

To me it is a catch 22 any way you look at it unless they include it in the price of the cruise. I like to tip the person who has given me good service!

THIS IS MY 2 CENTS ANYWAY. Bottom line of what I understand THE SUGGESTED AMOUNT is $ 15.00 pp pd.

Thanks to all love this site.

[triplecrownprincipal]

Hi Pat!

 

I was looking at "cruise critic" this morning and you post just popped up. I was thrilled to see it. After we left you all on the Alaskan Cruise, i lost contact as my computer crashed and could not recover most email addresses. Ironically, I have noticed you are going on a small riverboat cruise. Sally and I are also leaving on a similar cruise from Vienna to Amsterdam. We really enjoyed our time on the Celebrity with you all and you made our trip much more meaningful. If you still have my email address, would you mind sending me an email so I can capture your address again to keep in touch a bit better.

 

Thanks

 

Jim

[Shopinpat]

Hi Jim,

Great to hear from you! Yes we had a great time in Alaska and have done a few travels since then. We were in Austalia and New Zealand and loved it.

Yes we are doing a river cruise as there is so much talk about it. Hopefully if we like it we just may do Egypt river cruise.

 

I have also lost most e mails I had so please e mail me at shopinpat@aol.com.

When are you going on your river cruise?

[wallygator]

I have heard that about China too.Not been there yet!

 

I also only carry local currency in Europe and it does seem to me that some people who have never traveled before might think they could tip in USD by those instructions from Viking. Hope not.I just dug out an old (2 years ago) Avalon booklet and their tipping guidelines are definitely in Euros. That amount of tip in a restaurant is way to much. You could tip up to the next round amount but bear in mind that Europeons do not tip.There has been many discussions on Fodors on this very subject.

 

Tipping

 

 

You can however convet your USD dollars to Euros $10 USD = approx 7.40582 euros or $12 USD = 8.88698 Euros you be the judge

 

Tips are not included in your cruise price, but are your way of showing satisfaction for good service. You may tip onboard staff in cash or charge your tips to your credit card at the end of the cruise (except in Egypt). We suggest a gratuity of $10-$12 U.S. per guest, per day which is distributed among the ship’s staff, including your Program Director. Additional tipping is at the guest’s discretion. You can use these guidelines for other service providers:

• Airport (and hotel) porters – $1 U.S. per bag

• Tour Escort/Egyptologist – $10 U.S. per person per day

• Local guides – $5 U.S. per person, per day*

• Coach drivers – $1-$3 U.S. per person, per day*

• Housekeeping staff (ship or hotel) – $1 U.S. per person, per day

• Restaurant wait staff – Restaurants often add a service charge to bills, but an additional tip of 5%-10% is customary

• Viking River Cruises Guide/Host (during land or extension programs) – $3-$5 U.S. per person, per day of service

 

*Remember to tip local guides and drivers at the end of each tour in cash, as you are not likely to see them again.

[leavingocalaagain]

I have heard that about China too.Not been there yet!

 

I also only carry local currency in Europe and it does seem to me that some people who have never traveled before might think they could tip in USD by those instructions from Viking. Hope not.I just dug out an old (2 years ago) Avalon booklet and their tipping guidelines are definitely in Euros. That amount of tip in a restaurant is way to much. You could tip up to the next round amount but bear in mind that Europeons do not tip.There has been many discussions on Fodors on this very subject.[/quote

 

Went on a GCT trip to China last year and the preference was definitely for USD. I found the same to be true in Turkey.

[STUR]

I called uniworld yesterday and the tips have to be paid in cash and not be put on ship acc. Us or eur

 

stur dayton,ohio