Automatic Tipping and Using Cash on Sign and Sail account

[tamscottc]

Hi All,

We plan on setting up sign and sail account using ONLY cash, I am wondering about the automatic tipping and if we want to adjust this down, according to service, how that will work. Has anyone ever done this?

Thanks,
Tammy

[jleq]

[b]If you want to tip in cash only, tell the Purser to remove the automatic tipping from your account. What I do is leave that amount on...add an extra "cash tip" based on service.[/b]

[GoinCruisin]

Most people don't adjust down... these tips are very important and cover the bare minimum of what is being done for you (including your cabin steward, dining team... if you eat and sleep, you will want to keep these tips on there)... Most people, if they experience service they feel deserves extra tipping, they tip in cash... we gave each person on our team a cash tip in the beginning, and during, and at the end of the cruise, in addition to the S&S Auto tips. Our entire team made sure we had a fabulous time...

[mtd716]

You can adjust tips at the purser's information desk. It sounds like you've only considered the possibility of adjusting down? That isn't the only option -- you can also adjust up for great service. Keep in mind that with your cabin steward in particular, you may never actually see them and therefore some people feel compelled to adjust down because they don't feel like they got "personal" service. Please please please, remember that your cabin steward is in your room at least twice a day to tidy, make/turn down your bed, stock fresh towels, and deliver your daily schedules. It's supposed to be as invisible and unobtrusive to you as possible. Unless they fail to do these things, don't adjust their tip down! If they go above by responding to special requests, etc., then definitely adjust up.

[hdawson]

In my 14 cruises, not once did the staff not deserve at least the recommended amount. Don't know why you would expect poor service.

[serene56]

When you first get onboard you will need to set up your cash on your card by visiting the Pursers desk. For a 7 day cruise you will need toput down 250 pp. Tips for your cruise will be automatically pulled onto your account the firt day. Figure 70 bucks per person. (you can go to the pursers desk and ask them to have it removed- they will not ask you why)
You can see your spending habits on your tv.

The people that you are tipping do get paid a very low salary- I think its 50 a month. (dont kill me if that amount is not right) The crew relies very heavily on tips from cruisers.

[mtd716]

[quote name='serene56']
The people that you are tipping do get paid a very low salary- I think its 50 a month. (dont kill me if that amount is not right) The crew relies very heavily on tips from cruisers.[/QUOTE]
That sounds about right -- I read somewhere that some crew only make something like $1.50 per day.

[mohavemommy]

[quote name='mtd716']That sounds about right -- I read somewhere that some crew only make something like $1.50 per day.[/QUOTE]There was a PBS special on last night... [url="http://www.pbs.org/opb/backtothefloor/carnival/index.htm"]http://www.pbs.org/opb/backtothefloor/carnival/index.htm[/url]

It was stated that the room steward is paid $1.50 per day to clean 19 cabins. When Bob Dickinson was talking with her, he asked her how much she made in tips in a month. She stated that her first month on board she made $4000. His eyes about fell out :eek: . She went on to state that she did all of the work herself that first month and it was so hard she felt she left a piece of herself in every room and cried alot, but has since "hired" on a helper (an off-duty deckhand) who she pays $800/mo. She was also quoted as saying: "To really do your job you must work very hard and when you know that at the end of the cruise some of your guests don't pay you any money that makes you feel very sad."

Tipping is a very personal thing, and you need to do what is appropriate for you.

[MrPete]

Does anyone know if the tips that are assigned to your S&S card go to your wait staff and cabin people? Or are they pooled?

[aceinnw]

Does anyone know that if you pre-pay the gratutites, which I did, if you still have to put $250 pp down (8-day cruise). I realize it needs to be that much if you have the tips taken out each day, but is it that much if you have already paid the tips.

p.s. I will be bringing extra cash for those deserving individuals who go above and beyond

[GoinCruisin]

Yes, if you are using cash on your S&S account, they require the deposit.. it may be reduced by the amount of your tips... but they still require a deposit..

[serene56]

thats $250.pp for a 7 day cruise. the tips will come off that 250 amount.

The tips are given to your servers only. (if they have a helper the cabin steward pays him/her out of his tips)

THe people who work the buffet are your servers and asst waiters in the dining room. They work this area on a roating basis on their off time.

[Cotton]

[quote name='MrPeteLI']Does anyone know if the tips that are assigned to your S&S card go to your wait staff and cabin people? Or are they pooled?[/QUOTE][b][color=darkslategray]Carnival spells this out in the brochure, as well as the Welcome Aboard brochure you receive with your docs:[/color][/b]

[b][color=#2f4f4f]Automatic tips: $10 per guest, per day. Broken down as: [/color][/b]

[b][color=#2f4f4f]$3.60 for stateroom service[/color][/b]
[b][color=#2f4f4f]$5.50 for dining room team service[/color][/b]
[b][color=#2f4f4f]$.90 for alternative dining staff and incentives.[/color][/b]

[mohavemommy]

Pretty mild tipping thread here........ usually there's more bashing

[img]http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/10/10_17_203.gif[/img]

[northerner]

[SIZE=3][COLOR=Magenta][FONT=Georgia]I did a jello shot before I started, just in case. I see all the usuals have yet to chime in though. Better be safe and have another.[/FONT][/COLOR][/SIZE] :D

[tamscottc]

Thanks all for your replies,

I am not anticipating bad service, I simply have never put cash on my sign and sail account on my past 4 Carnival Cruises. Also for the record, I normally give more than the alloted gratuities. I was interested in finding out if such an adjustment could be done, when using cash. I sure hope it wont have to, but I also will not tip for poor service.

Again Thanks,
Tammy