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Tipping Guide Onboard Your River Cruise

Wondering how to navigate the gratuities on your river cruise holiday? It can be a bit challenging to work it all out, so we have put together a general guide to tipping on your river cruise to simplify things for you. Who gets tips on a...
24 August, 2018Euro Wallet

Wondering how to navigate the gratuities on your river cruise holiday? It can be a bit challenging to work it all out, so we have put together a general guide to tipping on your river cruise to simplify things for you.

Who gets tips on a river cruise?

It is customary for Cruise Directors, excursion drivers and guides, ship staff and crew to receive gratuities for their services.

Does my river cruise include tips and gratuities?

Almost all river cruise operators include gratuities for the Cruise Director and shipboard staff across their European river cruising programs, however, there are exceptions on some Russia and Asia river cruises. Not all river cruise operators include tips for services onshore in the cruise price, such as local guides and drivers.

Rhine

How are tips managed if they are not included?

Where tips and gratuities are not included in your cruise price, it is normal to provide a tip for your Cruise Director at the end of your holiday (there is often an option to have this billed to your onboard account). Local guides and drivers can be tipped at the end of each excursion and local currency is always appreciated. Feel free to ask your Cruise Director if you are unsure what is appropriate, but generally local guides expect 10-15 percent of the tour price as a tip.

Below is a guide to the way our river cruise operators manage their gratuities and tips, so you are best prepared for your holiday.

Operator Gratuities
APT Gratuities are included for all staff on all APT Tours and Cruises.

Tipping is not included on a few rare activities and outside of the gratuities specified in your itinerary. Ask your consultant if you are unsure.

Avalon Waterways Gratuities for the Cruise Director and crew onboard are generally included in the cruise price. Tips to your Local Guides and Excursion Drivers may be covered for included excursions, however tips on optional excursions are not included in your cruise fare.
Scenic Certain gratuities are included in your holiday cost. This includes all drivers, local guides, porters (1 piece of luggage only), and meals included in your tour.

Tipping for services not included in your cruise itinerary are additional.

Tauck All appropriate gratuities for luggage handling, bellmen, doormen, dining and ship staff are included in your tour price.

Tauck Director and Tauck Cruise Director (if applicable) gratuities are included on all river cruises and all Tauck Bridges trips.

Travelmarvel Gratuities have been included for all staff on all Travelmarvel Tours and Cruises.

Gratuities outside of those specified in your itinerary are not included. Check with your consultant if you are unsure.

Uniworld (Asia) Tips and gratuities are included in the tour price for local experts, drivers, local river guides, and boatmen during your trip, as well as on post-cruise land extensions purchased in conjunction with your cruise/tour (excluding Hong Kong).

Gratuities for your Cruise/Tour Manager and Ship staff are not included and up to your discretion.

Uniworld (Europe) All gratuities onboard and onshore are included in the tour price for your convenience and comfort.
Uniworld (Russia) Gratuities are not included in your cruise price for the ship's staff and crew, as well as your onshore tour guides.

Please note that onboard gratuities cannot be billed to your onboard account or paid with a credit card. You will need to carry Russian rubles or US dollars for tipping.

U By Uniworld Gratuities for onboard and shore excursions are included in the cruise price. Any other tips are additional and at guest discretion.
Viking River Cruises Shipboard gratuities for shipboard personnel are generally included, however, some Asia programs may be exempt.

Inclusions for local guides vary by destination and season, so please confirm with your consultant.

Please note this information is correct at time of publication but can change season to season. Please confirm with your Global Journeys consultant for the details that pertain to your particular river cruise itinerary, as inclusions may vary.

Danube Sundeck

What about services outside my river cruise?

Tips for services outside your cruise itinerary are your responsibility and are ultimately up to your discretion. Tips are generally expected for staff at dining venues and hotels, including wait staff, porters, doormen, housekeeping, room service and the hotel concierge. In restaurants it is acceptable to tip 10-15 percent of your bill if a gratuity is not already included. At hotels porters will appreciate $1-2 per bag, it is polite to leave $3-7 per day for housekeeping, and the concierge will be happy with $7-25 per request depending on the complexity of your request and the standard of the hotel.

How do I budget for tipping on my holiday?

The beauty of most river cruises is that the majority, if not all, gratuities and tips are already included. If they aren’t already included, then it is common to receive information on suggested tipping in your river cruise documentation from your river cruise operator. If you are doing your river cruise in conjunction with a coach tour, then please refer to our guide to tipping on tour which provides further information on gratuities for land tours and for tipping outside of your tour and cruise arrangements.

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