Tipping

[lydiagb]

Can we put the tips on our credit card or do we need to get cash out before we board the ship? We'll be on the Mercury if that makes any difference.

 

Thanks!

 

Lydia

[teedee]

You can do it either way, have it put on your sail and sign, or tip in cash at the end of the cruise. On the Century if you wanted it on your shipboard account they gave you a card stating that tips have been added to your account so the wait staff know you didn't stiff them.

 

Terri

[toni1266]

Hi Lydia... You can add your tips to your shipboard account.. They will give you a slip about halfway through your cruise and you just have to fill it out.. Or you can get cash in the casino (also charged to your shipboard account) and put the cash in the envelopes if you'd rather do it that way.. I like giving cash, it seems more personal.. But that's just me.. :) Enjoy your cruise!!

[Stanley]

As was stated.... You can charge it to your credit card or give cash. We decided to give cash because the staff eventually gets the money but I think the ship waits until the charges are cleared with the CC company. They seem to prefer getting the cash.

[JeffHatfield]

It's none of my business, but I wonder if the cruise lines charge the help a handling fee for collecting and distributing the tips with the on board charge account. We prefer to give cash anyway.

[flagger]

There was a post on the RCL board that they charged a $9 service charge to put his tips on his crecit card.

[ajpack]

We put the tips on our credit card this time and I don't think I'll do it again. Granted, it was much easier, but it was so impersonal. Who knows if Celebrity takes a service fee?

 

Anne

[howard6933]

It seems as if all of the cruise lines are going to the automatic tipping

policy adding them to your on board charges. Just before they started

this on Princess, they were doing a thing where you went to any bar on the

ship and charged it to your card and received a voucher which you gave

to your cabin steward or dining room steward, etc. I asked our dining room

steward how long he would have to wait to get his money, and he told me

he got it immediately. I personally think that all the cruise lines are

eventually going to go to the add-on to your charge account whether

you like it or not. No matter how it's done, it seems to come out to the

same amount. In the "old days" when you handed your envelope to the

dining room steward, he thanked you of course, and then stuffed the

envelope into his pocket. With all the people he was serving at that last

night meal, he probably didn't even know who gave him what, unless the

person put their name on or in the envelope. So, my feeling is "whatever

will be, will be" and we'll liev with it.

[greeneg]

Good point, Howard. We've added the tips to our shipboard account on our last two Celebrity cruises and found it to be much more convenient than carrying the additional cash from the start of the trip. We were not charged a handling fee for the service and we did get the additional bonus of some extra frequent flyer miles.

[Kami's pal]

Howard6963

 

You can make certain that the busy staff knows who tipped them. Write a note. Include your email address and you might even get an acknowledgment. I have on 3 out of 8 cruises. Mind you these were staff I'd made an effort to visit with. I agree that they are too busy to give much time but a minute or so every meal adds up, or a longish visit while they are in your cabin, or from the door while waiting to go ashore etc. I prefer to bill my account. That saves me the fuss of having to carry cash and hold on to it the whole voyage. I really like the strategy which allows me to fill out a form and direct tips to specific individuals. And I like constructive feedback. I keep a journal always, so remembering the "extra miles" is easy. The comment card with the multiple choice, and notes is important. I had one steward tell me that she was hoping to upgrade and that my comments would be significantly important. That is another way to recognize effort. I always try to solve problems face to face before resorting to complaints. So far this has been most satisfactory. I tip room service etc. every time. Twice on Celebrity and once on HAL the room service waiter has looked very uneasy and refused the tip. I was wondering why that happened.

[tuggers]

Ya'll probably get tired of hearing this, but for the benefit on any who have not heard it, here goes. I have asked crew on several X ships which they prefer in the tipping. Without a doubt it is the cash. When you tip through the ship you get a voucher sort of thing to put in an envelope or hand to them so they know they didn't get 'stiffed', then they take that to purser or wherever much like a check where they get to stand in line to get cash. Just easier from all stand points to do cash.. I mean how hard is it. If it is for you, use the tip calculator and figure out your tips before you go, it will tell you exactly what denomination of bills you need. Go to the bank, get those bills, paper clip them together, when you get to your room, put them in the safe. Now all you have to worry about are the few bills to add for the 'above and beyond' service and that you get on one of your trips to the casino. Very easy for all and I feel, much more personal for a server who has worked very hard to please you for 7, 9, 10 or 14 days. Surely you owe them 10 minutes to put some cash in an envelope!:)

[smudge's mom]

I find the envelope thing demeaning and uncomfortable - the old "master doling out money to the peons" feeling. I prefer my tips on my account.

 

Besides, I am betting that when a cruiseline has auto tipping as a routine, the staff gets more tips because it takes effort to go to the pursers desk and ask for the tips to be removed. On the other hand, it doesn't take much effort to either put less money in the envelope or to avoid the last night at the dining table.

 

Auto tipping will never prevent those who wish to tip more from doing so. It will never prevent anyone from doing anything "personal" if they so choose.

[slverbell]

We prepay the tips. I bring thank you cards and hand that out to those who take care of us. I always include a personal message on the card. I also add an additional amount of money if the service warrants it. (it usually does). I think all of us know of someone that refuses to tip in restaurants. They are very flippant about it and usually condone their behavior with comments like the restaurant should pay the staff more. I think there must be a lot of people like that on the cruise and I hope that prepaid tips become mandatory. We only had one experience with a room steward that only did the minimum. Regardless, he earned the minimum tip that was suggested. :)

[howard6933]

All of the comments have been pretty good and all are relevant. I agree

with Kami's pal about the comment cards. It does a LOT OF GOOD if you

make sure you mention the name of your cabin steward,, dining room

steward or whomever you feel gave you extra good service. I have been

told by these people that it is very important if they are named on your

comment cards and it goes a long way to them getting promoted, better

work assignments, etc. Of course the tipping is important to them also, but

the opportunity for them to get better jobs is pretty important as well.

As far as the tipping itself is concerned, I have always given cash directly

with a note in the envelope so that they know who it came from. But as

I said above, I really believe that all cruise lines will be going to the

autromatic tipping on your charge card. "Whatever will be, will be".