fire&teacher Posted March 18, 2016 #1 Share Posted March 18, 2016 What is everyone's thoughts on tipping after a shore excursion? Do you and if yes, how much? Planning to whale watch and helicopter/dog sledding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OCruisers Posted March 18, 2016 #2 Share Posted March 18, 2016 Yes, folks normally tip. How much depends on the service received. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucky TGO Posted March 18, 2016 #3 Share Posted March 18, 2016 What is everyone's thoughts on tipping after a shore excursion? Do you and if yes, how much? Planning to whale watch and helicopter/dog sledding. I do. But I hate telling people what too do. You do what you think is best. $$$ Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valiamo Posted March 18, 2016 #4 Share Posted March 18, 2016 For us it all depends on what the tour guide had done during the excursion and if they made it any more special. I typically tip 10% of the tour's price, and more if they have done something above and beyond. We did a Bernard's Tour in St. Maarten, and the tour guide was a hoot, and provided water and beers for the group, (he got a much nicer tip). Had a trip to a beach and a butterfly farm the next time, and hardly heard a peep from either the driver or the tour guide.. alas she got a poor tip from us, and almost nothing from the other cruisers on the tour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Treven Posted March 18, 2016 #5 Share Posted March 18, 2016 (edited) I've given zilch for a piss-poor "guide" who didn't want any questions asked until at the end of the excursion, not while we were at a particular site. I've given $5 for a half-day excursion, and $10 where the guide was knowledgeable and wanted the visitors to learn something about what we were seeing and/or where we were going. It boils down to what you are comfortable doing at the end of the excursion. One thing that really irks me are guides who expect or almost demand that we give him a tip. Edited March 18, 2016 by Treven Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joybook Posted March 18, 2016 #6 Share Posted March 18, 2016 Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Do whatever you feel like. Don't concern yourself with what others may be doing.:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thermy Posted March 18, 2016 #7 Share Posted March 18, 2016 I'd love an idea about how much is customary. I'll be doing an Alaska cruise solo this August and would like to be able to budget for tipping on excursions. I get a bit befuddled with tipping in general - would this be like tipping at restaurants? 15% for good service, 10% for not-great and 20% for great service? Or would 10% be a satisfactory tip? Or $10 like was mentioned earlier in the post. I don't want to be rude, but I also don't want to burn through a good chunk of my budget by inadvertently over-tipping. Any help would be appreciated! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caribill Posted March 18, 2016 #8 Share Posted March 18, 2016 I typically tip 10% of the tour's price, and more if they have done something above and beyond. I think shore excursions are one thing where price has nothing to do with what the tip should be. For example, why should a tour guide be tipped more because: o The price of the tour includes an expensive admission to a site o The price of the tour includes the cost of a meal (including meal tip) that the guide has absolutely nothing to do with preparing or serving o The price of the tour includes the cost of the bus or other vehicle used o The price of the tour includes a good bit of $$ that the cruise line keeps to cover its expenses and profits To me, what Treven suggests below is more in line with what should be done I've given zilch for a piss-poor "guide" who didn't want any questions asked until at the end of the excursion, not while we were at a particular site. I've given $5 for a half-day excursion, and $10 where the guide was knowledgeable and wanted the visitors to learn something about what we were seeing and/or where we were going. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muggo11 Posted March 18, 2016 #9 Share Posted March 18, 2016 I keep tipping simple. If two guides, $10 each plus I always give $5 to the bus driver. If 1 guide, $20. But if the guide is not good, rude, whatever i would not tip at all. Overall, I have been very satisfied with shore excursions both via the ship and booked independently. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wishfulone Posted March 18, 2016 #10 Share Posted March 18, 2016 We tip an exceptional guide. Someone lack lustre, disinterested or without the specific knowledge gets nothing. Don't worry about what others are doing, just tip according to how you feel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
easyboy Posted March 18, 2016 #11 Share Posted March 18, 2016 Only when satisfied with service provided. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Keith1010 Posted March 18, 2016 #12 Share Posted March 18, 2016 On private ones we tip based on the country we are in. In some places a tip is never expected. Keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigsky Posted March 18, 2016 #13 Share Posted March 18, 2016 I don't like when they don't do much but they sure try and suck up to you towards the end. Maybe giving a sob story of really needing money. One time we have a good tip and could tell he wasn't satisfied! I don't feel obligated, but if we're truly happy, we'll tip what we want. I wouldn't worry too much about this. Keep some 5's and 10's and give if u want to. Most of ours we're pretty happy. Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ahall2015 Posted March 18, 2016 #14 Share Posted March 18, 2016 We went on our first cruise last year and didn't even think about tipping the guides on our shore excursion. Never even crossed our minds. UNTIL the guides reminded us that tipping was always welcome. We had a blast! So we did tip and the guide told us everyone on the boat would split the tips. We gave $10. By the looks on some peoples faces, they were not happy that the guides were reminding us that tips were welcome, and many did not give anything, but I was actually glad he mentioned it because I would have never thought of it and they really did do a great job. I do think tho that like any tipping it is your own personal decision. There is no right or wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zqvol Posted March 18, 2016 #15 Share Posted March 18, 2016 Tipping is not need on shore excursions. In spite of what they will tell you they are not working for your tips alone. If you want to leave something that is fine but it is not required nor is it necessary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cb at sea Posted March 18, 2016 #16 Share Posted March 18, 2016 I agree...if the guide is fun and informative, tip what you think that's worth..bearing in mind all you've paid already! If a guide is boring...no tip at all. If the "excursion" is mainly transportation...no tip. Of course they will all start pushing the "tip us" thing....wouldn't you? But, tips are not required. It's up to you and you alone! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare geoherb Posted March 18, 2016 #17 Share Posted March 18, 2016 My suggested tip would be $5-$10 for the whale-watching excursion and $10-$20 for the helicopter one--or more if you feel like they worth exceptionally good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KirkNC Posted March 18, 2016 #18 Share Posted March 18, 2016 Yes, folks normally tip. How much depends on the service received. That's our approach as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fire&teacher Posted March 18, 2016 Author #19 Share Posted March 18, 2016 Thank you to everyone that responded about tipping on Alaska shore excursions. One last question, Is the suggested price, per person or per group? We are a family of 4 adults. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nic6318 Posted March 19, 2016 #20 Share Posted March 19, 2016 Hi there I don't have any question about tipping some tour guide giving a fun filled experience. Five or ten dollars is fine depending on the activity and usually appreciated. Growing up I always had been told that you don't typically tip a business owner. In some situations it might be considered insulting. What I am getting at is that some tours such as flights/helicopter tours can range from 200-600 per person that is a lot of money for a family. Certainly it is more than I would normally spend to fly to Florida from Detroit. I would never consider tipping the pilot or the flight attendants for that matter. So in this instance giving a token tip would seem insulting but giving a 15% tip per person would not seen reasonable to me. Any thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nebr.cruiser Posted March 19, 2016 #21 Share Posted March 19, 2016 We usually tip $5 to $10 dollars a person on excursions, depending on length of tour. For a really exceptional guide or very long, complicated tour, probably more. So far I haven't had a guide so terrible that I didn't tip at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
easyboy Posted March 19, 2016 #22 Share Posted March 19, 2016 What I am getting at is that some tours such as flights/helicopter tours can range from 200-600 per person that is a lot of money for a family. Certainly it is more than I would normally spend to fly to Florida from Detroit. I would never consider tipping the pilot or the flight attendants for that matter. So in this instance giving a token tip would seem insulting but giving a 15% tip per person would not seen reasonable to me. Any thoughts? In your scenario, I think they are not expecting tips as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucky TGO Posted March 19, 2016 #23 Share Posted March 19, 2016 I did a duck tour once and I think the young man was drinking. It was so bad the people just wanted to get off that duck boat. Do you give him a tip?? :eek: Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wishfulone Posted March 19, 2016 #24 Share Posted March 19, 2016 I did a duck tour once and I think the young man was drinking. It was so bad the people just wanted to get off that duck boat. Do you give him a tip?? :eek:Tony I'd be more inclined to report him to his boss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Treven Posted March 19, 2016 #25 Share Posted March 19, 2016 A few years ago, ok several years ago, I took a snorkeling excursion out of Key West. I don't swim so I took the trip just to experience the locale, barely out in the Atlantic Ocean. Anyway after the trip, which included a light luncheon onboard, as we were approaching the dock the driver of the boat/guide stated, "Since we've taken care of you all day now it's your turn to take care of us". One of his crew then held up a small bucket with TIPS painted on the side. He didn't get anything from me, nor from a lot of folks on the tour. I think that if there was the bucket on the dock where we landed I and possibly others would have tipped them. But not when we were "expected" to tip them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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