Pre-Tipping your butler or stateroom attendant at the beginning of a cruise?

[563toM]

We don't tip at the very beginning of the cruise but what we do is ask them if they need anything when we get off at the next port.  They have to be approved to go off the ship and if they are in need of something they have to get another crew member to get it or wait.  

 

We were very humbled because on the cruise earlier this month our room attendant asked for a bar of soap and toothpaste.  We had no plans so we just walked around and found a small grocery in Cozumel and got him the soap and they had a combo pack of full size toothpaste and a new toothbrush.  He was very happy and the conversion rate made it under $6.  

[FeelingCruisy]

Throughout the cruise, I'd tip my room cleaner depending on how I do at the casino, if I win I'll be sure to drop him a tip when I see him. I'm sure every little bit helps so always get a big thank you.  

[Jim_Iain]

I have never pre-tipped any person on any of my cruises in 23 years.   To me, my personal opinion, is that doing so is bribing into getting something above and beyond.

 

Personally, I feel that we are being charged tips in advance for the cruise.  If we have a Butler, Waiter, Bartender that goes above and beyond we tip at the end of the cruise dependent on theri level of service.

 

I am currently on Edge and have to say the butler from day one has far exceeded above and beyond any butler we have previously had.    We don't request much -   In a CS we  only occasionally order room service and I specifically ask he not bring extra food to the  room.   I'm a grazer and if food is lying around, in ends up in my stomach even if i'm not hungry.

 

So what in the first 3 days of a 30 day set of cruises.     First day due to all the complaining and seeing just two bottles of water,  I picked up a couple bottles in Retreat.   Next day he said you don't need to do that I will take care of it.   He notices things we do and If I had a bottle of San Pelligriono -  the room is stocked with it that night.     He did get us a Tea Kettle on the first day and then asked if Iain wanted milk and if so what type.   For his Premium Bar Setup he stocked it with Tonic, fresh sliced limes and of course refreshes the ice 2-3 times a day dependent on our Ice usage. 

 

Our room attendant is of the same caliber.     

 

It doesn't bother me in the least if someone feels the need to tip in advance.  BTW I don't tip bar servers with each drink and also leave tips according to service level.

[blueslily]

17 hours ago, PTC DAWG said:

I make a few simple request, ice in the room etc at the start of a cruise...these I consider above and beyond...my request is always accompanied by a $20....only one cruise out of 15 or so have I not gotten the ice etc I requested.  Never have I had anyone with any issues taking the $20. 

 

That's interesting. I would not have ever thought asking for ice is above and beyond. It's a simple request made by many and actually advised that it what a steward can offer you for service to our cabin. That's an interesting perspective that it's a bit above. Thanks 

[Older Sister]

14 hours ago, 563toM said:

We don't tip at the very beginning of the cruise but what we do is ask them if they need anything when we get off at the next port.  They have to be approved to go off the ship and if they are in need of something they have to get another crew member to get it or wait.  

 

We were very humbled because on the cruise earlier this month our room attendant asked for a bar of soap and toothpaste.  We had no plans so we just walked around and found a small grocery in Cozumel and got him the soap and they had a combo pack of full size toothpaste and a new toothbrush.  He was very happy and the conversion rate made it under $6.  

This is brilliant!  We’ll be boarding the Equinox tomorrow for a ten-day cruise and I will be sure to ask our room attendant if there’s anything he/she needs while we’re ashore.  Thanks for the idea.  

[weregoingcruising]

I tend to over tip when I'm tipsy.😉🍷🍸

[563toM]

1 hour ago, Older Sister said:

This is brilliant!  We’ll be boarding the Equinox tomorrow for a ten-day cruise and I will be sure to ask our room attendant if there’s anything he/she needs while we’re ashore.  Thanks for the idea.  

We can't take any credit as another cruising couple that we were talking to at dinner gave us the idea.  I have found that they ask for the simplest things such as one stop he just wanted the Emerg C  that dissolves in water.  I know I tend to forget that we can stop in any store we want and they are very limited with their time and if they are allowed to get off.  Thank you for spreading this good will to other ships.

[Cruise a holic]

Since we typically sail in a sky suite, we no longer have a personal butler- so probably will not tip additional at all.  The stateroom attendent if good- we tip at the end typically $10 per day.  Depending upon the service, we tip the concierge in the retreat lounge and give $1 per drink to all bartenders.  I recall we had a terrible butler on the Summit- did nothing- we had him again on another ship!  We have had a variety of butlers in various suites.

Edited November 29, 2023 by Cruise a holic

[DCPIV]

I've never even considered tipping a butler or room attendant in advance, and that goes back to when we didn't even have the prepaid tips.  Now that we do, tipping more in advance makes even less sense.

[cublet]

Hello,

 

Can I ask a tangential question?

 

As I prepay gratuities at the time of booking and then 'actually pay' 70 days out, when do the bar/waiting staff, cabin steward et al get the money?

 

Regards,

 

Cublet

[lv2cruisgrl]

21 hours ago, jelayne said:

We always bring Thank You cards and leave any extra $ in the card with a note mentioning what they did that made our vacation better. 

We do this also and we give it to them the day before the cruise ends.  We have been lucky to have great butlers and or room stewards. 

[AC Stew]

In my experience, asking the cabin steward/ess if they need anything from a port stop, I'll usually get a polite "No thank-you." I suspect even if they could use toothpaste or shampoo, they would be reluctant to appear "demanding." (Although, well into the cruise after they get to know you, perhaps they'd feel more comfortable to respond.)

 

And yes, we tip $20 on the first day when the steward pays his/her first visit to the cabin. I joke that  this "this isn't a bribe, just a little something to put to good use if/when they get some shore time." 

 

It's always been graciously accepted. We will continue this practice.

[Pinboy]

19 minutes ago, lv2cruisgrl said:

We always bring Thank You cards

Excellent idea-- never thought of that.

From now on I won't have to stand in line on the last night at GR to get a few envelopes for additional tips----with the #$%@$%^ removing their Gratuities.

One day I'll post what I " really " think of these people--- 

( I know, it's not my business---- but, but--- )

 

[deliver42]

I never tip pre cruise. I do tip extra at the end of the cruise. After some 25 cruises, the only time I didn't tip a cabin attendant was on the MSC Seashore because she was awful.

[ldubs]

22 hours ago, CruisinShips said:

Well thanks for "not caring" enough to reply! 🙂

 

By who cares, I meant if you want to do it, then do it. If you don't want to then don't.  Others won't agree, but I don't think there is a right or wrong to it.   I do understand the OP asking what might be common practice.  

[DaKahuna]

 

 We normally have a couple of 'out of the ordinary' things that we ask for from our stateroom attendant the first day - e.g. extra towels, extra sheets to cover the couch, ice bucket filled twice a day, etc.  We have when making these request given a tip to the room attendant as a "thank you for going out of your way to do this for us.'  If you want to consider that a bribe, feel free. That is not how we intend it and hope it is not how it is being taken.  

 

[Dolebludger]

I must confess that I don’t understand the matter of tipping in addition to that which is automatically added to the fare and the 20% that is added to the cost of various packages. I have never had auto tips removed from my bill, and can’t imagine how bad things would be to cause me to do so. But on the other hand, I can’t see tipping twice either.

[Pinboy]

1 hour ago, DaKahuna said:

If you want to consider that a bribe, feel free. That is not how we intend it and hope it is not how it is being taken.  

Absolutely not a bribe and why give it a second thought as to how it is being taken ?

It's just a nice thing to do.

You might have noticed a post or two where I have been accused of bribing a Maitre'd from time to time because he/she helped us get a table in a Specialty restaurant at a time when there appeared to be none available--- ( a few $$ to say " Thanks " ).

 

 

[SusieAV8R]

4 hours ago, Pinboy said:

Absolutely not a bribe and why give it a second thought as to how it is being taken ?

It's just a nice thing to do.

You might have noticed a post or two where I have been accused of bribing a Maitre'd from time to time because he/she helped us get a table in a Specialty restaurant at a time when there appeared to be none available--- ( a few $$ to say " Thanks " ).

 

 

That's done on land, why not on ships?  😁

[bjahil47]

I would never consider tipping ahead of receiving the service.  We also bring Thank You cards, I write a personal note and enclose cash and give it to whom exceeded our expectations on the last day of cruise.  We also ask our Room Attendant or Waiter if they need anything when we go ashore.

[RichYak]

For those that consider pre-tipping a bribe: have you all never booked the old AI, which included gratuities? Or pre-paid your gratuities prior to the cruise?

[jelayne]

5 minutes ago, RichYak said:

For those that consider pre-tipping a bribe: have you all never booked the old AI, which included gratuities? Or pre-paid your gratuities prior to the cruise?

Always.  As I posted earlier by prepaying gratuities we have already tipped in advance for the expected level of service.  If some deliver a level of service over and above then we tip extra at the end of the cruise.

[RichYak]

4 minutes ago, jelayne said:

Always.  As I posted earlier by prepaying gratuities we have already tipped in advance for the expected level of service.  If some deliver a level of service over and above then we tip extra at the end of the cruise.

Thanks. I guess I'm just curious how you get past the notion that you're bribing the staff.

[Dolebludger]

I don’t know what thr recipient’s reaction might be for tips given in advance, or for those given after service, when tips are also included in the fare or are separately billed to the guest. Why would anybody feel like they should in essence tip twice?

[gordiej]

On 11/28/2023 at 10:39 AM, sanger727 said:

There are many threads on this topic already. With the same sort of responses that you received on facebook.

I mean, does this topic even have anything to do with Celebrity?