Carnival tipping

[Laurie715]

I've heard so much about tipping and pre-paying. My question is this: I heard that if you pre pay your tips it goes directly to your servers.. but if you give them cash in envelopes they have to pool this with co-workers... seems you rip them off if you hand them cash and they have to pool it. Does anyone have any more info on this practice ?

[tmp1127]

We have always felt that if we hand the tip to the person at least we are sure they got it :)

 

There are so many different rumors that have made the rounds over the years pertaining to the disbursment of prepaid tips.

 

I am sure you will get many opinions on this one :D

[tef43]

If one removes the gratuities from the S&S account and tips in cash, the recipient must pool the cash. If you leave the $10/pp/pd in place and then extend additional gratuities in cash, they are allowed to keep the excess without pooling.

[DolfanNY]

How does anyone know if you tip in cash? I always tip in cash and was told by numerous waiters and cabin stewards they prefer cash. I believe they get paid monthly. The extra cash helps them get by. I am sure they don't pool all their cash tips, if any.

[Scuba]

I go to the Purser desk, and I cancelled all the tips on the card. Then I pay the Waiter, Cabin, ETC.. in cash what I think is Reasonable...Also, the people that work on the ship are so far away from home, they like pre paided Phone call cards, So they can Phone Home....

[phlydude]

I thought the phone card thing was a good idea too until someone mentioned that:

a - some people have families at home without phones

b - they know where to get the cheap phone cards from

c - cash is always more appreciated since they can use it for what they see fit, not how you want them to spend it

[NY Jean]

I think this pre-paying stuff sounds like hype from the cruise company I suspect that those gratuities don't go all to the workers.. No one would know if you give cash for a job well done.. a tip by its nature should be between the client and the worker doing the service, one on one.. and the amount should be variable depending upon the level of service. I am removing the tips this time..and paying with cash.

[GoinCruisin]

Just confirmed with the 4th steward that indeed if you take the tips off, then they give a report at the end of the week with the tips paid in cash, they turn those into the pool so that everyone involved in the team gets the disbursement. There are people (assistants, etc) that are included in these tips... if you for example, only pay your steward, then there are other people that do alot of work that are not getting tipped, so the pool is the only fair way. If you keep the tips on the S&S, anything paid in cash to them, is considered a tip and they do not have to report this...

[lilsonicfan]

GoinCruisin, it makes sense what you're saying.

 

But, how would anyone know if a steward or waiter was secretly hiding his cash tips or a portion of them so as not to have to pool those? If someone tipped him two $10 bills, what if he only reported one? I think that's why there are so many skeptics about this so-called mandatory pooling of cash tips.

 

Also, my question would be, what's the harm in the pooling? You say that they do this in order to pay people who might not be tipped by cash (assistants, etc) - but presumably the s&s tips are also pooled... so it should all even out, no?

[jcrandle]

GoinCruisin, it makes sense what you're saying.

 

But, how would anyone know if a steward or waiter was secretly hiding his cash tips or a portion of them so as not to have to pool those? If someone tipped him two $10 bills, what if he only reported one? I think that's why there are so many skeptics about this so-called mandatory pooling of cash tips.

I expect the cruise lines have made reporting of tips a condition of employment. Before I retired, if my boss said something was a condition of employment, I took it VERY SERIOUSLY.

[Palomar]

I've been on 3 Carnival Cruises and never had my tips automatically added to my Sign and Sail card....I've always done the envelope thing. Do they automatically add tips now as part of a new policy?

[luv2cruise99]

I prefer to tip in cash. What they do with it after I give it to them, whether they pool it or not, isn't really my concern. However, I agree with lilsonicfan that all or some of the cash tips are probably not reported as it would be a very hard thing to prove. Also, like lilsonicfan said, what's the difference? If you leave it on the S&S card, it's going to be pooled anyway.

[kujobie]

I have to disagree with Tef on this one. If you give cash to any one person, it is up to them and their conscience whether or not they want to report it or not. If you leave it on your sail and sign, it is definitely pooled and given to the servers in appropriate percentages which I think is right. And it's just so much easier to let them split the tips appropriately by leaving them on your S & S. Otherwise you would hafta give envelopes to the room steward, waiter, asst. waiter, etc. And what about the buffet staff? they are included in the pooled tips but how do you do that if you pay in cash? We always leave the reccommended tips on our s & s and give a little extra to those who deserve it.

[oceantravel]

I've been on 3 Carnival Cruises and never had my tips automatically added to my Sign and Sail card....I've always done the envelope thing. Do they automatically add tips now as part of a new policy?

 

Yes...tips are now added to your sail and sign card automatically. You may at anytime make an adjustment as you see fit. I would never tip less than the suggested amount, however I do typically tip the staff that has gone above and beyond extra in an envelope at the end of the cruise. You may remove them totally and tip in an envelope. I wonder though...how many people that do this, do so, just because they want to tip a lower amount. Otherwise why take them off?

 

As for the phone cards. Think about it, most people prefer cash so that they can buy what they need. Some can not make use of them and then they are wasted. JMHO

[Palomar]

So, do all the crew members know which guests have their tips charged to their S&S cards. If I tip extra, I hope they realize it is an addition to what has already been charged, not the entire amount. I also assume they still add the 15% on individual drinks that are ordered?

[KenMo]

Personally, I don't like the new tipping policy. I tip very well, when it's deserved. I don't like being told how much to tip. To me, this $10 pp/per day is not a tip, it's a fee because they just automatically take it. I think they started taking it from the S&S because there were probably many people who didn't tip at all.

[oceantravel]

So, do all the crew members know which guests have their tips charged to their S&S cards. If I tip extra, I hope they realize it is an addition to what has already been charged, not the entire amount. I also assume they still add the 15% on individual drinks that are ordered?

 

I've always wondered if they know if you remove tips during the cruise. I never worry about it though, becasue I leave them on and the extra I give is the very last night. I always say, "Here is a little something for your extra effort".

[UDcc123]

The reason Carnival said they have the automatic tipping policy is because it was requested via the customer surveys. It makes sense to me. It's a lot easier for them to put the tips on your card instead of you worrying about having enough cash left at the end of the cruise for tips and having the right denominations of bills, etc. As people have said, it also makes sure that everybody gets their tips (buffet staff, etc). And you can always put cash in a separate envelope to tip someone extra if you feel they deserve it.

[jcrandle]

Perhaps it is worth mentioning in this thread the generally accepted technique for tipping. I'm sure most of you already know this, but there may be one or two readers that don't.

 

If a waiter, room steward, or other service person has done a job worthy of being rewarded, spend a moment, and write a brief note thanking them, and put the cash with it in an envelope. Write the crew member's name on the outside of the envelope. Even though the crew is SUPPOSED to get a report the last night that you have, or have not left your tips on the sign and sail card, we always put in the note that the cash is in addition to the sign and sail tip (so the waiter doesn't think the cash is the TOTAL tip).

 

And, if you really believe that they did a bang-up job, be sure and mention them by name in your survey, as that counts almost as much as cash (but not quite).

[jckvpa0]

I'm having my tips added to my S&S card the day I board the ship. So let me see if I have this straight from everthing I have read.

 

 

Going to tip out of pocket:

 

Port: When I get to the ship $1.00 per bag.

 

Room Service:$2.00, each time they come to my cabin, maybe more if I order alot.

 

Spa:Not sure, @ home I would do 20%, could use help on this one.

 

The Pointe:Not sure here also.The upgrade in the price states that the tip is included. Now when I order drinks are the tips included here as well. I'm going to tip something, but what are we given here, a check to sign for the S&S card or do we bring cash to tip here? Would love any help!

 

The Steward: When we get on the ship,( I plan to ask for a few things, bedspread taken off, extra sheet to cover the blanket,roll top for bed)

 

 

What I think I'm not to tip on:

 

In dinning Room

 

At the buffets

 

 

Where I wonder if I should tip;

 

Going to any bar & ordering a drink

 

Someone who comes by & takes an order

 

The last night I also plan on tipping all of the above.

[smeyer418]

according to industry reports, about one half of the people who say that they are taking off the tips to leave cash leave absolutely nothing---nice people...

[KenMo]

Where I wonder if I should tip;

 

Going to any bar & ordering a drink

 

Someone who comes by & takes an order

 

Every time you order a drink, regardless if it's at one of the bars or if someone comes around, there is an automatic 15% gratuity added to your S&S. Anything you want to give above that is up to you.

[Are we there yet?]

according to industry reports, about one half of the people who say that they are taking off the tips to leave cash leave absolutely nothing---nice people...

 

That is disgusting........must be the chair hogs doing that one;)

[jcrandle]

That is disgusting........must be the chair hogs doing that one;)

Actully, the ones that stiff the crew are the toddlers in swim diapers. :D

[rarodg2]

As a server myself I know all to well how often people stiff servers. It really is amazing that they don't think they need to pay for the service they receive.