How much do you tip?

[First and Ten]

The real question is would he have let you go to your room without the $10. Those who ignore the Do Not Enter signs on the doors to the cabins will tell you that they ask and never get told no. Without giving money.

 

Of course, it begs the question of whether the steward would tell anyone "NO" on the first day of the cruise? Why risk getting the customer PO'd on the first day? They might remove their tips.

 

I don't know, I had the $10 in his hand as I was asking him....I did not ignore the sign, I asked him if I could, he said yes. There were other passengers in the hallway (I assume FTTF, Plat and Dia as well as other "tippers" :D), so it wasn't like I was violating some high security area. I found my cabin steward and after another $20 slipped from my hand into his, I had my luggage in 1/2 hr....win/win for all involved

Edited August 2, 2016 by First and Ten

[Florings]

Prepay the tips.

 

Additional cash to Steward when boarding if we have special requests. ($20 or so)

 

Additional cash to waitstaff in MDR if we have set dining time on last night ($20-$30 each)

 

Additional cash to the Steakhouse staff (15%)

 

Additional cash to bartenders ($1 or $2 per service)

[TerReuv]

I don't know, I had the $10 in his hand as I was asking him....I did not ignore the sign, I asked him if I could, he said yes. There were other passengers in the hallway (I assume FTTF, Plat and Dia as well as other "tippers" :D), so it wasn't like I was violating some high security area. I found my cabin steward and after another $20 slipped from my hand into his, I had my luggage in 1/2 hr....win/win for all involved

 

Except you did ignore the sign by asking the steward when you already knew the answer. No steward is going to tell the customer no about something like that money or not. Plus, you took the steward away from cleaning and getting rooms ready to go and find your luggage. Not cool!

[First and Ten]

Except you did ignore the sign by asking the steward when you already knew the answer. No steward is going to tell the customer no about something like that money or not. Plus, you took the steward away from cleaning and getting rooms ready to go and find your luggage. Not cool!

 

well, my cabin steward could have said no. It wasn't like I was threatening him or going to GS....I made a request and provided a bit of "incentive". One of the Stewards responsibilities is delivering the luggage, so sooner or later he was going to deliver my luggage. I just basically secured an FTTL (Faster To The Luggage) ;)....even you gotta admit, that was pretty cool!!!!

Edited August 2, 2016 by First and Ten

[LMaxwell]

well, my cabin steward could have said no. It wasn't like I was threatening him or going to GS....I made a request and provided a bit of "incentive". One of the Stewards responsibilities is delivering the luggage, so sooner or later he was going to deliver my luggage. I just basically secured an FTTL (Faster To The Luggage) ;)....even you gotta admit, that was pretty cool!!!!

 

You asked for something a little outside of the normal. They said okay. You showed your gratitude with some money. I think that's 100% fine. I really don't see the problem. If they did not want to accommodate they would have politely declined your request.

[63galaxie]

$40 extra to room steward $50 extra to butler and $25 extra to dining room server on a 7 day cruise for two of us. Plus we tell them to skip cleaning the room at least twice during the cruise.

 

 

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[First and Ten]

You asked for something a little outside of the normal. They said okay. You showed your gratitude with some money. I think that's 100% fine. I really don't see the problem. If they did not want to accommodate they would have politely declined your request.

 

And being 100% honest, if the attendant said "sorry, you have to wait until 12:30" or the cabin steward said "sorry, I cant get luggage early, it comes out when it comes out", seriously, no problem....I normally get FTTF to get to cabin early and if I don't, I will typically show up at 1:30 (room is ready at that point). I have some downright ugly looking luggage, so its real easy to spot, so I have used the luggage "tip" a few times. so far, so good

Edited August 2, 2016 by First and Ten

[Dearabby_84]

Our Stateroom Steward was fantastic, so we gave him $4o the morning we were leaving our 7 day cruise. We are pretty easy people though, our room never gets all that messy and we never really asked for anything.

I really like that I never felt obligated to tip by the staff. They were very appreciative when we did.

It seems the CS is great all around, whether you are tipping additional or not, we were with another couple who did not tip above the automatic grats and they were were very happy with the service they received as well.

Edited August 2, 2016 by Dearabby_84

[brabrant10]

Make sure u are aware of your room stewards guidelines -on my most recent cruise -io noticed got two days that the cabin steward was not taking the $ left on the table -if a request had been made -he fulfilled it but did not take the $-after two days I approached him in the hallway & he informed me that he wasn't allowed to take any money unless placed directly in his hand---very strange -never heard that before -on my previous cruise & @ hotels -the room staff seemed to know & accepted the money placed out daily --esp if there was a noted placed with the money

[Rh2458]

You asked for something a little outside of the normal. They said okay. You showed your gratitude with some money. I think that's 100% fine. I really don't see the problem. If they did not want to accommodate they would have politely declined your request.

 

No way are they going to say no, when it's the start of your cruise and their livelihood depends on future tips.

[JustCruiseMe]

The real question is would he have let you go to your room without the $10. Those who ignore the Do Not Enter signs on the doors to the cabins will tell you that they ask and never get told no. Without giving money.

 

Of course, it begs the question of whether the steward would tell anyone "NO" on the first day of the cruise? Why risk getting the customer PO'd on the first day? They might remove their tips.

 

Actually we usually have FTTF and we always go through the doors to see if our room is ready without any tip to a steward, we just ask them..lol

[JustCruiseMe]

Make sure u are aware of your room stewards guidelines -on my most recent cruise -io noticed got two days that the cabin steward was not taking the $ left on the table -if a request had been made -he fulfilled it but did not take the $-after two days I approached him in the hallway & he informed me that he wasn't allowed to take any money unless placed directly in his hand---very strange -never heard that before -on my previous cruise & @ hotels -the room staff seemed to know & accepted the money placed out daily --esp if there was a noted placed with the money

 

That's probably because on a cruise people/kids may have a tendency to lay their money down and want to come back later for it and stewards were thinking it was tips.

[patrice1]

We always leave the automatic tips on but tip the steward $20 at the end of the cruise (assuming everything was fine, whether we saw him or not, which was usual), his assistant $10, the server $5/day at Your Time Dining (we usually have the same server every night), $2 for every AM room service and $1 for every drink - bartender or drink server.

 

We go to the Guest Service desk on the last day and get envelopes, so there's no confusion as to whether it's a tip or not. We also tip a favorite bartender or server an extra $10 or $20 in an envelope if the service was awesome & we enjoyed their company. It happens.:D

[lostsoulcruiser]

Was wondering what would be a ballpark number to tip the room steward, everyone has different opinions on tips, I know, but I'd just like to get a number to base off of

 

The Carnival website breaks out the prepaid gratuities for you. If you don't prepay, they automatically add it to your account on a daily basis. The suggested gratuities are based on some written standard, please forgive me for not knowing that standard for this post. As others have posted, you can adjust the tip but you must go to the ship's guest service desk to do this.

 

I find prepaying convenient and usually end up supplementing the amount for good service. It is one less thing to worry about on the boat. I do question the use of the term gratuity, since the chage is automatic and assumes you agree.

[First and Ten]

The Carnival website breaks out the prepaid gratuities for you. If you don't prepay, they automatically add it to your account on a daily basis. The suggested gratuities are based on some written standard, please forgive me for not knowing that standard for this post. As others have posted, you can adjust the tip but you must go to the ship's guest service desk to do this.

 

 

 

I find prepaying convenient and usually end up supplementing the amount for good service. It is one less thing to worry about on the boat. I do question the use of the term gratuity, since the chage is automatic and assumes you agree.

 

 

Why do you think most, if not all major cruise lines have gone to some sort of "auto pay gratuity" Could it be there are a significant amount of mooches out there that conveniently forgot to tip or perhaps were oh so generous and crammed 4 singles in their room stewards envelope for a week of work as they rambled off the gangway for debarkation

 

 

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Edited August 3, 2016 by First and Ten

[GUT2407]

Why do you think most, if not all major cruise lines have gone to some sort of "auto pay gratuity" Could it be there are a significant amount of mooches out there that conveniently forgot to tip or perhaps were oh so generous and crammed 4 singles in their room stewards envelope for a week of work as they rambled off the gangway for debarkation

 

 

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Or even because there are millions of people around the world who aren't used to tipping and it puts an end to all of these "how much should I tip" by people from the land of the tip.

 

I find it strange that Americans here on CC seem at ask daily how to do it but if someone from a non tipping culture expresses concern at the whole thing they are abused.

[First and Ten]

Or even because there are millions of people around the world who aren't used to tipping and it puts an end to all of these "how much should I tip" by people from the land of the tip.

 

 

 

I find it strange that Americans here on CC seem at ask daily how to do it but if someone from a non tipping culture expresses concern at the whole thing they are abused.

 

 

I should have referenced my comment was directed domestically to US passengers, so those who don't tip appropriately get to wear the "mooch" title. Concerning Europe, I know another line went to an auto tip system as I sailed that line last year. Maybe they did that as a combo of cultural issues along with moochiness....better?

 

 

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Edited August 3, 2016 by First and Ten

[Rh2458]

$40 extra to room steward $50 extra to butler and $25 extra to dining room server on a 7 day cruise for two of us. Plus we tell them to skip cleaning the room at least twice during the cruise.

 

 

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Who's the butler?

[LMaxwell]

No way are they going to say no, when it's the start of your cruise and their livelihood depends on future tips.

 

I've never asked. Have you?

 

I could see some saying yes, some saying no, circumstances depending. It's nothing for anyone (guest) to get mad over, but it does present an extra opportunity for the steward to get some quick cash so as long as it is not putting them out I'd think they would say yes.

 

Maybe I'll give it a try and see how it goes. Worst case scenario I am in exactly the same situation I have always been in. Best case scenario I drop my carry on off and leave and the steward has some cash in hand. It's not a "problem" if they can't accommodate.

[LMaxwell]

Why do you think most, if not all major cruise lines have gone to some sort of "auto pay gratuity"

 

To attract workers with a baseline guarantee amount of money generally funded by the cruise line at a constant rate and reimbursed by the gratuity pool which is variable and thus a potential profit center for the line. At least that is how it works on a competitor line when I spoke to SVP of Hotel Ops at a conference this past spring.

[Rh2458]

I've never asked. Have you?

 

I could see some saying yes, some saying no, circumstances depending. It's nothing for anyone (guest) to get mad over, but it does present an extra opportunity for the steward to get some quick cash so as long as it is not putting them out I'd think they would say yes.

 

Maybe I'll give it a try and see how it goes. Worst case scenario I am in exactly the same situation I have always been in. Best case scenario I drop my carry on off and leave and the steward has some cash in hand. It's not a "problem" if they can't accommodate.

 

No, I'm a rule-follower and the sign on the door telling me that I am not allowed in would mean I'm not allowed in....unless I have FTTF, (which is my plan if at all possible--until I am platinum) So, no I've never tried to bribe a person, and I doubt I could ever see myself in that situation.

[LMaxwell]

No, I'm a rule-follower and the sign on the door telling me that I am not allowed in would mean I'm not allowed in....unless I have FTTF, (which is my plan if at all possible--until I am platinum) So, no I've never tried to bribe a person, and I doubt I could ever see myself in that situation.

 

So you can't really say absolutely "no way will they say no". I am sure they can and have said no to requests they can't accommodate.

[Boozebabe]

I didn't do prepaid gratuities this time, but just wanted to know if that'd be a good number to tip them, or what would be a good number

 

Although you didn't do prepaid gratuities they will be added to your account when you board the ship. Bring it up on your TV. It will show that you owe that amount at the end of the cruise in addition to anything you charge to your S&S card.

[Rh2458]

So you can't really say absolutely "no way will they say no". I am sure they can and have said no to requests they can't accommodate.

Of course not, but common sense tells me that a room steward, if asked if someone can drop baggage off in a room even though they aren't supposed to, isn't going to say no-it would be cutting off their nose to spite their face in the sense there'd be fear the person asking might hold it against the room steward in the form of either a reduced tip at the end of the cruise, or fear the person would completely remove them. The fact there are people that just willy-nilly remove all gratuities because they can, and for no other reason has to be bothersome, as well as worrisome to Carnival crew members.

[LMaxwell]

Of course not, but common sense tells me that a room steward, if asked if someone can drop baggage off in a room even though they aren't supposed to, isn't going to say no-it would be cutting off their nose to spite their face in the sense there'd be fear the person asking might hold it against the room steward in the form of either a reduced tip at the end of the cruise, or fear the person would completely remove them. The fact there are people that just willy-nilly remove all gratuities because they can, and for no other reason has to be bothersome, as well as worrisome to Carnival crew members.

 

I just don't think your scenario happens.

 

Probably either

 

A:

 

"can I drop off my bags?"

 

"Sorry, the rooms are still being worked on, you'll have to come back when they annouce they are ready"

 

"Okay, no problem"

 

B:

 

"can I drop off my bags?"

 

"Yes, go ahead"

 

(hand attendant some cash)