Tipping in Aruba: 2026 Guide for Travelers

Restaurants and Bars

A service charge of 10–15% is often printed on restaurant bills in Aruba, especially in Palm Beach and Eagle Beach hotel areas and in Oranjestad. It may be labeled “service charge” or “service included.” When it’s there, no further tip is required, but leaving roughly 5% more in cash for excellent service is a common gesture, since you can’t be sure how the charge is shared.

If there is no service charge, tip about 15%, as you would for decent service in the US. At beach bars and lounges, $1–2 per drink is typical. Use our 15% calculator to check the math.

Card machines in Aruba sometimes show a tip prompt even when a service charge is already on the bill. Check the itemized receipt before you add anything.

Hotels and Resorts

Some Aruba hotels and resorts add a service charge or resort fee to the room rate. If it explicitly covers staff gratuities, you don’t need to tip more. Otherwise, give porters $1–2 per bag and leave housekeeping $2–5 per night. Pool and beach staff who set up palapas or loungers appreciate a few dollars. Our hotel tipping guide has more detail.

Aruba has several all-inclusive resorts, where gratuities are often included in the price. Policies vary — see our all-inclusive resort tipping guide.

Taxis and Getting Around

Taxis in Aruba don’t use meters; fares are set by zone, and drivers can tell you the rate before you get in. A tip isn’t mandatory, but rounding up or adding about 10% is customary, more if the driver handles heavy bags or golf clubs. Many visitors rent cars or use the public bus (Arubus), where no tipping applies. If you book a driver for a half-day island tour to the California Lighthouse and the north coast, $10–20 for the group on top of the fare is a generous thank-you.

Tours, Snorkeling, and Water Sports

Catamaran sails, snorkel trips to the Antilla wreck, and sunset cruises are among the most popular activities. Tip the crew $5–10 per person, or 10–15% of the trip price, at the end — it is usually pooled. Jeep and UTV tour guides heading out to Arikok National Park or the Natural Pool get a similar amount.

Many visitors arrive on cruise ships calling at Oranjestad. Shore-excursion tipping follows the same guidance; onboard gratuities are covered in our cruise tipping guide.

Dollars or Florins?

• US dollars are widely accepted for tips, and staff are used to them.
• Change may come back in florins; use them up on small purchases or tips before you leave.
• Cards are accepted at most restaurants and hotels, but cash tips go most directly to the person who served you.

Spas, Salons, and Other Services

Resort spas in Aruba frequently add a service charge to treatments; if yours doesn’t, 10–15% for your therapist is appreciated. Kitesurfing and windsurfing instructors at Hadicurari and Fisherman’s Huts, and dive instructors, are commonly tipped about 10% of the lesson or dive price. Grocery stores, fast-food counters, and the island’s many food trucks don’t expect tips, though leaving the change from a cash payment is a friendly gesture.