Tips, from a uk perspective

[welshmark]

We are about to go on our first Celebrity cruise and have opted to pay the upfront gratuities and the premium drinks package. In the past we have cruised with Cunard and PandO and have usually tipped each waiter as and when they serve us drinks (as we have always done on all inclusive holidays in Mexico or Antigua ) We are not made of money but this is more an issue of what is expected or usual in these circumstances.

Mark

[kristapb]

When you are served drinks on the ship, a 15% gratuity is included in the tab. Some folks occasionally leave a little extra in cash, if they particularly like the bartender/waiter, but it is not common.

[cruisestitch]

Your premium package included the 15% tip.

 

Should you find a waiter who is special, who you see every night and get to know well, or who gives you extraordinary service, an extra tip is always appreciated but not expected.

[cafediem2]

I am from the UK too. The whole tipping culture is so different in most of Europe, compared with the US, that it leads to much misunderstanding I think. In the UK, it is not essential to tip; it often gets you better service, but it is considered 'extra' to what people are paid, as everyone, in whatever industry, gets a certain amount as a minimum wage. In the US, my understanding is that the minimum wage for bar and restaurant staff is lower than in say an office, because staff are expected to make a significant proportion of their income from tips.

 

Cruise lines operate a simar model, and the standard 'gratuities' or 'tips' are not really a reward for extra good service, they are an integral part of staff wages (I think there are tax advantages to the cruise line as well, of not treating tips as explicitly part of your cruise fare. However, these 'tips' should be automatically added to any bill you get. (like your beverage package). Any thing extra is up to you. I usually leave extra for our waiters in the MDR and for cabin stewards if they have been good, because they are often a long way from hOme for a long time. Others say I am a soft touch! Have a great holiday.

[Pjran]

We are about to go on our first Celebrity cruise and have opted to pay the upfront gratuities and the premium drinks package. In the past we have cruised with Cunard and PandO and have usually tipped each waiter as and when they serve us drinks (as we have always done on all inclusive holidays in Mexico or Antigua ) We are not made of money but this is more an issue of what is expected or usual in these circumstances.

Mark

We sail with Celebrity, Cunard and P&O.

 

My husband always has the auto tips removed and we give cash (in an envelope) to those members of staff who in our opinion have been helpful or surpassed the normal level of service.

 

The drinks packages on Celebrity already include the suggested/expected tip. I loved trying the various smoothies, teas, coffees and non alcoholic cocktails too. Also, remember to get some bottled water and sodas to take ashore, they are part of your package. If you like coffee after your meal, your waiter will get you a good coffee from Al Baco at no extra cost.

 

Enjoy your Celebrity cruise, which ship will you be on?

[cruisestitch]

I read a very good statement a few months ago which might make the tipping question clearer for those who are not familiar with how it works on cruise ships.

 

In some parts of the world, there is a "service charge" and a "tip". The service charge is part of the cost of the meal, or whatever is being purchased. The tip is something extra on top of this.

 

Think of the auto-tip as the service charge. It is part of the cost of cruising.

 

Tip on top of that if you wish.

 

The problem with removing the auto-tip and only giving money in cash to those with whom you have directly interacted is two-fold. When you remove the auto-tip, the line infers from this, rightly or wrongly, that you are displeased with the performance of those who are assigned to you, particularly your stateroom attendant and dining room servers. This becomes a black mark against them. That is undoubtedly not your intent, but this is the result. The second problem is that by only giving cash to those you see, all the others who also serve you are overlooked.

 

The auto-tip, service charge, whatever, is part of cruising on many lines. Extra tips are always at your discretion, but do consider that by removing auto-tips, you are making a statement you may not wish to be making.

[excitedofharpenden]

We are about to go on our first Celebrity cruise and have opted to pay the upfront gratuities and the premium drinks package. In the past we have cruised with Cunard and PandO and have usually tipped each waiter as and when they serve us drinks (as we have always done on all inclusive holidays in Mexico or Antigua ) We are not made of money but this is more an issue of what is expected or usual in these circumstances.

Mark

You do what I do. Pre-pay the tips, knowing then that they have been taken care of and I don't need to worry near cruise end about working out what cash goes to which members of staff. Much easier. As has already been mentioned a 15% gratuity is added to the drinks package. I don't normally tip any extra at the time for drinks, but if there has been a waiter that has served me regularly through the cruise and been particularly good I will give them extra at the end of the trip.

 

Phil

[Pjran]

Oh dear, I knew my comment would provoke a reaction. However, if you decline auto tip as soon as you embark then there is no way it reflects upon cabin steward or waiters as chances are you've not even met them.

 

The staff certainly appreciate the cash.

[Ontario Cruiser]

Oh dear, I knew my comment would provoke a reaction. However, if you decline auto tip as soon as you embark then there is no way it reflects upon cabin steward or waiters as chances are you've not even met them.

 

The staff certainly appreciate the cash.

The stewards that you give the tips to must put it into the tip pool. If the payment is larger than the daily amount they may keep the rest.

Ontario Cruiser

[dkjretired]

The stewards that you give the tips to must put it into the tip pool. If the payment is larger than the daily amount they may keep the rest.

Ontario Cruiser

 

Not on Celebrity....

[Ontario Cruiser]

Sorry yes on Celebrity Ontario Cruiser

[dkjretired]

Sorry yes on Celebrity Ontario Cruiser

 

Sorry but unless they have just started pooling tips, they do not do so for the housekeeping personnel and those in the MDR except those in Select area.

[phoenix_dream]

Oh dear, I knew my comment would provoke a reaction. However, if you decline auto tip as soon as you embark then there is no way it reflects upon cabin steward or waiters as chances are you've not even met them.

 

The staff certainly appreciate the cash.

I'm sure the staff appreciates cash, but has been noted, unless you are very dilligent you are at risk of not getting the tips to everyone who would have received them had they been automatic. Also, the tipping protocol on ships is that the automatic tips are for good, acceptable service, not necessarily for exceptional service. Your comment inferred that you tip for service above and beyond (I do not recall your exact words, but that was how I read it). If I am reading into it correctly, someone who provides good but not exceptional service may not get a tip (or may get a lower one) from you? If that is right, then that is a real financial hardship for them. I understand different cultures have different opinions on these things, but strongly believe we need to go along with the protocol of the service we are purchasing (in this case the cruise). Maybe I am reading your intent wrong, and if so I apologize.

 

As a general statement I will just say that the tipping protocol is built in as a part of their compensation package and to tip less than suggested is putting a real financial hit on some very hard-working people for whom that few extra dollars of tips means one heck of a lot more than giving it means to the comparatively rich passengers on the ship (and compared to the crew we are talking about, there is not a passenger on these ships who would not be considered 'rich' - from Penthouse Suite all the way down to lowest floor inside room)

[Jenna109]

Removing tips is not fair on all the staff who make our cruises enjoyable. It takes more than cabin staff, dining room waiters and bar staff to make our holidays wonderful. What about the cleaners, kitchen staff, laundry staff, toilet cleaners - imagine a cruise without these doing their jobs:rolleyes::eek::eek:

When we started cruising we were advised to remove our tips and give to individual staff BUT after a late night we saw all the staff cleaning stairs, etc etc and realised how important they are. Now we just pay with our holiday - nothing then to worry about.

However, other than room service we rarely give any more.

Many write about being good tippers! Whatever that means:rolleyes: we have always had wonderful service without giving extra tips - however, if this was below par then we would probably ask if there was a problem then possibly report bad service.

[cafediem2]

Oh dear, I knew my comment would provoke a reaction. However, if you decline auto tip as soon as you embark then there is no way it reflects upon cabin steward or waiters as chances are you've not even met them.

 

The staff certainly appreciate the cash.

 

I'm sure they do, but removing auto-'tips' In effect reduces the wages of all the other staff who you do not see, and so do not tip. I might be wrong, but my understanding is that the general 'suggested gratuities' are pooled and shared among a large number of staff. I know this can be a contentious issue, and I think, as others here have noted, that the words used- 'tips' and 'gratuities' are part of the issue. Perhaps if it were called a service charge it would be clearer, but maybe not!

[sandancer]

My husband always has the auto tips removed and we give cash (in an envelope) to those members of staff who in our opinion have been helpful or surpassed the normal level of service.

 

I was under the impression that the only way the staff are allowed to keep the cash is if you leave the auto tip in place and the cash is extra to that. If that is not the case then they have to give up the cash and can be in trouble if they don't.

[WELSH WIZARDS]

....I can't help wondering if Will was alive today would he change the question to

 

" To tip , or not to tip ....??? ;)

[Suzy Smith]

There is an interesting thread on the Royal Caribbean boards about passengers who have paid the auto-tips also receiving gratuity envelopes towards the end of the cruise for them to put extra tips in. If Royal Caribbean are encouraging their passengers to double tip, it surely won't be long before Celebrity follows!

[flames9]

There is an interesting thread on the Royal Caribbean boards about passengers who have paid the auto-tips also receiving gratuity envelopes towards the end of the cruise for them to put extra tips in. If Royal Caribbean are encouraging their passengers to double tip, it surely won't be long before Celebrity follows!

 

Yes thats the way it was on our Alaska trip on RCCL in 2009! We went the auto-tip route and I recall walking into the MDR on the final night and there for the 1st time at the entrance of the MDR was the Maitre D--with his hand just sticking out!! Looked so pathetic. Was the first time we had seen him, so not sure why he thought he deserved anything extra. Was just a very weird image that has always stuck in my small male brain!

[hughdm]

There is an interesting thread on the Royal Caribbean boards about passengers who have paid the auto-tips also receiving gratuity envelopes towards the end of the cruise for them to put extra tips in. If Royal Caribbean are encouraging their passengers to double tip, it surely won't be long before Celebrity follows!

We usually give a little extra at the end to our favorites. That would save me a trip to the purser's desk!

[judeb23]

When we sail with our grandson, we take his tip/service charge off our bill and at the end of the cruise we give "tips" to those in the children's club who have earned them by their actions and to wait staff who have often been exceptional towards him. We explain this at the reception at the start of the cruise and it has never been a problem and this has been on more than one cruise line. I, too, have experienced the first appearance of the maitre d' with his hand out on the last night and think it is very poor practice.

[Chicago Boy]

Oh dear, I knew my comment would provoke a reaction. However, if you decline auto tip as soon as you embark then there is no way it reflects upon cabin steward or waiters as chances are you've not even met them.

 

The staff certainly appreciate the cash.

 

As I understand it "Auto Tipping" is put in place when someone opts for "Select Dining." At least that was our experience. We were required to pay our tips up front because there was no guarantee that we would have the same wait staff every night. Since our preference is late seating we just have our tips charged to our account every day. During the middle and end of the cruise we tip those who take care of us something extra and we tip our bar waiter a couple of dollars extra every drink every night. We have found tipping this way has always worked very well for us.

[cruisestitch]

Not quite right ChicagoBoy--

 

with Select Dining you must PRE-PAY the gratuity. Its cost is added to your cruise fare at the time of final payment. It was instituted for those who opt for Select Dining because they would not see the same waitstaff each night.

 

all others will see the tips added to their daily SeaPass account -- this is the AUTO-TIPPING.

[dkjretired]

When we sail with our grandson, we take his tip/service charge off our bill and at the end of the cruise we give "tips" to those in the children's club who have earned them by their actions and to wait staff who have often been exceptional towards him. We explain this at the reception at the start of the cruise and it has never been a problem and this has been on more than one cruise line. I, too, have experienced the first appearance of the maitre d' with his hand out on the last night and think it is very poor practice.

 

Why, that makes no sense whatsoever.....

[cafediem2]

Not quite right ChicagoBoy--

 

with Select Dining you must PRE-PAY the gratuity. Its cost is added to your cruise fare at the time of final payment. It was instituted for those who opt for Select Dining because they would not see the same waitstaff each night.

 

all others will see the tips added to their daily SeaPass account -- this is the AUTO-TIPPING.

 

That's not quite right either - in the UK, most people are offered the opportunity to pre-pay, whether you opt for select dining or not. I think it's because otherwise many people in the UK will think it's optional, like tipping, rather than part of the staff's pay. I always pre-pay - makes my final SeaPass account less scary!