tipping

[boogs]

Ok I have to ask . How much extra would you tip your waiter or assist. if you keep autotip.

 

First of all, they will get whatever their cut is of the auto tipping amount, so at least they get the minimum recommended. We have never removed auto tips, nor ever even considered doing so.

 

If they provide better than expected service, I generally tip them each anywhere from $10 to $40 more, depending on the length of the cruise and how much better the service was. On our last 14 night cruise, our wait staff in the MDR each received $40. They were a husband and wife team and they were fantastic.

 

Our room steward and assistant, however, provided only the basic service expected, and they received nothing in addition to their portion of the auto tips.

 

We also had a great time with our waitress in Qsine, Evita, so everyone in our party each gave her $20 tip extra on our second time there. She was a real gem, and made the experience both times dining there very memorable.

Edited May 15, 2014 by boogs

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

Awhile back on RCCL & X cruises we paid the staff in cash in a envelope . Personally ,we liked that system :).

 

It seems that with the automatic system cruise lines in general hike the tips at will . Tipipng is for service above standard .Yes the crew members work very hard & 99% deserve all the tips they receive . Yet it seemed more personal to give them a envelope of cash,imo;)

 

There is nothing about the current system which prevents your giving cash in envelopes. Provided that you leave the auto tip in place, they will be able to keep the extra tips. That's how I always tip the people I tip extra--cash in an envelope with a thank you note.

[bar_20]

Awhile back on RCCL & X cruises we paid the staff in cash in a envelope . Personally ,we liked that system :).

 

It seems that with the automatic system cruise lines in general hike the tips at will . Tipipng is for service above standard .Yes the crew members work very hard & 99% deserve all the tips they receive . Yet it seemed more personal to give them a envelope of cash,imo;)

 

Too many people didn't show up in the MDR on the last night and stiffed the waiter and his helper. I saw this happen on the old NORWAY during a spring break cruise when a table of 10 girls was not occupied by any of them on the last evening. The waiter said it happened all the time. That's part of the reason they stopped doing tips that way.

[billyelliot]

I don't leave Auto tips! I like to hand the people who have served us personal tips. Which is what a tip is... Believe me they are better off.. Bar tenders are sorted with the 15% but ones who have been great get a tip..

I here you shouting ' what about behind the Scenes' well sorry but its not my job to pay wages...

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Beanb41]

Too many people didn't show up in the MDR on the last night and stiffed the waiter and his helper. I saw this happen on the old NORWAY during a spring break cruise when a table of 10 girls was not occupied by any of them on the last evening. The waiter said it happened all the time. That's part of the reason they stopped doing tips that way.

 

Sorry have to disagree with this comment. Waiters tips are covered in the automatic gratuities levied by the cruise line. Coming from a country and a culture where tipping is not the norm I consider that the amount levied by the cruise line as a compulsory extra is sufficient.

This issue was raised recently in a newspaper article by a NZ reporter who had just returned from a trip on the Solstice. Amongst the comments was this comment why should one have to pay a 15% gratuity for a barman to go into a fridge and put a bottle of beer in front of a customer. Where does doing ones job come into the equation especially when one considers the mark up on booze prices on a cruise. Sure one can argue that one doesn't have to drink booze.

On our forthcoming cruise on the Solstice we will be paying almost $US700 in compulsory gratuities and for me that's more than enough

[Nancyquilts]

I don't leave Auto tips! I like to hand the people who have served us personal tips. Which is what a tip is... Believe me they are better off.. Bar tenders are sorted with the 15% but ones who have been great get a tip..

I here you shouting ' what about behind the Scenes' well sorry but its not my job to pay wages...

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Ah, but then your personal servers won't get to keep the tips. They have to turn them in if you don't keep the automatic gratuities in place.

[kelmac]

Sorry have to disagree with this comment. Waiters tips are covered in the automatic gratuities levied by the cruise line. Coming from a country and a culture where tipping is not the norm I consider that the amount levied by the cruise line as a compulsory extra is sufficient.

This issue was raised recently in a newspaper article by a NZ reporter who had just returned from a trip on the Solstice. Amongst the comments was this comment why should one have to pay a 15% gratuity for a barman to go into a fridge and put a bottle of beer in front of a customer. Where does doing ones job come into the equation especially when one considers the mark up on booze prices on a cruise. Sure one can argue that one doesn't have to drink booze.

On our forthcoming cruise on the Solstice we will be paying almost $US700 in compulsory gratuities and for me that's more than enough

 

Service workers on Celebrity make $50 USD a month + their share of the gratuity pool. So your bar server makes a little more than a dollar a day + those 15% tips. Cruise customers pay the salaries of service workers using this system. Service workers are contract workers and receive 100% of their pay -- they deal with their own country when it comes to taxes.

 

Headquarters workers in Maimi are subject to US labor laws and taxes, just like any other worker in the US. Port Employees (Celebrity) in Australia or New Zealand are subject to all the labor laws and taxes of their countries. All these workers are salaried.

 

Just a system that seems to work worldwide.

Kel:)

[judyfssw]

I think that the automatic gratuities is a great idea although it can take away the personalization from the customer. Some stories: We were on a cruise where we didn't see the room steward, only his assistant for the entire 14 days. His assistant received an additional grat. from us for keeping us so very clean; We were having dinner in our room when, out of the blue, I became extremely ill, called the butler and room steward who were wonderful in cleaning up the MESS and I gave them each (the next day) a grat. from a grateful customer. This was just an extra and had nothing to do with the automatics or something at the end of the cruise. There was only one time that I didn't feel that someone did anything to make the cruise special and I'm sad to say that I did not give hime anything extra.

My husband is disabled and some of our assistants have been so very nice to them and I always recognize them with something that I know that they can use.

Finally, I do know that people have "stiffed" their people prior to the automatic gratuities.

Just some of my personal observations and coments.

[fortinweb]

I don't leave Auto tips! I like to hand the people who have served us personal tips. Which is what a tip is... Believe me they are better off.. Bar tenders are sorted with the 15% but ones who have been great get a tip..

I here you shouting ' what about behind the Scenes' well sorry but its not my job to pay wages...

 

Ah, but then your personal servers won't get to keep the tips. They have to turn them in if you don't keep the automatic gratuities in place.

 

Exactly. When auto tips are removed, all moneys given directly to the staff MUST be submitted to the pool for all support staff to share. If they don't, they can get fired for keeping it.

 

If auto tips are left in place, any ADDITIONAL tips given to someone you feel deserved it can keep it - but only if the auto tips are intact. All staff have dozens of people behind the scenes who support them. These support people are also entitled to a share of the tips since they helped the service staff you come into contact provide that service.

 

Also, if you remove the tips, the staff you meant to reward will be questioned by their supervisors as to why the tips were removed. These staff members will have to convince their supervisors that it wasn't due to poor service, creating even more problems for them.

 

Leave the auto tips in place. Otherwise, you are only creating a hardship for the staff who would have benefited from those tips. Removing those auto tips is a dumb move that only benefits you, never the staff you claim to be rewarding.

Edited May 15, 2014 by fortinweb

[Happy2cruise]

We look at the auto tips as being part of the cruise fare and would never consider removing them as if would affect too many of the crew.

 

However, we do tip extra if service by room steward, waiter, etc. is very good and on the flip side...if service is not good, no additional tip. Simple and works for us;)

[Celebrating Friends]

I have never ordered or received room service for breakfast, lunch or dinner. If I order the complimentary room service do you tip? If so, what is considered appropriate?

 

We are in the concierge class for the first time. We will get savory treats delivered each afternoon. Who delivers them? Do you tip? Every day they are delivered? How much?

 

We always give an extra tip, in a thank you card, the last night. This is in addition to the prepaid gratuities, (from the three of us in the cabin.)

 

I am not sure what you do with room service or concierge service.

 

What is proper etiquette? Advise please.

[Cushing985]

I haven't had any bartender throw the $50 back @ me yet. I guess that's the proof in the pudding. You may not like it, that's fine. Sorry I didn't mean to interrupt your ride on your moral high horse.

 

Personally I think you're a sucker but it's your money so have had it. Just curious...do you also offer a "bribe" when you dine in a local restaurant?

Edited May 16, 2014 by Cushing985

[neverbeenhere]

room service, as with all tipping do what you want. But, customarily we give anywhere from $ 2 to $5 for room service depending on what is delivered. We really believe you must do whatever is comfortable for you, not what others demand is the correct(?) amount. That's cruising.

[neverbeenhere]

Savory treats(?) have never tipped for these as they aren't something we want. We have informed the staff that we don't want them after the first visit. We "save"our calories for things we choose not these "treats". But please do what you like.

[neverbeenhere]

The DW always writes a thank you card to the room stewards, assistant, waiter, and assistant. They do appreciate these cards as we have been with the same staff a number of times. Of course, cash is always appreciated.

[charmed101]

I think for """ $50.""" (if that's what it really was) ,,, you would be entitled to a smile every time you go to the bar, and that's it. The bartender may be ok with serving you, but I would quickly speak up that its not your turn when there were several people waiting ahead of you.

[boogs]

I haven't had any bartender throw the $50 back @ me yet. I guess that's the proof in the pudding. You may not like it, that's fine. Sorry I didn't mean to interrupt your ride on your moral high horse.

 

Of course the bartender will keep your $50 (if that is how much you really give) - it's easy money for him! Easy money for providing nothing extra in return! He'll be laughing to himself thinking what a fool you are for thinking that you will now be getting better service than the rest of his customers. He'll be laughing with his fellow bar tenders - laughing with his family when he gives them the extra cash - and laughing all the way to the bank. The joke is on you. And I'm laughing too!

 

I'd rather be on a moral high horse than be the type who bribes people to make myself feel important. :rolleyes:

Edited May 16, 2014 by boogs

[rubydoobydoo]

Ok I have to ask . How much extra would you tip your waiter or assist. if you keep autotip.

 

This year was the first time we had set dining so the first time we ever really got to know the waiters

 

We tipped the head waiter £30, his assistant £20 and the wine lady £10

 

This was first for us, ours was their only table to look after so we really got to know them and had excellent service

 

We also felt sorry for them as they only had our tips to rely on for second sitting

 

I have no idea if this was above or below what they would normally get but it felt right for us

 

We of course left the auto tip in place too

 

I think you should tip extra or not tip according to exactly what you feel and not be swayed by what others do

 

I would never tip up front

[Wine-O]

I can't understand the tipping up front concept. :confused: I can see giving the Maitre'd a $20 to get a good seat in a restaurant.

 

It's my understand that the staff knows when folks pull their automatic tips off their seapass account. I've read stories of missing or misdirected luggage at the end of a cruise where luggage tags seem to fall off their baggage. :rolleyes:

[GOLDENBONNY]

This year was the first time we had set dining so the first time we ever really got to know the waiters

 

We tipped the head waiter £30, his assistant £20 and the wine lady £10

 

This was first for us, ours was their only table to look after so we really got to know them and had excellent service

 

We also felt sorry for them as they only had our tips to rely on for second sitting

 

I have no idea if this was above or below what they would normally get but it felt right for us

 

We of course left the auto tip in place too

 

I think you should tip extra or not tip according to exactly what you feel and not be swayed by what others do

 

I would never tip up front

 

 

I keep auto tip I just wonder how much in general people tip extra for extra service :) . What you paid is same what we pay if we happy with service .I would never tip up front too. :rolleyes: