Tipping

[5waldos]

Just to clarify- I forget about porters. I don't forget to tip them, I just forget to include them in thoughts about tipping.

 

Our first room steward I never saw. Didn't know who he was. However, his basic job- keeping the cabin made up, was done very nicely. Would not consider removing autotips for that but we didn't give him anything extra. (Wouldn't have known who to give it to!) Chatting up a 3 year old falls in the category of extra and beyond his job to my mind. I would tip extra for that for sure. But him not doing that does not seem in any way to not be doing his job.

[5waldos]

Do people even read the posts or just assume so they can make nasty comments?

 

In the original post he asks if prepaid tips are in place why tip more. I didn't get that he wasn't planning to tip, just not tip over the auto amounts.

 

No need to attack just because you see tip in the title.

 

That is not exactly what he says. He says that he doesn't understand why he needs to tip. What he meant and what he said were not the same thing.

[tef43]

we had a room steward on last year that, while taking good care of our room, was never seen, and never once spoke to or interacted with our 3 yr old son. We withdrew auto tips for him on that cruise because he was never serviced or spoken to in any way.

First I've ever heard that speaking to the passenger was part of the job description.

[CanadaJulie]

Also, tipping isn't really customary in many other countries. Why should it be on the cruise?

 

 

ummm... OK but you are in Texas, where tipping IS customary, so why the issues with it ?

 

You can't pick and choose your "customs" based in what it easiest/cheapest for you...

[scgamecock]

Room Service. These folks are NOT compensated for brining you that midnight hamburger. They are working for that tip!

 

I wish you could get a hamburger from Carnival's room service...

[rocking-m-cruiser]

Wow.

 

Tipping in addition to the auto-tips is not expected except with room service. It is customary to at least give them $1-2 per trip to your room.

 

With that said, these folks work very hard to help you enjoy your vacation. Personally, I tip in addition because they earn it and because it makes me feel good. :)

 

 

Very hard. Amen to that!

[S.S.Oceanlover]

That is not exactly what he says. He says that he doesn't understand why he needs to tip. What he meant and what he said were not the same thing.

 

He also said he doesnt feel comfortable tipping people for doing their jobs.

 

Bill

 

Sent from my SCH-I500 using Tapatalk

[5waldos]

He also said he doesnt feel comfortable tipping people for doing their jobs.

 

Bill

 

Sent from my SCH-I500 using Tapatalk

 

On the other hand- he leaves the autotips in place. Not the first person to somehow feel that that is not exactly tipping.

[jmeans23970]

No flaming please, but I have a question. Why does the entertainment staff get a share of the tips? When I go to shows and such on land I don't tip the performers. Just wondering, really. I don't really care, but I would rather it all go to the service employees instead of the entertainment staff. From my knowledge the entertainment staff makes a full salary.

[5waldos]

No flaming please, but I have a question. Why does the entertainment staff get a share of the tips? When I go to shows and such on land I don't tip the performers. Just wondering, really. I don't really care, but I would rather it all go to the service employees instead of the entertainment staff. From my knowledge the entertainment staff makes a full salary.

 

The ways of Carnival are not for mere mortals to understand. Many of us wonder the same- especially since from what I know they get a rather better salary than the room and dining staff.

[pjhootch]

On the other end of that, we had a room steward on last year that, while taking good care of our room, was never seen, and never once spoke to or interacted with our 3 yr old son. We withdrew auto tips for him on that cruise because he was never serviced or spoken to in any way.

 

Am I reading this wrong? The room steward took good care of the room but didn't speak to your 3 year old so you yanked the tips? That seems a bit harsh since he did his job well.

[Young-Cruiser]

1. Yeah I mean with auto tips on.

 

2. Even on my first cruise, I didn't feel comfortable tipping.

 

3. Are the room service people dedicated room service?

 

4. I guess $1 each time for room service is...acceptable. I should bring $7-$14 in ones on my next cruise I guess.

[luvtheships]

I consider myself to be the tightest of tightwads, and I would never stiff the staff of tips (if they deserve them). These people are paid EXTREMELY low wages and their entire salary is based on them being tipped for their service. That, and that alone is why they work hard. You and I may be able to perform our job based on our compensation, but they perform their job based on what they hope to be compensated for. We pay the auto tips, and usually pay on top of that. We tip the Maitre' D for assisting us, The steakhouse staff for serving us to perfection, the room steward for anything he may do extra for us other than just clean the room, etc. We ALWAYS tip those room service people, a buck or two PER PERSON ORDERING. On the other end of that, we had a room steward on last year that, while taking good care of our room, was never seen, and never once spoke to or interacted with our 3 yr old son. We withdrew auto tips for him on that cruise because he was never serviced or spoken to in any way.

IMO, if you tip the waitress at applebees a little extra for great service, then you'd be wrong for not taking the cruise staff into the same consideration.

yes..it is always nice when total strangers speak to a 3yo:rolleyes:

[H82seaUgo]

I read a book that was released in 2011 and it shed some light on the pay. Whether or not you tip is up to you but the book stated:

 

Most people on the ship work approximately 80 hours a week

Their monthly "salary" is roughly $400

Their main source of "income" comes from the tips

Sometimes servers can make $1,000 in tips for the month

 

It seems they very much depend on the tips.

 

this assumes that every worker on a ship is either a waiter or a room steward. that certainly is not true.

 

there are many people on board that are full salary that don't have access to tips, as they are neither serving you at bars, in the dining rooms, nor your stateroom.

 

not sure what the room servers fall into, but just like the guy that brings a pizza to my door, he gets a tip cause he's been "hired" to do something.i have chosen not to.

 

good question, though, is if any of the new $2 total goes their way.

[H82seaUgo]

No flaming please, but I have a question. Why does the entertainment staff get a share of the tips? When I go to shows and such on land I don't tip the performers. Just wondering, really. I don't really care, but I would rather it all go to the service employees instead of the entertainment staff. From my knowledge the entertainment staff makes a full salary.

 

exactly. this is why i plan to reallocate those $2 per person to the people i chose to tip, if any.

[crusinpsychRN]

I am not an expert, but as I understand it, the auto tips cover all service positions and some non service. This would include the room service guy.

 

Wrong. It doesn't include room service.

[PaCUfan]

Am I reading this wrong? The room steward took good care of the room but didn't speak to your 3 year old so you yanked the tips? That seems a bit harsh since he did his job well.

 

No, we tipped him. But my son did not. It seems pretty easy to blast Someone on a forum by cut and pasting words, but the point I was making was that the steward did NOTHING to care for, enhance, or better my sons stay in the room. Maybe this was based in part on our first cruise, where GSD actually told me to withdrawal cabin tips for him bc of his age, and we insisted on tipping bc every time the steward saw him he made this big deal and would make animals for him and ask about his day etc. do we expect that? Absolutely not, but if GSD advises us not to pay for a three yr old the first year, yet the steward went out of his way to earn it, then it was our expectation to get similar treatment on the same ship the next year? Rookie mistake? Maybe. But my reply to the creator of this post was to give my opinion, and in my opinion a steward who only did his very basic requirements was worth US tipping but not my son. And its not like we pocketed the money. Reread my post and see that we tipped over and beyond the regular amounts.

[PaCUfan]

WE kept our room tidy, All he had to do was make one bed and replace towels that were neatly placed in a pile by the door. That is absolutely worth his tip. But I didn't feel that it was worth my son's. I'm not a dirt bag, and nowhere except maybe now CC am I considered to be of poor class, so please, before flaming me or throwing ignorant nasty comments, keep it respectful. We can all disagree and keep it classy at the same time. But hey, that's coming from the guy who didn't tip the steward for his son who wasn't pampered, so I could be wrong :D

[H82seaUgo]

Wrong. It doesn't include room service.

 

you have a source for that with the new breakdown?

[Crusing Nut]

WE kept our room tidy, All he had to do was make one bed and replace towels that were neatly placed in a pile by the door. That is absolutely worth his tip. But I didn't feel that it was worth my son's. I'm not a dirt bag, and nowhere except maybe now CC am I considered to be of poor class, so please, before flaming me or throwing ignorant nasty comments, keep it respectful. We can all disagree and keep it classy at the same time. But hey, that's coming from the guy who didn't tip the steward for his son who wasn't pampered, so I could be wrong :D

 

 

BBM, they do more than that when they clean your room.

 

How was the room steward to make your 3 year old child cruise more enjoyable? If he would have said "Hi, young fellow" you would have left the tip in place?

[kparc]

We always tip extra, from the room stewards, waiters, bar tenders, et.al. :) The folks working on the ships don't make that much - (Check out the Travel Channel or CNN or one of the other cable channels when they air stories one hour stories on cruise ships). These folks are on board for up to 9 months - away from their families - living conditions are not ideal - and they do a heck of a job. (considering all the griping I read hear - imagine what they put up with on a daily basis!:eek:)

 

So pry open your wallets and think - but for the grace of God go I......

[pmang]

No flaming please, but I have a question. Why does the entertainment staff get a share of the tips? When I go to shows and such on land I don't tip the performers. Just wondering, really. I don't really care, but I would rather it all go to the service employees instead of the entertainment staff. From my knowledge the entertainment staff makes a full salary.

 

This is my "guess"... Any entertainers that would be getting a share of the new $2 are getting it for jobs not associated with entertaining. They now have extra side jobs that they have to do that they didn't in the past.....

 

Have you ever seen a performer in Vegas walk around the lobby wearing an "Ask Me" t-shirt giving directions??

[Folsom]

I would like yo chime in a bit.

 

I can see why the OP asked the question. On my first cruise (Princess), I never saw the room steward and thought that his/her tip was covered by the mandatory tips added to the bill at the end of the trip. Thus I never gave that person anything extra, not because I am mean, but because I did not know the expectation.

 

My second cruise I saw that Steward a few time when we ordered breakfast in our room and I gave them $2 (I think) for bringing us coffee and juice.

 

On my next cruise (22 days) I plan on just giving the person like $25-$40 on the 1st day. Is that a good idea or should I space it out?

 

Also I always had a hard time eating a meal in the MDR and NOT leaving a tip. It just seems weird to me to have a nice meal and just get up an leave. The problem I have is that $5 seems just a bit high but is convenient, $2-$3 seems low. Anyway, a little guidance would be appreciated.

 

As a side note, on my first cruise, I did not realize that tips were included in the drink prices, so I ended up leaving a buck every time, until a bartender told me that tips were already added. 5 Or 6 other bartenders were happy to take the extra cash.

 

Thanks for reading

[H82seaUgo]

This is my "guess"... Any entertainers that would be getting a share of the new $2 are getting it for jobs not associated with entertaining. They now have extra side jobs that they have to do that they didn't in the past.....

 

Have you ever seen a performer in Vegas walk around the lobby wearing an "Ask Me" t-shirt giving directions??

 

and just how have these people been getting paid prior to 11/30/11?

[pmang]

and just how have these people been getting paid prior to 11/30/11?

 

"Ask Me" t shirts are fairly new aren't they?.... If I had to do a job outside of what I was hired for, I'd expect compensation for it...