Does the tipping go on your credit card automatically?

[Sue C.]

I thought I was told by the guy I booked with at RCI that the tipping (approx. $70 for the week, he said) was mandatory and that it would be added to my credit card before we would be allowed off the ship. Is this correct? And what if I want to pay cash??

 

I don't have to use my credit card for anything else, do I? I can pay for anything on the ship with cash or traveler's checks, can't I? Including shore excursions? Or do shore excursions have to go on your credit card?

 

I'd rather not put stuff on my credit card.

 

Thanks,

Sue

 

Leaving 4/11 on Mariner of the Seas

Yippee!!

[depwa45]

Naw, your contact was smoking bananna peels. On the Explorer of the Seas two weeks ago, I filled out a quick form for tipping a few days into the cruise. They in turn gave me several "voucher" like coupons that I then put into envelopes and handed out to the staff on the last night. In signing this form, I agreed to have the tips (140.00 for both my wife and I) put onto my SeaPass card. I also do not like to use credit, so I gave them my debit card at embarkation. On the last night of the cruise, I basically paid the entire bill off. At embarkation, they do want a card to set up your account, but I did see some people handing over a wad of cash. It was very nice using this tipping system, in that I did not have to save a bunch of cash all week...cash that I really needed to spend at Carlos and Charlies. Anyway, they do not hold you hostage if you don't pay tips, but in my opinion, they should! The envelope system was nice, because I was able to put in the standard voucher, as well as some extra cash to those staff members that went above and beyond for us.

Hope this helps!

 

03/13/04- Explorer!!

Carnival Triumph January 2003

Sea Princess September 2002

Grand Princess January 2002

Inspiration June 1996

[madforcruising]

It´s just one of the options they offer.

These are the options you have for tipping (or not tipping )

 

1. The classical way. Just hand the crew you´d like to tip a cash amount at the end of the cruise, or whenever you like to tip. Envelopes for tipping are provided at the end of the cruise together with tipping guidelines from RCCL

 

2. You can prepay the tips for the cruise before you even go on the cruise with your final payment (ask your TA or whomeveryou booked with). They will provide coupons for you with the tipping envelopes to hand to the crew members. It´s up to you if you´d like to give a little more in extra cash with the coupon.

 

3. You decide during your cruise to get the tips prepaid through your seapass account. You´ll have to fill a form for this at the pusers desk. Rest of the procedure is the same as option 2.

It´s totally up to you how to settle your seapass account. You can do this with credit card, travellers cheque, cash.

 

Going with option two or three it´s not possible to adjust the prepaid tips. You can´t give less then the suggested amount and if you´d like to give more you have to give it in additional cash to the crewmember.

 

The only time you´ll be hold from disembarkation I recognized so far on ships have been if people haven´t cleared customs/immigration and or didn´t settle their seapass account. I´ve been never asked if I had tipped.

 

Disclaimer

With speaking about tipping less than suggested in this post I definitely don´t want to start another battle about how much to tip and if it is appropriate to tip less. It´s just a listing of the options I know about!

Please don´t start another endless flaming thread about what the people serving you deserve as tips.

 

First pics of the undocking of the Jewel of the Seas:

http://community.webshots.com/album/125049819TVWuuS

 

Jewel of the Seas - 05/28/04 Scandinavia / Russia / Baltic

 

Jewel of the Seas - 09/28/04 Canada / New England

 

 

09/2003 - Legend of the Seas Hawaii

06/2003 - Norwegian Dawn Florida and Bahamas

2002 - MS Columbus - Cruise to nowhere

2001 - Grandeur of the Seas Mediterranean and Transatlantic

2000 - Splendour of the Seas Transatlantic

2000 - Viking Star on the Danube River

1999 - Vision of the Seas Panamacanal cruise

1998 - Vision of the Seas Transatlantic

1997 - Crystal Symphonie to Mexican Riviera

1996 - Delta Queen on the Mississippi

1995 - Legend of the Seas to Alaska

 

[This message was edited by madforcruising on 04-03-04 at 04:04 AM.]

[TPKeller]

And for any new folks who may not have seen it, the calculator below will help a lot if you choose to use the cash option...

 

Theron

 

Explorer of the Seas 9/27/03 Western

Celebrity Century 9/28/02 Eastern (Thanks to Lili)

 

Cruise Tip Calculator - Calculate the amount and type of bills you need to stuff your tipping envelopes:

http://members.aol.com/CruiseTip/

[gigivic]

We filled out a form stating that we prefer to tip with cash and not have it automaticaly deducted from our card. Also if you tip the night before the last the tip will go to the person you want instead of them having to pool their tips.

 

VISION OF THE SEAS 9/2000

STATENDAM 5/2002

HOLIDAY 1/2003

RHAPSODY 4/2003

RHAPSODY 4/2004

 

 

 

[gambler]

The dining room staff does NOT pool tips.

 

Monarch of the Seas 09/92

Majesty of the Seas 11/93

Sovereign of the Seas 09/94

Majesty of the Seas 11/95

Grandeur of the Seas 11/99

Grandeur of the Seas 11/00

Grandeur of the Seas 06/01

Grandeur of the Seas 02/02

Navigator of the Seas 12/02

Rhapsody of the Seas 06/03

Radiance of the Seas 11/03

Grandeur of the Seas 05/04

Navigator of the Seas 11/04

[want2seaitall]

Wow...that calculator is really helpful...thanks so much for posting it TPKeller. Now that I've gone over to figure out my tips for my upcoming cruise...I have a ?!!! OK...I thought that the head waiter was the main waiter for your table...and of course he has his/or assistant waiter...then in addition there is a dining room maitre d. On the link for how to figure tips...they list a head waiter, waiter, and assistant waiter. Can someone clarify this for me??? Are they calling the Maitre D...the head waiter...I'm confused.

 

until my Majesty of the Seas cruise!

 

 

Carnival Inspiration - June 2003

 

RCCL Monarch of the Seas - July 2002

 

 

[madforcruising]

You are served by a waiter and his assistant at your table. These two have one or two tables to serve. The head waiter is responsible for a section of the dining room, supervising several waiters and head waiters. The Maitre D is responsible for the whole dining room. Sometimes the Head waiters are also called assistant Maitre D. Hope this explains some of your confusion.

 

First pics of the undocking of the Jewel of the Seas:

http://community.webshots.com/album/125049819TVWuuS

 

Jewel of the Seas left Meyerwerft Shipyard

See Photos of River Ems passage

http://community.webshots.com/album/131001309cIkOdH

Jewel of the Seas - 05/28/04 Scandinavia / Russia / Baltic

 

Jewel of the Seas - 09/28/04 Canada / New England

 

 

09/2003 - Legend of the Seas Hawaii

06/2003 - Norwegian Dawn Florida and Bahamas

2002 - MS Columbus - Cruise to nowhere

2001 - Grandeur of the Seas Mediterranean and Transatlantic

2000 - Splendour of the Seas Transatlantic

2000 - Viking Star on the Danube River

1999 - Vision of the Seas Panamacanal cruise

1998 - Vision of the Seas Transatlantic

1997 - Crystal Symphonie to Mexican Riviera

1996 - Delta Queen on the Mississippi

1995 - Legend of the Seas to Alaska

[want2seaitall]

Hhhhmmmm...on my two cruises...I've only had a head waiter and an assistant waiter...that were assigned our table and others...then on the last night...the maitre d would come over and introduce himself...never saw him. We've never had a third waiter...at all. Strange.

 

until my Majesty of the Seas cruise!

 

 

Carnival Inspiration - June 2003

 

RCCL Monarch of the Seas - July 2002

 

 

[GirlsxThree]

Ok...here's another question? What if you prepaid the tip when you paid for your cruise? Does anyone know how that works? Does the staff know in advance that you have already tipped so that they don't think that you stiffed them. Obviously that worries me. I am used to tipping cash the last night in envelopes and haven't ever done it this way before. Thanks!

[dlbaqua]

Just off the Splendour (yesterday) and I put the tips on my sea pass card. They did not hand out vouchers to give anyone and they will not put any additional amounts on sea pass so you'll need cash if you want to tip over the suggested amount

[yarlenna]

Some of the confusion is caused by the fact that other lines (notibly Carnival) will allow you to charge tips in any amount to your seapass card. RCI either does the recommended amount or not at all. I am also aware that on some lines, if the maitre d' (aka head waiter, aka dining room supervisor) and the assistant maitred' (with similar aka names) doesn't get enough in tips, the waiters and buspersons have to kick in to make up the difference. I don't believe that is the case on RCI. I have only tipped the maitred' or assistant maitred' when they have performed some service for me. These might include getting my dining assignment changed,or getting a birthday cake (without any surcharge), and successfully dealing with my family's dietary restrictions. If none of these are forthcoming, then nothing is forthcoming from me.

 

Work like a dog. Live like a pauper. Save all your money. Then Cruise!