Tipping

Tips for our courier (the name Passports uses for our tour guide who is with us all the time) and the bus driver are not included in the tour fee. The customary tip for the courier is $4 per day and $3 per day for the bus driver. We are on a 10-day tour and will not see the courier or bus driver the first day so we will tip for 9 days.

That will be $36 from each person for the courier. We will most likely have 2 different bus drivers -- one for 6 days in France and the other for 3 days in England. I realize the day in London is not with a bus driver but he will be transporting us for parts of 3 days so to be fair we will say 3 days. That will be $18 for the France bus driver and $9 for the England bus driver.

You need to bring these tips with you in the correct cash amounts and keep separate from your other money. Usually the evening before departure I will collect the money and present to the courier and the bus driver. We will put it in one large envelope and present as a group.

If for some reason (and I pray we do not have this situation!) the courier or the bus driver do not meet our expectations, then the tips can be adjusted. That will be a personal call on your part. But we are expecting a grand trip!

Tipping at tour-included meals is covered by your tour fee, however tipping at any other meal is up to you.

In addition, your tour fee covers the fees of the local guides provided on the tour. If you feel you had an exceptional local tour and would like to personally provide them with an additional tip, then that is your call. It is not required.

Check out these "Tipping Tips from Europeans" provided by travel guru Rick Steves. Scroll down to Britain and France.

_