Prepaid tips vs cash

[Cruiselover0426]

9 hours ago, Scotty G said:

 

So how do you tip the housekeeping staff that cleans the public restrooms and keeps the passageways and stairways clean?

Why would I?  That is their job and they get paid (or should get paid) a fair wage to do that.  Do you tip the janitors at local restaurants?  Do you think wait staff tips out to janitors in restaurants?   This is a very weird post.

[Cruiselover0426]

35 minutes ago, dpostman said:

 

OK thanks.  I forgot about the 2 dollar bills.  Last time we cruised, I went to the bank here and got a bunch small bills, and for some reason, they had a bunch of 2 dollar bills on hand.

 

I'm hoping to be able to go to GS and have $20 or $40 broken down.  And I can just go back when I need more.

 

dp

The casino will break your bills down anytime they are open.  No questions asked, no problem ever.

[Cruiselover0426]

39 minutes ago, Trex827 said:

Has anyone asked their room steward if he turns in a cash tip to the tip pool? Or does it go in his pocket?



Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk
 

We have asked several times.  They keep cash tips.  None have ever told us different. 

[Cruiselover0426]

1 hour ago, mayleeman said:

Two primary reasons come to mind:

1) they provide essential services to you; and 2) their wages are in part determined by tips.

 

On #1, it involves accepting that the service economy on a ship is broader than most people are used to in places they traditionally tip (and tipping is not part of the culture in many countries anyway). But if the justification is "I only tip for exceptional service" then recognizing all who provide essential services is fair.

 

On the second, if you know someone out of sight depends on tipping and expressly try to exclude that person, you should be asking why you have that desire. If you had a bad experience, that is one thing. If, however, you just have a theoretical objection to broadly based tipping, perhaps the fact that you are not in direct contact with some staff allows you to rationalize not tipping them when you would be unwilling to do that to a steward or waiter.

 

Considering how often I have seen people walk away from wonderful dinners in nice restaurants leaving a $5 tip for a >$100 meal, it is also possible some people willing to spend thousands on cruises are just cheap when it comes to the hired help. Out of sight, out of mind.

LOL! This is comical to me.  If a person that cleans the hallways wants a tip they should apply for a job as a server or steward.  Those are the positions that receive gratuities ( if the service warrants it).

[Thorben-Hendrik]

1 hour ago, mayleeman said:

If, however, you just have a theoretical objection to broadly based tipping, 

I have a very severe tipping allergy! 😒

[Cruiselover0426]

1 minute ago, Thorben-Hendrik said:

I have a very severe tipping allergy! 😒

LOL! These posts are insane!!!

[Thorben-Hendrik]

17 minutes ago, Cruiselover0426 said:

LOL! These posts are insane!!!

Why? 🤔

[dpostman]

26 minutes ago, Cruiselover0426 said:

The casino will break your bills down anytime they are open.  No questions asked, no problem ever.

 

Thanks.  This gives me enough options that I won't worry about bringing 2 weeks worth of 1$ bills .  I'l just bring enough to cover the first few days.

 

dp

[Desert Cruizers]

When I booked our upcoming Hawaii cruise, I was told the gratuities were free, which seemed odd, never had that happen so rechecked with my TA the other day and he called while I was there to verify. I simply can't believe there will be no daily charges so thinking they were built into the cruise price and not labeled as such. The daughter & I will still pay extra to our room attendant and wait staff as always but still bothered by the free gratuities. The crew work hard for that money and deserve every bit of it. BTW, the Invoice clearly says Free Gratuities.

[Biker19]

1 hour ago, Desert Cruizers said:

When I booked our upcoming Hawaii cruise, I was told the gratuities were free, which seemed odd, never had that happen so rechecked with my TA the other day and he called while I was there to verify. I simply can't believe there will be no daily charges so thinking they were built into the cruise price and not labeled as such. BTW, the Invoice clearly says Free Gratuities.

There may have been a promo in effect at the time to allow for that. Normally that is only true in a few markets (like Australia).

[Desert Cruizers]

Biker, we leave out of San Pedro, on the Emerald Princess. to the Hawaiian islands and return on the 26th. In all the years my husband & I cruised, have never seen that. I was going to have my TA to include the Gratuities so i could pre pay but was told when she got off the phone, that it was free. 

[Merion_Mom]

2 hours ago, Cruiselover0426 said:

The casino will break your bills down anytime they are open.  No questions asked, no problem ever.

 

Not true and not correct.

 

The casino cashiers are now extremely reluctant to give much change.  They will give a few smaller bills, but not much.  Usually only five ones, for instance.  They send you to Guest Services.

[Biker19]

28 minutes ago, Desert Cruizers said:

Biker, we leave out of San Pedro, on the Emerald Princess. to the Hawaiian islands and return on the 26th. In all the years my husband & I cruised, have never seen that. 

No idea how grats work on Princess - I was only talking about RCI, which did have a promo of free grats with the booking of a suite not too long ago.

[MandyMooToo]

23 minutes ago, Merion_Mom said:

 

Not true and not correct.

 

The casino cashiers are now extremely reluctant to give much change.  They will give a few smaller bills, but not much.  Usually only five ones, for instance.  They send you to Guest Services.

 

This is the correct answer.  Just got off Brilliance and even while gambling int he casino they were reluctant to break bills up into anything other than 10's and some 5's (once).  They will send you to guest services.

[HBE4]

12 minutes ago, MandyMooToo said:

36 minutes ago, Merion_Mom said:

Not true and not correct.

 

The casino cashiers are now extremely reluctant to give much change.  They will give a few smaller bills, but not much.  Usually only five ones, for instance.  They send you to Guest Services.

 

This is the correct answer.  Just got off Brilliance and even while gambling int he casino they were reluctant to break bills up into anything other than 10's and some 5's (once).  They will send you to guest services.

 

I wonder if that's a recent change or varies by ship?

 

I tell the casino cashiers I'm breaking the bills for tipping money and they've always given me $1's. But in small increments, like $10 at a time, several times a cruise.  I hate a bulky wallet.

[Cruiselover0426]

53 minutes ago, Merion_Mom said:

 

Not true and not correct.

 

The casino cashiers are now extremely reluctant to give much change.  They will give a few smaller bills, but not much.  Usually only five ones, for instance.  They send you to Guest Services.

Sorry, not true.  Just witnessed and experienced it.  Never once did they bulk at it.  We got 20 singles numerous times.  No problems what so ever.  Saw many others as well.  Sorry they are not reluctant at all.

[Cruiselover0426]

56 minutes ago, Merion_Mom said:

 

Not true and not correct.

 

The casino cashiers are now extremely reluctant to give much change.  They will give a few smaller bills, but not much.  Usually only five ones, for instance.  They send you to Guest Services.

Yes it is true and correct.  We just came off of a b2b and did it regularly with no problem what so ever.  Never once was guest services mentioned.  How can you say not true? Were you there?  Omg. So many rude posters on this board.  

[Cruiselover0426]

3 hours ago, Thorben-Hendrik said:

Why? 🤔

Not yours!  Just in general.  It is crazy to be ridiculed because one might have a different opinion.  Insane!

[Hoopster95]

3 hours ago, Cruiselover0426 said:

We have asked several times.  They keep cash tips.  None have ever told us different. 

 

Who is "they"?

The individual who actually cleans your room keeps the full amount that you give and puts it in their pocket?

or

"They", which is the "team" (aka department) they work with keep it and share it.

The "team" approach is how I've been told face to face the bar staff and other servers in public venues work.

[Cruiselover0426]

8 minutes ago, Hoopster95 said:

 

Who is "they"?

The individual who actually cleans your room keeps the full amount that you give and puts it in their pocket?

or

"They", which is the "team" (aka department) they work with keep it and share it.

The "team" approach is how I've been told face to face the bar staff and other servers in public venues work.

The cabin steward.  I used the word they because we have asked several different people on several different cruises, hence "they".

[Hoopster95]

3 minutes ago, Cruiselover0426 said:

The cabin steward.  I used the word they because we have asked several different people on several different cruises, hence "they".

Gotcha,

 

So in my experience, having asked and received the same answer several times is this.... and I'll use Oasis Class for an example.

There's a sub department, sub-department manager and "team" formed that comprises Boleros and On Air Club across the promenade. Those servers who work predominantly those two venues pool their extra cash tips. The individual server is allowed to keep a percentage of that cash tip themselves (ie. 10 or 20%), the rest goes to the pool. Makes sense as many servers end up serving the same people together... you don;t always get the same server or bartender every single time. I've also been explained that extras (bonuses?) are to be earned for attaining better sales than other teams. I have not asked a room attendant.

 

Another example of the above "team" approach is Radiance Class.... D lounge and Starquest/Viking Crown. The last time I asked how it worked was two years ago so knowing RCI (Really Consistently Inconsistent) likely this method has changed ten times over and is also likely different on each ship, so everyone's answer on these hundreds of tip threads are all correct... and also all incorrect... including mine, as the answer will be different tomorrow.

[springfire]

24 minutes ago, Cruiselover0426 said:

Sorry, not true.  Just witnessed and experienced it.  Never once did they bulk at it.  We got 20 singles numerous times.  No problems what so ever.  Saw many others as well.  Sorry they are not reluctant at all.

Glad it worked for you.  The casino is getting a little more strict about change these days.  We did a slot pull on the Jewel earlier this month and we needed to divide the winnings among 50 participants.  Cashier at the casino said she couldn't do it so we had to get the casino manager involved,  she was quick to approve the funds.  The casino manager advised that the cashiers are limited in the change that they can give out now.   Glad you had no issues.

[HBE4]

1 minute ago, springfire said:

Glad it worked for you.  The casino is getting a little more strict about change these days.  We did a slot pull on the Jewel earlier this month and we needed to divide the winnings among 50 participants.  Cashier at the casino said she couldn't do it so we had to get the casino manager involved,  she was quick to approve the funds.  The casino manager advised that the cashiers are limited in the change that they can give out now.   Glad you had no issues.

 

It's always worked for me as well. I guess I've just been lucky. Maybe it depends on how many singles the casino has at the time?

 

I prefer exchanging money in the casino. Line is much shorter then Guest Service.

[HBE4]

5 minutes ago, Hoopster95 said:

Gotcha,

 

So in my experience, having asked and received the same answer several times is this.... and I'll use Oasis Class for an example.

There's a sub department, sub-department manager and "team" formed that comprises Boleros and On Air Club across the promenade. Those servers who work predominantly those two venues pool their extra cash tips. The individual server is allowed to keep a percentage of that cash tip themselves (ie. 10 or 20%), the rest goes to the pool. Makes sense as many servers end up serving the same people together... you don;t always get the same server or bartender every single time. I've also been explained that extras (bonuses?) are to be earned for attaining better sales than other teams. I have not asked a room attendant.

 

Another example of the above "team" approach is Radiance Class.... D lounge and Starquest/Viking Crown. The last time I asked how it worked was two years ago so knowing RCI (Really Consistently Inconsistent) likely this method has changed ten times over and is also likely different on each ship, so everyone's answer on these hundreds of tip threads are all correct... and also all incorrect... including mine, as the answer will be different tomorrow.

 

It's probably changed several times as you were posting this.  Proving that you were correct and incorrect at the same time.

 

Just kidding.

 

 

 

[springfire]

1 minute ago, HBE4 said:

 

It's always worked for me as well. I guess I've just been lucky. Maybe it depends on how many singles the casino has at the time?

 

I prefer exchanging money in the casino. Line is much shorter then Guest Service.

It did have to do with the number of singles, I have no idea what the limit is.