First time cruiser - is it standard to tip the cabin steward

[mitooki]

6 minutes ago, Markanddonna said:

Yoy will also find that people who tip extra come from thw USA. Travel with Ossies or Kiwis and you will get a lecture about tipping. Many Europeans alao.

A pretty sweeping generalisation there!

[Gracie115]

47 minutes ago, Markanddonna said:

Yoy will also find that people who tip extra come from thw USA. Travel with Ossies or Kiwis and you will get a lecture about tipping. Many Europeans alao.

 

So? To each his own...... we appreciate the hard work done by staff and choose to give with a warm hand.  If others don't, that's their perogative.

[the penguins]

45 minutes ago, Markanddonna said:

Yoy will also find that people who tip extra come from thw USA. Travel with Ossies or Kiwis and you will get a lecture about tipping. Many Europeans alao.

We are from the UK, always tip extra. All of our UK friends also tip extra.

X's cruises sold in Australia and New Zealand have the tips included (sold as not required) and you therefore can't have the tips removed. In both these countries tipping is not expected and indeed offering a tip is often taken as an insult. Onboard prices are increased to include the tips (again marketed as not required) which in reality increases prices as the figures are  rounded up to avoid odd amounts. These differences are just one of the joys of travelling.

[dazey]

I made the comment about "hiding" the pillows and have seen several references to doing this.  Let me say that "hiding" was too strong.  I put them aside on a visible shelf and ask the steward to please not put pillows on bed every time they come in to straighten up. Our last cruise after speaking to him the first day he just removed them.  Where would one hide anything in the cabin??

 

Just wanted to clarify.

[Username0123]

On 8/18/2022 at 6:14 AM, MixerDave said:

I have a neighbor who is a frequent cruiser.  She actually goes to guest services and asks them to reduce the tips!!

 

Is she someone who doesn't require a lot?  We have friends who never pay gratuities, but they are very self-sufficient and do not make demands on the staff.  You do you.

[the penguins]

52 minutes ago, Username0123 said:

Is she someone who doesn't require a lot?  We have friends who never pay gratuities, but they are very self-sufficient and do not make demands on the staff.  You do you.

Wow don't know how your " friends" achieve that. Their cabin must be serviced unless they use the same sheets and towels for the whole cruise. Who takes out their trash and cleans their cabin. Do they bring their own food, plates and cutlery? Hope they never have to use a public restroom.

[the penguins]

15 hours ago, dazey said:

I made the comment about "hiding" the pillows and have seen several references to doing this.  Let me say that "hiding" was too strong.  I put them aside on a visible shelf and ask the steward to please not put pillows on bed every time they come in to straighten up. Our last cruise after speaking to him the first day he just removed them.  Where would one hide anything in the cabin??

 

Just wanted to clarify.

Oh shame we thought you were starting a whole new experience like the ducks that passengers hide on Royal ships. 😂😀

[Boatharbour]

On 8/22/2022 at 5:28 AM, the penguins said:

We are from the UK, always tip extra. All of our UK friends also tip extra.

X's cruises sold in Australia and New Zealand have the tips included (sold as not required) and you therefore can't have the tips removed. In both these countries tipping is not expected and indeed offering a tip is often taken as an insult. Onboard prices are increased to include the tips (again marketed as not required) which in reality increases prices as the figures are  rounded up to avoid odd amounts. These differences are just one of the joys of travelling.

You’re correct about gratuities being included in the cruise fare in Australia and NZ. However tipping (while not expected here), is common particularly when dining out. I’m yet to come across anyone who was insulted by being offered a tip though. 
 

[the penguins]

7 hours ago, Boatharbour said:

You’re correct about gratuities being included in the cruise fare in Australia and NZ. However tipping (while not expected here), is common particularly when dining out. I’m yet to come across anyone who was insulted by being offered a tip though. 
 

In Sydney a waiter told us in no uncertain terms he was paid and not working for tips. We were dining with locals (relatives) so perhaps he thought we should have known better. Our relatives also told us not to tip taxi drivers. Similar thing happened on Hurtigruten in Norway where our cabin steward point blank refused our tips. Friends in the US tip but only on the meal part excluding the tax, again odd to us as our bills don't show the tax separtely. Our policy is to try to fit in with the locals.

[mitz18]

12 hours ago, the penguins said:

Oh shame we thought you were starting a whole new experience like the ducks that passengers hide on Royal ships. 😂😀

and how did that start?  I'm seeing ducks everywhere on RCL.................

[Boatharbour]

5 hours ago, the penguins said:

In Sydney a waiter told us in no uncertain terms he was paid and not working for tips. We were dining with locals (relatives) so perhaps he thought we should have known better. Our relatives also told us not to tip taxi drivers. Similar thing happened on Hurtigruten in Norway where our cabin steward point blank refused our tips. Friends in the US tip but only on the meal part excluding the tax, again odd to us as our bills don't show the tax separtely. Our policy is to try to fit in with the locals.

The waiter’s response was unusual and should not be taken as the norm.  As I wrote before tipping while not expected, does occur in Australia / NZ particularly in restaurants. To say that tipping could be viewed as an insult is incorrect. Your waiter was a one off. 
 

 

 

[the penguins]

1 hour ago, Boatharbour said:

The waiter’s response was unusual and should not be taken as the norm.  As I wrote before tipping while not expected, does occur in Australia / NZ particularly in restaurants. To say that tipping could be viewed as an insult is incorrect. Your waiter was a one off. 
 

 

 

I never used the word insult. I just recounted our experiences. There is clearly a difference between Australia and the USA/UK because as you said tipping in Australia is not the norm whereas it definitely is in the US and the UK. 

[Moonarino]

On 8/17/2022 at 10:54 AM, MixerDave said:

I tip the room steward $20 the first day when I ask for ice to be kept full, and wine glasses to be provided.  Later in the week - another $20

Same here (without necessarily asking for anything). I've done this for the past 8-10 years and always get solid service with a smile.

[Boatharbour]

5 hours ago, the penguins said:

I never used the word insult. I just recounted our experiences. There is clearly a difference between Australia and the USA/UK because as you said tipping in Australia is not the norm whereas it definitely is in the US and the UK. 

the penguins

Posted Sunday at 07:28 PM

• #78   

   On 8/22/2022 at 4:33 AM,  Markanddonna said: 

Yoy will also find that people who tip extra come from thw USA. Travel with Ossies or Kiwis and you will get a lecture about tipping. Many Europeans alao.

We are from the UK, always tip extra. All of our UK friends also tip extra.

X's cruises sold in Australia and New Zealand have the tips included (sold as not required) and you therefore can't have the tips removed. In both these countries tipping is not expected and indeed offering a tip is often taken as an insult.

[capecodmercury]

On 8/17/2022 at 2:43 PM, Julma said:

I can't think of a time when I didn't tip something extra, but if I had subpar service, I could see not tipping extra.  I also tip some bartenders, buffet servers, and the lovely people who work hard keeping the public restrooms clean.  I doesn't add up to a lot of money and it shows appreciation. 

Have a wonderful first cruise!

On this point, please, please don't hold any potential staffing issues against the crew by judging the service subpar.   I have heard enough recently about staffing shortages that I am expecting some (if not most) service to be slower than normal when I cruise in October. But, I'm not going to hold this against the crew working their butt off to deal with an extra load.

 

Current issue with the cruises kind of reminds me of times I have gone to (or worked) in restaurants that were short staffed.  You can tell the staff is hustling to try to keep up with an issue that is not their fault and you know some a**holes are going to stiff them on tips because service was slow.  In those cases I make sure I tip them as well if not better than usual because I can appreciate and relate to that situation. 

 

Finally, to the OP, if you enjoy wine and use the services of the dining room Sommeliers,  please tip them as well.

[capecodmercury]

On 8/17/2022 at 4:42 PM, mfs2k said:

 

I'm not sure I believe this.  I think most tipped crew want money first and foremost.

 

But, there's nothing stopping anyone from giving cash AND positive reviews. It doesn't have to be one or the other.

I have given positive reviews multiple times and I have had crew thank me. Those positive reviews can make a real difference when it comes time to move up to a different position (ex. from assistant waiter to head waiter or from MDR to a job in a specialty restaurant.)    Or as has been mentioned from room steward to butler.

 

That being said, you are totally correct.  Cash and a positive review will always be appreciated. 

[Denny01]

On 8/21/2022 at 1:33 PM, Markanddonna said:

Yoy will also find that people who tip extra come from thw USA. Travel with Ossies or Kiwis and you will get a lecture about tipping. Many Europeans alao.

Funny how people think it’s important to follow ‘local customs’ until it costs them a few bucks!  
 

den

[capecodmercury]

On 8/18/2022 at 10:06 AM, GRBlizz said:

It is so interesting to see the amounts people are reporting that they tip! We've only ever had one cruise with a cabin steward who disappointed us, and even then we felt bad giving him only half of our normal extra amount. 

Here's a question - when you do select dining, how do you handle extra tips for the waitstaff? When we have done select dining in the MDR, we seriously get a different person/team each night. Actually, it's one of the main drawbacks to Select in my opinion. But what do people do?

We usually do select dining as well, although we do tend to pre reserve a table before the cruise at our preferred time.  We normally will ask the Maitre D to try to assign us to the same wait staff after the first night and we have had good luck in getting the same waiters every or most nights.  Usually,  we also can get to know other cruisers assigned to that area as well.  I know I prefer it and I think the staff does as well as they get to know the guests.

[the penguins]

2 hours ago, capecodmercury said:

We usually do select dining as well, although we do tend to pre reserve a table before the cruise at our preferred time.  We normally will ask the Maitre D to try to assign us to the same wait staff after the first night and we have had good luck in getting the same waiters every or most nights.  Usually,  we also can get to know other cruisers assigned to that area as well.  I know I prefer it and I think the staff does as well as they get to know the guests.

Totally agree. In most cases you just need to talk to Maitre D, check in staff etc. These staff get a lot of unjustified complaints and demands. Being polite and friendly works wonders.

[Boatharbour]

10 hours ago, the penguins said:

I never used the word insult. I just recounted our experiences. There is clearly a difference between Australia and the USA/UK because as you said tipping in Australia is not the norm whereas it definitely is in the US and the UK. 

The word was used by you in post #78 in relation to tipping in Australia and NZ. I wrote the reaction of your waiter was not the norm.