Suggested minimum tips

May 02: (Monday) Depart New York’s JFK airport Terminal #4 on Egyptair’s new 777-300ER at 6:30PM flying nonstop to Cairo. (Meals on the flight)

May 03: (Tuesday) Arriving Cairo 12:15 (noon) clear immigration and customs then staff transfers you to the Movenpick Pyramids hotel. Overnight Cairo.
Visa: $15 + $3 service charge
Tour Leader: $1 (This is the person who will meet you at the airport, transfer you to the hotel, assist with checking in and go over your tour program).
Baggage handler/airport: 50 cents per bag
NOTE: At the airport and perhaps other places its common for 3
or 4 people to try and get involved with handling the luggage.
Give the tip to the one person who you feel does the most and if others ask, point to the person you gave the money.
Baggage handler/hotel: 50 cents per bag
Driver: 50 cents per person for transfers
Waiters: (excellent service) 50 cents per person at buffets,
add 5%-10% for other meals when you get excellent service
(a service charge of 12% is already included)
TOTAL May 03 TIPS: $2.50 per person + visa

May 04: (Wednesday) International buffet breakfast, time to enjoy the hotel then in the afternoon visit the Giza Plateau where you will marvel at the Great Pyramid and Sphinx. Overnight Cairo (B)
Optional morning tour to Sakkarra and Dashur $55 per person
Tour Guide: (1/2 day tour): $2.50 per person
Driver: $1 per person
Waiters: As above
Maid: 50 cents a person or $1 per single room
TOTAL May 04 TIPS: $4.50 per person

May 05: (Thursday) International buffet breakfast, check out. Staff transfers you to the airport, assists with checking in and you fly to Aswan on Egyptair #393 at 10:30AM. Arriving 11:55AM, lunch then enjoy a tour of the Temple of Philae, the high dam and the Pharaohs Granite quarries. Staff transfers you to the Iberotel Nile Resort. Overnight Aswan (B)
Baggage handler/Cairo hotel: 50 cents per bag
Maid (Cairo hotel): 50 cents per person or $1 for single rooms
Tour leader (Cairo): $1 per person
Driver (Cairo): 50 cents per person
Baggage handler/airport/Cairo: 50 cents per bag
Baggage handler/airport/Aswan: 50 cents per bag
Tour guide (1/2 day tour): $2.50 per person
Baggage handler/hotel: 50 cents per bag
Waiters: As above.
TOTAL May 05 TIPS: $7 per person

May 06: (Friday) Buffet breakfast, check out, those taking the optional tour to Abu Simbel are transferred to the airport, assisted with checking in and they fly to Abu Simbel. Visit the famous temples of Ramses. Those not going to Abu Simbel will transfer to the new SUPER DELUXE 5* Nile Cruiser, the M/S FARAH.
Lunch on board. FREE bonus: Afternoon sail on the Nile by Felucca (Native sailboat). Please know that these are solely wind powered and if there is no wind this will not operatre. Dinner on board. Overnight Aswan (B, L, D)
Maid at Aswan hotel: 50 cents per person or $1 for single rooms
Baggage handler/hotel: 50 cents per bag
Tour leader: $1 per person
Driver: 50 cents per person
Baggage handler arriving at cruise: 50 cents per bag
Tour guide: $5 per person (paid at end of cruise)
Cruise staff: NO tips on board till end of cruise when you can give the front desk an envelope with your cabin number and a tip for the entire ship staff NOT including the guide. In general $5 per day ($2.50 per person). However if you get excellent service from particular waiters or others on board think how you would reward this at home and do likewise.
TOTAL May 06 TIPS: $ 8 per person

May 07: (Saturday) Breakfast on board while sailing to Kom Ombo. Visit the Temple of Two Gods. Return to the ship for lunch. Sail to Edfu. Afternoon tea. Dinner on board. Overnight Edfu (B, L, D) Tour guide: end of cruise Carriage or bus driver at Edfu: $1 per person Cruise staff: end of cruise TOTAL May 07 TIPS: $1 per person

May 08: (Sunday) Early morning visit to the Temple of Horus in Edfu. After the tour return to the ship. Breakfast while sailing to Luxor. Lunch on board then tour the East Bank of Luxor including the Temple of Karnak and Temple of Luxor. Following the tour return to the ship for dinner. Overnight Luxor (B, L, D) Tour Guide: paid at end of cruise Driver: $1 per person Cruise staff: end of cruise TOTAL May 08 TIPS: $6 per person

May 09: (Monday) Breakfast on board, disembark from the cruise ship then visit the West Bank of Luxor including the Valley of the Kings and the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut at El-Deir El-Bahari. Staff transfers you to the airport, assists with checking in for Egyptair #366 departing at 6:45PM for Cairo. Arriving 7:55PM staff transfers you to the new Radisson Blu hotel. Overnight Cairo (B)
Cruise staff: You can give the front desk an envelope with your cabin number and a tip for the entire ship staff NOT including the guide. In general $5 per night per cabin ($2.50 per person). However if you get excellent service from particular waiters or others on board think how you would reward this at home and do likewise.
Cruise Tour Guide: $5 per person per night ($15)
Baggage handler/cruise: 50 cents per bag
Tour leader/Luxor: $1 per person
Driver/Luxor: 50 cents per person
Baggage handler/Cairo airport: 50 cents per bag
Tour leader/Cairo: $1 per person
Driver/Cairo: $1 per person
Baggage handler/hotel: 50 cents per bag
Waiter/hotel: as above.
TOTAL May 09 TIPS: $13 per person

May 10: (Tuesday) Buffet breakfast, enjoy a tour to the Egyptian Museum of antiquities featuring King Tut’s treasures plus the famous Khan el Khalili bazaar, where travelers have been finding bargains since the middle ages. Overnight Cairo (B)
Tour guide (full day): $5 per person
Driver: $1 per person
Waiter: (excellent service) 50 cents per person at buffets,
add 5%-10% for other meals when you get excellent service
(a service charge of 12% is already included)
Maid: 50 cents per person or $1 per room
TOTAL May 10 TIPS: $7 per person

May 11: (Wednesday) Check out, staff transfers you to the airport, assists with exit formalities and checking in for your international departure on Egyptair #985 at 10:20AM flying nonstop to New York. Arriving JFK at 3:15PM clear immigration and customs. (meals on the flight)
Maid: 50 cents per person or $1 for a single room
Luggage handler/hotel: 50 cents per bag
Luggage handler/airport: 50 cents per bag
Tour leader: $1 per person
Driver: 50 cents per person
TOTAL May 11 TIPS: $3 per person

Please know that the entire tourism industry in Egypt is underpaid and overworked. The average MONTHLY salary for the waiters, bellmen, front desk staff, etc. at hotels and on cruises is $100-$150. This is why everyone is looking for tips.
When you get good service think about rewarding it.
If you don’t get good service then do not tip them anything.

Other costs to expect
bottled water at hotels or on the cruise: $1 to $3 for a small bottle, $2.50-$5 for a large bottle. NOTE: This is filtered water. If you order perrier it will cost more.
coffee or tea: 50 cents
alcoholic drinks:
beer: $3 per bottle
wine: local $4 to $6 per glass. imported will be more $$.
liquor: local $5 per cocktail, imported $8-$15 per cocktail
NON included meals per person (in hotel ala carte restaurants) Lunch $7 to $15, dinner $7 to $20 (think Applebees/Chili’s prices)
Fine dining restaurants would be more.
Buffets: lunch buffet $12-$20, dinner buffet $20-$30

So on a tour of 09 days, similar to the one described above you would have
5 lunches averaging $10 per person ($50)
5 dinners averaging $20 per person ($100)
Tips (as outlined) $52 per personVisa: $15 + $3 service charge

Approximate extras for this 10 day tour including tips, meals, beverages: $220-$250 per person
This does not include alcoholic beverages nor souvenirs.

Return to Previous Page