tipping above and beyond

[esimon]

have seen this on other boards but wondering if those that bring room service are included in the "mass" tipping done daily -- also, who tips extra for room service, bar tabs etc.? just cruious:o

[BumperII]

I don't know what is included, but for room service we tip. I get on the ship with a pocket full of ones. We don't drink adult beverages, so the servers don't make much of a commission on us. By dropping a dollar tip with our beverage orders the beverage stewards get the idea really fast.

Don't ever understimate the effect of small courtesies.

[CruiserBruce]

Bar tabs have automatic 15% tips in them.

[bonafidebeachbum]

I too bring a roll of ones on board with me, and always tip room service with these. We tip additionally at the completion of our cruise to any staff or crew who made our experience more memorable ... over and above the $11.00 pp a day charge.

[tcook052]

The matter was recently discussed a bit here:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1304955&highlight=tipping

 

I prefer to pay my gratuities at the end of the cruise to my cabin account and only rarely tip over & above that. To each their own however and as the linked thread indicated many prefer to reward good service directly as well as paying the normal gratuity amount charged to the cabin.

[twodogmom]

I tip room service a dollar (I'm a solo). At first I had problems with them taking it, they said I didn't have to. For breakfast, I requested it at the earliest time available, and after the first couple of days it is delivered even before the scheduled time. A couple of times on a 33 day cruise, they called me when I didn't open my door right away. Also, if I ever ordered during busy times I was told 45 minutes to an hour, but always got my order in less than 30 minutes, and most times in 15 minutes. Not sure if it was because I was tipping.

[ab0si]

Also, if I ever ordered during busy times I was told 45 minutes to an hour, but always got my order in less than 30 minutes, and most times in 15 minutes. Not sure if it was because I was tipping.

 

My guess is that it is a sign of good management. Managing a customer's expectations is very important. If you are told your food would be there in 15 minutes and it arrives in 30, you re likely to be unhappy. If told it will arrive in 45 minutes and it arrives in 30, you are likely to be happy.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Yes -- room service people do get pennies from the $11 Hotel Service Charge that appears automatically on your shipboard bill.

 

Many people do tip the people who bring meals to their cabins when it is delivered as a gesture of appreciation.

 

We always tip extra at the end of the cruise to those individuals who have made our cruise an enjoyable one.

[sfels]

I don't tip during the voyage, other than shore excursions, but I make sure to get a supply of envelopes from the front desk and put cash tips and a note to each of those individuals who made my journey special. This way even officers, who routinely refuse a cash gratuity, receive something extra.

[peaches from georgia]

I don't tip during the voyage, other than shore excursions, but I make sure to get a supply of envelopes from the front desk and put cash tips and a note to each of those individuals who made my journey special. This way even officers, who routinely refuse a cash gratuity, receive something extra.

Do you just send a note to the officers or do that get cash in the envelope also? :confused:

[erewhon]

sfels, we live in a non tipping country,and do our best to understand the tipping system. So may I ask you, do you mean that you tip the ships officers and the Captain?

[sfels]

No. Generally speaking ship's officers will not accept tips and I'm fairly certain the Captain would find the offer of a tip insulting. On our last cruise I gave a tip to one particular officer who I had gotten to know and interact with.

[whogo]

have seen this on other boards but wondering if those that bring room service are included in the "mass" tipping done daily -- :o

 

 

According to Holland America, all staff, including those behind the scenes, are included in the hotel service charge.

 

Hotel Service Charge

 

 

Our crew works very hard to make sure that every aspect of your cruise meets the highest standards. This includes those crew members who serve you directly, such as our dining room wait staff and the stewards who tend to your stateroom each day. There are also many others that tend to your care that you may never meet, such as galley and laundry staff. To ensure that the efforts of all of our crew members are recognized and rewarded, a daily Hotel Service Charge of US$11 per passenger is automatically charged to each guest's shipboard account. If our service exceeds or fails to meet your expectations, you are free to adjust this amount at the end of the cruise. The Hotel Service Charge is paid to Holland America Line crew members, and represents an important part of their total compensation package. A 15% service charge is automatically added to bar charges and dining room wine purchases. In terminals, airports, ports of call and on shore excursions, we suggest that you extend gratuities consistent with customary local practices.

I added the red highlighting. http://www.hollandamerica.com/cruise-vacation-planning/PlanningAndAdvice.action?tabName=Shipboard+Life&contentMenu=Money+Matters&contentSubMenu=Hotel+Service+Charge

 

The room service staff will accept tips, but will leave graciously without one. They do not stand around with their palms out. Tip if you want, don't tip if you don't want to.

[boards]

Absolutely not - you do not tip the officers of the ship. That is pushing the tipping argument too far for crying out loud.

[Cathy-CA]

While I wouldn't tip the captain or the navigator, there are times that I might tip people on management staff. Maybe that's what the person was referring to by officer. For example, the travel consultant on one of our past cruises really went out of his way to get detailed information for us. On our recently completed cruise, I debated about tipping the Techspert (but ultimately didn't) because my husband and I spent a lot of our time there and he was extremely helpful.

[bobandgloria]

:):eek::eek:

have seen this on other boards but wondering if those that bring room service are included in the "mass" tipping done daily -- also, who tips extra for room service, bar tabs etc.? just cruious:o

we always tip for room svce and when I am in the casino I tip for a drink also for my waiters and room stewards we give extra for these kids work hard and make very little by the time the money gets to them.

[erewhon]

Thank you for confirming not to tip officers, we never have, wondered if we may have unintentionally caused offence by not tipping.

[tntfreedom]

This might seem like a silly question but we are first time cruisers :o Is it ok to do extra tips in non US currency? We are doing a NZ cruise (and are Aussies) so I will only have Aus & NZ currency unless I especially order US dollars for any extra tipping I do.

[jtl513]

This might seem like a silly question but we are first time cruisers :o Is it ok to do extra tips in non US currency? We are doing a NZ cruise (and are Aussies) so I will only have Aus & NZ currency unless I especially order US dollars for any extra tipping I do.

While they would much prefer $US, I'm sure they would accept anything you offer. If your ship is visting Aus or NZ ports on or after your cruise they may have the opportunity to get some shore leave and spend it, but if not I would suggest that you exchange some into $US for tipping.

[navybankerteacher]

Having never had unsatisfactory service, we have always left the auto-tip in place, and generally tip $1 or $2 for room service morning coffee. At the end of a cruise, depending upon level of service, we usually give dining room and cabin stewards, each, an additional tip amounting to $2 or $3 per day --say, $20 to $30 for a ten day cruise. When you consider the amount you might tip for three restaurant meals per day, and hotel chambermaid service ashore -- the $11 per day is essentially minimal.

[NH Cruisers]

I tip the waiters refilling drinks and cleaning up tables in the buffets. Most folks probably don't, I don't care, I appreciate their hard work and I know it makes them happy to know they are appreciated. I spend what, $50 on the extra tips for a week. I usually extra tip my auto-tip too. Thats just me, I work hard to go on a vacation and I don't mind spending a little extra on the hard workers on a cruise ship.

 

Jon