extra tipping onboard?

[new_cruiser_22]

I wonder if most cruisers will give extra tips to the service people onboard the ship? - I know that the $10/pp will be automatically charged to our credit card at checking-in, but would like to know what most other cruisers would do with the "extra tipping"? Any suggestions or any rules to follow?

 

Thanks.

[blwms]

You will get a lot of opinions on this one. The auto ten dollars per day is fine. Many will tip more...some will have the auto removed and tip individually. It is a matter of choice. I like the auto tip and at times have given a little extra but certainly you should not be compelled to do that nor should anyone try to convince you to do so. Tipping is and always has been a personal matter but I have never had such poor service that I felt I needed to lower the auto tip. But some people say they have.

[Ashleezmom]

I wonder if most cruisers will give extra tips to the service people onboard the ship? - I know that the $10/pp will be automatically charged to our credit card at checking-in, but would like to know what most other cruisers would do with the "extra tipping"? Any suggestions or any rules to follow?

 

Thanks.

 

I always give extra to our cabin steward..the amount depending on how well he attended to us..on all of my cruises I have only had one that was so so...go I usually give a $20 on the first day as a bribe ;) to keep us content and then more upon leaving. I also give extra to anyone who goes over and beyond their job and makes us feel special. I even leave dollars for the waiters/bussers in the buffet (some of them are sooo attentive you just want to give them a little something extra)

[Iggipolka]

I usually bring a thank you note, with $20 inside and give it to my cabin steward at the end of the cruise. I've thought about giving it to him the first night of the cruise, but I have some internal conflict about "bribes".

[caribbean dreams]

If i feel the service was extra good, then i will give an extra tip, i love the Deli sandwiches and usually give them extra also.

[hstrybuf]

There are any number of people you might wish to tip extra, but that is purely your choice of who, how much and when. We usually tip extra to our waitstaff and steward, a favorite bartender or server and DH might tip the dealer at the blackjack table if he's doing well. Some people also tip the Camp Carnival staff.

[Kurbanfan]

Like the others have said you are not obligated in any way to tip above the auto tips. The choice is totally up to you.

We always give our room steward money upon arrival for our special requests. Do what you see fit.

Have fun on your cruise!

[martym112]

Besides the $10/pp/per day that went on our charge automatically, we also gave our cabin steward $20 the 1st day and because our service was so superior, we gave him another $20 on the last day, too. He really went above and beyond the call of duty in keeping our cabin well stocked with supplies and in pristine order. Our cabin steward on the Glory, Don, was the best one of all my cruises; even better than the ones on my cruises with NCL & Celebrity (and they were very good)! The first $20 may be considered a bribe but the 2nd $20 was definitely a reward for excellent service!

[Bunkie103]

Only time I didn't tip the wait staff and cabin steward extra was on our CTN. No one on that cruise had time to say "hello" nor did we ever meet the room steward. Otherwise, we have always felt the service was above average and deserved to be recognized.

[Hobiecat01]

We always tip our room steward $20 when we meet him/her upon boarding. While not technically a bribe...we always seem to be the first few on our deck area to get our luggage! I don't know if this has anything to do with it, but I'm not changing to find out.

[Iggipolka]

So, for those who do tip your room steward on the first day, how do you do it? Do you just hand him/her the $20 and while saying hello, or do you have it in an envelope or do you leave it in the room for them?

[Kurbanfan]

So, for those who do tip your room steward on the first day, how do you do it? Do you just hand him/her the $20 and while saying hello, or do you have it in an envelope or do you leave it in the room for them?

 

It's always different. On our last cruise in December on the Valor our room steward Adrian came in and introduced himself to me and my dh. Chit chatted a little...then he saw our ice chest sitting on the bed and he grabbed it and said I will go fill this up with ice for you and off he went. Came back and took our (smuggled) beer and put it in the ice chest.

My dh shook his hand with a $20:) Adrian was such a sweet guy....

[luvgoldens]

If the service warrants it, we generally give extra tips to our room steward and dining staff. As far as bar staff goes, we don't give extra tips if they just hand us two cans of beer. However, for a nicely made cocktail, or if one of bar servers routinely makes sure we have what we need, then we give them extra as well.

[lizardhowson]

I wonder if most cruisers will give extra tips to the service people onboard the ship? - I know that the $10/pp will be automatically charged to our credit card at checking-in, but would like to know what most other cruisers would do with the "extra tipping"? Any suggestions or any rules to follow?

 

Thanks.

 

There are "no rules to follow" :eek:

 

As far as suggestions, do what your heart tells you ! :D And that will be different for every single person.

[crusinsteveAfghanistan]

Me, I'm a tipper, according to my DW too much so, however, having traveled all over the world, I've found extra tips make things happen extra. I always tip our steward at the beginning, explaining what extras I would like performed and if after a day or so it hasn't happened I use a little persuassion, by stating my needs again. If he/she fails then no more tips, but I have never had a problem with the staff. These folks work long hours and tips make their week. If you went to a fancy restarant, you would tip 15-20% and thats the rule I follow. Same in a quality hotel, you leave something for the cleaning staff. The difference from a hotel, is this service is more personal. Take care of the staff and they will be grateful.:D

 

I love the service and if you treat people nice, they in turn do the same for you. Just my opinion.;)

 

29 cruises down,

hundreds to go!

[luv2cruise777l]

We usually tip our cabin steward $20 when we first meet him or her. We always have a small ice chest that we like to keep full of ice and it does seem to help when we tip the room steward when we first meet him or her. I also like to tip the cocktail waiter or waitress during the Past Guest party and at the Captain's cocktail party. :)

[Cotton]

Wow...I'm always amazed that folks tip 'up front'. And yes, it's definitely a bribe (nasty word).

 

The thing is that these folks who DO tip up front have no idea if they would get the same service throughout the cruise or not.:D I've never felt the need to tip anyone before service is rendered, and I've had the best service I can imagine.

 

A cabin steward once told me that he feels bad when folks do that, as he felt they didn't think he would do a good job without incentive. Sad.

[Kurbanfan]

One persons bribe is another persons honest gratidude:)

That is why tipping is a personal matter.........

Some will complain that someone doesn't tip, then when someone tips above and beyond (regardless if its in the beginning) they still complain.......To each his own......

[CorbinCatFan]

Seems like on every cruise, there will be that one or two extra special person that I will give an extra tip. I had a room steward who went out of his way to make our stay wonderful.

 

I've had a member of the wait staff who will remember my name, folio number, and my fav cocktail without asking and would bring those to me at the cocktail parties.:cool:

 

I've had only one head waiter who came by each night to talk. He also remembered our names and where we were from. He would suggest things to do at the next day's port.

 

For those who went out of their way, I had no problem with leaving a little extra for them.

[southbayer]

Yeah I kinda agree with Cotton....

Here are my two cents worth... And please, no hate replies, or everything I say is SET IN STONE or in LAW, cause it isn't.....

But for those who tip the $20 immediately, aren't you kinda sayin "you must give me better service than everyone else gets" ??

I mean I can see doing this on your last night, by then you can appreciate the service you have gotton, and you can say a thank you to the room steward that helped make a part of your cruise very enjoyable.

Now I know I know I know, its your money... I'm just giving an opinion, cause this is Cruise "Critic".

I tip extra myself... I have been known to leave during mid week maybe $6. for them after I leave the room, maybe another $5 down the line... But "for me", I don't think I would tip $20 up front.

[Kurbanfan]

But for those who tip the $20 immediately, aren't you kinda sayin "you must give me better service than everyone else gets" ??

 

 

 

 

Nope. Don't get me wrong.....I'm sure there are some out there that probabley even say that to their stewards......but I'm sure those are the same ones that remove their tips at the end of the cruise even if they got good service.....

If you feel that it's better to tip at the end....in my opinion that's not a problem. If you want to tip up front in my opinion that's not a problem.

We have done it both ways....it just depends on that particular situation.

Do whatever feels right for you......

[southbayer]

I just hope the stewards out there on ships aren't reading these posts... Can you imagine if they did what they would think of us ?? Probably something like "why are they making such a big fuss, just don't stiff our auto tips and we're happy".

[patrice1]

We bring plenty of singles & always tip the bar staff for each round. We generally bring thank you cards and, if the service was good, give extra to the steward, assistant, waiter, assistant, favorite bartender & MD, if we saw him & conversed during the week. Service has always been excellent, but I think our Triumph cruise last year was the best we've had on any line. His service was so good, we even tipped our bar waiter on the last night!:D

[hstrybuf]

I just hope the stewards out there on ships aren't reading these posts... Can you imagine if they did what they would think of us ?? Probably something like "why are they making such a big fuss, just don't stiff our auto tips and we're happy".

 

People from Carnival read these boards all the time. One or more of them could be a steward.

[Cruising Cpl]

We bring plenty of singles & always tip the bar staff for each round. We generally bring thank you cards and, if the service was good, give extra to the steward, assistant, waiter, assistant, favorite bartender & MD, if we saw him & conversed during the week. Service has always been excellent, but I think our Triumph cruise last year was the best we've had on any line. His service was so good, we even tipped our bar waiter on the last night! :D

 

 

Thanks for the great idea to bring thank you cards for additional tipping