Completely Confused about the Tips

[abacophil]

Do the math. How much would you tip for 3 meals a day, cleaning your room twice a day, for each day of your cruise?. Just that (when in fact there are more service workers that benefit from the tipping). $10 is pretty measly to me, and I live in the rather penny-pinching midwest. Yet $10 per person per day (on average) is all that is expected. Consider it part of the cost of your otherwise inexpensive cruise.

 

 

I don't consider a $3000 cruise plus $1200 for excursions inexpensive.

[uppitycats]

I don't consider a $3000 cruise plus $1200 for excursions inexpensive.

 

Again, do the math. A 7-day vacation. 6 nights hotels (for 4), 3 meals a day (plus snacks, additional food available, coffee/tea/lemonade available). Gas and maintenance for the car, or parking at the hotel. Add it up, and $3,000 is pretty cheap. You'd likely pay for "excursions" -- admission to theme park, museums, beaches, etc., whether you were on the ship or not...and truth is, you don't have to spend the $1200 for excursions -- lots of us either go off on our own, or stay on the ship.

[snow bunny]

I'm not sure how I feel about the auto tips. Tips for our upcomming cruise will be $320. That's a big chunck of change.

 

As my DH and I are bringing our "adult" children with us for a family cruise which we are paying for flights, cruise (2 OV and one balcony room), and excursions the $420 that we will prepay for the tips is just a drop in the bucket for this trip. It is a once in a lifetime trip for our family as they will be joined by one set of grandparents!:) I am sure that whomever has to tend to the "kids" rooms will certainly be earning their tip.:eek:

 

Snow bunny

[serene56]

I'm not sure how I feel about the auto tips. Tips for our upcomming cruise will be $320. That's a big chunck of change.

I think you may be looking at it in a different way.

 

That 320 goes to the cabin steward who will be cleaning your cabin and making up the beds-- twice a day.. with clean/dry towels.

 

it also goes to the waiters, asst waiters who will wait on you hand and foot at least once a day. and the buffet servers who get that food out to the buffet and keep it fresh. to the busers who make sure you have a clean table to sit at.

 

If you look AT 320 as part of the cruising cost and add it to the final payment - it doesnt seem so bad at the end of the cruise.

 

How many cabins is this for?

[LHP]

We are a cruising family of four (now sometimes 3 since the oldest is in college) and we have always tipped the entire amount.

 

First, using the envelopes.... and then when they went to Automatic Tips on the Sail and Sign cards.

 

We understand that this is how these individuals get paid....and I leave it up to Carnival to make sure all individuals get the portion that they are suppose to.

[LHP]

I'm not sure how I feel about the auto tips. Tips for our upcomming cruise will be $320. That's a big chunck of change.

 

As a family of four....our tips are routinely $280 for a 7 day cruise.

(we just paid $270 for 3 of us for a 9 day cruise)

 

Since we will cruise 7 times this year...a total of 37 days ...(with 3 folks)....that is over $1,100.00.

 

I understand that this is just part of the cost of cruising.

 

As long as cruise lines choose this method to pay their employee's salaries (and passengers who book these cruises knowing this ) then passengers are agreeing to it, when they book the cruise.

 

The bottom line is that anyone who can not afford the tips ... should not book a cruise.

[flalady29]

I'm not sure how I feel about the auto tips. Tips for our upcomming cruise will be $320. That's a big chunck of change.

 

I do understand what you are saying ,but I agree with the other posts. Look into a land vacation you would like to take and add up the room ,breakfast,lunch, and dinner for 7 days not to mention the cost of the places there you would be visiting. My daughter and I are going on the Dream in March 2011 I paid almost $1,200 for the 2 of us and thats a cat1A the cheapiest you can get. The auto tipping is only what they suggest you pay $70 pp for the week and it is worth it and more. I have paid extra to my wait staff and cabin steward in cash on the last night the past 2 cruises if you don't feel they are worth the extra at least pay the recommened.

 

To the OP back when I first started cruising ( 90's ) when Carnival sent out the documents you would recieve a coupon in the book for each area and would put it in the envelope the last night, it was just a good way to go ahead and have whatever paid I could have paid in advance.

[angiegal]

slight change of topic I suppose, but we leave for a five day cruise in about two weeks. We've been on 2 Carnival cruises before and when we booked them, the auto tips were part of our payment. I assumed when I booked this time, it would be the same way. But, my DH noticed when he was printing out our documents that the tips are not on there. My question is that now that we are so close to sailing, should I call Carnival and add them or can I just wait until we board and add them when I put cash on my account?

[TigerStar]

Another question....

 

When I buy a drink, a photo, whatever, will they take my card, will I have to sign a slip, will I get a receipt?

[donaldsc]

If you tip before the cruise - it is called a bribe. If you tip at the end of the cruise - it is a gratuity.

 

I prefer to pay gratuities instead of bribes.

 

DON

[donaldsc]

I'm not sure how I feel about the auto tips. Tips for our upcomming cruise will be $320. That's a big chunck of change.

 

Do you plan to clean your own room, wash your own linens, serve your own food, and bus your own table?

 

If not, consider it a cost of doing cruising.

 

DON

[uppitycats]

slight change of topic I suppose, but we leave for a five day cruise in about two weeks. We've been on 2 Carnival cruises before and when we booked them, the auto tips were part of our payment. I assumed when I booked this time, it would be the same way. But, my DH noticed when he was printing out our documents that the tips are not on there. My question is that now that we are so close to sailing, should I call Carnival and add them or can I just wait until we board and add them when I put cash on my account?

 

I think you can just notify them when you get on board. If it is easier for you to pay in advance, you can call.

[uppitycats]

Another question....

 

When I buy a drink, a photo, whatever, will they take my card, will I have to sign a slip, will I get a receipt?

 

Yes, they'll take your cruise sign-and-sail card, have you sign, and give you a receipt. Much like anything else you charge on your regular charge card.

[Bandman]

When carnival went to the auto tips i removed our tips and still used the envelopes for the first cruise after auto tipping. I just wasn't comfortable giving my money to carnival and not being quite sure that it ended up where i intended it to go. Additionally, i really enjoyed the whole end of cruise envelope interaction with the staff.

 

After that cruise i decided to leave the auto tips in place due to all the folks on this board who say the employees get a hard time from carnival if you remove the tips.

 

I still don't feel like i know for sure what really happens with my money but it is the way the system works for now, so i will continue to leave them on and tip extra when it is deserved.

[conchead]

I'm not sure how I feel about the auto tips. Tips for our upcomming cruise will be $320. That's a big chunck of change.

 

Yes it is.

Adjust it if you want to, nothing says it is required. Some here may

want to crucify you if you do, and me too for even suggesting it.

 

 

just sayin...

[bitemyfly]

[quote name='donaldsc']If you tip before the cruise - it is called a bribe. If you tip at the end of the cruise - it is a gratuity.

I prefer to pay gratuities instead of bribes.

DON[/quote]
LOl well I guess I prefer the bribe method ... Imho those bribes work.
I think there is a fair amount of people who stiff them . when they know who wont stiff them they are taken care of

[The_Answer_Is_42]

IDK about bribing... TIPS to me mean "To Insure Prompt Service" so you offer a few bucks ahead of time (nothing exorbitant, like $5-10 for the cabin steward) and you get better service when you do that... $10 shouldn't break the bank... I realize that over $300 is a bunch of money, but it is a bunch of people to look after.

Leave the amount automatically added alone, and you're doing okay... and if anyone does a stand-out job, tip them more if you feel like it.

[emelvee]

[quote name='TigerStar']Service should be the same either way.

Don't think of it as pre-paying your tips (talking about the auto-tipping) since they are just added to your account but you don't actually pay them until the end.

Think of a restaurant's policy about adding a tip to parties of 8 or more. You know they are there but you don't pay them until you get the check.

And yes, you can adjust the auto tips before you pay them.[/quote]

Geez...tipping threads are EVERYWHERE. :)

[TigerStar]

[quote name='uppitycats']Yes, they'll take your cruise sign-and-sail card, have you sign, and give you a receipt. Much like anything else you charge on your regular charge card.[/quote]
Thanks!
[quote name='emelvee']Geez...tipping threads are EVERYWHERE. :)[/quote]
:roll: (bet that doesn't work here)

[conchead]

[quote name='TigerStar']Thanks!

[COLOR=red]:roll:[/COLOR] (bet that doesn't work here)[/quote]


:rolleyes:

[Nunu]

[quote name='conchead']:rolleyes:[/QUOTE]

[IMG]http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm238/scottm4211/smilies/throlleyesjjsmall.gif[/IMG]

[jtm22372]

our last cruise we sailed with our dd 18 months old for the first time and we were surprised to find that our dd's tips were not on our final bill. so we went down and had them added please remember anyone sailing with a child under 2 they do not add there tips on automatic so add them .

[skylock]

[quote name='donaldsc']Do you plan to clean your own room, wash your own linens, serve your own food, and bus your own table?

If not, consider it a cost of doing cruising.

DON[/quote]

No, they have no intention of doing those things and luckily, they will not have to as Carnival has taken the time to hire people for those jobs.

If that poster wants to thank those Carnival employees with money or not is their business. It is not the cost of cruising. That part was taken care of before they got on the ship.

[quote name='bitemyfly']LOl well I guess I prefer the bribe method ... Imho those bribes work.
I think there is a fair amount of people who stiff them . when they know who wont stiff them they are taken care of[/quote]

So in your opinion, they do not do their job because some people might not leave them a tip? Do whatever you want to, but I have never needed to bribe them to do the job they have been hired to do, which is taking care of the pax's needs. I am sure they appreciate the extra money, but please do not fool yourself into thinking you got better service.

[conchead]

[quote name='emelvee']Geez...[COLOR=red][B]tipping threads are EVERYWHERE[/B][/COLOR]. :)[/quote]

[SIZE=3][COLOR=navy]yeah, [/COLOR][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][COLOR=navy]But not much talk about tipping here on Carnivals board for a while.[/COLOR][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][COLOR=navy]I have been missing it. :D[/COLOR][/SIZE]


[COLOR=navy](I am not counting $2 buck chuck's tipping thread)[/COLOR]

[bitemyfly]

[quote name='skylock']

So in your opinion, they do not do their job because some people might not leave them a tip? Do whatever you want to, but I have never needed to bribe them to do the job they have been hired to do, which is taking care of the pax's needs. I am sure they appreciate the extra money, but please do not fool yourself into thinking you got better service.[/quote]

Nope never said they would not do there job.. you will get served , you will get fresh towels, you will get drinks... Buy my "Bribe" as you call it ....
DOES get me better service... I dont wait for a drink at the crowed lido bar, I do get fresh towels but they are new not the faded overwashed ones, I do ge doubles of my grey goose and I do not need to fool myself..
to each his own... have fun!