Tipping on Alaska excursions

[luvstocruzok]

I was curious if you tip on the Alaskan excursions. If so, how much? Do you tip everyone from the tour guide to the boat captain? If the tour operator is the owner of the tour, do you still tip them? What does everyone recommend?

[peety3]

I've done anything from $0 on a disappointing tour that truly should have been better to $100 (for two of us) on a $840 private/custom photo tour with a fantastic bear sighting. On a whale watch, I've been known to do $40 to the guide and $20 to the boat captain, but we'd enjoyed the boat captain a year earlier and she remembered us (and earned her tip!); normally I'd just tip the guide and let them manage with the bus driver, boat captain, etc.

[zqvol]

I was curious if you tip on the Alaskan excursions. If so, how much? Do you tip everyone from the tour guide to the boat captain? If the tour operator is the owner of the tour, do you still tip them? What does everyone recommend?

 

These people are not food service workers working for less than minimum wage. If you feel that they have done something special for you and deserve a gratuity then by all means offer one, but do not let them bully you into thinking that you are somehow paying their salary with your gratuities.

 

As to who to tip and how much those are very personal decisions, but I would never extend a gratuity to the owner or a boat captain, nor to a bus driver unles he helped with luggage.

[mapleleaves]

Use SEARCH THIS FORUM with the word ' tipping' and you'll find many past responses with specific suggestions for specific circumstances.

[CalJas]

I always go back and forth on this myself. We are doing a private tour in Skagway with a cost of $886 for the day and there will be 6 in our party. Do you think $120 ($40 per couple) as a tip is too much or about right?

 

We have a 4 hour tour in Ketchikan, again private for $300, and thinking $60 ($20 per couple) for this one. Does this sound appropriate?

 

I just don't ever want to under tip, but don't want to be excessive with the amount given either.

 

Calvin and Jason

[Quilting_Cruiser]

I was curious if you tip on the Alaskan excursions. If so, how much? Do you tip everyone from the tour guide to the boat captain? If the tour operator is the owner of the tour, do you still tip them? What does everyone recommend?

 

As others have said, it's a personal decision. I tip according to the service I receive. On my last Alaska cruise, the whale watch was a great excursion and the naturalist on board was very knowledgeable and entertaining. We each tipped him $5. On a salmon fishing trip, I don't care if the captain owns the boat--if he gets me to where the fish are and helps out and gives us a good trip, he's going to get a tip. Depending on what he does, he'll get $20 to $40. Out last captain got $40 because he worked very hard to make sure each of us caught fish and made it such an enjoyable excursion!

 

I don't tip a bus driver unless there's help with luggage. And, when I tip a guide if there are others involved, I let him or her know that this is "for all of you."

 

I always go back and forth on this myself. We are doing a private tour in Skagway with a cost of $886 for the day and there will be 6 in our party. Do you think $120 ($40 per couple) as a tip is too much or about right?

 

We have a 4 hour tour in Ketchikan, again private for $300, and thinking $60 ($20 per couple) for this one. Does this sound appropriate?

 

I just don't ever want to under tip, but don't want to be excessive with the amount given either.

 

Calvin and Jason

 

 

IMHO, that's VERY generous. If they go above and beyond and really do something special I might tip that much, but it would have to be really something. I'm not a cheap tipper--in a restaurant, I'll tip 20-25% for exceptional service and 18-20% for food service.

[HI-C-Dubs]

I always go back and forth on this myself. We are doing a private tour in Skagway with a cost of $886 for the day and there will be 6 in our party. Do you think $120 ($40 per couple) as a tip is too much or about right?

 

 

 

We have a 4 hour tour in Ketchikan, again private for $300, and thinking $60 ($20 per couple) for this one. Does this sound appropriate?

 

 

 

I just don't ever want to under tip, but don't want to be excessive with the amount given either.

 

 

 

Calvin and Jason

 

 

 

 

I would say $10 an hour if they do a good job, $20 if they do a AMAZING job. If they don't even do a god job just be fine not giving them a tip... While they rely on it if they aren't giving you even good service then they don't deserve it.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[HI-C-Dubs]

 

As to who to tip and how much those are very personal decisions, but I would never extend a gratuity to the owner or a boat captain, nor to a bus driver unles he helped with luggage.

 

 

Awwww I'm a bus driver! You wouldn't tip me? :D

 

I think a driver who's just doing the driving, no. But if the driver gives a great narration, or if you're on a tour and he's always courteous and attentive, a little something helps him/her feel like the extra attention they gave to you was seen, and you will definitely make their day. I've heard that the drivers in AK for their first season only get $10 an hour, so it's not like they are getting rich... But also not going to hurt if you DONT tip.

 

Now I'm Hawaii, be more generous [emoji38]

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[eandj]

It is a personal choice as you can see with the variety of replies. Much just depends on your philosophy for tipping. I don't ever assume ahead of the tour that a guide is deserving of a tip. If a person involved makes the tour extra special, more than expected for us, we will offer something extra. The amount can vary. We do what we feel comfortable with. There have been so-so tours when we don't add extra.

If you are worried what others will think of you , that's a whole other issue. ;) Personally we don't care what others feel comfortable with.

[notentirelynormal]

I would say $10 an hour if they do a good job, $20 if they do a AMAZING job. If they don't even do a god job just be fine not giving them a tip... While they rely on it if they aren't giving you even good service then they don't deserve it.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

 

Wow! You are an amazing tipper! So on an 8 hour trip you would tip $160? In some cases that might be more then the cost of the excursion itself. Is that for a couple or more then two? I mean, I'll have six people and at that rate I would be tipping almost a $1000! I'm assuming though you meant $20 per couple not per hour.:eek:

[HI-C-Dubs]

If I'm doing a private charter and the guy did a amazing job, I might! But the experience would have to be pretty damn life changing

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[eandj]

I never understood the idea of tipping a bus driver. Someone explain that to me. If the driver's job is driving from point a to b , not acting as tour guide, what could the driver do extra to deserve a tip? The job is driving us safely to the destinations on the itinerary. And be there for me when finished seeing the site. So I give them extra for NOT getting in an accident? A driver works for a company that pays them. I pay the company. I don't subsidize my grocery check out person, bank teller and others who are doing their job.

 

Just to clarify, I am not referring to drivers who help with heavy luggage loading/unloading or those needing to help with handicapped people, their equipment. I would appreciate that driver's help.

Edited May 13, 2016 by eandj

[Budget Queen]

It is a personal choice. :) I see all kinds "excuses" for reasons not to, which are good sounding to the one claiming them. :)

 

I tip well, my choice. I really appreciate the service of good tours.

[eandj]

It is a personal choice. :) I see all kinds "excuses" for reasons not to, which are good sounding to the one claiming them. :)

 

I tip well, my choice. I really appreciate the service of good tours.

 

 

Yes we tip our guide well for good service too. ;)

I just don't get the bus driver tip on top of the tour guide (often an independent) who is doing the work to make the tour special for the riders.

I'm not looking for excuses not to tip. Just wondering what service people are tipping the driver for.:o

[Quilting_Cruiser]

Yes we tip our guide well for good service too. ;)

I just don't get the bus driver tip on top of the tour guide (often an independent) who is doing the work to make the tour special for the riders.

I'm not looking for excuses not to tip. Just wondering what service people are tipping the driver for.:o

 

 

Other than the poster who said he or she is a bus driver, those of us who mentioned tipping the bus driver said we'd do it only if he or she helped with luggage. :p

[Rambler5678]

As others have said, it's a personal decision. I tip according to the service I receive. On my last Alaska cruise, the whale watch was a great excursion and the naturalist on board was very knowledgeable and entertaining. We each tipped him $5. On a salmon fishing trip, I don't care if the captain owns the boat--if he gets me to where the fish are and helps out and gives us a good trip, he's going to get a tip. Depending on what he does, he'll get $20 to $40. Out last captain got $40 because he worked very hard to make sure each of us caught fish and made it such an enjoyable excursion!

 

On the fishing/whale watch tour, How much pp did you tip the mate and captain?

[Quilting_Cruiser]

As others have said, it's a personal decision. I tip according to the service I receive. On my last Alaska cruise, the whale watch was a great excursion and the naturalist on board was very knowledgeable and entertaining. We each tipped him $5. On a salmon fishing trip, I don't care if the captain owns the boat--if he gets me to where the fish are and helps out and gives us a good trip, he's going to get a tip. Depending on what he does, he'll get $20 to $40. Out last captain got $40 because he worked very hard to make sure each of us caught fish and made it such an enjoyable excursion!

 

On the fishing/whale watch tour, How much pp did you tip the mate and captain?

 

We tipped $10 each to the captain (he took us to a pod of Orcas and we spent more than hour watching them!). It was a small boat and we had only the captain and the naturalist on board. $15 each is a little more than we would usually tip but both captain and naturalist put a lot of effort into making sure the tour was a memorable experience.

 

On the salmon charters I've done there's been only the captain. No mate.

Edited May 13, 2016 by Quilting_Cruiser

[Dancing Gal]

about 10 years ago, we did a hiking/rafting trip in Ketchikan (maybe Skagway) - anyway, the 20-somethings who were the guides shared that they welcome fresh fruit and such (like a bag of oranges (not just one) as tip/part of tip due to high cost for them to purchase there. They shared prices of $5 for a bag of chocolate chips if they wanted to make cookies; fresh fruit something like $10 for 3 lbs. Just a thought to add some fruit (from the fruit basket that you may have in your cabin depending on cabin or gift from friend) along with some $.