Tips?

[mystte]

Ok now, what about tips - who pays more than the stated amount that is supposedly deducted from your card?

 

Just checkind US sites and there is a lot of it going on. NOw Australia is not really a tipping nation so what are we all doing?:confused:

 

Luci

 

I have 5 weeks to GO!!!!!

[mummsie]

Hi Luci, Depends on the service and if you are happy with it. The staff don't get paid very much from the cruise lines so they rely on tips to earn a decent wage. Superstar lines you are not allowed to tip - big letters on all the documentation but I think they are about the only line that doesn't allow it. It was actually very nice not to have to worry and the service was still fantastic. On the Pacific Princess we gave our cabin steward $50 and our head waiter $50 and the assistant waiter $25. Mummsie

[chaz cruiser]

We usually leave the automatic tipping in place. We were a little worried that the crew who served us wouldn't get a fair amount but after talking to them about it they were all happy with the distribution process.

 

We have sometimes given something direct on top of this but very rarely. As Mummsie said they are not paid a large wage by the cruise line and do rely on tips so if you are feeling generous & are very happy with a crew member why not make a difference in their lives and tip them some extra.

 

A word to parents, check & double check that the auto tips are not coming off your kids cards. The number of times I have heard people complain that their kids money was absorbed by tips makes me believe the process is failing.

 

Cheers,

Chaz:)

[karmac]

 

A word to parents, check & double check that the auto tips are not coming off your kids cards. The number of times I have heard people complain that their kids money was absorbed by tips makes me believe the process is failing.

 

Cheers,

Chaz:)

 

You're right there Chaz. We travelled with 3 kids of which 2 were under 13 and yes, they were taking the tipping off their cards. They stopped it & refunded us without any hassle as soon as we pointed it out to them but I think it's a bit rude of them to try & get away with it.

 

Karen

[Heads !!!!]

Superstar lines you are not allowed to tip - big letters on all the documentation but I think they are about the only line that doesn't allow it.

 

I used to work on Seabourn which is a real luxury line. All their brochures etc said "no tipping" but it was still expected and formed a major part of the income for the waiters.

[Tinalou]

I heard that on the Pacific Sun $4.50 per adult, per day will be added to our cards, but I was wondering if that could be dropped to say, $3.00. Can you do that? Would the staff look down on you/spit in your food/:p? We have totally overblown the budget as we are having the wedding as well and without seeming like a tight ar*se, it would help a little if we could cut back on the tipping slightly.

 

Not saying we dont want to, because we understand why tipping is important, but we just want to cut back a bit.

[icemaiden2310]

Yes tinalou you do have that amount coming off your card automatically for tipping but when you realise the service you are getting you are happy to leave it in place. In burgandy dining our waiters were excellent and we thought they deserved more so our table gave $10 each to one person from our table and gave victor (our head waiter) a golden handshake. They cant be seen being given tips by passengers in the dining roon or they have to share it with the other waiters so it must be very discreet

[chaz cruiser]

You can change the auto tipping at any time (increase, decrease or remove!). Most of the crew don't know how much you are tipping or if you are tipping at all.

 

Cheers,

Chaz:)

[lolliepollie81]

we left the auto tipping on but tipped extra when we felt. for 11 nights both our room stewards got $80.00 in total each, dining waiters received $50.00 each. there was one drink waiter in legends bar who remember our names and what we drank from the moment we hopped on board. we made sure only he served us in legends and gave him a couple of dollars each visit.

[rockie]

On our first cruise they didn't have the auto tipping and we were adamant, WE WEREN'T GOING TO TIP ANYBODY!!!!!!! Well, two days in and the service was just so good we tipped and were happy to. Just do what the others have said and ask for it to be decreased. The next two trips had auto tipping, but we tipped extra as well. Though, next time I wouldn't leave it on the dresser for the room stewards to find after we left, because as I left the cabin, I had to ask this guy for directions to something and he was the rudest sod out. I hadn't even seen him before leaving day and I watched him going into every room and taking all the tips. I don't believe he was pocketing them, but taking them to share out, like they are mean't to, but his attitude stunk and I wish I had handed them over personally to our cabin people with a 'Dont tell anyone", even though I had tipped extra a few times anyway.

 

Can anyone tell me what nationality the crew are on the Sapphire Princess? I can't rememer if I have asked this or not previously.

[davoni]

We leave auto tips in place and give extra to Cabin Steward and Waiters in Dining Room. As we were on Christmas Cruise we did this on Xmas day. Have been told that staff are advised if auto tips are removed and then any extra tips have to be pooled. Also the auto tips go towards servers in buffet and behind the scenes crew. As we got great service on Pacific Princess we were happy to leave tips in place and give extra.

[howsthis]

I was told that even when you give the crew 'extra tips' they have to hand it in to be shared by all the others otherwise dismissal. The person I spoke to said to put it in the card that we can fill out with compliments and leave them in the container at the pursers office. I'm not sure if it's right but I have heard it a few times that they must hand the money over and it gets distributed to everyone.

[Skyrules]

We have always left the automatic tipping in place - and then tipped other staff personally where we felt it was deserved.

 

My first cruise on Pacific Sky was around the time that the automatic tipping came in - and before I went I had the view that we don't tip in Australia and therefore why should we be made to do it?? Just an another step in the Americnisation of this country I thought.

 

But after a couple of days on board enjoying the wonderful service, I was more than happy to leave the tipping in place, and to tip the ones who really deserved it a bit more as well.

[Tikibird]

That doesn't seem fair-you tip someone extra because he/she gave especially good service and they still have to share it?

[icemaiden2310]

They dont have to share it if if they are not seen to be taking anything.

[Heads !!!!]

They dont have to share it if if they are not seen to be taking anything.

 

Is it worth the risk if they'll lose their job over it? Remember, what these people earn is considered a very good income back in their own country. One of the guys I had to clean my cabin on board had a university education yet he was earning more money as a cleaner (he had yet to graduate to cabin steward but they are allowed to clean crew cabins) than he could get at home.

 

Remember that for every person you come in to contact with there are several others backing them up that you never see. These people would never get tips if they were not pooled and tips make up a substantial part of their income. I do agree the system is somewhat unfair and I shall have to ask when I go back exactly how it works.

 

Casino staff have a similar system but it goes fleetwide. They keep half their tips then half go into a pool which is shared around all the dealers in Carnival. This ensures that they can still find dealers to work the smaller, less busy ships where they wouldn't make any money if it wasn't for shared tips.

[mummsie]

 

Can anyone tell me what nationality the crew are on the Sapphire Princess? I can't rememer if I have asked this or not previously.

 

Which crew are you talking about - most of the cabin staff are from Asia as are the drink waiters. The dining staff are a mix of European and Asian. The Matre de is usually Italian. Mummsie

[icemaiden2310]

This is what our waiter told us when we asked if we could give him a tip . They wont lose their jobs they just have to share what u give them. I dont see why if my waiter gave such excellent service that I cant tip him a little extra.People we knew at a different table in burgandy room had no where near the great attention we did and didnt wish to tip their waiter so I dont see why our great staff should share with ones that are not so good

[icemaiden2310]

The automatic tipping in place covers all those behind the scenes

[rockie]

Which crew are you talking about - most of the cabin staff are from Asia as are the drink waiters. The dining staff are a mix of European and Asian. The Matre de is usually Italian. Mummsie

 

Thank you, I did mean the cabin people and waiters. The Phillipinos were so great I didn't think anyone could possibly beat them as far as serivce goes.