Extra tips (gratuities)

[wendychloecruiser]

Another type of tip that always appreciated is one that is written on a WOW card. Crew can be given all sorts of things from extra time off, internet minutes and the like. Obviously money is always accepted.

[Retired LEO]

Last night on the Majesty I actually had a bar server in the schooner bar refuse to take my extra tip. I tried to give her $20.00 and she refused saying "I love my job and won't take your money". No matter what i said or did she wouldn't take it. I have never had that happen before.

 

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[tserface]

That's crazy. I've never heard of that happening before.

 

Tom

 

Last night on the Majesty I actually had a bar server in the schooner bar refuse to take my extra tip. I tried to give her $20.00 and she refused saying "I love my job and won't take your money". No matter what i said or did she wouldn't take it. I have never had that happen before.

 

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[Merion_Mom]

Last night on the Majesty I actually had a bar server in the schooner bar refuse to take my extra tip. I tried to give her $20.00 and she refused saying "I love my job and won't take your money". No matter what i said or did she wouldn't take it. I have never had that happen before.

 

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It's "special letter to the President of the line" time.

 

Mbayley@rccl.com

 

:)

 

 

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[ladybugpug]

I wish they would ban additional tipping. I know that it is completely voluntary but I would feel unappreciative if I didn't tip extra. I would rather pay a bit more daily in gratuities if that was the limit. I think we should expect great service and the included gratuity is paying for that service. But then I think there is pressure to tip additional. I mean they provide a little envelope for it lol.

 

Anyway I cruised in December. We gave our steward an additional 50 total at the end of the cruise. But that was for our room and for our daughters' room so actually 25 extra per room. He was a very nice steward. Friendly and our rooms were always clean. For all I know the 50 was an insult. We tipped our wait staff 50 each. They were extremely attentive and friendly. We looked forward to dinner just to see them. Again for all I know the 50 each was an insult. Tipped the servers by the pool a dollar a drink.

 

The whole tipping thing is out of control. They include the gratuities and then hint that great service deserves even more. Everyone on the excursions makes sure you know that they appreciate tips. From the guide to the bus driver.

[Merion_Mom]

I wish they would ban additional tipping.

 

 

I think that is one of the meanest and most horrible things I have read lately. :( :mad:

 

 

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[ladybugpug]

I think that is one of the meanest and most horrible things I have read lately. :( :mad:

 

 

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Seriously? The gratuities are INCLUDED. We already pay them. I'm tired of wondering how much and who to tip. It adds stress to the vacation. I don't want to be stressed on vacation.

 

I did tip extra. I said I did. I know I have heard of some lines that now ban EXTRA gratuities. Not ban gratuities altogether.

 

Meanest and most horrible things lmao ok.

[Freehike]

Those included gratuities split amongst all of the staff doesn't add up to very much. Those gratuities + the shamefully low salary = a really tough living when you consider how hard they work and the hours they put in.

 

The right thing would be for the cruise lines to pay them decent wages, but that will never happen. The ships are sailing full or almost full every week so why would they bother increasing their employees pay and make less profit when they can just make the passengers pay it instead?

 

It's a crappy situation but unless the consumer refuses to use their services until it's changed (that'll never happen) then it's all we have.

 

I tip.

 

 

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[Syracruisin]

On our recent cruise, we gave extra tips to the room steward ($20), bartenders at the bar we frequented and servers at dinner. We also tipped the porters a dollar per bag and also of course tour guides on our excursions.

 

The $13.50/day gratuity gets split across the entire ship, so it's not like it just goes directly to those you interacted with. If you think they did a good job, then a tip is a good way to thank them. And everyone we tipped was very appreciative. Also, the WOW cards turned in to the ship and post-ship survey recognition can get them extra perks (dining credits, etc), so that is another way to show your appreciation.

 

I agree with Freehike, that the billion dollar cruise companies should pay decent wages for the extremely long hours their employees work on their feet nonstop (Talk to them. They really don't get "downtime").

Edited January 26, 2017 by Syracruisin

[SilkySal]

Last night on the Majesty I actually had a bar server in the schooner bar refuse to take my extra tip. I tried to give her $20.00 and she refused saying "I love my job and won't take your money". No matter what i said or did she wouldn't take it. I have never had that happen before.

 

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While on Labadee, we had been tipping our bartender $1 every time we ordered, whether it was 1 or 2 drinks at a time. After just a couple of times, when we again offered the tip, he adamantly declined, saying "No thanks; you have tipped me enough all ready!" He refused anymore tips from us and continued to provide excellent service!!:cool: First time that's ever happened to us!

[nets33]

Seriously? The gratuities are INCLUDED. We already pay them. I'm tired of wondering how much and who to tip. It adds stress to the vacation. I don't want to be stressed on vacation.

 

I did tip extra. I said I did. I know I have heard of some lines that now ban EXTRA gratuities. Not ban gratuities altogether.

 

DH and I have gone on cruises where we don't tip a dime above the included grats. No guilt here.

 

We've also had cruises where we tipped $50 to room steward and a few $ here and there for our favorite bar staff. No pressure for us to do so.

 

You shouldn't feel pressured or guilty for not tipping more. When we tip extra it's because someone on the staff has gone above and beyond for us. We're thankful that we have the extra $ that we can tip, but you shouldn't feel any pressure to tip if you don't want to or can't afford to.

[George C]

I wish they would ban additional tipping. I know that it is completely voluntary but I would feel unappreciative if I didn't tip extra. I would rather pay a bit more daily in gratuities if that was the limit. I think we should expect great service and the included gratuity is paying for that service. But then I think there is pressure to tip additional. I mean they provide a little envelope for it lol.

 

Anyway I cruised in December. We gave our steward an additional 50 total at the end of the cruise. But that was for our room and for our daughters' room so actually 25 extra per room. He was a very nice steward. Friendly and our rooms were always clean. For all I know the 50 was an insult. We tipped our wait staff 50 each. They were extremely attentive and friendly. We looked forward to dinner just to see them. Again for all I know the 50 each was an insult. Tipped the servers by the pool a dollar a drink.

 

The whole tipping thing is out of control. They include the gratuities and then hint that great service deserves even more. Everyone on the excursions makes sure you know that they appreciate tips. From the guide to the bus driver.

 

That's one of the many reason we like Sandals resorts it is not cheap but all drinks are included all restaurants and no tipping is allowed at all. ( but we do prefer cruising in general)

[Pooh8941]

After all cruising for many years in a balcony and prepaying gratuities, we began booking Grand Suites a few years ago, and prepaying gratuities even though we ate in the Coastal Kitchen for most of our meals, where we also paid gratuities. When we eat in a speciality restaurant, we also leave an additional gratituity. For our upcoming b2b, I am considering having gratuities removed for the MDR each day. Is this reasonable? I am so aware of the needs of the crew and how hard they work, but the accessed gratuities seem excessive when we are daily tipping everywhere else we eat other than the MDR. I would love to hear opinions on this. Of course, we take good care of our stateroom attendant.

[Fouremco]

DH and I have gone on cruises where we don't tip a dime above the included grats. No guilt here.

 

We've also had cruises where we tipped $50 to room steward and a few $ here and there for our favorite bar staff. No pressure for us to do so.

 

You shouldn't feel pressured or guilty for not tipping more. When we tip extra it's because someone on the staff has gone above and beyond for us. We're thankful that we have the extra $ that we can tip, but you shouldn't feel any pressure to tip if you don't want to or can't afford to.

This has been our experience as well. For example, for two cruises last year, on one we tipped about $150 above the included gratuities but on the second we only paid the included grats. Totally different levels of service and, as you said, no guilt at all.

[MLevin]

I was confused about who and how much to tip on my recent cruise. I did not want to be guilted into tipping though. We never "officially" met our room stewart nor did we ever ask him for any additional items or services. Our room was always clean and he delighted me with various towel animals. I did not feel he went above and beyond and I was conflicted as to what or how much I should tip him. Rather than giving him cash, we had an extra bottle of wine we did not want to take with us (unopened). So I left that with a note and WOW card thanking him.

 

We also ate twice in Chops. The first night our waiter was awesome and we tipped him $20. The second time we dined in Chops our waiter had a bit of an attitude, got our order wrong and forgot to put in our order. (Two tables sat, ordered and got their food before we did and we were there well before them). So I did not tip him at all.

[2ferfun]

I think that is one of the meanest and most horrible things I have read lately. :( :mad:

 

 

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Wow, you must not read Twitter. Or CruiseCritic. Or the news. On the list of mean and horrible things I have read lately that doesn't even rate.:(