Tipping
Oct 25th, 2004, 05:24 AM
#1
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Tipping
Hi
Can anyone help,
What's an appropriate amount to take tip people whilst travelling in Egypt,
eg: tour guide for day tours, hotel porter, waitors on nile cruises, etc.
Thanks
Can anyone help,
What's an appropriate amount to take tip people whilst travelling in Egypt,
eg: tour guide for day tours, hotel porter, waitors on nile cruises, etc.
Thanks
Oct 25th, 2004, 05:56 AM
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Ok the whole tipping is very confusing, I'm back and still confused. So I'll give you what we did and hope others can help you to. Basically you need to tip a lot while there. The economy thrives on it. We tipped our driver about $5 per person a day and $2 a transfer. Our tour guide got about $10-$15 a day and a little more because I thought they were excellent. People who took our bags got what we give in America a US dollar per bag (as we took a hundred dollars in US 1's). And same with the maid service at all hotels. We didn't take a cruise so I'm not sure what to tip there sorry. But get lots of little bills when you make change in to the Egyptian pounds as not everyone has change for larger bills, and sometimes you will need them for things like attendants in the bathrooms at sites etc. Hope this helps a little. maybe some others will you some more insight. Good luck. Enjoy Egypt!
Oct 25th, 2004, 10:40 PM
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Wow, CWanderer - you were really quite generous with your tipping! They must have loved you! I would say that you were on the "high" side and that much lower tips are the norm. Did someone suggest tipping amounts, or were you tipping based on what you would pay in the US/Europe?
When we have a driver take us to the airport, we tip him 10-15 LE (about $2-2.50 USD). When we have used drivers for all-day tours, we tipped about 30-40 LE (about $5-6 USD). This is a total amount - not per person. Tour guides usually got around 60-70 LE tips(about $10-11 USD). When I use taxis, I use an average rate of 25-30 LE (about $4-5 USD) per hour. Of course - the level of service would bring these amounts up or down a little.
As for porters carrying luggage, we usually tip 1 LE per bag and then "round it up" to the nearest 5LE. For example, if we have 8 bags, I would give 10 LE (a little less than $2 USD). For drink/food service around the pool, I usually add 2-3 LE (about 50 cents) - a little more if the order is big. Again, sometimes I add more just to round up the bill to a convenient number.
For maids, I usually leave 10-15 LE per day.
On the Nile river cruises that we have taken, the tour guide usually suggested amounts to tip for the staff. There were "tip jars" by the front desk - one for the wait staff and one for the tour guides. Then you just put in what you wanted. We also gave individual tips to a few people who went out of their way to make our stay nice.
The suggestion to bring a lot of $1 US bills is a good idea - but don't hand them out in bulk! Just $1 to someone who helps you at the pyramids is the norm. When you change your currency into Egyptian Pounds (LE), get lots of 1 LE and 5 LE notes to give as tips or
"fees" at restrooms, etc.
The economy here does depend heavily on tourism, but while tipping more for extra good service is fine - if you are consistently generous, the word will get around quite quickly and you will have LOTS and LOTS of people around you trying to help you with everything. Some people may not mind that, but when I'm trying to relax, I don't want people hovering over me.
While my tipping amounts may seem low by US standards, I have lived here for over 3 years and am actually considered generous by other expats. Of course, in the end, what people tip is an individual decision.
To freddofrog04 - I hope this helps and please enjoy your time in Egypt. It is a wonderful place with wonderful people!
When we have a driver take us to the airport, we tip him 10-15 LE (about $2-2.50 USD). When we have used drivers for all-day tours, we tipped about 30-40 LE (about $5-6 USD). This is a total amount - not per person. Tour guides usually got around 60-70 LE tips(about $10-11 USD). When I use taxis, I use an average rate of 25-30 LE (about $4-5 USD) per hour. Of course - the level of service would bring these amounts up or down a little.
As for porters carrying luggage, we usually tip 1 LE per bag and then "round it up" to the nearest 5LE. For example, if we have 8 bags, I would give 10 LE (a little less than $2 USD). For drink/food service around the pool, I usually add 2-3 LE (about 50 cents) - a little more if the order is big. Again, sometimes I add more just to round up the bill to a convenient number.
For maids, I usually leave 10-15 LE per day.
On the Nile river cruises that we have taken, the tour guide usually suggested amounts to tip for the staff. There were "tip jars" by the front desk - one for the wait staff and one for the tour guides. Then you just put in what you wanted. We also gave individual tips to a few people who went out of their way to make our stay nice.
The suggestion to bring a lot of $1 US bills is a good idea - but don't hand them out in bulk! Just $1 to someone who helps you at the pyramids is the norm. When you change your currency into Egyptian Pounds (LE), get lots of 1 LE and 5 LE notes to give as tips or
"fees" at restrooms, etc.
The economy here does depend heavily on tourism, but while tipping more for extra good service is fine - if you are consistently generous, the word will get around quite quickly and you will have LOTS and LOTS of people around you trying to help you with everything. Some people may not mind that, but when I'm trying to relax, I don't want people hovering over me.
While my tipping amounts may seem low by US standards, I have lived here for over 3 years and am actually considered generous by other expats. Of course, in the end, what people tip is an individual decision.
To freddofrog04 - I hope this helps and please enjoy your time in Egypt. It is a wonderful place with wonderful people!
Oct 26th, 2004, 04:43 AM
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Ok I thought maybe we were being way to generous but that's what our tour book suggested so we went by it. Oh well I don't feel like we over tipped to badly. Guess I should have posted this question before we left too ;-) Oh well live and learn.
Regardless... Egypt is a wonderful and amazing country with a lot to see and do hope you have a great trip.
Regardless... Egypt is a wonderful and amazing country with a lot to see and do hope you have a great trip.
Oct 26th, 2004, 03:35 PM
#6
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CWanderer and Freddo
The way I see it, the secret to tipping is to tip what the service was worth to you. Ignore guide books and what other people say.
If by local standards you come out being very generous, so what? If you come out looking cheap, what difference does it make if you gave what you thought was a fair tip? This is the way I do it and, to my knowledge, I've never had any complaints.
Just my two cents.
The way I see it, the secret to tipping is to tip what the service was worth to you. Ignore guide books and what other people say.
If by local standards you come out being very generous, so what? If you come out looking cheap, what difference does it make if you gave what you thought was a fair tip? This is the way I do it and, to my knowledge, I've never had any complaints.
Just my two cents.
Oct 26th, 2004, 06:03 PM
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The other issue about tipping in Egypt has to do with expected/requested tip for just about anything - opening a door, giving directions, etc. For example, we had to tip the camel owner to let our daughter pet his camel, take a photo with it, sit on the camel, and then to get our daughter back off the camel.
It's up to you whether or not to tip or ignore request - we found 1 LE to be enough if we chose to tip - and if the person actually did something of value American dollar bills were happily accepted.
On our Nile cruise in addition to tip amount being "suggested", we were able to make a group tip at the office on our credit card (Oberoi boat)
It's up to you whether or not to tip or ignore request - we found 1 LE to be enough if we chose to tip - and if the person actually did something of value American dollar bills were happily accepted.
On our Nile cruise in addition to tip amount being "suggested", we were able to make a group tip at the office on our credit card (Oberoi boat)
