Gratuity Breakdown

[kpadalik]

Can anyone give me a breakdown on how the tips are distributed? I know it's $12 per day/per person. How much goes to the cabin steward, head waiter, asst waiter, etc? We don't charge our S&S account with tips, we pay in cash that we've set aside at home. Thank you!

[SadieN]

Gratuities will be $12.95 after a certain date.

Could just put the cash into your account and let them disperse it.

Edited June 4, 2016 by SadieN

[kpadalik]

They are $12.95 starting in Sept. We leave Monday so they are $12. We like to make tip distribution a little more personal. We put them in envelopes and hand them to our cabin steward, wait staff, etc ourselves. We know that's not the most efficient way, but it's the way we like to do it.

[firemanbobswife]

You won't be able to get the money to all the people it is designated for by giving strictly cash. That is why I prepay. Here is a post I put in another thread about the breakdown:

 

Here's what JH posted in regards to how the gratuities are divided up now.

 

Tonight here on Carnival Vista we put the gratuity letters in the state rooms. They include the following

 

The gratuities will be distributed to the teams listed below as they are responsible for ensuring your needs are taken care of and that you return home with a fun and memorable cruise experience.

 

Stateroom services team $3.90 per day

Dining services team $6.10 per day

Alternative services team $2.00 per day

 

We appreciate you choosing Carnival for your vacation. In the meantime, please continue to enjoy all the great entertainment and fun activities we have in store for you

 

---------------------------------------------

 

So we changed a word there to show "Dining Services " instead of the previous " dining room " wording we had used previously

 

That's because we feel it's important that for guests who eat only on Lido to realise that those who served them there are part of the gratuity breakdown

 

Anyway. Let me most importantly thank everyone who does take care of our crew with these gratuities and indeed more

 

There will be more on this subject I. The weeks ahead so please stay tuned and again, thank you all

 

Cheers

[jimbo5544]

They are $12.95 starting in Sept. We leave Monday so they are $12. We like to make tip distribution a little more personal. We put them in envelopes and hand them to our cabin steward, wait staff, etc ourselves. We know that's not the most efficient way, but it's the way we like to do it.

 

 

You can do it which ever way you want but what she says is true and the best way.

[Elaine5715]

Unless you plan on leaving cash on the table on Seaday brunch, MDR breakfast and MDR lunch for all table servers, just leave gratuities on your S&S so those wait staff are compensated as well.

[riffatsea]

The tips are an important part of the money these folks earn. I understand that you are going to do as you please but you won't reach everyone with your do it yourself tipping!

If you really want to make it personal you could leave extra to those who really serve you well in addition to leaving the tips on your account.

To us the tips are part of the cost of the cruise since we feel we have more than those folks who are working so hard to make our vacation a good one!

Others of course feel differently!

[tea4ular]

the tips are an important part of the money these folks earn. I understand that you are going to do as you please but you won't reach everyone with your do it yourself tipping!

If you really want to make it personal you could leave extra to those who really serve you well in addition to leaving the tips on your account.

To us the tips are part of the cost of the cruise since we feel we have more than those folks who are working so hard to make our vacation a good one!

Others of course feel differently!

 

this!

[thinfool]

Can anyone give me a breakdown on how the tips are distributed? I know it's $12 per day/per person. How much goes to the cabin steward, head waiter, asst waiter, etc? We don't charge our S&S account with tips, we pay in cash that we've set aside at home. Thank you!

 

You can pay your gratuities that appear on your S&S account, in cash, at Guest Services.

[Banditswife]

We also just consider gratuities as part of the cruise fare. We are happy that CCL allows us to pre pay them prior to our cruise. Like others have said- they go to all dining staff-not just wait staff & all room steward staff. It would be impossible to tip each of these people in cash. We like to pay ours up front, then if a crew member goes above & beyond what is expected, we give them extra.

 

IMHO- standard gratuities have increased significantly in the past few years because so many passengers are having them removed. Therefore those of us who do pay them have to make up for those who don't. OP- I am not suggesting you are in this non paying group, just an opinion of why they have increased so much.

Edited June 4, 2016 by Banditswife

[Thorncroft]

Who is the "alternate services team" and why are they being tipped $2 a day? I understand dining services and stateroom services, but "alternate services" seems ambiguously ripe for abuse. ;)

[jimbo5544]

Who is the "alternate services team" and why are they being tipped $2 a day? I understand dining services and stateroom services, but "alternate services" seems ambiguously ripe for abuse. ;)

 

 

With the amount of times you have asked that question you would think you knew the answer.

[elainmir]

I wonder often why the dining team gets so much when the room stewards work just as hard? Why not divide it equally?

[Thorncroft]

With the amount of times you have asked that question you would think you knew the answer.

 

No one has ever answered. Do you know?

[jimbo5544]

No one has ever answered. Do you know?

 

 

Not any better than those who have tried lol

[deborahjo]

Can anyone give me a breakdown on how the tips are distributed? I know it's $12 per day/per person. How much goes to the cabin steward, head waiter, asst waiter, etc? We don't charge our S&S account with tips, we pay in cash that we've set aside at home. Thank you!

 

You can pay this Service Fee however you so choose. If the cruise lines are making it a forced fee then they need to add to the cost of the cruise. People will tell you that you are not paying everyone but this is how you choose to pay this fee. It is fine.

 

A tip is paid after service is given, and it is not a set amount per person.

 

DH and I differ on paying this service fee. He has prepaid our service fee for our cruise in October. I would rather pay in cash also but it is done.

 

You do what you want and please don't let the people here shame you as they will in this matter.

Flame on...

[deborahjo]

I wonder often why the dining team gets so much when the room stewards work just as hard? Why not divide it equally?

 

You have more people "serving" you in the food service then house keeping.

[LMaxwell]

No one has ever answered. Do you know?

 

Not any better than those who have tried lol

 

From an article on Cruise Radio it says alternative services are Kitchen Staff, Entertainment Staff, Guest Services, and other hotel staff.

 

 

It is also on the Carnival site FAQ http://www.carnival.com/cms/faq/

Edited June 5, 2016 by LMaxwell

[jimbo5544]

You can pay this Service Fee however you so choose. If the cruise lines are making it a forced fee then they need to add to the cost of the cruise. People will tell you that you are not paying everyone but this is how you choose to pay this fee. It is fine.

 

 

 

A tip is paid after service is given, and it is not a set amount per person.

 

 

 

DH and I differ on paying this service fee. He has prepaid our service fee for our cruise in October. I would rather pay in cash also but it is done.

 

 

 

You do what you want and please don't let the people here shame you as they will in this matter.

 

Flame on...

 

 

Wow

[Thorncroft]

From an article on Cruise Radio it says alternative services are Kitchen Staff, Entertainment Staff, Guest Services, and other hotel staff.

 

 

It is also on the Carnival site FAQ http://www.carnival.com/cms/faq/

 

Hmmm......I wouldn't consider those tipped positions, but who doesn't like getting extra money? LOL

[deborahjo]

Who is the "alternate services team" and why are they being tipped $2 a day? I understand dining services and stateroom services, but "alternate services" seems ambiguously ripe for abuse. ;)

This was started I believe 3 years ago when Carnival wanted to give some of their salaried employees a raise. They felt those funds should come from passengers so added the "alternate fees".

[LMaxwell]

Hmmm......I wouldn't consider those tipped positions, but who doesn't like getting extra money? LOL

 

Agreed, but I just wanted to give an honest answer and supporting link. Next; the Captain ;)

[Thorncroft]

This was started I believe 3 years ago when Carnival wanted to give some of their salaried employees a raise. They felt those funds should come from passengers so added the "alternate fees".

 

" They felt those funds should come from passengers "

 

Oh, nice. When the Captain wants a raise will we be be paying a "bridge team" tip too? LOL

[firemanbobswife]

This was started I believe 3 years ago when Carnival wanted to give some of their salaried employees a raise. They felt those funds should come from passengers so added the "alternate fees".

 

 

I don't think so because the MaitreD used to be included but has been taken out of the equation as that is now strictly a salaried position. I truly believe that the people that are slated to receive part of the gratuities count on them to make up a part of their pay.

 

Either way, it's not up to me how Carnival decides who gets what. All I know is that everyone that should be taken care of is when I prepay or leave auto gratuities on. I have better things to do on my vacation than to hunt down people with envelopes and worry about a couple bucks.

 

We did it the envelope way on our first Celebrity cruise as they didn't have the auto tips and absolutely hated it. Felt like we were missing some people and didn't really know how much to give. It also felt very awkward that last night handing out envelopes. We were so glad the next time when they were added to our account.

[SadieN]

I don't care about the breakdown of the gratuities.

 

Crew seems fine with them. We've sailed many times with the same crew over the years. They wouldn't do that if they didn't like the compensation.

 

 

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