US dollar vs local currency tipping
For recent travelers: We will be on this tour soon. Is it really preferred to tip in US dollars right now? Is that true for the final tip for out Tauck Guide as well? It seems tipping is the only time we will need cash. Please advise. Thank you. Also is the same Tauck guide with our group for the entire tour?
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Caga.Hi
Tipping can be done in both US dollars or local currency.- It is easier for the guide to get local currency , but if it is US dollars the hotels will exchange it for them at a good rate- not at tourist rate also the TD (tour Director ) does exchange money for them.
In my tour Sept. 2021 we had the same TG (tour guide ) in Jordan and 1 different one the entire trip in Egypt.
The final tip for the TD (tour director) most of the time is in US Dollars and yes he/she is always with the group .
Tour guides (TG) are always local guides, this has been imposed by all governments to ensure work for their local tour guides.
Tour Directors (TD) are not necessarily local , they work for Tauck and can be from anywhere in the world.
Hope this helps, you will love this trip, It's Amazing
I concur with mil but if tipping in local currency, one should be mindful of exchange rates. You want to be sure your gratuity is the equivalent of the minimum recommended amount in U. S. dollars. Although not necessary, I always tip the local guides in the local currency if I find their service to be extraordinary. And don't forget the drivers!
On our recent 17 - 29 March J&E small group tour, we had one local guide for all of Jordan but in Egypt we had one guide for Aswan and Luxor and a different guide for Cairo.
For tipping the Tauck Tour Director (TD), USD is usually preferred, however, around page 16 of your eGreen Book under "Tauck Director Gratuities," it says,
"We ask that you extend gratuities on an individual basis rather than as a group, and we offer the following guideline to assist you in determining an appropriate amount:
We bring USD in an envelope since it will be nearly impossible to get USD in many foreign countries, but also use this as an opportunity to get rid of excess local currency, so will often mix currencies in the TD tip. The TD will have no problem using or exchanging foreign currency.
Tips for on-tour Tauck provided or contracted services (wait staff ashore and afloat, local guides, bus drivers (except when the same driver is with you for an entire tour), etc.) are all covered by Tauck. They are adequately compensated by Tauck as explained in the same section of the eGreen Book, "All other service gratuities, including those for your motorcoach driver(s), local guides, hotel bellmen and restaurant staff, have been included in the price of your journey." While a few people tip the local Tauck contracted guides and bus drivers, that is neither suggested nor encouraged.
As far as tipping local vendors or for individual services not falling under Tauck's purview, e.g. private guides, dining on your own, those posing for photos, docents/caretakers at tombs visited on private tours, camel jockeys, etc., they will accept local currency, but from our experience, they prefer USD. The private guide we hired while still in the US, wanted USD for payment- new bills, unmarked and crisp- their local banks make it difficult for them to convert older or marked bills. Some are wary of devaluation- upon arrival the exchange rate was 16 Egyptian Pounds (EGP) to the $, while we were there it went up to 17 EGP, by the time we left it was 18, and now it is 18.4 !). Vendors will often hawk their wares in USD, "Only 1 dollar" etc.
AlanS- thank you for clarifying the tipping situation. I've only been on two Tauck tours, and have followed the guidelines as presented, only tipping the Tour Director on each trip. We gave them $10/day as suggested - even allowing that the tour isn't really the first and last days. The arrival day is only the welcome dinner, and by the departure day we have already bid our farewells and are off to the airport or other points.
That said, I've been home from work on medical leave these last two months, and have spent a lot of my spare time on this Forum. Imagine my shock (quelle horreur!) when I read that people were tipping bus drivers and local guides. I felt terrible that I had somehow misunderstood.
Gratuities are sometimes confusing...I spent time on a flight from Sydney ➡️ NY attempting to explain the US tipping customs to a nervous Aussie. She was absolutely petrified that she'd be chased down the street if she didn't leave the proper amount at a restaurant. I did my best to calm her down before we landed!
My husband and I work in the medical profession...we are paid by our employers for the work we do. We purposely take tours and cruises that are mostly all-inclusive so that we know what our expenses will be and can just relax and enjoy the trip. Tauck tours are premium tours - we know we could travel on our own (and have) for far less money, but we enjoy the luxury hotels, dining, and letting them smooth out the rough spots.
On our Nov. trip to Morocco, our TD made it very clear to us that our local guides and driver were very well compensated, and weren't expecting further compensation.
Curious to hear what other fellow travelers think.
SGF - I tip the Tour Director and the bus driver, if the driver has been with us for most of the tour, "rounding up" and, like you, counting the first and last days. I do not tip the local guides. I used to trip the driver who took me to or from the airport, but several years ago was chastised on this forum for doing so. Since then, I have tipped only one driver, who was a college student.
The tipping rules vary depending on the tour. Please read your final documents carefully and it tells you who it is SUGGESTED you tip. Sometimes it is just the Tour Director you tip, sometimes, In addition it is the driver. Most river cruises, small ship cruises and Bridges tours include tips for everyone. It is never the case that you are expected to tip anyone else, even the Drivers to and from the airport and the bellman are tipped. I have occasionally, maybe just a handful of times seen people tip local guides. Of course, if you arrive before a tour begins and have dinner and things like that, then you can tip.
We have always included day one and the last day as part of the tip calculation, hey maybe we shouldn’t 😂
I’ve said many times, I don’t think some people tip.
The small group tours are more expensive to compensate the TD’s not getting more tips, they get a bigger compensation from Tauck…or no tour director would want to lead a small group!
For each tour, the TD's work starts even before Day 1 and doesn't end on the last tour Day so we tip for each tour "Day" whether we are actually touring or not. Like British said, each tour is different which is why I quoted from a J&E eGreen Book.
Thanks everyone for the detailed replies. This helps.