Tipping ??

[BluexMoon]

Ok, need to get something cleared up. If I want to tip "accordingly", I go to the purser's desk day 1 and have the auto tips removed from my S&S card. Then what? Can I, at the end of the cruise, write in the amt on my bill, or do I have to go back to the purser's desk wait in line and do it in person?

[GoinCruisin]

You will do this in person at the pursers desk. Keep in mind that when you remove your S&S tips, the tip you leave at the end will be added to the pool and then distributed among the staff... if you leave them on your S&S, any additional cash you give them is theirs to keep. ALot don't know that and feel they want to tip for excellent service so they want to remove the tips... not realizing that in reality, this screws them.... they no likey :D The tips are their income, so I can understand why!! But yes, go to the pursers desk and they will assist you...

[Cotton]

From what I understand from those few who have all tips removed from their S&S account, they tip individually with envelopes.

[tef43]

From what I understand from those few who have all tips removed from their S&S account, they tip individually with envelopes.

And as GC has posted, these tips must be pooled *if* the pax has removed them 100% from the S&S.

[Cotton]

Yeah... not quite fair, is it? :o

[GoinCruisin]

Yeah... not quite fair, is it? :o

No, it's not. What would be fair is if they paid these people more than $1.50 a day and they did not have to rely on everyone doing the right thing... it is also not fair that they do not publicize this to PAX so they know when they remove tips they are doing a disservice to the crew... our steward had a panic attack when we gave him money, he thought we were removing our tips... we told him we were not, we were just planning on tipping him extra for all his hard work... it worked :D

[SxyEbnyFem]

LOL! I have a question. :p

What happens when we pre-pay all of our gratuities with our last payment and we decide to tip individuals in addition? Are their extra tips pooled as well?

Thanks in advance!

Happy sailing,

T.

[GoinCruisin]

Yo T!!!! No, they get to keep anything you tip in addition to what you put on your S&S or prepay!! So tip away girlfriend!!!

[pholter]

Ok, need to get something cleared up. If I want to tip "accordingly", I go to the purser's desk day 1 and have the auto tips removed from my S&S card. Then what? Can I, at the end of the cruise, write in the amt on my bill, or do I have to go back to the purser's desk wait in line and do it in person?

If I'm understanding your question directly, you still want to add the tips to your bill, but not have it there automatically?? If it were me, I'd do the easy thing and just leave them from the get go to avoid 2 trips to the Purser's Desk. When your service is great, you'll be glad you did! Then, you're only out a small amount of cash should you wish to tip on top of the $70 per person per week.

[mencik]

Now to the really annoying....

 

While on the Destiny last week, I overheard someone ask a staffer how to remove the tips for their headwaiter and assistant waiter since they never ate in the dining room all week. While I didn't say anything to them, I should have.

 

Whether or not they eat in the dining room is their choice. However, the dining staff had to be ready every single night in case they decided to show up. In addition, there was still work to be done in preparing enough food, both in the diding room and the Lido restaurants to make sure they would be fed. The Lido staff does come around and clean tables, refill coffee, and sometimes bring desserts. Someone should get tips for all that service. From the tone of her voice, I inferred that she didn't plan to tip anyone other than her cabin steward.

 

I think that type of arrogance is what gives Americans the bad reputations that at least in they case they truly deserve.

[hstrybuf]

I agree. Leave the tips on and then you can give extra in cash at the end of the week if you've had great service. If you have really bad service, then have the tips either removed or adjusted downward at the Purser's desk. Frankly, I've never had service bad enough to warrant adjusting the tips down. Usually it's great and we tip extra on the last night. :)

[tef43]

Remember also that the automatic tipping amount is considered an absolute minimum. Service would have to be darn near non-existant to reduce that amount.

[trscuit]

OK I am a little confused. Can you reduce (not eliminate) the automatic tip and then tip in cash ? If you tip someone extra and another person less (in cash) does all of that cash go into a "pool" or do the individuals get to keep all of the cash?

Thanks

[beth_s]

Yo T!!!! No, they get to keep anything you tip in addition to what you put on your S&S or prepay!! So tip away girlfriend!!!

 

To make sure I got this all right ....LOL ... and as you know ... you and I have discussed tipping alot on this here board ......shew ..... I just want to understand as a first time cruiser the right thing to do ........ the 50 dollars ( I will be on a 5 night cruise) .... gratuity that I pay will be distributed among the entire ship ... and then whatever extra I give to my room steward and to the bartender ....wooo hooo ... will be theirs to keep ? ..... Is that right ? .... man this is all too confusin' .... lmao ... I appreciate your help girlie ..... Happy Cruisin'

 

Beth

[BluexMoon]

Can I pre-pay tips so hubby does not have a heart attack when my S&S invoice comes under the door?

[tef43]

Can I pre-pay tips so hubby does not have a heart attack when my S&S invoice comes under the door?

Certainly. Then if you choose to enhance any gratuities during the cruise with cash, the recipient keeps 100% and does not have to submit them to the pool.

[steveaaaa]

Now to the really annoying....

 

While on the Destiny last week, I overheard someone ask a staffer how to remove the tips for their headwaiter and assistant waiter since they never ate in the dining room all week. While I didn't say anything to them, I should have.

 

Why should you have said anything? This is none of your business.The brochure clearly states that "How much you tip is purely a personal matter" and the brochure also clearly states "you have complete discretion to adjust these gratuities while on board based on the level of service you receive during the cruise". So this is a CCL issue again.You beef is with CCL and you should contact them.Tips should be part of the cruise fare.How many times have you contacted them about this?

 

 

Whether or not they eat in the dining room is their choice. However, the dining staff had to be ready every single night in case they decided to show up. In addition, there was still work to be done in preparing enough food, both in the diding room and the Lido restaurants to make sure they would be fed. The Lido staff does come around and clean tables, refill coffee, and sometimes bring desserts. Someone should get tips for all that service. From the tone of her voice, I inferred that she didn't plan to tip anyone other than her cabin steward.

 

Again, did you read the brochure? It clearley states that "$0.90 per guest per day goes to the "Alternative dining service and incentives for dining staff". They are tipped.If you want to be technical, some people only eat in the dining room so why tip the alternative?? So let me see if I get this straight, when I book a cruise, I get the choice of choosing early seating,late seating, or no seating? They make you choose one and this the problem. A seat is available and their wages are based on that seat.Tips should be part of the fare.

 

I think that type of arrogance is what gives Americans the bad reputations that at least in they case they truly deserve.

 

Are goverment are the ones who let foreign flagged vessels operate like they do.They are the ones who know that these people are from low wage countries and are paid low wages.Yet you seem to think we have an obligation to supplement their wages.Why? The tips should be part of the fare and until you take it up with the corporation that structures these type of things this way and our goverment for allowing it, why interfear with other peoples right to choose.How stupid is it that there is a 'Suggested amount".Does this not suggest that we as americans are too stupid to figure it out? No, this is the cruise lines way making us pay the wages of people they treat like crap. If you have any concern take it up with your congress person. These ships that operate from US ports should be governed by US labor laws.It is that simple but we know it will never happen.The crew should be paid real wages and we should be able to tip them what we choose and not have it pooled. This is another issue regarding tips that shows how transparent they are or another argument that could be raised. If you are sailing with a group and one of your group receives real bad service from their cabin steward,should you not tip your steward because the one who gave real bad service would not really be hurt because with the pooling, thay are almost uneffected.Why work hard or go the extra mile when you still get paid. The tips should either be part of the fare or not pooled so each worker truley gets what they work for.

 

Steve

[L2J]

Ok, need to get something cleared up. If I want to tip "accordingly", I go to the purser's desk day 1 and have the auto tips removed from my S&S card. Then what? Can I, at the end of the cruise, write in the amt on my bill, or do I have to go back to the purser's desk wait in line and do it in person?

If you want to tip "accordingly" why would you want to REMOVE tips?

[pholter]

Can I pre-pay tips so hubby does not have a heart attack when my S&S invoice comes under the door?

Yes- if you booked through Carnival, you can just call your Agent or PVP and have them take care of that today. I'm not sure if you can do that with outside agencies or not. I'm betting you can just call carnival with your booking number regardless and have them put it on a credit card now.

[SevenVII]

While I didn't say anything to them, I should have.

Not really, it isnt your place to tell the guy how to tip. You can sit there in disgust but it really isnt your business at all what he does/doesnt tip. So you did the right thing! :D

 

Remember also that the automatic tipping amount is considered an absolute minimum.

To whom?

 

For our guests' convenience, we automatically add the recommended gratuities to the onboard Sail & Sign account on embarkation day.

It says recommended, not minimum recommended....where did you see thats its the minimum?

[Bruenor]

What do you think about pre-tipping the cabin steward and your waiter when you first see them if you want to make sure that you get extra special service?

[HarleyChick]

Yes- if you booked through Carnival, you can just call your Agent or PVP and have them take care of that today. I'm not sure if you can do that with outside agencies or not.

We booked with an outside TA and we were able to pre-pay our tips. They were on our invoice along with the cruise fare and port charges.

 

One less item to have to worry about on our S&S. :)

[SevenVII]

What do you think about pre-tipping the cabin steward and your waiter when you first see them if you want to make sure that you get extra special service?

A lot of people do this and they seem to like the chance of getting special attention/service. I would say go for it, could be a win/win situation. I am sure the cabin stewards would love to reward those who have rewarded them! :D

[hstrybuf]

Everyone's opinion on who, how and when we should tip covers the range from no tipping to tipping extra and tipping at the beginning, during and end of the cruise. There are lots of possible combinations. Personally, I tip the suggested amount (never had really bad service), tip a little extra at the beginning for special requests, and tip extra at the end if the service has been better than I expected (and it usually is). Tipping during the cruise depends on circumstances for me as well.

 

I see things slightly different when it comes to having a suggested amount. No, I don't think anyone, American or otherwise, is stupid. I see it as a guideline, especially to help first time cruisers or cruisers who are sailing a specific line for the first time. Also as a starting point for those of us who do tip. If they want to charge me $10 per day for the services provided, that's fine with me because I know that I can adjust it if necessary. I believe it's HAL that no longer allows you to adjust that.

 

I find it unfortunate that the crew depends on our tips to make a decent wage, but it isn't going to put a dent in my pocket to give them the suggested amount or more. It really is a small amount when you add up all the other costs of a cruise.

 

I personally have not had service suffer because of the automatic tipping. When and if it does, I still have options. Talk to the appropriate person to remedy the situation, adjust the tips, or go somewhere else next time.

 

Bruenor, tipping at the beginning of a cruise will not guarantee you extra special service. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. If it does, then your cruise experience will be that much better. If not, you still have the option of adjusting the tips that they automatically charge to your account. Or you can make your concerns known. If you do have concerns, don't wait until after the cruise to let someone know.

 

Whatever you or I do (or anyone else), let's hope for a great cruise!

[steveaaaa]

What do you think about pre-tipping the cabin steward and your waiter when you first see them if you want to make sure that you get extra special service?

 

What is considered extra special service that is above their job?

Steve

 

PS.Save your money until you see that extra special service,then you can extend a gratuity.