Question on tipping in Alaska

[ute_fan]

I apologize if this question has been asked before, but with the search feature down I can't find any information.

When we were on our Texaribbean cruise, it seems that everyone and their dog expected a tip. We knew this going in, and were prepared, but I'm just wondering if this applies in Alaska as well.

I'm referring specifically to the porters that take your bags at the pier and the guides from the shore excursions.

NCL Sun 06/04
NCL Sea 01/04

[geoherb]

I'm not sure if the dogs who pull the sleds get a tip, but I'd tip the people who help.

We usually tip the people who lead excursions. They don't make much money otherwise. [url="http://www.findalink.net/tippingetiquette.php"]Here's a website[/url] that lists all sorts of tipping suggestions. It suggests 10-15% of the cost of the tour.

I'm not sure what the etiquette is for tipping the owners who also lead the excursions, such as Captain Larry or a flight-seeing pilot.

[Tobin]

If you are on the NCL Sun that departs from Canada Place, they haven't accepted tips in the past. In fact they have had signs up on the large crates that they load the luggage on that said "no tipping". I think it may have to do with their Union.

[CruiseIsGood]

I used the ship's transfers, so my bags went from the bus to the ship and I didn't see the porters. The only shore excursion I tipped on was the canoe the first year, since they took just us four and at that time had a jar on the desk for tips. I didn't see anyone else tipping for shore excursions at all.

[Budget Queen]

I always tip the porters at Canada Place and have done so for years. I also always tip on tours- maybe I'm generous but $5- 10 for most and $1 for the shuttle drivers is my ball park. Tipping is a way of American life. [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

[srphnx]

In general you tip service persons but not owners. Owners of tours are seen as professionals not providers of service.

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[cruisecontroller]

I was just wondering about this very topic. I don't really know who is an owner or service provider. Specifically, should Capt. Larry and/or Michelle from Island Wings be tipped?

First Alaska Cruise - Sapphire Princess
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[JohnQ]

Capt Larry is the Capt, not the owner. I believe Carol is the owner of Orca Enterprizes.
We also took Michelle's flight and we tipped for the extra ordinary service and efforts to make the tour memorable.

[Budget Queen]

It doesn't matter to me who's the owner. I tip based on the good service. [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

[kimba_99]

Always an interesting topic for me since we don't do much tipping in Australia. I read all I could about this before we went to the US last year as we wanted to do the right thing and this is my experience;
Anchorage; A Princess rep took our luggage at the convention centre. We had tipped our taxi driver but the Princess rep just took the bags and disappeared. I sort of stood there looking a bit dumbfounded as I was expecting to give someone some money, we just walked inside instead.
Skagway; Did the Original Street Car ship booked tour in the morning, twelve couples, all but us were from the US (driver asked everyone where they were from), we got off last as I was keenly interested in how the tips would be given and where. The bus driver stood outside the door of the bus and everyone had to pass her when they got off. Only two couples tipped. I was very surprised by this! as it was the very first time I had seen anyone else tipping and after reading all the info on different boards I really didn't know what to think. I think I was a bit shocked actually as there has been some very heated debates on the subject.
Afternoon independently booked tour both us and the other couple tipped our driver.
Ketchikan; Land & Sea ship booked tour less than half the people (approx. 30)on the tour tipped.

My partner and I talked about our tipping experience before the end of the cruise and decided that even though it's an American tradition many Americans are either just cheapskates or just don't believe in the whole tipping concept. It certainly made it difficult for us to know what we should do, tip or not to tip (on the tours) since so many ppl on the boards had said you should but the actual real life experience was somewhat different. I wonder how many of these same ppl pay the tips on the ship??

Kim

[url="http://messages.cruisecritic.com/2/OpenTopic?a=tpc&s=927093444&f=4763056957&m=5913037067"]Sapphire Princess Roll Call Christmas/New Year Cruise Syd-Auk 23 Dec 2004[/url]

My pics from Alaska, June 2003
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[Budget Queen]

Yep- there are plenty of cheapskates. [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

[tinydancer21]

Well, most of the bus drivers and workers for the tour companies are teachers off for the summer or college students both are people working for as much money as they can make over the summer. I say if you like the service you get tip, it's appriciated and almost everyone who works tour season works their butts of and deserve it. [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img]

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[Bruin Steve]

Well, I figure some folks are cheapskates, some don't know any better...

But, I stopped worrying about what other people do...

If a waiter or waitress in a restaurant serves me a meal, I expect to add 15% to 20% depending on the quality of the service, etc.

When a skycap or hotel bellman schleps my bags somewhere for me and makes sure they get to the right place, I tip anywhere from $1 a bag on up depending on what he has to do for me...

When the ship "suggests" certain tips for the service crew, I give that as a MINIMUM...If they do anything extra for me...or if they do a better job that even the usual high standards, I adjust upwards as well...

AND, if I am on a tour, whether it be a private tour or a ship's excursion, I tip the guide and, often, the driver as well...For ship's excursions, where there are 30 or 40 people loaded on a bus, for a family of four, typically I'll give the Guide $20 and the Driver $10 for a full day excursion, half that for a half day excursion...But, I'll adjust upwards from there if the Guide is excellent and goes out of his/her way for us...and, on occasion, where I get a guide who really sucks--like the one we had in Nice who left us all stranded in Monte Carlo because she decided it was too hot at the rendezvous point SHE designated so she went back to the bus on her own and figured we'd all find ourselves--well, I have no problem STIFFING a guide like that!!!

But, for the most part, I look at it this way: That $10 or $20 means very little to me in comparison to what it means to that friendly young guide we had in Ensenada, Mexico or the hard working and knowledgable gentleman we had lead us in Naples, Italy...

Those guys work hard for the meager wages they get...and an extra $10 or $20 goes a long way for them and their families...and it goes a long way in letting them know that WE are not all that bad...and that the tourists really do appreciate the job they do for us...

Summit, July 3, 2004: Alaska: 13 night cruisetour

[ute_fan]

Thanks for everyone's responses. I have no problem with tipping, but wasn't sure what was appropriate for Alaska.

NCL Sun 06/04
NCL Sea 01/04

[tlocarnini]

What should you tip for a four hour fishing charter?

[ElaineB2]

We usually tip 15 - 20% of the charter price per person. DH and I are going halibut fishing in Juneau - cost $250 per person. We will EACH expect to tip somewhere between $40 - $50 (15% would be $37.50). (The only experience we have with charters is marlin fishing. The first mates we've had on our marlin trips have been exceptional (it's hard work putting all the poles out for marlin and then changing them for other tuna and other types of fishing). They each made sure that everything was explained to us and they were very personable. So, in that case, we tend to be over generous. Don't know if this helped you. I'd like to hear from others to see what they tip - to see if we are going overboard (no pun intended [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif[/img]). I personally believe in rewarding service when such deserves rewarding.