Room steward tipping...how much and when?

[JMAE]

Along with the prepaid tips we give $20 on the evening of day one and the day before the last day of the cruise we provide additional tip but the amount depends on the service. We give it the day before the last day because of staff rotation.

Edited January 1, 2014 by JMAE

[fam2cruise]

On my last cruise in November I tipped $100 extra but I had asked him to vacuum the floor each day since we had a 10 month old crawling around. I feel like he actually did it because the first couple of days I put a small piece of paper in a few spots to check if they were gone. I honestly wouldn't have said anything if I felt he weren't doing it, but I would have been more careful letting the baby on the floor and I wouldn't have tipped as much extra. I typically tip at least a little extra regardless whether we have any special requests...we've always had good service.

 

 

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[cantwait2cruise]

We autotip and usually give between $20 and $40 additional to room steward and about half of that to the assistant, too.

 

We used to also tip extra in the MDR but not our last three cruises because service was poor or ok.

 

 

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[YeahBaby!]

We tip $10.00 per day to the room steward (and we always leave the auto tips on). For room service we tip $3.00 each time. We don't tip extra for MDR staff because we don't eat in the MDR.

 

But, I really dislike paying the 15% gratuity for drinks when I have to go to the bar and get them myself....just doesn't seem right to be forced to give a tip when there wasn't any real service.

[erby2283]

We leave all auto-tips in place and always tip our steward and dining staff extra - and we do any-time dining. We probably tip more than most but that's bc I get so ticked off watching people talk so rudely to the staff knowing they never tip them! Last time we tipped our room steward $50, our head waiter $35 and each of the asst waiters $25. We also gave a small tip to the drink waiter even though neither of us drink nor ordered anything from him. People on cruise ships, for the most part, work their butts off and I try to do what I can to make up for the fact that others treat them like crap.

 

 

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[asalligo]

I like to give him $20 on day one and ask him to clear out my fridge. I also let him know a little about my personal schedule at this time. I stay up late, sleep in late. Seldom need ice and make sure he knows which dinner seating I am. I also let them know my kids love towel animals. The rest of the week depends on the work. I need very little above normal and if he does anything special, I leave a 5 or so each day.

 

For example the towel animals, if they are particularly nice I leave a 5 each day. Otherwise the 20 and auto tips only, but they usually go above and beyond when you mention what you like and are easy to please.

[fishtaco]

I wonder how many over the moon jump for joy cruisers who take the time and effort to claim a whopping great big $20 price reduction or OBC from an ES price drop leave as much extra tip as some of you very generous guys:D

 

I pre pay Grats then $10 to room steward last night, $10 each to waiter assistant waiter and drinks waiter last dinner.

 

If I get drunkish I strangely start to sign an extra tip for drinks brought to me on deck then always regret it when I view my account:D

 

On the Splendor I gave $5 each to the steward and another worker from Lido for bringing me a lounger for an aft extended even though I was told I couldnt have one.

 

I only pre pay because booking direct with Carnival USA from Australia we have no option, they dont trust us:D

 

Pre paid should be compulsory for US cruisers too, that would soon sort out the men from the boys;)

[hockeyluver]

We tip $10 the first day, ask for extra pillows, full ice bucket. then depending how the service was another $10-20

[welshcorgie]

We usually tip $100.00 on the last day plus the auto tip. We have only once had service that was under par. I think that most of the cabin attendants go above and beyond.

[Fydlstyx]

Ive never tipped the room steward before (just went with the auto tipping on sail and sign). Question for the people who DO tip more- how much do u give them and do u do it at the beginning or the end of the week. Ive always had good service in the past but I feel I want to give them something more on my upcoming Dream cruise.

 

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I am a daily tipper. I just leave a couple of dollars and some sort of small gift on the bed when I go to dinner or go ashore each day.

[Tutankhamen]

Some like to put a cigar in their mouth, put on a silk suit, pinkie ring, skinny tie and then fold up some bills to palm into the hand of the steward on the first day......along with a pat on the back as they clench the cigar between the teeth saying "there's more where that came from buddy". Unless the steward is female, then same as above applies except not a pat on the back, but a slap on their rear end with the cigar clenched between the teeth "little more where that came from honey".

 

Me auto tips, and tip as I get extra service. I will also leave some money on the bed as the week progresses for superior service.

Edited January 1, 2014 by Tutankhamen

[Rena921]

We auto tip and we usually give $20 on the first day to the room steward and tip a few times during the week as well. Then an extra $20 at the end of the cruise. We also Always tip the room service people and tip extra to the bar staff and wait staff as warranted. It's not an ego trip like a previous poster said, but I feel that these people work their butts off for us and they deserve it. Almost all of the crew and staff always go above and beyond. Never had any complaints with wait staff, room stewards, casino dealers, etc.

[asalligo]

Some like to put a cigar in their mouth, put on a silk suit, pinkie ring, skinny tie and then fold up some bills to palm into the hand of the steward on the first day......along with a pat on the back as they clench the cigar between the teeth saying "there's more where that came from buddy". Unless the steward is female, then same as above applies except not a pat on the back, but a slap on their rear end with the cigar clenched between the teeth "little more where that came from honey".

 

Lol, that is me exactly! I swear though, I get much better steward service when tipping a $20 on day one.

[TXFATGUY]

I have wondered if the head steward shares the extra tips with the assistant. On two of our cruises this year, we had more interaction with the assistant than the head. I wasn't sure on my last trip on the Magic, so I gave the head an extra 40 and the assistant an extra 100. The assistant did a great job cleaning up the mess of a 3yo.

[YubaSutter]

We never tip extra for stewards who do what is expected. Extra ice, part of their job.

[nodogkisses]

We auto tip and also give the Head Room Steward $40-$80 extra on the last evening before dinner. That's usually the last time we see him anyway. The extra tip averages out to about an extra $10/day depending on the length of the cruise. We don't ask for anything special--only daily ice in the regular ice bucket.

 

We also tip the Waiters extra in the MDR--Assigned seating waitstaff gets about $50-$80 the last night of the cruise. If we have ATD, we usually tip extra for good service, also on the last day. We don't ever ask for the same waitstaff when we have ATD. We take what we get, but sometimes get the same ones more than once. We usually will see those waiters in the MDR and will just go up to any that we liked after our dinner on the last evening and thank them for making our dinners enjoyable during our cruise and hand them the money. They're always so grateful. Sometimes, it's one waiter, sometimes more. Amount varies--anywhere from $20-$50.

 

Another person I like to tip is the Towel Attendant on the Serenity Deck. They usually will know me after a day or two and have my towels (I like two of them) ready and they'll know my Folio # without me having to give it to them. So, I usually tip $20 at the week's end.

 

The towel attendant in the Ladies Locker Room also gets tips from me. I feel they work very hard to keep the locker room clean and they spend the day in there. I use the Steam Room every day when cruising and I will usually tip about $20 the end of the week.

 

On occasion, there will be a crew member that is someone who makes your cruise just a little bit more enjoyable and l like to tip that person too. For example, the pizza man at the Pizza Pirate on the Pride in March, 2013 was an exceptional crew member. I loved the pizza on the ship and this guy had my pizza started for me when he saw me in the line so I never had much of a wait at all. This is an example of someone who was tipped by me the end of the week for exceptional service--probably gave him $20.

 

I normally do not tip the drink servers, unless they go above and beyond. In my years of cruising Carnival, I can only think of one exceptional waiter who worked on the Serenity deck on the Dream. He was exceptional and he earned extra tips daily and at the end of the week. We were cruising with our two kids and two of their friends at the time and he made sure we all were taken care of but was not at all annoying.

 

One thing that each crew member has asked us every time we thank them and tip them is could we please note their name and position when we get the Guest Survey and note their exceptional service. So, when the survey comes, I surely do note the crew members who made our cruise memorable.

[DebJ14]

We always prepay our tips. The first time we meet the steward I give him $10.00 and ask him to fill the ice bucket twice daily. Everytime I send out laundry I lay a $10.00 bill on the top of the bag. I usually send laundry out twice on a 7 day cruise. If we ask for anything special, like extra towels, I give him $10.00. Then the last night we usually give the steward an additional $50.00. With it all added up he probably gets an extra $80.00 - $100.00 if we have a lot of special requests. We give the waiter an additional $50.00 at the end and if there are 2 assistants they each get $25.00. We also tip the hostess $50.00 for taking care of our gluten free orders.

[thistoo]

We usually give around $20-$30 and we give it on the last day.

 

Same. We never ask for anything extra, nor do we sleep late enough to be inconvenient to housekeeping.

[Mysticks1]

I always day 1 hand my room steward a 20$ bill and ask for a extra ice bucket and last day that one is dependent on the service provided great ones and I can afford it 50 more dollars and one time I had a room steward ripped my camera bag with his vacuum but he was great he got another 20$. So for me I had one a couple years ago if I could have afforded it I would have gave him 1000$ he knew we had 2 kids with us he really went above and beyond he taught us towel animals cause my kids ask him for 3 days straight after taking the ships class he spent the better part of a hour teaching them.

 

We had an excellent steward like that as well on our 2nd cruise in 2006. My daughter was 11 at the time. The steward taught the towel folding class and left her extra special ones each night. The day after we took his class we were in the cabin and she was trying to do some of them from the book we bought. He came by to check on the cabin and probably spent another hour with her helping her learn how to do them. She made him one and left it on the bed when we went to dinner. He left her a note telling her how good it was. He is the only one that I will always remember his name - Franklin.:) I left him a good additional tip but wish I had brought more cash so it could have been larger.

[riclop]

Ive never tipped the room steward before (just went with the auto tipping on sail and sign). Question for the people who DO tip more- how much do u give them and do u do it at the beginning or the end of the week. Ive always had good service in the past but I feel I want to give them something more on my upcoming Dream cruise.

 

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Its all up to you and how good was the service.