Tips on tipping

[MintChocolate]

We're new to cruising and we're a bit confused about tipping. We just booked a cruise with Carnival and will sail in less than a month. The tips are not pre-paid. We travel without kids, just the two of us.

 

We don't drink alcohol, so we won't be going to a bar. Who should we tip in our case? The room steward and waiters; anyone else?

 

It may sound a bit old-fashioned, but we prefer being personal and giving cash in person to make sure the tip goes directly to those who served us, instead of adding the tips to the bill at the end of the cruise.

 

Thanks for any input!

[cb at sea]

Well..stop that train of thought right now....they will bill your account for the "tips"...no other action is needed on your part. Any drink you buy will have the tip added to the cost.

 

 

If someone goes "above and beyond" (not sure what that means!)...you are free to tip them for that service. As long as the included tips are paid...you're good to go.

[paul929207]

You may want to ask this on the Carnival section.

 

I believe Carnival will add a daily tip charge to your account. About $12 per person per day. This will cover your cabin steward and the waitstaff plus the people behind the scenes who assist them in making your trip wonderful.

 

If you purchase any beverage, they will add 15% tip onto the bill.

[Californiacruizers]

Yes, it's added to your account. Most ships charge a standard $12.95 per person per day. However you can tip the waiter and just about anyone else if you like.

[dandn10]

Gratuities will be added to your Sign and Sail account on the second day of your cruise automatically. You don't need to tip anything else if you do not want to.

 

Service Per Guest, Per Day

Dining Room Services $6.10

Stateroom Services $3.90

Alternative Services: distributed to kitchen, entertainment, guest services and other hotel staff members. $2.00

Total Gratuities $12.00

 

Don't forget to bring extra to tip room service.

Edited December 11, 2015 by dandn10

[luddite]

Pay the daily charge ( which isn't a tip). The crew will be happy.

That's how they get paid.

Tips are anything extra that you give them.

[notentirelynormal]

It may sound a bit old-fashioned, but we prefer being personal and giving cash in person to make sure the tip goes directly to those who served us, instead of adding the tips to the bill at the end of the cruise.

 

Thanks for any input!

 

It is old fashioned and you should accept the process that is now in place. People use cell phones instead of land lines, cars run faster, seat belts are required and you should never drink out of a hose.

 

The way you want to do it makes it more complicated, causes more issues and no one benefits. If you leave the auto tip on then everyone comes away happy. Giving "cash to make sure the tip goes directly to those that serve you" days are long gone. If you do it your way they will have to turn in ALL the tips, add them all up to all those you tipped extra and then spread it out the way they want to. You know, like if you had left the auto tip on. You defeat the purpose you are trying to reach.

 

It is kind of like being able to pay on line instantly as opposed to driving 30 miles to pay the bill in cash .... because you are old fashioned. Go with the new way. It works for everyone.

[GUT2407]

Simple really, pay the auto tips, if you want to tip someone more at he end do so, if not don't.

[OCruisers]

Welcome to Cruise Critic! :)

You are totally covered on the tipping thing with your with your daily tip which is added to your account.

Look forward to having a WONDERFUL cruise! :D

LuLu

[Friscoonetwo]

Unless you are going to carry a wad of cash with you, leave the auto tip alone. Why the wad of cash: tip for the server in the buffet who brings you your drinks, then another tip for the server <a different one than who first brought your drink> who asks if you would like a refill, on Princess, the girls who bring you milk and cookies in the afternoon, the server who brings you lemonade on the aft deck, if you do AT dining, your server and assistant server I could go on and on but you get the idea. There are so many who serve you aboard ship above and beyond your cabin steward.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

Each cruise line has their own name for the daily service that is added onto your shipboard account. It is per person per day.

Even if you order a coke, a 15% service charge will be added onto that bill.

For room service we keep some Ones handy to hand to the person who makes the delivery.

We keep the Hotel Service Charge (name for HAL's daily service charge) in place. That way we can give extra tips at the end of the cruise to those people who have made our cruise an enjoyable one.

[MintChocolate]

Thanks everyone for your input. I guess, the tipping thing is too complicated and it's better to do the auto tip and relax. We might give the room steward and waiters extra cash just to add some personal touch.

 

Do you guys think it's a good idea to give some tips in advance? I read that some people give the steward $20 the first day. Any thought on that?

Edited December 11, 2015 by MintChocolate

[mistycruiser]

I've never tipped the room steward at the beginning. Usually some extra at the end. Plus I prepay my tips before I leave so it's taken care of before I even leave. I also bring extra one's for room service.

[Host Walt]

Thanks everyone for your input. I guess, the tipping thing is too complicated and it's better to do the auto tip and relax. We might give the room steward and waiters extra cash just to add some personal touch.

 

Do you guys think it's a good idea to give some tips in advance? I read that some people give the steward $20 the first day. Any thought on that?

Generally speaking, and based on my own experience, advance tips don't accomplish much in this age of "automatic" tips. Example, do you leave a tip for the maid when you arrive or just when you are checking out of a hotel? Do you tip your server in advance in a restaurant?

 

The only exception for me is that I'll tip the wine steward in advance in the dining room if I ask him/her to store our personal wine in the ship's wine locker. (We always go with fixed time for dinner.) That way he/she will look out for us every night so i don't have to search for him/her.

[lisajm]

Please leave the automated tips in place. This money will be spread out and will cover people that would get missed when handing out personal tips who are a part of you having a great cruise experience.

 

On top of the automated tips, I tip our cabin steward and our wait staff i the MDR. I also tip above the customary drink tip for any bartender that gives excellence service. Enjoy your cruise!

[Cruisin' Chick]

We never tip the cabin steward in advance. IMO, it smacks of a "better take car of me" 'tude. But then, we're not making special requests. On the first day of a sailing, the stewards are very busy trying to get all of their cabins ready for their passengers, anyway.

 

We started going on cruises when tips were given out on the last day. But often, you'll see a lot of empty tables at that dinner and it's easy to see some passengers skipped dinner that night so they could skip giving out tips. Not cool.

 

Once the system was switch to the automated one, I think it makes it easy. With Princess, the hotel daily charge is put on your folio every night. You can decide to give extra if you want, but we do so at the end of the cruise. When our daughter was younger and in the kids' program, we would give an envelope on the last night. We don't do room service, but that's a place to tip your server. On some lines, a tip is automatically added to any purchased beverages.

 

One thing you can certainly do if you find a crew member who has done something wonderful for you is to go to the front desk and ask if there's a "made a difference" card you can fill out. Princess now calls theirs "Consummate Host" cards and you just need the crew member's first name, work area, country. These will go in the personnel file and could help with promotions and raises.

[masterty]

A decade ago I would remove my auto tip and distribute my money manually myself. Once a cabin steward holding a list in his hand asked my why I removed the autopay. He appeared worried as though I was going to stiff him. I told him I wanted to distribute it myself and not be told how much to pay each one of you. I always tipped above any suggested amount. In the beginning of the cruise I would often be uber polite (others called it sucking up ) in hopes I would recieve better service. This turned out to be mostly unnecessary. As auto tips became the norm, this is now what I do.

1) leave the auto tips alone.

2) arrive at my cabin and upon steward introduction I request some items.

a) two copies of each days itinary.

b) topper for the bed. (Foam egg crate)

c) daily bucket of ice.

d) always a mint. (No other hard or soft candy)

Then I hand him half (in the form of cash) what I believe this extra service to be worth.

If my steward performs well he gets the other half at the end of the cruise. Otherwise he is tipped in full. Any staff that performs a service for me that is unusual, I tip imediately. Any other staff that just does their job average gets only the autotip. Any other staff that stands out to me, one who is clearly working to service me and not just making the rounds gets a personal bonus at the end of the trip. The auto tip to me is just part of their sallary. Any cash I slip them on the down low, is between me and them. I hope they hide it and only share it with whom they choose.

To each their own. That is how I do it.

 

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

[Cuizer2]

Do you guys think it's a good idea to give some tips in advance? I read that some people give the steward $20 the first day. Any thought on that?

 

That is not a tip, it is a bribe.

[ronrick1943]

I also say yes a bribe, but $20.00--that's not a bribe....you should give at the end in the amount you think is right. For us it's a lot more per day.

[luddite]

A decade ago I would remove my auto tip and distribute my money manually myself. Once a cabin steward holding a list in his hand asked my why I removed the autopay. He appeared worried as though I was going to stiff him. I told him I wanted to distribute it myself and not be told how much to pay each one of you. I always tipped above any suggested amount. In the beginning of the cruise I would often be uber polite (others called it sucking up ) in hopes I would recieve better service. This turned out to be mostly unnecessary. As auto tips became the norm, this is now what I do.

1) leave the auto tips alone.

2) arrive at my cabin and upon steward introduction I request some items.

a) two copies of each days itinary.

b) topper for the bed. (Foam egg crate)

c) daily bucket of ice.

d) always a mint. (No other hard or soft candy)

Then I hand him half (in the form of cash) what I believe this extra service to be worth.

If my steward performs well he gets the other half at the end of the cruise. Otherwise he is tipped in full. Any staff that performs a service for me that is unusual, I tip imediately. Any other staff that just does their job average gets only the autotip. Any other staff that stands out to me, one who is clearly working to service me and not just making the rounds gets a personal bonus at the end of the trip. The auto tip to me is just part of their sallary. Any cash I slip them on the down low, is between me and them. I hope they hide it and only share it with whom they choose.

To each their own. That is how I do it.

 

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

He wasn't so much worried about whether you were gonna stiff him.

He was more worried about having to explain to his supervisor that he had not done a poor job.

[GUT2407]

I've said it before

 

I don't pre tip

 

I don't tip as I go

 

And I've never had bad service.

 

 

But I DO

 

Talk to people

 

And say please and thank you

 

I've even been known to have a laugh with (never at) those serving me

 

I even say things like "When you've got time would you... " rather than expecting them to jump when I snap my fingers

 

Sometimes we even tell each other jokes.

 

You know treat them as iftheywere my equal not some inferior being.

[Cuizer2]

I've said it before

 

I don't pre tip

 

I don't tip as I go

 

And I've never had bad service.

 

 

But I DO

 

Talk to people

 

And say please and thank you

 

I've even been known to have a laugh with (never at) those serving me

 

I even say things like "When you've got time would you... " rather than expecting them to jump when I snap my fingers

 

Sometimes we even tell each other jokes.

 

You know treat them as if they were my equal not some inferior being.

 

That works for me also.

[Cruisin' Chick]

Me, three. I'm already going to be pampered more than if I stay home. So not going to give the cabin steward a list of things I expect.

[masterty]

Me' date=' three. I'm already going to be pampered more than if I stay home. So not going to give the cabin steward a list of things I expect.[/quote']

Your steward is there to service you. If you fail to tell him your needs then no need to pay him anything above his already set base pay (auto-tip). If however you have personal needs to be addressed within the scope of his duties then expect to pay for these services. I pre-pay, tip, bribe, share my wealth, distribute my funds, whatever you wish to call it, the moment I request my personalized service. How well he executes my requests will determine any post pay he recieves.

[phillygirl63]

If you are booked in a suite with butler service, then you should check with your cruise line to see if the butler is included in the daily gratuity charge. On our NCL cruises, they were not part of that, and we made sure to tip separately.

 

I like the daily charge, and NEVER remove it. It eliminates handing out envelopes on the last night of the cruise, which I always felt was a bit "tacky." With the dining anytime, anywhere concept becoming more popular among the various cruise lines, we no longer have the same table at dinner with the same waiters. This just makes it so much less complicated and very convenient.

 

We always give extra gratuity to our room steward if service is good. In addition, when we purchase the alcohol beverage package, we give extra to our favorite bartenders. Always at the end of the cruise.