how much to tip when solo

[Sharon Sails]

How much is one expected to tip when traveling solo? Should I be tipping as if there were two in the room? I'm very neat and don't ask for anything extra. But I want to be fair. What do most solo travelers do?

[Clarea]

How much is one expected to tip when traveling solo? Should I be tipping as if there were two in the room? I'm very neat and don't ask for anything extra. But I want to be fair. What do most solo travelers do?

Your suggested tips will be automatically added to your onboard account. That will take care of your stateroom and dining staff.

[maureencruiser]

There is no need to tip extra because you are solo. Just be careful not to make twice as much mess. ;)

[MADflyer]

RCI has a system of distributing solo passengers cabin assignments so that the cabin stewards have an equal distribution of total passengers and therefore the daily recommended gratuities per passenger remain the same.

 

If I am satisfied with the service, I normally add around $3 per day for the cabin stewards, waiters and assistant waiters. It was very odd on Quantum as I gave additional gratuity directly at breakfast at Coastal Kitchen, while I left nothing additional to evening servers in the complementary restaurants.

 

Extra gratuity is in no way expected or required, but I tend to find I receive very personal and exceptional service as a solo and am happy to reward this high service level.

[cb at sea]

No..you tip for yourself!

[gaylemh]

RCI has a system of distributing solo passengers cabin assignments so that the cabin stewards have an equal distribution of total passengers and therefore the daily recommended gratuities per passenger remain the same.

 

If I am satisfied with the service, I normally add around $3 per day for the cabin stewards, waiters and assistant waiters. It was very odd on Quantum as I gave additional gratuity directly at breakfast at Coastal Kitchen, while I left nothing additional to evening servers in the complementary restaurants.

 

Extra gratuity is in no way expected or required, but I tend to find I receive very personal and exceptional service as a solo and am happy to reward this high service level.

 

How does RCI have a system of distributing cabins when I always pick the cabin I want? In fact on one sailing myself and 3 others all sailed solo in the same area. We each picked the cabin we wanted.

 

If I have a good steward, I usually give about $3.00 more per night, to try to make up for only one in the cabin. The only thing I ever ask for is ice. There is no need to tip more though.

[MADflyer]

How does RCI have a system of distributing cabins when I always pick the cabin I want? In fact on one sailing myself and 3 others all sailed solo in the same area. We each picked the cabin we wanted.

 

If I have a good steward, I usually give about $3.00 more per night, to try to make up for only one in the cabin. The only thing I ever ask for is ice. There is no need to tip more though.

 

The system was updated last year. It takes a bit of text to describe it. They are only showing you inventory that is open for solos when you are booking usually. Categories can be passenger number restricted.

 

That is one of the elements with the 2/3/4 passenger cabin distribution with some categories only allowing 2 passengers, while others require 3. Cabins are assigned on a per cruise basis. GTY cabin assignment sand even upgrades can enter into this distribution. A cabin steward may have more cabins on one cruise than the other due to passenger distribution. They also distribute passengers in a similar fashion in the MDR so that sections have almost the same number of guests assigned.

 

For instance, I booked the Legend TA last September and we had 3 solo cabins. I was given a J on deck 8 right away. The other two cabins were assigned at the pier in Oslo. One had the key card waiting. and was given deck 3. For the other the ships reception actually had to be contacted as they had been moving some that had boarded in Hamburg 2 days prior.

 

They upgraded me at the pier to a F Panoramic OV and I asked if they could give one of them my J on deck 8. They stated that I was being given the F as I was a solo and my J had been given to a couple and they stated the reason was to meet housekeeping distribution.

 

We then had a flooding issue in the cabin next to the deck 2 assigned cabin and they were very unhappy. 2 days later when they offered to move that passenger they stated at the reception that they only had 2 insides they could give to a solo as they were having to move others and they had to try to re-distribute passengers so that the cabin stewards had a even number of passengers.

Edited April 12, 2015 by MADflyer

[dacsmom]

There is no need to tip above what is automatically charged to your account because you are solo.

[Thoie]

We then had a flooding issue in the cabin next to the deck 2 assigned cabin and they were very unhappy. 2 days later when they offered to move that passenger they stated at the reception that they only had 2 insides they could give to a solo as they were having to move others and they had to try to re-distribute passengers so that the cabin stewards had a even number of passengers.

 

That's where I start getting pissed off at the treatment of solos. I can understand they want to spread things around for the stewards initially, fair enough. But other than the tips, I'm generally paying near as dammit to the cost for two people for a cabin for one. You rarely see a solo supplement of much less than 85% these days. I've seen solo supplements of over 100% (meaning a solo person is paying more in total for a cabin than 2 people sharing that cabin would).

 

So if my cabin floods, or there's some other problem, I would not appreciate being told there's only 2 cabins available for a solo. At that point I'd expect them to be putting me in a cabin of the same category or higher, regardless of how they work that out with housekeeping. If all that's available is a grand suite, then so be it.

[gaylemh]

Maybe it's different in the States. Neither me or my friends have ever been denied a cabin of their choice. We always pick the cabin we want at the time we book. I have sailed solo in D1, D2's and Junior Suites, and never had a problem. I currently have 7 cruises booked, and 3 of them were booked in the last couple of weeks, and I got to pick the exact cabin I wanted, and so did my friends.

[MADflyer]

Maybe it's different in the States. Neither me or my friends have ever been denied a cabin of their choice. We always pick the cabin we want at the time we book. I have sailed solo in D1, D2's and Junior Suites, and never had a problem. I currently have 7 cruises booked, and 3 of them were booked in the last couple of weeks, and I got to pick the exact cabin I wanted, and so did my friends.

 

Since last year when you go in to book a cruise it only brings up inventory that is open for sale to solos even if you are booking a 200% rate. I use the US website to book.

 

If you go into a Harmony sailing for the summer in Europe and put 1 guest it does not even bring up the categories of D1 or D3 and then only select inventory in all other balcony categories. If you put 3 or 4 passengers it will bring a whole other offer.

 

If you try to book a Going, Going, gone sale or a GTY offer it will often say NA for a single and then when you put in 2 passengers it brings up availability.

 

I have learned to just book and pay for 2 and call them and have them take away the taxes and fees for the second passenger. They have to do this even if they do not want to in this case, to some extent as they can not justify not giving you a cabin if you are paying for 2 even if you are solo.

[Ken at the beach]

Since last year when you go in to book a cruise it only brings up inventory that is open for sale to solos even if you are booking a 200% rate. I use the US website to book.

 

If you go into a Harmony sailing for the summer in Europe and put 1 guest it does not even bring up the categories of D1 or D3 and then only select inventory in all other balcony categories. If you put 3 or 4 passengers it will bring a whole other offer.

 

If you try to book a Going, Going, gone sale or a GTY offer it will often say NA for a single and then when you put in 2 passengers it brings up availability.

 

I have learned to just book and pay for 2 and call them and have them take away the taxes and fees for the second passenger. They have to do this even if they do not want to in this case, to some extent as they can not justify not giving you a cabin if you are paying for 2 even if you are solo.

 

Correct it will not bring up a D1 or a D3 as those are quad cabins. It will bring up the other D categories and while it only shows you 15 cabins you have the option to enter any cabin number and it will bring up that cabin.

 

As far as entering 1 and having it show up as N/A is that not due to the system searching for the very few specifically designed solo cabins?

[MADflyer]

Correct it will not bring up a D1 or a D3 as those are quad cabins. It will bring up the other D categories and while it only shows you 15 cabins you have the option to enter any cabin number and it will bring up that cabin.

 

As far as entering 1 and having it show up as N/A is that not due to the system searching for the very few specifically designed solo cabins?

 

They are able to restrict inventory within a cabin category as well.

 

There are Travel Agent websites that show more than 15 cabins.

 

If they have a Z inside GTY and a solo tries to book it, it will often come up as unavailable and offer a more expensive category.

 

I have booked 15 sailings in the past 3 years including 4 transatlantics and I currently have 4 booked for the future. I know how to book.

[BekkaW]

The system was updated last year. It takes a bit of text to describe it. They are only showing you inventory that is open for solos when you are booking usually. Categories can be passenger number restricted.

 

That is one of the elements with the 2/3/4 passenger cabin distribution with some categories only allowing 2 passengers, while others require 3. Cabins are assigned on a per cruise basis. GTY cabin assignment sand even upgrades can enter into this distribution. A cabin steward may have more cabins on one cruise than the other due to passenger distribution. They also distribute passengers in a similar fashion in the MDR so that sections have almost the same number of guests assigned.

 

For instance, I booked the Legend TA last September and we had 3 solo cabins. I was given a J on deck 8 right away. The other two cabins were assigned at the pier in Oslo. One had the key card waiting. and was given deck 3. For the other the ships reception actually had to be contacted as they had been moving some that had boarded in Hamburg 2 days prior.

 

They upgraded me at the pier to a F Panoramic OV and I asked if they could give one of them my J on deck 8. They stated that I was being given the F as I was a solo and my J had been given to a couple and they stated the reason was to meet housekeeping distribution.

 

We then had a flooding issue in the cabin next to the deck 2 assigned cabin and they were very unhappy. 2 days later when they offered to move that passenger they stated at the reception that they only had 2 insides they could give to a solo as they were having to move others and they had to try to re-distribute passengers so that the cabin stewards had a even number of passengers.

 

Very interesting! Thanks for the info :)

[maureencruiser]

They are able to restrict inventory within a cabin category as well. If they have a Z inside GTY and a solo tries to book it, it will often come up as unavailable and offer a more expensive category.

I have booked 15 sailings in the past 3 years including 4 transatlantics and I currently have 4 booked for the future. I know how to book.

 

Thanks for the info.

[Lady Hudson]

RCI UK and ********** will often show more cabin availability than the

US site.