Tipping Question ?
 

How much is an appropriate tip for the tour director/guide and bus driver on a 1 week escorted high-end european tour such as Tauck?

There is no need to tip unless you have been given extraordinary service above and beyond the call of duty.

Europeans in the service sector are much better paid than those in the US and do not depend on tips to the same extent.

I'm sorry, but if the service was good enough that you are thinking a tip would be appropriate then you should do so...and you, and you alone, should decide how much to tip. How much the person makes has nothing to do with whether or not you feel an extra amount of money is warranted for their services.

See "How much should I tip the pilot?" - - http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...mp;tid=1288831

Best wishes,

Rex

this is an honest question, people... how about a decent answer. opinions of those not experienced in escorted touring are just that...opinions.

i don't have a decent answer either, Frank. but, if you booked the tour through a travel agent, i suggest you ask her/him.

Whle I agree with "uhhhhh"- - only people who have been there know the murmurs among the fellow travelers about what they think...

I would still use the same guidelines as I would for flight attendants and pilots.

Or write Tauck and ask them.

And maybe ask how much THEY are willing to "tip" (pay) YOU... for doing for them, the job that all management has to do in every business... employee performance evaluation, salary research and negotiation.

I agree that this is an honest question, and deserves an honest answer.
I took a two week Taulk tour of Italy, and after considering the level of service provided, I tipped the driver, a lovely man named Albino, 100US. He portaged our luggage, suggested restaurants, and wine bars in most towns. It was my pleasure to show this man my appreciation in the form of a tip.
The tour guide was very well informed, and for his service, I tipped 200US.
It seemed that everyone tipped on this tour, so I don't think it is at all unusual.

It was suggested by Grand Circle Travel and GoAhead the driver would get $2.00 per person per day. :-B

We gave a collective tip to the driver of our tour bus in Ireland. I'm sure that the individual contributions varied. I prefer this system to individual tipping, but it does not work with all groups.

cyberUK:
Thanks for the guideline, it's about what I was thinking, $100 for the tour guide and $40 for the driver (he's only driving 4 days) on a 1 week tour. Was your tip just for yourself or for a couple?

JonJon, uuhhhh, ed: Thanks for the advice.

Rex & ira: I hope I never have to drive or guide you, I think I'd get stiffed.

Michael: Thanks, sounds like a good idea.

Frank,

The question referrred to Europe. In the US, I do contribute to a collective tip for the driver and guide because their wages are much less.

The same is true of waiters, taxi drivers, bell hops, etc.

I was travelling with my wife. Another group, Husband, wife, and two adult children (separate room) tipped 150US driver, and 300US for the guide. So like I said we were pretty typical.

On a two-week Tauck tour of southern France, the director/guide constantly went out of her way to make the trip great. For example, not only did she assist people with restuarant recommendations, but she also made telephone calls for people for reservations in advance of our arrival in Paris. Also, she was extremely knowledgeable about everything we saw, indicating she had made a real effort. We tipped her nicely (but I don't remember how much any more).
On the other hand, while the bus driver got us where we were supposed to go on time and didn't have any accidents, that was his basic job -- nothing special. We gave a token tip.

I disagree with Rex and Ira. These individuals do rely on a variety of compensation elements; base pay, tips, and even commissions from shops they may bring you to. They are absolutely nothing like flight attendants and pilots.

I think it is absolutely necessary to tip the tour guide and driver, they depend on it. Years ago I did a Maupintour tour to Switzerland and another to Great Britain. I don't remember how much I tipped (and that certainly wouldn't be valid now!)- but it was expected, and everyone did it.
Tauck will give you a booklet concerning all kinds of things, and it will mention suggested amounts for tips. I've taken Tauck tours in the U.S. and Canada, and they did that.

I haven't taken a high-end tour but if there's a guideline you can follow it. The suggestion of $100-$200 is alot to me personally. If every family or individual gave that much multiplied by the number of tours the guide can make good money on the tips.

I've led groups on student tours and those companies tell you how much tip is expected just like the cruise lines tell you how much to tip all the various people on the ship. Budget student tours - bus driver $1 per day and tour director $2 per day. The high-end (yes they do exist) student tours - bus driver $2 per day and the tour director $3-4 per day. Tauck should certainly be more than these. This is per person tip not couple.

Hi,
I may be seen as a scrooge here but I make it a policy never to tip.
I am a firm believer that people who do their job get paid wages and if you have paid a huge amount of money for a tour (which are usually extortionate)it is not beyond the realms of fantasy that the guide is getting a fair slice of the takings.
This is just my humble opinion but you should make your own mind up and tip accordingly, I have to say though I find the prospect of tipping someone $100-300 quite obscene.
If you are concerned about the low paid, then stop tipping and perhaps they could be better paid, employers take tips into account when paying wages.

Scrooge Muck

I agree with checking with the tour companies about tipping policies. Many companies, esp those that cater to Americans, may assume that tipping will occur and adjust their wages accordingly. Of course, they won't tell you that.
I have gone on some high end tours and tipping is expected. However, that being said, the guide & driver worked very hard during the trip. We had small groups and we all had a lot of individual attention. So they made it a really memorable trip.
I have also gone on a more budgeted trip catering primarily to Europeans. On that trip, no tipping was expected. Of course, we also were left to our own devices most of the time (which was part of the appeal of the trip).
Check also with the culture of the place you are visiting. We weren't expected to tip in Ireland though a round of drinks was appreciated.

Hi Nibblette,
you say:
"the guide & driver worked very hard during the trip"

Isn't that what they are supposed to do and what you paid for in the first place...
If they had not I would have asked for a refund..
Muck

Some cruise companies have now started to add the tip automatically onto your credit card. I believe it's $15 per day per person which does not include tips for the wine/drink waiter. I understand many people find this quite objectionable as they want to tip on a one to one basis. Anyone heard of that?

Pipsil, the tipping on cruises has been going on for at least the past couple of years. You may want to look at the Cruise forum and search on tipping for more info specifically on tipping on cruises. What applies to a tour and what applies to a cruise are not necessarily the same thing.

(As a quick check, I went to the Carnival web site, FAQs, selected on board ship life, and one of the questions is about tipping on board which clearly spells out how it is handled.)

It's been a decade since we went on a cruise so I'm surprised to learn that tips are now automatically charged. I do recall well that on the last cruise the server was not that great and we could tell that he was just after getting a tip at the cruise's end. He didn't go out of the way to do anything special for our table. The cruise line did require the tips to be given the night before departure. So the server got his tip and his demeanor changed for the worse on the final day: he clearly wasn't happy with what he received. We gave what the guidelines suggested also so he was the one that had a problem.
I still think it should be an option for the passengers to give what they feel and not have tips automatically charged however because some staff members deserve more than others.

Most tour companies include information (back page of brochure or on website or package received from them after booking) re tipping along with other general information, terms and conditions (type of payments, insurance, final payment due dates, room types, cancellation & penalties, etc).

Also, most (but not all, so do check) inclusive tours cover tips for bellmen and porters, waiters, maids. It is rare that the tips for guide and/or driver are included and so the tour operator indicates payment be done direct to these individuals, based on quality of service. However, it is not obligatory.

Tour guides and/or drivers, regardless the country, depend on tips and most go out of their way for their clients. Generally, it is suggested for drivers $2 to $3/day - even though driving is their job, be thankful you have no accidents on trecherous and narrow roads and you arrive safely at your destinations daily; drivers also should be keeping the vehicle clean and often replenished with water, juices, etc. (depending on type/place of tour).

As to guides - here it is suggested tips between $5 to $7 (up to $10)/day, again depending on service and type of guiding. And don't forget those guides that go out of their way with restaurant suggestions/reservations, even negotiating prices when you're shopping.

All suggested tips are per person, per day.

I've seen and heard of guides who have gotten clients out of trouble with local police, when documents have been stolen, if accidents occur and clients need medical care, etc.

This is not to say that all guides are deserving as the time a guide for Abercrombie & Kent (on a walking tour of northern Italy) actually ran after a client when he felt the tip wasn't sufficient. The nerve of this person. Personally, I would have asked for my initial tip back and returned an empty palm to this guide and, of course, reported it to A&K.

Hope this helps.

carrolldf,
Thanks!

As long as you did remember to tip the pilot you should be just fine :)

Frank,

Sandi is correct. Tauck will send you info on the suggested amounts. Recently it was $4-$7 per person per day (although some do give up to $10) It is a personal decision and not a group tip. I think for the driver it was suggested at $2-5 pppd.

I don't know about the drivers, but the gratuity is the bulk of the Tour directors compensation, right or wrong. They get a minimal daily pay as well. However Tauck does not sell any optionals so there is no commission for them to earn, and they are not allowed to accept kickbacks from shops.

All other tips, local guides, bellstaff etc is covered in the price of the tour.

Hope this helps.

I still don't get it. If I owned a company like Tauck, I could not face myself in the mirror - - to fail to do the job of charging fairly, compensating fairly the employees that are the lifeblood of what the company does... and evaluate, and adjust the compensation of the ones doing the best job?

How does the management not die of self-shame?

"Message: I still don't get it. If I owned a company like Tauck, I could not face myself in the mirror - - to fail to do the job of charging fairly, compensating fairly the employees that are the lifeblood of what the company does... and evaluate, and adjust the compensation of the ones doing the best job?

How does the management not die of self-shame?"

Sort of like every restaurant and every other service industry in the US!!!

<<Sort of like every restaurant and every other service industry in the US!!!>>

Are airlines not a service industry? FedEx? Your optometrist? Your accountant? Wedding photographers? Getting your oil changed? Those are not service industries?

The entire system of refusing to do compensation research, pay an appropriate wage, and do employee evaluations - - is morally bankrupt, leaving it to customers to do all these jobs so that management can waltz away from the responsiblity.

I would die of embarrassment to run a business that runs on "tips".

The notion of a vendor suggesting to the consumer of what a tip should consist sounds to me a little like the MSRP (Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price).

There's a reason it's 'suggested' - namely because if it were appropriate, the vendor would be able to command it, not just suggest it. In other words, the vendor would be able to factor the guide's full compensation into their overall pricing policy. (Whatever else one might think of Rick Steves' tours, his policy of paying his guides enough so as to be able to attract employees without asking his clients to tip them seems to be winning him marketshare in a very competitive industry. )