Do you think it's better to take the tips off your card and pay them yourself?

[KTW35]

I don't think they do animals the last night.I don't remember that I saw any animals in any suite. [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif[/img]

[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=191970&cdt=2004;10;23;4;0;00&timezone=GMT-0500[/img]  Until We Cruise On Glory.

[MrNobody]

I am all for Carnival adding tips upfront to the S&S cards. On our last cruise which we took with some friends of ours we were sat at the dinner table with the CRUISERS FROM HELL!!! This couple was very rude to our waiter and asst. They ran their legs off and constantly loudly complained. They sent food back and raised cain with the maitre'd. The waiters were very good and the food was excellent. The waiters bent over backwards to accomodate this couple. On the second night when they started their insults my friend told them in no uncertain terms to cool it. They were fairly quiet that meal but the next meal they were worse than ever. We found ourselves constantly apologizing to the waiters before the couple arrived at the table. On the last night when the tips are handed out in the individual envelopes---this couple stayed in their cabin or ate elsewhere...they STIFFED them. And this is after running these two gentlemen ragged for about five of the seven dinner settings. My friend and I felt so bad for these two nice men knowing what they had been put through that we tipped them for this couple. They at first refused to accept the additional tip from us but finally graciously accepted. It was the best money I had spent in a long time. The prepaid tips will stop this kind of nonsense in the future. These folks and their families rely on the tips they EARN. I doubt seriously that the service in the future will suffer due to this recently implemented tipping policy.

[reitzut]

I always leave the tips on, it is easier and service seems the same as it was before auto-tipping. When service is superb, which is often the case, I increase the auto amount or I make out an additional envelope, mark it additional tip, and give it to the individual. The other thing I do is normally write up a positive comment by name, about a person who gave us great service on the cruise.
The big advantage to auto-tipping is not having to track down everyone to tip. For instance, we occasionally skip the last evening dinner to pack and or catch the entertainment early.
The one thing I don't do is prepay my tips. I figure if for some reason I ever miss a cruise no sense in having the tips prepaid to add to the problem.

Jim in Utah

Crown Monarch (Jerry Jeff Walker Music Cruise) Jan 93
Star Princess Dec 93
Norwegian Wind Nov 99
Dawn Princess Nov 00
Dawn Princess Nov 01
Star Princess Nov 02
Carnival Celebration(Larry Joe Taylor Musical Cruise) Jan 03
Sun Princess Aug 03
Carnival Celebration (Brian Burns Musical cruise) Nov 03
Carnival Spirt Apr 04
Carnival Ecstasy (Mark David Manders Music cruise) Nov 04
Sapphire Princess Jan 05