Tipping, True or False

[cruisinnorth]

Hi All,

I have a question about tipping, but first the facts.  We always leave the assigned gratuities in place.  We always tip our room attendant and always will unless the attendant is absolutely not doing his or her job.  In all our cruises I have heard the following, but never in such a way as to convince me it is a fact.  The “true or false” I am looking for is:  If we leave our assigned tips in place will the attendant be allowed to keep the cash tip we give to him or her?  OR do they have to turn the tip in to be shared with others.  
‘Thanks in advance for any help you can be.

‘Dave and Susan

[luckybecky]

I've always left cash on the desk when we leave, and always assumed that the steward could keep it. Having to turn it in to share would depend on the honor system of course. I really don't know the answer to your question so I'll be following along to see what you find out.

[NCHPcruiser]

I don’t think anyone really, really knows.  Some will say yes, they keep them (and I hope that is the case) and then others say that tips are pooled.   You will find no definitive answer on this board.   

[luckybecky]

I hope you won't mind if I sort of highjack your thread, but this is a closely related question and perhaps has a similar answer.

 

I asked a casino waiter if the $1 tip I added to each drink ticket goes to him personally and directly, or does it go to a pool that is shared. At the same time, I asked if cash is better than adding to the drink ticket. 

 

He said that he does get to keep the tip added to the check, that it is not pooled. But he also said, with a little smile, that cash is better.

 

And we all know that cash is king. So I'll plan to start travelling with a stash of $1 bills rather than adding to the check.

[George C]

3 minutes ago, luckybecky said:

I hope you won't mind if I sort of highjack your thread, but this is a closely related question and perhaps has a similar answer.

 

I asked a casino waiter if the $1 tip I added to each drink ticket goes to him personally and directly, or does it go to a pool that is shared. At the same time, I asked if cash is better than adding to the drink ticket. 

 

He said that he does get to keep the tip added to the check, that it is not pooled. But he also said, with a little smile, that cash is better.

 

And we all know that cash is king. So I'll plan to start travelling with a stash of $1 bills rather than adding to the check.

We always cruise with a hundred in singles and another hundred in fives, plus larger bills , staff definitely seems to appreciate all tips .

[PTC DAWG]

18 minutes ago, luckybecky said:

I hope you won't mind if I sort of highjack your thread, but this is a closely related question and perhaps has a similar answer.

 

I asked a casino waiter if the $1 tip I added to each drink ticket goes to him personally and directly, or does it go to a pool that is shared. At the same time, I asked if cash is better than adding to the drink ticket. 

 

He said that he does get to keep the tip added to the check, that it is not pooled. But he also said, with a little smile, that cash is better.

 

And we all know that cash is king. So I'll plan to start travelling with a stash of $1 bills rather than adding to the check.

Cash is KING

[Oville]

45 minutes ago, luckybecky said:

I hope you won't mind if I sort of highjack your thread, but this is a closely related question and perhaps has a similar answer.

 

I asked a casino waiter if the $1 tip I added to each drink ticket goes to him personally and directly, or does it go to a pool that is shared. At the same time, I asked if cash is better than adding to the drink ticket. 

 

He said that he does get to keep the tip added to the check, that it is not pooled. But he also said, with a little smile, that cash is better.

 

And we all know that cash is king. So I'll plan to start travelling with a stash of $1 bills rather than adding to the check.

But in the Martini Bar, they put cash tips in a bucket and ring the bell so I assume they share.

[jelayne]

It is my understanding that the cabin attendants and Butlers keep their cash tips. When we use OBC for additional tips it is designated to the attendant or Butler  by name.

 

On the other hand, some tips are pooled.  The Martini bar has a tip jar and every time we have handed cash to a bartender it goes in the tip jar, so pooled tips.

 

From what I have been told my the MaitreD’s in both Luminae  & Blu is tips are pooled.  The waiter or assistant  you have at breakfast or lunch may not be the same as you have for dinner so pooling makes sense and makes it easier for the guests. Our last B2B we were seated in one area for breakfast and a different for dinner so different waiters and lunch we were seated in 3 different areas during the 14 nights.  We just give the hostess (host) a Thank you card and cash in a envelope address to Luminae Staff.

 

 

[D C]

When I've asked, bar staff has said that they keep the cash. It's hard to force them to pool what's easily pocketed. 

[Oville]

3 minutes ago, D C said:

When I've asked, bar staff has said that they keep the cash. It's hard to force them to pool what's easily pocketed. 

Not true in the Martini Bar.

[D C]

4 minutes ago, Oville said:

Not true in the Martini Bar.

Perhaps not, but I've never frequented the martini bar. 

[Oville]

2 minutes ago, D C said:

Perhaps not, but I've never frequented the martini bar. 

They make a big deal of ringing the bell if they give a cash tip.

Edited March 3, 2022 by Oville

[markeb]

I don't believe anyone on this board, unless they've worked as tipped staff on Celebrity, knows.

 

People have been told by Guest Services that if they add an additional gratuity by name on the gratuity form it goes to that person. Since outright lying is a really bad business practice, I tend to believe that.

 

Your fellow tipped employees have a way to learn you're not pooling money you're supposed to pool. And become very slow when you need help...

 

And honestly, what happens to the tip is between the employee and their employer. I assume all tips are pooled everywhere, land or sea. And if they're not and I gave an individual cash and they got to keep it personally, great. But once I've given them the tip, it's really none of my business...

[luckybecky]

2 hours ago, Oville said:

But in the Martini Bar, they put cash tips in a bucket and ring the bell so I assume they share.

 

I haven't frequented the martini bar, so I don't know. But it certainly sounds like they would be sharing in that situation. Also, I should have left the caveat that the casino waiter I spoke to was on another cruise line. Each cruise line could have their own rules about the way tips are handled.

[sandancer]

9 hours ago, luckybecky said:

I've always left cash on the desk when we leave, and always assumed that the steward could keep it. Having to turn it in to share would depend on the honor system of course. I really don't know the answer to your question so I'll be following along to see what you find out.

I have been told more than once that as long as auto gratuities are left in place any extra cash tips can be kept by the recipient. However, if tips are removed by guests who, with the very best intentions, want to give cash instead, then that money has to be turned in by the crew member, who, if they don’t hand it over are in trouble. 

[gold1953]

I do believe that many crew members will tell you what they want you to hear and not always the truth

[sandancer]

Agreed but the crew have nothing to gain by discouraging cash tips. As long as the cash tips are over and above the auto grats, I would have thought they would be very happy. 

Edited March 3, 2022 by sandancer

[mfs2k]

Ask for their email address and send a cash tip via PayPal, Venmo or an International payment transfer method (is there such a thing?)

[photabitha]

We always tip on top of the auto gratuities, if appropriate which is usually the case.     In Luminae, it is my understanding they  pool their tips and we leave the tip for all staff and the same in Blu.    We do like to frequent the Martini bar and usually give a tip, however this has been  treated differently.  On most occasions, it ends up in the bucket and the bell is rung, but on some occasions we have noted it ends up in the pocket of the bar tender to whom we have handed it, albeit addressed to all staff!   We also give to specific staff, but always address the recipient on the envelope - e.g. our stateroom attendant, retreat host (if we have one), waiter, sommelier and assistant if we are on select dining.  

[canderson]

I've heard that for larger personalized tips, those crew sailing in and out of Florida ports appreciate Amazon gift cards.  There's usually a pallet of Amazon goods waiting at the pier each leg, so evidently a popular buying option.

[sandancer]

22 minutes ago, photabitha said:

We always tip on top of the auto gratuities, if appropriate which is usually the case.     In Luminae, it is my understanding they  pool their tips and we leave the tip for all staff and the same in Blu.    We do like to frequent the Martini bar and usually give a tip, however this has been  treated differently.  On most occasions, it ends up in the bucket and the bell is rung, but on some occasions we have noted it ends up in the pocket of the bar tender to whom we have handed it, albeit addressed to all staff!   We also give to specific staff, but always address the recipient on the envelope - e.g. our stateroom attendant, retreat host (if we have one), waiter, sommelier and assistant if we are on select dining.  

Do you always have the same waiter, sommelier and assistant on Select.?  We never usually have the same staff as we prefer a two top and don’t often get the same table 2 nights in a row. On our recent Cunard cruise we were at the same table in open dining which meant it was easy to tip the wait staff on the last night on top of the auto grats. On Marella where tips are included in the cruise fare most people just tipped extra nightly. 

[morpheusofthesea]

13 hours ago, cruisinnorth said:

The “true or false” I am looking for is:  If we leave our assigned tips in place will the attendant be allowed to keep the cash tip we give to him or her?  OR do they have to turn the tip in to be shared with others.  

True and true. What they do with our tips is their business. The tips one puts on account (not cash) is anyone's guess. No one knows for sure that 100% of nonrefundable OBC allocated to specific staff member goes 100% to that member. I got permission from a FB poster to repost this: "Recently I saw a Tik Tok by Captain Kate. She was giving out envelopes to her staff that a passenger asked her to do for them. One staff member opened the envelope to find $5. He went crazy with joy, you would have thought it was a $100. She received so many comments on why the young man was overly excited and happy for such a small amount. A few days later she did another Tik Tok with him asking him why his reaction was so grand. He said that he would have reacted the same way if it was only $1 dollar. He said with those $5 dollars he can buy rice, bread and a lot more stuff for his family back home. That video opened my eyes on tipping anyone who serves me and our family. Please tip extra by cash. The included tips are the bare minimum that are divided between many."

Edited March 3, 2022 by morpheusofthesea

[dkjretired]

12 hours ago, markeb said:

I don't believe anyone on this board, unless they've worked as tipped staff on Celebrity, knows.

 

People have been told by Guest Services that if they add an additional gratuity by name on the gratuity form it goes to that person. Since outright lying is a really bad business practice, I tend to believe that.

 

Your fellow tipped employees have a way to learn you're not pooling money you're supposed to pool. And become very slow when you need help...

 

And honestly, what happens to the tip is between the employee and their employer. I assume all tips are pooled everywhere, land or sea. And if they're not and I gave an individual cash and they got to keep it personally, great. But once I've given them the tip, it's really none of my business...

I agree, don’t believe anyone on here knows the tipping policies. Many quote crew members and I don’t doubt what they write on this board but the crew members can tend to say things that are self serving.  

[Missymo]

1 hour ago, photabitha said:

We always tip on top of the auto gratuities, if appropriate which is usually the case.     In Luminae, it is my understanding they  pool their tips and we leave the tip for all staff and the same in Blu.    We do like to frequent the Martini bar and usually give a tip, however this has been  treated differently.  On most occasions, it ends up in the bucket and the bell is rung, but on some occasions we have noted it ends up in the pocket of the bar tender to whom we have handed it, albeit addressed to all staff!   We also give to specific staff, but always address the recipient on the envelope - e.g. our stateroom attendant, retreat host (if we have one), waiter, sommelier and assistant if we are on select dining.  

In Luminae, I was seated and served by the same 3 waiters and hostess each time I went to eat.   The last night, although I didn't eat there, I went after dinner and asked the hostess to have my servers come up and individually gave each of them(and hostess)  a generous tip in a thank you envelope.  I even tipped the head waiter as he had a special breakfast danish made at my request. They were all very appreciative  and I'm hopeful did not have to pool the tips.  

[Jim_Iain]

This has been a constant debate but what I have found is that it depends.   I was in Murano as a RS free dinner.   At the end of the meal I asked for a bill and they told me it was included.   I said I wanted to leave a tip.    The Maitre'd came over and said the tip was included but if you leave a tip on the bill it goes to the total ship pool but if I left a cash tip it goes only to the Murano Dining room pool 

 

I did find out from a reliable source (The HR Director)  You can leave a tip using your OBC using a form BUT if you just leave it to a position e.g. waiter that it goes to a pool.   If you designate it to an individual by name it goes to them direct.   She said she knows because she is the one that applies it.  The Retreat host even volunteered to look up their employee number if I wanted.

 

Now on the rumor side which I have no way to verify.   Many of the waiter and bar staff say it goes to the pool I was also told if you put it in an envelope with their name on it they don't have to put it into the pool