Tipping on Princess (Regal)

[TaraMom22]

We just got off the Island Princess. We tipped the standard amount included in our room charge. Our table neighbors went to guest services and asked NOT to be charged that amount because they were going to tip directly. After I saw the reaction of the staff as they were tipped, I wondered if I had chosen correctly, or should I have asked for the standard tip to be reduced so I could tip some of that amount directly to the staff that served us. The only exception was giving $20 to our room service guy because he was awesome and cheerful and our kids (in the room across from us) tormented him by ordering more and more for each breakfast as the week went on.

 

After I got home it turned out that my VP's daughter worked on a Princess ship for 6 years. What an eye opener. Staff gets paid horribly, gets horrible food, looooong hours, miniscule quarters. I am guessing many of you know this, but I didn't really take the time to question how the staff is compensated. I guess what I am trying to say is that I don't really like the fact that Princess (and other cruise lines) use our fixed gratuity to pay staff enough to work for them. I guess I assumed our gratuity was paid over and above a reasonable salary.

 

Our dining staff and room steward were just okay, but they worked hard and I now wish I had given them a tip personally rather than leaving it to Princess to give them a reasonable amount.

[princess76021]

A quick question on tipping etiquette. I know you are automatically charged $12 a day PP for tipping (which you can adjust up or down) - is this really the end of it or are you expected to tip for things like room service? I had assumed this covered everything (unless of course someone does something special for you) but I read something that said tipping was expected for general room service.

 

 

holy cow, is it true that auto tipping is up to $12? :eek:

 

haven't cruised in two years and that's WOW:eek: more than i expected:rolleyes::mad:

[Cruisin' Chick]

A quick question on tipping etiquette. I know you are automatically charged $12 a day PP for tipping (which you can adjust up or down) - is this really the end of it or are you expected to tip for things like room service? I had assumed this covered everything (unless of course someone does something special for you) but I read something that said tipping was expected for general room service.

 

It's seems like there's two questions being discussed on this thread. 1. Are room service servers included in the tipping pool and do you give them a tip, whether they are or not?

2. What is the tip for the cabin steward?

 

Two different crew members, folks. Every passenger has a cabin steward. But not every passenger orders from room service. And if you order from room service, it's not your cabin steward delivering your food.

[happiness is cruising]

Tip is 12.00 for mini suite pp pd

 

 

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[lorri111]

Thanks for all the imput guys. I am from Australia and tipping is just not something we do here (other than round up a restaurant bill). Seems like everyone has a slightly different view on it. I wonder if it is different if the cruise is a Med one like mine on the Regal rather than out of the USA. Do you have the same steward for the whole cruise and if you get room service will he be the one to bring it, or will be a different person each time?

 

Only 8 more sleeps till my big adventure :-)

[Snowesha]

The auto tip is divided amongst most of the ships crew. Some you never see, there in the kitchen, down below working ect. making your cruise as good as possible. The staff that brings your room service, waiters in the dinning room, specialty restaurants, room steward, we tip cash. If we have anytime dinning we will have a different server every night usually and will leave a small tip every night. If we have regular dinning we tip at the end of the cruise our server and his or her helper. Chefs table we tip the servers, balcony dinning we tip. This is a small part of our vacation costs, the staff are not paid well and they work hard and deserve something extra. Anything extra goes a long way for them. Thats the way we feel and its whatever you are comfortable with.

 

We really want to do the chefs table on our upcoming cruise. How many servers did you have so that I can be prepared for tipping. I agree, I don't think they are compensated that well so I like to give them a little extra, especially when they get to know me and make me feel special. That is what I really like about cruising as opposed to land vacations. I get to know a little something about the staff on the ship!

[Colo Cruiser]

We really want to do the chefs table on our upcoming cruise. How many servers did you have so that I can be prepared for tipping. I agree, I don't think they are compensated that well so I like to give them a little extra, especially when they get to know me and make me feel special. That is what I really like about cruising as opposed to land vacations. I get to know a little something about the staff on the ship!

 

Our Chefs Table we had upwards of 6-8 waitstaff serving and helping during the dinner.

Edited August 3, 2014 by Colo Cruiser

[Cruisin' Chick]

Thanks for all the imput guys. I am from Australia and tipping is just not something we do here (other than round up a restaurant bill). Seems like everyone has a slightly different view on it. I wonder if it is different if the cruise is a Med one like mine on the Regal rather than out of the USA. Do you have the same steward for the whole cruise and if you get room service will he be the one to bring it, or will be a different person each time?

 

Only 8 more sleeps till my big adventure :-)

 

As I mentioned above, there will be a crew member who delivers your food, but I don't believe the same one who is your cabin steward. Normally you will have the same cabin steward assigned to your cabin -- the only time that would change would be on a really long cruise if your steward's contract ends during it and that person leaves to go home for good or a vacation.

[Colo Cruiser]

Thanks for all the imput guys. I am from Australia and tipping is just not something we do here (other than round up a restaurant bill). Seems like everyone has a slightly different view on it. I wonder if it is different if the cruise is a Med one like mine on the Regal rather than out of the USA. Do you have the same steward for the whole cruise and if you get room service will he be the one to bring it, or will be a different person each time?

 

 

A Med cruise on Princess is no different then any other Princess cruise as far as tipping.

(other then Princess Aus).

Room service will usually use the same couple of people or maybe even 1 person when you call. We have found it was pretty much the same RS person the entire cruise.

Its the same Steward for the cruise.

Edited August 3, 2014 by Colo Cruiser

[mmckm]

We,ve done the chefs table at least 8 times, there is usually 1 main server with a helper that start in the kitchen and finish. They do most of the bull work. Pouring wine, bringing plates, clearing and will be there at the end to clean up. That's who we tip. The chef, maitre'd, wine steward are all well paid for their jobs. Management gets compliments and praise for their good job.

[LovesCruising]

The auto-tip does cover room service personnel (you can check this by asking at the Purser's Desk).

 

It also covers buffet personnel, the hanburger grill personnel, the pizza stand personnel, the ice cream stand personnel, etc.

 

As far as giving an extra tip to the room service delivery person, I do not see why, if you choose to do it, it should vary with the "cost" of what is being delivered. That person is only delivering it, not preparing it. No different from a home delivery of restaurant food on land. Whether the delivery person is bringing a $10 pizza or a $40 takeout meal, that person just did the delivery, nothing more.

 

so if you call in for a pizza delivery - to your house - you don't give the delivery guy a tip??

 

You are tipping for room service on the delivery - if you don't want to give a dollar or 2 or 5 - don't - Geez!

[LovesCruising]

The automatic tipping does Not cover room service

 

here is what Princess says:

 

To simplify the tipping process for our passengers, a discretionary gratuity of $12 per person for mini-suites and suites, and $11.50 per passenger in all other staterooms per day (including children) will be automatically added to your shipboard account on a daily basis. This gratuity will be shared amongst those staff who help provide and support your cruise experience, including all waitstaff, stateroom stewards, buffet stewards, and housekeeping staff across the fleet. For your convenience, this gratuity can be pre-paid before you sail by calling 1-800 PRINCESS and referencing Special Services item number 0597. Pre-paid gratuities may be added up to 6 days prior to your departure.

 

A 15% gratuity is added to bar charges and dining room wine accounts. This is shared amongst the beverage staff and their support staff. We know you will find these services onboard exemplary.

 

 

You can tip the room service staff or not - up to you - we do

[-Lew-]

 

The automatic tipping does Not cover room service

 

here is what Princess says:

 

...This gratuity will be shared amongst those staff who help provide and support your cruise experience, including all waitstaff, stateroom stewards, buffet stewards, and housekeeping staff across the fleet...

Room service delivery personnel are waitstaff. They participate in auto-tips.

 

Lew

[Thrak]

If you are from Australia where tipping is not the norm then I would say to just let the auto tip cover everything and be done with it. You do NOT have to tip anything in addition to the auto tip. If you don't want to do so don't let others pressure you into tipping extra. If you do want to tip extra then do so. It's really very simple and up to the individual.

 

As someone who spent a fair portion of my youth in a tip-oriented industry I've still always been totally boggled by the people who feel they "must" tip and will blithely tell others they should tip someone $20 or more for doing their job. Really? $20 each for several waiters serving the Chef's Table where you already paid around $100 each for dinner? Sure. Let's just bump that up to $150 - $200 per person with tips. Why not?

 

Have any of you "tip happy" people EVER worked in a restaurant of other place where tipping is the norm? Yes, the people love getting huge tips but they don't respect the people who give those big tips. They see them as people to be "worked" for tips. As I said above, I spent a fair amount of my youth in restaurant work. I cooked and, if my food was good and nicely presented, the waitress got a good tip - mostly for taking the order and carrying it to the table. I never expected to be tipped for doing the job I was already paid to do but, without my work, the waitress didn't get that giant tip.

 

Please folks, stop telling other people how they "should" tip. Aussies have it right. They only tip if there is something exceptional that takes place.

[GUT2407]

If you are from Australia where tipping is not the norm then I would say to just let the auto tip cover everything and be done with it. You do NOT have to tip anything in addition to the auto tip. If you don't want to do so don't let others pressure you into tipping extra. If you do want to tip extra then do so. It's really very simple and up to the individual.

 

As someone who spent a fair portion of my youth in a tip-oriented industry I've still always been totally boggled by the people who feel they "must" tip and will blithely tell others they should tip someone $20 or more for doing their job. Really? $20 each for several waiters serving the Chef's Table where you already paid around $100 each for dinner? Sure. Let's just bump that up to $150 - $200 per person with tips. Why not?

 

Have any of you "tip happy" people EVER worked in a restaurant of other place where tipping is the norm? Yes, the people love getting huge tips but they don't respect the people who give those big tips. They see them as people to be "worked" for tips. As I said above, I spent a fair amount of my youth in restaurant work. I cooked and, if my food was good and nicely presented, the waitress got a good tip - mostly for taking the order and carrying it to the table. I never expected to be tipped for doing the job I was already paid to do but, without my work, the waitress didn't get that giant tip.

 

Please folks, stop telling other people how they "should" tip. Aussies have it right. They only tip if there is something exceptional that takes place.

 

 

Spot on Thrak, I thought tipping was for exceptional service. I actually object to auto tipping because it discourages exceptional service, they'll get it no matter what.

[caribill]

so if you call in for a pizza delivery - to your house - you don't give the delivery guy a tip??

 

You are tipping for room service on the delivery - if you don't want to give a dollar or 2 or 5 - don't - Geez!

 

Yes, I would tip. But not based on the value of what was being delivered.

 

Some of the posts in this thread said they tip room service delivery person more if what is delivered is worth more.

[sparky-elpaso]

Yes, I would tip. But not based on the value of what was being delivered.

 

Some of the posts in this thread said they tip room service delivery person more if what is delivered is worth more.

 

Since room service is "free" it's not what it's worth but how much food is being delivered. We would tip more for a whole meal than we would for coffee and pastries.

[martin jenkins]

If you are from Australia where tipping is not the norm then I would say to just let the auto tip cover everything and be done with it. You do NOT have to tip anything in addition to the auto tip. If you don't want to do so don't let others pressure you into tipping extra. If you do want to tip extra then do so. It's really very simple and up to the individual.

 

As someone who spent a fair portion of my youth in a tip-oriented industry I've still always been totally boggled by the people who feel they "must" tip and will blithely tell others they should tip someone $20 or more for doing their job. Really? $20 each for several waiters serving the Chef's Table where you already paid around $100 each for dinner? Sure. Let's just bump that up to $150 - $200 per person with tips. Why not?

 

Have any of you "tip happy" people EVER worked in a restaurant of other place where tipping is the norm? Yes, the people love getting huge tips but they don't respect the people who give those big tips. They see them as people to be "worked" for tips. As I said above, I spent a fair amount of my youth in restaurant work. I cooked and, if my food was good and nicely presented, the waitress got a good tip - mostly for taking the order and carrying it to the table. I never expected to be tipped for doing the job I was already paid to do but, without my work, the waitress didn't get that giant tip.

 

Please folks, stop telling other people how they "should" tip. Aussies have it right. They only tip if there is something exceptional that takes place.

 

spot on, I've being in hospitality all my life as a chef and all my food goes out to the same set standard thats what I'm paid for, id like to know what people mean by ''going above and beyond'' so i tip them, what do they do that is so special apart from being paid to do a job to a set standard.

[Happy2cruise]

Since room service is "free" it's not what it's worth but how much food is being delivered. We would tip more for a whole meal than we would for coffee and pastries.

Totally agree...that's how we do it;)

[notentirelynormal]

spot on, I've being in hospitality all my life as a chef and all my food goes out to the same set standard thats what I'm paid for, id like to know what people mean by ''going above and beyond'' so i tip them, what do they do that is so special apart from being paid to do a job to a set standard.

 

When we spill an entire drink of strawberry margarita in our cabin and the room steward as to clean it up. That is above and beyond. When you come to the table for dinner and they already have sliced strawberries for the kids to quell their hunger while we order and keep them entertained. When my very picky mother complains about everything and they smile and say "of course I'll replace it for you". Then they make her feel like a queen.

[jazzhands]

lorri111, I have just come back from cruising the Med on the Regal - you will have a fantastic time.

I just left the auto-tip on and other than the standard 15% on drinks etc. I did not provide any additional tips at the end of the journey as I personally felt that was sufficient.

That said, the cabin steward was clearly hanging around at the end of the trip with the expectation of a top-up, which I didn't give.

[Thrak]

lorri111, I have just come back from cruising the Med on the Regal - you will have a fantastic time.

I just left the auto-tip on and other than the standard 15% on drinks etc. I did not provide any additional tips at the end of the journey as I personally felt that was sufficient.

That said, the cabin steward was clearly hanging around at the end of the trip with the expectation of a top-up, which I didn't give.

 

People who are obviously trolling for a tip really annoy me. It's tacky as heck.

[caribill]

Spot on Thrak, I thought tipping was for exceptional service. I actually object to auto tipping because it discourages exceptional service, they'll get it no matter what.

 

Before the auo-tip dining rooms were fairly empty on the last evening as a number of passengers did not want to give out tips on that last evening.

[schlot]

We tipped our cabin steward on the Ruby at the end of the cruise even though we never got room service.

 

I felt he did a great job above and beyond my expectations and that he deserved a tip accordingly.

 

In my mind $12 per day it's just a cost much like the ticket fee is and only partially goes to him as it is spread out over a lot of people.

[JBM]

Since room service is "free" it's not what it's worth but how much food is being delivered. We would tip more for a whole meal than we would for coffee and pastries.

Exactly the way we tip for room service.

 

Barbara