Question about Ocean Now and tipping

[time4u2go]

When using Ocean Now to order something to be delivered to you either in your room or elsewhere on the ship, do you typically tip the person that brings you the item?

[donaldsc]

If they are in the tip pool, I see no reason to tip them.  That is tipping on top of a tip.

 

DON

[Cruise Raider]

We always tip them when items are brought to our stateroom .. anywhere from $3-$5 for two people and some individually wrapped chocolates.  

[VibeGuy]

I tip anyone (who isn’t an officer or CD/entertainment staff) who performs even the most de minimis service at my request.  
 

The tip pool is, as disclosed in various Princess contracts and promotion descriptions, tied to virtually anything *but* effort expended on a particular guest. 
 

A buck or two per drink or food delivery is certainly appreciated and goes directly to the person who served you. No need to be lavish. 

 

[Rick&Jeannie]

Ys...usually $1 per drink if delivered on deck and $3 or $4 for a cabin delivery of food.

[wowzz]

No - unless it is a large meal delivered to our cabin.

Why tip a waiter that walks 10 metres from the bar to your seat on deck ? It's part  of his job, and  is getting 18% tip anyway.

Plus, I'm certainly not going go carry around a pocketful of Euros around with me.

[majortom10]

Already paid tips in Princess Plus so do not see the need to tip any  extra, especially if they are just doing the job they are actually employed for and nothing extraordinary or special. Cannot see the logic of tipping a waiter for bringing you a drink when you have already tipped in Princess Plus and if not 18% service charge.

[Potstech]

See no need to double tip anyone.

[Bgwest]

No

[voljeep]

YES

[Bgwest]

OP, as you can see, there is no one correct answer. 
 

Do what feels right or you. 

[mtnesterz]

Depends on what you perceive, "tipping'" to be.

Crew Appreciation is automatic and means crew in areas of the ship you don't see, get a percentage. 

If you see Crew Appreciation as a salary, then Princess is asking you to pay extra to keep their published prices low. Then tipping will always be a moot point, based on your country, culture and personal preference.

If you see Crew Appreciation as a tip, then additional tip is not indicated.

Decide what you think about Crew Appreciation and you will have the answer.

[wowzz]

3 minutes ago, mtnesterz said:

Crew Appreciation is automatic and means crew in areas of the ship you don't see, get a percentage. 

I thought the only crew in the tip pool were waiters and stewards, no one else.

[retta]

Very well said mtnesterz

[majortom10]

Taken from Princess website - The crew appreciation is a daily (adjustable) amount added to your onboard account and pooled in order to recognize the many crew members in the Bar, Dining, Entertainment, Housekeeping, Guest Services, Galley and Onboard Revenue areas and entertainment areas throughout our fleet who contribute to the guest experience. The daily amount of the Crew Appreciation is based on stateroom category: $14.50 per guests in Interior, Oceanview and Balcony, $15.50 per guest in Mini-Suite and Club Class, $16.50 per guests in Suites.

 

Noticed the statement "throughout the fleet" so any crew appreciation either through Princess Plus or added to onboard account daily is pooled from all Princess fleet and then divided out. If that is not an admission that it goes to enhance a very poor wage I dont know what is. About time in 21st century that all staff are paid a respectable wage accounting for where they come from and not have to rely on cruisers to pay their wages. Cruise lines employ them they should then pay them a decent wage.

[seeyouinthesun]

Yes, I do. 

[cruzsnooze]

16 hours ago, time4u2go said:

When using Ocean Now to order something to be delivered to you either in your room or elsewhere on the ship, do you typically tip the person that brings you the item?

Nope, it's already covered in the auto gratuity and I am not about to carry a wallet or anything else on me during the cruise.

[Steelers36]

1 hour ago, mtnesterz said:

Depends on what you perceive, "tipping'" to be.

Crew Appreciation is automatic and means crew in areas of the ship you don't see, get a percentage. 

If you see Crew Appreciation as a salary, then Princess is asking you to pay extra to keep their published prices low. Then tipping will always be a moot point, based on your country, culture and personal preference.

If you see Crew Appreciation as a tip, then additional tip is not indicated.

Decide what you think about Crew Appreciation and you will have the answer.

This seems to reflect my thinking.  I view Crew Appreciation as part of their normal compensation in order to approach a decent wage.  I look at additional tipping for service beyond the normal, including making a kudos type submission to Princess or their manager.  I am more inclined to do the cash tip if I believe the individual is able to keep it and it is not diluted into a pool shared by thousands.  Won't stop me from finding way(s) to reward "above expected" performance and service.  Normally, I would see 18% on a beverage as a quite adequate level of tip, but I suppose that team (not in the standard Appreciation pool) is also paid lower than someone we might encounter in a land-based bar.

[c-boy]

hmmmmmm, looks like we may have a stand off ...

 

[MsSoCalCruiser]

I do tip extra for Room Service.

[XBGuy]

I do, and I completely agree with @Bgwest's recommendation in post #11.

[Steelers36]

18 minutes ago, c-boy said:

hmmmmmm, looks like we may have a stand off ...

 

 

Well done - how much time did that take to put together?

[c-boy]

20 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

Well done - how much time did that take to put together?

2 glasses of wine

[voljeep]

54 minutes ago, c-boy said:

2 glasses of wine

prudent usage of time - well played

[VibeGuy]

Astonishes me that in 2022 anyone thinks hospitality crew on a cruise ship is adequately compensated by the line.

Cash tips to crew are 100% retained by the person they are given to, with the exception of those given by people who lower or remove the crew appreciation daily charge.  It is unclear to me how this affects anyone other than room stewards in the age of Dine My Way. 

Edited May 3, 2022 by VibeGuy