Additional Gratuities

[rdailybread]

Hello Fellow Cruisers, we recently returned from a cruise and are in a bit of a quandary. We haven’t cruised in a while. Has it become customary to leave additional gratuities over the prepaid amount to waitstaff regardless of the level of service? If so, what amount would be appropriate? I know this is a personal choice type of issue, but any feedback would be helpful. Thank you for any suggestions.

[Flatbush Flyer]

13 minutes ago, rdailybread said:

Hello Fellow Cruisers, we recently returned from a cruise and are in a bit of a quandary. We haven’t cruised in a while. Has it become customary to leave additional gratuities over the prepaid amount to waitstaff regardless of the level of service? If so, what amount would be appropriate? I know this is a personal choice type of issue, but any feedback would be helpful. Thank you for any suggestions.

Why would anyone who has experienced no "above and beyond" service add to the gratuities they've already paid? Wouldn't that send a terribly wrong message that normal or even mediocre service deserves unwarranted recognition?

[mom says]

27 minutes ago, rdailybread said:

Has it become customary to leave additional gratuities over the prepaid amount to waitstaff regardless of the level of service?

Short answer: No.

 

Provided you haven't tampered with the automatic gratuity, any additional tip is strictly personal preference. I believe most who  give extra do so  for what they consider above average to excellent service. Certainly not for sub par.

[clo]

14 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Why would anyone who has experienced no "above and beyond" service add to the gratuities they've already paid? Wouldn't that send a terribly wrong message that normal or even mediocre service deserves unwarranted recognition?

Because this is such a common subject it's rattled around in my old brain a bit.  I've decided, unless I get different data, that the cruise lines have picked what they consider a reasonable amount for reasonable service.  And I honestly don't need anything beyond reasonable.  I'm pretty low maintenance so can't really imagine something that would be 'above and beyond.'

[NLH Arizona]

OP, it depends on the individual passenger, as some tip extra and some don't.  It is not expected, but appreciated if you feel that they gave you above and beyond service.  There is no appropriate amount, just what one feels and can afford.  I only eat dinner in specialty restaurants and if the service is great, I'll leave a tip, but if the service isn't above and beyond, I won't leave a tip.

[Nebr.cruiser]

If you leave your grats on, no need to tip more--unless you want to.  It's entirely personal.

 

We usually tip our cabin steward more at the end of the cruise.  Have only tipped waiters more twice out of 40 cruises (we usually do Anytime dining), both times for extraordinary service, above and beyond.

Edited November 17, 2019 by Nebr.cruiser

[clo]

22 minutes ago, Nebr.cruiser said:

We usually tip our cabin steward more at the end of the cruise. 

With respect, what do they do to warrant that?  Please.

[ldubs]

4 hours ago, rdailybread said:

Has it become customary to leave additional gratuities over the prepaid amount to waitstaff regardless of the level of service? 

 

3 hours ago, mom says said:

Short answer: No.

 

 

 

Huh, my short answer would have been yes it has become customary to add to the standard grats.  Everyone I know does that.  Looks like some feel otherwise.  Anyway, not adding anything to the standard gratuity shouldn't be an issue.  

[mom says]

8 minutes ago, ldubs said:

 

Huh, my short answer would have been yes it has become customary to add to the standard grats.

The sticking point for me is the phrase used by the OP " regardless of level of service". So you would still tip extra if you had experienced poor or mediocre service from your steward of DR server?

[Flatbush Flyer]

14 minutes ago, clo said:

With respect, what do they do to warrant that?  Please.

I'll give you a couple of great examples.

 

We like Pellegrino water in our fridge- preferably in the small single serving bottles. As you might expect, Pellegrino is very popular in the dining rooms - particularly in Toscana and, depending on itinerary, it can sometimes disappear quickly. 

 

Occasionally, we'll forget to preorder a stock for the fridge. Yet, a special request to the room steward often finds those bottles in the fridge no later than that first evening AND replenished regularly - even when the restaurant's have run out. Of course, that means that we might get the larger bottles until the next stocking port. But, small or large, that steward's constant "Pellegrino Search & Rescue" is clearly "above and beyond."

 

We do not like sweet citrus mixers in cocktails that need/expect fresh squeezed juices. Several bartenders we've known for years - once they see us on board - will keep a small container of fresh lemon juice in their fridge knowing that I'll often be ordering proper Sidecars (Hennessy Privilege VSOP, Cointreau, lemon juice). 

 

Need I say more?

Edited November 17, 2019 by Flatbush Flyer

[rdailybread]

4 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Why would anyone who has experienced no "above and beyond" service add to the gratuities they've already paid? Wouldn't that send a terribly wrong message that normal or even mediocre service deserves unwarranted recognition?

 

4 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Why would anyone who has experienced no "above and beyond" service add to the gratuities they've already paid? Wouldn't that send a terribly wrong message that normal or even mediocre service deserves unwarranted recognition?

 

4 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Why would anyone who has experienced no "above and beyond" service add to the gratuities they've already paid? Wouldn't that send a terribly wrong message that normal or even mediocre service deserves unwarranted recognition?

Flatbush Flyer, thank you for your response.

Edited November 17, 2019 by rdailybread

[rdailybread]

4 hours ago, mom says said:

Short answer: No.

 

Provided you haven't tampered with the automatic gratuity, any additional tip is strictly personal preference. I believe most who  give extra do so  for what they consider above average to excellent service. Certainly not for sub par.

[rdailybread]

Thank you

[ldubs]

17 minutes ago, mom says said:

The sticking point for me is the phrase used by the OP " regardless of level of service". So you would still tip extra if you had experienced poor or mediocre service from your steward of DR server?

 

I have done so for what you might define as mediocre service.  Haven't had anything remotely like poor service on a cruise ship, and am kind of surprised that so many seem to experience that.  I believe some folk might attract bad service.  Anyway,  If I did ever have bad service I would probably reconsider the extra envelope.  

 

So, again, I'm not saying it is bad to not give more, only that I thought it was very common.   Though, now that I've thought more about it, maybe not as common as I thought beyond our experience.  

Edited November 17, 2019 by ldubs
added a comment

[SRF]

I will add to the standard grats for better than average service.

 

On board, I drink caipirinhas around the pool.  They want to make them with simple syrup, I prefer them made with actual sugar.  

 

If a bartender or two realizes and starts making them that way without asking, I will throw a $5 at them every few days.

 

I sometimes tip above at the specialty restaurants if the waiter has been very good.  Last cruise, my SOs "grilled" shrimp had no grill marks. I commented, the waiter went and got the chef to explain that it was how they were directed to make them, but he would be happy to make more, actually grilled, which they did.   That got an bit extra tip.

 

But in general, I feel the standard grats are enough.

[cb at sea]

If anyone goes "above and beyond", we will tip extra on the last evening.  We don't carry cash around the ship, unless we're going to the casino...  We've had some bartenders that we tipped quite nicely  and one or two cabin attendants that were very good and got extra on the last night.

 

Conversely, we've had some service that seemed below the norm....so we didn't tip them additionally...  it's really up to you.

 

[lenquixote66]

We generally tip our Cabin Steward.If we are on a cruise and have the same Wait staff every night we tip them as well.On occasion I have also tipped the Head Waiter.

[DirtyDawg]

Cruise Critic is a small subset of the cruising demographic and I suspect that the percentage of cruisers giving additional gratuities is lower in the general cruiser population than on Cruise Critic. Many cruisers on this board have cruise many, many times and will receive service that warrants additional gratuities.  The other reason might be that this is the internet and everything is bigger and better on the internet vs. the real world.  😉

[Nebr.cruiser]

15 hours ago, clo said:

With respect, what do they do to warrant that?  Please.

First of all, we have never had what I would consider substandard or even mediocre service.  Perhaps we are lucky, perhaps we are not picky, I don't know.  I just appreciate the effort the steward's put out as they seem to be working hard many hours a day, 7 days a week.

 

We are not very demanding either; I only ask for a couple of things the first day and we keep our room picked up.  As we see them several times most days and have interaction with them, even if it just a 'hi', some kind of connection is made, more so than with waiters, since with Anytime dining we often have different waiters each night.

[navybankerteacher]

It seems to me that cruise lines apply a daily service charge to compensate staff for providing the level of service a reasonable passenger would reasonably expect.

 

When you compare the total of tips you might leave for three meals out plus what you might leave for a hotel chambe maid/attendant  who provides unusually frequent service, with a lines daily charge - it seems pretty much in line.

 

If the service were actually unsatisfactory, the lines genuinely want to hear - and accommodate your request to appropriately reduce the charge.   On the other hand, if an individual seems to go out of his/her way to make your stay on board really enjoyable, leaving a bit extra would seem appropriate.

[c-boy]

20 hours ago, rdailybread said:

Hello Fellow Cruisers, we recently returned from a cruise and are in a bit of a quandary. We haven’t cruised in a while. Has it become customary to leave additional gratuities over the prepaid amount to waitstaff regardless of the level of service? If so, what amount would be appropriate? I know this is a personal choice type of issue, but any feedback would be helpful. Thank you for any suggestions.

My life has been blessed financially speaking. Health wise not so much, I've come to realize that I can't take it with me so I am prone to leave, tip, bribe what ever terminology your comfortable with. Having traveled to many countries were that philosophy is foreign doesn't leave a bad taste in my mouth so too speak. If they don't want it, they won't accept it. If accepted then I feel my good fortune may benefit them in some way. Look cruising ain't the cheapest way to go. Some cruise lines have pre paid gratuities as extra fee/charges some do not.  I don't think anyone should have to ask permission to leave additional amounts of their money that they deem fit. One member of this site put this to mind.   " The crew certainly doesn't worry about your finances or work conditions, please don't worry about theirs." 

[rdailybread]

20 minutes ago, c-boy said:

My life has been blessed financially speaking. Health wise not so much, I've come to realize that I can't take it with me so I am prone to leave, tip, bribe what ever terminology your comfortable with. Having traveled to many countries were that philosophy is foreign doesn't leave a bad taste in my mouth so too speak. If they don't want it, they won't accept it. If accepted then I feel my good fortune may benefit them in some way. Look cruising ain't the cheapest way to go. Some cruise lines have pre paid gratuities as extra fee/charges some do not.  I don't think anyone should have to ask permission to leave additional amounts of their money that they deem fit. One member of this site put this to mind.   " The crew certainly doesn't worry about your finances or work conditions, please don't worry about theirs." 

Thank you c-boy. All the comments were helpful, but yours really says it all. Especially the last sentence. We always use the prepaid gratuities service. On Royal Caribbean, it’s $14.50/person/day. I feel that adequately covers most situations. We usually give additional to the room steward and to wait staff in the Windjammer who seem to really go out of their way to take care of us. I hope you are able to continue cruising for many more years!

[OCruisers]

21 hours ago, rdailybread said:

Hello Fellow Cruisers, we recently returned from a cruise and are in a bit of a quandary. We haven’t cruised in a while. Has it become customary to leave additional gratuities over the prepaid amount to waitstaff regardless of the level of service? If so, what amount would be appropriate? I know this is a personal choice type of issue, but any feedback would be helpful. Thank you for any suggestions.

 

Gosh, if others expand your signature, they will see the you are VERY WELL CRUISED ... not new to cruising.

Nothing has changed as far tipping goes in the past several years or even way back since  you've been cruising on your many cruises.

Enjoy your upcoming cruises and tip the same as you have in the past. 

[rdailybread]

21 hours ago, mom says said:

Short answer: No.

 

Provided you haven't tampered with the automatic gratuity, any additional tip is strictly personal preference. I believe most who  give extra do so  for what they consider above average to excellent service. Certainly not for sub par.

Thank you, mom says.

[ducklite]

We give extra to the people who really go out of their way to offer exceptional service.  There are usually one or two people per cruise who get anywhere from an extra $20 to an extra $200.

 

For service that is good and to the standard expected we don't tip extra.