tips for private excursions?

[famplan28]

I will be in Belize with a large family group in December. Half of us are booked with Coral Breeze and the other half cave tubing with Major Tom. I am wondering what other people tip for these tours? I don't want to be cheap and not tip enough, but I never know what is appropriate.

 

Thank You for your help!

[driftwood]

Figure $10-$15 per bean and see if everyone is still smiling. If you want to give more at the end of the adventure, you probably should. I am told Japanese tourists far outstrip Americans anyway--no matter where they travel.

 

Give them greenbacks away while they still have residual value. Belizeans will make better use of any money than we do. :rolleyes:

[Travel Angel]

Figure $10-$15 per bean and see if everyone is still smiling. If you want to give more at the end of the adventure, you probably should. I am told Japanese tourists far outstrip Americans anyway--no matter where they travel.

 

Give them greenbacks away while they still have residual value. Belizeans will make better use of any money than we do. :rolleyes:

 

Drfitwood, I truely hope that you are NOT suggesting $10 - $15.00 per person for this tour.... that is way out of line and I would never tip that much for a tour using their current costs ! $5.00 - $7.00 would be my max and I don't care how good the tour was !

 

And I have not yet """stripped"" on any of my tours as you said the Japanese do :D

[driftwood]

And here Christmas is a-comin'!--Which I understand is also celebrated in Belize, although they are short on snow and sleighbells!

 

As I understand it, ANYTHING is more than a lot of Americans "remember" to tip--I have seen excellent tour providers stiffed from the East to the West of the Caribbean, island and mainland alike, personally, and even as a relatively lower bourgeois (it seems) financially, I don't like it, and I don't recommend it. It is also somewhat significant that the cost of living in Belize is higher than anywhere else in Central America.

 

But everyone has to do or not do his own thing--that is part of the grand adventure of tipping! I would rather in my tiny way gamble on people than on slot machines: many cruise passengers (and all cruise lines) would disagree with me! Enjoy yourself--if you're on a cruise, YOU'RE ON VACATION!

 

King for a week or two, anyway! :D

 

Besides, Travel Wraith, you've had ten days to respond to the plaintive cries of famplan 28. I thought it was time to put an oar in.

 

 

"And I have not yet """stripped"" on any of my tours as you said the Japanese do"--you see? You need to loosen up! :D

[Travel Angel]

And here Christmas is a-comin'!--Which I understand is also celebrated in Belize, although they are short on snow and sleighbells!

 

As I understand it, ANYTHING is more than a lot of Americans "remember" to tip--I have seen excellent tour providers stiffed from the East to the West of the Caribbean, island and mainland alike, personally, and even as a relatively lower bourgeois (it seems) financially, I don't like it, and I don't recommend it. It is also somewhat significant that the cost of living in Belize is higher than anywhere else in Central America.

 

But everyone has to do or not do his own thing--that is part of the grand adventure of tipping! I would rather in my tiny way gamble on people than on slot machines: many cruise passengers (and all cruise lines) would disagree with me! Enjoy yourself--if you're on a cruise, YOU'RE ON VACATION!

 

King for a week or two, anyway! :D

No Bah Humbug coming from me.... only a realist when it comes to a "Gratuity" which is solely up to an individuals discretion as you elude to.

 

Regardless if I am the richest of rich or the less than financially endowed, a tip is what it is.... a thank you for delivered service in my eyes and I base that also on the cost of the tour which I think is a good way to gear what is OFFERED as a way of "Thanks for going beyond my expectations" philosophy.

 

I will agree with you on the King for a week or two theory.....just not sure I agree with the # of gems you have to hand out !

 

Gobble-Gobble

 

Sorry oh wizard of driftwood... I had recent back injury and have been unable to post too often !

[driftwood]

1. You type a lot faster than I do, and I certainly infer that you THINK a lot faster than I do. :o

 

2. Tour providers are ALWAYS exceeding my expectations--I'm not a very demanding cookie anyway--so I like SOMETIMES to exceed theirs! :D

 

3. And if they HAVE done a wonderful job, I also TELL THEM they have done a wonderful job--which a lot of my fellow tourists seem to think is beneath them, although it costs nothing. ;)

[Travel Angel]

1. You type a lot faster than I do, and I certainly infer that you THINK a lot faster than I do. :o

 

2. Tour providers are ALWAYS exceeding my expectations--I'm not a very demanding cookie anyway--so I like SOMETIMES to exceed theirs! :D

 

3. And if they HAVE done a wonderful job, I also TELL THEM they have done a wonderful job--which a lot of my fellow tourists seem to think is beneath them, although it costs nothing. ;)

 

1. Two finger typist here looking like a chicken pecking at seed !

 

2. Guess what you and I expect may be on different levels......taking me on a tour is what they are paid for, HOWEVER, if they have provided something over and above that.... thus a gratuity is warranted which I usually provide !

 

3. I too along with a monetary slip of the hand will always advise them of a GREAT JOB along with a request for a business card to have on record to provide info to our clients as well ! That in itself is a gratuity for future business and often better than a few bucks !

[driftwood]

With me it is strictly cash-and-carry, as I am just one of a million retired old geezers they will patiently put up with in their careers--NO RESIDUALS FROM ME WHEN I AM OUT OF SIGHT! :o

[Travel Angel]

With me it is strictly cash-and-carry, as I am just one of a million retired old geezers they will patiently put up with in their careers--NO RESIDUALS FROM ME WHEN I AM OUT OF SIGHT! :o

 

It is sad that so many folks comepletely stiff these guys....but look at their faces when they leave a tour or are about to depart the excursion... they all of a sudden get the "Ghost Look" on their faces and rarely look the tour operator in the eyes !

[driftwood]

. . . ah yes, I remember it well! :(

 

Imagine how it must feel after serving as a cabin steward or a dining steward for a week or two, when your carefully catered clientele "happen not to run into you" before they leave the ship--I'm sorry, Travel Angel, but I feel ashamed on the behalf of those passengers as well, and I may well "overtip." I'm going home happy, and I want the people who made me happy to be happy too--so far as I am able. I can feel good about what I do all year long afterward--saving for my next cruise--which after all is a priceless feeling. It never REALLY breaks the bank!

[Travel Angel]

. . . ah yes, I remember it well! :(

 

Imagine how it must feel after serving as a cabin steward or a dining steward for a week or two, when your carefully catered clientele "happen not to run into you" before they leave the ship--I'm sorry, Travel Angel, but I feel ashamed on the behalf of those passengers as well, and I may well "overtip." I'm going home happy, and I want the people who made me happy to be happy too--so far as I am able. I can feel good about what I do all year long afterward--saving for my next cruise--which after all is a priceless feeling. It never REALLY breaks the bank!

 

On one cruise I actually had a cabin attendant locate me in the dining room the last morning of the cruise wanting to know why I had not tipped him.... I politely said I was heading back to the stateroom for a final look to make certain I had not left anything and was going to personally hand him his gratuity. He was not available the night before or the morning that we left early for breakfast. At first, I was offended that he actually went looking for me and raised this question, but then later that day it only told me that he had been stiffed in the past. I assured him though that his actions LOWERED the gratuity level I had pre set for him and suggested that he try a new approach if this occured in the future for his own benefit !

[driftwood]

you could have pulled the envelope with his name on it out of your pocket and handed it to him without another word, and his face would have looked something like: :o

 

It's a game for us, but it may not be a game for anyone else.

[Travel Angel]

you could have pulled the envelope with his name on it out of your pocket and handed it to him without another word, and his face would have looked something like: :o

 

It's a game for us, but it may not be a game for anyone else.

 

I actually did pull it out and also a $10.00 bill from the envelope and then handed the remains to him.....he was out of line in my eyes.