Increasing Gratuities

[Kathamo]

I have heard that the staff are notified if a passenger chooses to decrease his or her auto-gratuities. If I choose instead to increase my stateroom account gratuities above the automatic amount, would the staff be similarly notified? If so, would they find out almost immediately (e.g., the next day) or at the end of the cruise?

[dkjretired]

I have heard that the staff are notified if a passenger chooses to decrease his or her auto-gratuities. If I choose instead to increase my stateroom account gratuities above the automatic amount, would the staff be similarly notified? If so, would they find out almost immediately (e.g., the next day) or at the end of the cruise?

 

You cannot decrease tips only remove them altogether or increase them. Don't think they notify employees of an increase. Most people just give extra in cash.

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

When I give extra gratuities, I give them in cash together with a thank you note.

 

[Kathamo]

I am aware that most people give extras in cash at the end of the cruise. I prefer to avoid carrying cash.

 

 

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[DinaS]

I have heard that the staff are notified if a passenger chooses to decrease his or her auto-gratuities. If I choose instead to increase my stateroom account gratuities above the automatic amount, would the staff be similarly notified? If so, would they find out almost immediately (e.g., the next day) or at the end of the cruise?

 

Since the gratuities are shared (split, whatever) among so many people, I cannot possibly imagine that they are notified either way of ANY change (reduction or increase) of anyone's gratuities.

 

If there is an issue that causes someone to consider removing the gratuities, the issue should be addressed so they have the chance to correct it at the beginning of your cruise.

 

If someone gives exemplary service, an additional gratuity to that person in cash would probably be best, along with some type of note (or comment card, or commendation) to a higher up (hotel director, etc) would probably be the most beneficial to the person(s) who gave you excellent service.

[cb at sea]

They will know when they receive them...on their next paycheck! Surely, you carry SOME cash!!!

Edited January 23, 2015 by cb at sea

[wwcruisers]

When I give extra gratuities, I give them in cash together with a thank you note.

 

 

Same here, Linda! I always include our name and room number on the note. Don't know if those help the crew member's career advancement, but I figure it can't hurt. :cool:

[flames9]

We take the time and email and send an actual letter to Celebrity on the ones that provided great service, as that may help in a promotion, which can mean more $$$

[Kathamo]

Surely, you carry SOME cash!!!

 

 

Not if I can help it! [emoji2]

Seriously, I really very rarely carry cash. I don't need it 99% of the time and I prefer to be able to track my spending via credit card. Even parking meters and food trucks take cards these days.

 

Anyway, the point of my question is not whether I am willing or able to tip in cash, but rather to find out if there is a suitable alternative, for numerous reasons, only one of which is that I hate carrying it around.

 

 

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[Pickels]

For bad or "attitude", the auto grat is all they get. For outstanding service, the auto grat is simply. The starting point as we give extra in a thank you card at the end of the cruise.

[SantaFeFan]

Not if I can help it! [emoji2]

Seriously, I really very rarely carry cash. I don't need it 99% of the time and I prefer to be able to track my spending via credit card. Even parking meters and food trucks take cards these days.

 

Anyway, the point of my question is not whether I am willing or able to tip in cash, but rather to find out if there is a suitable alternative, for numerous reasons, only one of which is that I hate carrying it around.

 

 

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Just get cash out of the ATM on board the ship. Or, perhaps get some from the Customer Service desk that can be added to your onboard account.

[dodger1964]

Not if I can help it! [emoji2]

Seriously, I really very rarely carry cash. I don't need it 99% of the time and I prefer to be able to track my spending via credit card. Even parking meters and food trucks take cards these days.

 

Anyway, the point of my question is not whether I am willing or able to tip in cash, but rather to find out if there is a suitable alternative, for numerous reasons, only one of which is that I hate carrying it around.

 

 

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I'm sure someone will correct me if wrong, but you can't just increase your gratuity to a specific person. If you increased it it would just increase all's allocation. You can't just tell the ship to add $10 per day for your room attendant for example.

 

 

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[Kathamo]

No worries; if I increased my gratuities I would expect it to be allocated to all of the usual staff in the usual proportions. Sending thank you notes or letters to supervisors are a good idea. Getting cash out of the ATM is a good idea but it does not alleviate the problem of rushing all over the ship on the last day trying (sometimes unsuccessfully) to find every crew member who served me well.

 

In other words, there is more thought behind this than just not having cash lying around. In any case, I'll drop it because it seems that this is all much too against the grain for folks!

 

 

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[jspirit]

I'm sure someone will correct me if wrong, but you can't just increase your gratuity to a specific person. If you increased it it would just increase all's allocation. You can't just tell the ship to add $10 per day for your room attendant for example.

 

 

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Last year I went to the Guest Relations desk and they gave me some forms to fill out. On each one, I specified who I wanted to get the extra gratuity and how much. It came off my sail and sign card.

Is this what you are trying to do also?

[TeaBag]

Why leave it till the last day? The people you give extra tips to will appreciate it and you for your generosity no matter when they get it. I have gotten a kiss on both cheeks.:)

[Christine Frances]

No worries; if I increased my gratuities I would expect it to be allocated to all of the usual staff in the usual proportions. Sending thank you notes or letters to supervisors are a good idea. Getting cash out of the ATM is a good idea but it does not alleviate the problem of rushing all over the ship on the last day trying (sometimes unsuccessfully) to find every crew member who served me well.

 

In other words, there is more thought behind this than just not having cash lying around. In any case, I'll drop it because it seems that this is all much too against the grain for folks!

 

 

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The people next to me at guest relations on the Equinox were there to increase their gratuities and it was handled quickly and easily. I imagine quite a few do it this way for the same reasons as the OP. I don't know if the staff is notified though. If I ever do this I might put a note in the thank you card with mention of the increase in grats.

[Christine Frances]

Last year I went to the Guest Relations desk and they gave me some forms to fill out. On each one, I specified who I wanted to get the extra gratuity and how much. It came off my sail and sign card.

Is this what you are trying to do also?

 

Excellent info!! Good to know:)

[chief190]

Last April my wife found perticulaly helpful bathroom attendant on infinity that she ran into a lot. She gave her a 40 dollar tip at the end of the trip. She said she had never had anybody do that. With the threat of noro on board we where happy with her extra effort. We also gave out personal notes to several other people on board. Not required but the people "crew" we have kept up with is worth it it truly humanizes people that sometimes go unnoticed.

 

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Edited January 24, 2015 by chief190

[ThursdaysChild]

I am aware that most people give extras in cash at the end of the cruise. I prefer to avoid carrying cash.

 

 

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I traveled several times with a travel buddy who insisted on putting whatever extra gratuities she wanted to give the waitstaff or stateroom attendants on to her onboard account. She literally would go to Guest Relations and tell them the amounts she wanted to give each, e.g.: $20 for the assistant waiter Samir, $30 for the stateroom attendant Elizabeth, etc. GR would then add one single charge for the amount to her acct. When I first saw this on our first trip together I told her I doubted X had a sophisticated enough system to give the extra gratuity to each individual, and suspected, at best, it went into a general pool. Amazingly naïve as she is, and also being one with zero understanding of computer systems, much less Celebrity's mess, she refused to believe that was the case.

 

So we asked. Everyone. I love talking to the X employees and officers. To a person, everyone we asked about this said that any extra gratuities put on a guest account must go into the general pool because they get nothing beyond the cash tips as extra. Over four cruises together, and literally dozens of staff and two junior officers in housekeeping and hotel all said the extra put on the account never goes directly to the intended recipient but is divided among all crew.

 

Please carry enough cash to provide extra gratuities. That and a few thank you notes. Really, recognizing great service with a note of thanks and some cash goes a looooong way towards a great cruise.

[ThursdaysChild]

Last year I went to the Guest Relations desk and they gave me some forms to fill out. On each one, I specified who I wanted to get the extra gratuity and how much. It came off my sail and sign card.

Is this what you are trying to do also?

 

LOL...sure, I watched my ex-travel buddy do this. Interesting that it was on her stateroom acct in one (not big) lump sum. Next time, ask your waiter or stateroom attendant if anyone EVER gets that extra in their own pay. It all goes into one pot.

Edited January 24, 2015 by ThursdaysChild

[cruisestitch]

" I cannot possibly imagine that they are notified either way of ANY change (reduction or increase) of anyone's gratuities."

 

If you remove the auto gratuities your table servers and your stateroom attendant are informed of this. There is a list given to each stateroom staff person and wait staff person (traditional dining) indicating this. They know who has prepaid their tips and who has not, and if any changes are made, their list is updated.

[Beanb41]

Believe it or not on our last cruise towards the end of it the most important issue on the minds of waiting and stateroom staff was not a few extra dollars but a favourable report by name on the end of cruise report. This report effects future employment and promotion so if you think someone has done exemplary service in addition to any cash you may give them name them on the end of cruise report.

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

To the OP: Another way to get cash on board is to withdraw it at the casino. It will be a charge against your seapass and the casino adds a 5% charge. This way you could then distribute the cash to the people you wished to have it. And it need not be done on the last night.

 

I don't particularly care to carry cash around with me either. Just about anything these days can be purchased by swiping a card. But it sounds as if extra gratuities charged to your account don't go to the person you'd like them to go to. I do bring cash on cruises specifically for tips and it stays in the safe until I need it.

 

[Project_gal]

I'm sure someone will correct me if wrong, but you can't just increase your gratuity to a specific person. If you increased it it would just increase all's allocation. You can't just tell the ship to add $10 per day for your room attendant for example.

 

 

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The form for increasing gratuities from you ron board account has a space for the person who is to receive the additional gratuity.

 

As to why do it this way, it can make a great deal of sense for those who do not live in the US. At present we are able to purchase OBC at a very advantageous rate. Given the choice of [for example] US$147 in grubby notes [bills?] or US$168 paid through the guest's on board account, I know what most of the crew would prefer.

[Project_gal]

[Apologies, did not get back to my post quickly enough to add the following edit.]

 

Although we always send a letter, post cruise, providing [positive] feedback on crew who have given us exceptional service, increasing the gratuities for an individual in this way also makes it clear immediately to management that that crew member has been recognised by the guest in a positive way.

 

We prefer to give our additional gratuities in cash but, sometimes, we can do better by adding it to our on board account. For the few that think that the individuals do not know about the changes you have made, it is not our experience. We have been thanked for the additional gratuities we have added [before we have got round to handing them our usual "thank you" card].