Automatic Tip Does Not Include Shore Exs

[Princess Patches]

I assume that the Princess $10 per day automatic tip does not include sharing it with the shore excursion operators. I am sailing on the Crown next month and am always at a loss as to what the guidelines are on tipping the shore excursion tour guide and bus driver. Here are some questions:

 

1. What are the guidelines for tipping the tour guide and bus driver for a half day tour vs. a full day tour?

 

2. Do you just tip the tour guide and assume he/she will share it with the bus driver or do you tip them separately?

 

3. Is the amount of the tip dependent on the number of people on the tour? (i.e. would one tip more if only 10 people are on the tour than if there are 40 people on the tour?).

[Rollexx]

I slip the guide a twenty, regardless of number of people on tour and assume they share with all involved.

[FredS]

We have always tipped the driver and guide individually. The amount one tips is based on several things for us. Length of tour, quality of tour, guide's attitude, quality of bus, condition of bus, etc. So we might tip the guide $5-10 and the driver from $2-5.

[cherylandtk]

And the Princess guidelines suggest $1 for a half-day tour and $2 for a full day tour as tips. That per person.

[Lynda90]

And the Princess guidelines suggest $1 for a half-day tour and $2 for a full day tour as tips. That per person.

Could you please provide a link or other info on where you found this? Thanks!

[dforeigner]

And the Princess guidelines suggest $1 for a half-day tour and $2 for a full day tour as tips. That per person.

 

What about when you take an expensive helicopter tour, ($300-400 pp). Do you still tip the pilot?

[cherylandtk]

Could you please provide a link or other info on where you found this? Thanks!

I read this in the current online version of the shore excursion book, mine happened to be the Western Caribbean-Grand Princess 05/06 book, page 141:

 

Q. SHOULD I TIP THE TOUR GUIDE?

A. Tipping is a discretionary matter. It is, however, customary

around the world, if one is pleased with their tour,

to tip the tour guide. A general rule of thumb is $1 per

person for a half-day tour and $2 per person for a full-day

tour.

Link to the download page of all the shore excursion booklets:

http://www.princess.com/shorex/brochures.html

[MaryPoppinz]

Do you still tip the pilot?

 

The general rule is that you don't tip business owners and professionals. That says nothing about whether the pilot would or would not be pleased with a few extra dollars, though......

[cloveygrl]

I slip the guide a twenty, regardless of number of people on tour and assume they share with all involved.

 

generally you dont pull (share) your tips unless there is an enforced policy so I wouldn't assume

[Lynda90]

I read this in the current online version of the shore excursion book, mine happened to be the Western Caribbean-Grand Princess 05/06 book, page 141:

 

 

Q. SHOULD I TIP THE TOUR GUIDE?

A.

Tipping is a discretionary matter. It is, however, customary

around the world, if one is pleased with their tour,

to tip the tour guide. A general rule of thumb is $1 per

person for a half-day tour and $2 per person for a full-day

tour.

 

Link to the download page of all the shore excursion booklets:

http://www.princess.com/shorex/brochures.html

Thanks! It's also in the Alaska tour book with one modification. It says $1 for half day and $3 for full day. Doesn't seem like much.

[cherylandtk]

Lynda, I didn't think so either, but since this is always a subject of much discussion I thought it interesting to note that Princess has started to list a guideline on the matter.

[elsje]

Lynda, I didn't think so either, but since this is always a subject of much discussion I thought it interesting to note that Princess has started to list a guideline on the matter.

 

I feel though that the Princess tipping guidelines is geared towards Princess excursions, which generates a large amount of folks on those tours. If we were pleased with our tour guide we would give him/her $5/$10 depending on the length of the excursion (as a couple). However on our next cruise we have our own tour guide arraigned for 6-7 hours and it will be just the two of us. I will tip him more than if I was on cruise organized tour and of course depending on his service, which I expect to be good/great ;) ~ Els.