About being cheap

[bodog402]

Understanding that the economy is in terrible shape and everyone wants to save a buck during their cruise, I personally have a "pet peeve" with those cruiser's who are just :mad:CHEAP:mad: !

My biggest pet peeve with those cheap cruiser's are those who remove all the auto-tips indicating that tipping should be voluntary based upon service and in reality these cheap cruisers really never tip at all !

What’s your experience involving the cheap cruiser ?

Thanks:)

[thekings23]

The only cheap thing I do on vacation is book a cheap cabin. We did an interior last year, and a PT room this year. Our S&S bill can usually buy us a couple balcony rooms though.

[dillonsmimi]

I am sure these cheepos are not going unpunished.

The cruising world is actually quite small and word gets around.

 

mimi

[truchattycathy]

OK I consider myself a cheap cruiser, but I would NEVER remove auto-tips. I tip in addition to auto-tips. I just save in other ways, including booking inside rooms with three or four to a room. I really think those that remove auto-tips are not necessarily cheap, they are just trying to get out of tips. I would like to know what their S&S bills are. Mine are always low, as in $100-$150 for a seven day cruise, and that includes my auto-tips.

 

Signed, Cheap but pays her own way!

[Jolimont]

I have a suspicion that those who don't auto-tip also don't tip at all, but I can't bring evidence of that and I'm a big fan of evidence. There are folks on CC and all over the internet who complain about bad service at the drop of a hat. To me, if someone serves me--even if they don't do it with a smile and they forget some things I asked for, even if they forget to kiss my rear appropriately--if they serve me, they deserve to be paid. And the sad thing is, if we don't tip, they don't get paid. So I always auto-tip and give extra to those who make me smile.

[alexieb]

To eliminate the "cheap" people why can't Carnival just charge a gratuity onto the price of your cruise thus eliminating the ability to remove it from your sign and sail. They auto charge gratuities at the bar, why not do a general auto charge gratuity and be done with it once and for all!

[bonniemari]

On our first cruise in 1997 (Carnival Sensation back when it was doing 7 day/pre auto tips) we were seated at dinner with 2 other couples. We had a nice week, even did a couple of excursions together and had a great time at dinner and had wonderful and attentive waiters. The night before the last night at dinner they told us how much they enjoyed meeting us, yada, yada, yada but wanted to say bye cause they would not be there the last night. They even told us why-cause they did not want to spend the money and tip. I was appalled that there were people that would actually do this-not to mention say it out loud.

I will never forget these 2 couples. The men were police officers from upstate NY. Although I know not every police officer from that town (mid size town) were cheap like these folks but, over the years, everytime I hear a news report mentioning the police force of their town the thought of the police officers in that town being cheap pops into my head.

[papilliontraveler]

Who really cares what anyone else does? Just go and do what you do and enjoy your trip. That is the problem with this world, everyone worrying about what everyone else is doing.

 

And for the record(because I am sure on here someone will accuse me of it) we do autotip, we prepay gratuities before we leave.

[Yazoo cruiser]

We were on a cruise when a hurricane approached and we were at sea an extra two days, same food, service and entertainment. I happened to walk by the purser's desk where 30-40 people were loudly complaining. Being curious, I watched and they were complaining because we were being charged $10 a day for the stewards and wait staff, the only extra charge for our two extra days. Talk about cheap and inconsiderate, that's it.

[dillonsmimi]

Good Lord, Alex!

Then we would have to hear from the whiners letting us know that they WILL NEVER CRUISE CARNIVAL AGAIN!

 

mimi

[familycruzr]

To eliminate the "cheap" people why can't Carnival just charge a gratuity onto the price of your cruise thus eliminating the ability to remove it from your sign and sail. They auto charge gratuities at the bar, why not do a general auto charge gratuity and be done with it once and for all!

 

I agree.

[bodog402]

Thanks for the replies, but allow me to clarify that I in no way meant that being financially frugal is the same as being cheap. I was pointing out that many cruisers simply try to scam their way while cruising such as not tipping, such as buying one soda card for an entire family, such as frivolously exaggerated complaints solely in order to seek free underserved compensation from the cruise lines and those seeking free parking at the port since they are handicapped! These are the cheap cruisers I am upset about since the rest of us will need to pay for their vacation!

[Sauer-kraut]

To eliminate the "cheap" people why can't Carnival just charge a gratuity onto the price of your cruise thus eliminating the ability to remove it from your sign and sail. They auto charge gratuities at the bar, why not do a general auto charge gratuity and be done with it once and for all!

 

Because if the auto tip is included in the cruise fare you'll be paying TAX on it.

 

Leave it the way it is, but then when the auto tip is removed that person needs to go to each and every person it would affect and tell them personally why it was removed. (They can then and there hand out the cash tip as well). :D

[luv cruising 007]

THNK GOD I havent run into a person who takes off the auto-tip & would say that, I might not be able to holdback a salty tongue lashing if I saw them! That auto-tip is automatic in my book & if I really like a couple areas of service better I will hand tip them cash on to of the auto-tip! I cant say I spend lots of money on drinks or everything under the sun but I would never be cheap like that!

[cschultz]

Thanks for the replies, but allow me to clarify that I in no way meant that being financially frugal is the same as being cheap. I was pointing out that many cruisers simply try to scam their way while cruising such as not tipping, such as buying one soda card for an entire family, such as frivolously exaggerated complaints solely in order to seek free underserved compensation from the cruise lines and those seeking free parking at the port since they are handicapped! These are the cheap cruisers I am upset about since the rest of us will need to pay for their vacation!

 

Do you get free parking at the port if you are handicapped?

[bonniemari]

Who really cares what anyone else does? Just go and do what you do and enjoy your trip. That is the problem with this world, everyone worrying about what everyone else is doing.

 

And for the record(because I am sure on here someone will accuse me of it) we do autotip, we prepay gratuities before we leave.

 

It really doesn't bother me what other people do and how they choose to spend (or in this case not spend) their money. What gets me is people that have no shame and are loud and proud of the fact that they are cheap. If you choose to smuggle, not tip, share a soda card, sneak food off the ship or borrow your mother's handicap placard to avoid paying for parking don't be so proud of it. Don't sit there at dinner or at the bar and tell me about it. It just makes you (general you) look bad.

 

And yes the complete stranger that bragged about his mother's handicap placard just about sent me over the edge.

[bitemyfly]

There Are unfortunately stingy selfish people out there

while the economy might spur some of that, it's most often the people,their outlook on things/ life

When I was younger I was a waiter. Been stiffed many times. Nothing to do with the service, nor due to if they had money or not

It's just the way they were

Stingy

Kinda sad for them. Going thru life like Ebinzer Scrooge

[stefs111]

FYI......you can't just use a handicapped placard to get free parking. Take, like, Miami,

you need the hanging placard and the handicapped registration that goes with your license, and the name on the license and the registration must be the same. I think you need the same in FLL and Port Canavaral, but in addition to that information, you have to have a handicapped lift or carrier attached to your vehicle.

 

We always leave our auto tips on, and then get the envelopes for additional tips to our room steward and our waiters. They work so hard. DH used to work in a tipping position, so he overtips wherever we go. Our son picked up the habit and he overtips too !

[mcwebber]

To eliminate the "cheap" people why can't Carnival just charge a gratuity onto the price of your cruise thus eliminating the ability to remove it from your sign and sail. They auto charge gratuities at the bar, why not do a general auto charge gratuity and be done with it once and for all!

 

The same reason they don't get rid of or change a lot of things, some people like it the way it is. They don't want to risk losing them.

[mcwebber]

FYI......you can't just use a handicapped placard to get free parking. Take, like, Miami,

you need the hanging placard and the handicapped registration that goes with your license, and the name on the license and the registration must be the same. I think you need the same in FLL and Port Canavaral, but in addition to that information, you have to have a handicapped lift or carrier attached to your vehicle.

 

They aren't that careful. A lot of disabled people are not obviously disabled. Maybe they have emphysema and can't walk great distances. They don't need a wheelchair or lift as evidence of that.

[bodog402]

Do you get free parking at the port if you are handicapped?

 

Yes, at least the Port Of Miami offers free parking with an official handicapped parking decal. I agree 100 % that a handicapped person deserves a premium parking spot to avoid a long walk, but I just can’t understand why a handicapped person should be allowed to park at the port free?

[mcwebber]

Do you get free parking at the port if you are handicapped?

 

If the parking is owned by the government, you do.

[mnsawyer]

Anyone can do what they want but a couple of things really irk me. In addition, I am not cheap but I am very frugal with money. Thus, the reason why we can afford pre-post hotels along with balcony cabins. To us, if one can't afford to fly down a day before from the Northeaster along with a nice cabin, then save your money and stay home until another year. That is just our opinions...know everyone is different. Many people bring booze on board (big pet peeve with us) and stay in an inside cabin and never spend a cent on anything else.

[angiegal]

I remember reading on here (some time last year) a guy who said "wait until the last day of the cruise to remove your tips! Then you still get the same service because they don't know!" It was around the time the pic of the list of those who remove their auto tips surfaced. We always prepay our tips and tip our room steward a bit each day. Wait staff, camp carnival staff, etc. we tip at the end of the week. But, I have yet to tip the maitre de. In three cruises, I've never actually met one in person:confused:

[bodog402]

I am also upset about those who failed to purchase vacation insurance and the moment something goes wrong, they beg for assistance from the cruise lines and complain on these boards about poor customer service since the cruise lines are unable to help !