Cabin steward tip

[schlot]

Just wondering what other have given (if any ) for an additional cash tip to your cabin stewards?

 

We gave $50 for our 5 day cruise.

[geoherb]

That's more than I would give. Generally $10-$20 is what we tip to individuals who have given us exceptional service (in addition to leaving on the automatic gratuities).

[Colo Cruiser]

Tipping is a personal thing. I think you need to give what you are comfortable with. Sound like you are in the right ballpark.

[skrodle]

Just wondering what other have given (if any ) for an additional cash tip to your cabin stewards?

 

We gave $50 for our 5 day cruise.

 

Im right in line with you, for all they do, $10 per day is usually what we tip. The $11-$12 per day auto tip is shared with so many, that we feel the stewards deserve more.

[schlot]

Im right in line with you, for all they do, $10 per day is usually what we tip. The $11-$12 per day auto tip is shared with so many, that we feel the stewards deserve more.

 

My thoughts exactly. I think they have the hardest and longest work days of the people we come in contact on a cruise.

[Dudleydog73]

My thoughts exactly. I think they have the hardest and longest work days of the people we come in contact on a cruise.

 

On our last cruises on the CB our steward had 18 rooms they were responsible for and they have to juggle their time around if people are in their cabins / or out and about and also with staggered dining times now.

 

They definitely are working more than others on the ship who have set shifts.

[philv]

I am always conflicted about this. I like the auto-tip and not having to think about tipping, and think auto-tipping is an equitible arrangement for everybody. But the cabin steward is a more intimate relationship (you know what I mean) with them in your cabin, cleaning up after you, and making your bed and all. I've tipped some and not others. They generally do a great job and I'm thinking I'm more inclined to be generous if they have made my cruise better. I don't know about $50 (unless it's a suite) but $20 seems about right. :)

[Loonbeam]

My rule of thumb for budgeting is $3-$5 per night per person in addition to the hotel charge.

I've been known to exceed that and to not tip additional at all (really depends on the steward - we had one on Disney who was so personable and exception I tipped a LOT over that - had one on another line I couldn't tell you what he or she looked like. Nothing extra).

 

Additional one shot tips for complicated or off-hours requests or guest caused extra work (example, I dropped a glass vase that shattered into a bazillion pieces - steward had to come off hours with a vacuum and find all the little bits - that was an extra $20)

[skrodle]

I am always conflicted about this. I like the auto-tip and not having to think about tipping, and think auto-tipping is an equitible arrangement for everybody. But the cabin steward is a more intimate relationship (you know what I mean) with them in your cabin, cleaning up after you, and making your bed and all. I've tipped some and not others. They generally do a great job and I'm thinking I'm more inclined to be generous if they have made my cruise better. I don't know about $50 (unless it's a suite) but $20 seems about right. :)

 

Be it $5, $20, $50, $100... whatever it is, I am just so happy when I hear that my fellow passengers give a little more to the stewards. It is an intimate relationship, especially on the 7 day or longer cruises, you really get to know them. I think the gesture of a little bit more is so appreciated by them.

[bhopal21]

Tipping is a personal thing. I think you need to give what you are comfortable with. Sound like you are in the right ballpark.

 

I agree with the above poster.

 

Let's don't let this thread evolve into something toxic.

 

It is your personal decision.

 

Mike:)

[schlot]

I am always conflicted about this. I like the auto-tip and not having to think about tipping, and think auto-tipping is an equitible arrangement for everybody. But the cabin steward is a more intimate relationship (you know what I mean) with them in your cabin, cleaning up after you, and making your bed and all. I've tipped some and not others. They generally do a great job and I'm thinking I'm more inclined to be generous if they have made my cruise better. I don't know about $50 (unless it's a suite) but $20 seems about right. :)

 

We had a mini-suite. Last cruise on the Ruby we gave $60 as that service was a step above the last cruise.

 

As an early riser I see cabin stewards starting their day getting towels folded and carts ready around 5:30am and I've seen them out well past 8pm turning down beds etc.

[schlot]

I agree with the above poster.

 

Let's don't let this thread evolve into something toxic.

 

It is your personal decision.

 

Mike:)

 

Cripes I'm not here to preach. I know others give 0 and that's their choice. Just looking for feedback and to see what others do.

[bhopal21]

Cripes I'm not here to preach. I know others give 0 and that's their choice. Just looking for feedback and to see what others do.

 

I didn't think you were preaching, you asked the question.

 

The responders to these type threads usually get them locked.

 

Mike:)

[schlot]

I didn't think you were preaching, you asked the question.

 

The responders to these type threads usually get them locked.

 

Mike:)

 

Good point.

[Nebr.cruiser]

We give $10-$20 pp for a week long cruise, depending on level of service. If it's just adequate, the lower amount. Our stewards have mostly been excellent, so $40 would be our norm, for the two of us. We always leave the daily gratuities on as well.

[MrYellowDuck]

I live in a country where tips are really never given and so when traveling I rationalise that I can pay generous tips without it really costing me much on a per annum basis. This rationale lets me do something special for people who probably earn very little so long as they show they genuinely care.

 

I typically travel in the cheapest cabin on the boat (I pay as if in a much higher cabin grade if I were a resident of other countries but such is the differential pricing that gives me some of the highest prices in the world). This means there can't be a reasonable expectation of a particularly generous tip - I'm in that group who only just manage to get on the boat. Generally the service is pretty mediocre and so I don't tip - there's no point paying for nothing. When service has been good (25% of cruises) I tip $50US a day all at the end - the steward reaction has always been such that this level of tip is unexpected and appreciated.

 

My country folk do have a reputation of not tipping (well earned too) and staff do act differently knowing this. I view this as very positive. My room will still be clean in at least a perfunctory style in all cases. What I like though is that it's easy to identify people who are doing a superb job without the expectation they're going to be given a present at the end. It's these special people I gift to.

[CZEE]

When service has been good (25% of cruises) I tip $50US a day all at the end - the steward reaction has always been such that this level of tip is unexpected and appreciated.

 

You tip $50/day? Or?

[mmckm]

we leave auto tips on and tip room steward $50 to $70 per 7 day cruise. We also tip a few others who have been special service.

[Dbld777]

Just off the Ruby and we tipped our room steward $50 extra for the week. He fulfilled a few requests, including a rock hard pillow for my liking and footrests for the balcony(although he said that footrests were only included for mini-suite balconies). Room was exceptionally clean and we never came back to a room needing service. One of those stewards with a sixth sense as to when you were out of your cabin! I agree that the stewards are some of the hardest working employees on the ship. We feel that the wait staff in the dining rooms and lounges have a comparatively easier role. In fact, that's a whole different discussion, as I feel the wait staff are much less motivated. We waited 15 minutes in the lounge for a drink one evening at 5:30 before dinner. Sorry to digress.....

[pandora518]

On a 7-day trip, we generally tip our steward $40. For longer cruises, it's ~$60. However, given that TIP is an acronym for To Insure Promptness, we give him (or her) $20 when we first arrive. On older ships, that has resulted in truly superior service and little niceties that we know aren't common.

 

We learned on our last TA that room stewards are also VERY appreciative of anyone who nominates them for some outstanding service a ward via the little card that is left in the cabin at some point during the cruise. You have the choice of leaving the card for him to pick up or dropping it off at the Pax Services desk. We left it for him, and when we got back to our room that night our bed was covered in heart-shaped chocolates and there was a handwritten Thank You card on the desk. We honestly felt our steward was outstanding, and we cited several examples. We will do this again, although not because we need more candy! ;)

Edited February 3, 2015 by pandora518

[Colo Cruiser]

On a 7-day trip, we generally tip our steward $40. For longer cruises, it's ~$60. However, given that TIP is an acronym for To Insure Promptness, we give him (or her) $20 when we first arrive. On older ships, that has resulted in truly superior service and little niceties that we know aren't common. ;)

 

We have never felt it necessary to bribe Stewart. ;)

[Dudleydog73]

We learned on our last TA that room stewards are also VERY appreciative of anyone who nominates them for some outstanding service a ward via the little card that is left in the cabin at some point during the cruise.

 

We were told that although the Made A Difference cards are nice, they TRULY appreciate a mention on the after cruise survey. The crew get extra days off as well as other things for enough mentions. We were also told that a list of names goes up in the crew mess and other areas with names highlighted for those that got mentioned in the surveys. It definitely does not go unnoticed. :)

[bhopal21]

We were told that although the Made A Difference cards are nice, they TRULY appreciate a mention on the after cruise survey. The crew get extra days off as well as other things for enough mentions. We were also told that a list of names goes up in the crew mess and other areas with names highlighted for those that got mentioned in the surveys. It definitely does not go unnoticed. :)

 

The above is true. Princess now places more weight on the followup email than the Made A Difference cards due to the possibility of manipulation.

 

Mike:)

[mellon1]

I think it is OK to ask so you know if you are tipping enough based on the service you received and what others do...no problem here in asking...you are just curious, and that's fine. Our stewards have always been exceptional on Princess. Truly, the best we have had on any other lines. We always leave our auto tips on and at the end of each segment of cruise, we give $10 per day to the steward, so for each of our B2B2B, we tip three times of $100.00 at the end of each of the three ten day cruises. In addition, if there is anything he does really over the top, we give additional. We are not rich by far and we budget in tipping throughout the year and save for our trip. We feel it is worth it to us and I appreciate it so much not having to make the bed, do the sheets, clean up, etc. I sure wouldn't do it for that! Anyways, it is a preference. We look at tipping as giving a gift or donation to someone who we have gotten to know and because of them they have made our trip that much more special. Last year we stayed 3 days in a nice hotel in Ft. L and we were very disappointed after having such special treatment on the ship!

[GradUT]

Tipping is a personal thing. I think you need to give what you are comfortable with. Sound like you are in the right ballpark.

 

 

And it's also perfectly acceptable NOT to tip extra beyond the auto-tip assessed by the cruiseline if that's the amount you are comfortable with.