gratuity

Comments

• Claudia Sails

  April 2017

  I'm not an expert on this but I believe it is $8/day for the TD and $4/day for the driver per traveler. The suggested amount will be provided in your Tauck travel documents (green spiral bound book you get after you make you final payment)
  
  The currency question has been discussed several times on the forum with no clear answer. Some TDs are actually Americans so dollars or euros may be fine. Driver is likely to be a local. In either case, they know how and where to convert currency if need be.

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• AlanS

  April 2017

  When you make your final payment you'll receive a small green ring binder with tour info including suggested tip amounts, but I think it was $8 per person per day and $4 pp/pd for the driver. Your driver will be from Ireland, but your guide, could be from anywhere- US, Canada, etc. Ours was a Brit who lives in NZ. Money is money so whatever works, including a mix of currencies.

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• Claudia Sails

  April 2017

  Ok, Alan, here's a nit picky question on this. Give that the first and last day of tours aren't full days - usually starts with dinner and ends at breakfast - do those count as two days or 1? Not trying to be cheap, just trying to understand.

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• AlanS

  April 2017

  I think that is one of those personal decisions. Even if you are not doing anything, you can bet your TD is busy. It is a bit different with the driver. Of course it is just a guideline anyway. It probably evens out- some tip more and some tip less. I personally like the tours where tip is included.

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• British

  April 2017 edited April 2017

  One difference between traveling in Ireland or the U.K., it is much easier to exchange money at a local bank into a larger variety of currencies than it is here in the US. Where I find it an absolute pain to obtain foreign currency. My local bank is always absolutely fascinated about where I am going, I think I must be the only person that travels out of the country from our bank. Truely! They never know how to fill out the paperwork. There is a branch where they have a few currencies on hand about five miles away, otherwise I have to wait several days. Bottom line, whatever currency you give the TD or driver, even dollars, they will be able to exchange it with ease.
  

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• AlanS

  April 2017

  On a related note, last week I was sitting at La Bodega, a pizza place in Cusco, Peru. I noticed the owner or manager sitting at the next booth, putting what appeared to be US $ in little brown envelopes. I mentioned to our waiter that it looked like it was pay day but wondered why the workers were being paid is USD. The waiter, who was from Texas!, said they get a lot of US currency, and it is easier and cheaper for the staff than it is for the restaurant to exchange it for Soles.

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