Additioal Steward Tipping

[SouthLyonCruiser]

I am getting conflicting answers about whether or not your steward is allowed to keep any additional tip that you personally give him or her.

I would really like a factual answer, not something that was "heard" from someone else.

[Keith1010]

What cruise line?

 

I know for fact that the crew on board the line we mainly sail keep the tips that we provide but that doesn't help if you are sailing another line.

 

If this is a generic question then none of us can answer it.

 

If it is cruise line specific I would be posting this on the Cruise Line Board for the cruise line you are asking about.

 

Keith

[CruiserBruce]

As Keith said, the cruise line involved is important. Also best to ask on the board for that cruise line. There is much experience on those boards.

 

From personal knowledge on HAL, if you cut the Hotel Service Charge ("automatic tip"), the room steward MUST turn in any extra he gets from you, or lose his contract.

[cb at sea]

I guarantee that if you hand cash to any crew member, it goes in their pocket. And, any "auto tip" on your bill goes to the folks who serve you.

[PORT ROYAL]

I am getting conflicting answers about whether or not your steward is allowed to keep any additional tip that you personally give him or her.

I would really like a factual answer, not something that was "heard" from someone else.

 

Our rule is to keep the auto-grats, then give an envelope to all who gave us excellent service, plus a mention on the survey form.

 

What happens "after" is not our concern, as we have done what we think is correct and fair.

[zqvol]

I am getting conflicting answers about whether or not your steward is allowed to keep any additional tip that you personally give him or her.

I would really like a factual answer, not something that was "heard" from someone else.

 

The answer is cruise line specific, and circumstance specific.

[julie3fan]

I guarantee that if you hand cash to any crew member, it goes in their pocket. And, any "auto tip" on your bill goes to the folks who serve you.

The first part of this response conflicts with so many other answers provided on the multitude of tipping threads that have been on these boards over the years. Have things changed lately that I've not been aware of?

[NMLady]

I am getting conflicting answers about whether or not your steward is allowed to keep any additional tip that you personally give him or her.

I would really like a factual answer, not something that was "heard" from someone else.

 

Depends on cruise line and also on whether or not you leave auto-grats in place. If you remove them, then most cruise lines require stewards to turn in tips to be pooled.

 

If you leave them in place, most cruise lines then allow stewards to keep tips. At least one cruise line, maybe more?, still require turning in to pool tips.

 

So, the reason for conflicting answers is because it depends on the policies of each cruise line.

[CruiserBruce]

The first part of this response conflicts with so many other answers provided on the multitude of tipping threads that have been on these boards over the years. Have things changed lately that I've not been aware of?

 

The person you quoted has a history of questionable statements, and never coming back to answer questions or comments on their posts.

[julie3fan]

The person you quoted has a history of questionable statements, and never coming back to answer questions or comments on their posts.

I don't doubt you. I did see that poster has over 80,000 posts - that's a lot of s...stirring!

[swedish weave]

My recent experience on NCL indicated changes in their policies.

 

I had a problem that took three days to resolve, so I asked the service desk to reduce the service charge. The only question was "how much", and it was done immediately.

 

A crew member who assisted me assured me that cash tips did not have to be turned in, so I tipped cash.

 

I hope this helps answer the question about tipping .

[leaveitallbehind]

The person you quoted has a history of questionable statements, and never coming back to answer questions or comments on their posts.

 

You are being too polite. The fact is most of their posts are at the least misleading or typically just incorrect - which is a shame as many people who are trying to learn something will unknowingly accept their information as fact.

 

And you are also correct that they never return to a thread a second time to read other posters comments to learn from their mistakes. We all make erroneous statements on CC from time to time but most of us who post regularly stay on a thread long enough to be corrected - and thank those who do so.

 

OK my rant is over.........

[ldubs]

I think some (most?) are overthinking things. Whatever they do or are required to do, it is not a bad thing. I don't think you will ever hear a steward refuse an additional tip.

[jlp20]

I don't think there is a blanket answer. Policy different between cruise lines or even week to week same ship. ONLY correct answer is from crew member ON YOUR CRUISE.

I have my method, steward knows my intent. What they do is not my concern. It only takes acouple of days to determine the quality of your steward. If deserving, extra tip is given in private. What they do with it is not my concern

[GUT2407]

The last Princess crew contract I saw, it would be two or three years old now, said all cash tips had to be handed in, it did not specify what happens after that.

[swedish weave]

I don't think there is a blanket answer. Policy different between cruise lines or even week to week same ship. ONLY correct answer is from crew member ON YOUR CRUISE.

 

I have my method, steward knows my intent. What they do is not my concern. It only takes acouple of days to determine the quality of your steward. If deserving, extra tip is given in private. What they do with it is not my concern

 

This.is the most sensible comment I have seen.

[swedish weave]

The last Princess crew contract I saw, it would be two or three years old now, said all cash tips had to be handed in, it did not specify what happens after that.

 

My experiences have proven that there is no way for the cruise lines to enforce this. It is merely a money grab attempt by the cruise line management.

[SouthLyonCruiser]

Sorry about not being cruise line specific but this upcoming cruise is on the Norwegian Jade.

Thanks to all for their replies.