Room Service Tipping

[CruisFran]

No need to bring a stack of $1's, you can always change a larger bill.

Yes there is always a long line at the Purser's desk, thats why I change my large bills for $1,s in the casino, never a line at the payout window.

[Stew Pickles]

I usually tip $2 for room service. Re: the $2 bills. There's a crew member who blogs here: http://crewoffice.blogspot.com/. The article regarding tip money is May 9th. If you want to read it, scroll down.

 

He had an interesting article regarding the currency we use to tip with. Basically, he said that the crew have a hard time with $2 bills in exchanging them or can't get them exchanged at all. The same for old or ripped money and even $20's. He's stated that clean $1'S, 5'S AND 10's are the easiest for crew to exchange. I would have never thought of that!

 

kitty

 

What a load from a blogger looking to make his life as easy as possible. These workers are on board for months at a time - They will have hundreds of opportunities to exchange money BEFORE they go home, both on board ship and off. There is no reason that they couldn't go to the casino when they are off-duty and exchange the bills just like anyone else. What do these employees do - hoard 6 months worth of cash in their mattresses? Are we supposed to believe that they leave the ship after 6 months carrying a McDonalds bag full of thousands of dollars worth of $1, $2, and $5 bills to exchange? There must be some way that they can deposit the cash with the cruise line and receive payment for it at the end of their tour. Don't most of these workers send money home to support their families while they are working? There is no way that they are sending envelopes full of cash!

 

Just because someone (the blog writer, in this case) represents themself as an expert doesn't mean that you can believe everything they say.

 

Stewie

[hstrybuf]

Actually Stewie, I learned this lesson several years ago from a travel writer and friend who has been on more cruises than most of us. Sure, I once thought it would be fun for the crew if I tipped in $2 bills or $1 gold coins. Not so! This blog only confirms what I learned from my friend. I now carry plenty of $1's in good shape, also $5's and $10's.

 

As for tipping room service, we pretty much follow the $1 or $2 tip depending on what we order. We never order much.

[Ehpride]

We tipped a dollar per person.

[JessicaRN]

Actually (and keep in mind this is my opinion), I put more than enough tips on my Sail/sign card, but the night before the cruise, I take them ALL OFF!! I see no need to tip anyone. THey get paid enough, as they already do, since you people tip them. THey don't have to be in the business, they should expect people like me, and also restaurants should too.

 

I bet they should be honored to have the opportunity to serve you, eh? Ya know, stand in the same room, breathe the same air..

 

Schmuck.

 

I usually tip $1-2. I heard that crew members don't like $2 bills or gold coins because they don't work in their vending machines.

 

- Jess

[Cotton]

..........I put more than enough tips on my Sail/sign card, but the night before the cruise, I take them ALL OFF!!

 

Dude, I usually ignore all comments from you. However, I'm curious as to what you mean by "I put more than enough tips on..."

 

YOU don't put tips on your S&S. It's automatically done, y'know. Your statement is illogical.

 

If you mean you have prepaid your tips when you paid for your cruise, and then remove them right before the cruise, that's a lotta unnecessary work, isn't it? How exactly would you 'take them off the night before the cruise'...??? Once they're prepaid, that's a done deal. No changes. Makes NO sense. You're just blowing hot air.:rolleyes:

[GoinCruisin]

Makes NO sense. You're just blowing hot air.:rolleyes:

 

DING DING DING DING!!! We have a winner :D:D LOL!!!

[aggieastrosfan]

Take a look at you S&S bill. :rolleyes: They will be glad to add it when you don't tip for room service.

 

Thye added $2 to mine even after I had tipped the guy $2. Thinking maybe he pocketed the money & didn't report the tip he had received.

 

They ADDED a top to your S&S bill? Were you able to get it removed?

 

Same as everyone else here. $2 tends to be our standard, more if we order an actual meal (which is hardly ever).

[Criscomia]

I've only been on 3 cruises and am going on my 4th next year. I usually start off by meeting my cabin stewart and handing him/her a pre-cruise tip. I have always had excellent service. I also take a stack of $1's and also tip the bartender at the clubs, room service, etc. I don't ever remember having bad service.

[Cotton]

Chris, it's nice of you, but totally unnecessary to tip the cabin stewarD upon arrival. You'll get the same great service simply by leaving your auto tips in place.:)

[GoinCruisin]

They ADDED a top to your S&S bill? Were you able to get it removed?

 

Same as everyone else here. $2 tends to be our standard, more if we order an actual meal (which is hardly ever).

 

Brenda and I were rooming on that cruise... not sure what happened, but they weren't exactly helpful at the front desk. We tipped the guy in cash, but a tip was put in there... I'm not sure what happened. I've never had that happen before... I don't think they ever removed it...

[JessicaRN]

I've only been on 3 cruises and am going on my 4th next year. I usually start off by meeting my cabin stewart and handing him/her a pre-cruise tip. I have always had excellent service. I also take a stack of $1's and also tip the bartender at the clubs, room service, etc. I don't ever remember having bad service.

 

I never tip the bartenders, they already get a 15% tip on my drinks, whether I want to or not.

 

- Jess

[GoinCruisin]

That is one thing I do... simply because I make sure I have great service when it comes to the bar :D I find a few favorites early, tip them extra upfront... and they will seek you out and make sure you are always happy :D There is something to be said about having exceptional bar service while on vacation :D

[losuds63]

My folks owned restaurants in long Island when growing up and when someone tipped me big they were well taken care of and thats the way I want to be treated so I tip well and step back and treat people who serve me with respect and with my generousity --there is no free rides when it comes to hospitality and everyone needs to be aware that no matter what the tip treat your fellow waiters and waitresses as people and not servants like some people i see here where i live in south florida ,half these people want something for nothing and will do unsavery things to bitch and moan for nothing!!

[crazidude1400]

Dude, I usually ignore all comments from you. However, I'm curious as to what you mean by "I put more than enough tips on..."

 

YOU don't put tips on your S&S. It's automatically done, y'know. Your statement is illogical.

 

If you mean you have prepaid your tips when you paid for your cruise, and then remove them right before the cruise, that's a lotta unnecessary work, isn't it? How exactly would you 'take them off the night before the cruise'...??? Once they're prepaid, that's a done deal. No changes. Makes NO sense. You're just blowing hot air.:rolleyes:

 

No--what I mean is I put more than enough tips on my Sail/sign card when I get on, as a teaser, for them to give great service. Then, I take them all off on midnight on the last night.

[JerseyGirl97]

No--what I mean is I put more than enough tips on my Sail/sign card when I get on, as a teaser, for them to give great service. Then, I take them all off on midnight on the last night.

 

 

 

What a great idea! All these people working to make your cruise better and you stiff them the last day to save some quarters and have some fun! Why didn't I think of that? :confused:

[colette5479]

What a great idea! All these people working to make your cruise better and you stiff them the last day to save some quarters and have some fun! Why didn't I think of that? :confused:

 

Because you ain't gots smarts real good like some??:rolleyes: :confused: :D

[JerseyGirl97]

Because you ain't gots smarts real good like some??:rolleyes: :confused: :D

 

 

True! I wasn't schooled right.

And my daddy was a real man who taught me right! Not some low life cheapskate. Too bad there aren't more real men out there! :rolleyes:

[sinkers22]

Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.

[hstrybuf]

No--what I mean is I put more than enough tips on my Sail/sign card when I get on, as a teaser, for them to give great service. Then, I take them all off on midnight on the last night.

 

You must be so proud of yourself. :rolleyes:

[Eliot Ness]

No--what I mean is I put more than enough tips on my Sail/sign card when I get on, as a teaser, for them to give great service. Then, I take them all off on midnight on the last night.

There is a big difference between being frugal and being cheap.

 

I have read a lot of your posts and I'm not really sure how serious you are about your little tipping game. If you are serious, and you get some kind of twisted pleasure out of stiffing the people who work hard to make your cruise enjoyable, then in addition to being cheap you're also dishonest.

 

No one likes a cheapskate, no one enjoys being around them, and my sympathy goes out to any family members who have been embarrassed by your actions.

 

Do you ever consider anyone else's feelings besides your own? Do you ever stop to think how the staff that serves you all week feels when you remove your tips? Do you ever consider that they will have to answer to their boss why their service warranted the removal of all tips? What a sad way to live your life.......

 

John

[ala-kat]

No--what I mean is I put more than enough tips on my Sail/sign card when I get on, as a teaser, for them to give great service. Then, I take them all off on midnight on the last night.

 

If this is what you do, it goes beyond frugal, cheap and dishonest. It is down right mean and hateful. One old word comes to mind - 'Indian giver' (my apologies right now to all Indians).

[popcorngal]

No--what I mean is I put more than enough tips on my Sail/sign card when I get on, as a teaser, for them to give great service. Then, I take them all off on midnight on the last night.

 

Dude, I sure hope you've enjoyed your "sneezers", cause if anyone's earned them, it's you!:rolleyes:

[Roboat]

Because you still have to put your luggage outside your door the night before, right? And surely someone would let the crew know what you've done, say around 2 am, and later you'd find a giant wad of leftover "fragrant" lobster shells in your luggage, or maybe a gram of a controlled substance to entertain the dogs and the police. That's assuming of course - that you would ever see your luggage again. :)

[auburn77]

I think I saw crazidude on an episode of "cops" last night. They broke his door down and he was sitting on the couch in nothing but his boxers(he was about to go out to dinner). There were dollar bills all over the couch and floor and he was yelling "they're mine, they're mine, you can't have them".

 

The funny thing was that they found him due to a "tip" they received.