China- how much to tip?
Sep 22nd, 2009 | 04:19 AM
#1
Original Poster
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 1
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China- how much to tip?
Hi- our first visit to china starts next week and at each destination we will have a guide and a driver (sounds overkill to me, but there you go) who will be with us daytimes whilst at that location. I have received some "guidance" from the tour company on expected daily tips, but this seems a little high.
Any advice from seasoned China travellers on this one please?
David
Any advice from seasoned China travellers on this one please?
David
Sep 22nd, 2009 | 06:34 AM
#3
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,778
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Sep 22nd, 2009 | 09:44 AM
#4
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 268
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Chinese tour directors/guides are spoiled.
At first, they looked at monetary gratuity as a capitalist insult.
Then they began to accept tips but turned them into their socialist working unit.
As time went by they kept the tips.
Today they take tips with inflated tipping standard, getting kick backs from restaurants and scamming shopping stops.
At first, they looked at monetary gratuity as a capitalist insult.
Then they began to accept tips but turned them into their socialist working unit.
As time went by they kept the tips.
Today they take tips with inflated tipping standard, getting kick backs from restaurants and scamming shopping stops.
Sep 22nd, 2009 | 07:51 PM
#5
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 48
Likes: 0
Oh boy, you have opened a can of worms indeed. Suffice it to say that "seasoned China travellers" don't tip, and if they employ guides, tend to find them independently and pay them a mutually agreed-upon flat fee directly, without going through a middleman tour company.
Sep 24th, 2009 | 01:11 PM
#7
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 268
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Not only China tour companies pretend to have low prices by hiding the cost in tipping "recommendations".
Some Yangtze Cruise shipping companies use the same gimmick as well.
I was on a Victoria Yangtze ship for a 4 nite Yangtze upstream cruise not too long ago.
A tipping guideline note was slipped into my room at the end of the cruise.
The note was tricky, it said…
"Our 120 crew members aboard Victoria Cruises take a lot of pride in their work and try their best to provide our passengers with friendly, professional service………
“Suggested Amount”
US$40 (320 RMB) per passenger per voyage.
Use the tip envelopes provided & place tips directly into the tip box …….
Tips from the tip box are shared by all the Chinese crewmembers that work on board Victoria Cruises, both above and below decks.
Personal gratuities may also be given directly to any member of our staff you feel has given you especially good service.
Note: Your River Guide Daniel Li & Asst. River Guide Luther Zhou do not share in tips from the tip box.
If you enjoyed their presentations, please tip them directly……. Victoria Management.”
The note simply tells each passenger to put $40 at the tip box.
In addition, passengers should also take care of the room maids who clean up their rooms, the waiters/waitresses who serve their tables at the dining room, the bartenders at the lounge, the porters who deliver luggages into their cabins.
Those who use the beauty salon should take care of the hairdresser.
The masseuse at the health clinic deserves a little extra.
Don’t forget to take care of the only caucasian staff of the ship, the cruise director, who greets you at the reception deck.
These are the add-on.
Room maids: $8-10
Dining Room waiters/waitresses: $12-15
Bartenders: $5-10
Porters: $4-5
Hairdresser: $3-5
Masseuse: $3-5
2 River guides: $10 each
Cruise director: $15-20
Tipping is voluntary?
Who want to be looked upon as cheapskates while traveling overseas!
Some Yangtze Cruise shipping companies use the same gimmick as well.
I was on a Victoria Yangtze ship for a 4 nite Yangtze upstream cruise not too long ago.
A tipping guideline note was slipped into my room at the end of the cruise.
The note was tricky, it said…
"Our 120 crew members aboard Victoria Cruises take a lot of pride in their work and try their best to provide our passengers with friendly, professional service………
“Suggested Amount”
US$40 (320 RMB) per passenger per voyage.
Use the tip envelopes provided & place tips directly into the tip box …….
Tips from the tip box are shared by all the Chinese crewmembers that work on board Victoria Cruises, both above and below decks.
Personal gratuities may also be given directly to any member of our staff you feel has given you especially good service.
Note: Your River Guide Daniel Li & Asst. River Guide Luther Zhou do not share in tips from the tip box.
If you enjoyed their presentations, please tip them directly……. Victoria Management.”
The note simply tells each passenger to put $40 at the tip box.
In addition, passengers should also take care of the room maids who clean up their rooms, the waiters/waitresses who serve their tables at the dining room, the bartenders at the lounge, the porters who deliver luggages into their cabins.
Those who use the beauty salon should take care of the hairdresser.
The masseuse at the health clinic deserves a little extra.
Don’t forget to take care of the only caucasian staff of the ship, the cruise director, who greets you at the reception deck.
These are the add-on.
Room maids: $8-10
Dining Room waiters/waitresses: $12-15
Bartenders: $5-10
Porters: $4-5
Hairdresser: $3-5
Masseuse: $3-5
2 River guides: $10 each
Cruise director: $15-20
Tipping is voluntary?
Who want to be looked upon as cheapskates while traveling overseas!
