Do you tip your attendant during the cruise also?

[beccaseraph7]

Hi guys, I have been lurking the forums for awhile, but this is my first post. I have finally got my bookings reserved for my next cruise!

 

We have been on Royal Caribbean twice before on the Majesty of the Seas (normal room) and then Voyager of the Sea's (JR. Suite).

 

We decided to go in 2016 so we can save up for the Royal Suite on the Indy followed by just a normal balcony room on the Allure.

 

Last time we went on a cruise was Voyager with the Jr. Suite which is a pretty big step down from the Royal Suite.

 

Last time we were in the suite the attendant seemed to watch for us and go out of his way to run into us and ask us how we were doing. He was nice but it was kind of awkward at times, he just kind of lingered around not really talking just watching us walking to our room like he was waiting on something. The time before that we were in a regular room and never even see our attendant. We had already prepaid our tips for the end of the cruise, but he was just standing there like he was expecting something.

 

I don't want our next trip to be as awkward as that time was... are we supposed to tip daily in addition to the end of the trip? I tried looking this up online and I'm coming up empty handed. I had always thought the tips go at the end of the cruise but again this was real awkward for me and my husband and instead of coming off as a nice attendant trying to make everything easier it was kind of weird and we tried to avoid him, but he always seemed to track us down and he was bothering us more than helping us.

 

My husband suggested we just hand them a little in cash every time they try this, but I don't know if that's a solution or even something that should be done? Was this experience from before a fluke or am I missing something? I want to try to avoid these awkward situations next time around if possible so we can enjoy our time on the boat more than worried about running into someone...

 

So any help or suggestions would be helpful, thank you :)

[NorbertsNiece]

You do NOT have to pay any further tips to your room steward if you have prepaid. I have only ever tipped during the cruise where they have assisted in a special request for me (like obtaining a towelling robe before I was automatically entitled to one). I have sometimes given extra at the end of a cruise where expectations have been exceeded. Sometimes I will see a steward daily and exchange a greeting or, as in my last cruise, barely at all.

Edited August 17, 2014 by NorbertsNiece

[RazorbackIslandGirl]

I've never tipped the CS throughout the week, always at the end. But I do know they are VERY concerned about the survey you fill out at the end. As this is how they receive raises & promotions. A few bad reviews will get them fired.

Some are very fearful of this! It can however become too much at times. What I do is just assure them I will give them a glowing review & let them know I appreciate their concern but all is good! This has done the trick for me & eliminates the awkwardness. They really just want to know they are meeting your expectations. They want to take care of anything you may complain about themselves so a formal complaint is never filed.

[Jiffymom]

Sometimes they are just standing there watching so they can sneak in and tidy as soon as you leave.

Our last cruise in a GS. We gave him 25.00 we first got there. Even though we had prepaid . I knew our friends would be visiting our cabin often with their wine prior to dinner , so maybe a little extra work.

On another cruise we had three teens sharing their own room near us. Oh can you imagine all the make up and extra mess in the bathroom so I also gave extra 20.00 on first day. I guess that was a warning sign to him.

We normally stay in a JS and if it's just the two of us I dont tip extra. I do give 2.00 to room service each time they come .

So saying bring many 1.00 bills to have handy

[cruisegirl1]

We generally tip the cabin/suite attendant a little extra at the end of the cruise.

 

We have had very good experiences and usually feel the attendants deserve a bit extra. We rarely ask for anything extra and if we do, it is never anything out of the ordinary so we don't tip extra for a specific service or item - just for an overall good experience.

 

 

There have been rare times when we've had a marginal attendant and we don't provide anything extra.

 

Enjoy

M

[rrrrall]

Sometimes they are just standing there watching so they can sneak in and tidy as soon as you leave.

Our last cruise in a GS. We gave him 25.00 we first got there. Even though we had prepaid . I knew our friends would be visiting our cabin often with their wine prior to dinner , so maybe a little extra work.

On another cruise we had three teens sharing their own room near us. Oh can you imagine all the make up and extra mess in the bathroom so I also gave extra 20.00 on first day. I guess that was a warning sign to him.

We normally stay in a JS and if it's just the two of us I dont tip extra. I do give 2.00 to room service each time they come .

So saying bring many 1.00 bills to have handy

 

I noticed our stateroom attendant was concerned with tidying when we left also. Especially since we had my time dining and we randomly would take an after breakfast nap, he was never sure when we would be gone! Since they clean twice a day, he would often chat and ask what our day plans were and things like that to get a good idea.

 

He was never awkward, but we are very social also so I'm not sure if that has anything to do with it or not... But he would sometimes ask about the weather even, as sometimes he doesn't get to really be outside a lot because of working so much and for so long.

 

I wonder if the op 's first attendant was doing something similar, trying to get a feel for when he could go tidy up and things like that.

 

We learned about our attendants home country, work schedule, etc. And we ended up tipping extra because he did have to go out of his way to work around our schedule for when he cleaned. But you aren't obligated.

 

Sent from my SM-N900V using Forums mobile app

[Cigar King]

We usually tip something when we arrive, and again as we leave. We'll tip during the cruise if we have anything special. (say cleaning up after a party) You can do as you wish. I tip often at home, and see no reason to not while I am on vacation.

[Marie51]

I don't think you should hand them a little cash each time you see them. I have often had cabin attendants that are in the corridor and I think they just watch people coming & going so they can go in and clean the cabin. It should not make you feel awkward. I personally do not tip in advance as I see this as a bribe but I know many people do and this is an individual choice. I almost always give extra $$ at the end with only one exception when I felt the CA was a dud.

[delirious9876]

You do NOT have to pay any further tips to your room steward if you have prepaid. I have only ever tipped during the cruise where they have assisted in a special request for me (like obtaining a towelling robe before I was automatically entitled to one). I have sometimes given extra at the end of a cruise where expectations have been exceeded. Sometimes I will see a steward daily and exchange a greeting or, as in my last cruise, barely at all.

Oh my - I'm shocked that someone would consider getting an extra towel something that might generate an extra gratuity !?!?!?!?!?!?!

 

Blimey !

[beccaseraph7]

I noticed our stateroom attendant was concerned with tidying when we left also. Especially since we had my time dining and we randomly would take an after breakfast nap, he was never sure when we would be gone! Since they clean twice a day, he would often chat and ask what our day plans were and things like that to get a good idea.

 

He was never awkward, but we are very social also so I'm not sure if that has anything to do with it or not... But he would sometimes ask about the weather even, as sometimes he doesn't get to really be outside a lot because of working so much and for so long.

 

I wonder if the op 's first attendant was doing something similar, trying to get a feel for when he could go tidy up and things like that.

 

We learned about our attendants home country, work schedule, etc. And we ended up tipping extra because he did have to go out of his way to work around our schedule for when he cleaned. But you aren't obligated.

 

Sent from my SM-N900V using Forums mobile app

 

Hey thanks for the reply. The thing was he would most likely be looking for us AFTER he cleaned the room, because he was do this then we'd go in our room and see it had been cleaned, but he would be lingering around afterwards like he was waiting on us to return.

 

I always made sure to be out of the room, out of his way at certain times each day so he knew when to come, but he seemed to predict when we would return, that is what made it seem so awkward in my opinion, not like he just ran into us but he was waiting for us.

[Sat1]

I put a buck, or two, in one of the towel animals, as a thanks.

[jayblue]

This new prepaid tipping will be new for me, as I haven't cruised since 1997. Back then, we tipped on the last day of the cruise by handing our servers/stewards an envelope of cash.

 

Because I'm prepaying, I'm thinking I will add a little extra for the room steward. This is the person that will see me where I "live" for parts of six days. That's up close and personal for me.

 

I would tip a premium if I find a chocolate on my pillow every night and good coffee outside my door every morning. :)

[setsail]

Cabin stewards are human and each and everyone is different, some speak and understand English better than others. Some seem to be in the hall all the time and others not. Use the card that is provided in the cabin door slot, DND/clean my cabin. And, relax , be grateful for an attentive room steward and don't overthink things

 

Thread title question answer, sometimes

Edited August 17, 2014 by setsail

[delirious9876]

This new prepaid tipping will be new for me, as I haven't cruised since 1997. Back then, we tipped on the last day of the cruise by handing our servers/stewards an envelope of cash.

 

Because I'm prepaying, I'm thinking I will add a little extra for the room steward. This is the person that will see me where I "live" for parts of six days. That's up close and personal for me.

 

I would tip a premium if I find a chocolate on my pillow every night and good coffee outside my door every morning. :)

Seems crazy to me !

 

But I do respect your viewpoint and choice to do this.

 

Have a great cruise

 

:-)

[ssb]

We have tipped during and at end of cruise

in addition to prepaid. :D

It was circumstantial for good job on a TA , cleaning up after cocktail parties on large balcony, putting up with shenanigans from us and friends on ship.

Plus he and another friend steward are great people. And we have all become friends .

We have helped them with they're needs in our home port when ship is in,

And he and wife picked us up on his vacation leave while we were another of our cruises at destination port in his own home country

and showed us around there.

[Life is Good Cruising]

We usually tip something when we arrive, and again as we leave. We'll tip during the cruise if we have anything special. (say cleaning up after a party) You can do as you wish. I tip often at home, and see no reason to not while I am on vacation.

 

Exactly how I feel about tipping.

[FLACRUISER99]

Now on RCI I only tip because I want to not because I should or have to.

[kc320]

There is really no reason to tip the CS extra just because he seems to be "hanging around"....if you have a special request...extra pillow...robe...that type of thing it's nice to give a tip...but even then it's not required....maybe the steward was waiting for people in other cabins near by to leave that made it seem it was hanging around...and while a JS is a step up from a regular balcony...it's not considered a full suite...so extra tipping not required there either....Grand Suites & higher are charged more per day for their prepaid tips...

[bighairtexan]

For extraordinary service (which I feel I get most of the time on a cruise so not sure how "extraordinary" it actually is) I do tip extra cash at the end of the cruise. Whom do I tip extra? MDR waiter and assistant if I have the same people each day. Cabin steward and assistant. Sometimes I have a very extraordinary bar tender/server. In which case I tip extra part way through the cruise.

 

I've had cruises where all of the above got extra. And cruises where NONE of the above got extra. No right or wrong. Personal choice whether you do that, when you do that and how much.

[cb at sea]

No..never! Tipping is traditionally done on the LAST NIGHT of the cruise...and your cabin attendant, waiters and such KNOW that. NEVER feel pressured to tip additionally!

[lucysmommy1]

we also tipped a little extra at the end of the cruise as our cabin attendant was second to none!

[fakegrandmother]

We tip our room steward extra on 1st day as we tell him the things we need/want to make us comfortable.....wine glasses, etc. if he/she does,those extra things to make us comfortable we tip cash again on last day in addition to prepaid tips.

[OfTheSeasCruiser]

We always tip our waiter, assistant and our room steward at the end of the cruise on top of the gratuities added per day if they have done a wonderful job. We have never felt obligated to tip them throughout the cruise, however. We will tip the room service delivery person and what not, but our steward and waiters/waitresses always get tipped at the end...

[lucysmommy1]

We always tip our waiter, assistant and our room steward at the end of the cruise on top of the gratuities added per day if they have done a wonderful job. We have never felt obligated to tip them throughout the cruise, however. We will tip the room service delivery person and what not, but our steward and waiters/waitresses always get tipped at the end...

 

we also tipped our waiter and assistant - they were totally wonderful with the girls and nothing was a bother

 

wait till you are there - then see if you think wow and tip extra to people who make you say it

[CodyC815]

When I had my first big win in the casino (royal flush in video poker with a max bet), I was slightly intoxicated and ended up running to my cabin, giving all the employees in my path $20. Other than that, I don't think I've ever tipped except during debarkation.

Edited August 17, 2014 by CodyC815