Like any member of the service industry, Tour Directors, bus drivers and local guides depend on tips to make a living. Group Leaders are advised to collect tip money from each participant at the beginning of the tour to avoid confusion and lack of money at the end of the tour.
Who to Tip
Tour Director
On international tours, it is customary to tip your full-time Tour Director a minimum of €4/$5-$6 per person per day. Tipping €5/$7 is common as additional tips are at your discretion when performance is outstanding.
On tours of the US, it is customary to tip your full-time Tour Director a minimum of $3-$5 per person per day. On tours of Canada, it is customary to tip your full-time Tour Director $2/3 per person per day.
Bus Driver
On international tours, it is customary to tip your bus driver €2 EUR per day/$3 per person per day on all tours.
On tours of the US and Canada, it is customary to tip your bus driver $1-$2 per person per day.
Local Guides
Tipping for local guides is at the discretion of the Group Leader. If you would like to tip your local guide it is advised that tip money be collected in advance as well.
Cruises
Please tip your Explorica Tour Director per normal along with the additional cruise tips that are required.
Cruise tips cover all serviced rendered on board – housekeeping, dining service, etc. – and are automatically added by the cruise line to each traveller's personal cruise account card in the amounts listed below.
Participants aged 5-15 are charged €4 EUR per day
Participants aged 16+ are charged €8 EUR per day
Please note that you can only use cash or a credit card to add money to or pay the balance of your personal cruise account card. If cash is your preferred method of payment, be sure to withdraw the necessary amount before boarding the ship.
Any traveller may contact the cruise line's Guest Relations office to change the tip amount automatically added to their personal cruise account card. Group Leaders may also contact Guest Relations if they prefer to put all tips on their personal cruise account card.