Gratuities

[maytojuly]

I'm thinking of booking a cruise with Carnival but not sure of some details:confused: We have previously cruised with RC and put cash on our sign and sail card rather than leaving card details. Must we prepay gratuities, or can we pay face=to=face as we go along, thanks

[maytojuly]

I'm thinking of booking a cruise with Carnival but not sure of some details:confused: We have previously cruised with RC and put cash on our sign and sail card rather than leaving card details. Must we prepay gratuities, or can we pay face=to=face as we go along, thanks

[mrpayroll]

What do you mean by face to face as you go along?

[mrpayroll]

What do you mean by face to face as you go along?

[golfadj]

They automatically charge you $ 10 pp per day to your sign and sail account and than you can adjust but most people leave it alone.

[golfadj]

They automatically charge you $ 10 pp per day to your sign and sail account and than you can adjust but most people leave it alone.

[Tbay-eh]

Leave the auto tip on and then pay face to face if you feel certain ones deserve more. You can never pay everyone face to face who makes your cruise awesome. Face to face you miss so many of those who deserve it.

[Tbay-eh]

Leave the auto tip on and then pay face to face if you feel certain ones deserve more. You can never pay everyone face to face who makes your cruise awesome. Face to face you miss so many of those who deserve it.

[lady_cruiser]

If I am not mistaken aren't gratitudes automatically charged to your account if you choose Anytime Dining too? I think by face-to-face the OP means where you use to get the envelopes in your cabin on the last night and then you hand them to your cabin steward and wait staff. I don't think they do this anymore.

[lady_cruiser]

If I am not mistaken aren't gratitudes automatically charged to your account if you choose Anytime Dining too? I think by face-to-face the OP means where you use to get the envelopes in your cabin on the last night and then you hand them to your cabin steward and wait staff. I don't think they do this anymore.

[triplee]

Hi,

 

I am not sure what you mean by face-to-face.

 

Your S&S account will show a certain amount for gratuities. This will cover your waiter, room steward, etc.

 

If your steward/waiter is exceptional, you may opt to leave an additional amount in cash in an envelope and give it to them in person.

 

Some folks decide they do not like having gratuity automatically added to their Sign and Sail account and go to the Purser's desk in person to have them removed. (pesonally, I would not do this, but to each his own way)

 

I prefer to add additional amount of tips in cash and personally give the envelope to the crewmember when I have had exceptional service. (I have always had great service from the Carnival employees).

 

Lee

[triplee]

Hi,

 

I am not sure what you mean by face-to-face.

 

Your S&S account will show a certain amount for gratuities. This will cover your waiter, room steward, etc.

 

If your steward/waiter is exceptional, you may opt to leave an additional amount in cash in an envelope and give it to them in person.

 

Some folks decide they do not like having gratuity automatically added to their Sign and Sail account and go to the Purser's desk in person to have them removed. (pesonally, I would not do this, but to each his own way)

 

I prefer to add additional amount of tips in cash and personally give the envelope to the crewmember when I have had exceptional service. (I have always had great service from the Carnival employees).

 

Lee

[VegasCrossfire]

We just sailed on the Liberty and had the "anytime dining" with our friends that traveled with us.

 

They did not keep the gratuities on their bill - they went to the guest services desk and had them removed a couple of days before the end of the cruise.

 

The last night, they handed envelopes to our waitstaff team (3 of them). I presume they also gave their room steward an envelope. I don't really see how that is fair, since we did not have the same waitstaff team each night (although we did have them 4 of the nights).

 

Our friend specifically asked our head waiter if the gratuities are pooled or go directly to the person if the envelope is handed to them. He was told that if you give the envelope to a person, they do not share it.

 

Again, I don't agree with his decision as I feel it left out a lot of other people that made his cruise enjoyable. On RCI, you must pre-pay gratuities if you have "my time dining". I think that is only fair. You can, of course, add to your gratuity in person if you think you got excellent service.

[VegasCrossfire]

We just sailed on the Liberty and had the "anytime dining" with our friends that traveled with us.

 

They did not keep the gratuities on their bill - they went to the guest services desk and had them removed a couple of days before the end of the cruise.

 

The last night, they handed envelopes to our waitstaff team (3 of them). I presume they also gave their room steward an envelope. I don't really see how that is fair, since we did not have the same waitstaff team each night (although we did have them 4 of the nights).

 

Our friend specifically asked our head waiter if the gratuities are pooled or go directly to the person if the envelope is handed to them. He was told that if you give the envelope to a person, they do not share it.

 

Again, I don't agree with his decision as I feel it left out a lot of other people that made his cruise enjoyable. On RCI, you must pre-pay gratuities if you have "my time dining". I think that is only fair. You can, of course, add to your gratuity in person if you think you got excellent service.

[lillian marie]

We leave the tips on the s&s card and just tip extra for exceptional service.

[SMSACE6]

No, the tips are charged to your on board ( sail and sign ) account, 10.00 per day, which cover dining room, room stewards, and other servers/workers in the buffet food areas. I know you have the option to remove this from your account if you want to tip people personally, but I feel that 10.00 a day is very minimal, considering the usual very good service you get.

 

I leave those tips in place, and when I find a server or room attendant, bar server etc, who give excellent service, I tip them a few buck extra the last day/night. I think this is much more convenient than removing those automated tips, and then running around the last day, looking for those you want to tip personally or, "face to face". You do also have the option of prepaying these gratuities if you like, and then it wont be on your sail and sign account. Either way, to me doesnt make a differnce, it gets paid one way or another. JMHO:)

[jks336]

carnival, like other cruise lines will add the $10.00 per day per person to your s&s accoutn. you may elect to prepay them (we do)

[wimsiecruise]

Good information here...Vegascrossfire...you said you've just gotten off the Liberty, did you post a review anywhere? I'm sailing on the Liberty in December and have exhausted all the reading material from previous reviews...need some input. Thankfully she has not been one the ships slammed in other posts that I've seen on this board.:p

[rdmallory]

Good information here...Vegascrossfire...you said you've just gotten off the Liberty, did you post a review anywhere? I'm sailing on the Liberty in December and have exhausted all the reading material from previous reviews...need some input. Thankfully she has not been one the ships slammed in other posts that I've seen on this board.:p

 

I also just got off the Liberty and left a review. Only seen the cabin steward one time this cruise on the first day and I don't think he spoke English he just smiled a lot. Head waitress got an extra tip in an envelope on the last day.

[VegasCrossfire]

Good information here...Vegascrossfire...you said you've just gotten off the Liberty, did you post a review anywhere? I'm sailing on the Liberty in December and have exhausted all the reading material from previous reviews...need some input. Thankfully she has not been one the ships slammed in other posts that I've seen on this board.:p

 

No, I didn't post a review anywhere. I hope you enjoy your December cruise! :D

 

I also just got off the Liberty and left a review. Only seen the cabin steward one time this cruise on the first day and I don't think he spoke English he just smiled a lot. Head waitress got an extra tip in an envelope on the last day.

 

For being only 5 cabins away from us, we sure didn't bump into you guys very often! Do you mind posting a link to your review???

[Poomah]

We leave the auto-tips in place and give extra (or not) at the last night. Usually eat in the MDR every night,late seating. Only once did we not give extra and the service was really,really poor that cruise - all other times - superb!

[wdblake]

Not looking for a flame war just entitled to my opinion.

 

We always remove auto tipping. I believe it defeats the very nature of what tipping is supposed to be. A tip should be a way to say thanks for the excellent service.

 

When the industry tacks on an auto tip it ceases to be a tip and becomes a fee.

 

While I agree that everyone works hard on a cruise ship I don't believe I should have to supplement every staff workers income. Should the florist get as much as my stateroom attendant? Should a stateroom attendant get the same for maintaining a huge suite vs a small indoor cabin?

 

I always get envelopes and either hand them to the staff member or leave them in the cabin for the room attendant. The pursers desk usually have envelopes for this.

 

I think it should be up to the patron on how much they wish to tip. Some people have to skrimp and save to afford a cruise and tacking on an extra $70 per person can really add up.

 

Just my two cents. Like I said, I do not take away from all the hard work done by staff on board or the fact they deserve more pay then what they get. But I think it's a disservice that the industry puts the burden on the passengers to supplement their employee's salaries.

 

Tip what you can!