Tipping question

[Beanb41]

About $3 each to your attendant/waiter. About $2 each to the asst.attendant/waiter. The rest is divided up among those you don't see, such as the folks who prepare your food,etc. We tip about $75-100 additional to our waiter/attendant & about $50-75 to the asst.waiter/asst attendant. Being in the service industry, we like to take care of those who take care of us.

 

What do you tip your cabin staff or do I read that in total you add an additional tips of around $350. Makes a farce of compulsory gratuities and inclusive cruising IMO. Mind you I come from a culture where tipping is not the norm. We expect the norm as a matter of course as part of ones employment and any tips are for exceptional service.

Edited March 11, 2014 by Beanb41

[Bailey & Sophie]

We take the "free" beverage package, and upgrade and give the Martini bartenders an additional tip . Since we drink at the Martini bar every evening- and the Molecular bar, we give the bartenders who typical serve us a tip in the middle of the cruise. They do work hard and if the service is exceptional, which it always is, give each an extra tip.

We tip the martini bartenders extra, too. However, I did notice on our last cruise that each bartender put his tip into a jar on the counter. They did not look at how much it was, and it was not separated into private sections. I had heard that they pool their tips and it appears that this might be true. So if you tip one $50 for a cruise, and another $20 because he only served you once, they will split the $70. (This is doing very simple math bu you get the point.)

[Cruise a holic]

We tip the martini bartenders extra, too. However, I did notice on our last cruise that each bartender put his tip into a jar on the counter. They did not look at how much it was, and it was not separated into private sections. I had heard that they pool their tips and it appears that this might be true. So if you tip one $50 for a cruise, and another $20 because he only served you once, they will split the $70. (This is doing very simple math bu you get the point.)

 

I also noticed the "tip jar".

[chisoxfan]

You are insinuating that if you don't tip the baggage handlers when you arrive at the port to put your luggage in one of those luggage trollies that are forklifted onto the ship, your luggage might be put into the "drink"?

 

That's a bunch of crap. They are paid well for what they do. If you feel you need to tip for the safety of your luggage, knock yourself out. :rolleyes:

 

I guess I don't see the reluctance to tip a baggage handler. As far as them being well paid I guess I am not privy to how much each baggage handler makes in every port in the country. When I spend 2000 or more for a cruise I don't have many concerns about giving a bagage guy 10 bucks to handle three suitcases. Maybe I should ask to see his W-2 before I tip.

[Purplsmurf]

Last year we were given a dirty look by the baggage handler because we didn't tip him enough!!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[DiamondSuiteCruiser]

That article is so out of whack to be almost laughable. After 50+ cruises, and tipping above and beyond the "standards" on every one, I do not know anyone who is adding those kinds of tips to the price of their cruise. $15 per day, per child, to the child counselors? Absurd. $5 per person, per day to the dining server in addition to the standard gratuity? Silly. Yet, this guy is a real mooch when it comes to tour guides. $2 to $4 (for a full day tour) to the tour guide. Unbelievably cheap.

 

That "article" is a waste of server space on Cruise Critic.

 

OH & don't forget the 10% of the room cost, so a $10,000.00 room you should pay an additional 1000.00. I guess we are cheap, because I have never tipped an additional 1000.00, maybe a few hundred. My DH is over generous and tips well, but that is his choice and it makes him happy, But I don't think we have ever tipped an additional 1000.00 over the prepaid gratuities.

Edited March 12, 2014 by DiamondSuiteCruiser

[keithm]

What do you tip your cabin staff or do I read that in total you add an additional tips of around $350. Makes a farce of compulsory gratuities and inclusive cruising IMO. Mind you I come from a culture where tipping is not the norm. We expect the norm as a matter of course as part of ones employment and any tips are for exceptional service.

As I said... about $75-100 over the auto gratuity. The Asst. cabin staff gets about $50-75. BNot sure where you came up with the $350. The amounts I stated were for the both of us. The staff on the main lines(not the luxury lines) don't really pay very good wages, by our standards anyway. It might be a decent wage for a poorer country, perhaps. Remember that any tips are frequently helping support someone's family. The tips I mentioned are of course adjustable. We've never just paid the auto tip & left it at that. Personally, I feel pax like that are just plain CHEAP. You & others may be from ares that normally don't tip, but you OBVIOUSLY know that it's done. I was really disheartened when I saw no tips passed out on the last dinner! Really!! Couldn't anyone "palm" off at least a $20 bill to some of the staff, who we felt did such a fantastic job on our Jan.25 Eclipse trip. We always saw lots of envelopes passed on to the staff on the last night on our Cunard trips. As to the baggage handlers in port, they are covered by longshoreman union contracts. Those boys average over $75K a year. We still tip about $2 per bag(you haven't lifted 1 of my suitcases)If I'm right next to the ship's luggage carts, then I load them on myself.

[Wine-O]

Last year we were given a dirty look by the baggage handler because we didn't tip him enough!!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

Well, this year, give him a $20, and he will probably give you a smile. :D

[cruzsnooze]

Forgive me for asking a question that I am sure has been asked before but searching here and on Celebrity has not given me my answer. I know that gratuities are $12.50 pp on CC but can someone tell me how that is divided up among stewards and wait staff. We would like to add something extra for good service but we don't know what to base this on.

 

You're supposed to receive good service so you've given what the cruise line asks from you. celebrity has already figured out what is fair and reasonable so you don't have to worry about it. Something would have to be way over the top to warrant extra but it's your choice of course. Most people leave their tips intact and are finished. there's a lot of bragging going on on the boards, take all with a grain of salt.

Edited March 13, 2014 by cruzsnooze