UK Staycation Cruise and tipping

[pmd98052]

So I'm from UK originally but spent the last 22 years in the USA. So I'm now used to USA tipping culture and I always tip cabin steward, bar staff, room service, porters on cruises.

 

For USA cruises we would always just bring a lot of $1 bills for tips per drink or per item dropped off for room service etc. How do folks do this on MSC especially for these UK cruises? Bring lots of £1 coins? 

[kernow]

I'm not sure they will want coins so think we'll take £5 notes and tip favourite staff every so often with these. MSC do say no extra tipping required but if we get really good staff we still do it.

[simon stingray]

We usually give a cash tip when we have room service delivered.

 

In addition to GBP I'm sure you could also bring € or US $. The crew would be grateful of tips in any currency. 

 

 

 

 

[welshy74]

Usually only tip the cabin steward by leaving €10-20 on last day if he/she is very good. I always tip whatever the onboard currency is as presume that’s what they will need.  
unlike the US, tipping does not always mean you will get a better service.   I have met Americans onboard who have been put out by this as they think waving a few dollars will get them the vip treatment.  

[nyk24]

UK chocolate is a good tipping currency lol. So are sweets (candy) in general. Also talk to your server, barman or cabin steward etc - being friendly gets you better service when you are nice to people and treat them like human being rather than robots.

 

 

[showingdiva]

 

I second this.   In the 7 years I've worked as a cruise port guide in Scotland, I've got to know a lot of the cruise lines and crew.   Toblerone took me a couple of years to work out .. crews on shore leave would come back from the local supermarket (conveniently next to the cruise port) with carrier bags full of it.  We eventually asked, and it transpires that in countries where most of the waiters, butlers, cabin staff etc originate - India, Goa, Philippines etc, Toblerone is considered the "royalty" of chocolate.  Sent home as easy to do so in its triangle box .. and exchanged, it apparently buys a fair bit.

[hamrag]

13 hours ago, nyk24 said:

UK chocolate is a good tipping currency lol. So are sweets (candy) in general....

 

 

 

Noooooooooo, there is only one tipping currency matters....some call it king!

[nyk24]

11 hours ago, showingdiva said:

 

I second this.   In the 7 years I've worked as a cruise port guide in Scotland, I've got to know a lot of the cruise lines and crew.   Toblerone took me a couple of years to work out .. crews on shore leave would come back from the local supermarket (conveniently next to the cruise port) with carrier bags full of it.  We eventually asked, and it transpires that in countries where most of the waiters, butlers, cabin staff etc originate - India, Goa, Philippines etc, Toblerone is considered the "royalty" of chocolate.  Sent home as easy to do so in its triangle box .. and exchanged, it apparently buys a fair bit.

Wow, facinating story! I bought last week 4 large Toblerone bars - one for me as DD stole my one from last Christmas lol, one for DD's birthday and a couple for the crew! Wish I had bought more now lol, they were in Farmfoods for only 99p😂