Tipping from a cruise staff perspective

[Jimnbigd]

...For a poster to think that the auto tip is a scam is just baseless. I am surprise that this "scam" works, I wonder why it is not implemented on hotels and train travels, restaurant and other service based industry....

Sorry for the late reply...I'm just now reading this thread. As already mentioned, many restaurants automatically add a tip (lately 18%) for groups of 6 or more. And hotel room service charges, what, a service charge and delivery charge, in addition to more than double the price to start with. Now if we want to complain about something, let's complain why a hotel room service hamburger costs nearly $20 with all of the extra charges.

 

Question: Do ship room service waiters get to pocket their tips, or are these pooled?

[luddite]

On NCL, room service is a voluntary job for the crew. It isn't part of their job description. They keep the tips.

[printingchick]

Do you know how the extra tips work on bar tabs? Many of us end up with a "favorite pool bar server" and make a point of ordering from that same person. The bar service crew seem to like and encourage this practice. If I add extra tip directly on the bill when I sign for the drinks, does THAT tip go directly to THAT server, or does it go into a pool? I always assumed it went to the specific staff member and that explained why they encouraged passengers to order specifically from them.

 

Does anyone have the answer to this?

 

Thanks!

[Bowie MeMe]

Sorry not trying to stir anything up... My main question was about when to tip. I haven't been on lots of cruises..just a few... I was just reading people saying that we auto-tipped and that was enough. We did that but extra.. and the 20 -30 remark was because on a 7 day cruise those amounts work out to less than 5 dollars a day. To some of the hardest working people I have ever met. I am sure that 12 per person per day adds up to a tidy sum with a ship that has 2,000 people on board.. I have always tipped the last day or night and I will continue to do so.. Like I said just reading from here I feel that the just going the auto tip and that is all is stiffing those who pay special attention to our needs, with a smile on their face. I have traveled alot in the last few years. I work in Afghanistan and go somewhere for R&R every 4 months. I have observed some very rude Americans and it is a pet peeve of mine. No wonder we are hated the world over. Maybe I should just shut up and lurk here on the boards. Half the fun is participating though.

D

 

For all you know the person that peels and cuts the potatoes is a smiling happy person and would also enjoy the tip.Being the face that passengers see gets them extra money but if so many others were not doing their jobs well and on time your waiter and your steward would not be happy and would not be doing well. Can't clean the rooms if there are no towels to replace the dirty with. Can't serve a quick lunch and cold drink if someone doesn't bring the ice to the dining room and switches the coke tanks so have syrup and fizzy water. The management is doing something right because MOST of the time things go smoothly and happen as they should for all 3,000 customers on board. MOST people judge that THEIR waiter and THEIR steward are excellent even when they complain that the service food etc is going down overall:rolleyes:

 

My SIL the hotel manager says to tip daily because different staff clean different areas each day. It is still best to hand the money to the person or I write a note on the pad and say this is for the one who cleaned the room so well. Technically unless you indicate that it is for the person who served you or unless you hand it personally to the person they are not to take the money -- against their rules for "self tipping opportunities"

[Cruise staff]

hey guys....just checking back on the thread I started. Just wanted to let you know that I just got back from my contract. Heading out again soon. Sorry if I have not replied to anyone at the moment. I am just going through the thread.

[shugey]

OK, just one question ...

 

I always tip extra, much to the chagrin of my wife. She says we are paying $24 per day as a couple, and that should be plenty. I have to sneak to give out extra tips.

 

HOWEVER, $24 a day does seem like a lot. Obviously I've missed something - does the extra tips indeed supplement the crew's income? If you tip zilch extra, does that mean the room steward, for example, has done a poor job? Or does that mean that he has certainly been adequate, just not exemplary?

 

Don't know - just wondering.

[PBC29]

I always leave the auto tips on (although considered removing it afew times) but get alittle miffed the final night in the MDR when some of the staff go around talking about their families and one table they'll say they have no kids and a wife while at others they'll say they have a wife and bunch of kids.

 

We all know they want the extra tips but why lie about having more kids.

 

I've had one cabin steward after thanking and handing them the extra $$ not say a word turn around and run down the hall. I assume they went to put it in their own safe place not in a pooled tip jar but have no idea. None of the other stewards were doing it after getting their extra tips.

 

Personally I find it interesting to see how many people skip the final night in MDR I'd guess probably 1/2 that is because they don't want to give an extra tip.

[Azulann]

Shugey,

I look at the gratuities which I gladly pay as a service charge, for all those who help keep my stateroom clean with fresh towels, ice, clean glasses, ice water, etc;and the wait staff who sets the table, serves the food, cleans the table, refill my water glass, etc.

I give tips both on the drink charge beyond the 15% when I get good service from a particular waiter in a bar or at the pool. I give UDS to many of these folks on the last day and evening and thank them for a wonderful cruise.

If you notice, your head waiter will be also working the buffet in the morning or MDR, breakfast or lunch plus being your head waiter at dinner. Our Waiter on our 15 day cruise had only 2 days off and that was during the day. He was alway working the first and second seating in the MDR. And he said he ususally caught up on his sleep. The crew works very hard and I think their pay is very low by American Standards.

[sun~]

 

HOWEVER, $24 a day does seem like a lot. Obviously I've missed something - does the extra tips indeed supplement the crew's income? If you tip zilch extra, does that mean the room steward, for example, has done a poor job? Or does that mean that he has certainly been adequate, just not exemplary?

 

Don't know - just wondering.

 

How could you possibly think $12 pp per day is a lot? Do you ever eat in a sit down restaurant?

 

If you go out for even a basic breakfast, assume you spend $20 or a little less for two, a cheap tip is $3, a decent tip is $5. Go out for a nothing special lunch at a chain restaurant, pay $38 for two, again $6 for an average tip. Go out for a nice meal, in a decent restaurant (not high end), spend $70, add on a $12 tip. So for the three meals (no snacks or stops to the buffet) the tip are about $21 for basic tips with ok service. At this point no one has made your bed, cleaned your room, cleaned your bathroom and vacuumed.

 

Now I pay my cleaning lady $25 an hour (the low side of the going rate in my area), I tip on average 17%. We eat in high end restaurants, so we can spend way over the $21. Cruising is a very cheap vacation. HSC or gratuities on ships are peanuts.

 

For folks who just can't grasp the concept that the reason that the HSC is separate as it will be part of income of the cruise line, therefore taxable, will never understand how much extra a cruise would be if those charges were added to the fare.

 

If you really have bad service (which is pretty darned rare) talk to the crew members manager immediately. If you insist on being a sneaky b*****d and remove tips at the end, take it off for the one meal that you had service issues. If the $2 back to you gives you satisfaction, whatever :rolleyes:

 

If you have to nit pick over pennies on a cruise, you truly cannot afford to cruise.

[mellon1]

Great way to explain the tipping. A couple could not eat breakfast, lunch, dinner for less tipping, unless you eat McD's fast food. We always tip over and above our waiter, head waiter, assistant waiter and room steward, and have always gotten excellent service, even though people don't know we were tipping extra until the end of the cruise.

 

I could never be a waiter/waitress or room steward.

 

My nieces were waitresses and said how families would come in and she waited on them hand and foot and they don't leave a tip.

 

Something is wrong that people don't realize the proper thing to do.

[HimAndMeGoCruising]

First, I consider the tips to be part of the price of the cruise, but it is a cost I don't have to pay until I actually go on the trip (i.e. it doesn't have to be paid 180 or 90 days in advance). So it is a benefit to me to not have to pay until I receive the service.

 

Second, the first time I took my father on a cruise, I was worried to tell him about the auto tips since he was notoriously frugal. I figured it would upset him to know about the additional cost and might even ruin his cruise. At the end of the cruise, he asked me how much the auto tips were and I told him. He told me it wasn't nearly enough and left extra cash himself. He couldn't believe how nice everyone was to him and our family and how they cared so much to make our trip so special and he thought they deserved more. We went on several more cruises and each time it touched my heart to see how much the kindness of the staff touched him.

 

I will always leave auto tips on and give extra to the special staff that showed how much they cared.

[fuelerdude]

I am glad I happened upon this thread. I will be going on my second cruise this coming August, and I didn't see the reason why I should do the auto tip. I thought everyone on the ship would receive a decent wage and not rely on tips so much with the exceptions of wait staff, cleaning, bartenders.....everyone you come into contact with daily. Now I know it's supplementing wages of all and giving to all (even those who are behind the scenes), and the other tips we normally give out are truly tips to those who have given exceptional service.

 

It would be nice if all of the cruise lines would include this in with the price of the cruise and up staff pay accordingly. The employees should not have to suffer a loss in pay for services rendered due to some not wanting to pay the "tips", or for other reasons beyond employee control......

 

Now for a story on this subject..

 

On my first cruise I dined with 2 couples, and they seemed very nice. On the 6th night of the 7 night cruise one of the couples informed me they would not be dining with us on the last night and said their goodbyes, as well as stating "We NEVER pay tips to anyone." All else at the table was appalled at this as our waitstaff had been top notch all week, plus this couple was very demanding. The last night they didn't show up, and you could tell it kind of deflated our waitstaff. I only hope not too many people don't do the same thing as I can see this turning great staff into those who no longer care as they used to.

[skoeper]

I'm sorry to change the angle here, but because you are staff, I thought you might know the answer to my question (or be able to direct me to an answer).

 

My husband and I usually leave lots of clothes at the end of the cruise. I'm not talking torn, stained clothing, but clothing we don't want to bring back with us.

 

Does the staff even WANT our clothes? Should we just put them in the garbage? If the staff should want them, would they even be allowed to accept them if we left them in the cabin with a note that we no longer want the clothing? (So the ship doesn't try to mail them back to us) :D We certainly don't want anyone to get in trouble.

 

I'd love to hear what you feel as a crew member :)

 

Thanks!

[Alphen]

From a crewmembers perspective, what would just tip amounts be for instance for a 7 days cruise for the dining room attendants and your cabin attendants? I have no idea what a reasonable amount should be, without insulting the person unintended, while trying to make a gesture of honest appreciation.

[LHT28]

Now for a story on this subject..

 

On my first cruise I dined with 2 couples, and they seemed very nice. On the 6th night of the 7 night cruise one of the couples informed me they would not be dining with us on the last night and said their goodbyes, as well as stating "We NEVER pay tips to anyone." All else at the table was appalled at this as our waitstaff had been top notch all week, plus this couple was very demanding. The last night they didn't show up, and you could tell it kind of deflated our waitstaff. I only hope not too many people don't do the same thing as I can see this turning great staff into those who no longer care as they used to.

This is one reason the cruise line now have the auto tip method

Of course people can still opt out but the cruise line wants to know why you want to remove the tip

I have heard where people will wait until the last night to remove the auto tip so the crew will not give them bad service during the cruise

The crew is given a list of those not in the tip pool ;)

[bes391]

I have read every post in this thread and I am upset by the number of cheapskates there are. Would you go to a nice restaurant for dinner and drinks and then leave NO TIP? If the answer to this is "yes", then you have no business eating out.

The same thing applies to cruising. If you remove the tips from your account then you are a cheapskate, plain and simple. These are the same people who complain because the elevators are too slow, or the soup isn't hot enough, or the music is too loud/too soft/too fast/to slow/whatever. Negative people are unhappy people.

If service is not up to par tell someone right away so that the problem can be corrected. Removing auto tips is not the solution to any problem. Don't try to rationalize your cheapness with any of the lame excuses in this thread.

Removing auto tips is mean spirited, cheap, low and dirty. Mostly cheap.

If you truly cannot afford the 10.50 per day then maybe you should just stay home and save up until you can afford a vacation.

[Warmer Climes]

i have read every post in this thread and i am upset by the number of cheapskates there are. Would you go to a nice restaurant for dinner and drinks and then leave no tip? If the answer to this is "yes", then you have no business eating out.

The same thing applies to cruising. If you remove the tips from your account then you are a cheapskate, plain and simple. These are the same people who complain because the elevators are too slow, or the soup isn't hot enough, or the music is too loud/too soft/too fast/to slow/whatever. Negative people are unhappy people.

If service is not up to par tell someone right away so that the problem can be corrected. Removing auto tips is not the solution to any problem. Don't try to rationalize your cheapness with any of the lame excuses in this thread.

Removing auto tips is mean spirited, cheap, low and dirty. Mostly cheap.

If you truly cannot afford the 10.50 per day then maybe you should just stay home and save up until you can afford a vacation.

 

yes yes yes

[toberman]

When I first started cruising I didn't know what or how the auto tips were handled, so I did some reading.. mostly here on CC and made these very rough calculations - I used rounded #'s to make it easy for me to understand what I was trying to determine.

 

Lets say 3000 pax on a ship at $10 per day auto tip (low but easy to calculate) = $30,000 per day X 7 days = $210,000. Now, 1000 staff = $210 per person tips. We all know not all the staff get in on the auto tips so lets say $300pp per week. A Steward will have maybe 15 cabins = $20 per cabin per week!!

 

Why not just add it to the base fare? Possibly because the company would then have to pay corporate tax on this revenue - maybe 20% - thus decreasing the amount the staff get by same 20%... puts them down to $240/wk, or $16 per cabin/week .. or go smaller - just a little over $2/day to clean the cabin twice a day - $1 per visit.

 

And people want to take this away?? :mad: My numbers are all guesstimates, but anybody can try to figure it out.

[Spinner2]

Thank you, Toberman, for your ideas. I think there are two reasons that I can think of for why not add it to the base fare--as appealing as that would be to many of us who don't like to see that through no fault of their own some service workers are unlucky enough to serve some passengers who never tip as a matter of principle:

 

First, many people shop on price. Unless all of the major cruise lines agreed to this custom it's a misleading price comparison if one line includes the gratuities and a similar line does not, but would (for simplicity's sake) charge the same amount as a hotel service charge. It appears that the second option is more expensive when in reality they are essentially priced the same.

 

Second: What income tax would be owed in their home countries if crew members' present gratuities become part of salary? It would differ from country to country which could be an accounting nightmare.

 

Toberman mentioned the accounting possibility of a corporate that would need to restate increased income based on increased fares (to account for the increased crew salary) but presumably that would essentially be a pass-through as the additional income would be an item on the expenses side of the ledger (salary is an expense against income). But travel agents who are paid a percentage of sales would see a slight increase that wasn't really an increased sale; it's just that an expense was being restated as income. It's confusing in the USA because of the custom that service industry income is often a small base plus gratuities, even though there are many among us who would rather just see a "living wage" as opposed to the present system. It's so ingrained into the culture that a change seems unlikely.

[MoYerclan]

One steward on long cruises who I think gets overlooked is the young man who brings around the iced tea, lemonade, and water on the Lower Promenade Deck. He also takes care of putting the cushions out and taking them in during the late afternoon. If he serves you frequently, one might consider a small gratuity at the end of the cruise. On the Amsterdam, I gave the gentleman his envelope with my thanks for his service and he nearly went into shock!

 

What fun that is to be able to share appreciation with those that probably do often get overlooked. You probably made that young man's month a lot happier!

[toberman]

Second: What income tax would be owed in their home countries if crew members' present gratuities become part of salary? It would differ from country to country which could be an accounting nightmare.

 

 

I also thought of this, but my post was long enough without going into it.

 

As for the pass-through idea for corporate taxes - I agree with you, but I still speculate that the company would decrease the pay to employees, even though they are able to deduct said expense from their bottom line.

[ILoveScotland]

Just found this thread and am thankful to Cruise Staff for starting it last May. I haven't read every post but the majority of them.

 

I knew nothing about tipping on my first cruise but saw the tips added and paid up. What I didn't know but was told later was that the people who bring room service food are not part of the pool. I like room service breakfast so now take enough $1 bills to cover those tips for the cruise. I tip at least $3 and maybe $4 depending on what I've ordered.

 

Now, here's a sensitive issue. I am a retired widow on a fixed income. Travel is my passion, and I find a way to do it. But, money is always tight for me, so I rarely tip over and above the amount suggested by the cruiseline and added to my bill. When I do it's minimal, and I always tell the staff member that I wish it could be more. I feel guilty when I see others doing it, but it's a reality of my own financial situation.

[Spinner2]

ILoveScotland, I don't think more than what you're doing would be expected; you're leaving autotips in place and adding a little if you can. I know cruise lines are different, but HAL, the cruise line that we always use (and I see you have, too) does include the room service staff in the gratuities distribution pool so you might feel a bit better about that. At least on HAL, there is something you can do for the staff that means a lot to them and doesn't cost you anything. Sometime during the cruise, or at the end when surveys are distributed, either write on the survey or ask the office for a separate comment card and write a short note that specifically says what you enjoyed about that person's services for you. Be sure you get their name onto it. On HAL, at least, these comments count for a lot when it's promotion time and in many departments they are displayed in the work environment for all to see the praise that came from guests. Of course the crew needs to be paid, but this is one of the "extras" that you can do and it does matter a lot to our hard-working crew.

 

I love Scotland too! :)

[ILoveScotland]

ILoveScotland, I don't think more than what you're doing would be expected; you're leaving autotips in place and adding a little if you can. I know cruise lines are different, but HAL, the cruise line that we always use (and I see you have, too) does include the room service staff in the gratuities distribution pool so you might feel a bit better about that. At least on HAL, there is something you can do for the staff that means a lot to them and doesn't cost you anything. Sometime during the cruise, or at the end when surveys are distributed, either write on the survey or ask the office for a separate comment card and write a short note that specifically says what you enjoyed about that person's services for you. Be sure you get their name onto it. On HAL, at least, these comments count for a lot when it's promotion time and in many departments they are displayed in the work environment for all to see the praise that came from guests. Of course the crew needs to be paid, but this is one of the "extras" that you can do and it does matter a lot to our hard-working crew.

 

I love Scotland too! :)

 

I always fill out the comment cards and make sure I mention staff by name if they've been particularly helpful.

 

Yes, one HAL cruise with my late husband and loved it. I am trying to be loyal to Royal Caribbean for a while simply to get up the perks ladder just a bit, but that's the only reason.

 

In just over a month I'll be on the Hurtigruten Polarlys for 11 nights - about 500 pax, very casual, small cabins (my friend and I will share a cabin of about 120 sq. ft.) and lots of beautiful scenery and hopefully the Northern Lights once we're above the Arctic Circle. That's going to be an entirely new and different kind of cruising.

[bes391]

Just found this thread and am thankful to Cruise Staff for starting it last May. I haven't read every post but the majority of them.

 

I knew nothing about tipping on my first cruise but saw the tips added and paid up. What I didn't know but was told later was that the people who bring room service food are not part of the pool. I like room service breakfast so now take enough $1 bills to cover those tips for the cruise. I tip at least $3 and maybe $4 depending on what I've ordered.

 

Now, here's a sensitive issue. I am a retired widow on a fixed income. Travel is my passion, and I find a way to do it. But, money is always tight for me, so I rarely tip over and above the amount suggested by the cruiseline and added to my bill. When I do it's minimal, and I always tell the staff member that I wish it could be more. I feel guilty when I see others doing it, but it's a reality of my own financial situation.

 

Absolutely no reason to feel guilty. Everyone's finances are different and are their own personal business.

So happy that you are able to enjoy cruising.

The people who should feel guilty are the ones who remove the auto tips.