I always find tips really hard especially with all the different countries and currencies. The driver and tour manager is easy but the hotel staff is harder to work out. Perhaps it would be possible to have an envelope and give it to the tour manager who could distribute it as a lump sum to individual staff as they see fit. Bar staff could still be paid individually by the people buying the drinks but the less obvious staff would be better off as the tour managers know how much to give for the various services.

Just an idea

Sue Southampton

It's a great idea! I know on some trips, some of the Tour Managers do something similar to this. It'd be interesting to hear what the wider community have to say.

Kindest regards,

Julia

Hi Sue,

It's a great idea! I know on some trips, some of the Tour Managers do something similar to this. It'd be interesting to hear what the wider community have to say.

Kindest regards,

Julia

Hi Julia

Our Tour Manager "pooled" the tip money on the Spirit of India tour last year. It worked well as she knew who to tip and how much to give. Should work well on other trips

Lesley

Great idea

Tips can be such a contentious subject from my travels... I am more than happy to tip along the way, the better the service then the better the tip is the way I work.

I have come across more than one person who has stated I have paid for my holiday and am not paying anything more..every one is different.

Before now I have been put in charge!?!? Of handing the envelope around for the driver or tour manager which isn't a problem some people do find it had to slip money to someone.. So if the manager was in charge of an envelope or similar this would take the job of a traveller which would be better than having a traveller doing it.

Also say a dollar here or there from one person would be better in a lump sum.

So thumbs up from me!,,for the hotel staff et

On a personal note I like to tip the manager and driver myself as I do a letter of thanks with it..

Cindy

Personally I just go along with what others want to do whether it personal or a communal envelope but you have to accept people will put in varying amounts.

I always leave something in my room for housekeeping because they are often left out.

Will add it does depend on the quality of service how much i put in.

Mick

Regards

Anne

It is difficult to know what to leave as a tip for hotel staff if you are only stay the odd night in each place. I think the longest stay in a specific hotel on Singapore, Australia and New Zealand trip was 3 nights. Most of the hotels we stayed in gave reasonable service but there were shortcoming and standards difference between hotels so tipping varied between hotels.

Eric.

1 The suggested amount is appropriate to the country being visited and the length of the tour. I expect to pay the going rate of tips but I do not expect to pay first world tips in a third world country.

2 It is absolutely clear who receives the money. I am never sure if it includes the tour manager themselves.

I have never been on a cruise but I have seen examples of their tips and I think they are very high and it is usually difficult or impossible not to pay the full rate.

On the last Cilento trip we did a communal envelope for the Tour Manager Rob because he was so brilliant :thumbup: Then there was a jar in the restaurant to leave any gratuities. I think it works out quite well but equally I would agree with a communal envelope for the staff. I just prefer to leave an independent tip in my room for housekeeping as they have always done a brilliant job in all the hotels I have been in.

Hi Sue,

It's a great idea! I know on some trips, some of the Tour Managers do something similar to this. It'd be interesting to hear what the wider community have to say.

Kindest regards,

Julia

In my experience, service varies widely from hotel to hotel, and destination to destination. I prefer to tip inividually on basis of the service recieved. For drivers and guides, why not include tips in the price paid?

That way I know everything is covered and fair.

With regard to hotel staff, well I think that's a different kettle of fish and most people I've met have very different views so maybe its best left to personal choice.

Personally I always find tipping a bit embarrassing and as I always work to a budget on holidays, I would much prefer for the tips for the driver, guides etc to be included in the price of the trip and to be given out by the Tour Manager.

That way I know everything is covered and fair.

With regard to hotel staff, well I think that's a different kettle of fish and most people I've met have very different views so maybe its best left to personal choice.

Personally, I prefer to tip the drivers and Tour Managers individually. All of the Tour Managers on my 9 trips so far have been great but several have been excellent. So, I would give that little extra to those I think have gone above and beyond the call.....

Denise

;);)

On all my trips (except to Canada) there has been an envelope collection for the TM, with some people choosing to give separately, the coach driver has been tipped directly at the end of the stay, and all the hotels have provided either a basket, box or envelopes in which we could place our tips for the staff, with the assurance that anything we gave would be equally shared between all the staff. In all cases I have been confident that the hotel management would honour its pledge. Most people I have discussed it with have, like me, left something for the room maids on the bedside table on departure. In Canada I think everyone tipped the TM individually, with a note of thanks, because he had gone out of his way to make the holiday special. Not everyone who goes on a JY holiday is well-off and some may prefer the anonymity provided by a communal envelope.