Carnival tipping

[H82seaUgo]

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.

 

obviously this post is very old, and has already been proven to be false.

 

tips given to your staff, either through autotip or cash, keep 100% of what they get.

[maldenmusic]

I do the prepaid but also give anyone who has done a good job and extra $5 or $10.

[Maine_Cruiser]

You tip on a Disney cruise too. You tip on all cruises. Disney is a great cruise, but it is very expensive. They do not have a casino to make profit from so they charge higher prices.

 

I was not referring to the cruise, just Disney in Orlando.

 

I anticipated needing to tip, but also anticipated being able to do so within my budget. I am beginning to think that not a lot of poor people cruise. We have saved cash to pay for this whole thing, just thinking we are in over our heads but past the point of no return... but, it will still be nice weather and I hear the ship is awesome.

[H82seaUgo]

I was not referring to the cruise, just Disney in Orlando.

 

I anticipated needing to tip, but also anticipated being able to do so within my budget. I am beginning to think that not a lot of poor people cruise. We have saved cash to pay for this whole thing, just thinking we are in over our heads but past the point of no return... but, it will still be nice weather and I hear the ship is awesome.

 

and you only tip in disney if you do a sit down. most of the time it's the fast food stuff for us.

[Maine_Cruiser]

and you only tip in disney if you do a sit down. most of the time it's the fast food stuff for us.

 

We all eat oatmeal for breakfast, and hope to find buffets for lunch of the ship has that sort of thing. None of us have ever been on a cruise at all. We planned to eat dinner at a sit down place, and maybe get room service. That is what was in the back of my mind when it came to tipping... not $45+ a day.

 

Is there just one cafe on the ship, or do they have options? Are there continental type breakfast where we can just rip open a thing of quaker instant oatmeal? Is there a primer thread somewhere on Carnival Cruises on the Miracle?

[tracyanns]

I was not referring to the cruise, just Disney in Orlando.

 

I anticipated needing to tip, but also anticipated being able to do so within my budget. I am beginning to think that not a lot of poor people cruise. We have saved cash to pay for this whole thing, just thinking we are in over our heads but past the point of no return... but, it will still be nice weather and I hear the ship is awesome.

 

I just ran into this issue with my in-laws. They were asking about cruising and their friend told them how much it would be...but she ONLY told them the price of the cruise. She didn't explain the tipping, the transportation or parking to/at the pier, drinks, onboard activities, their $1,100 quickly went to $1,600.

 

I know it seems like a lot when you think about having to pay it, but you will soon see how much they do for you and how long and how hard many of these people work. I was raised in Maine so I know that the economy there is not like everywhere else...but it is even worse where these people come from and that is why they work the months and hours that they do...

 

I am not sure when your trip is, but maybe just figure out the tips and divide that by the number of weeks until you cruise and put that amount in an envelope each week...I always find it eaiser to budget parting with $20 a week for 20 weeks than $400 in one week...

 

You CERTAINLY do not have to tip extra, we always seem to as we always have that great service, but it would be better to leave the auto-tip on and tip no cash than the latter, that way alteast everyone that is supposed to be getting a piece of it, does...

 

Enjoy your cruise!

[tracyanns]

We all eat oatmeal for breakfast, and hope to find buffets for lunch of the ship has that sort of thing. None of us have ever been on a cruise at all. We planned to eat dinner at a sit down place, and maybe get room service. That is what was in the back of my mind when it came to tipping... not $45+ a day.

 

Is there just one cafe on the ship, or do they have options? Are there continental type breakfast where we can just rip open a thing of quaker instant oatmeal? Is there a primer thread somewhere on Carnival Cruises on the Miracle?

 

That is not just for the waitstaff, that if for buffet staff, room attendants, assistants to all of those...it seems like a lot but when it is broken down, it is actually kind of sad...

 

There is one buffet and one dining room. Buffet open for all meal, dining room open for breakfasts, lunch on sea days and dinner each evening. There is also a steakhouse that is $30 per person...this is good but don't worry about missing it if not in your budget, food in main dining room is fine. There is also a pizza station, a deli for fresh made sandwiches and in the AM, there is oatmeal, not instant, along with a lot of other things...including an omelet station.

 

Try reading this link...it will give you some info about the ship...

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/reviews/review.cfm?ShipID=295&src=tocc

[Martini Mom]

Tipping beforehand feels like a bribe, where tipping after the service feels like a thank you.

[Maine_Cruiser]

 

I am not sure when your trip is, but maybe just figure out the tips and divide that by the number of weeks until you cruise and put that amount in an envelope each week...I always find it eaiser to budget parting with $20 a week for 20 weeks than $400 in one week...

 

3 Weeks!!

 

LOL - But, the cruise, flight, hotel in FL is all paid for so it is just the tipping we will need to cover. We were going to do some sight seeing and stuff but the price of cabs, tours, etc would have been the money we will now need to pay for tips so we will just do what we can for free. It will still be better than staying at home. If it were just my wife and it would not be an issue as I anticipated $20 a day in tips. I just never anticipated a mandatory $45....

[tracyanns]

3 Weeks!!

 

LOL - But, the cruise, flight, hotel in FL is all paid for so it is just the tipping we will need to cover. We were going to do some sight seeing and stuff but the price of cabs, tours, etc would have been the money we will now need to pay for tips so we will just do what we can for free. It will still be better than staying at home. If it were just my wife and it would not be an issue as I anticipated $20 a day in tips. I just never anticipated a mandatory $45....

 

That is a bummer...income tax refund coming anytime soon?

 

What ship and what ports...maybe we can help you out a bit with what to do and where to go...

[Maine_Cruiser]

That is a bummer...income tax refund coming anytime soon?

 

What ship and what ports...maybe we can help you out a bit with what to do and where to go...

 

LOL - Dont get me started... working all of these jobs to pay for our vacation put us square into middleclass and we have a BIG tax bill to deal with when we return from our cruise. Oh well, we will deal with it.

 

Miracle... Southern Caribbean for 8 days.

[Chigirlcruzin]

LOL - Dont get me started... working all of these jobs to pay for our vacation put us square into middleclass and we have a BIG tax bill to deal with when we return from our cruise. Oh well, we will deal with it.

 

Miracle... Southern Caribbean for 8 days.

 

Don't stress about the tipping! Please, go and enjoy your cruise. Tip what you can. While I believe the $5.80 per person per day for dining services should stand, I think $3.70 per person per day for the room stewards is high. I'm assuming all 4 of you are in the same room? That's $14.80 per day to the cabin steward. I'll probably get flamed for this, but I'd cut that in half. At $7.40 per day, that is still a good tip. I know many question what the extra $2 is going toward as well. If you want to pay tips in cash, you may go to the guest services desk and remove the autotip.

 

You've worked hard for this vacation and deserve to enjoy it. Please don't stress. I'm impressed you were able to get time off at the same time from all of your jobs :)

[Maine_Cruiser]

You've worked hard for this vacation and deserve to enjoy it. Please don't stress. I'm impressed you were able to get time off at the same time from all of your jobs :)

 

Thanks for the encouraging words... We are very excited! I am excited because since mid January I have been working 7 days a week! AND, we have never been further than FL so this will be a real treat!

[acadran]

Just learned on our last cruise that our assistant waiter gets paid $75 a MONTH! Could that be true? They, therefore, LIVE on tips.

[sweedx]

The envlope that I see is for the head man in the dinning room. Any other one is handed to the person that you want to get the tip and they keep it. I tip (extra to ) the head waiter and his ast. and the room steward ( him I tip up front, and get the best service).

[tracyanns]

LOL - Dont get me started... working all of these jobs to pay for our vacation put us square into middleclass and we have a BIG tax bill to deal with when we return from our cruise. Oh well, we will deal with it.

 

Miracle... Southern Caribbean for 8 days.

 

Gotta love the middleclass...the money we do make after taxes only goes right back to taxes the next year...

 

We were on the Miracle in October, you will LOVE her, she is a great ship!

 

Your route is taking you to some great islands for beaches...if you can swing it, see if you can find a few snorkel kits online...this gives you some other options being in the water...I am sure at some place like amazon you can get some reasonably priced ones...if there are 4 of you and you get 2 you can always take turns.

 

The ship in itself is a destination also...if you don't go too far away from the ship, come back on for lunch and go back off so you don't have to spend any money for food. Most of the islands either have high end or crappy shopping so don't worry about souvenirs...just bring your camera and the pics will be the only souvenirs you need.

 

I hope you have a great time! Our first cruise we didn't care if we got off the boat we were so excited.

[rockraiders]

I hear you. We have paid for everything with cash, the cruise, airlines, hotel prior to trip... and we were working extra hours to have some money for tips and spending money. I figured we would just use little and tip well for what we do use for service. They should have just added the cost to the trip and at least people like me who will do this once in their life would see the costs up front.

 

We will deal. We have just decided not to do anything at any of the ports and use our money for tips.

 

 

Give up doing anything to pay tips? That's just crazy. You worked hard and you deserve to enjoy your vacation. You should plan some excursions and tip what you can afford. Remember tipping guidelines as just guidelines.

[Martini Mom]

That is a bummer...income tax refund coming anytime soon?

 

What ship and what ports...maybe we can help you out a bit with what to do and where to go...

 

We call it our "Government Savings Plan." ;):D

 

We e-filed our taxes and already got our refund. We used it to pay for our oldest son's week long Washington D.C. school trip (the large balance) and for our April cruise. :D

[tracyanns]

We call it our "Government Savings Plan." ;):D

 

We e-filed our taxes and already got our refund. We used it to pay for our oldest son's week long Washington D.C. school trip (the large balance) and for our April cruise. :D

 

Nice...haven't even started yet...not too excited to pay I guess...A savings plan sounds better:rolleyes:

[BluesWhenNoCruise]

Today I prepaid our tips for our upcoming 7 day on the Magic. 7 of us totaled $560ish. Looking at the amount it is pretty breathtaking as that's like, a mortgage payment but when you look at the bigger picture it's well deserved!

 

95% of the staff I've ever encountered have gone above and beyond to make our vacation wonderful. Everyone has a bad day, no ones perfect all the time and if I ever encountered a real issue I'd deal with it and have it fixed.

 

To me, the staff makes the cruise line what it is! I've always left the auto grat and will continue to do so. Anyone who has ever worked for tips knows how crappy most of the population tips or all together stiffs you so leaving the auto grat hopefully helps fill the void of the tight-wads!!

 

I'll still hand out extra cash to my room steward and MDR staff too!

[Martini Mom]

Today I prepaid our tips for our upcoming 7 day on the Magic. 7 of us totaled $560ish. Looking at the amount it is pretty breathtaking as that's like, a mortgage payment but when you look at the bigger picture it's well deserved!

 

I wish that was a mortgage payment around here! :)

[Chigirlcruzin]

I wish that was a mortgage payment around here! :)

 

I was thinking the same thing!

[tracyanns]

Today I prepaid our tips for our upcoming 7 day on the Magic. 7 of us totaled $560ish. Looking at the amount it is pretty breathtaking as that's like, a mortgage payment but when you look at the bigger picture it's well deserved!

 

95% of the staff I've ever encountered have gone above and beyond to make our vacation wonderful. Everyone has a bad day, no ones perfect all the time and if I ever encountered a real issue I'd deal with it and have it fixed.

 

To me, the staff makes the cruise line what it is! I've always left the auto grat and will continue to do so. Anyone who has ever worked for tips knows how crappy most of the population tips or all together stiffs you so leaving the auto grat hopefully helps fill the void of the tight-wads!!

 

I'll still hand out extra cash to my room steward and MDR staff too!

 

I complete agree with what you said as we always leave it on and tip extra to the waiter and assitant waiter and our room steward and some of our favorite bartender and servers.

 

But I do think there is a difference between people being a tightwad and people that can't afford to do it. I know plenty of people that afford to tip plenty and don't, they are tightwads. Then there are those that have spent all of the their money on their cruise and just don't have the budget for much else. It would be nice if CCL would actually add the tips in when you book so people that aren't aware of the tipping aren't surprised later. I actually think that since you are on the ship and you are eating and sleeping and people are cooking and serving and cleaning up after you, the tips should be mandatory...just don't call them tips...call them a service fee or charge. And then anything extra and above is a tip...(I am sure I will get flamed for that)

[tracyanns]

I wish that was a mortgage payment around here! :)

 

I know...I was thinking car payment...

[BluesWhenNoCruise]

I couldn't agree with you more! I wish the gratuity was included in the fare. Would make discussions like these go away (although it would just start up an "its too expensive!!" squabble) and the staff would get what they more than earn.

 

As for people who are on a tight budget, I can't really sympathize too much. Perhaps they should have done a little better research or put off the cruise until they could afford the grats.

 

And as for the mortgage reference, mine is less than that and will be paid off in 5 years!! I see more cruises in the future hahaha