Tipping Question

[rubinstein2r]

If we want to do our own tipping is it better to do as part of the onboard account or in cash? Can cash be given to attendants (room and table) at the end of the cruise? How do others who like to control their tipping handle it?

[WestLakeGirl]

Your best way is just to leave the auto tips in place on your SeaPass account.

 

Here are several reasons why

 

1. you won't have to deal with a lot of cash

2. You won't have to worry about not being able to find someone you wanted to tip but maybe they are working in a different venue that day

3. You won't be putting a black mark against your servers. That's what happens when you take the auto tips off

4. You will be including lots of people who work hard for you behind the scenes

[MicCanberra]

Your best way is just to leave the auto tips in place on your SeaPass account.

 

Here are several reasons why

 

1. you won't have to deal with a lot of cash

2. You won't have to worry about not being able to find someone you wanted to tip but maybe they are working in a different venue that day

3. You won't be putting a black mark against your servers. That's what happens when you take the auto tips off

4. You will be including lots of people who work hard for you behind the scenes

Agreed, We prepay our gratuities and then I always have a little extra (cash) for the staff members that went above and beyond to make my cruise special. :D

[CaroleSS]

WestLakeGirl is correct for all those reasons.

 

AutoTip is the way to go. Leave them in place and carry some small bills with you for when someone goes above and beyond for you.

 

Long gone are the days when you had envelopes at the end of the cruise.

 

Editing to say Mic - you beat me to it! (great minds must think alike!!)

Edited January 15, 2014 by CaroleSS

[Fouremco]

WestLakeGirl is correct for all those reasons.

 

AutoTip is the way to go. Leave them in place and carry some small bills with you for when someone goes above and beyond for you.

 

Long gone are the days when you had envelopes at the end of the cruise.

 

Editing to say Mic - you beat me to it! (great minds must think alike!!)

Carole, don't forget the second part of that saying! :)

 

OP, I agree with all of the foregoing for the reasons stated.

[MicCanberra]

Carole, don't forget the second part of that saying! :)

 

OP, I agree with all of the foregoing for the reasons stated.

The first part of the saying is the bit that is true in this case.:p

[Fouremco]

The first part of the saying is the bit that is true in this case.:p

Maybe in Carole's case! :D

[keithm]

If we want to do our own tipping is it better to do as part of the onboard account or in cash? Can cash be given to attendants (room and table) at the end of the cruise? How do others who like to control their tipping handle it?

We just leave on the auto gratuity & tip in cash(usually the last formal night)We just give envelopes(which the purser has)with some cash(amount is all up to you). This time around we're doing the "select dining". We'll tip our steward, but not sure about waitstaff, unless we have them at the times we plan to go(around 7PM).

[keesar]

 

Long gone are the days when you had envelopes at the end of the cruise.

 

 

Envelopes are still available for those that choose to use them. But the best way is to just leave the auto tips on your account. No need to carry $$$

[rebeccalouiseagain]

I do the autotipping and then give my stateroom attendant and assistant extra. It depends on how much cash I have left and what kind of job they did. For a seven night cruise- I usually tip $50-70 extra and for a 10-12 night cruise I usually tip $100- $120 extra. We are about to embark on a 25 day cruise- so I probably won't tip more than $150 extra but I still like to tip extra. Some people I'm sure don't tip well and I like to make up for the cheap-o people.

 

Also- if my son has spent days on end in the youth program I either buy them little gifts like jewelry or give them $100 to pool with the other counselors.

 

We do any time dining but I always tip extra when we dine in the specialty restaurants.

Edited January 15, 2014 by rebeccalouiseagain

[MicCanberra]

We do any time dining but I always tip extra when we dine in the specialty restaurants.

We do likewise .:D

[CathyCruises]

We also start accumulating $1 bills as we get close to our cruise, and keep them in the top drawer for handy tips when our coffee gets delivered in the morning. This next trip, which I haven't booked yet (:eek:), I will also start hanging on to my $5 bills which I like to give to the waiter in the Martini Bar when he lets me use my Elite drink coupons just a tad after 7 PM!!!

[20pluscruises]

If we want to do our own tipping is it better to do as part of the onboard account or in cash? Can cash be given to attendants (room and table) at the end of the cruise? How do others who like to control their tipping handle it?

 

We do the auto tip and extra cash tips.

[Wine-O]

We do the auto tip and extra cash tips.

 

I always hunt down the Asst Stateroom Attendant on the last day and compensate him. After all, he's the one who cleans your toilet and bathroom, and if he does a great job, he deserves a special tip, in my opinion.

[TeaBag]

I make thank you cards which I take on the cruise and put our extra tips in those with a little hand written note. I really like the auto tipping system as you can forget about taking a whole lot of cash with you. I once got a hug and a peck on each cheek from a very grateful steward!

Edited January 16, 2014 by YVR cruiser

[20pluscruises]

I make thank you cards which I take on the cruise and put our extra tips in those with a little hand written note. I really like the auto tipping system as you can forget about taking a whole lot of cash with you. I once got a hug and a peck on each cheek from a very grateful steward!

 

Awww!

 

We once gave a $100 tip mid week to our waiter... he wrecked the moped he rented on his day off the ship. He had such a great attitude about the whole situatiion. trying his best to laugh it off, none of the whoa is me...we couldn't resist helping out. After his initial shock...I thought he was going to do cartwheels through the dining room. :)

[BosoxI]

I do the autotipping and then give my stateroom attendant and assistant extra. It depends on how much cash I have left and what kind of job they did. For a seven night cruise- I usually tip $50-70 extra and for a 10-12 night cruise I usually tip $100- $120 extra. We are about to embark on a 25 day cruise- so I probably won't tip more than $150 extra but I still like to tip extra. Some people I'm sure don't tip well and I like to make up for the cheap-o people.

 

Also- if my son has spent days on end in the youth program I either buy them little gifts like jewelry or give them $100 to pool with the other counselors.

 

We do any time dining but I always tip extra when we dine in the specialty restaurants.

 

I have a good friend who over tips, allowing us with many spirited conversations;)

[chief190]

Do they automatically tip the butler? Is that included in the 15.50 per day for suite customers. We are staying in a Royal suite for 15 days through panama canal. and if not how much is normal.:cool:

[CruisersTimesThree]

Do they automatically tip the butler? Is that included in the 15.50 per day for suite customers. We are staying in a Royal suite for 15 days through panama canal. and if not how much is normal.:cool:

 

 

The 15.50 per day per guest does include the butlers tip for those in suites. Depending on how you feel your service was, it's up to your discretion of if and how much more you would like to give him at the end of your cruise.

We have stayed in a RS our last two cruises on the Summit and did tip our butlers extra on the last morning.

[jackdiamond]

Do they automatically tip the butler? Is that included in the 15.50 per day for suite customers. We are staying in a Royal suite for 15 days through panama canal. and if not how much is normal.:cool:

Technically, that covers the butler; however, this is not enough in my opinion, particullarly if he does all all those extra things, like breakfast, dinner etc. Additionally, if there are more than two folks in the RS, then this should be taken into consideration. If it were us, ( just two folks) and he did all those extras, I feel that a $500.00, tip would be appropriate.

[gek]

If you don't want to give cash tips at all you can tip extra by getting cards from guest services which allow you to add extra tips from your account.

[rubinstein2r]

Thank you everyone for your responses. This is a great help and much appreciated. I'm case It wasn't clear we were not trying to be cheap just trying to see exactly where our tips were going. Again thanks.

[MicCanberra]

Thank you everyone for your responses. This is a great help and much appreciated. I'm case It wasn't clear we were not trying to be cheap just trying to see exactly where our tips were going. Again thanks.

 

No worries, enjoy your cruise.:D

[AmberCascades]

Thank you everyone for your responses. This is a great help and much appreciated. I'm case It wasn't clear we were not trying to be cheap just trying to see exactly where our tips were going. Again thanks.

 

For sure. I always like to know what's expected going in. :) When we saw how hard everyone works on the ships (does the cleaning and fetching and fixing ever stop??? Didn't look like it) we could appreciate why auto tipping is in place. For sure we tipped extra to those that helped us out and made us feel special. Special thanks went to our butler - it was our first cruise and he discreetly helped us along so we didn't make too many faux pas. LOL

[Lsimon]

If we want to do our own tipping is it better to do as part of the onboard account or in cash? Can cash be given to attendants (room and table) at the end of the cruise? How do others who like to control their tipping handle it?

 

Thank you everyone for your responses. This is a great help and much appreciated. I'm case It wasn't clear we were not trying to be cheap just trying to see exactly where our tips were going. Again thanks.

 

Some people post their intention to cancel the auto tips so they can tip certain people directly in order to make sure the tips go directly to those they want them to go to. From everything that I've read that does not work. From posts and reports I've read, my understanding is that if you cancel the auto-tips to tip in cash then the staff that receive the cash tips MUST submit them to the tip pool in an amount up to the amount of the basic tip amount of the auto, or prepaid, tips. The staff is advised who has removed their auto tips so that they'll be aware of this obligation. They can only retain, separate from what they receive from the tip poo, tips over and beyond these basic amounts.

Edited January 17, 2014 by Lsimon