Quote:
Originally Posted by rancher44
To answer the questions
The officials did not give us receipts they just said they need like 100 to let us leave
That was at one port. The day before [in that port ]I had wanted to clear so we could leave early in morning .I also ask how much more was I going to have to pay to leave --I didn't find out until the next day.
The next port was Lupren and to skip all the details there was so much confusion we kept asking what else do we need to do before we can leave one of the Military said we could go. Well another came down to the dock as we were getting ready to leave and he was really pissed off. He said he had to go to the boat . Thats when the goons came down and they all demanded to go to the boat. They looked in he saloon and then were still kind of ruffled. The water taxi came by to take them to port and that was the third party . They kept hesitating on leaving and finally the driver said they expected a tip-- So we paid .
I do not like to be held up I had no idea that this is common practice - Who determinds what is fair --Is it based on how much you look like you have ? What would they have done to us we we had refused --KILL US ?
Take our boat ? I had a message from one member and they demanded 1000 for him to leave the DR. He finnally settled for 110
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I suspect language was a big reason for communication problems but also knowledge of local
customs. They hesitated waiting for a tip. Is this different than a
hotel bellman or concierge? Or a taxi driver? It's a local custom, but if you don't give it, then I don't know of anything bad happening. Tipping
customs in the US are very different than
Europe so travelers generally have to learn.
Even mentally thinking of them as goons isn't going to make things more pleasant. As I understand it, both visits were unplanned, both included offloading a crew member, so not exactly routine visits. You say they demanded money-How much over a reasonable fee? We go to the
Bahamas and they "demand" money-$300 as that's the entry fee for us. Oh, they also "demand" departure tax for all over 4 people (4 covered by entry fee).
I'm sorry but all I heard reading was your feeling they were pissed, your feeling they were ruffled, your feeling they were goons, your feeling you were held up and great harm would have come had you failed to tip them. But the only specific thing that you've said happened was they "hesitated" when leaving, anticipating you'd give them a tip. I've read of those who didn't and had no problem. I would tip simply in appreciation of them allowing me to visit their country. And requiring $100 to leave doesn't somehow shock or appall me. Most countries have some form of entry and/or departure fees.