Prepaying gratuities

[MTNestr]

Just curious how much extra people tip their room steward on a 1 week and 10 day cruise, in addition to the normal onboard tips of course. Just wanting to make sure we are in line and not under or over tipping too much. Room steward does the most in our opinion as he is cleaning room, even though we keep ours clean, but sheets, towels, etc. Same with dining room staff, we normally give them extra in addition to the normal tips.

 

We do the same and keep our room clean.

 

We have always had excellent service in the MDR (assigned seating) and from our room steward (inside cabin). We normally tip $10 per day for our room steward and $10 a day for our server and $5 a day for the assistant server. These amounts are for the 2 of us and not per person. We also tip in the IC and Platinum / Elite lounge on the last day.

 

These amounts are in addition to our auto gratuities.

[voljeep]

we've given our room steward a few extra $$ during the cruise, but NEVER tipped in the mdr, and can't ever see doing that with the anytime dining and leaving the grats in place

[MTNestr]

we've given our room steward a few extra $$ during the cruise, but NEVER tipped in the mdr, and can't ever see doing that with the anytime dining and leaving the grats in place

 

When we tip in the MDR we’ve always had assigned seating with the same waiter and assistant waiter each night. I wouldn’t know how to tip in anytime dining if you have a different waiter each night.

[Cobraman]

This thread is another example of the level of anxiety created by the tipping process as it relates to Princess crew members. Princess created the cashless cruising policy to eliminate said anxiety, simply pay the gratuity, sit back and enjoy your vacation. It's hilarious to think passengers actually have copies of a crew contract, and use it to debate wage/tipping associated with their employment. As others have said, most of the crew are not new, they have worked multiple contracts so they must see an up side to Princess employment. We stopped tipping extra years ago when we discovered the service is good, commencerate to the level awarded via the auto gratuity. In reality, I can count one one hand instances that warrant additional compensation. The whole concept of tipping is beginning to bug the heck out of us, we dont tip our mechanic, dry cleaner or gardener, so why should I to feel guilty for not tipping a hotel employee, cruise employee or restaurant server?

[floridalover5623]

When we tip in the MDR we’ve always had assigned seating with the same waiter and assistant waiter each night. I wouldn’t know how to tip in anytime dining if you have a different waiter each night.

That's just it....you don't even though many nights you'll wind up with the same waiter if you request it & his section isn't filled up yet.

Rotating the waiters into the TD section every so often can probably make a difference in his income since that's the only restaurant that usually gets extra tips.

[keithm]

That's just it....you don't even though many nights you'll wind up with the same waiter if you request it & his section isn't filled up yet.

Rotating the waiters into the TD section every so often can probably make a difference in his income since that's the only restaurant that usually gets extra tips.

Normally we do TD. If we do anytime(like on Oceania)we won't tip extra unless the service is FAR above what we would expect.

[onboard2005]

Google Princess Cruises Crew Contract and go to Crew Center.

Interesting information on the 2 different wage categories and the "tip pool" distribution. It can be complicated wording but from what I understand- if you don't work in the Hotel and Food and Beverage Department, you don't share in the pool directly. However, the other departments, that aren't included, share off the top in a fixed amount (probably a percentage) as a part of their wage. The remainder is then divided among the Hotel-Food-Beverage Departments. It also states that when they sign their contract they acknowledge that they agree, that that fixed amount off the top for the other department,s is not given as a wage.

 

If anyone reads it, please post your take on it.

 

I don't mind tipping. What I really don't like the idea that the person or persons I really appreciate don't "appear to benefit" the way I think I'm led to believe. Princess states it's discretionary, but they automatically tack it on each day. If you go to adjust it, they make you feel bad. Princess seems to want you to add a gratuity to "everything" once you're on board. What ever happened to giving a few dollars "cash" directly to the person and they keep it. This is just my opinion to add to the discussion.

 

Tai

[TriumphGuy]

I don't understand all this additional tipping over and above the gratuities you're already paying. For a couple, that works out to something close to $30/day. For changing sheets and straightening? That is plenty. And yes, I understand it's divided up among various departments.

For me to tip over and above that I would expect personal foot massages and back rubs. And something tells me that ain't a gonna happen!

[onboard2005]

I don't understand all this additional tipping over and above the gratuities you're already paying. For a couple, that works out to something close to $30/day. For changing sheets and straightening? That is plenty. And yes, I understand it's divided up among various departments.

For me to tip over and above that I would expect personal foot massages and back rubs. And something tells me that ain't a gonna happen!

 

I agree. As a couple it's a nice chunk of money just for the daily gratuity charge. If you're out and about the ship or gone for the day on an excursion, you probably rarely see the cabin steward and have little personal interaction. To me- it's the personal interaction that should be rewarded. That's what a gratuity is intended for. Many times we go the whole day and never see the steward. We would just like to give our steward and servers cash for what we feel appropriate and know that he/she will keep it for them self.

 

Tai

[MTNestr]

. For a couple, that works out to something close to $30/day. For changing sheets and straightening?

 

But that $30 goes to 10 or more different people and it’s the majority of their income. According to the website that list Cruise Ship Jobs a Room Stewart makes between $1800 and $2200 (including all tips) a month for the long hours they work.

 

Princess has given everyone the right to tip as they feel correct.

[pablo222]

If anyone reads it, please post your take on it.

 

My take on it: it's very out of date.

Several people working on princess have allowed me to read their current contracts.

What's posted is not current.

 

The contracts vary by department, and by home country.

So, not only is the contract posted there old, it's not inclusive.

 

I once got into an argument with a fine poster here about tipping.

 

It turned out he hadn't been on a princess cruise in six years, and his entire

position was based on reading that one posted contract.

 

I now try to be more judgemental ... er.. selective in my engagement.

[onboard2005]

That may be true. Contracts always change. The gratuities are still pooled. I still feel $30 pp/pd is a bit high for a couple with little to no personal interaction. I'll always pay a gratuity but I still wish we had the opportunity to give cold hard cash to the employee to keep for them self. I've always had good service and it would be nice to reward the person directly and not have them be required to turn it in to a "fleet pool".

 

Tai

[MTNestr]

That may be true. Contracts always change. The gratuities are still pooled. I still feel $30 pp/pd is a bit high for a couple with little to no personal interaction. I'll always pay a gratuity but I still wish we had the opportunity to give cold hard cash to the employee to keep for them self. I've always had good service and it would be nice to reward the person directly and not have them be required to turn it in to a "fleet pool".

 

Tai

 

I agree! I would like to tip people I deal with ( MDR Waiters and Room Stewart) and have the others paid by Princess directly.

[onboard2005]

I agree! I would like to tip people I deal with ( MDR Waiters and Room Stewart) and have the others paid by Princess directly.

 

I agree. I'll pay the auto gratuity. I may not like the way it gets distributed fleet wide. I understand that it also goes to employees in areas of the world where the culture of tipping is low or non-existent. For that reason all eligible employees do get a fair share of tipping that they might never see for very good work. I view it as an expense I figure into the cruise. As long as we do not remove the gratuities, any extra cash is kept by the employee. They just have to turn in the envelope with your name, cabin # and voyage. When it shows that you have not removed your gratuity charge, it is returned to them. I still would like to tip on the spot (like the bar/dining staff) and the staff be able to keep it for them self. This debate will go on and on and on.....

 

Just enjoy the cruise and treat the staff kindly. You'll enjoy it more!

 

Tai

Edited July 8, 2018 by onboard2005

[Pierlesscruisers]

 

I believe that you've misunderstood something along the line. I don't know of any situation on Princess where the automatic gratuity is $30 per person per day. I believe you're thinking of the amount for a couple not per person.

 

Tom

[OCruisers]

We never prepay gratuties on Princess ships.

The auto tip (about $15 per day per person) works fine for us.

[onboard2005]

I believe that you've misunderstood something along the line. I don't know of any situation on Princess where the automatic gratuity is $30 per person per day. I believe you're thinking of the amount for a couple not per person.

 

Tom

 

Yes, Tom. Thank you for the correction. I'm happy to pay the regular gratuities. No matter what the tipping rate is in any area of the cruising world, I think overall it's fair that all shipboard employees get a fair share. I do appreciate the service throughout the ship.

 

Tai

[caribill]

When we tip in the MDR we’ve always had assigned seating with the same waiter and assistant waiter each night. I wouldn’t know how to tip in anytime dining if you have a different waiter each night.

 

The "auto-tip" was introduced when anytime dining was started to take care of that question. Prior to that there were suggested tipping amounts for cabin stewards and dining room staff. The initial "auto-tip" amount was the sum of the previously suggested amounts.

[MTNestr]

The "auto-tip" was introduced when anytime dining was started to take care of that question. Prior to that there were suggested tipping amounts for cabin stewards and dining room staff. The initial "auto-tip" amount was the sum of the previously suggested amounts.

 

Makes Sense - Thanks for the answer.

[donaldsc]

Agree with you! If the service is really bad, which happened to us twice with the room steward, we just do not tip extra at the end of the cruise.

 

If service was that bad that I felt that I had to remove gratuities which has never happened to us, I would go to the front desk and discuss the issues w the desk personnel. Why penalize the rest of the crew for the actions of just one of them.

 

DON

[PoohUnderstands]

Sigh... I always hate to see threads where people even vaguely consider removing the gratuities. The only time I have ever been angry on a Princess cruise was when I saw people lining up to remove the gratuities. I figure if you can afford to cruise you can afford not to remove part of someones salary.

 

Trak...... DITTO, DITTO, DITTO!!!!!!! Especially when it is so up front that these charges exist. Separate or add to fare, what's the difference? In fact, I wish that the cruise lines would make it part of the fare itself and then people can't take away part of these hard working peoples' wages!

 

Pooh

[notalandlover]

Trak...... DITTO, DITTO, DITTO!!!!!!! Especially when it is so up front that these charges exist. Separate or add to fare, what's the difference? In fact, I wish that the cruise lines would make it part of the fare itself and then people can't take away part of these hard working peoples' wages!

 

Pooh

 

 

I agree. They do elsewhere. If the lines continue to raise the DSC they will be have to do it. The more they raise the DSC the more people are going to remove it. At some point it will have to be addressed.

[floridalover5623]

Having the ability to remove gratuities is the only way to insure the continued good service.

It's the one last resort the people can remove if the service is lousy or ships facilities are unusable.

What recourse would people have if they were included in the fare?

[onboard2005]

Having the ability to remove gratuities is the only way to insure the continued good service.

It's the one last resort the people can remove if the service is lousy or ships facilities are unusable.

What recourse would people have if they were included in the fare?

 

Absolutely agree! There is no other system in place to reimburse for loss of money for pre-purchased onboard items not usable, bad service or conditions. The way the system is set up, it's the only way to ensure some kind of reimbursement, if a solution can't be reached at passenger services. A customer should always have a last option. Gratuities should always be discretionary and never be included as a mandatory charge or included as part of the fare.

 

If there are no issues- then pay the gratuity.

 

Tai

[pablo222]

Having the ability to remove gratuities is the only way to insure the continued good service.

It's the one last resort the people can remove if the service is lousy or ships facilities are unusable.

What recourse would people have if they were included in the fare?

 

The problem is that it is too easy to cancel.

 

There are many, many posts here from people bragging about canceling.

 

I'm from a culture that doesn't believe in tipping...

 

Just paying for the cruise was a stretch, I can't pay for any more...

 

There was something wrong with <anything -- bad flight to the cruise port> ... so I cancelled...

 

I know from other posts that you feel people should pay for the things they use, and you

don't want to pay for the things you don't use.

 

How do you feel about paying for the service supplied to others?

 

If you leave your hotel charge in place, and the folks in the next cabin cancel...

 

The steward is cleaning both cabins on your dime.

 

It's a disgusting system.