Tipping on Excursions?

[Magic Family]

If you book excursions through DCL, do you tip? Who, and how much?

And if you're taking a taxi in one of the ports with a fixed rate, do you tip the driver?

I'm used to tipping everyone who provides a service, and I'm just wondering what the "protocol" is.

 

[Anal Annie]

Ahhhh. Tipping....

First, it doesn't matter who you booked it thru - it's almost always thru an independent tour operator that really doesn't have any ties to DCL except a contract to provide this service - so yes, we tip. Second, yes, if we take a taxi, we negotiate the rate first, then we round it up & leave a tip just like we would at home.

On excursions, we generally leave about $5 from each of us (family of 3). If the excursion was a let down & the "crew" only so-so then we might leave only $10 - but likewise if it was a great time & the crew did their part to make it enjoyable we'll bump it up to $20 if they went out of their way. But I would say an average tip that we leave is $15. We might also consider the length of the excursion - a 4, 5 or 6 hour trip is obviously worth more than a 2 or 3 hour tour and a larger "crew" would have more sharing to do. But it's kinda like restaurant tipping - if you take a really long time for dinner & tie up the table all evening to the point where it can't be seated again for another tip, then you really should sorta leave more to compensate for the one they missed out on while you were plopped there. I figure on a 2 or 3 hour tour they'll probably have another one or two trips throughout the day - so they'll get more chances for tips whereas on a longer trip, that's probably their only one for the day... I take all of that into consideration - but I gotta go back to the average of $5 from ea. of us....

 

[tvguy]

Ahhhh. Tipping....

First, it doesn't matter who you booked it thru - it's almost always thru an independent tour operator that really doesn't have any ties to DCL except a contract to provide this service - so yes, we tip. Second, yes, if we take a taxi, we negotiate the rate first, then we round it up & leave a tip just like we would at home.

On excursions, we generally leave about $5 from each of us (family of 3). If the excursion was a let down & the "crew" only so-so then we might leave only $10 - but likewise if it was a great time & the crew did their part to make it enjoyable we'll bump it up to $20 if they went out of their way. But I would say an average tip that we leave is $15. We might also consider the length of the excursion - a 4, 5 or 6 hour trip is obviously worth more than a 2 or 3 hour tour and a larger "crew" would have more sharing to do. But it's kinda like restaurant tipping - if you take a really long time for dinner & tie up the table all evening to the point where it can't be seated again for another tip, then you really should sorta leave more to compensate for the one they missed out on while you were plopped there. I figure on a 2 or 3 hour tour they'll probably have another one or two trips throughout the day - so they'll get more chances for tips whereas on a longer trip, that's probably their only one for the day... I take all of that into consideration - but I gotta go back to the average of $5 from ea. of us....

Pretty good guideline. I would only comment that I might tip more for an all day excursion than for one that is a half day or a couple of hours.

 

[AmberDaClown]

We book independently and usually through the owner/operator which conducts the tour. If it is he or she (the owner) we do not tip, if it is subbed out to an employee then we tip that employee.

We never go on ship sponsored tours as we like the flexibility of being on our own without waiting on tons of other people. We have seen tour buses and boats packed with far more people than we would be comfortable.

 

[webray]

Yes, you do tip the guide after excursions, no matter who you booked with.
Even if you pick up the tour at the port on your own, you tip. Depending on the quality of tour/guide / info from guide as to great local restaurants, places to go, etc we have usually tipped $10-$20 for the two of us for top service in all areas I have listed above.

Yes, you tip a taxi driver also.

 

[Ears]

We usually tip based on the excursion and what we got out of it from the person receiving the tips. Sometimes you will see someone taking tips (and assume it's for the whole excursion), when really, they are only the guide on the bus. The most we have ever tipped was on a helicopter tour over St.Thomas, StJohns,a nd surrounding islands which was a blast. I haven't experienced any excursions that didn't warrant a reasonable tip.

 

[hank56]

We book independently and usually through the owner/operator which conducts the tour. If it is he or she (the owner) we do not tip, if it is subbed out to an employee then we tip that employee.

We never go on ship sponsored tours as we like the flexibility of being on our own without waiting on tons of other people. We have seen tour buses and boats packed with far more people than we would be comfortable.

Why do people not tip the owner? Did they not provide goods/service, to not tip someone for the above reason is shall we say, curious.

 

[AmberDaClown]

When the owner cuts my hair for instance, they receive the full $$$ for my haircut. I do not tip. Same goes for an owner of a tour operation. He receives the full money. An employee does not receive all of that money and your tip in away makes up for that. I do not see a need to tip an owner unless they went way above and beyond.

I think tipping is a bit out of hand. I certainly don't tip my mechanic (who owns his own shop) nor any of his employees.

 

[Anal Annie]

When the owner cuts my hair for instance, they receive the full $$$ for my haircut. I do not tip. Same goes for an owner of a tour operation. He receives the full money. An employee does not receive all of that money and your tip in away makes up for that. I do not see a need to tip an owner unless they went way above and beyond.

I think tipping is a bit out of hand. I certainly don't tip my mechanic (who owns his own shop) nor any of his employees.

I'm glad I'm not your haircutter!

 

[happymommy]

It is common for many people not to tip the owner of a salon - I know lots of people who do this. They are getting a cut (no pun intended) of all the other stylists' money already.

 

[m&m's mom]

It is common for many people not to tip the owner of a salon - I know lots of people who do this. They are getting a cut (no pun intended) of all the other stylists' money already.

True, that is an long standing "rule".

 

[2Princes_&_1Princess]

I'm glad I'm not your haircutter!

Be glad you're not my haircutter, either. I do not tip the owner of a salon if they are cutting my hair. I do tip if the person who cuts is NOT the owner, and I tip them well.