Tipping Cab Stew at end of cruise- You?

[legalwife]

I am wondering what many of you that tip your cabin steward extra at the end of the cruise actually leave? Let's say service was good and you want to leave extra. How much do you normally leave? I am talking good service - not exceptional - as I have never but one time had anything less than good. Have had exceptional a few times and I can take care of that. Just curious what the norm is... Exceptional warrants more, I know, but I am just wondering on the good level. What are we thinking from different parts of the country?

 

Again, to be clear, I am asking what those of you who tip at end in addition to our normal gratuities. I am aware that all do not do this and that is okay.

[megmno]

Assuming the service has been excellent, we leave $20 per cabin (we usually get two cabins for our family of four).

[PAPERBKWRITER]

I give the room steward $20, the MDR waiter $10 and the assistant $10. If this thread gets a big responce I'll bet some folks will tell you they give huge tips but it makes me wonder what they really do.

[TriciaEMTB]

Slightly off topic... But I've been reading here that people budget an extra couple hundred for tips and stuff on a cruise.. That seems like a lot, and honestly I won't have THAT much extra money...Do people REALLY spend that much on tips?

 

Gosh I'm feeling cheap already.

 

That said, I plan on tipping my cabin person and budgeted for that money already.

[Prairie_Gal]

On our Alaska cruise in September we gave the cabin steward and his assistant each $20.

 

We budget $50 in extra tips per cruise and split it up between the staff that we feel deserves extra.

[maggie cruises]

Slightly off topic... But I've been reading here that people budget an extra couple hundred for tips and stuff on a cruise.. That seems like a lot, and honestly I won't have THAT much extra money...Do people REALLY spend that much on tips?

 

Gosh I'm feeling cheap already.

 

That said, I plan on tipping my cabin person and budgeted for that money already.

 

20 to the steward.....10 to 15 for the waiters...seriously that is enough.....let everyone brag about dropping 100's......either it makes them feel good..or they dont have a clue as to how to tip...or they are lying

[NeuroQueen]

I always give them $20.00 on the first day. I know people disagree with this since the service has not been rendered yet but I have always had exceptional service. I also give the luggage guys a twenty when we pull up and have always had my luggage early. I don't know if it makes a difference but I do it and hope for the best and so far it has worked. I know the luggage handlers do not work for carnival but they have always been very nice to me and have nit hounded me for tips as I have read on the boards. Guess I've been lucky. The hardest job I ever had was being a waitress while in school and I've never forgotten it...maybe that's why I'm tip-happy in the beginning. I figure it's casino money that I won't have to spend and lose, anyway.

[peabody304]

It's pretty normal for us to tip the cabin stewards $20 at the end of the cruise, and the MDR team the same.

[AnitaVacation]

It depends on service and cabin type....we leave a minimum of $20 and more for exceptional service..

our last cabin was a 2 room suite, 'regular' service, nothing exceptional...so we left him $40

The cruise in June, just a standard cabin, but Exceptional Service from the steward, so he got more....

I always tip ship workers that go 'above' standard....with the 'freestyle' or 'anytime' dining...if we get exceptional dinner service, we will tip the server directly because we may not get them again...

I make sure I bring plenty of smaller bills for tipping....

[barbgazz]

I always leave the required tips on the account and then I give the steward 20.00 when we meet him and ask him to keep my collapsible cooler full of ice for the cruise. That's all I tip extra. If I ask for anything else special, i tip accordingly.

[Winterstale]

Gave ours an extra $20 this past week for our trip on Splendor - well worth it - service was just excellent!!!

[MadMark]

We left $15 on our cruise last week. We left $20 on our cruise in July. The service in July was excellent. The service last week was just ok.

[S.S.Oceanlover]

We left $15 on our cruise last week. We left $20 on our cruise in July. The service in July was excellent. The service last week was just ok.

 

It was just ok but you still gave them extra and only $5 less than the guy who gave you excellent service?

 

Bill

 

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[Havingfun2010]

I always give them $20.00 on the first day. I know people disagree with this since the service has not been rendered yet but I have always had exceptional service. I also give the luggage guys a twenty when we pull up and have always had my luggage early. I don't know if it makes a difference but I do it and hope for the best and so far it has worked. I know the luggage handlers do not work for carnival but they have always been very nice to me and have nit hounded me for tips as I have read on the boards. Guess I've been lucky. The hardest job I ever had was being a waitress while in school and I've never forgotten it...maybe that's why I'm tip-happy in the beginning. I figure it's casino money that I won't have to spend and lose, anyway.

 

Giving a longshoreman $20 to grab your bag, and throw on a cart! I will do that for you. Just so you know, they might do that 50 times in one hour for a nice little $1000.00 bonus on top of their "average" $112,000 per year on west coast and a little less on the east where the unions are not as much in control. By the way, the airport bell caps make over $100,000.00.

 

P.S. YOur bag will not get handled any different than the the rest of us!!!

[MadMark]

It was just ok but you still gave them extra and only $5 less than the guy who gave you excellent service?

 

Bill

 

Sent from my SCH-I500 using Tapatalk

 

yeah a little inconsistent I agree. Oh well.

[ginnyanne]

Last week we tipped our room steward $20 at the beginning of the week. He rounded up a fan and an eggcrate for the bed. We gave him another $20 the night before debarkation. He was the best steward we've ever had. :)

[bobnsons]

I always give them $20.00 on the first day. I know people disagree with this since the service has not been rendered yet but I have always had exceptional service. .

 

 

I'm with you 20 up front and let them know what I want. If he is doing a good job 10 goes on Wednesday and another 20 at the end. I know it's steep but they don't make a lot to start with and we they always make us always feel special. I really don't mind paying for GREAT service.

 

However I only tip 2 bucks a bag when they load them on the carts.

 

:D

[tamirpr]

We've run the gamut of nothing extra to $50 on a 7-day where the girl was awesome and kept our cooler well-stocked with ice throughout the day.

 

We don't tip extra as a general rule. It just all depends on how the service has been. We, of course, do the standard tipping.

[BeyondKen]

I always leave a $20 tip on the bed the 1st morning. Thus ensuring promptness the rest of the cruise!

[AWCHIEF]

I have never seen a reason to pre-bribe any Carnival employee. If deserved extra may be given at the end of the cruise. How much is between myself and the person I give it too. I have never received anything but outstanding service from all the staff.

[AWCHIEF]

duplicate post for some reason.

[gusandgidgetsmom]

Normally $50.00 to the room steward, $50.00 to head waiter, $20.00 each to asst. waiters. This is above the prepaid gratuities. Only once have we given anything to the Maitre de and then only gave 20.00

[Simplertimes]

Last cruise we tipped our steward $20 the first day (2 rooms) and gave him $20 at the end. Our MDR waiter & waitress were excellent. We gave them each $60. We tipped the guys in port taking our bags, but I don't remember how much. Maybe $5-10?

 

We didn't tip the Maitre D' because we didn't even know who he was until the last night when he very enthusiastically greeted everyone coming into the MDR.

[cmoglesby]

I always give them $20.00 on the first day.

I have don this a few times but often wondered, what if by doing this they think that it is all I will give them for the week?

[mechcc]

Good service is what we expect so no extra tips from us. Exceptional service warrants the extra tips, usually $20.