Tipping practices

[Big Ed1]

We have taken a number of cruises on various cruise lines. One of the questions that always comes up towards the end of the cruise is how much to tip. On Cunard, an automatic tip is applied to your room charge in the amount of $11.00 PP PD Brittania and $13 PP PD in the suites. We always extend additional tips on the last night of the cruise as has been traditionally done. I find that most people are in the same boat so to speak as to what is an appropriate amount above those automatically charged. Everyone wants to know what everyone else is giving so they are in line. I woud really appreciate any feedback that could be shared and think this would be helpful to all readers. We just returned from a 10 Day to the Carribean in a Queens Suite. For what it is worth I will share my tipping which I have been told by some was more than is expected.

Butler and Waiter $7.50 PP PD

Assistant Water and Assistant Cabin Steward $4.00 PP PD

Maitre D $40

Head Waiter $10 per service - many flaming dinners and desserts

Cocktails and sodas $1.00 on top of built in tips

Sommolier 15% on top of what was built in.

[pris993]

We have not cruised on Cunard, plan to in near future.

 

We generally tip the Matre'd and Head Waiter extra because we special order meals through them - around $50 each.

 

If our Waiter/Assistant are very good we probably give them $10-$20 extra. Same with Cabin Steward.

 

We tip daily generally $3 dollars at time of service for Room Service.

 

We tip a few dollars for luggage service, water, or other special requests when service is provided.

 

We generally figure the auto tip amount, plus $100 for diningroom, plus $50-75 for waiter/cabin steward, plus $6 a day for miscl.

[PianoManNYC]

Waiter and Asst waiter (if good) $4/pp/day

Steward (if good) $4/pday

Wine Steward $0-$20 total as a gesture

Head Waiter $0 unless something special or tableside

Maitre 'D $0 unless something special...

Couple of bartenders if visited often $20-30 pp

 

 

 

(Now the important question is, what to tip the doorman, super, porter, garage attendant, stylist, personal trainer, life coach, dog walker, plant waterer...)

[smoothsailors]

Just wondering if 'extra tipping" is the norm in Queens Grill on longer cruises, and what is generally added?

 

Thank you!:)

[bobnatt]

We have taken a number of cruises on various cruise lines. One of the questions that always comes up towards the end of the cruise is how much to tip. On Cunard, an automatic tip is applied to your room charge in the amount of $11.00 PP PD Brittania and $13 PP PD in the suites. We always extend additional tips on the last night of the cruise as has been traditionally done. I find that most people are in the same boat so to speak as to what is an appropriate amount above those automatically charged. Everyone wants to know what everyone else is giving so they are in line. I woud really appreciate any feedback that could be shared and think this would be helpful to all readers. We just returned from a 10 Day to the Carribean in a Queens Suite. For what it is worth I will share my tipping which I have been told by some was more than is expected.

Butler and Waiter $7.50 PP PD

Assistant Water and Assistant Cabin Steward $4.00 PP PD

Maitre D $40

Head Waiter $10 per service - many flaming dinners and desserts

Cocktails and sodas $1.00 on top of built in tips

Sommolier 15% on top of what was built in.

 

 

Pretty much agree with your guidelines...expect to get a lot of push back on this thread from a small but vocal group of folks who will be outraged that you tip the Maitre D...

[carlmm]

This topic has been discused several time before but again one will probably find that Americans and Europeans tend to have a different view and approach. (This is quite generalized of course, every individual differs.)

 

The automatic tip is what Cunard suggests as appropriate. No further tip is needed.

 

smoothsailors: No extra-tip is required. Especially in the Grills a high level of service including flaming dinners and desserts is one of the major reasons why you pay the high price. This is standard, nothing special.

The same goes for friendly, formal, prompt, trained, correct service by waiters, sommeliers and bar stewards. This is standard.

 

IMHO, extra tips are warranted by extra-ordinary service. Yet, the standard service you can expect on Cunard is already high. No extra tipping is expected for this.

 

Therefore, Big Ed1, I would say you were kind and generous, but I agree with those who told you it was more than is expected, indeed far more.

[twoatsea]

We sometimes tip extra; we have only once or twice tipped less. I agree that the auto tip is enough unless something above & beyond has been received. Completing one's job in an excellent manner is not above & beyond. We feel the staff members should be required to complete their duties in an excellent manner & for that receive the standard tip. However, we feel they are not required to be friendly with us, only business-like.

 

So, what we have discovered about ourselves is we tip extra when something above & beyond has been received, but also when the staff member has made our voyage more pleasant than just cleaning our cabin or serving our food. For instance, pleasantly chatting with us, consistently asking us what more can be done for us, remembering us & socializing when seeing us in other areas of the ship, etc. - the pleasant part of cruising.

[Big Ed1]

thanks to all for the feedback. Good practical advice.

[Sarastro]

Butler and Waiter $7.50 PP PD

Assistant Water and Assistant Cabin Steward $4.00 PP PD

Maitre D $40

Head Waiter $10 per service - many flaming dinners and desserts

Cocktails and sodas $1.00 on top of built in tips

Sommolier 15% on top of what was built in.

 

I'm interested to know why you tip the Butler and Waiter more than the Steward and Assistant Waiter.

 

And when you say you tip the Head Waiter $10 per service - do you count up and do it at the end or just slip him the $10 note at the time?

 

I'm quite happy with the idea of tipping extra to whoever one wishes, although I maintain that the autotip is sufficient, but really don't want to be dealing with cash as I go. I have tipped bar staff - but on the last night only.

 

Possibly an approach more from a European perspective. But I have always tipped the same for butlers as bathroom boys - we had three of the former and two of the latter as a team on QE2 - and I thought that all worked equally hard. Hence equal tips.

 

I suppose the long and short of it is that there are as many ways to tip as there are passengers.

[retiredbrit]

This is an area where the cultural differences between many Brits and US citizens comes to the fore.

 

Cunard set a level of tips and charge it to your cabin - unless there has been service way way above what I expect for this class of ship then that is as far as I tip.

 

I believe that any extra tips the staff receive has to be handed in and put into a tips pot to be shared between them all

 

If there is no pre paid tip then I follow the guidlines set by the cruise line and use the envelopes provided.

 

regards Alan

[Sarastro]

I believe that any extra tips the staff receive has to be handed in and put into a tips pot to be shared between them all

 

That is actually incorrect.

[retiredbrit]

That is actually incorrect

 

You may be right - perhaps you have worked on a cruise ship -if so you would know,I read somewhere that the tips were shared but it is not important enough to search out where!

 

An interesting article on tipping is on Cruise Critic http://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/articles.cfm?ID=261

 

There are so many opinions on the "how much or how little to tip" theme on all the cruise boards which shows that many people will never agree.

 

One really usefull tip

 

"never jump off a moving bus"

 

But probably not as usefull as cash;)

 

regards Alan

[Cruachan]

One really usefull tip

 

"never jump off a moving bus"

 

OK, here's Cruachan's helpful tip of the day. If you have to carry a kilt with you on a long journey, roll the kilt up tightly taking care to keep the pleats nice and neat. Then cut the leg off a pair of lady's tights, cut off the foot and roll the tube that your left with over the kilt. That will keep everything nice and tidy until you need to wear it.

 

The Cunard Board - providing information you just don't get anywhere else.

 

J

[Norfolk Brit]

Then cut the leg off a pair of lady's tights, cut off the foot

J

 

Is the correct etiquette to ask the lady first, or does one just dive in?

 

Sir Martin

[Cruachan]

Is the correct etiquette to ask the lady first, or does one just dive in?

 

Sir Martin

 

Tsk tsk, Sir M. A Highland gentleman always asks permission. Theft of items of feminine underwear is a serious offence. And No! means No!

 

J

[Norfolk Brit]

Tsk tsk, Sir M. A Highland gentleman always asks permission. Theft of items of feminine underwear is a serious offence. And No! means No!

J

 

Well you might have told me that a bit sooner. Ouch!

 

Sir Martin

[Cruachan]

Well you might have told me that a bit sooner. Ouch!

 

Sir Martin

 

I hope the tights weren't on your staff at the time!

 

:eek:

 

J

[Norfolk Brit]

I hope the tights weren't on your staff at the time!

:eek:

J

 

It wasn't just the tights - you told me to chop off her foot. She's hopping mad.

 

Sir Martin

[Cruachan]

It wasn't just the tights - you told me to chop off her foot. She's hopping mad.

 

Sir Martin

 

Oops! Still, look on the bright side, she'll have a hard job kicking your ass out of the house now.

 

J

[garigoun]

Oops! Still, look on the bright side, she'll have a hard job kicking your ass out of the house now.

 

J

 

Enough with the kicking already! Asses are people too.

Gari

[Classiccruiser777]

We were on the 13 day QM2 Caribbean cruise that left NY on November 17. We are also Americans. Our cabin stward was the best we had on our 4 Cunard cruises and our waiter in the Britannia was excellent. Both were very personable, attentive, unobtrusive and competent at their jobs. We gave each a $40 tip. Our wine steward was also excellent and we gave him a $4 tip with each bottle purchased.

 

As an American I know what it is like to work for tips so when the service and attitude is excellent I do what I can to show my gratitude to the staff.

[donna5]

We have taken a number of cruises on various cruise lines. One of the questions that always comes up towards the end of the cruise is how much to tip. On Cunard, an automatic tip is applied to your room charge in the amount of $11.00 PP PD Brittania and $13 PP PD in the suites. We always extend additional tips on the last night of the cruise as has been traditionally done. I find that most people are in the same boat so to speak as to what is an appropriate amount above those automatically charged. Everyone wants to know what everyone else is giving so they are in line. I woud really appreciate any feedback that could be shared and think this would be helpful to all readers. We just returned from a 10 Day to the Carribean in a Queens Suite. For what it is worth I will share my tipping which I have been told by some was more than is expected.

Butler and Waiter $7.50 PP PD

Assistant Water and Assistant Cabin Steward $4.00 PP PD

Maitre D $40

Head Waiter $10 per service - many flaming dinners and desserts

Cocktails and sodas $1.00 on top of built in tips

Sommolier 15% on top of what was built in.

 

What exactly does the butler do?

[Sarastro]

We were on the 13 day QM2 Caribbean cruise that left NY on November 17. We are also Americans. Our cabin stward was the best we had on our 4 Cunard cruises and our waiter in the Britannia was excellent. Both were very personable, attentive, unobtrusive and competent at their jobs. We gave each a $40 tip. Our wine steward was also excellent and we gave him a $4 tip with each bottle purchased.

 

As an American I know what it is like to work for tips so when the service and attitude is excellent I do what I can to show my gratitude to the staff.

 

You had two waiters presumably?

 

And is this in addition to, or as an alternative to, the autotip?

[Dorchester]

What exactly does the butler do?

 

Your Butler (as opposed to your Room Steward) will undertake many tasks or duties upon request, in fact virtually anything to make your stay on board as excellent as possible. Included in his duties are such things as packing and unpacking your cases for you; arranging and serving buffet nibbles, canapés, and drinks to any friends that you may have in for a soirée in your stateroom. Should you decide to dine in your stateroom, he will lay the table, bring the courses and serve them for you.

 

Hope that this helps.

 

Regards,

David

[donna5]

Your Butler (as opposed to your Room Steward) will undertake many tasks or duties upon request, in fact virtually anything to make your stay on board as excellent as possible. Included in his duties are such things as packing and unpacking your cases for you; arranging and serving buffet nibbles, canapés, and drinks to any friends that you may have in for a soirée in your stateroom. Should you decide to dine in your stateroom, he will lay the table, bring the courses and serve them for you.

 

Hope that this helps.

 

Regards,

David

 

Are you talking about bringing things down to your room from the buffet or is there another type of buffet?

 

Thanks