Another question re tips for First Timers

[brittany12]

The SB  carefully designed No Tipping policy makes perfect sense and by and large we have always respected it. We pay tips for the crew up front with our higher fares. The crew's pay scale on a non tipping ship like SB is designed higher with this being taken into account. What we sometimes do is slip a $10 or $20 to some DR managers or matter d's who have gone out of his or her way to make our cruise dining experiences  especially more enjoyable. Or to our MDR main servers and wine pourers, if the job they have done is exceptional.. They take it with great thanks, appreciation and humility. An extra tip of a $20 for excellent stateroom service from a housekeeper who goes above and beyond is also something we do. Crew Fund and non cash gifts do nothing for us. 

[SLSD]

On 8/14/2019 at 10:44 AM, saminina said:

Directed same question as OP to fellow passengers on first cruise with this tipping policy.   Three responses all the same.   DO NOT tip individuals.   If you feel like tipping.....crew fund is how we do it.  That was 19 years ago and we've stuck to it.  Times have changed, passengers have changed.  The tipping policy has not.   The crew is paid more than you can imagine.   They are not doing this job for cash tips.  

I agree with Saminina (and I am so sorry I did not  meet you on the Kobe to Vancouver itinerary).  This last cruise was our third on SB (fourth if you count a back to back cruise) and heretofore we had not tipped anyone individually.  On this last cruise, our dear stewardess was over the top (and she was very new).  We had not been impressed with our previous stewardesses.  Tracey, on the other hand, was most determined to do anything for us that she could.  During the last two days of our cruise, I was very ill and she tried to help and make things better for us.  It was much appreciated.  Because of this (and her earlier great service) we gave her an envelope with a note of thank you and a generous cash gift.  Please note--I would NEVER do this at the beginning of a cruise expecting special treatment.  That kind of thing seems so crass to me.   And, I am not sure we will ever do it again.  I do respect the Seabourn's  statement that tips are not required or expected.  That is part of what makes sailing with SB a very good thing.  Perhaps we made a mistake tipping our stewardess?  We had thought about bringing her a gift toward the end of our journey, but decided having a bit of  extra money to spend on her time off in Alaskan ports the rest of the summer might be more appreciated.  In the future, I am sure we will only give an individual tip under similar extraordinary circumtances.  

[Ka Honu]

1 hour ago, SLSD said:

Perhaps we made a mistake tipping our stewardess?  

It may not have been Seabourn policy but it was NOT a mistake since you made your choice based on your personal value system and desires.

 

The "mistake" comes in when someone makes choices (or attempts to influence others') choices based on gossip and peer pressure - neither of which should be part of any decision (except maybe the decision to find new people to gossip with).

 

I may or may not agree with your decision but it's not my business (or anyone else's) how someone chooses to reward what they consider service provided well past the "above and beyond" standard we rightfully expect on Seabourn.

Edited August 15, 2019 by Ka Honu

[ab21au]

Well said, Ka Honu. 

Edited August 16, 2019 by ab21au