ColoradoGurl

This is one post you probably should have not hit the send button!....:rolleyes:

I stand behind it :) If you disagree with where I've gotten that idea, read through the first 452 pages on this board and open the threads on tips.

two points...

 

1. The $12 per day includes: Stateroom attendant, assistant stateroom attendant, waiter, assistant waiter, entire staff of windjammer café, etc.. $12 per day is certainly reasonable to say the least.

 

2. You complain that the tips are "a lot of money" on top of a cruise fare. What about airfare or cost of gas if driving, pre and post hotel stays, cost of the cat sitter at home (that's one we have), taxis to and from the port, and on and on. If $12 is "a lot of money" compared to everything else, then a person should probably consider downgrading to an inside cabin or choosing another vacation.

amen!!!!!

My thoughts...............

 

ColoradoGurl - It's time to give it a rest & agree to disagree. IMHO you have some valid points but attacking people for doing things differently than you is not the way to go.

 

delirious9876 - $12 per person per day plus 15% (or 18%) bar gratuity does add up HOWEVER............ The daily service charge & added gratuity for drinks is well known & should be taken into account when determining whether a cruise is affordable. Stiffing or short changing staff because you're on a tight budget really means you should take a different vacation or save a little longer.

 

Ocean Boy - Your staff talking to patients about other patients is a completely different situation since they may be violating HIPPA laws.

Agreed! I was actually going to make all of those statements as well. So I second your comments, and I'll try to give it a rest ;)

Do you? I'm not sure you do, because your post seems to suggest otherwise.

 

My point is all about not making assumptions about how or why others do something just because you would do it differently.

I do, I think. What I think you're saying is that I can't assume that her reason for removing tips is because she's stiffing people. And I appreciate that you're playing devil's advocate and offering an alternative point of view in defense of someone who is getting railroaded and not really able to defend herself. But I'm making my assumptions based on facts that she's given herself, which is that she removed them because sometimes she does feel like people don't deserve a tip at all, and that she takes the time to evaluate each person's service to her in order to calculate for herself what she sees as fair to tip them, which by her own admission, is sometimes ZERO DOLLARS!!! That is her right as Royal Caribbean offers that ability as an option (although I hope at some point they stop allowing it and just add the "service fee" to the base cruise fare). However, I am making a blatant "assumption" that in so doing what she claims, she is cheaping out and being unfair. And I stand behind that entirely!! (And you can read through my many prior posts as to why I feel this way about absolutely anybody and everybody who removes those tips).

Look, I am not suggesting that the poster being attacked is either fair or unfair, but every person chooses for themselves how to spend their vacation time and money. Assuming that the "only" reason to "waste their vacation time" is to be unfair or cheap, well, only proves the old adage about "assume".

To some degree I see where you're coming from. But on the other hand, I'm sorry, but I absolutely think that anyone removing a minimal $12/day tip is being completely unfair as well as cheap. These people work 7 days a week for 6 months at a time and they do so for room and board plus tips. If a person can't afford $12/day, or thinks it is a significant enough amount of money to nickel and dime and dole out a dollar at a time, then they should probably not be cruising. Not to start a debate about how people should spend their money, but I'd be willing to bet that cruise money would be better off in a bank account since $12/day is apparently a large enough amount of money to be concerned about at all. That's my opinion and I know it's a strong one, but I feel sorry for the people who are working hard, even if they aren't doing it with a smile, for people who are removing their only salary. I see it as basically stealing. She's using slave labor, and not paying for it...or at least threatening not to, if her demands aren't met. Haha.

oh, contraire...I am a 25 year professional in the housekeeping industry (including management) and my husband is a 32 year professional in the restaurant industry (including chef). So please don't judge who you don't know. We intentionally give more than required amount to those that show their utmost best in their profession. If it was adequately their best, they at least get required amount. There was only 2 ppl (on two different sailings) that we were being ignored, forgotten and/or given less respect than others at our table.

With that being said...we will continue to tip with abundance when appreciation is deserving to be noticed. This includes smiles and hugs from us.

 

FYI: do you really know how each company divides their tipping money. At least I know who and how much is given when I personally hand it over.

 

Well, because first off, the amount is posted on Royal Caribbean's website. It's true that they may take some off the top or spread it out even more thinly, which is even more reason to give additionally. But to remove them entirely just so you can turn around and give the same amount in cash...I'd be willing to bet an entire cruise vacation to you and your "generous" husband, that you are giving absolutely nothing to anyone (although I am not actually willing to gift that to you, for the record). A semi retired 25 and 32 year old in the service industry? Yep, I'm sure you're not looking for ways to cheap out. I'm sorry but anyone removing a $12/day tip, is most definitely not spending additional money. Anyone who makes any kind of good money would never view such a small amount of money as worthy of even blinking an eye at, let alone feeling it's worthy of their time to scrutinize and dish out as they deem fair, lol. For people in the service industry, you should be more understanding of how tipping works.

Not looking for confrontation... looking for an honest answer. When someone says they deliberately remove tips from their account because they want to tip what they determine to be "fair," it begs the question that they need to define what they mean by "fair."

 

In addition, think about it logically. If they believe "fairness" is more than the recommended amounts, they would allow the tips to remain and give additionally. The only logical reason to remove tips is to give less or nothing at all.

EXACTLY!!!!! The only reason to ever remove such a small tip is because she thinks a waiter (or whoever) may be worth less than $4 a day, or $3.65 or whatever. Anyone claiming to give that exact amount or more, would never waste their vacation time standing in line to remove a daily $12 tip. Hey thanks lady, for your dollar, lol. I highly doubt she even gives anyone a dollar either.

Interesting questions, but as "fair" is a subjective word, in some way, shape, or form, what you "deem to be fair" will be different than what someone else does. So this is just a loaded question that begs for confrontation.

I think they're good questions. Anyone who posts they're opinion on a topic is opening themselves up for debate and question and I think it's totally fair for them to ask what she thinks is "fair." It's a way to point out that her claim is absolutely ridiculous, and forcing her to be more truthful in what she's really doing, which is stiffing people. Claiming that $12/day for all those people who are providing her a service may be more or less than she deems "fair" automatically poses the question, what then seems "fair," simply for the service in and of itself, at it's bare minimum? Because most people who are paying those tips and NOT removing them, are deeming that "fair," while she is clearly claiming that she feels less may be fair. And she SHOULD be confronted for that, because that in an of itself is "cheaping out," which she adamantly claims she isn't doing. I'm sure she asks for the envelopes, thinking that she's fooling the desk people into thinking she's tipping, but those envelopes are ending up in the trash right next to her list of excuses and justifications for why each service person didn't meet her unreasonable expectations. I'm sorry for any service worker who ever has to demean themselves by doing anything to help people like that. I would pay $12/day for BAD service! To me, simply having those people there to do the minimum, without a smile, is fair.

Gratuities are added on every drink bill, so I don't add something on the "tip" line. So, to have gratuities on the prepaid drink package would be understandable...no matter what percentage. (glad we don't drink)

As for the service gratuities, we go to the front desk when boarding and ask for it to not be added on each day , (they show it as added, then subtracted each day) as we pay our gratuities at our discretion on the last day of the cruise. This doesn't mean we "cheap out", just that we give what is fair for each service person we had...whether it be more or less of the standard amount. We have done this on Royal Caribbean & Princess. Holland America wouldn't let us do it this way. We had to go to front desk on last day of cruise and have it all reversed and then they gave us tip envelopes.

It's hard to imagine anyone removing the measley $12/day tip and then supposedly "giving what is fair" to each person,

Lol. Have you ever seen the breakdown of who gets what? Are you handing your waiters more than $4/day? If so, why not leave the tip and then give additional on top of it? My guess is you are handing out single dollar bills. You are most certainly "cheaping out."

Thank you everyone for taking the time to respond to me. I really appreciate it. I guess I will look into the option of leaving early and arriving at 9:45am at fort Lauderdale. It will cost me $500 for the change, biggest mistake I've made but I learn from it.

 

Do you think that's a good enough time for arrival? or do you think I should still book a day earlier?

Aw man that's such a bummer :( I'm sorry you already booked, that really sucks to have to pay such a high fee to change flights. That's got to be really aggravating. But just chalk it up to the price of the vacation, because as others have stated, the time your original flight is scheduled to arrive is WAY too late. Those flights are usually cheaper specifically because they know the cruise ship passengers are not booking them (whereas flights on embarkation/debarkation days during "peak" cruiser time are more expensive). But that's why they are cheaper...not a high demand. I'm sorry you have to pay the fee though.

I made a similar mistake in booking my airfare out of San Juan, but luckily for me it was on the return. I booked to come home on a Monday instead of a Sunday, thinking that all cruises come and go on Sundays...but my ship is a Saturday-Saturday. So I get an extra 2 days in Puerto Rico instead of one, which worked out for me. I looked into a flight change and came across a similar fee. I was mad at myself at first but it's a great excuse for extra vacation days, and in my case was cheaper to book another night in the hotel than pay the change fee.

I totally agree, especially when it comes to tipping. Call it a tip, service fee, whatever, but make it mandatory and add it to the cruise fare. RCCL could actually pull a marketing coup by advertising "all cruise fares include tips - no tipping required."

 

That would also put an end to the endless debate of whether to tip or not to tip and end the controversy of whether cultural norms (non tipping in many European countries) take precedence over cruising norms (tipping expected in U.S. and Canada).

Yes!! That's a great idea.

RCCL is not a charity. It is a publicly owned corporation whose goal is to maximize profit for their owners (shareholders).

 

Many of those owners post here on Cruise Critic and have been able to take even more cruises because of the profit they have made on their RCL stock.

 

Ultimately, it will be up to the cruising public to decide if they want to continue to cruise on RCCL if they perceive their value to be diminishing.

 

In my case, I am very happy with the product I receive and think RCCL's loyalty program is the best in the business!

Yes, as a publicly traded company that does create more "problems" from a consumer perspective because their first priority is the shareholders, the second is their customers. I also think I'm getting a good deal, a great deal really. Any other land vacation I've taken has cost me FAR more money. And when taking into consideration all of the real costs involved in my stay- the gas and maintenance and food and amenities, I'm paying far less than it costs to have me on board. But employee wages are likely the biggest expense for the cruise line and that's where they're hoping/expecting customers to supplement that cost. By doing so it makes the shareholders happier and it brings more people on board who might otherwise view the cost of the trip as too expensive. As all things, I think customers as a whole prefer when a company just gives you the cost up front instead of making you feel nickel and dimed after the fact. It's just like the airline industry, charging extras for seats and bags. On one hand it's nice to avoid the cost if you don't utilize the amenity (travel with no bags or sit in the back), but really they should just charge the flat fee up front.

I believe you mean couldn't care less. A phrase that, ironically, began in Britain

but gets mangled by many in the US.

Lol...splitting hairs. I never claimed to be an English major. But if you're trying to point out that the British are more proper in their speech, I'll give you that one ;)

You do have a much better understanding of the situation than what I had originally thought based on your prior posts.

 

Like I've said, they would flag the ships on Mars if they had even more lenient labor laws than the Bahamas. All RCI ships used to be flagged in Norway (and have Norwegian Maritime staff SOLELY) but they moved away from that to have more lax labor laws.

 

I don't remove tips. And I'm not about to start either as a means of penalizing or protesting. (I reserve the right to tip less for lousy service. Haven't had that on a cruise, but have at restaurants and hotels) But if they are going to push through a mandatory 20% increase in a service charge, it is not unreasonable for me as a paying guest to expect 20% better service.

I agree! I read that post by you about the flags earlier and meant to reply to it. Royal Caribbean would take their business to wherever allows them the most relaxed labor (and probably tax) laws. It's greedy as a company to do so; cutting corners and increasing fees and costs to passengers who aren't getting an equitable increase in service amenities. At some point, we're all somewhat guilty of enabling them to do this though, because we continue to cruise and pay them money. Something really should be done to bring to light the sneaky and somewhat morally wrong things the cruise line does in order to turn a profit. I will say though, that we are all still getting a deal from an economic perspective- if we factored in the cost of operating the ship, the maintenance and gas and food and employees etc, even after being nickeled and dimed, we aren't paying for the "true" cost of our stay. For me, $150 per night (I know that's on the cheap end) per person for cruise fare, considering all the costs and benefits I receive, is a really cheap price to pay. I pay more than that for a night in a hotel room and they don't take me anywhere, lol.

Seems to be right there in the USA. You throw stones at us Brits but yet many of your countrymen behave in exactly same way you describe, so as a generalisation, IMHO you live in a glass house.

Gotcha- well then in that, yes there is truth, as an american I was throwing stones. But I also stand behind my statement that as far as the posts on cruise critic are concerned, it has been mostly the Brits who have taken the stance that people should remove their tips at the service desk after getting on board etc. I also admitted it was a generalization and based only on what I've read and understand in your culture to be the norm and the most common practice amongst Brits. That does not mean all Brits are that way, just as it doesn't mean all Americans are great tippers, believe me, I know they are not. But culturally, we are taught to tip and accept that policy, whereas your culture is not. Yes it was a generalization, but it was based on those "facts." Cruise critic and trip advisor are probably small sample sizes to be making overall judgements though I guess, and I'm sorry to have offended you, but it is a topic of debate and that was (and is) my experience and therefore the stance I take. I appreciate that you do understand and accept the culture of

Tipping though, since the employees on the cruise ships are really getting screwed by their employers.

This is NOT about $1.50 a day. This is about that the company should pay a higher guaranteed salary to their workers. Not just give them a larger share of a tip which they may or may not get as it is dependent on drinks actually being sold (which no one can guarantee). It costs RCI nothing and the workers may or may not actually be any better off because of it. That's the most simple way to explain it and if you don't get that you never, ever will.

 

Maybe RCI will put more drink servers back now that they are mandating a 20% increase in a service gratuity and services will improve? Wishful thinking.

You make a great point and I totally understand and can relate to that frustration. The cruise line, in my opinion, which carries no merit really, haha, is trying to keep cruise prices lower in order to attract more people, but they really should just increase the fares and pay the employees a base salary (as I mentioned in a previous post- I have been told by employees that they do not get a salary at all, and are completely dependent upon tips). Or, the cruise line should call the "tips" a "service fee" or something like that, thereby removing the insinuation that they are optional, because really, they are only optional to the cruise line, who could care less because it costs them nothing. I think that rather than taking a stance against tipping by removing tips or getting angry that the fee is rising, people should write letters or do something that might somehow get noticed by the cruise lines that threatens their public relations. It's really the only way they will ever care or make changes, and frankly I think it will be difficult to do so.

I also am going to take great exception and offence at your generalisation of my fellow countrymen. I have never said I won't or don't tip. We always pre-pay and add extra where I deem appropriate.

 

If you want to trade generalisations, then I have one for you. Those from the US who spend hours in the CL or DL taking their free beverages from the servers there but who do NOT tip. Click their fingers yes, shout their orders yes, but any subtle handing over of a bill, no. OK, I bet you'll defend them by saying they'll tip on the last evening. mmm, strange that they are nowhere to be seen on the last evening in the lounge, whereas I'm there to tip the servers and concierge (in addition to what I've given them each night and what I've clearly seen boorish demanding and loud Americans NOT doing).

 

Oh they have better things to do have they? Funny, they've kept the same routine all week except for the last evening isn't it? Well it's great we have the place to ourselves and I have had it confirmed from the servers and concierge that the regulars have not been in all night, strange that isn't? And we're normally the last in as we only go for the last 1 hour at most.

 

People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.:D

Nope I don't defend them either. I can understand somewhat how people who don't have a lot of discretionary money are making a huge deal out of $1.50 a day because they are close to breaking their bank account to take the vacation in the first place, but it is far worse to see people who have plenty of extra cash who complain about the size of their "tiny" grand suite with only 1 bath tub and a golden shower head, not tipping extra, or not tipping at all. As I said, just as there are Brits who tip, there are Americans who don't, and if you want my opinion, I think they're both bad.

PS- where is this glass house of mine you speak of? I always tip, and I always tip extra. Always. In fact one time I went somewhere and ran out of cash and actually went home and mailed the service person cash because I didn't have it at the time to hand her. Nobody has ever accused me of being a bad tipper and they never will because if I can't afford to tip, I won't go out. And if I was getting a free drink, I would tip more than normal, just as I do if I'm using a coupon somewhere.

Speaking as a brit, who always pre-pays tips and more. I take exception to your comment that we are cheap. I am sure this applies to the majority of British cruisers who choose RCI as our preferred cruiseline. My children are also brought up to recognise good service and despite tips not being required here in the UK we ALWAYS tip for good service despite where we may be in the world.

 

Angela & Ian

True- I am making generalizations as I know there are Brits who tip just as there are Americans who don't. But I also know it isn't in your culture to tip and so many British people get on these boards and complain about the tipping because when you eat out in your country, it is not the norm to tip and therefore from what I'm reading on cruise critic at least, the British are the ones suggesting that people remove their tips from their accounts. That is not to say all of you refuse to tip. I will say though, that as an overall generalization- if you read any amount of trip advisor reviews of hotels in the caribbean, the majority of British people make a point to include numerous complaints regarding their disgust with Americans and our "boorish" and loud and unruly behavior and have had no problem making generalizations about Americans in that way. So I don't feel too bad doing it here in regards to the tipping policy, since it is clearly evidenced in other posts by Brits.

Actually, I didn't put words in your mouth. You said "a lot of people on the ship are entitled and demanding and crabby and difficult to deal with." Those are your words, not mine.

See my edit- as I elaborated on that statement, knowing this would be your reply). I don't feel overwhelmed by crabby cruisers on board. I was told by staff that they felt overwhelmed by crabby cruisers and made that statement based on that. But I do admit that after reading so many posts on this board, I do think there are a lot of entitled and crabby travelers. I don't feel overwhelmed by them on the ship, but if I did I can assure you I wouldn't continue to cruise. But I also am unlikely to let other people's attitudes on their respective vacations ruin my own. I like to travel and I like to cruise. I enjoy my time and I enjoy meeting new people and I enjoy the people I travel with. That's why I keep going :)

You seemed concerned about the compensation the wait staff receives. I gave you information on what you could do to help them make more money. I try not to take up more of their time than is necessary so they can help more demanding people or the people that like to feel like they are now friends and not customers. Like I said, I already know they are going to be compensated by me.

That's true, I guess it didn't occur to me to tell them to go away, as I would have felt rude in doing so. But I can see your point in saying that helping them to feel like it was ok to not stop and chat with us so much was safe for them and will consider doing that if it happens again on our next cruise.

Why do you even want to cruise on these ships that are so full of entitled, demanding, crabby, and difficult to deal with people? It is interesting how you blow your own horn while you knock others. Maybe you truly are as wonderful to be around as you say. And then maybe...

I never said I was wonderful to be around. I simply said that the waiters told us we were nice to visit with, and I also said it's entirely possible that they were lying. I also said that they were the ones telling us that other guests were demanding and crabby. I like people. And in general I can get along with anybody, whether they're crabby or not. I do find that as a rule, people are entitled and rude to service workers, but not everyone is that way. I'm sure I've been guilty of making service workers feel that way at some point too, inadvertently, maybe I didn't look them in the eye or maybe I ignored them and didn't say thanks when they filled my drink etc. People aren't always purposely rude to others, but anyone dealing with that large amount of customers on a daily basis is bound to feel demeaned and treated badly at some point and I'm sure for their sake it's nice to come across people who are overly friendly to make up for it. Just as you ask why I cruise with so many crabby people (even though I don't think that- you put words in my mouth based on a statement that was an extension of a previous post where I mentioned that the staff had told us this was the case...not to mention it is evident from reading these boards that there ARE crabby and entitled people on board. But that does not mean I feel overwhelmed on the ship by crabby people, because I do not feel that way), I wonder why so many people who think $70 or $200 extra dollars for tipping is too much continue to cruise or take vacation when they clearly can't afford it.

Yes! I agree with you 100% & do the same. We always tip our servers & cabin steward at least an additional $50 on a 7 day cruise & with or without a drink package, we add $1 a drink.

 

I'm completely disgusted with the attitude toward tipping/gratuities/service charge reflected on these boards. There is no amount of money that could get me to do the jobs these people do let alone doing it with a smile. I will do everything I can to make sure they now I appreciate their hard work & that means cash.

Completely agree!

It's a good thing you tip so generously since you are taking up most of the waiters time with them hanging out at your table for a good portion of the

meal every night.

 

If you really want to help them out tell them you know they are busy and you'll talk to them later so they can take care of the other diners. They already had your money at hello.

 

I'm sure you are very special people but the type of banter you had with them is one of the ways they make their tips. I bet the majority of the people on this board have had the same conversation with their wait staff. Let me guess, they liked you so much they did tricks with tooth picks, silverware, wine corks......

 

They wait staff are some of the nicest people on the ship. I like talking with them but I let them tend to others because I know they are getting my gratuity.

It's quite possible and highly likely that this is true, but I don't care if they were being nice just to get tips. I'm sure they have to, because a lot of people on the ship are entitled and demanding and crabby and difficult to deal with and the waiters are probably so afraid of making anyone unhappy lest they lose their tips because of it, that they go overboard with friendliness to make sure they get their tips. I feel sorry for them that they feel the need to demean themselves this way. And as for keeping them at our table and away from others, they tended to congregate around us all on their own. They hung around and started the conversations and told us many times how refreshing our table was compared to most others, which were full of less friendly and more demanding guests (of course as you said, they easily could have been just saying this to cozy up...who knows, and again, I don't care, as I would have tipped them anyway, even if they were crabby or too busy to chat). It's likely they didn't assume we had any sort of extra money anyway, since our entire table was filled with people under the age of 25 (besides myself). They happened to get lucky that we all had money, but if I were in the service industry, our table would have been the last I would have expected to get extra tips out of, just because of our young age group. As I said before, whether they hung around and made friends with us or not, they would have gotten additional money from me anyway. Perhaps if you've found that waiters are too busy to service you, consider that you may be one of those crabby demanding passengers they're trying to avoid.

I'm guessing it's just poor cruise employees. I was brought up that it is extremely rude to ask what something costs let alone to question someone on how much and how they are paid. In some countries it's even considered to personal to ask a random person what they do for a living. So I'm not sure where the people who are asking the people that are there in a position where it would be tricky and possibly get them a bad rating to not answer questions on how much they are paid.

I can see where you're coming from, as I would be offended if someone asked me how much money I make as well. However in my case, the information was offered to us after we asked the waiters how we could give them their tips because we assumed we could hand deliver them in an envelope (our prior cruise in 2004 did it this way, but in 2013 they had switched to charging them to your account and we were confused). We had become very friendly with the waiters as they tended to hang out at our table for a good portion of the meal every night because we liked talking to them and asking them where they were from and for recommendations for port day excursions etc. When we told them that we hadn't gotten envelopes to tip them towards the end of our trip they explained how it worked, we didn't come right out and ask. I wish the cruise line would be more forthcoming in this regard though, because I think many people assume they are getting paid a salary and don't like being forced to tip. As a previous poster said, we should call it a supplemental fee instead of a tip, because that's really what it is. On one hand it's nice because it's spreading the cost of employee salaries to those who utilize them the most (say at the bar for instance- the heavy drinkers pay the most because tney use them the most), but in other cases, that's not true since a lot of people just simply don't like to share their money.

PS- the waiters also offered that the automatic tipping was done to help them out since prior to automatic tipping, when people had the option to hand over envelopes with the "recommended" tips...people simply walked off the ship and didn't tip. This is when he explained that the tips were their sole source of salary (besides free room and board) and that they made more money when people were required to tip. However it sounds like lots of people have taken a stance that they don't like the cruise line's policy of forcing tips and just remove them anyway. While I'm sure it sounds nice to protest on behalf of the employees in hopes that the cruise line will start paying them a wage, all those people are really doing is excusing their cheapness and making the employees suffer. Taking this stance against the cruise line does not help the employees and it likely never will. You're better off paying additional cash funds on top of auto tips in order to ensure the person helping you all week gets their share and the cruise line isn't skimming off the top (I don't know if they do this...just saying), and then maybe write a letter expressing your discontent. But don't justify your cheapness by pretending it's some great stance against policy.

I think the increase is a good thing. I've always been a 20% tipper, at minimum for average service and have always added an additional tip whenever the "included" tip is less than 20%. What I do wish is that the bartenders were actually receiving the tips.

My guess is that they increased the amount because bartenders have complained about low wages since the packages have come out. And from reading this board, I've been pretty disgusted to see how many people not only don't tip extra, but actually REMOVE their onboard tips entirely. I get it that in theory tips should be given for good service, but in the cruise industry they are used differently...because they can be. Cruise operators offer free room and board for the employees, but they don't pay them a salary (I asked several of our waiters on our last cruise). They rely 100% on tips. I don't mind adding an additional $300 or $400 to my spending money in order to cover this. Sure, I'd rather just pay it as part of my cruise fee and know the employees were getting a salary, but they aren't. So I include that additional cost myself. In fact after reading how cheap so many cruisers are in this dept. (Especially the ones from the UK), I am sorry that I didn't tip MORE last time. I gave all 3 waiters and my room attendant an additional $40, but after thinking how much I'd have paid on an equitable dinner if I'd gotten a bill and calculated my tip, especially with the great service I received, I would have tipped far more than that in "real life" and plan to make sure I bring an extra $100 bucks for all of them on my next cruise to make up for all the cheap tippers complaining about an extra $1.50 a day. Give me a break. If you think that's too much, then downgrade your room category to give you the extra money for tips. I even make sure my daughter has a pocket full of dollar bills and have taught her from a young age to give a couple bucks to bartenders for her sodas, and I have her hand her own money to bus and taxi drivers and porters and room service people when we're on vacation.