Tipping Cab Stew at end of cruise- You?

[Newbie Cruzer Newlyweds]

How much are the pre charged gratuities? Just so I know what I'm paying them already, and can add to this reasonably.

[Colorado Kat]

Is there only 1 cabin steward? On our last cruise in June, I swear we had a cabin steward, and an assistant steward. Maybe the assistant was in training?

 

Last year, on our back-2-back I had found out that our waiter/waitress were married to each other. They were great, so I left an additional tip. On our second week, the waitress saw me on the pool deck, and gave me a big hug and thanked me for the tip. I don't recall how much extra I left, but it was probably $20 or $40 for the couple, from 3 of us. She was a sweet girl.

[Corby114]

Usually give the cabin steward an additional twenty dollars at the end of our cruise. The waiter and the assistant waiter normally get an additional twenty dollars too and any bar servers that give extra service get an additional tip. Most Carnival employees are thankful for the extra tip and explain that the money goes a long way to help their families back home. I don't know of any Americans here in New Jersey that would work as hard as these people do day in and day out on the ships.

[norcalal]

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!!!

 

I would be interested in hearing what facts you base these statements on.

Those Long Shore-men that do the bag handling, are working out of a hiring hall and in order to make those wages, they must work every day. This simply does not happen to the average guy. They are not on salary, its no work...no pay. I am happy to give them a couple bucks a bag.

[larkz]

$50 on the second or third day to the steward, and I don't want anything special. Do his/her job, and enjoy the extra money.

 

$20/$10 to the waiter/helper in the dining room. $10 or $20 for each excursion. Lots of singles or fives here and there.

 

It all adds up to about $200. I don't drink, gamble, buy stuff on the ship, or visit the pay restaurants, so other than excursions and maybe a handmade craft or piece of art, I don't have any other expenses.

[spcopps]

We gave our cabin steward a 20 on the 2nd day and then another 20 the last morning of the cruise..so $40 total for him. Now keep in mind we have 3 small children and ANYBODY who can pick up after them deserves the money :D

[CruisinKelly]

Depends on the service we receive. One cruise our steward was exceptional and we gave him $40.00, one cruise the steward was awful, never filled the ice - actually didn't clean our room at all on two days - didn't tip him any extra and wrote let Carnival know about this substandard steward. Most of the time, the room steward does a good job and we give him/her an extra $20. If they do anything special for us by our request we will tip them extra at that time also ($5 or $10).

[treasure4two]

Unless we have special requests during the week to our cabin steward, we only give about $10 and give the biggest extra tips to our dining room servers. My husband like to eat alot and has special requests and when we find servers that treat us good, we do so in return. On the last cruise, we found a great young lady from the Phillipines who we asked for at breakfast and lunch and actually tipped her $40 plus our regular guys at night. Really depends on the service, never a standard amount. Also, we tip the maitre d's if they check on us nightly and do something special.

My husband loves the raisin bread/loaf at dinner and the last three cruises(CCL and Princess), from the second night on, it was waiting for us-made him happy!!

[DEL67]

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.

 

Of course, there are the "standard" tips that are added to your account. Other than that, how much you spend depends on you. As many have indicated on this thread, it is not unusual for people to give theri cabin stewards, waiters, etc something beyond the standard tip; however, it is not required. Other optional things that can add to your tab:

 

- Drinks (liquor, wine, soda, bottled water, etc.)

- Shore excursions

- Photographs

- Casino

- Speciality restaurants

- Shops

- Art auctions

- etc, etc.

 

Some people spend hundreds, even thousands on these optional things. Others spend very little, if anything.

[beerman2]

Newbie Cruzr

 

10.00 per person per day 7 day cruise 70.00 per person. I'm thinking of pre-paying this year to avoid seeing that 140.00 on S & S the first day. IMHO the crew does a very good job. Another thought for all by giving some extra cash directly to the the cabin stewart or any employee that is their money with only you and them knowing about it.

[maggie cruises]

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?

 

just say that you will be sure to see them at the end of the week as well...dont worry they will be right outside your door on the morning of debark...however early or late you choose to leave.

[TriciaEMTB]

Of course, there are the "standard" tips that are added to your account. Other than that, how much you spend depends on you. As many have indicated on this thread, it is not unusual for people to give theri cabin stewards, waiters, etc something beyond the standard tip; however, it is not required. Other optional things that can add to your tab:

 

- Drinks (liquor, wine, soda, bottled water, etc.)

- Shore excursions

- Photographs

- Casino

- Speciality restaurants

- Shops

- Art auctions

- etc, etc.

 

Some people spend hundreds, even thousands on these optional things. Others spend very little, if anything.

 

 

 

I understand the autotips. I have already paid them. I understand the other stuff. Not too worried. I already bought the excursion, plan on getting the soda card, don't drink alcohol, don't like getting my picture taken don't gamble etc..

 

I was concerned because I have seen threads where people ask what to bring and some people suggest like "$200 in ones and fives". Holy heck! $200! I had planned like an extra $20-30 for steward/waiter and like $4 for the porters. See where I feel cheap? And as I had to save and work ot to pay for my cruise, excursions, odds and ends (camera, luggage, etc.) And I am a month out...$200 is out of my reach. I am poor, $200 is a lot of extra money :)

[DEL67]

I understand the autotips. I have already paid them. I understand the other stuff. Not too worried. I already bought the excursion, plan on getting the soda card, don't drink alcohol, don't like getting my picture taken don't gamble etc..

 

I was concerned because I have seen threads where people ask what to bring and some people suggest like "$200 in ones and fives". Holy heck! $200! I had planned like an extra $20-30 for steward/waiter and like $4 for the porters. See where I feel cheap? And as I had to save and work ot to pay for my cruise, excursions, odds and ends (camera, luggage, etc.) And I am a month out...$200 is out of my reach. I am poor, $200 is a lot of extra money :)

 

Do not worry then. I do not believe that most people tip extravengantly and some people not only do not tip anything extra, but even remove the automatic tips. I usually bring about $50 for porters, excursion guides, taxi's, etc. and usually have some left over at the end of the trip.

[H82seaUgo]

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.

 

i've never known how someone could even measuer that their bed was made better, or their walls were scrubbed cleaner, of the floor was vacuumed better. i have always tipped what was recommended.

[RuthlessBoss]

I understand the autotips. I have already paid them. I understand the other stuff. Not too worried. I already bought the excursion, plan on getting the soda card, don't drink alcohol, don't like getting my picture taken don't gamble etc..

 

I was concerned because I have seen threads where people ask what to bring and some people suggest like "$200 in ones and fives". Holy heck! $200! I had planned like an extra $20-30 for steward/waiter and like $4 for the porters. See where I feel cheap? And as I had to save and work ot to pay for my cruise, excursions, odds and ends (camera, luggage, etc.) And I am a month out...$200 is out of my reach. I am poor, $200 is a lot of extra money :)

I don't tip huge either. $2 a bag to handlers (add that up per handler for 6 hours, that's more than I make a day). $15 max for room attendant (multiply that out too), $10 for meal servers, sometimes their assistants.

Sorry, tips are great, yes they work, no I won't work a whole week so I can give out huge tips. No one tips me for my work.

[elcuchio24]

I usually give $10 on the first day, and if the service has been good $10 on the last day.

[near the beach]

We tips $5 to $10 to porters who take the luggage out of the car and put it in the piles to go on to the ship. We may pay more after the cruise if the porter takes the luggage to our car. We tip three or four dollars each night from room service. We usualy have a large order. We always pay the suggested amout for tips on our sail & sign account. We frequently pre pay the amount. We tip our cabin steward an extra ten to twenty five dollars at the cruise depending on the length of the cruise and the service we received. I have never seen a cabin steward assisant. In the main dining room we may tip the assistan waiter more than the head waiter depending on service. Also the bus boy or what ever his job title is. I have noticed that now we have three workers at our table.We have not yet ever tiped the matrie d. Has anyone ever tiped in a currency other than US dollars? The amounts listed could reach $150 for a week of exceptional service.

[Yvonne]

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.

 

It does add up quicker than you might think. We probably spend about that much, don't really keep track though. But when you factor in shuttle service from the airport to the hotel, then from the hotel to the port, porters at the cruise port, room service, guides on excursions, etc. it does add up.

 

If we have had great service on the ship we leave our auto gratuities and then we give an extra $20 to the stateroom attendant, $20 to our waiter, and $10 to the assistant waiter. We also give an extra cash tip now and then to favorite bar servers. Oh, and if the Maitre'd stops by our table nightly we give an extra $10 to that person as well.

[LemurCat]

$20 bucks a head at the end of the cruise. I rarely tip the MDR staff as they're covered in the auto-tips. I don't tip the MD, as I'm not requesting a special service from him. I usually tip a buck a tray for room service.

 

I do tip what inevitably becomes my "local" bar on the ship to ensure a long pour.

[legalwife]

i've never known how someone could even measuer that their bed was made better, or their walls were scrubbed cleaner, of the floor was vacuumed better. i have always tipped what was recommended.

 

I can always tell when my bed has been made well or the sheets are just sort of tucked in casually. Don't know about wall scrubbing :eek: Vacumming has been pretty standard for me but not real picky about that as long as it looks clean.

 

I can also always tell when my cabin steward has gone above and beyond - like keeping my ice bucket filled, bringing glasses to go with my wine or champagne, extra toiletries instead of just leaving it empty when allotment used, extra towels when requested without batting an eye, taking my laundry with assurance that it will be returned as requested and done so, askin ghow our day was and what we did, just making an effort to show they care (and I have had a couple that were just grumpy the whole time so I definitely notice this). Simply put, little things that let you know they are taking care of you and it is not a hassle for them to do so.

 

We have been on quite a few cruises and have received standard procedure - also known as good service - and on others have received service above and beyond and what I call "excellent".

 

Thanks to all of you for posting on this so we get a general idea of what we are all thinking.

[halos]

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!!!

 

 

If you don't want to tip them, that's fine but why get so upset with people that do???

 

Weird how some people get UPSET when others are generous.... :rolleyes:

[JerseyshoreBruce]

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.

We always tip 50.00 thats one person who deserves all they get...never had a bad cabin steward yet!

[usafchick1980]

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.

 

This is exactly what we do. And we don't tip the Maitre D'. We were going to this time because of extenuating circumstances but then we couldn't find her after dinner. So we didn't.

[JerseyshoreBruce]

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

Thats exactly what we do but no i have never tipped the Maitre'de at all......unless you ask a big favor from them at the begining of the cruise you never meet them till the last night. Which is only done basically begging for a tip. Besides auto tips i would not hammer anyone for not tipping extra but i do because they work hard for not much money.....and i do disrespect the people who go to the Purser's desk to remove the pre-paid gratuities...thats just sick!

[Harbie]

We went on our first cruise last year and we had exceptional service. We had adjoining cabins so we left $50.00 per cabin. They do alot of work those seven days for us, always had fun with them leaving jokes in our cabin and we did things back as well. They always kept the fridge stocked and supplies and just genuinely nice folks. So that is what we left for our group of five.:)