Tips Confusion - Please explain

[mefromfl]

With all these tip threads on here, I'm a little confuse on how RCL tipping works. I have been on Carnival before and they asked if we want to prepay and I always elected to do so. I have also tipped my room person and the MDR.

 

But for RCL i'm confuse

 

1. Do I need to tell them I want to pre pay or will they ask me?

2. How much per a person per day? For prepay

3. If I don't prepay, i just pay all those people at the end or daily?

 

 

thanks in advance.

[Starry Eyes]

1. If you select MTD, you must prepay tips. If you select traditional dining, you can prepay before the cruise, have the standard tips added to your shipboard account or tip in cash at the end (your choice- the first two are you active choice, the third (cash in envelopes) is the default.

2. I do not recall the current exact amount. It is different for suite vs regular cabins, and is on the website if nobody else links it.

3. Most people tip in provided envelopes at the end of the cruise. Some tip early in the cruise or as special services are provided.

[Clarea]

Waiter: $3.75 USD a day per guest

Assistant Waiter: $2.15 USD a day per guest

Head Waiter: $.75 USD a day per guest

Stateroom Attendant/Other Housekeeping Services: $5.00 USD a day per guest

Suite Attendant/Other Housekeeping Services: $7.25 USD a day per guest

 

So, if you are in a JS or lower, the total is $11.65 per day per guest. If you are in a GS or higher, the total is $13.90 per day per guest.

[firefly333]

Its $11.65, and you can just ask to prepay or not. If you dont, then during the cruise, they provide a form you can sign if you want it billed to your onboard account.

 

Or you can tip in cash.

[griffy116]

I never pre-pay prior to the cruise, just in case of an emergency cancellation. However, on the first day, when there is a calm at the Purser's Desk, I sign up for the tips to be automatically put on my account. I'm THRILLED to no longer have to be counting out cash and it also adds to my RCI credit card points for OBC on the next cruise as double points. If I want to add extra money, I put it in the envelope with the voucher you'll receive mid-week and give it to the person, whether cabin steward, waiter, etc. It's $11.65 for non-suite cabin per day. It's so much more convenient. I hate trying to interrup the waiter on the last night's service with the envelope, or looking for him as I try to leave the MDR. I also complete the survey and add extra remarks about the fabulous service. This is SO important to the staff! Please don't forget to give them kudos for the service. This is how they get time off, promotions, etc. It's really, really important to them.

[JayS]

I will be on RCCL for the first time. On my other cruises the tips were automatically added to the bill.

 

None of the tips went to the head waiter although you could on your own. On most cases the only time I saw the head waiter was tip time.:rolleyes:

 

Seems like RCCL wants to add more to the tip list.

[MaskedTurtle]

Waiter: $3.75 USD a day per guest

Assistant Waiter: $2.15 USD a day per guest

Head Waiter: $.75 USD a day per guest

Stateroom Attendant/Other Housekeeping Services: $5.00 USD a day per guest

Suite Attendant/Other Housekeeping Services: $7.25 USD a day per guest

 

So, if you are in a JS or lower, the total is $11.65 per day per guest. If you are in a GS or higher, the total is $13.90 per day per guest.

 

 

This explains why my numbers didn't add up. I didn't know about the gratuity increase when I booked a few weeks ago. I have the RCI vacation planner book and it is the "2012-2013 edition", but it has the old guidelines in it. I had planned to pre-pay the old amounts but when I had my TA apply them, she gave me a totally different number. I thought maybe I missed something. I kept adding and re-adding, but I still came up with my old numbers. I even went on RCI's website and all I found at the time were the old guidelines. I understand the increase, but I think it's a little unfair to publish a "current" book with the old guidelines and not publish an addendum or something to go with the book, or something else to give us a clue. I spoke with RCI several times before my reservation was complete, and they mentioned nothing about any changes. I guess they figured that such a small amount wouldn't make a big difference when compared to the total cruise price, and it doesn't really. It's just the principal of the whole thing. OK, getting off my soapbox now.:D

[silentbob007]

I will be on RCCL for the first time. On my other cruises the tips were automatically added to the bill.

 

None of the tips went to the head waiter although you could on your own. On most cases the only time I saw the head waiter was tip time.:rolleyes:

 

Seems like RCCL wants to add more to the tip list.

 

To be fair, the head waiter on RCI is slightly different than the maitre'd on other lines. They are in charge of training the staff and maintaining quality ... so while they may not have direct interaction (though most do), the few dollars they receive does not seem out of line.

[cruzsnooze]

When did the room steward go up to $5 that's a bit high in my opinion, especially when it's 2 people in a cabin so $10 per day?

[emilygrace]

If you receive good service (or better) every night in the dining room then the head waiter HAS done something for you by training his staff properly and overseeing everything in his area.

[Clarea]

When did the room steward go up to $5 that's a bit high in my opinion, especially when it's 2 people in a cabin so $10 per day?

The increase took effect July 1, 2011.

[firefly333]

I didnt think $5 pp per day for cabin steward was out of line. I just paid it willingly last week. She did a lot for us.

 

PS even if the increase didnt go into effect until July, it was announced long enough ago, that most people who are on CC probably have known about it since the announcement, so thats why they would not know to tell you it increased.

[MaskedTurtle]

I must have been out of the loop on the gratuities increase thing. No big deal. Out of curiosity, does anyone know if there was a cc thread about it? I would like to figure out where I was that I missed it. Thanks.

[dodgeball24]

It's done and out of the way, if not like someone stated late afternoon set up your departure time and pay at the pursur's desk