Tips for private tours

[prudence passenger]

We have booked a few private tours for our upcoming UK cruise this July/August.  Most of these are all day with a car and driver/guide.  What is the recommended tipping for these tours?  Haven't done this in awhile, and not sure of protocol in UK.  We do like to thank our tour guides for a day of great service, thanks for any input or suggestions.

Judi

[John Bull]

There are no tips as-of-right in the UK.

There is a tipping culture but tips have to be earned by providing a good experience. Or in your own words "to thank our tour guides for a day of great service". 

There's no real protocol for the amount, but tips are generally at a lower level than in the US.

And be in no doubt - a poor experience is unworthy of any tip.  

 

For a good experience over a full day we would probably tip a driver/guide somewhere in the order of £20 total, less pp for a bigger group right down to a pound a head on a full-size coach tour.

But we've given more on occasions and zilch on other occasions, totally dependent on the service.

One exception (for us) - lower figures if the driver/guide is the gaffer. He's already onto a profit with your tour fee.

Doubtless others will chime in with higher or lower amounts, it's totally subjective and tips are a bonus, not a right.

 

One thing - can you perfect an English accent? (reduces the expectations) 

Or, come to think of it, an Australian accent would be even better. (nil expectations) 

But you probably wouldn't get away with a Japanese accent. (tipping is disrespectful) 

 

If you get it wrong, it's not a big deal

 

JB 

 

[ducklite]

Agree with JB, for an all day private car and driver, something along 20 pounds per person if you enjoyed yourselves.  If the driver goes above and beyond in service or really specializes the tour to meet your interests, of course feel free to add more.  

[John Bull]

1 hour ago, ducklite said:

Agree with JB, for an all day private car and driver, something along 20 pounds per person if you enjoyed yourselves.  If the driver goes above and beyond in service or really specializes the tour to meet your interests, of course feel free to add more.  

 

 Ooops. My post rather poorly phrased - we'd give £20 total for two of us, ie £10 pp.

But there are other Brits who'd give £20 each. And others who'd give nowt. 

Like I said, no big deal whatever you choose to give.

 

JB 

[prudence passenger]

Thank you very much for replies, this helps a lot

i am afraid I have a terrible NYC accent, and living in Florida for over 30 years hasn’t helped in the slightest ;-(

 

judi

 

[John Bull]

1 hour ago, prudence passenger said:

Thank you very much for replies, this helps a lot

i am afraid I have a terrible NYC accent, and living in Florida for over 30 years hasn’t helped in the slightest ;-(

 

judi

 

 

OK, Judi.

Just double everything I said 

 

JB 

[Host Bonjour]

May I ask, are the guides/drivers paid what is considered to be a working wage? Must they be licensed/certified, trained? I am sure this varies greatly depending upon the company, the type of tour, and of course, any country. I understand it might not be the greatest working wage but lots of us have had, will have, do have, jobs that pay us, but may not pay what we or someone else consider to be a great wage. European (sorry UK almost Brexit maybe?) countries often have, but not always, incredible job protection contracts. 

 

And what constitutes exceptional service? How does one know if a guide went beyond or not? It already is a service we are buying so one expects it to be quite good or else they'd not have a good reputation, repeat business. And then there are cultural norms and practices which international visitors on either side of an ocean, going east/west/north/south (hemisperes, you see) often get called out on for failing to observe or respect etc etc. and forcing their values onto other societies which is a fair and valid point. How do we remain good and respectful travel citizens when crossing cultures?

 

As it's often pointed out coming to the US, restaurant workers among others, aren't paid living wages and are dependent upon tips to earn any sort of decent income. I'm not sure any American actually enjoys or understands it but it is what it is. And it doesn't seem right following anyone out to ask why they didn't tip, that IS poor service. As for here, they should just charge a price and pay their workers, enough said.

 

As for traveling, it should be the same. Or, to put it simply, When in Rome....some things are just basic, especially when it comes to money. Can't use American dollars except for in a very few circumstances abroad, ought we not follow any other custom when it comes to money in any country we may find ourselves conducting a transaction? It has to stop feeling weird and start feeling appropriate and perhaps if we talk about it more in terms of every day situations, it might feel less weird to walk away from a situation without dropping extra money when it isn't necessary. Perhaps find some place local that needs a donation and put the money there or simply spend it elsewhere. Or further to the point, how is it received?

 

Sure some people will never mind getting extra money but overall, what signal do we send or message do we convey when we insist on doing things our way? "I don't care how you do it, I'm doing it my way!" Certainly I've encountered people who already have presumptions of Americans 😱 that I was able to dismiss or disprove; didn't arrive with guns, could speak two other languages (and spotty in a few more), didn't scream if I could only speak English, tried to smile....and I checked the tipping thing for each country. I even knew it was often better sometimes if I wasn't American...really, there were no guns to leave behind, I swear 🤗 but I surely flubbed here and there when I was tired or maybe confused with something. Or my clutz thing just kicked in, never a good look. With the Chinese yuan, or RMB, I was told not to take any out of China. Scary.

 

So I don't know. I'm interested instead of the tip/not tip debate that's always here, a different sort of conversation, if that's possible. Not with who or what's right or wrong, but what's underneath it all:

 

If we go to Shangri-La where they don't tip and I don't tip, is it ok?

If we go to Shangri-La where they don't tip and I do tip, is it ok? For us? For the Recipient? Why?

 

then flip it to America where tipping is expected:

If we come to America where they do tip and I don't tip, why isn't it ok?

If we come to America where they do tip and I do tip is it ok? For us? For the Recipient? Why?

 

Don't say what the guidebook tells you, say what you think with respect for all thoughts, opinions 🙂