Tipping

[Uponthesea]

We are booked on RCCL Serendae of the Seas and wonder how much over the standard recommended tip to allow for the cabin steward and the dining staff. We have previously had the standard tip added to our account and presented vouchers plus a small cash amount on the last night. The question is - how much extra?

[Schplinky]

How much extra would depend greatly on how much past what was normally expected you feel they went.

[Boo's Mom]

I don't think an amount can be recommended.

 

The outstanding service, if it is there...will stand out.

Just plan to have some extra cash with you...and add it to the envelope that has the voucher...

[Betty Boat]

I have read on another board, and it was confirmed, that all tips are divided equally even if you give them extra cash they have to turn it in or they can be fired. This method protects the ones that get stiffed.

[golfer1966]

Can anyone confirm or deny Bettys comment. If they split the tips that would stink. If I think they do a good job and give them extra they should get it for doing a good job and not split it with someone else. If this is true, I will put the standard tip in the envelope and hand cash to them personally.

 

 

 

Let me know Betty.....Thanks. !

[Schplinky]

Only the people receiving them could confirm or deny them and they seem to tell different stories. Perhaps different managers run things differently.

[Betty Boat]

The main people that monitor the other popular Board have mentioned more than once that the tips are absoultely turned in and shared. If you want to go the other board and start a thread asking if tips are shared you will probably get an answer. Once hearing this, others have said they would start giving the requested amount only if their intended person was not going to receive extra money.

[Ocean Boy]

When I hand folks a tip I hope that they put it right in their own pockets... exactly where I intended it to go.

[JBoshears]

I specifically asked my room steward this question, and he stated that anything given above the standard is kept by the person receiving it.

 

Straight from his mouth. I hope it is true, because I never saw the other guy except in the hall taking care of other cabins.

[Desertbelle]

What someone does with a gift after it is given is their own business. If the staff members make an agreement to share tips in order to keep their jobs, then that is their business and theirs alone.

 

If I give something extra to someone who has given me good service, they know that they did a good job and that I appreciated their hard work....I don't worry myself with what he does with it afterwards. For all I know he pays off his bookie or buys drugs....not my concern.

 

A gift is a gift.

[Uponthesea]

Thanks for your replies. Still not getting much of an idea about amounts. I read an article on cruisecritic.com where the writer added $5 per day for the cabin steward and $5 per each night in the dining room for the waiters to split. This is in addition to the standard tip suggested by the cruise line. It seemed a bit excessive to me, so I'm wondering what you all think.

 

Viking Sererade 1993, 2000

Grand Princess 2002

Vision of the Seas 2002

Monarch of the Seas 2003, 2004

Star Princess 2004

Diamond Princess 2005

Serenade of the Seas May 2006

[Desertbelle]

I don't think there is a "good" amount extra you can give. It's all about what value you put on what they have done for you.

 

I expect to be taken care of well on a cruise ship, that's the whole point, so we don't tip over the standard amount unless someone has really gone out of their way for us. Generally it's the cabin steward that we tip extra, because we do ask for a few extra items and if they take care of it without us reminding them then that is worth an extra $20 for me.

 

$5 a day extra does seems excessive to me, but then I work hard for my money and I have a value I put on it....someone else might not think twice about giving an extra $50 to everyone.

 

So I think your answer is: Do what you feel right. The staff will be happy with even the standard amount, anything over that will make them feel like you did appreciate them.

[johnjen]

Before our first cruise, we were surprised that we had to tip at all; however,

on our first cruise (Grandeur out of Baltimore), we were so impressed with the staff that we ended up tipping over the recommended amount.

 

Trust me, the people who take care of you onboard rightfully deserve much more than the recommended amount. You will not be let down!

 

One suggestion, however, is to do what we do: we save the cash for the end and put the money into the individual envelopes. We did this to see who deserved what, and the conclusion was that ALL OF THEM did such a fantastic job.

 

I believe we paid around $70 over the total recommended tipping overall. I can still remember the waiters, head waiter, cabin girl, all of them were fantastic!!!

[pcur]

We usually put anywhere from $5 to $20 in the envelope for extra tipping.

 

I've also tipped "on the spot" for extra service, especially our room steward. He went waaaaay above the standard helping to get my DH comfy with his back problems.

 

We had a bottle of wine in the cabin as a gift that we wouldn't drink, so I gave that to him with a $10 tip. He was really delighted with it.

 

I also gave him a new hardback book I had brought with me after I finished it, rather than put it in the library on board the ship. Seems his sister and her family lived in the Los Angeles area, and he saved up goodies for when he visited them. He said she would really enjoy the book.

 

However, I don't think the bottle of wine made it to CA!!!!