I don't know about you but I really only use plastic and sometimes apps to pay for things.  I rarely use paper money which also means I rarely have that handy.   When it comes time to travel I realize shoot I need tip money!   I think this is a very important step to add to your packing list since if you are like me you might need to go to a bank or something to get some small bills.  I try to stash a few in my travel bags so even those times when it gets a little hectic before traveling and I forget to plan for tips I at least have something.  On my recent trip to Jamaica it wasn't until we were at the hotel that I realized my stash was out of small bills.  Luckily I did have a larger bill and was able to pop down to the front desk and they were able to change it out for some smaller bills still in American dollars.  Planning for tips in other countries can be even trickier since you might need to make sure when you exchange money that you get smaller denominations.   Of course traveling to other countries brings up a whole other set of questions when it comes to tipping too so below are some of my tips for tipping.

#1 - Pre plan for as many tips as you can think of and have those small bills already set aside and have some extra for the times you might not have thought of.  

#2 Exchange at least a little money before traveling.   If you are going somewhere that uses other currency it is best to exchange some at home so you have at least a small amount handy for the first few people you might need to tip when you arrive.  

#3 If traveling to another country it is best to look up what the policy tends to be on tipping,   In some countries tipping is looked at as an insult.
 
#4 Check all of your bills.  While on vacation there might be times when an automatic tip has been added to your bill so be sure to double check your before leaving a tip. 

Here is a quick list of people you should be thinking about tipping while traveling.  Of course this isn't all of them and in some cases some of these people may not be allowed to accept tips.  

1. Transportation related people. 
 - Taxi/Uber/Lyft/ or car service drivers - suggested amount is 15 - 20% 
- Shuttle driver that might either take you from an off airport parking lot to the airport or from the airport to your hotel - suggested a couple dollars maybe more if you have a lot of heavy bags they lifted for you.
- Skycaps - if you use them it is suggested that you give a couple dollars per bag.

2. Hotel 
- Bellhops - suggested a few dollars per bag
- Housekeeping - suggested a few dollars per day and you really should do tip each day in case different people work each day.
- Hotel Concierge - this one can be tricky and really depends on what they do for you. If they set up some simple dining reservations that would be a smaller tip than if they scored you tickets for a really hot event.
- Dining - as usual you would tip your server like any other restaurant you would eat at while home.  If you order room service a few dollars tips should be given to the person that delivers your food.

3. Cruises
Tipping on a cruise can vary based on the cruise line.  Most will now add a pre-paid gratuity that gets added to your bill automatically at the start of the cruise.  This will cover the main people taking care of you during the cruise such as your room attendant and servers at meals. 
- Bartenders - many times your bar bill will have an added gratuity already on there or if you have a drink package a pre-paid gratuity was added to that package price so it is up to you if you want to add more.   If you have a really great bartender you might want to reward that.  Some people like to start out the cruise with an extra tip to the bartender in hopes that will get them better service throughout the cruise.  
- Spa treatments - most times a gratuity will be auto added to your bill so check first but if you had a really wonderful experience you can always add more.
- Porters - at the end of the cruise you will have to collect your luggage and go through the terminal.  There will be porters available if you would prefer to have someone else transport you bags out of the terminal for you and just like bellhops should be tipped accordingly.
- Room service - most cruises offer 24 hour room service and while the food is usually included in your cruise price you should tip the delivery person a couple dollars.

4. Tours/Excursions
- Guide - if you take an tour or excursion with a guide you should tip them and you can base how much you give on how good of a guide they were and how long they were with you.
- Driver - if your excursion or tour involves a bus or some type of vehicle that got you safely to your tour and back you should leave a little tip.

Tipping should be looked at as a way of saying thank you to someone for doing something that made your travel a little better so don't worry too much over who and how much and just do what feels right to you at that time.

  I spent last weekend in Jamaica checking out some all inclusive resorts.  This trip was a reward for my sales in 2018 so it was sort of a working reward.  I am not someone that would typically choose an all inclusive resort for my vacation but I know a lot of people really enjoy them.  I toured a few different properties so I was able to really see that there is something for everyone but it is a matter of choosing the right resort for the guest.   
  In some cases one company might run several different resort types and they are all connected to each other so while staying at one you also have access to the others.   For example, I was staying in Secrets St James and on either side of my resort were other resorts run by the same company.   Anyone at Secrets St James has access to everything at Secrets Wild Orchid and vice versa.  You actually might not even realize they were 2 different resorts though because they seemed very connected and similar.   On the other side of my resort was Breathless, which is also run by AmResorts, but if you wanted to be able to enjoy that resort you had to be staying in a preferred club room at Secrets.  However, everyone staying at Breathless could use everything at Secrets St James and Secrets Wild Orchid.  There was a walking bridge that connected the resorts so you would have to show your room key to walk over to the Breathless side. There was a noticeable difference between Breathless and Secrets.    The guests at Secrets were mainly couples and I would say most were mid 30s and up.   It was a laid back vibe at the resort with plenty of dining options and a bit of nightlife but it was mostly about hanging by the pool and on the beach.   Over at Breathless the crowd was a good bit younger and less couples.  It was much more of a party resort.  
  I also toured some resorts that were not connected to me mine so I was able to see the difference when there are not multiple resorts connected together.   One of these was Zoetry, which is a smaller more boutique type all inclusive.   This resort had a max capacity of about 100 guests compared to the almost 1,000 at the 2 Secrets resorts I was at.  Zoetry is a resort for those looking to really getaway and de-stress.  It is small and quiet but still right on the water and includes pretty much all the same things as the bigger resorts.  Personally this is my idea of vacation, however if you were someone looking to party you would not enjoy this resort.  Since there is not another resort connected that you could just hop over to you would want to be sure you pick the resort that is offering what you are really looking for in a vacation.  
  Generally, an all inclusive resort is going to include your food and beverages as part your hotel package so they offer one upfront price.  Most will have a beach and pool and include some water sports.  If you want to explore something outside the resort many times they will have excursion options they can recommend with a supplier they trust.   There is something for almost any budget and any age group so I can see why all inclusives are a popular vacation option.