Why should I tip if pre paid gratuities?

[Cherylann1965]

On 3/9/2019 at 5:05 PM, misguy said:

A third thing that I always do is get the waiter, and the cabin steward to put their information on a comment card, keeps me from messing up the spelling, and then turn it in.

 

On 3/9/2019 at 7:38 PM, RocketMan275 said:

What an excellent idea.  I've heard that comment cards can be more important than extra tips since these cards impact the crew member ratings and that impacts the payout from the tipping pool.  I've struggled in the past with trying to remember names.  I'll use that suggestion in the future.

I will be a first time cruiser next October (2020) so I have been reading all I can on cruising etiquette and this information about using comment cards to also recognize service above and beyond the basic job description is probable the best thing I have read today.

[Icon901]

1 minute ago, Cherylann1965 said:

 

I will be a first time cruiser next October (2020) so I have been reading all I can on cruising etiquette and this information about using comment cards to also recognize service above and beyond the basic job description is probable the best thing I have read today.

Agreed. 

This is the free, easy way everyone should "reward" good service. Easy to grab a few cards for the room, and each morning jot down names and details about great service from the night before.  If you have someone who you' expect to be a repeat rock star, you can make notes then write that card the last morning. Either way, that's definitely something everyone can afford the time/effort to do. 

[RocketMan275]

25 minutes ago, Cherylann1965 said:

 

I will be a first time cruiser next October (2020) so I have been reading all I can on cruising etiquette and this information about using comment cards to also recognize service above and beyond the basic job description is probable the best thing I have read today.

it's really a good thing to have them write down their names.  Often they will be anglicized their names and having them write their name will ensure the cruise line credits the right people. 

[clo]

1 hour ago, Icon901 said:

I've noticed a phenomenon on these forums that is interesting.

You really find it interesting?  Well, I find that interesting.

[dkjretired]

5 hours ago, Icon901 said:

I've noticed a phenomenon on these forums that is interesting. All forums have their own quirks, but this place has some great ones. 

Cruises offer an awesome array of options to cater to all tastes. Interior vs balcony, premium dining vs MDR, or in this case, tipping vs not tipping. With seemingly any choice there is a subset of folks on one side who get exceptionally defensive about any slight against their approach, yet those same people jump at the chance to deride those who feel differently. Just an observation that tickles me

Regarding those who feel their time is best spent mired in the semantics of what to call a gratuity paid before or after services rendered... you label things whatever floats your boat in your worldview. You're the only one who lives there, so you should mold it as you see fit. 👍

 

Like stated before, there are an infinite number of ways to enjoy your cruise experience. As long as it's not hurting anyone or stealing.... you do you 😄

Cheers!
 

 

You should also understand that different countries have different or no tipping cultures to the point that some cruise lines change their policies when sailing in those countries. 

[Icon901]

11 hours ago, dkjretired said:

 

You should also understand that different countries have different or no tipping cultures to the point that some cruise lines change their policies when sailing in those countries. 

I understand. I’ve travelled a good bit. 

 

My post had nothing to do with whether it’s right to tip or not, or to cruise inside or balcony.

 

It’s purely a comment on those who are hypersensitive about any slight against their preference, then being prone to throwing shade against the preference of others. It’s hypocritical and makes me laugh that the two often come hand in hand, is all 🙂 

 

Cheers and have a great weekend! 

Edited July 27, 2019 by Icon901

[Aquahound]

On 3/9/2019 at 2:05 PM, misguy said:

I do think that tipping the bartender in cash can improve the quality of your drinks, especially if you frequent the same bar.  

 

I whole heartedly agree with this.  In fact, I know it to be true.  I can't tell you how many drinks were not charged and how many times I had better pours due to being a cash tipper to one or two particular bartenders.  In fact, I've experienced this so many times, I'm a little surprised some people are saying this doesn't actually happen.   

[ReneeFLL]

On 1/16/2018 at 8:36 PM, AppyAmmer said:

As the title suggests, why should we pay extra? We dont mind paying the extra but when exactly are we paying the pre paid gratuities for. There seems to be quite a few posts on CC about tipping with all different figures and methods of paying for service but as I say,has that not been paid for already?

 

I feel slightly bad even asking this and feel really mean as well!

You are absolutely not mean for asking or not tipping extra. Don't let others make you feel this way because they do things differently. I also believe that there are a lot of cruisers that don't tip extra. I think that they don't usually speak up so it seems like there are more bigger tippers than not. Tip how you want to and don't pay attention to others.

[ReneeFLL]

On 1/17/2018 at 10:08 AM, teknoge3k said:

 

As someone else mentioned, the porters aren't cruise line employs so they don't get the tips you prepay. Give them $1 or $2 per bag and you'll be fine. Also don't forget your excursion operators. Uber drivers as well, but you can just add their tip onto your final payment on the app.

The OP was asking about tipping on her cruise so why are you telling her to tip the porters (who don't really do much to begin with), Uber drivers and shore excursion people? She doesn't need to tip them if she doesn't feel like it. People should tip how they see fit.

[ReneeFLL]

On 3/10/2019 at 1:27 PM, Toofarfromthesea said:

 

Like the stories about the person who removed the grats and got his luggage dunked in the water??

I was thinking the same as you. There are to many cameras around for someone to intentionally do this I would think. Also the man overboard sensors (I forget the actual name). They would lose their job if they did that imo and it wouldn't be worth it for a couple of dollars. 

 

On 3/10/2019 at 2:26 PM, dkjretired said:

 

Never said I believed it, just passing on what was written on this board.

And yet you continue the rumor. 🙄

[dkjretired]

2 hours ago, ReneeFLL said:

I was thinking the same as you. There are to many cameras around for someone to intentionally do this I would think. Also the man overboard sensors (I forget the actual name). They would lose their job if they did that imo and it wouldn't be worth it for a couple of dollars. 

 

And yet you continue the rumor. 🙄

 

Perhaps you should have read my other post on this, I said I didn't necessarily believe it but it was posted on this board. ( Post # 54)   If you wish to call it a rumor than you should assume that every post on this board is a rumor.   This was several years ago and I tried to find it but the search function is not what it used to be.  

Edited October 28, 2019 by dkjretired

[Icon901]

My .02: 

1) NOBODY should feel obligated to tip over what's included. You've done your duty IMO. 

2) Anyone reducing the auto-gratuities is a bad person unless you've seriously attempted to remedy the issues through Celebrity service staff and received unsatisfactory results. 

 

For ME: I'll likely tip bartenders I receive good/great service from. If I find staff overwhelmed at certain spots (like Martini bar) that I will be frequenting... Rather than endure long waits, I'll likely tip $20-30 when I sit down with a request to "please keep an eye out for me" during my time there.

It works on land. I figure I'll see similar results at sea. We'll see :) 

Edited October 28, 2019 by Icon901

[ldubs]

3 hours ago, Icon901 said:

 

. . . . If I find staff overwhelmed at certain spots (like Martini bar) that I will be frequenting... Rather than endure long waits, I'll likely tip $20-30 when I sit down with a request to "please keep an eye out for me" during my time there.

It works on land. I figure I'll see similar results at sea. We'll see 🙂

 

OMG, brace yourself.  You have just turned a tipping thread into a bribing thread.  😀😀

[Icon901]

9 hours ago, ldubs said:

 

OMG, brace yourself.  You have just turned a tipping thread into a bribing thread.  😀😀

 

Lol!
 

Anyone turned off by the idea of folks giving money to bartenders to obtain better service obviously hasn’t spent much time in a busy bar. 😄 

[clo]

13 hours ago, Icon901 said:

 

Lol!
 

Anyone turned off by the idea of folks giving money to bartenders to obtain better service obviously hasn’t spent much time in a busy bar. 😄 

I'm in my 70s and have spent many, many hours in bars and have never given tips before I closed out my tab.  And seem to almost always get very good service.  YMMV.

[Icon901]

16 minutes ago, clo said:

I'm in my 70s and have spent many, many hours in bars and have never given tips before I closed out my tab.  And seem to almost always get very good service.  YMMV.

 

Depends on the bar and the crowd. If you've never had to wait for a drink due to crowds then we're likely going to different bars (I strong suspect we are anyway ). 

 

If the service is slow at the Martini bar, I'll make an attempt to speed it up.

If it's not, I'll reward good service on the back-end. :) 

 

Easy peasy ☺️

[clo]

2 minutes ago, Icon901 said:

Depends on the bar and the crowd. If you've never had to wait for a drink due to crowds then we're likely going to different bars (I strong suspect we are anyway ). 

 

My faves are dive bars rather than "fern bars."  🙂

[Icon901]

33 minutes ago, clo said:

My faves are dive bars rather than "fern bars."  🙂

I love a good dive bar as well, but many in Manhattan (Back in the heyday of the Village Idiot, one of the best in America) or good dive bars in most college towns tend to be 3-4 deep the full length of the bar.

My regular haunts locally always result in my drinks being delivered immediately upon being seen, over the heads of people who had been waiting longer. I hate waiting for drinks when I could be socializing with my friends.

 

I put myself through college as a bartender and I usually had half a dozen folks pretip when it was going to be a very busy night. They always got served immediately no matter how long the wait was. They'd usually include assorted tips along the way. There's not a better job in college than slinging drinks!  

Not sure what a fern bar is. 

Edited October 30, 2019 by Icon901

[clo]

44 minutes ago, Icon901 said:

Not sure what a fern bar is. 

In San Francisco back in the day, the fancy-dancy bars had big windows with ferns 🙂

 

Thanks for your perspective.

[Jana60]

On 1/16/2018 at 7:36 PM, AppyAmmer said:

As the title suggests, why should we pay extra? We dont mind paying the extra but when exactly are we paying the pre paid gratuities for. There seems to be quite a few posts on CC about tipping with all different figures and methods of paying for service but as I say,has that not been paid for already?

 

I feel slightly bad even asking this and feel really mean as well!

If you prepay your service charges you don’t need to tip further unless you feel that someone has gone above and beyond.  Some folks use tipping for its old time meaning...TIPS- To Insure Prompt Service.  They feel like if they bribe the cruiseship staff with a little extra cash they will receive better service.    I’m not sure if that’s true or not but I do go prepared to give a little extra to the cabin steward when I’m cruising solo because with only one person in the room they only get half the tips and I know they depend so much on those tips to live.  I also give a little extra to my favorite bartender to thank them for their service.  And of course if staying in a suite I tip the butler because the Butler’s do not share in the service charges.

[Icon901]

Confirmed.. Martini Bar was jammed last night. $5 held out with my seapass and nice gentleman behind the bar Immediately came over and made our martinis. He also immediately served me two other times that evening when we stopped by the bar after the show. Other folks were definitely waiting both times. 
 

Later in the evening I wanted to thank the gentleman behind the bar in ensemble lounge for taking good care of our group so I tipped him $5 midway through our stay there (watching a band play). On my next pour he made eye contact and kept pouring telling me to let him know when to stop. I told him to pull up the bottle at approx a triple pour. My next glass (on the way out for the night) was the same size. 
 

If you’re looking for quicker service or better drinks taking care of your bar staff definitely goes a long way... at least aboard the Celebrity Equinox so far this week 🙂 

Edited November 3, 2019 by Icon901

[kreissimon]

On 7/20/2019 at 2:08 AM, cb at sea said:

 Off the ship, tip as you would at home...taxis, bellmen/porters, etc.

 

Hi
I’m going to cruise with NCL. It’ll be my first time in Baltics. What is common tipping practice in Russia? What is expected? I
'm afraid to be rude...

thank you all in advance

[bigrednole]

I searched for this topic after reading a FB post on tipping everybody. It made me think that I am already prepaying gratuities of ~$15pp/day. That includes the last day where all we are doing is waking up and getting off the ship. It pretty much is a $45 tip strictly for assistance from the cabin steward (I may be simplistically looking at the last day). Our ship docks at 6AM. If all we are doing is waking and getting off the ship, that is a hefty tip for little service. So, for 3 of us, it is ~$400 for the cruise in charged gratuities. We will also see an automatic 18% gratuity for our drink packages. Assume each drink gets a $2 gratuity, 5 drink per day per person is an additional $140 automatic. This is $540 in tips. 

 

My overall question is who does the $540 in tips get distributed to and are there people I need to tip on top of this? Also, are there going to be other gratuities automatically added on to my tab that I am not aware of at the end of the cruise?

 

Personally, I am against automatic gratuities because I would have probably paid more if I did it on the spot directly to the person(s) I am involved with. Before the automatic tipping was on ships, I was told in college by a guy that tipping bartenders a $2 bill would get them the best service ever the whole cruise long. Told my dad and he did it on Day 1. He gave the bartender 100 $2 bills. Every time he saw my dad, he had drinks ready for him. When they had a day on the beach next to the ship, the bartender got off the ship and drove an ATV to find where my dad was and brought him drinks directly on the beach (not a private island) from the local bar at no charge. My dad wound up typing him another $200 the last night. I would rather tip someone like that directly rather than the $200 going into a pool and he only gets $8 from it. 

[d9704011]

A thought provoking and timely post.  Your father is/was a shining example of how we can all show our appreciation for the service others extend to us; I’m sure you will continue to carry on his fine work.

 

I wouldn’t worry much about additional automatic gratuities or service charges beyond the daily service charge (which is distributed according to a multitude of secret formulae depending on which CC member comments on it) and drinks.  I think you ought to bring along a large stack of $20 for your upcoming cruises and hand those out often and randomly; staff will appreciate it because the cruise lines will be holding back all the other grats to make up for lost profit.

[John Bull]

2 hours ago, bigrednole said:

I searched for this topic after reading a FB post on tipping everybody. It made me think that I am already prepaying gratuities of ~$15pp/day. That includes the last day where all we are doing is waking up and getting off the ship. It pretty much is a $45 tip strictly for assistance from the cabin steward (I may be simplistically looking at the last day). Our ship docks at 6AM. If all we are doing is waking and getting off the ship, that is a hefty tip for little service. So, for 3 of us, it is ~$400 for the cruise in charged gratuities. We will also see an automatic 18% gratuity for our drink packages. Assume each drink gets a $2 gratuity, 5 drink per day per person is an additional $140 automatic. This is $540 in tips. 

 

The auto-grats are per night. So that last morning (charged) and the first afternoon & evening (not charged) combine to make one day's charge. 

 

If you have an all-you-can-drink package, the drinks "service charge" (on most US ships it's mandatory) is charged on the price of the package. So if the package price is  $300, a 15% service charge will be $45 or an 18% service charge it will be $54. Period. Whether you have just two drinks a day or you drink the bar dry every evening.

Beware - I know of at least one cruise line which will include a "free" drinks package as an incentive, but which still charges the gratuity, based on the list price of the package.

 

2 hours ago, bigrednole said:

 

My overall question is who does the $540 in tips get distributed to and are there people I need to tip on top of this? Also, are there going to be other gratuities automatically added on to my tab that I am not aware of at the end of the cruise?

Personally, I am against automatic gratuities because I would have probably paid more if I did it on the spot directly to the person(s) I am involved with. Before the automatic tipping was on ships, I was told in college by a guy that tipping bartenders a $2 bill would get them the best service ever the whole cruise long. Told my dad and he did it on Day 1. He gave the bartender 100 $2 bills. Every time he saw my dad, he had drinks ready for him. When they had a day on the beach next to the ship, the bartender got off the ship and drove an ATV to find where my dad was and brought him drinks directly on the beach (not a private island) from the local bar at no charge. My dad wound up typing him another $200 the last night. I would rather tip someone like that directly rather than the $200 going into a pool and he only gets $8 from it. 

 

 The daily auto-grats get distributed according to a multitude of secret formulae depending on which CC member comments on it.

OK, so I've plagerised d790 's post , but that's about as accurate as you'll get.

Different "insiders" give different answers .

 

Daily auto-grats and drinks service charge are the main factors. But you'll probably find a grat added if you use services such as spa, hairdresser, mebbe speciality restaurants. You can always check before booking extras.

 

Direct tipping instead of money going into a pool? 

Broadly that can't happen. 

 

The following applies if you haven't  purchased an all-you-can-drink package (as my reply above, if you have an all-you-can-drink package the service charge will be added as 15 or 18% of the package price) ............

When you buy drinks, the drinks service charge gets added to each drinks order. It'll be automatically added & printed on the copy given to you with the drinks. There'll also be a space for you to add a (further) tip - if you choose to give extra, best to  leave that line blank and give the extra in cash to whoever you choose.

 

The daily auto-grats go into a pool.

Those grats are, strictly speaking, optional but some cruise lines make those passengers go through hoops. You can reduce or remove them, but for a great many reasons that's unwise.

One of those reasons is that if you reduce or remove them, your cabin steward and waiters will be informed and will have to hand over all tips given by you, to go into the pool. Hence a waste of your time, effort, and grief. And possibly a grilling for those crew-members about why you reduced / removed the auto-tip.

Again, if you choose to give extra, give it direct to those you wish to reward. 

 

My post covers most cruise lines & most circumstances, but for every rules there are exceptions.

But hopefully helpful.

 

Stay safe

 

JB