nav[aria-label="Primary Navigation"] { padding: 0; & ul { list-style: none; width: 100%; display: flex; flex-direction: row; justify-content: start; align-items: start; gap: 30px; padding: 0; & li { margin: 0; } & ul li { list-style: none; } } }

Tips

MarySheridan

I recently got my final documents which suggested $15 per person per day for the travel director and $10 per person per day for the driver. I've seen others mention it here and it looks like cash is preferred. My question is: Do we pay this all at once or every day? If it's all at once, do we give it on the last day? I just want to be prepared. Thanks.

Comments

Mary Margaret McClure

Last day, usually at the Farewell Dinner...hope this helps!

kfnknfzk

It is customary to give the tour director’s gratuity at the farewell party. She/he will advise the last day that the coach driver will be with the group. Sometimes there are more than one drivers. Again, you will be advised.

Typically, your final documents will indicate U.S. currency and/or the equivalent in local currency.

British

Last day, farewell dinner

SandyFeet

I always ask the TD, “ Is this the last time we will see [ fill in the name ], our bus driver?

Mary Margaret McClure

Great point, SandyFeet. In most cases the driver doesn't attend Farewell Dinners on the last night.

In Morocco we made a mad dash back down to the coach to give our proper thank-you's to our driver before he left.

Sherrill

We have found the tour director is great at letting us know when we can "say goodbye" to the bus driver.

MikeHenderson

We have found the tour director is great at letting us know when we can "say goodbye" to the bus driver.

That's been my experience, also. The TD wants to take care of the bus driver.

SGF

I had a confusing situation today in Japan. Our local guide who has been with us since the start (8 days) said farewell as we were switching to a new person for the last few days in Kyoto. Some people were discussing when they should tip her...I genuinely had not even thought of tipping her. The TD never made mention of it. I should note that on this tour we don't tip the bus driver, since we have a new one nearly every day.

This guide works for an outside tour company and is hired by Tauck. I've never tipped local guides on a Tauck tour. I really assumed Tauck managed this - especially in Japan where they don't have the tipping culture like in the US. She was a wonderful guide and we really enjoyed her, but I assume she's paid well for her job. Was I wrong?

British

No, you are not wrong. You travel with Tauck and their expensive prices because tips are included for everything except the TD and on some tours the bus driver. Especially in Japan, it’s thought of as a no no in their culture. Tauck pays well. Some people just love to give out tips to all and Sundry, let them. It’s one of the reasons foreigners love Americans and think we are all rich when sadly, million live below the poverty line, but it’s not how we are portrayed in the media.

kfnknfzk

SGF - It could be that some in your group are unfamiliar with Tauck’s protocol of taking care of local guides. I have, upon occasion, compensated a guide when I appreciated their level of knowledge and genuine warmth. It is a personal choice and I hope you don’t feel pressured one way or another. I look forward to your review.

hrschild99

When do you get information from your TD regarding the tip suggested amounts? We leave on 8/15 for Crown Jewels of Switzerland and haven't gotten any info

Ben

If you received your personal travel information email from Tauck typically 60 days before your tour start date, it will be contained with in that document under helpful tips section. Occasionally a TD may reach out prior to your departure date, but that is not the norm in my experience. The information may also be given to you once your tours starts.

Goddess

Recently I have received an email from Tauck prior to my departures REMINDING me of the tipping suggestions.

JaneP

hrschild99 - there should be reference to tipping in your final tour documents you would have received about 60 days before departure. This year they recommended for my England and West Country Tour $15 USD or the equivalent in local currency/day for the TD and $10/day for the bus driver. They told us this time that the bus driver would prefer local currency and the TD was fine with either local or USD.

British

When you say ’They told us that the driver would prefer local currency. Do you mean in the Tauck documents or the Tour director told you at the begin of the tour? Tauck’s policy has always been to use US dollars or if you prefer to use local currency. England is virtually a cashless society these days and I don’t intend taking any pounds with me when I go in October.

JaneP

British - I don’t remember who told us - it was in documents I read. It might have been in the materials the TD left for us at the starting hotel when we checked in - I just recall that stood out to me because that was the first time I had been told that.

Folsomdoc

Our TD on the N. Italy tour told us the driver much prefers Euro. (She welcomed Euro or dollars as she is an American ex-pat so travels to the states often). The reason for the driver preferring Euro was that anti-laundering laws make converting US dollars onerous. It’s a drawn out affair where you need to make an appointment at the bank where they copy each bill front and back and run serial numbers. We visited an ATM and took the dollars we had set aside home with us.

JaneP

Plus just like here there is likely a fee for the conversion so they might lose on the transaction. I also went to a local ATM in England and got pounds for the bus driver.