B2B - Special Tipping

[Jim_Iain]

When taking a Back to Back cruise in the same Suite, Do you give out your extra gratuities at the end of each leg or wait until the end of the second cruise?

 

Sorry if this has been asked before, but wasn't able to find the discussion.

[Northern Aurora]

Since we live in the middle of Alaska and fly to every cruise embarkation port (even when we do Alaska cruises) we generally do B2B or B2B2B series. Just seems to be a more efficient use of air fare costs.

 

Even when we are in the same stateroom we always have provided additional gratuities at the end of each leg. Celebrity treats each leg as a separate cruise (i.e., no carry over of unused internet minutes and so forth), and we do too. When in a Suite we have been fortunate to have the same butler for each leg, but we have had different stateroom attendants from one cruise to another. And certainly in Aqua Class we've had different stateroom attendants on different legs as personnel leave on vacation or are assigned to a different section of the ship.

[jelayne]

We too treat each leg as a separate cruise and tip at the end of each.

[cruisestitch]

I agree that personnel changes are so frequent that you may have different room stewards, waiters, etc. on each cruise. Don't wait until the end of the second cruise to show your appreciation.

[Lady Chew]

We also tip at the end of each leg.

 

Even if you think you will have the same room steward/butler/waiter/whomever you never know who may have to leave due to family issues (we've had that happen a few times) or get transferred to another department or floor (we've had that happen a few times) or even to another ship (we've had that happen, too!)

[Beanb41]

You are already paying gratuities to staff with each and every transaction you do and that includes cabin staff. If you are keeping the staff for a second or subsequent leg don't you risk setting precedence for the second or subsequent legs. Some passengers do multiple B2B2B2B and so on. If one offers additional gratuities at the end of leg 1 isn't a similar or greater gratuity to be expected after leg 2 and similarly leg 3. I come from a culture where extra tipping is the exception rather than the rule hence if I was to give staff an extra gratuity over and above that which is "compulsory", I would leave it until the end.

 

I always am flabbergasted as to why Americans get hung up about providing extra gratuities on cruises outside of the USA even where tipping is not the normal culture.

 

I have seen comments on these forums about how much extra one should tip but when speaking with individuals on cruises I get a far different answer in that most think 18% of each transaction and $12.50 per day is more than sufficient. Crew members I have spoken to about this matter think so but are grateful for the extras. I have never been stiffed on service by any cruise crew irrespective of whether a tip is coming or not. It is not something that appears on their conscience when looking after their guests

[Jim_Iain]

Thanks for all the replies. I agree that it makes sense to leave additional tips at the end of each leg.

 

We always like to leave something special to those that have gone above and beyond what is expected to make our vacation memorable and more enjoyable.

 

Jim

[GUT2407]

When taking a Back to Back cruise in the same Suite, Do you give out your extra gratuities at the end of each leg or wait until the end of the second cruise?

 

Sorry if this has been asked before, but wasn't able to find the discussion.

 

Up to you.

 

Steward will let you know if he won't be there for the 2nd leg.

[Tiggertastic]

Up to you.

 

 

 

Steward will let you know if he won't be there for the 2nd leg.

 

 

Really good point, will do that on our b2b

[DebbieMacG]

This isn't always the case. We had a different steward for the second leg of our back to back but he never told us, we just never saw him again. Our new guy said that the first steward didn't like working on that deck and preferred working on a deck with less suites.

[ECCruise]

 

I always am flabbergasted as to why Americans get hung up about providing extra gratuities on cruises outside of the USA even where tipping is not the normal culture.

 

Because where the ship is operating has absolutely no bearing on gratuities.

 

When the ship gets into waters of a "no tipping" area the world does not suddenly change. The crew does not get a living wage overnight as it may be the case onshore. The non-gratuity culture does not waft over the shift from the nearby land.

 

These are US operated ships (although registered elsewhere) and the culture travels with the ship, not with the ports it visits.

[Nachosdelux]

These are US operated ships (although registered elsewhere) and the culture travels with the ship, not with the ports it visits.

 

What exactly does that mean?

[Jim_Iain]

I always am flabbergasted as to why Americans get hung up about providing extra gratuities on cruises outside of the USA even where tipping is not the normal culture.

 

 

I am personally offended when someone uses a wide brush to classify or to make a cross-cultural opinionated remarks about "AMERICANS", or any other nationality.

 

Tipping is a personal choice many of us make and it has nothing to do with nationality. As a point of reference my partner is European and we have lived overseas in a number of countries. We do not have an obsession with tipping, we like to reward those that have gone above and beyond what is required to make our vacation memorable.

 

A small example was when we hosted a small party of 50 guests in our suite and the Butler both setup the suite with ice, glasses, snacks and even comp'ed us with cheese and shrimp patters. He even insisted on personally delivering the invitations, open the door and greet guests and prepare drinks. Yes - regardless of whether we are Americans, British, European or any nationality he deserved both praise as well as additional thanks for his service.

 

Just my World Citizen view on additional tipping.

Edited August 7, 2016 by Jim_Iain

[Jim_Iain]

Can we stay on subject. I thank those who have helped understand the timing of extra tipping.

 

This post was not intended to be an argument on your views of tipping or not tipping. If you want to argue this subject please fee free to create a new thread.

[davekathy]

I am personally offended when someone uses a wide brush to classify or to make a cross-cultural opinionated remarks about "AMERICANS", or any other nationality.

 

Tipping is a personal choice many of us make and it has nothing to do with nationality. As a point of reference my partner is European and we have lived overseas in a number of countries. We do not have an obsession with tipping, we like to reward those that have gone above and beyond what is required to make our vacation memorable.

 

A small example was when we hosted a small party of 50 guests in our suite and the Butler both setup the suite with ice, glasses, snacks and even comp'ed us with cheese and shrimp patters. He even insisted on personally delivering the invitations, open the door and greet guests and prepare drinks. Yes - regardless of whether we are Americans, British, European or any nationality he deserved both praise as well as additional thanks for his service.

 

Just my World Citizen view on additional tipping.

 

Agree. IMO some like to try and justify (to themselves) why they do or don't do something by criticizing what others do or don't do. You asked a good question.

[Lady Chew]

You are already paying gratuities to staff with each and every transaction you do and that includes cabin staff. If you are keeping the staff for a second or subsequent leg don't you risk setting precedence for the second or subsequent legs. Some passengers do multiple B2B2B2B and so on. If one offers additional gratuities at the end of leg 1 isn't a similar or greater gratuity to be expected after leg 2 and similarly leg 3. I come from a culture where extra tipping is the exception rather than the rule hence if I was to give staff an extra gratuity over and above that which is "compulsory", I would leave it until the end.

 

We give the same amount at the end of each leg, assuming the legs are equal in length ... unless something happens that is really beyond the call of duty and merits extra. Then, if we are doing yet another leg, we go back to the original amount.

[SPacificbound]

We do the extra tips towards the end of each cruise.

[ighten]

Just ask the steward if at the end of the first leg if hes doing the next leg.. etc etc -

Edited August 8, 2016 by ighten

[mmckm]

We ask the room steward and butler if there with us the next week. If not we will tip them. As far as waiter and bar tenders we tip at the end of each segment. If we are not getting the same wait staff every night we leave a tip each night in the dinning room.

[mmckm]

14 hours a day x 30= 420 hour divide into $1500 is $3.57 an hour that doesn't seem like there highly paid.They work with very little time off and usually 14 hours a day.

[Hydrokitty]

Thanks for all the replies. I agree that it makes sense to leave additional Iips at the end of each leg.

 

We always like to leave something special to those that have gone above and beyond what is expected to make our vacation memorable and more enjoyable.

 

Jim

 

Thanks for asking the question, Jim....we're doing our first B2B next year and I was wondering the same thing. We usually leave money on the bed every day for housekeeping because I frequently ask for things like extra tissues, etc. and this way I know the one I choose is the one who gets it.