MM Travel - Tip excursions?

[babsbunny]

If you spend $150 - $250 on a tour (not cruise related) in Hawaii, do you tip 15-20%?  These are tours with 6-20 people.

I haven't. Am I out of touch?

[IrishBelle]

Yes, we always tip for these.

[sunshinedaydreams]

Yes, I absolutely tip. I assume the tour companies are raking in the majority of the money on these things and the people actually spending their day driving me around taking me on the excursions rely quite a bit on tips.

[rubytue]

Yes. We always tip. Cheap tours (like 2 hour walking tours), about $5 each. More expensive things like charter boats, 15-20%. Yup, that means we tip $100 or so on some.

[Deleted]

Now I feel bad. I don't remember ever tipping on an excursion like that. It never occurred to me.

[babsbunny]

Good to know.

Follow-up question...

Does it change anyone's opinion on giving a tip (or amount) when it's a boat tour and one of the three guides (crew members) holds a tip jar while you depart?

[dbsk8dance]

Yes.

[rubytue]

Feb 23, 2014 22:29:41 GMT -5 babsbunny said:

Does it change anyone's opinion on giving a tip (or amount) when it's a boat tour and one of the three guides (crew members) holds a tip jar while you depart?

Absolutely not!

Boat tours *especially*. The crew/mates do not get paid by the captain. They typically work for tips only. See my previous post where I said its not uncommon for us to tip $100 on a trip. And that would be is H and I split a charter with another couple (so, $500-550 total).

[rubytue]

Also, when we are on group trips (15-20 folsk), we have been known to over tip bc we watch so many people walk off without tipping,

That crew was there early, they stayed late to wish down the boat. They clear the head, clean up someone who gets sea sick. We're you fishing? They filleted the fish. The cost of your ticket went to the captain/boat owner, and probably mostly paid for gas.

[emilyinchile]

Yes you tip, no I don't mind a tip jar being offered in this situation. It happens precisely because some people don't make the connection that they should be tipping without being reminded/told.

[flatlan]

Yes, do tip. People working on tours/excursions work really hard for not a lot of pay. Your tips will mean the world to them!

[wanderlustfoodie]

We always tip on such excursions but if it's not a private tour we can't help but notice most of the other people don't tip.

[Deleted]

I've also noticed that most people don't, but we do.

Percentage depends in part on where we are. In America, I go with 20%, but in Europe I tip less because tipping isn't as big a component of compensation there.