Whale Watching ~ do we tip the captain?

[DisSarahK]

I'm thinking of splurging in Juneau and booking a private whale watching charter. It will be a stretch for our budget, but I've found a great charter (with fabulous reviews)...however I don't want to short the captain on a tip just because this is a pricey excursion for us.

What is customary in this? He is the captain and the owner.

 

[the_princess]

I would tip him... I have been doing a lot of diving and I have always tipped the captain no matter where in the world I was, so I would.

 

[DisSarahK]

I would tip him... I have been doing a lot of diving and I have always tipped the captain no matter where in the world I was, so I would.

Right, but how much is my question. Is it a percentage of the amount we're paying or more like $50?

 

[extechie rbd/wdt]

Right, but how much is my question. Is it a percentage of the amount we're paying or more like $50?

How much do you think would be a good amount now before your trip and before you have met him?
If they don't have a suggested amount to tip, it's probably best to wait until after you have met him, experienced the tour and give him whatever you think it was worth!

To be fair, you haven't disclosed the name of the company, duration of the tour or amount of the tour costs for anyone!

1, 2, 3+ hours. Is lunch included? Are refreshments?
Just a thought!

Ex Techie

 

[DisSarahK]

$189 per adult/$131 per child including glacier dropoff if we opt for that -- for a four hour whale watching tour in a boat that holds no more than eight people. Refreshments are included. The reviews for this tour are uniformly amazing.

I'm trying to get a ballpark idea for the sort of tips people give their whale watching captains because this is a BIG deal excursion for us. If a 20% tip is customary, then I can't book the excursion because I can't afford the tip--sort of like the tips on DCL...don't book the cruise if you can't afford the tip.

 

[disneyholic family]

if he's the owner why would you tip him?

i guess living outside of the US for 30 years, i'm not up to date on tipping protocol.

in my view, you tip a worker, not the owner...
if the owner wants more money, he can charge a higher fee..

 

[the_princess]

Right, but how much is my question. Is it a percentage of the amount we're paying or more like $50?

I'm sorry, I read your post wrong...

 

[DisSarahK]

I'm sorry, I read your post wrong...

I think I was unclear in my wording.

 

[Kspero]

Hi Sarah,

I saw your post about whale watching in Juneau. *My name is Ken and my family is also going on the 8-20 cruise. *We are booked to go whale watching with Weather Permitting Alaska for a family of 4 which costs $750. *I know his boat can hold 8. *If we went in together and rebooked it as a party of 8, it would only be $1124 or about $562 per family. *I don't know know about you but I am certianly down to save a couple hundred bucks. *Also, with this charter, I am pretty sure the captian is the owner, so for myself, I probably woudn't tip him. *Anyways, give it some thought. A little bit about us. *Both my wife and I are in my early 40's and we have two girls around your kids age. *they will be 5 & 7 come cruise time. We live in LA. *I think it would be fun to do the whale watching with another family. *If you are interested, feel free to send me a private message with your email so we can discuss further. *I would send you a private message but I do not have enough posts. *Talk to you soon.

Ken

 

[sambycat]

although the “rule” is tips aren’t expected if you will for owners (like hairdressers/salon owners!), i’ve never been comfortable not tipping. it seems awkward and i can’t think of a salon owner/hairdresser EVER turning me down, so......

i would plan to tip between 20-100$ total. probably $50 and if it was great/awesome/fanastic, then $100? if it was terrible and we got back with our lives (barely!), i’d tip nothing or wad up a twenty and shove it at them as a distraction!

 

[Skylarr29]

I've always been under the impression that you don't tip a proprietor. I'd slip him a $20 and call it a day.

 

[kcashner]

I've always been under the impression that you don't tip a proprietor. I'd slip him a $20 and call it a day.

That's exactly what I've been thinking as I read this over the last few days.

 

[DizDays]

But what if you don't get the owner? The excursion company I booked through might have one of the two owners as the captain, but they have other captains as well. If we're paying $149 per person for a 3 hour on the water whale watching excursion, what would be an appropriate tip?

 

[DisSarahK]

I've always heard the same thing about not tipping the owner--but my only experience with that is at the salon...and I've never had my tip turned away and I would feel horrible if I didn't tip her!

I know lots of people here have gone on whale watches. What did you all do?

(BTW, Ken, thank you for the kind offer of sharing your excursion. The company you are going with has great reviews! We're pretty set on this company though. The captain is retired Coast Guard and that is the icing on the cake for me. My grandpa was career Coast Guard. You should join our cruise thread though--we could use more people!)