Tipping for Included Excursions

[Ready to Sail!]

As most people we have always tipped the guide and/or driver on optional tours.  This is our first Viking cruise so not sure what is norm for these included tours.  Is the tip covered by Viking or still needs to be considered, if warranted. 

[Peregrina651]

Tips not included.

[MikeyB]

The Viking website and the cruise documents will tell you the suggested amounts.

Not everyone tips. 

There is not a tipping culture in Europe.  Not even sure why I do on a Viking cruise.  However, I do tip staff directly.

 

[Capt_BJ]

on both our V river and ocean cruises I've tipped the equiv of a couple of dollars per person to the guide who typically shares with the bus driver.  If they were exceptional in some way I'd up it.  None have ever seemed unhappy or insulted by the gesture!  

[Ready to Sail!]

39 minutes ago, MikeyB said:

The Viking website and the cruise documents will tell you the suggested amounts.

Not everyone tips. 

There is not a tipping culture in Europe.  Not even sure why I do on a Viking cruise.  However, I do tip staff directly.

 

We have traveled Europe independently many times and respect the custom of just rounding up in restaurants, etc.  On cruises we feel it is a little different and have always tipped guide and/or driver, amount depending on quality, length etc.  Even then we do keep it reasonable as most of these excursions through the ships tend to be over priced in our opinion.  I am assuming (maybe incorrectly) that the people who work for these companies are probably paid better than most ship crew.  I just wanted to be sure it isn't covered by Viking. And yes, we have seen many people leave the tour without tipping at all. 

[philw1776]

19 hours ago, Ready to Sail! said:

As most people we have always tipped the guide and/or driver on optional tours.  This is our first Viking cruise so not sure what is norm for these included tours.  Is the tip covered by Viking or still needs to be considered, if warranted. 

 

Viking suggests in Europe a 2 Euro trip per person to your excursion guide and 1 Euro per person to your bus driver.  Some do not tip; others may tip more.  A 5 Euro bill comes in handy.  I tip more for all day excursions vs a few hours excursion.

Viking will give you coins for your Euro bills onboard but will not exchange currencies.  Coins are handy for toilets.

[Heidi13]

On 11/14/2018 at 3:28 PM, Ready to Sail! said:

 I am assuming (maybe incorrectly) that the people who work for these companies are probably paid better than most ship crew.  I just wanted to be sure it isn't covered by Viking. And yes, we have seen many people leave the tour without tipping at all. 

You are correct, the EU has extensive employment laws, which includes a minimum wage, which varies by country. The UK minimum wage is higher than our BC minimum wage.

 

I believe most of the developed EU countries have minimum wages comparable to UK.

[CILCIANRQTS]

5 hours ago, Heidi13 said:

You are correct, the EU has extensive employment laws, which includes a minimum wage, which varies by country. The UK minimum wage is higher than our BC minimum wage.

 

I believe most of the developed EU countries have minimum wages comparable to UK.

 

Tour guides are independent contractors, not employees.

I believe they receive a small stipend and rely on tips for most of their compensation.

Sorry to take away one excuse not to tip.

[Heidi13]

17 hours ago, CILCIANRQTS said:

 

Tour guides are independent contractors, not employees.

I believe they receive a small stipend and rely on tips for most of their compensation.

Sorry to take away one excuse not to tip.

While I accept some companies in some European countries may pay tour guides as you indicate, however in my 20 + yrs living on the other side of the Atlantic and returns to visit family about every 2 to 3 years for the past 40 years, it is certainly not my experience.

 

Some may be on contract, normally for the tourist season, but in my experience they receive at least the minimum wage, at least in UK. This was confirmed by a quick web search.

 

A number of months ago, I also researched Tours by Locals, determining that the guides set the tour price and the website retains 20% for admin and marketing. The guides retain 80%, which covers their fee and transportation costs, etc.

[Jim Avery]

None of the Viking excursions we used had drivers/guides that appeared to expect tips.  All seemed very grateful for any offered.  We took about $500 in ones, fives, and tens and usually tipped a good driver/guide $5.  A few singles for small favors in markets or other shore side venues.  Hired private excursions were tipped but not extravagantly and the driver and guide seemed very happy to get anything.

[Parsley Cruises]

We generally simply don't tip - we have our reasons, and we're not about to change our minds.  However, as and when an excursion guide warrants a tip, then it's done, discreetly.  On our recent VO cruise, we didn't feel the need to tip our guides.  However, on the 4 day post cruise extension we couldn't help but tip both the guide and the rep.  Outstanding service from both.

[Heidi13]

9 hours ago, Parsley Cruises said:

We generally simply don't tip - we have our reasons, and we're not about to change our minds.  However, as and when an excursion guide warrants a tip, then it's done, discreetly.  On our recent VO cruise, we didn't feel the need to tip our guides.  However, on the 4 day post cruise extension we couldn't help but tip both the guide and the rep.  Outstanding service from both.

You didn't mention which cruise, but if memory is correct I believe it was in Europe. You described our views exactly, which are consistent with local customs.

 

During our last cruise, we provided a discreet tip to the exceptional guide in St Petersburg. On the ship's Berlin Tour we had another exceptional guide, who continuously wandered around the bus, even picked up beer for the return journey. He also received a discreet tip.

 

However, in Stockholm, our guide went through the motions - provided a short 5 min history and facts then sat down for the hour drive to the city. She was hopeless at the Vasa Museum, which I went around myself learning more from the provided information than the guide was providing. Heading back to the port, she never said anything until we reached the port. Departing the bus, she was there with hand out and some did provide tips, but not us. We provide a tip for exceptional service, not for sitting in her bus for 6 hours.

 

Sadly, the response in the previous post is all too common. Personally, I am accepting of different beliefs and cultures regarding tipping, which includes not negating those with different beliefs. It would be nice if others reciprocated, as although the comment in the previous post was not directed at me, I still find it insulting.

 

[Parsley Cruises]

Heidi,

Being a tour guide is not an easy job, we look for a service which is not judgemental, not political, not chauvinistic, is informative, entertaining, doesn’t completely bore us, and is mindful of the fact that some of the passengers need to get back to the ship, and that the passengers are not necessarily all the same nationality.

 

We just do not reward poor service, and we find brash behaviour distasteful.

 

[ropomo]

Bottom line, tipping is a personal matter and I for one wish it would remain one on this forum.  Not to equate the two, but charity is also a personal matter and I can't believe anyone would post here wanting advice from internet strangers on the appropriate amount to give a charity.  With the same thought applied to tipping, is asking for or providing tipping advice really going to provide an answer?  My simple advice to anyone posting asking about tipping would be to understand the local customs, venue, etc. and let your conscience be your guide as you consider the value the individual did or didn't add to your experience be it a guide, waitstaff, room steward, etc.  What other people do or don't do should be of no concern to you or your actions to them and in reality should be mystery to all but the tipper.

[broker1217]

I find it unusual that folks who are willing to cruise on line like Viking, will spend so much time and effort avoiding following Viking's recommended tipping policy for tour guides and bus drivers.

Viking recommends 2 euros (per person) for the tour guide and 1 euro (per person) for the bus driver .

You can't spring for $5USD for a couple for the tour guide and $2-3USD for the driver?  Instead, you should choose to cruise on a line that does not make such recommendations.

We all understand that Americans are used to tipping culture and Europeans and Canadians are not. But if I am on a line that recommends a specific tipping guideline, I will follow it. Especially when it is such a ridiculously small amount of money. 

If you don't believe in tipping then you should cruise on a line that includes all gratuities. To travel on a cruise that clearly expects gratuities and then not pay them is simply ill-bred.

 

[Parsley Cruises]

Well we’re not European, we are British. Our contract stated that tips were included.  If and when we decide to tip is our decision.  If people don’t have all the relevant facts, they shouldn’t comment.

However, with a stiff upper lip and oodles of strong moral fibre, we’re not about to change our minds on this point.

Tipping a poor service provider doesn’t encourage service improvement; rewarding a child who under-performs is just the same. As the old maxim goes ‘to the victor the spoils ‘.

So, kindly don’t tell other people which cruise line to use, or question things like finances or breeding; it’s not the done thing.

[MikeyB]

I didn't want to enter this fray, but I'm one not able to look away from a car accident.

Just because Viking or any other cruise line suggests giving a gratuity, does not mean much to me.  If they think the guide or driver or worth a certain dollar amount, let them reach into their own pockets.  Those amounts are meant to be high to take into account all the passengers who don't tip at all.  My tips vary depending upon how good the guide/driver was.  And even then, it's probably less than the "suggested amounts".

I do try to tip my doctors at least 15%.

[Pushka]

Tips are included in Australian Fares and we don’t come from a country where tips are the norm. Rounding up at best for taxis. But less so now that credit cards are used. If cruising to Australia you are not considered at all cheap if you don’t tip. It’s just not encouraged.  I chose to tip in Europe recently but only because the person went above and beyond. Where I didn’t enjoy the excursion and this was due to the guide, and what they did, then I did not. 

I havent read of any tipping suggestions in our contract. So in reality, every contract is different depending on the country you have booked in. 

Edited November 20, 2018 by Pushka

[Pushka]

On 11/18/2018 at 10:42 PM, KruiserKat said:

Very simple reason! You're cheap!!!

Or come from a country where wages are fair and not reliant on tips. 

[Pushka]

On 11/16/2018 at 7:14 PM, CILCIANRQTS said:

 

Tour guides are independent contractors, not employees.

I believe they receive a small stipend and rely on tips for most of their compensation.

Sorry to take away one excuse not to tip.

 I think that none of us know that every tour guide is a contractor. I know of several who work for a larger company making them employees. 

Edited November 20, 2018 by Pushka