No pre-paid gratuity?

[Thelonious]

We are going on the Ruby Princess cruise from Barcelona to Venice, in September of this year.

We were thinking about not doing the pre-paid gratuity and just tipping as we go. There are many days we aren't spending much time on the ship and it seems like we are tipping for services we aren't even getting that day. Is there a disadvantage to doing things this way? It doesn't seem to make sense to tip a bunch of people who we haven't even seen. We aren't planning on doing any gambling nor much drinking.

If we do it this way, what happens to the tips we do give out? Are they spread around also, or do they just go to the people we personally tip?

What turns out to be best for the people who are really helping us?

Thanks for any input.

[Essiesmom]

If you remove the 'auto-tips', the people you give tips to have to put themin a pool, and they get the same percentage as if you had done the autotip. So,you aren't doing them any favors. Remember, the gratuity covers the cabin personnel who make your beds, give you fresh towels, empty your trash, provide ice...towel animals...They are part of the tip pool also. EM

[CALMOM]

We are going on the Ruby Princess cruise from Barcelona to Venice, in September of this year.

We were thinking about not doing the pre-paid gratuity and just tipping as we go. There are many days we aren't spending much time on the ship and it seems like we are tipping for services we aren't even getting that day. Is there a disadvantage to doing things this way? It doesn't seem to make sense to tip a bunch of people who we haven't even seen. We aren't planning on doing any gambling nor much drinking.

If we do it this way, what happens to the tips we do give out? Are they spread around also, or do they just go to the people we personally tip?

What turns out to be best for the people who are really helping us?

Thanks for any input.

 

Since you have been a member since March I am sure you have seen at least 50 postings regarding tipping, so please take the time and search them all. If you cancel your auto-tips your room steward and MDR Waiter will be notified, so don't expect the top notch service, as they will think you are going to stiff them. If you do tip any of them, it will have to go into the tipping pool just like it would of with auto-tip and will be shared with " a bunch of people who you haven't even seen". So unless you plan on stiffing the staff then, leave the auto-tip in place and consider it as part of your cruise cost for the incredible service your going to receive. If fact, they are going to give you such good service you will be tipping them additional at the end of the cruise, in which case they are allowed to keep that tip for them selves, as long as auto-tip was left in place.

[cherylandtk]

What turns out to be best for the people who are really helping us? Thanks for any input.

What turns out to be the best is to leave the automatic gratuities in place and if you wish to tip an additional amount, do that in an envelope with your last name and cabin number on the front.

 

As noted above, any removal or decrease of the automatic tips results in your cash tips being placed into the pool anyway, so you would just be creating extra work for the people you are trying to reward. They would have to find out your cabin number and record your cash tips in a ledger each time you hand them the cash.

 

FWIW, you said you were thinking of reducing the tips because you did not expect to be on the ship much. If you look at how the tips are allocated, you will find that the meals and services you will actually be missing are just a small fraction of the daily amount. It is probably not worth your time to figure it out, but you can do the math if so inclined:

 

Princess no longer breaks down the tip distribution, but using their prior allotment schedule, your $10.50 per day is about $4 for your room steward and laundry, $5.50 for your meals (dining room or buffet), and $1.00 for the myriad other places (pizza, scoops, grill, international cafe, etc.) The 5.50 for meals can be pro-rated to about 1.50 for breakfast, 1.50 for lunch and 2.50 for dinner.

 

Looking at your itinerary, you will have 5 days that are full port days, 3 half-day ports, 2 sea days and 2 overnights. You will probably sleep on the ship every night, eat breakfast and dinner most days, and perhaps miss lunch on your full days. That would be a reduction of $7.50 for the entire cruise....is it really worth it to you to go through the math on this? Even if you ate NO MEALS at all on the ship, you would still need to leave about half of the automatic gratuity in place to cover your room services. IMO it is just easier and kinder to leave the whole tip in place, even on a port intensive itinerary such as yours.

[Marie51]

So if I hand my cabin attendant and extra $20, he puts it in the pool instead of in his pocket???

[Texas Tillie]

So if I hand my cabin attendant and extra $20, he puts it in the pool instead of in his pocket???

 

The operative word there is EXTRA - assuming you've left the daily charge on (in total!) - whomever you tip in cash will be able to keep the whole amount. If you have removed the daily charge partially or in total, the cash must go into the pool.

[PennyAgain]

Removing the auto tips gets around fast with the staff. They all will know.

 

Just leave the auto tip alone.

 

I do the auto tip and then near the end of the cruise I seek out people who have done more than average and tip extra via the envelope system.

 

The only exception to this is extra tips I give early on in ships that have a coffee bar situation. A few extra $5 in that place really insures I get my coffee the way I want it.

[brfan]

One other thing removing the auto tips is considered a service issue by management. The crew members who have been assigned to you will be asked by their supervisors what they have done to cause you to remove the tips and be warned that they need to improve and that any money they get will have to be handed in.

[Marie51]

The operative word there is EXTRA - assuming you've left the daily charge on (in total!) - whomever you tip in cash will be able to keep the whole amount. If you have removed the daily charge partially or in total, the cash must go into the pool.

 

Yes, I am talking about extra in addition to the recommended amount.

[Cygneagile]

brfan[/b];24533596]One other thing removing the auto tips is considered a service issue by management. The crew members who have been assigned to you will be asked by their supervisors what they have done to cause you to remove the tips and be warned that they need to improve and that any money they get will have to be handed in.

 

Hey brfan thank you for the update. However, would you kindly elaborate on this issue? Should one decide to take off the auto tip for whatever reason, and they do this on the first day, how would this be considered a management situation?

I know that the appropriate staff (cabin and in MD) will be advised of this. But we cannot be assured that they will adjust their approach to the passenger. I would expect that because of this they may tend to be more attentive to our needs. But how can one recognize this or even see it actually happen

[Thelonious]

Thank you all for your replies. I did read previous threads, but not all of my questions had been answered.

Again thank you. I will definitely keep the pre-paid gratuity. I had wanted to do so in the first place, but my husband needed a good reason.

[CALMOM]

I would expect that because of this they may tend to be more attentive to our needs. But how can one recognize this or even see it actually happen

 

Why would they be more attentive if they thought they were going to get stiffed? Would you? The staff is advised when the auto-tips have been withdrawn as soon as it happens. I am not sure of the reason, perhaps so the staff can focus more on the passengers that are not going to stiff them. If you weren't going to stiff them then you wouldn't cancel the auto-tips, it's that simple.

[springfire]

I always remove the auto tip on my first day at sea. I have done this ever since they started the autotip on my cruises. I prefer to tip cash on the last day of my cruise. I do this so that I may maintain control if I ever have a service issue. I use traditional dinning so I have the same wait staff. The thought of tipping everyone upfront would not be right to me.

[Cruisin' Chick]

I always remove the auto tip on my first day at sea. I have done this ever since they started the autotip on my cruises. I prefer to tip cash on the last day of my cruise. I do this so that I may maintain control if I ever have a service issue. I use traditional dinning so I have the same wait staff. The thought of tipping everyone upfront would not be right to me.

 

I would strongly suggest you read the posts in this thread as well as those on the Princess board and you will find out the reason why this is not a good idea. If you do have service issues, the way to handle them is to go to the passenger services desk while they pop up, rather than stiffing crew members right off the bat. Besides, why are you thinking you would have service issues? If this is a concern of yours, you can try the pricier cruiselines that include the tipping in their fare.

[springfire]

I would strongly suggest you read the posts in this thread as well as those on the Princess board and you will find out the reason why this is not a good idea. If you do have service issues' date=' the way to handle them is to go to the passenger services desk while they pop up, rather than stiffing crew members right off the bat. Besides, why are you thinking you would have service issues? If this is a concern of yours, you can try the pricier cruiselines that include the tipping in their fare.[/quote']

 

What a silly post! Take your time and read. Nobody said anything about stiffing the crew. My point is I do not like to prepay my tip, I prefer to have control with my tips. I have sailed Princess and it is acceptable to them to have autotips removed and pay on the last day. If Princess allows you to tip this way, it is your choice on how and when to tip. Maybe you should read and understand the rules of cruising prior to posting such a silly response.

[Cruisin' Chick]

What a silly post! Take your time and read. Nobody said anything about stiffing the crew. My point is I do not like to prepay my tip, I prefer to have control with my tips. I have sailed Princess and it is acceptable to them to have autotips removed and pay on the last day. If Princess allows you to tip this way, it is your choice on how and when to tip. Maybe you should read and understand the rules of cruising prior to posting such a silly response.

 

maybe you don't understand how it works. If you remove the autotips, any tips you hand to the crew members must be turned in to their supervisor. Those tips get placed into the tipping pool. So if you gave $20 to your cabin steward with the idea that they alone will get that tip, you are mistaken. Your steward will get considerably less. On the other hand, if you kept on the autotip, and you gave the cabin steward an extra $20, he or she kepts that amount.

 

If those cash tips are not turned in, the crew member is risking termination. And it is difficult for any crew member, given their tight quarters, and the ease of finding out which cabins removed tips, to see if a fellow crew member held back tips.

 

If you don't believe me, then you don't believe about 90 per cent of those with a good deal of experience on Princess.

[CALMOM]

maybe you don't understand how it works. If you remove the autotips' date=' any tips you hand to the crew members must be turned in to their supervisor. Those tips get placed into the tipping pool. So if you gave $20 to your cabin steward with the idea that they alone will get that tip, you are mistaken. Your steward will get considerably less. On the other hand, if you kept on the autotip, and you gave the cabin steward an extra $20, he or she kepts that amount.

 

If those cash tips are not turned in, the crew member is risking termination. And it is difficult for any crew member, given their tight quarters, and the ease of finding out which cabins removed tips, to see if a fellow crew member held back tips.

 

If you don't believe me, then you don't believe about 90 per cent of those with a good deal of experience on Princess.[/quote']

 

Don't waste your time Cruis'in Chick, your just wasting your time with this poster. Obviously, this poster doesn't tip the customary tip rate other wise they would leave auto tips in place, since there is no logic by removing them, unless you plan on tipping less. I think some passengers like to receive that eye contact gratification thinking that the crew doesn't know they removed their auto-tips, but the crew does. There are people who don't like change and fight it.

[Cruisin' Chick]

I'd like to think in terms of "spit in the food" karma too.;)

[springfire]

maybe you don't understand how it works. If you remove the autotips' date=' any tips you hand to the crew members must be turned in to their supervisor. Those tips get placed into the tipping pool. So if you gave $20 to your cabin steward with the idea that they alone will get that tip, you are mistaken. Your steward will get considerably less. On the other hand, if you kept on the autotip, and you gave the cabin steward an extra $20, he or she kepts that amount.

 

If those cash tips are not turned in, the crew member is risking termination. And it is difficult for any crew member, given their tight quarters, and the ease of finding out which cabins removed tips, to see if a fellow crew member held back tips.

 

If you don't believe me, then you don't believe about 90 per cent of those with a good deal of experience on Princess.[/quote']

 

Again, you seem to have a difficult time reading and understanding my post. All I said, was I have my autotips removed and prefer to tip on the last day of my cruise.

 

As for the rules of turning in cash, I understand that just as well. If they have to turn in the amount above the standard amount that I tip, I am sorry about that. I know that on some land resturants they now have also started to do this.

 

I have a choice on how to pay a tip and when to tip. All of us have this choice. I have no problem with you leaving your autotips in place, I really don't. I find it just so amazing that you can not understand why someone would rather receive service first, and than decided how much to tip. The cruise line also has no problem with me doing this. So lets agree to this, we live in the United States of America, you do it your way and I will do it my way.

[springfire]

Don't waste your time Cruis'in Chick, your just wasting your time with this poster. Obviously, this poster doesn't tip the customary tip rate other wise they would leave auto tips in place, since there is no logic by removing them, unless you plan on tipping less. I think some passengers like to receive that eye contact gratification thinking that the crew doesn't know they removed their auto-tips, but the crew does. There are people who don't like change and fight it.

 

Just another very silly comment!

[Cygneagile]

Why would they be more attentive if they thought they were going to get stiffed? Would you? The staff is advised when the auto-tips have been withdrawn as soon as it happens. I am not sure of the reason, perhaps so the staff can focus more on the passengers that are not going to stiff them. If you weren't going to stiff them then you wouldn't cancel the auto-tips, it's that simple.

 

People may take the autotip off for many reason. And they have that right. We should not assume they are going to stiff the staff.

[mafig]

Of course they have that right. However, the staff knows that the majority of people who do take off the automatic gratuity end up either not tipping or tipping much less (although they don't admit it).

[MadScientist_01]

Again, you seem to have a difficult time reading and understanding my post. All I said, was I have my autotips removed and prefer to tip on the last day of my cruise.

 

As for the rules of turning in cash, I understand that just as well. If they have to turn in the amount above the standard amount that I tip, I am sorry about that. I know that on some land resturants they now have also started to do this.

 

I have a choice on how to pay a tip and when to tip. All of us have this choice. I have no problem with you leaving your autotips in place, I really don't. I find it just so amazing that you can not understand why someone would rather receive service first, and than decided how much to tip. The cruise line also has no problem with me doing this. So lets agree to this, we live in the United States of America, you do it your way and I will do it my way.

 

It is certainly your perogative to do this, but the logic doesn't really add up and will probably make it into a self-fulfilling prophecy.

 

If I were a staff member and knew you had withdrawn from auto-tipping, I wouldn't think 'I'd better work really hard to impress this person to get a tip'. I'd be more inclined to do things for those who are auto-tipping.

So then you get average service instead of good service, and so feel less inclined to tip for service - they are then in turn justified to themselvesvin not providing the best service to those who remove auto-tipping.

Maybe it shouldn't be like this, but reciprocity is one of the fundamentals of human nature.

 

For the OP, auto-tipping is an excellent way to know that the money from your tips is going to those who are working hard to make your trip a good one, even though you may rarely see them.

[brfan]

Again, you seem to have a difficult time reading and understanding my post. All I said, was I have my autotips removed and prefer to tip on the last day of my cruise.

 

As for the rules of turning in cash, I understand that just as well. If they have to turn in the amount above the standard amount that I tip, I am sorry about that. I know that on some land resturants they now have also started to do this.

 

I have a choice on how to pay a tip and when to tip. All of us have this choice. I have no problem with you leaving your autotips in place, I really don't. I find it just so amazing that you can not understand why someone would rather receive service first, and than decided how much to tip. The cruise line also has no problem with me doing this. So lets agree to this, we live in the United States of America, you do it your way and I will do it my way.

 

They don't just turn in the cash above the autotip amount they have to turn in everything that you give them. If you leave the autotip on they get to keep anything above that amount.

 

One other thing you are not tipping in advance, the crew does not get your tip until after the cruise is over. In fact your credit card it not charged until the last evening, along with the rest of what you charged on board.

 

As others have said if you have a service issue, deal with it when it happens so it can be fixed.

[springfire]

It is certainly your perogative to do this, but the logic doesn't really add up and will probably make it into a self-fulfilling prophecy.

 

If I were a staff member and knew you had withdrawn from auto-tipping, I wouldn't think 'I'd better work really hard to impress this person to get a tip'. I'd be more inclined to do things for those who are auto-tipping.

So then you get average service instead of good service, and so feel less inclined to tip for service - they are then in turn justified to themselvesvin not providing the best service to those who remove auto-tipping.

Maybe it shouldn't be like this, but reciprocity is one of the fundamentals of human nature.

 

For the OP, auto-tipping is an excellent way to know that the money from your tips is going to those who are working hard to make your trip a good one, even though you may rarely see them.

 

Thanks for your input but I would respectfully disagree. In your theory you believe that if you have paid your tips already that than the crew will worker harder for you. I don't believe that for a second. Some sad people will leave tips on all week and have them removed the last night of the cruise. Crew members have a great idea on who might stiff them on a cruise, they have basic info on you before you even get to your cabin. When you meet them you form that customer/worker relationship for your cruise.

 

The crew works hard and deserves to be tipped but don't kid yourself if you think your getting better service by pretipping upfront.

 

Tip the crew but tip when and how you want, don't give up your feedom of choice.