Tipping on Carnival

[marjmy]

Having never cruised on Carnival before could someone enlighten me as to whether tipping is done with envelopes at the end of the cruise or are the tips added to your cruise card?

thanks in advance

Marjorie

[GoinCruisin]

It will be added to your S&S account in the beginning of the cruise... $10 pp/pd.

[BonnieJeansMum]

The all-inclusive including tipping on CCL has become a really sticky wicket. Carnvial now includes an average of $10 per day. I personally disagree and continue to do it my way. Tipping for service, not because someone tells me to. It usually ends up that we tip more than what Carnival thinks we should. I think tipping up front on the first day helps to set the tone with our room steward, and then on the last day depending on the service received. They usually come out ahead anyways.:D

[GoinCruisin]

The all-inclusive including tipping on CCL has become a really sticky wicket. Carnvial now includes an average of $10 per day. I personally disagree and continue to do it my way. Tipping for service, not because someone tells me to. It usually ends up that we tip more than what Carnival thinks we should. I think tipping up front on the first day helps to set the tone with our room steward, and then on the last day depending on the service received. They usually come out ahead anyways.:D

 

Not necessarily. If you remove the tips, they are required to turn any and all cash over to the pool. If you keep the tips on, and then tip extra in cash, they can keep that cash. The tips on the S&S card are paid to them immediately (the following week)... there are several things involved in this, but all of the ones I have talked to prefer to have the tips left on the card and adjusted at the end if necessary, just because of how it is done.

[littledylansmom]

I like to give them it in cash too...but, If you have the tips taken off the s&s card...does the staff know? I don't want to get crappy service if they think I'm not going to tip them at the end of the cruise...

[VentureMan_2000]

95% of the passenges just leave it on the S&S card. No sweat. If you have bad service, you should be speaking to the Purser or Ma'tr'de (sp?)... immediately.

[jshawnh]

Not necessarily. If you remove the tips, they are required to turn any and all cash over to the pool. If you keep the tips on, and then tip extra in cash, they can keep that cash. The tips on the S&S card are paid to them immediately (the following week)... there are several things involved in this, but all of the ones I have talked to prefer to have the tips left on the card and adjusted at the end if necessary, just because of how it is done.

I have spoken to at quite a few room stewards and waiters onour past 4 Carnival cruises, and asked them if they would prefer cash tips or for it to be left on my S&S account. They have ALL told me that their pay NEVER changes, no matter what people leave as tips. This tells me that Carnival KEEPS the tips, and simply does an accounting trick to make it look like they are going to the ship's crew. Carnival is by all means not giving the tips at all, but simply using them as another profit tool. I have left tips on the S&S in the past, but will always tip cash in the future. It is the only way the staff makes extra money for their work, above what Carnival was going to pay them anyway. I am sure they are now instructed to tell the passengers that they would prefer tips left on the passenger's account. Tipping in cash assures they get rewardeed for their work.

 

Shawn

 

Jubilee 3/2003

Holiday 3/2004

Ecstacy 11/2004

Elation 4/2005

Conquest 3/26/2006 !!!

[LoveTheDeepBlue]

I have spoken to at quite a few room stewards and waiters onour past 4 Carnival cruises, and asked them if they would prefer cash tips or for it to be left on my S&S account. They have ALL told me that their pay NEVER changes, no matter what people leave as tips. This tells me that Carnival KEEPS the tips, and simply does an accounting trick to make it look like they are going to the ship's crew. Carnival is by all means not giving the tips at all, but simply using them as another profit tool. I have left tips on the S&S in the past, but will always tip cash in the future. It is the only way the staff makes extra money for their work, above what Carnival was going to pay them anyway. I am sure they are now instructed to tell the passengers that they would prefer tips left on the passenger's account. Tipping in cash assures they get rewardeed for their work.

 

Shawn

 

 

 

 

 

Jubilee 3/2003

Holiday 3/2004

Ecstacy 11/2004

Elation 4/2005

Conquest 3/26/2006 !!!

 

I just leave my tips on the S & S card. I guess if everyone tipped as they should there would be need to spread out the tips to the crew. :(

 

Shawn: If it is really true that Carnival keeps all of the tips, why would you continue to support this cruiseline?

[VentureMan_2000]

I don't sweat it... too much energy wasted. I've always had great service. Just leave the tip on the S&S card. No big deal.

 

If you really get that poor of service, you should be telling the Purser and maybe even adjusting your tip on your S&S downward. I don't think you are likely to be in this position...

 

unless you are one of those picky bucks that can never be pleased... :rolleyes:

[captaincrash]

I vote to tip in cash and hand it to over. NOT to let CCL handle the money in advance. It seems out of line to let CCL dabble in this and possibly shave a cut to other other personnel that what I am accustomed to acknowledging with our gratuities!

[GoinCruisin]

I have spoken to at quite a few room stewards and waiters onour past 4 Carnival cruises, and asked them if they would prefer cash tips or for it to be left on my S&S account. They have ALL told me that their pay NEVER changes, no matter what people leave as tips. This tells me that Carnival KEEPS the tips, and simply does an accounting trick to make it look like they are going to the ship's crew. Carnival is by all means not giving the tips at all, but simply using them as another profit tool. I have left tips on the S&S in the past, but will always tip cash in the future. It is the only way the staff makes extra money for their work, above what Carnival was going to pay them anyway. I am sure they are now instructed to tell the passengers that they would prefer tips left on the passenger's account. Tipping in cash assures they get rewardeed for their work.

 

Shawn

 

Jubilee 3/2003

Holiday 3/2004

Ecstacy 11/2004

Elation 4/2005

Conquest 3/26/2006 !!!

 

Sorry, but I'm not buying it. I'm not sure Carnival could get away with first of all, secondly, my steward on the Miracle met us out at Carlos n Charlies and we talked about many things, including how he pays his assistant, from his tips... and although his tips varied from week to week, he still paid his assistant the very same amount, regardless... as the main stewards pay their assistants from THEIR own pay. And that when they received a gratuity, there were two different ways to handle it based on whether or not the main gratuity was removed (which they get a printout of for that very reason). On the Valor in October, our steward told us that some weeks she doesn't do so well, and some weeks she does... I'll see if I can find out for sure, because if it is true that Carnival is not paying their employees our gratuities that we place on our S&S, including the amounts adjusted up and down, then we have all been shafted, however, I have a feeling that isn't the case. If you look at any of the pay scales Carnival puts out there when posting job offers, it states how they are paid... the only salary they make is the $40 or so a month, and the rest is gratuities, which fluctuate. Very disturbing that you have been told that...

 

I know you had mentioned quite some time ago that you had lengthy conversations with your WAITER on one of your cruises, and that his pay remained the same... and they are paid differently from what I understand, so perhaps that is what you are talking about????

[GerryC]

I don't sweat it... too much energy wasted. I've always had great service. Just leave the tip on the S&S card. No big deal.

 

If you really get that poor of service, you should be telling the Purser and maybe even adjusting your tip on your S&S downward. I don't think you are likely to be in this position...

 

unless you are one of those picky bucks that can never be pleased... :rolleyes:

 

Well, I am usually not very hard to please, but I was put in that exact position on the Elation in December. Three people, including myself, never got served our meal in the dining room on formal night, and nobody at the table was offered dessert. Our servers were too busy dancing around the room and attempting to sing to be able to complete their assigned duties. The matrie d', who thought he was Dean Martin, was of no help. As we were leaving the dining room our server came over and apoligized saying she had set the trays on a ledge and forget to serve them. A quick visit to the purser and the dining room tips were removed from the S&S cards and that money was used to give extra tips to the stewards and bartenders who earned it. We did not eat in the dining room again.

[Cotton]

I don't see why anyone would think Carnival's tipping is a 'sticky wicket'....?

 

It's a very fair way to make sure the crew gets their tips they work so hard for. This has been in place for several years, only raised from $9.75 to $10 per day a coupla or three years ago. No biggie. It was put in place because too many passengers were 'stiffing' the crew.

 

You can always go to the purser's desk and have the tips reduced or removed, but thank goodness MOST folks don't do that.:)

[hstrybuf]

As mentioned above, the staff receives a printout showing who has left the tips on the S&S card etc. If I believed they weren't getting that money, I'd be raising some big questions with the Purser's desk. We've found it easiest to leave the tips on the S&S then get envelopes to hand out extra at the end of the cruise to those we feel have earned it through hard work and good service. We have never had anyone, steward or waiter, who earned less than the minimum. Usually, it's more!

[PINEVIEW01]

Not necessarily. If you remove the tips, they are required to turn any and all cash over to the pool. If you keep the tips on, and then tip extra in cash, they can keep that cash. The tips on the S&S card are paid to them immediately (the following week)... there are several things involved in this, but all of the ones I have talked to prefer to have the tips left on the card and adjusted at the end if necessary, just because of how it is done.

I have talked to workers on the ship and been told the opposite. It takes them two weeks to get thier tips. The cruise line has no way of knowing how much cash they recieve. They prefer to be paid in cash by us.

 

Go figure!

[GoinCruisin]

I have talked to workers on the ship and been told the opposite. It takes them two weeks to get thier tips. The cruise line has no way of knowing how much cash they recieve. They prefer to be paid in cash by us.

 

Go figure!

 

From what I understand, with the S&S charges, the money is deposited onto their debit account the following week... with cash, it is 2 weeks. You are correct, they have no way of knowing how much cash they receive but their performance (which is how they keep their jobs and what counts most in performance reviews) is based on a) the tips they receive and b) the survey cards. Why would anyone not turn in tips consistently and risk losing their jobs? Every time I pay a steward up front (I generally give them $20 on the first day), they always flip out and make sure I'm not removing my S&S tips.... there's a reason for that

[Kathy555]

We left our tips on the S&S card. We gave out extra tips in cash, especially since we were there on the Christmas/New Year sailing. The crew on the Destiny was exceptionally good. The only problem was slow beverage service in the dining room but on the Destiny she had to go far to get the drinks and also you have 3 ports where new passengers embark so she has to get their card #'s. Service was better at the end of the trip.

[GoinCruisin]

We left our tips on the S&S card. We gave out extra tips in cash, especially since we were there on the Christmas/New Year sailing. The crew on the Destiny was exceptionally good. The only problem was slow beverage service in the dining room but on the Destiny she had to go far to get the drinks and also you have 3 ports where new passengers embark so she has to get their card #'s. Service was better at the end of the trip.

 

That is one problem I have always had, the bar service in the dining room... they really need more bar waiters in there!!!! I know it's not their fault, but sometimes I feel like I should order 2 drinks at a time, since it takes so long to get one!!!! LOL!

[Kathy555]

I told my son to just stop and get a coke before he came in the dining room. They just need to put a bar in the diningroom too. She was a really sweet girl too, and nervous. I know the turnover of new passengers 3 times in a week was tough to deal with too.

[CLS/KAS]

Dear wife and I have been on many cruises, through years. What we have always done, is payed tips in cash. We very rarely eat at sit down dinner, and tip according to our use of staff. Can't tell you how many times we have had head waiter-no where to be seen doing meals, magically standing at door waiting, for "The Envolpe".- I am not tipping for a service I have not used.-If you use your credit card for s/s -they will take it out-sometimes second day of cruise-we tell them do NOT take it out, we will adjust tipping at end of cruise.-Been on to many cruise's with bad service-BUT, we DO take care of the staff that were around us-they have always gotten more than they expected-and have always been very happy w/amount received.-what REALLY gets me going, is the 15% grats on all drink purchased!- Staff knows they get this automaticlly, so there is NO incentive for faster/better service.-sitting at a bar, bartender opens can of beer-15 %-I tip well, but come on-bartender can't give you ONE beer without getting tipped??

[GoinCruisin]

I told my son to just stop and get a coke before he came in the dining room. They just need to put a bar in the diningroom too. She was a really sweet girl too, and nervous. I know the turnover of new passengers 3 times in a week was tough to deal with too.

 

Wow, I can imagine that would be tough!!!! I've always had a great bar waiter, and bless their hearts, they really do some running around, then have to get out of there and go to one of the other bars on the ship... they definitely work hard!! Yes, they do need a bar in the dining rooms, that would make things much quicker!!!!

[GoinCruisin]

Dear wife and I have been on many cruises, through years. What we have always done, is payed tips in cash. We very rarely eat at sit down dinner, and tip according to our use of staff. Can't tell you how many times we have had head waiter-no where to be seen doing meals, magically standing at door waiting, for "The Envolpe".- I am not tipping for a service I have not used.-If you use your credit card for s/s -they will take it out-sometimes second day of cruise-we tell them do NOT take it out, we will adjust tipping at end of cruise.-Been on to many cruise's with bad service-BUT, we DO take care of the staff that were around us-they have always gotten more than they expected-and have always been very happy w/amount received.-what REALLY gets me going, is the 15% grats on all drink purchased!- Staff knows they get this automaticlly, so there is NO incentive for faster/better service.-sitting at a bar, bartender opens can of beer-15 %-I tip well, but come on-bartender can't give you ONE beer without getting tipped??

 

The Maitre'D (who is the one standing at the door) is not included in the S&S tips, as stated by Carnival, tipping the Maitre'D is at your own discretion. Since the dining staff typically rotates and works the Lido deck, the tipping applies regardless of the dining venue you choose. You can always adjust your tips on your S&S account at the end of the cruise... up or down.

 

And yes, there is incentive for drink service. Those 15% tips are pooled, and they are paid and incented on the NUMBER of drinks sold. So yes, they will do what they can to get it to you quickly, and keep you coming back to them for more.

[habby]

Lucy, you are such a wealth of information. I appreciate you clearing up a lot of things for me. We're still relatively new to cruising and you answer questoins I would never even think to ask.

 

anyway, about the bar waiters. Are there some who only work the dining rooms and maybe lounges and the casino? Last year the first bar server we met on the Lido deck became "out waiter" He was the only one we would order drinks from on the Lido deck or at the shows. Then in the dining room and casino we had the pleasure of meeting Marina. She knew after day 1 what my DH drank, and any other drink she recommended was top notch.

 

Just because we've had such great service in all areas of the ship, I'd really like to make sure the staff is getting what they're entitled to and more. Are you saying that it's better to leave the tips on the S&S, and then tip more in cash as we see fit, or remove the tips and pay only cash.

 

On behalf of me and lots of other cruisers, thanks again for all of your help.

[GoinCruisin]

Lucy, you are such a wealth of information. I appreciate you clearing up a lot of things for me. We're still relatively new to cruising and you answer questoins I would never even think to ask.

 

anyway, about the bar waiters. Are there some who only work the dining rooms and maybe lounges and the casino? Last year the first bar server we met on the Lido deck became "out waiter" He was the only one we would order drinks from on the Lido deck or at the shows. Then in the dining room and casino we had the pleasure of meeting Marina. She knew after day 1 what my DH drank, and any other drink she recommended was top notch.

 

Just because we've had such great service in all areas of the ship, I'd really like to make sure the staff is getting what they're entitled to and more. Are you saying that it's better to leave the tips on the S&S, and then tip more in cash as we see fit, or remove the tips and pay only cash.

 

On behalf of me and lots of other cruisers, thanks again for all of your help.

 

Marina, if it is the same Marina, is probably one of my favorite bartenders of all time!! She is amazing, and after you first meet her, she does remember everything!!! We spent a lot of time talking to her on the Valor, she was such a joy!!!!!!

 

Many of the bartenders that you see "walking around", the bar waiters, work several different bars or social events. Many of the bartenders behind the bar, work behind the bar at a couple of bars. During the "back to the floor" episode on PBS that shows every so often, Bob Dickenson actually works as a bar waiter, and explains how they are paid and why they hustle so hard. Their main goal is selling as many drinks as they can... they work day and night hustling those drinks! In the hot sun, it doesn't look fun, but they always are so pleasant!!!

 

What I do, is find my favorite bartenders, and I will generally give them tips through the week, small tips... and then I tip them at the end of the cruise, thanking them for making the cruise so great. The good bartenders and bar waiters make decent money, they sell the most drinks and get the most "extra tips"... they know what they are doing for sure!! One of my favorite bar waiters from my first cruise, was on the Valor in October... he had been promoted and was the main bartender in the disco... he got this through consistent performance reviews. He now doesn't work as many hours as he once did, and makes more money, and is on a much bigger ship. The good bartenders do have "goals", and they want to make an impact on you... you can generally spot those pretty early, and even the smallest of extra tips will really make a difference!!! But it is definitely not something they expect!

 

Did I help at all?? LOL! I'm doing "spring" cleaning today and I think the fumes are getting to me :D

[habby]

Thanks, Lucy

 

So ........ we leave the tips on the S&S and then do extra in cast. Same for room stewards and waitstaff in the dining room.?