Guide tips

[corky441]

Can't believe we are just 9 days away from leaving for our Viva Italia trip.

I've been planning this trip for over a year & I can't believe it's finally here.

I have a quick question, when tipping the guides, it says the recommended gratuity is $6-$9 per day per person in US funds.

Since we're in Italy , I had planned on tipping with Euros, but with the exchange rate changing by the minute, I'm wondering exactly how to calculate a fair gratuity

I want to tip fairly, but don't want to under or over tip our guides

 

[jlou]

Think about it this way, the range between the low and high tip ($6 - $9 per person, per guide, per day) is a lot bigger than the range between what the exchange rate has been.

It looks like the exchange rage over the past month has been from 0.68763 to 0.73986 Euros per dollar. This is less than 8%, while the range between low and high tips is 50%. As long as you're not trying to hug either the high or low end of the range, you'll be fine.

To put it in perspective, for a family of four, for a 9 day trip, the range in US $ per guide comes out to $216 - $324.

In Euros, at the worst Euro/US$ exchange rate (0.68763Euro/$), your range in Euros is 149 - 223 Euros.

At the best Euro/US$ exchange rate (0.73986Euro/$), your range is 160 - 240 Euros.

200 Euros is about in the middle of each range.

 

[Diskidatheart]

I can tell you that you will want to be at the high end of the range. The guides do a remarkable job and if you budget for the low end, you will be disappointed that you didn't give more. I would calculate what the current rate is for the Euro and calculate that at the high end. It won't be that much different at the end of your trip and if it is, you can always adjust a little up or down. Just my $.02.

 

[jlou]

I can tell you that you will want to be at the high end of the range. The guides do a remarkable job and if you budget for the low end, you will be disappointed that you didn't give more. I would calculate what the current rate is for the Euro and calculate that at the high end. It won't be that much different at the end of your trip and if it is, you can always adjust a little up or down. Just my $.02.

I agree with this. The guides are amazing and worth every dollar (or Euro!).

I just wanted to give the OP some perspective as she stated that she didn't want to over- or under-tip.

 

[WeLoveABD]

consider carrying US dollars that cover the high end--I've come around to this after various ways of tipping (including traveler's checks, which are now not favored as difficult to cash in)...safes are in every room, and I didn't have to worry about finding an ATM at the end etc. If you wanted to tip less than the high end (although I think most on the boards would agree that the guides are great, well-deserving of a high end tip), you'll have US dollars at the end of the trip rather than Euros.

 

[sayhello]

I can tell you that you will want to be at the high end of the range. The guides do a remarkable job and if you budget for the low end, you will be disappointed that you didn't give more. I would calculate what the current rate is for the Euro and calculate that at the high end. It won't be that much different at the end of your trip and if it is, you can always adjust a little up or down. Just my $.02.

I totally agree with this. I just finished a 9 - day trip, and figured for about $100 per Guide. They were MORE than worth it! Someone in your group will have a smart phone, and can look up the current conversion rate at the end of your trip. That's what I did, as I paid our British Guide in Pounds.

Sayhello

 

[Tozzie]

I have always found I wanted to give more to the guides than the suggested trip as they were always phenomenal. On my Alpine Magic trips both guides were European, so I tipped in Euros, on my Emerals Isle trip the guides were both USA based guides so I tipped in US dollars.

 

[corky441]

I can tell you that you will want to be at the high end of the range. The guides do a remarkable job and if you budget for the low end, you will be disappointed that you didn't give more. I would calculate what the current rate is for the Euro and calculate that at the high end. It won't be that much different at the end of your trip and if it is, you can always adjust a little up or down. Just my $.02.

Our guides on our previous ABD trip were outstanding and I will surely be budgeting at the top level for our gratuity payout. More than anything i don't want to end up NOT tipping enough.

Just dealing with the language barrier for the group will be priceless

 

[amsae]

We now bring two checks with us and write one for each quide. Always the MAX amount as well, execpt once.
I was told that the guides like to have the checks so they can cash back in the US and not have to declare the money, I guess.

 

[DisFan10]

I totally agree with this. I just finished a 9 - day trip, and figured for about $100 per Guide. They were MORE than worth it! Someone in your group will have a smart phone, and can look up the current conversion rate at the end of your trip. That's what I did, as I paid our British Guide in Pounds.

Sayhello

Hi SayHello,

Who were your guides on the Knights & Lights AbD? We had Adam and Francesc and we tipped them with a combination of GBP and USD. I'm sure they didn't mind...

 

[DisneyKevin]

I'd get to know your guides a bit.

On our recent Adventure, one guide was going home to London and he got tipped in pounds.

One guide was heading back to the US and he got tipped in dollars.

Our guides were Adam and Landon and they were spectacular.

 

[MrPolarZero]

Good luck on your trip. I hope you'll have a good time.

 

[sayhello]

I'd get to know your guides a bit.

On our recent Adventure, one guide was going home to London and he got tipped in pounds.

One guide was heading back to the US and he got tipped in dollars.

Our guides were Adam and Landon and they were spectacular.

Hi SayHello,

Who were your guides on the Knights & Lights AbD? We had Adam and Francesc and we tipped them with a combination of GBP and USD. I'm sure they didn't mind...

DisFan10, I was on the same trip as Kevin. Our Guides were Adam and Landon. Both amazing!!! Like Kevin did, since Adam lives in the UK, I tipped him in Pounds, and since Landon was on his way home to the US after our tour, I tipped him in US dollars. If he was staying in Europe, I *might* have tipped him in euros, but as it was, dollars made the most sense.

Sayhello

 

[corky441]

I never gave a thought as to where our guides would be after the trip.

I think I'll make sure I have both dollars and Euros set aside