Yet another Tipping question

[NancyB84]

You tip with whatever you want, but I tip the bartenders with 2's and they love them. What is all this stuff about other countries not accepting them, I went through 22 2's on my last cruise, and you know what, I never had any crewmember complain to me, as a matter of fact I had excellent service at all the bars, they are novel. I have no idea who all these people are that say not to tip with $2 bills. You evidently don't spend a lot of time at the bars. By the way, these countries don't accept US bills aa a courtesy, they accept them, because the appreciate the money. Duh

 

 

Thanks Jander. Ok, now I have 2 completely opposite views. I used them in the bar as well... and until today had never heard that there could be an issue with it. I guess before I go on my Jan cruise, I want to be sure. I leave the extra tips because I want them to have the extra cash... if it isn't convenient for them, I will get $1's. I just think the coins and the $2 bills are cool.

[wrp96]

I've had problems using them in the US before. Yes, they take them after I explain that they are legal currency but they don't want to take them. The bartenders I've met on the ships would rather not get $2 bills, but if it were the difference between a tip and no tip, they would take them.

[NancyB84]

I've had problems using them in the US before. Yes, they take them after I explain that they are legal currency but they don't want to take them. The bartenders I've met on the ships would rather not get $2 bills, but if it were the difference between a tip and no tip, they would take them.

 

Wow, I feel horrible. No one said anything. And we got great service. Maybe I will get $1's for this cruise.

[jander]

The $2 bill. The bartenders take cash tips and put them in a tip box behind the bar. I noticed when some bartenders spot a $2 in the box they take out 2 $1 bills of their own, put them in the box and take out the $2. One bartender knew I had $2 bills, and came right out and asked me for one. In April I left a $2 bill and the bartender was all smiles and pulled out his wallet, and proudly showed me the $2 bill I had given him in December, as he was saving it. Many Asian bartenders consider them good luck. Those saying not to use $2 bills must not spend much time at the bar. They are novel and they like them, those who say the don't like them are not well informed.

[jander]

Don't pay any attention to the Anti $2 bill, folks. I've been tipping $2 for the last 3 or 4 years, and have never gotten a negative reaction, and I have never had to assure anyone that they are legal tender. Already have my $2 bills, for my next cruise in July. I am posting this from experience not, from what someone has told me.

[ColdFusion]

the porters at the pier do not work for RCCL I would be sure to tip them or you may not get your suitcases

 

May sound like a stupid question to some but I'm going to ask it anyway! Do we tip the porters when we hand over our luggage at the pier? I assume that we won't be seeing them again when our suitcases are dropped off?

 

Thanks

CF

[sherin65]

Where is everyone getting all of these $2 bills? I got three of them as a kid when they first came out and they're in my box of money with wheatback pennies and silver coins, etc(that I'll never spend but probably won't ever be worth anything over face value). I've seen only two or three in circulation since then.

[jander]

Re tipping the porters, yes tip them when you turn your bags over to them. Re $2 bills, go to a bank and ask for them, sometimes they have plenty, other times you may have to go to a couple of banks to find some, some banks will order some for you.

[parrotthead]

I have never tipped with $2 bills or gold coins, and never relized there was such a debate over the issue...this is a very interesting thread...

Now for my 2 cents...I cant imagine anyone having to explain that the tip is legal..(is it just me?)... I have never , as I mentioned, tipped with a $2 bill, however was wondering...what does the service person say when they 'wont accept' or think the tip is fake?? I would take it as rudeness if I tipped someone and they said (something like) " hey, I wont take that...it looks funny...I want real money"...

:confused: :confused: :confused: :confused: :confused:

[jander]

Exactly my point. As far as their having a problem using them, I'm sure that doesn't exist either. There are banks everywhere.

[sinned]

Since the subject of tipping is being discussed, does anyone no if RCL pools their tips and then splits them among all personnel? I thought that Carnival did that.

Thanks!

[Travelgrrl]

To the OP: You really don't need a lot of extra $ to tip on the ship, especially if you put your main tips on your Seapass. But I do tend to tip bartenders, etc above the 15% already on the check. I use regular (crisp!) dollar bills and fold them in shapes. Always gets a laugh or smile out of them. To be especially silly, sometimes I give them $ and also some gold 'coins' made of chocolate too - also a hit.

 

Here's a link to some fun dollar bill origami designs: http://www.wgn.net/~nienhuis/

 

I go through about $20 - $30 a week that way.

[seawitch365]

I too have a problem with tipping. Call me cheap if you wish but these people choose these jobs to be away from their families and know the pay. I get tired of paying everyone's salary. Let the businesses pay their workers salary. They dont pay these people anything to work for them and expect them to make a wage on a tips but they want to charge us and arm & a leg for extras. We are just peons on a small pay scale. We scrimp and save all year just to be able to take a cruise.

[ciderapple]

:confused: Well, I'm totally confused. It looks like a lot of you are double tipping if you say 15% gets added to your drinks bill and then you are tipping the staff again.

 

How do you know how much to tip room service? Which I know I have to do! There is no charge for the food so how do you work out the 20% tip?

 

Example - $1 is a big tip for 1 cup of coffee (IMHO) :eek:

 

Please don't get me wrong, I'm not being tight, but I'm wondering just how far this whole tipping thing goes. I know I have to tip anyone who looks after my bags, helps with luggage, provides me with anything extra. But it sounds like some of you are tipping everyone all the time. So are you forgetting the main tips at the end of the week or what?

 

It's great to hear how generous some of you are and I am happy to tip everyone for service but I don't want to burn money unnecessarily!

[parrotthead]

seawitch and cinderapple...heres what I do..(I also have to be careful of $$ and save $ everywhere I can)

First--I prepay gruitaties,(I do NOT put them on my seapass) I attach them to my cruise fare (RCI can do this for you) that way it just seem like part of the cost to me,it's paid before I ever set foot on the ship and I dont have to worry with my seapass being that much more or getting big amounts of cash at the end of the cruise.

I do tip for room service ( a few bucks for ,say, a big snack or dinner type tray...I dont just order one cup of coffee from room service) however sometimes the person that brings the tray bolts from the room so qucikly you dont have a chance...(they will do this if you are naked when they come in...:eek: ...just kidding)

If a bartender is esp nice, or is very attentive (not in an annoying way0 I may had them a dollar esp if they have made my drink 'special'. (maybe a total of 3or 4 times a week)

Usually by the end of the cruise you will feel 'close' to your room steward and waiter (if they have done a great job you will want to take them home with you;) ) IF I feel its warrented ( and, I do sometimes times) I will add some cash to the tip envelope that you give them on the last nite...(if you Prepay you get a little 'coupon' to put in the envelope stating you prepaid) On our last cruise we gave our main waiter and extra $10 (cuz we loved him) ...and our cabin stewad and extra $10 (because she got us robes to wear onboard)

So all in all we spent maybe 30 'extra' dollars on 'extra' tips...Considering that most everything is 'included' it didnt seem like too much...and (like I said...dont get me wrong) we do have to watch our $$$ so dont feel bad about being on a budget...you work hard and should enjoy your holiday...just remember that (by and large) the staff is working hard to make sure you enjoy it too...

[Pradagal]

I agree with almost everyone. Don't order room service if you can't tip accordingly. The drinks already have 15% added (I like to tip extra if the service is great but that's me). Have a great cruise!:)

The $2 bill thing and the dollar coin thing. They are both a pain in the rear for most cruise employees to get rid of.Sure we think they are a novel idea (even though grocery and department stores in the states hate them as well, there is no place to put them in a register and they get mixed up with other currency) Good old fashioned $1 and $5 bills work everytime.

[mommabean]

I am feeling a bit touchy after paying my credit cards.... I diddnt realize that $2bills would be a problem. Most of the time when someone gets one they either think its a fake bill, or really get a kick out of it. I was hoping that they would think it was neat, since it would be easy to prove that they are legal.

 

I personally don't know why a $2 bill would be a problem. Have you checked out all our other bills lately. I have a hard time myself believing they are all real. I found a $20 in the washer the other day and thought it must be rigged to show colors when wet. I'd never seen one before. I found out it was yet another new design.

 

I'll never forget standing in line for coffee at a trade show several years back, getting out my change, and thinking I had been had by someone who gave me my change in a state souvenier coin. I said something out loud and everyone around me wanted to see the new coin since no one had gotten a new state quarter yet. At least they had heard of them.

 

Not long ago I thought I had a defective nickel. What? Another new design with the head hanging over the edge. Oh brother. Why can't they stick with one design. It all looks like monopoly money to me now.

 

I always give the room service person $2 in ones. You can give a $2 bill and I don't think anyone will mind.

 

I could be wrong....I admit that.

[jander]

You are not wrong, I use $2 bills all the time, and have for the last 3 or 4 years. I would certainly like to know what authority came up with the idea that crewmembers do not like them. If there are such, I haven't run into them yet.

[mommabean]

You are not wrong, I use $2 bills all the time, and have for the last 3 or 4 years. I would certainly like to know what authority came up with the idea that crewmembers do not like them. If there are such, I haven't run into them yet.

 

I feel like doing a test this weekend. I need to get by the bank and pick up some $2 bills. And ones of course. I will go to the bar and order a drink. Before I leave I will offer the bartender the $2 or 2 $1s. And see which they prefer. I'll order room service and do the same thing. Yes, I'll run my own official experiment.

 

Personally, I think the $2s will win.

[jander]

Do it please, I'll be waiting for the results.

[mommabean]

Do it please, I'll be waiting for the results.

 

OK. I have my note ready for tomorrow. Get $2 bills. Get underwater camera. And I'm supposed to remember to go to the On Your Toes nightclub on the Majesty of the Seas and check to see if Floyd still works at the bar in there. Now if I could just remember where that post was where someone asked about him. :)

[zotzer]

You are not wrong, I use $2 bills all the time, and have for the last 3 or 4 years. I would certainly like to know what authority came up with the idea that crewmembers do not like them. If there are such, I haven't run into them yet.

 

Well, there is a wonderful blog written by a crew officer on Princess. I look forward to logging in every day to read his thoughts. I wrote him a note today about this question, and he immediately blogged about it. Jam packed full of useful info on this very topic. Check it out!

 

http://crewoffice.blogspot.com/

 

Tracy

[mommabean]

Well, there is a wonderful blog written by a crew officer on Princess. I look forward to logging in every day to read his thoughts. I wrote him a note today about this question, and he immediately blogged about it. Jam packed full of useful info on this very topic. Check it out!

 

http://crewoffice.blogspot.com/

 

Tracy

 

I don't know. It was interesting but not very practical. It's hard enough to get some people to tip without telling them they have to go and get new fresh small bills. I went to the bank today to get my $2 bills in order to conduct my experiment. If I had asked them for "new" bills they would have laughed me out of there. I sure won't be running around to banks collecting new bills.

 

When that officer said this, "nobody in the USA trusts a foreigner these days" he sort of lost me. Really? Where? I live in Miami. I'm one of the rare native Anglo Miamians. Everyone else is a foreigner. :) And I trust some of them.

 

I do appreciate your post and link though. It is something to think about. And I do agree with the part about the new money. I already mentioned that here. But I guarantee those on board will take their tip money in whatever form or style of American dollar we provide. They have their own crew's shops on board where they spend some of their money. If they have concerns with wrinkled or torn money, they can certainly select the old money for their on board purchases.

 

I guess I don't believe everything I read, especially on line. That being said, after I conduct my $2 vs. $1 experiment this weekend, I will post my results here. And I will be just another one of those on line stories, believe it or not. :D

 

I have this very strong feeling that my $2s will be selected over the $1s. I could be wrong. I will report back. I was only able to get 7 wrinkled 2s because that is all they had in the bank. I did get 2 gold $1 coins at Walgreens. She offered them to me after I asked for $2 bills which she didn't have. I'll try the coins as tips, too. Always offering the option of ordinary $1s.

[zotzer]

practical. It's hard enough to get some people to tip without telling them they have to go and get new fresh small bills. I went to the bank today to get my $2 bills in order to conduct my experiment. If I had asked them for "new" bills they would have laughed me out of there. I sure won't be running around to banks collecting new bills.

 

I don't understand...what's the difference between going to a bank to ask for $1's in nice decent shape versus $2 bills?

 

An american waiter in a bar may feel differently about the bills than the foreign workers on a cruise ship. Listen, everyone is going to do what they want....just thought some might like to hear the actual opinion of someone working on a cruise ship.

 

Tracy

[jander]

What I posted was from my experience, not from something I read. What I posted was absolutely a true experience, everyone I dealt with wanted the $2 bill. That blog kind of lets you believe that guy thinks the service crewmembers can't take care of themselves, or deal with money. Lets face it we are talking about a $2 bill not a $100. A financial catastrophe dealing with wrinkled and marked $1 bills and the dreaded $2 bill, wo is me.