Tipping on Tours

[Felice]

We're on the Liberty on May 7, 2006, travelling the Mediterranean. We'll be on several tours and we wonder what is the customary tipping policy? We'll be in vans of 8 in Naples, Florence and Messina and the tours themselves, though not exorbitantly expensive, are certainly not cheap. What is the norm for tipping? Anyone know???

:confused:

[Arwenmark]

I have seen anywhere from a couple of bucks to a $20 for a good tour guide, we usually give ten to twenty ourselves especially if they have helped me with my wheelchair etc.

[Krazy Kruizers]

If it is a half day tour, we usually give $5 per person. Full day tours - much more.

[Felice]

Thanks for your input - I get a little squirrely when I realize that a tour with 8 people costs 650 euros, roughly $780. If everyone gives the guide 20%, that's a $156 tip! I am NOT cheap, but I worked hard my whole life - and no one ever gave me a tip! 10% I can live with - but is that acceptable???

Felice.

[Arwenmark]

Well Felice, on most of the tours I have ever taken at least 50% of the passengers don't tip at all, so I think the tour guide would be happy with 10% over 0%

[Jane110]

Thanks for your input - I get a little squirrely when I realize that a tour with 8 people costs 650 euros, roughly $780. If everyone gives the guide 20%, that's a $156 tip! I am NOT cheap, but I worked hard my whole life - and no one ever gave me a tip! 10% I can live with - but is that acceptable???

Felice.

 

Felice,

 

Is that 650 Euro's per couple or per van? If it's for the whole van then it's only 162 Euro's per couple. I'm just not sure what you mean.

 

10% is an acceptable amount in general in Europe. However, if you're paying 650 Euro's per couple, you need not tip your guide 65 Euro's. If you're paying 163 Euro's, then I'd probably round up from 16 Euro's to 20 Euro's per couple as a tip. If the guide has really gone out of his/her way to give you a fantastic day, then you can certainly up it to 25 or 35 Euro's and they'd appreciate it.

 

We had a couple on a 4 couple tour that didn't tip anyone (they were then not invited by the group on the other private tours we arranged) and the remaining 6 of us gave the guide more to make up for the cheapskates because our guide was so exceptional. This woman brought us to her home for a quick stop to use a clean bathroom and see a typical local home. (doesn't get better than that!)

 

Your "no one ever gave me a tip" really has no part of the discussion. My husband nor I have never received a tip in our lives. But neither one of us has ever been waitstaff, bartender, tour guide, delivery person, hair dresser, masseuse, doorman, etc. If you've chosen a profession where tipping isn't customary, like we have, please don't resent the people who are in professions where it is. It is what it is.....in some jobs tipping is the norm and in some it's not. We can't change the world.

 

Have a great time.

 

Jane

[Felice]

Points well taken, Jane. I've never been accused of being a cheapskate - if anything, I go the other way. I just wanted some guidance. To answer your question, the 650 euros is for the van making the per couple price around 165 euros or about $200. A 20 euro tip sounds great - I just wanted to know what the appropriate amount would be from a seasoned-traveler point of view.

Thanks.

[Jane110]

Felice,

 

Apologies if I sounded like I was accusing you of being a cheapskate. NOT my intention at all. Besides, a cheapskate woudn't come on here and bother to ask what's appropriate! :)

 

Have a wonderful time!

 

Jane