Tipping the cabin steward

[willcruiseanythyme]

Long ago I learned that if you pass a 10 or 20 bill to them at first introduction the steward seems to be extra attentive. I usually ask for ice in the room all day instead of just in the evening and sometimes extra towels and they have always eagerly obliged. I feel like long time friends by the end of the cruise!!! They work hard!

[Langley Cruisers]

I usually ask for ice in the room all day instead of just in the evening and sometimes extra towels and they have always eagerly obliged.

 

Just so you know, these things are quite standard/normal. We have always gotten ice twice a day and extra towels. I appreciate that some people, yourself included and others in this thread, prefer to tip up front but we do not and have always received excellent service. :)

.

[willcruiseanythyme]

Just so you know, these things are quite standard/normal. We have always gotten ice twice a day and extra towels. I appreciate that some people, yourself included and others in this thread, prefer to tip up front but we do not and have always received excellent service. :)

.

 

Actually we have been on several cruises where we were only given ice at night. And, towels changed once per day. I figure if I ask them up front for these things then I don't have to keep asking every day I see them. I'm glad you have always received excellent service.

[yolanda1]

Wr had excellent service from our Cabin Steward.My wife suggested we give him a tip beyond that which is prepaid.I wanted to give him a much larger amount .I was just wondering what the correct amount should have been. Hypothetically let us say I gave him morethan we decided on and I want to determine if I over tipped.

 

 

 

I wouldn't worry about it. If you have prepaid tips and are happy with any extra you tip at the end, it's all good. No one on a cruise ship ever said "I can't accept this You have tipped me too much!" :D

 

As for tipping in advance, we only did it once on one of our early cruises. We got outstanding service. Since then we have normally tipped at the end. Guess what? We STILL get outstanding service!!! :D

 

If it suits people to tip up front that's great, but don't do it just because you think you are getting better service because of it. You probably aren't. Ice bucket replenishments, towels, towel animals and little treats are, in our experience, the norm anyway. It's generally just great service as standard.

[delirious9876]

What is the norm for tipping the Cabin Steward for a 12 night cruise ?

The gratuity amount of $12 per person, per day ($14 if in a suite) takes care of the room attendants tips for you when it is divided between all of the staff who receive a share.

 

You can of course also tip extra any time you want.

 

On my last cruise 2 staff thanked us for tipping cash as this is better financially for them so you might want to consider removing your room account tips and paying cash instead.

 

When we pay cash we give our stateroom attendant $6.50 per adult, per day.

 

Have a great cruise :)

[Thetrail]

Wr had excellent service from our Cabin Steward.My wife suggested we give him a tip beyond that which is prepaid.I wanted to give him a much larger amount .I was just wondering what the correct amount should have been. Hypothetically let us say I gave him morethan we decided on and I want to determine if I over tipped.

Your thread has no point.:rolleyes: Whether you over or undertipped noone can say. It's a personal choice....

[lenquixote66]

Your thread has no point.:rolleyes: Whether you over or undertipped noone can say. It's a personal choice....

 

You are correct ,however as one who has not cruised that much I was just wondering what amounts people tip.

[delirious9876]

Your thread has no point.:rolleyes: Whether you over or undertipped noone can say. It's a personal choice....

IMO you are wrong. Of course it has a point ?!?!?!?!?!

[kontraxed]

If we see our room steward often and he or she is friendly and does a good job, we will normally give them $20 at the end of the cruise. We use MTD so we normally have a variety of waiters. As a result, we don't normally leave anything extra for the wait staff.

Edited February 15, 2015 by kontraxed
Wanted to complete my thought.

[Vitality08]

You are correct ,however as one who has not cruised that much I was just wondering what amounts people tip.

 

On my recent 10 day, I left an extra 30 for the steward. My regular gratuities were paid along with the cost of the cruise.

 

On previous cruises I've left as little as 10 for a 4 day and 20 for a 6 and 7 day.

 

I don't think there's a right or wrong answer. It's whatever your comfortable with.

 

I also gave my waiter and assistant 20 each but afterward thought maybe the waiter should have gotten more because he did more work. The assistant got drinks, bread, sauces, etc. but the head waiter actually took the orders and brought the food. So, I guess it is what is.

[nimbex1970]

Long ago I learned that if you pass a 10 or 20 bill to them at first introduction the steward seems to be extra attentive. I usually ask for ice in the room all day instead of just in the evening and sometimes extra towels and they have always eagerly obliged. I feel like long time friends by the end of the cruise!!! They work hard!

 

I agree, I tip a $20 to my room steward, the wait staff in the main dinning and my two favorite bars. My bar staff, If I appear and beer is waiting, I add a $5. I pay for good service and I have never been disappointed, aside from one instance with a very busy wait staff with a difficult table of 8 near us, so no issues there. Not their fault.

 

I pre-pay my tips, and add on... just me.

[caribbean sailor]

Maybe OP is asking if the "norm" is to just pay the auto-tip or if the "norm" is to pay more than the auto-tip and how much do you pay above and beyond the auto-tip.

 

I usually give our Cabin Steward about $10 above the auto-tip and the waiter and asst waiter $10 each above, in cash and I just hand it to them.

 

How about going to guess service cancel prepaid tips.And pay your tips as you please,and you will not have to hear what other people want you to do.Have a great next cruise.

Edited February 16, 2015 by caribbean sailor

[Bonnard]

We recently went on a 2 week cruise and our cabin steward was particularly nice. An empty envelope was provided near the end of the cruise for, I think, votes for best crew members? In any case we put 30 Euros in the envelop and left it on the desk as we disembarked. But there were extra cleaners all around as they prepared for the next cruise and I had this feeling our guy might just not get his extra.

 

I was right- my husband went back to the room (within 2 minutes) and the unknown cleaner was there and the envelope gone. My husband:(:( asked where it was and the man fumbled around- something about how it must have gone in the garbage and he would look. Went away and came back with the 30 Euros cash (it had been in a sealed envelop). We delivered it to our steward and told him what happened. Felt very sad about this and will not make this mistake again. If they seem to be hanging around a bit at the very end, this may be why. We will ALWAYS put it directly into the hands of those deserving it from here on.

[Clarea]

We recently went on a 2 week cruise and our cabin steward was particularly nice. An empty envelope was provided near the end of the cruise for, I think, votes for best crew members? In any case we put 30 Euros in the envelop and left it on the desk as we disembarked. But there were extra cleaners all around as they prepared for the next cruise and I had this feeling our guy might just not get his extra.

 

I was right- my husband went back to the room (within 2 minutes) and the unknown cleaner was there and the envelope gone. My husband:(:( asked where it was and the man fumbled around- something about how it must have gone in the garbage and he would look. Went away and came back with the 30 Euros cash (it had been in a sealed envelop). We delivered it to our steward and told him what happened. Felt very sad about this and will not make this mistake again. If they seem to be hanging around a bit at the very end, this may be why. We will ALWAYS put it directly into the hands of those deserving it from here on.

We leave the extra tip for the stateroom attendant on the bed as we leave for dinner on the last night.

[Retired LEO]

We leave the extra tip for the stateroom attendant on the bed as we leave for dinner on the last night.

 

Exactly. That's just what we do. If it's left on the last morning anyone could grab it including nosey passengers that are leaving since the doors are all left open.

[CCC3]

We give the envelope & top directly to our steward.

[CCC3]

Ooops! That was the TIP not top!

[RocketMan275]

This thread has the signs of a budding classic cruise critic tipping thread.

 

I am just getting that feeling, not sure why.

 

Could it be the smell of hot buttered popcorn?

[Jay Sam]

I like 20.00 to 25.00 for the room steward. Or dividing it among them if there are more. MDR 10.00 for each of them. Often there are 3 of them at our table. Or 15.00 if there are 2.

 

Sometimes I like to tip as I am walking around the ship. If I see a nice staff member doing a great job, maybe a 5.00 tip. Someone bussing tables in the buffet, someone vacuuming or mopping the floor, someone at the pizza shop, guys cleaning the pool area etc etc. On a recent cruise, when I gave the one young man a 5 spot, he said, "really, for me"? Great memory for me. You would have thought it was a lot more than 5.00. My regualar thing to say is, "thank you for making things so nice for us".

[BekkaW]

Actually we have been on several cruises where we were only given ice at night. And, towels changed once per day. I figure if I ask them up front for these things then I don't have to keep asking every day I see them. I'm glad you have always received excellent service.

 

Asking for these things upfront is quite a different concept to tipping up front. We always ask on the first day for extra ice and towels and have had no trouble receiving them. We don't tip until the last night - usually $20 extra on a 7 night (to answer OPs question) so in my experience there is no need to tip in advance to receive good service.

[Jay Sam]

Asking for these things upfront is quite a different concept to tipping up front. We always ask on the first day for extra ice and towels and have had no trouble receiving them. We don't tip until the last night - usually $20 extra on a 7 night (to answer OPs question) so in my experience there is no need to tip in advance to receive good service.

 

Never have tipped up front, always on the last day, and I agree with you, the service I have received has always been excellent on all 5 lines. 12 cruises and nothing to complain about. All 12 cruise staff members have been tipped by me, and quite gladly. Amazing folks who work on the ships. Awesome.

[ThirstyCruiser]

We recently went on a 2 week cruise and our cabin steward was particularly nice. An empty envelope was provided near the end of the cruise for, I think, votes for best crew members? In any case we put 30 Euros in the envelop and left it on the desk as we disembarked. But there were extra cleaners all around as they prepared for the next cruise and I had this feeling our guy might just not get his extra.

 

I was right- my husband went back to the room (within 2 minutes) and the unknown cleaner was there and the envelope gone. My husband:(:( asked where it was and the man fumbled around- something about how it must have gone in the garbage and he would look. Went away and came back with the 30 Euros cash (it had been in a sealed envelop). We delivered it to our steward and told him what happened. Felt very sad about this and will not make this mistake again. If they seem to be hanging around a bit at the very end, this may be why. We will ALWAYS put it directly into the hands of those deserving it from here on.

Phew, close call! You almost tipped the cleaning staff.

 

I know, I know, that specific tip was for a specific person so you want that person to get it. Your warning is appreciated, I would not have thought of that.

 

The whole tipping thing is so weird in the end..some countries tip a lot and other little to none...some countries expect tips as part of the compensation, others are offended if you throw some petty cash at them. One job expects a tip, a very closely related job that may very well be more difficult gets nothing ever.

[Ocean View]

I like 20.00 to 25.00 for the room steward. Or dividing it among them if there are more. MDR 10.00 for each of them. Often there are 3 of them at our table. Or 15.00 if there are 2.

 

Sometimes I like to tip as I am walking around the ship. If I see a nice staff member doing a great job, maybe a 5.00 tip. Someone bussing tables in the buffet, someone vacuuming or mopping the floor, someone at the pizza shop, guys cleaning the pool area etc etc. On a recent cruise, when I gave the one young man a 5 spot, he said, "really, for me"? Great memory for me. You would have thought it was a lot more than 5.00. My regualar thing to say is, "thank you for making things so nice for us".

 

 

I like that![emoji267]