Excursion Tipping - number of recipients?

[professorandmom]

We are going on the Eastern Fantasy and have the half-day tour of the baths (Virgin Gorda) booked in Tortola and St John's Catamaran excursion booked in St Thomas....I know I need cash for tips...how many folks staff the catamaran? How about the trip to the baths - I know we change modes of transportation several times - how many folks do we need to tip?
I would like to bring a ballpark-correct number of $20s, $10s and $5s for these folks...
could those of you who have been there help?
Thanks so much!

 

[professorandmom]

We are going on the Eastern Fantasy and have the half-day tour of the baths (Virgin Gorda) booked in Tortola and St John's Catamaran excursion booked in St Thomas....I know I need cash for tips...how many folks staff the catamaran? How about the trip to the baths - I know we change modes of transportation several times - how many folks do we need to tip?

OP here - forget the specific Eastern excursions...how do you folks plan on how much cash to bring to excursions?????

 

[PrincessShmoo]

OP here - forget the specific Eastern excursions...how do you folks plan on how much cash to bring to excursions?????

Tipping on excursions generally runs from $5-$10 for a 1/2 day tour; and $10-$20 for a full day tour.

Each excursion operator handles tips differently. Sometimes there's a tip box at the front of the bus and all tips are shared by the driver(s) and guide(s). Others, you tip separately.

Sadly, in many cases, the guide will make reference (often not very subtly) as to how to give them the tips. And, also sadly, there will be some people on the excursion who won't tip.

Whether you tip or not, it's really up to you. It depends on if you feel they did a good enough job, in your estimation, to warrant a tip. We've only had one guide in all our excursions in the past 8 years that got "zero" tip. She was really that bad. Most other guides and drivers, we've tipped.

 

[FigmentSpark]

Tipping on excursions generally runs from $5-$10 for a 1/2 day tour; and $10-$20 for a full day tour.

Each excursion operator handles tips differently. Sometimes there's a tip box at the front of the bus and all tips are shared by the driver(s) and guide(s). Others, you tip separately.

Sadly, in many cases, the guide will make reference (often not very subtly) as to how to give them the tips. And, also sadly, there will be some people on the excursion who won't tip.

Whether you tip or not, it's really up to you. It depends on if you feel they did a good enough job, in your estimation, to warrant a tip. We've only had one guide in all our excursions in the past 8 years that got "zero" tip. She was really that bad. Most other guides and drivers, we've tipped.

Just thought of this. Would you tip that amount per person or per family? If it's my family of four, versus someone who's alone, I would think the tips should differ, but I thought I'd ask your opinion.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Just thought of this. Would you tip that amount per person or per family? If it's my family of four, versus someone who's alone, I would think the tips should differ, but I thought I'd ask your opinion.

Well, we tip based on two people. Again, it's really up to you, but I'd say you could double that to cover 4, if you feel the guide/driver did an outstanding job. If you think they only did what was required of them, maybe less.

 

[gotomu212]

I'll be honest that our tipping really varies. If we have more one-on-one interactions (on a pirate catamaran they assigned each family to a "pirate" and ours made sure we had drinks the whole time, played with our son, helped us get our snacks) so she got $40.

On the flip side a lot of excursions are cattle calls and short of someone handing us a life jacket we've had zero interaction with the staff, we generally don't tip those people because they've provided zero service to us.

A tour guide that's providing commentary for us and a bus full of people gets about $5 and I think most guides share this with their driver, but since I don't tip my usual public transportation bus drivers I don't tip excursion bus drivers seperately.

 

[professorandmom]

I'll be honest that our tipping really varies. If we have more one-on-one interactions (on a pirate catamaran they assigned each family to a "pirate" and ours made sure we had drinks the whole time, played with our son, helped us get our snacks) so she got $40.

On the flip side a lot of excursions are cattle calls and short of someone handing us a life jacket we've had zero interaction with the staff, we generally don't tip those people because they've provided zero service to us.

A tour guide that's providing commentary for us and a bus full of people gets about $5 and I think most guides share this with their driver, but since I don't tip my usual public transportation bus drivers I don't tip excursion bus drivers seperately.

This is super helpful! Thanks so much!!