Like any member of the service industry, tour directors, bus drivers and local guides depend on tips to make a living. Program 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. Explorica provides program leaders with the option of including tips in the tour fee of each participant to help make the tipping process effortless.
Who to tip
Tour director
On international tours, it is customary to tip your full-time tour director a minimum of $5-6 per person, per day. Additional tips for outstanding performance are at your discretion. Tips should be presented in the local currency.
On tours of the U.S. and Canada, it is customary to tip your full-time tour director a minimum of $3-5 per person, per day. Additional tipping, at your discretion, is common for outstanding performance.
Bus driver
On international tours, each participant is expected to tip their bus driver about $3 per person, per day. Tips should be presented in the local currency.
On tours of the U.S. and Canada, each participant is expected to tip their bus driver $1-$2 per person, per day.
Local tour guides
Tipping for local tour guides is at the discretion of the program 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 guidelines above.
Tips for all services rendered on board the cruise ship—
housekeeping, dining service, etc.—
will be paid on your behalf by Explorica. It is not necessary for you to tip cruise staff on board.