Excursion tipping

[BobaFettuciniAlfredo]

So, we are doing excursions in Tortola and St. Thomas/St. John and have no idea how much to tip at the end. I know tipping isn't "expected", but I would feel weird not tipping (unless they did a horrible job). Is there an amount that is customary? If not, what does everyone generally tip so I can get a good idea I'm not being a cheapskate! TIA

 

[Imahikergirl]

We normally give $10 each for tour guides, depending on how well they do and usually $10 flat for the drivers.

 

[FriendOfFanatic]

I usually tip the driver $5 or so (for two people), and the tour guide or boat crew $15-20. This is for tours costing $50-100 a person. I try to aim for around 10%. I cut it way back if they did little to nothing for us. I rarely see $20 bills in the tip jar, so I think I am not being too cheap.

Jamaica is a little different. It is the only Carribbean port where I have been told by the guides a tip was expected. It is also the only place a person has expressed displeasure with the ammont of my tip.

 

[Dug720]

I usually tip the driver $5 or so (for two people), and the tour guide or boat crew $15-20. This is for tours costing $50-100 a person. I try to aim for around 10%. I cut it way back if they did little to nothing for us. I rarely see $20 bills in the tip jar, so I think I am not being too cheap.

Jamaica is a little different. It is the only Carribbean port where I have been told by the guides a tip was expected. It is also the only place a person has expressed displeasure with the ammont of my tip.

Sorry, but that's where if I see it before handing the tip over, NO TIP - if you can afford to turn your nose up at what I am offering (and don't have to), you clearly don't need my money. If it happens after, you can bet that DCL (or whatever cruiseline) will be informed if it's a DCL (or whatever cruiseline) tour or if it's independent the owner of the company will be contacted and informed* AND it will be noted in a TripAdvisor review.

* Obviously this is difficult if it is the owner who was the guide and expressed "displeasure" - in that case it will be the extremely negative Trip Advisor review making it clear that the owner was the guide.

 

[BobaFettuciniAlfredo]

I usually tip the driver $5 or so (for two people), and the tour guide or boat crew $15-20. This is for tours costing $50-100 a person. I try to aim for around 10%. I cut it way back if they did little to nothing for us. I rarely see $20 bills in the tip jar, so I think I am not being too cheap.

Jamaica is a little different. It is the only Carribbean port where I have been told by the guides a tip was expected. It is also the only place a person has expressed displeasure with the ammont of my tip.

OK keeping it around 10% keeps it fairly simple. One is a snorkeling excursion and from what I heard, they do quite a bit, so I have no problem tipping.

 

[Laundress]

5 to 10 seems a normal range. We travel with a grandparent so sometimes we require a bit more assistance. Then we add more.

 

[ludari]

I usually go scuba diving at all the ports when I cruise. For myself I typically tip a minimum of $5 but it could be more depending on the service provided by the boat crew.

 

[MickeyEarrings]

We were told by the folks running the Legendary Kon Tiki Tour in St. Thomas that a 15% tip was customary and a "love jug" was at the exit where you needed their help to get off the darn boat.

 

[5Texans]

I usually tip the driver $5 or so (for two people), and the tour guide or boat crew $15-20. This is for tours costing $50-100 a person. I try to aim for around 10%. I cut it way back if they did little to nothing for us. I rarely see $20 bills in the tip jar, so I think I am not being too cheap.

Jamaica is a little different. It is the only Carribbean port where I have been told by the guides a tip was expected. It is also the only place a person has expressed displeasure with the ammont of my tip.

This. esp the Jamaica part. The guides at each stop of our excursion and everyone we encountered was very pushy about tips including asking, "do you have my tip". It made some really fun experiences stressful and overall was enough to make me stay on the ship next time in Jamaica.