Tipping is a personal way to show your satisfaction for good service and is a general practice on all vacations. It is recommended that tips be paid in cash—unless when paying by credit card there is a specific gratuity line. General tipping guidelines can be found below. Each country in Europe has different customs regarding tipping and guidelines can be found in each country-specific guide.
With Avalon, all your hotel taxes, service charges, tips for luggage handling, and gratuities for included meals are included in the vacation price.
For services with gratuity not included in the vacation price, we recommend the following as tipping guidelines. More information can be found in the country-specific sections of the Know Before You Go document and in your Important Travel Documents, which will be available 2-3 weeks prior to your vacation. Since each country is unique, the below are merely guidelines to assist with budgeting.
Cruise Directors
Gratuities for your Cruise Director are not included in the vacation price. For a good job, we suggest the equivalent of €3 (Euros) per day per passenger for your Cruise Director. An envelope will be provided in your stateroom for you to deposit any gratuities you would like to provide your Cruise Director. It is also possible for you to pre-pay the gratuities for your Cruise Director at the time of paying the balance of your cruise cost.
Ship’s Crew
Gratuities for your crew on board our Avalon Waterways ships are not included in the vacation price. For a good job, we suggest the equivalent of €12 (Euros) per day per passenger for the ship’s crew. This will be pooled and distributed fairly among those who have been of service to you, including personnel who work behind the scenes and whose service is equally crucial to your enjoyment of the cruise. It is also possible for you to pre-pay the gratuities for your crew at the time of paying the balance of your cruise cost.
Drivers
Gratuities for sightseeing drivers are included in the vacation price.
Hotel Services
It is customary to tip hotel staff for room service delivery if the charge has not already been added to the bill. If ice machines are not available and you get ice from the bar, a small tip to the bartender is always appreciated. Avalon includes gratuities for luggage handling for one bag per passenger. You may wish to tip for any excess luggage delivery. Gratuities for included hotel meals are already taken care of by Avalon.
Certified Local Guides
Traveling with us means you get specialized sightseeing with Certified Local Guides in each major city. To make each location come alive throughout your vacation, these Certified Local Guides share their vast knowledge about culture and history with you. Gratuities for your Certified Local Guides are included in the vacation price.
Restaurants
For restaurant meals not included in the Avalon itinerary, gratuities are not included and we recommend you review the country-specific guidelines for appropriate gratuity amount based on quality of service. Additional details and recommendations will be included in your Important Travel Documents, sent approximately 2-3 weeks prior to your vacation start date, and your Cruise Director can always help with local customs on tipping. Tips in restaurants are usually left in cash and not added to the credit card payment, unless there is a specific line for it on the credit card signature receipt. In many European restaurants, there is also a per-person cover charge that will be added to your check/bill. This is not a gratuity.
Taxis
Usually, rounding up the fare for driver gratuity is more than adequate in most countries. A few dollars is usually reasonable for service, equal to 10-15% of the fare. If possible, we recommend you pre-negotiate taxi fares in foreign countries to avoid unpleasant surprises at the end of your journey. Ask hotel/ship staff or airport hospitality desks for the best cab companies, and make sure pricing is either clearly indicated prior to departure or prenegotiated. In all instances, we recommend that you carry some small change with you, as it is unusual to ask for change when you are tipping.
Celebrate this magical time of year with a delightful Christmastime river cruise through the beautiful views of the heart of Germany, on the Main Danube Canal, and the Main and Rhine Rivers. Board your ship in Nuremberg, Germany, host to one of the oldest Christmas markets in the country. Get into the holiday spirit as you stroll through the brightly illuminated and decorated Old Town. 200 stalls sell traditional German Christmas wares and seasonal delicacies. In delightful Bamberg, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, you’ll find nativity scenes built by local citizens through-out the town. Learn about holiday traditions as you cruise to Würzburg, and here walk through the halls of the ornate Bishop’s Residence—home to the largest ceiling fresco ever painted. Then stroll through the Christmas markets while you sip Glühwein (hot mulled wine). Learn how to bake a traditional cookie before arriving at one of the charming small towns with half-timbered houses that are dotted along the Main River. In the charming wine town of Rüdesheim, visit the unique Siegfried’s Mechanical Musical Instrument Museum. Continue your cruise to Speyer and visit Heidelberg Castle, which towers magnificently over the city, and watch the skaters on the ice rink below. At this time of year, the historic charm of Strasbourg, France, is mixed with festive aromas, sights, and sounds—creating a truly magical atmosphere! Visit the gothic cathedral with its ancient murals and fascinating astronomical clock. Continue your Christmastime river cruise to Breisach, Germany—gateway to the famous Black Forest. An area of unrivaled natural beauty, and the home of Black Forest ham, cherry cake, and cuckoo clocks. There is no better setting at this time of year, when smoke curls from the chimneys of the traditional Black Forest houses. Your delightful holiday cruise ends in Basel, Switzerland.