Tipping customs change at every border. In some countries staff count on a tip, and in others it can confuse the person you hand it to. Here is what to expect in the places we travel, and what each cruise line adds to your onboard account.
Choose a country to see who expects a tip, from restaurants to safari guides.
If you tip a private guide, put the cash in an envelope and hand it over discreetly.
The coperto on your bill is a cover charge kept by the restaurant, not a tip for staff.
Since January 2026, restaurants may no longer add service or cover charges.
Saying “dziękuję” (thank you) as you pay means the server keeps the change.
By law, service is built into menu prices, so tips are always optional.
On the Inca Trail, tip the whole trek crew, not just the guide.
Some restaurants bring tea or snacks you did not order and add them to the bill.
Tip in pesos when you can; US dollars are harder for staff to exchange.
Petrol stations are full service, so tip the attendant a few rand.
Since October 2024, employers in England, Scotland and Wales must pass all tips and service charges to staff, without deductions.
Any charge a restaurant calls a “service charge” must, by law, be shared with staff like a tip.
By law, service charges at hotels and restaurants must go in full to non-managerial staff.
The law requires resorts and other tourism businesses to add a service charge of at least 10%.
By law, restaurants with table service add a mandatory 10% service charge to the bill.
Staff must ask before adding a tip to your bill, and a suggested tip cannot exceed 10%.
The US dollar is the official currency, so small US bills work for tips.
US dollars are legal tender, circulating alongside the balboa, Panama’s own currency.
Tipping is not expected in Iceland.
Service has been included in restaurant prices since 1974, so any tip is a voluntary extra.
Oceania, Explora, Regent Seven Seas, Seabourn and Silversea build crew gratuities into the fare; some onboard extras still carry service charges.
How to read this: each country shows what to expect at restaurants, in taxis, with hotel staff and with guides and drivers, plus practical notes such as what a cover charge means or which currency to tip in. A dashed box means we couldn’t confirm that custom with two reliable sources, so we left it blank rather than guess.
How this works: most lines add a daily gratuity per guest to your onboard account, shared among the dining and stateroom teams. Drinks and specialty dining usually carry a separate service charge on each bill. Prices are per guest, per day, in US dollars.