Yet another tipping question

[JGmf]

@Grace61  Welcome to cruise critic.

 

As others have mentioned, tip what you are comfortable tipping.  End.

 

 

Other input if you are interested:

 

Me? I treat a cruise ship sort of like being on land, but with a cruise 'twist'.

 

Bartenders get a buck or two per drink, maybe $5 or $10 or more to start the cruise, and less per drink (with same bartender) as we sit there and drink longer.  What I tip varies on whether I've designated a bar as my "home bar", the friendliness of the staff, the extra effort they've made to make or suggest a cocktail, etc.  

 

We tip the steward more than we would tip a hotel maid, but we do this at the end of the cruise, handing them cash.  We usually round-up to the nearest $50.  So for 7 days, minimum of $100, more if you asked for -- and received -- a lot of extra things.

 

At specialty dining, we'll leave a $10+ depending on quality of experience/service.  Less than a restaurant, I know.

 

I've even tipped the guy at the Lido deck pizza place.  He insisted on making me a special slice (b/c I mentioned I love toppings X, Y, and Z), so to me, that was worthy of appreciation (and it was indeed appreciated by the hard-working guy).

 

I routinely tip the dealers on the tables in the casino, occasionally playing a bet for them and/or sharing a portion of a larger win.  (That seems kind of rare in the Princess casino... I was kind of surprised).

 

Anyway, I usually carry a bunch of $1's and $5's with me for the reasons above.  The crew works crazy long hours for months on end.  Yeah, I know they signed-up for it; but these $1's and $5's will mean more to them than to me.

 

Enjoy your cruise!

 

 

[charliedalrymple]

13 hours ago, Bubbeh said:

I find the whole handing over of cash (albeit in an envelope) face to face very uncomfortable and prefer to avoid that situation.

 

I realise that it's un-Australian to tip, but I've adapted to international norms when it comes to doing so on cruise ships. Invariably, the crew members to whom I have given cash in person have been absolutely delighted and it was not uncomfortable at all.  I will admit that I have occasionally tipped in the middle of a longer cruise to guarantee continued good service. 😉

[charliedalrymple]

1 hour ago, JGmf said:

@Grace61  Welcome to cruise critic.

 

As others have mentioned, tip what you are comfortable tipping.  End.

 

 

Other input if you are interested:

 

Me? I treat a cruise ship sort of like being on land, but with a cruise 'twist'.

 

Bartenders get a buck or two per drink, maybe $5 or $10 or more to start the cruise, and less per drink (with same bartender) as we sit there and drink longer.  What I tip varies on whether I've designated a bar as my "home bar", the friendliness of the staff, the extra effort they've made to make or suggest a cocktail, etc.  

 

We tip the steward more than we would tip a hotel maid, but we do this at the end of the cruise, handing them cash.  We usually round-up to the nearest $50.  So for 7 days, minimum of $100, more if you asked for -- and received -- a lot of extra things.

 

At specialty dining, we'll leave a $10+ depending on quality of experience/service.  Less than a restaurant, I know.

 

I've even tipped the guy at the Lido deck pizza place.  He insisted on making me a special slice (b/c I mentioned I love toppings X, Y, and Z), so to me, that was worthy of appreciation (and it was indeed appreciated by the hard-working guy).

 

I routinely tip the dealers on the tables in the casino, occasionally playing a bet for them and/or sharing a portion of a larger win.  (That seems kind of rare in the Princess casino... I was kind of surprised).

 

Anyway, I usually carry a bunch of $1's and $5's with me for the reasons above.  The crew works crazy long hours for months on end.  Yeah, I know they signed-up for it; but these $1's and $5's will mean more to them than to me.

 

Enjoy your cruise!

 

 

 

I could have written this myself--it's exactly how we approach tipping on cruises.  I love the part about the "home bar," and I understand exactly what you mean.  For us, that's usually Crooners, and we tend to bond with one or two servers there who know our preferences and anticipate our needs.  (On Majestic it was the Crown Grill Bar because there is no Crooners.  🙁)

[sailing canary]

I'm unsure about this too, so any advice would help.

Solo cruiser, sailing from UK, crew appreciation already included in fare.

I'm very low maintenance, once a day is enough for my cabin refresh. I don't need turndown, I don't drink - so no bar staff on my radar. I eat in the MDR, but don't choose any fancy alternatives. If I want tea/coffee or a snack during the day I go to the buffet.

So what ( or more to the point who) would I be to giving little cash envelopes to?

[MacMadame]

16 hours ago, dog said:

What does Princess do with the crew Appreciation we pay when booking Standard fare?

The same thing as if it's part of the fare like it is for Plus & Premier.

 

4 hours ago, Grace61 said:

I couldn't see any breakout listed for Princess like this.

I gave extra to our main server and the stateroom host.  They both did a great job

Princess can't give you a breakdown like this because they handle tips/crew appreciation differently. All the money from all the ships is pooled. Some of it goes to everyone to pay for the increase in wages that Princess & staff negotiated when they moved to pooled tipping. The rest goes to bonuses for high-performing crew.

 

The bonuses seem tied to mentioning crew in the after-cruise survey which is why the crew encourages you to mention them.

 

Pooling the tips was something many crew wanted because tipping varies so much depending on the itinerary of the ship and how many people are on it from high vs. low tipping cultures. Pooling is considered fairer and it also probably helps Princess get the better crew members to work on the low-tipping itineraries (but that later part is just a guess on my part).

[JGmf]

41 minutes ago, sailing canary said:

So what ( or more to the point who) would I be to giving little cash envelopes to?

 

No need for an envelope.  Tip your steward at the end of the cruise.  If you happen to see the same buffet staff every day, who happens to clear you plates extra fast and/or routinely get your favorite drink, then, only if you want to do it, a $5 bill would be fine.  That's my opinion.  Others, of course, may have different perspectives..

[Bubbeh]

9 hours ago, skynight said:

When in the North American market you can not remove the crew appreciation if you have the plus or premier fare. You can only remove the daily gratuity charge if you have the standard fare

That's me, Little Miss Standard Fare ☺️ . 

[Bubbeh]

3 hours ago, charliedalrymple said:

I realise that it's un-Australian to tip, but I've adapted to international norms when it comes to doing so on cruise ships. Invariably, the crew members to whom I have given cash in person have been absolutely delighted and it was not uncomfortable at all.  I will admit that I have occasionally tipped in the middle of a longer cruise to guarantee continued good service. 😉

I give the postie, garbos and the council workers a couple of bottles of beer (long necks) at Xmas.  I guess that counts as tipping?  LOL!  I grew up with everyone in my street leaving a couple of king browns for the garbos, postie etc.  Back in the day everybody did it, was it to ensure good service?  Not really, more to show appreciation for people doing a job that made life easier.  

[ChutChut]

20 hours ago, Grace61 said:

Question- I have only cruised once before, on Disney.   There it was rotational dining in each MDR, with the same staff each night.  We prepaid the Gratuity.  On the next to last day, they supplied envelopes you could add cash to for steward or consierge staff or servers, which you could hand out last day. There was a sheet that listed how much of the prepaid Gratuity went to each person. 

So for Princess,how does this work?  I've prepaid the "crew appreciation".  Do you just hand people like your steward cash at the end of cruise? Or each day? Are your servers different each day?    
How are tips for bartenders handled with drinks that covered under Plus, or for servers in casual dining areas that are covered under Plus.  
I'm American, so used to tipping in restaurants etc.  But that I'm usually just adding to credit card bill.  Ive left some cash and note for housekeeping in hotels. Or given the valet a few bucks  But it seems awkward to just keeping handing people cash all over the place.  Plus I usually don't carry much cash traveling, relying on credit card.

Can you tip people like your steward through guest services, like added to your bill?  

Just making sure I've got it covered, for planning purposes, not complaining about it.

 

Really- not here to debate tipping culture.  Just trying to figure out the best way to handle things.  Like if we have a sea day, and I'm exploring the ship, do I need to carry a purse around, so I have cash with me?  Do I tip the steward first day if introduced, or just at end ?  Do you bring envelopes?  Do you leave cash on table at MDR or give to waiter?

That was awkward on Disney. They don't do that on Princess. If I want to give extra, I put the extra cash in an envelope and give to them at the end.

[nini]

4 hours ago, sailing canary said:

I'm unsure about this too, so any advice would help.

Solo cruiser, sailing from UK, crew appreciation already included in fare.

I'm very low maintenance, once a day is enough for my cabin refresh. I don't need turndown, I don't drink - so no bar staff on my radar. I eat in the MDR, but don't choose any fancy alternatives. If I want tea/coffee or a snack during the day I go to the buffet.

So what ( or more to the point who) would I be to giving little cash envelopes to?

 

We typically have the Princess Plus and tip extra in cash to those who really stand out... Like our cabin steward, a sweetie at the buffet, a bartender who knows exactly what you want and how to fix it. We also tip a few dollars for room service and enjoy doing that.

The tips are always in American dollars in an envelope with their name on it and ours as well with cabin number.

Edited January 25 by nini
Added words

[sailing canary]

5 hours ago, nini said:

 

Like our cabin steward, a sweetie at the buffet, a bartender who knows exactly what you want and how to fix it. We also tip a few dollars for room service and enjoy doing that.

The tips are always in American dollars in an envelope with their name on it and ours as well with cabin number.

But this isn't really helpful as I've already said I don't go to the bar nor eat in the buffet nor use room service.  And where would I get USD on a cruise out of Southampton?

[jennybenny]

1 hour ago, sailing canary said:

But this isn't really helpful as I've already said I don't go to the bar nor eat in the buffet nor use room service.  And where would I get USD on a cruise out of Southampton?

You don't have to tip extra, it's a personal choice. Not required. 

 

It sounds like you require nothing extra on a cruise, and given the preferences you've mentioned there doesn't appear to be the opportunity for a crew member to do do anything extra for you. You've already prepaid gratuities with the fare, so you are good. Should you feel that some crew member went out of their way to make your cruise more meaningful, leave a comment card on ship with GS, if they still do those, and fill out the guest survey and mention them within 3 days of your cruise. THAT helps them immensely. 

[dockman]

18 hours ago, startedwithamouse said:

"All of the Crew Appreciation and Service Charge payments made by all guests on all ships in our fleet are pooled, net of credit card transaction fees. The pooled funds are distributed throughout the year in the form of compensation, including bonuses, to crewmembers fleetwide who interact directly with guests and/or behind the scenes throughout every cruise, including those in the Bar, Dining, Entertainment, Housekeeping, Guest Services, Galley and Onboard Revenue areas."

So bottom line is eventually pooled tip money does get returned to the crew in some form or another...princess does not just put it in their pocket but give it back to the crew members.  I fear that some may think their tips disappear into some corporate pockets when in fact they go back to crewmembers which of course is where it should go.

[justafem]

For us, we get the plus package. Rarely have the same servers, so that's not something we worry about.

 

I get $100 in $1's.  If I get a drink, any kind, there's $1.  I don't tip my steward much, if at all.  Sometimes I go home with $50, sometimes I go home with nothing.  It's my choice as should all tipping be, nobody elses business. 

[charliedalrymple]

11 hours ago, Bubbeh said:

I grew up with everyone in my street leaving a couple of king browns for the garbos, postie etc. 

 

Translation for the non-Aussies

 

A couple of king browns:  A couple of bottles of beer

Garbos:  Rubbish collectors [American: garbage men]

Postie:  Postman [American: mailman]

 

Just doing my part as a member of Cruise Critic community.  You're welcome!

[capriccio]

5 hours ago, sailing canary said:

But this isn't really helpful as I've already said I don't go to the bar nor eat in the buffet nor use room service.  Then you don't ;need' to tip anyone although your steward will provide morning and turndown service - that is your choice.  And where would I get USD on a cruise out of Southampton? There is no 'requirement' that tips be in USD. They don't need to be in USD especially if a ship (and crew) are sailing out of the same port for the season. 

 

[nini]

9 hours ago, sailing canary said:

But this isn't really helpful as I've already said I don't go to the bar nor eat in the buffet nor use room service.  And where would I get USD on a cruise out of Southampton?

 

Well, pardon me for my effort in making suggestions as to our opinion and experience. Common sense would suggest that IF ANY, you would "tip extra" with GBP, not American dollars.

[d9704011]

19 hours ago, sailing canary said:

I'm unsure about this too, so any advice would help.

Solo cruiser, sailing from UK, crew appreciation already included in fare.

I'm very low maintenance, once a day is enough for my cabin refresh. I don't need turndown, I don't drink - so no bar staff on my radar. I eat in the MDR, but don't choose any fancy alternatives. If I want tea/coffee or a snack during the day I go to the buffet.

So what ( or more to the point who) would I be to giving little cash envelopes to?

I don't think you're particularly unsure of anything here.  Given all the detail you provided about how ultra low maintenance you are, I suggest you simply do nothing about additional tipping and not concern yourself with any cash envelopes made available for use.

[Wonders By Wallis]

8 hours ago, justafem said:

I get $100 in $1's.

I leave for my next cruise on Saturday. I've been paying for low cost items with a $20 bill and putting the $1 bills aside for the cruise. 🙂

[Tigrou]

12 hours ago, sailing canary said:

 And where would I get USD on a cruise out of Southampton?

The same places people get USD for holidays to the States, or Euros for holidays in Europe, etc etc.  For example:  a bureau de change; a travel agent; your bank; a travel money kiosk in a supermarket; a Post Office; an ATM in some branches of Marks & Spencer; online, delivered to your home.  If your local area doesn't have any of these, and the minimum order online is too high, there are plenty of walk-in options in Southampton.

 

From what American friends have told me, I believe it is far easier for us to buy USD in the UK than it often is for them to buy Sterling in the States.  

 

I always tip in whatever the onboard currency is on any cruise ship, regardless of the port of departure.  I always ensure I have local currency to tip on land so I do the same at sea, I just consider it polite.

 

 

[Redrobo]

12 hours ago, sailing canary said:

But this isn't really helpful as I've already said I don't go to the bar nor eat in the buffet nor use room service.  And where would I get USD on a cruise out of Southampton?

 

There is no requirement for you to tip anyone. If you do decide to tip and sailing out of Southampton GDP is more than adequate and accepted by the receiver. 

Enjoy tour cruise.

 

[Bubbeh]

11 hours ago, charliedalrymple said:

Translation for the non-Aussies

 

A couple of king browns:  A couple of bottles of beer

Garbos:  Rubbish collectors [American: garbage men]

Postie:  Postman [American: mailman]

 

Just doing my part as a member of Cruise Critic community.  You're welcome!

Thanks Charlie, 'tis easy to forget not everyone understands the lingo.  😁

[sailing canary]

9 hours ago, Redrobo said:

 

There is no requirement for you to tip anyone. If you do decide to tip and sailing out of Southampton GDP is more than adequate and accepted by the receiver. 

Enjoy tour cruise.

 

Thank you. That has clarified what I thought. No extra tipping required. 

[cruzsnooze]

Of course you should carry your purse and carry nothing less the $10's to tip every crew member who says hello.  The rest of us know that we've over tipped if we do the daily auto gratuity. 

[capriccio]

1 minute ago, cruzsnooze said:

The rest of us know that we've over tipped if we do the daily auto gratuity. 

You are, of course, entitled to your own opinion on tipping but please do not include me and others in "the rest of us."