PrePaid Gratuities

[VacationSteph]

I am leaving for my first Cruise in a few days and have been reading up as much as I can. When I booked the trip, I opted to get the Prepaid Gratuities. After reading Multiple Threads, it seems as though some people tip nightly. How will the Staff know that I have already payed the guidelines and anything extra is because they are doing a great job? I was a waitress in college and love to tip for great service. (I also have a habit of leaving post it notes with thank you's). I guess my question is, if I leave a couple extra dollars at my table, or in my room, how will it be taken, will they think I'm cheap, or know that I feel they are giving exceptional service?

 

Any advice is helpful :)

 

THanks

[Aquahound]

I'm assuming you are cruising on RC. You do not tip nightly. Tips are handed out at the end of the cruise. You will have vouchers delivered to your room. You put the vouchers in the provided envelopes and hand them to the crew.

[Cruising89143]

Most people do not tip nightly. You will find that most tip on the last night of the cruise.

 

Since you pre-paid your gratuities, you do not need to worry about anything. You will receive vouchers to hand out the last night to your wait staff and room steward. Enjoy your cruise.:)

[cb at sea]

You can either pre-pay, whereupon you will get vouchers to hand to the tipped staff on the last night. Or, you can tip in cash, again, on the last night. Your room attendant will leave envelopes in your cabin to put either cash or vouchers in.

The only cash tips you need to make on the ship DURING the cruise would be to room service delivery folks, if you use them. They are kitchen staff and are not part of the tipped employees.

[NorbertsNiece]

.....................SNIP.....................

The only cash tips you need to make on the ship DURING the cruise would be to room service delivery folks, if you use them. They are kitchen staff and are not part of the tipped employees.

 

I did not know that....... thanks.

[IBookHePays]

Sorry to jump in, but does anyone know if you can prepay the tips online after final booking? I can't seem to locate it.:confused: :)

[jensue1]

We prepaid our gratuities on our last cruise. They left the vouchers and envelopes in our room ready to give out on the last night. (I think they were left either the night before or during the day of the last night - can't remember). You just put the voucher into the appropriate envelope and give on the last night. It's really easy and a great way to do it. We put come extra cash into the evelopes of those who we thought had done a great job as well as the vouchers. :)

 

Have a great cruise!

[Aquahound]

Sorry to jump in, but does anyone know if you can prepay the tips online after final booking? I can't seem to locate it.:confused: :)

 

Yes. there is a form you can fill out on the ship. It will come to your room.

[VacationSteph]

Thanks all, the "tip" on "tipping" (no pun intended) the Room service was very helpful, I had assumed they were part of the wait staff.

Here is the scenario:

I would like to have Ice in my room in the evening... When I ask my cabin steward, can I give him an extra something than? Or is that frowned upon.... I always thinking tipping before can guarantee great and in some cases special service?

 

Thanks again...

 

oh and yes, I'm going on RCI, Vision of the Seas, Mexican Riviera on 7/20/08 YIPPPEEE

"First Timer Here"

[VacationSteph]

Sorry to jump in, but does anyone know if you can prepay the tips online after final booking? I can't seem to locate it.:confused: :)

 

 

Yes you can, online... Logon to RC go to My cruises, and than click on your Reservation. From the Vacation Summary Click on Modify for each guest you want to add the gratuities too... on the bottom of the screen. Press Save Changes and Continue and make your payment.

[Cincy-David]

Steph

 

I would like to have Ice in my room in the evening... When I ask my cabin steward, can I give him an extra something than? Or is that frowned upon.... I always thinking tipping before can guarantee great and in some cases special service?

 

I think you will find this is not necessary. We have always found RCI staff to be more than accomodating. If you ask or leave a note about ice bucket needs, there is a very very high percentage chance it will get done.

 

I actually ask to have mine filled numerous times a day due to a need to use so much to treat a foot condition. They do not know this, they just fill it every time I leave the room, never once have they missed.

 

(If you are out of your cabinat lot, Post It Notes on the mirrors are a great way of communicating request for the room attendant. Works like a charm. They know what you need and can make it all in one trip and have it there when you get back, rather than you having to wait until you see them to ask and then wait for it to be gathered.

 

RCI staff and crew and great in this manner. If the service is exceptional, you can leave a little extra at the end the cruise in the envelope.

 

NOTE: Some others will swear that pre-tipping the bar staff at your favorite haunt will get you better drinks and service. As a non drinker I cannot attest, but maybe others will chime in.

 

Have a great cruise

Dave

[tahoemc]

We have asked for extra ice - usually the first day I ask room service to bring a large bucket of ice for my beverages, then the cabin attendant will usually keep it filled along with the standard room bucket ( which isn't much bigger than a coffee cup LOL) for the remainder of the cruise. I tip both a little extra for this convenience.

 

Re: tip vouchers. You can also add your tips to your SeaPass account during the cruise. Your cabin attendant will leave a form that he/she will pick up, or you can return it to the customer service desk. During your last full day, vouchers for each of the service staff will be left in your room for you to distribute that evening. We, too, will put a little extra cash in the envelope if the service warrants.

 

Yes, sometimes a little extra goes a long way in receiving special service, although not as special as what is being discussed in the "Balcony Club" thread :D

 

Enjoy the Vision - we certainly did in Alaska 2006.

[VacationSteph]

Alright I"m packing the post its.... I've got plenty of them.... My son hates it... I post it everything including him... when he is sleeping and I need him to do something when he wakes up.... What did they do before the post it was invented!!!!

[IBookHePays]

Yes. there is a form you can fill out on the ship. It will come to your room.

 

Yes you can, online... Logon to RC go to My cruises, and than click on your Reservation. From the Vacation Summary Click on Modify for each guest you want to add the gratuities too... on the bottom of the screen. Press Save Changes and Continue and make your payment.

 

Thank you both!

[marteuge]

How much do I need to pay the tip for the room service (breakfast)?

[satxdiver]

How much do I need to pay the tip for the room service (breakfast)?

 

We usually tip $2 for room service. Room service is delivered by the kitchen staff. If we order a lot (seldom) we will give them a dollar or two more.

[VacationSteph]

Thanks all for the advice. I am used to going to resorts (not Cruises) and The service is sometimes not the greatest unless you give them a tease up front :)

[wrp96]

Thanks all for the advice. I am used to going to resorts (not Cruises) and The service is sometimes not the greatest unless you give them a tease up front :)

 

No need to tip up front. If the service is not good bring it to someone's attention while onboard. For example if it's your waiter or assistant waiter, bring it to the attention of your headwaiter. If it's your room steward bring it to the attention of housekeeping or report it to guest relations. By making them immediately aware of it, you give them a chance to fix the problem and make your vacation better.

[KelJ]

Alright I"m packing the post its.... I've got plenty of them.... My son hates it... I post it everything including him... when he is sleeping and I need him to do something when he wakes up.... What did they do before the post it was invented!!!!

Thank God that Romy and Michelle invented them!:D

[VacationSteph]

Thank God that Romy and Michelle invented them!:D

 

Hilarious! I forgot about that!!!

[negc]

Thanks all for the advice. I am used to going to resorts (not Cruises) and The service is sometimes not the greatest unless you give them a tease up front :)

 

As others have mentioned there is no need to tip upfront but if you do, and the service is not the greatest, what is your recourse? We have almost always been more than satisfied with the service provided to us onboard a cruise ship, and recognize that excellent service with an appropriate gratuity at the end of the cruise. In those very few instances when service was sub-par, it was reflected in our tips and on our end of cruise comment cards. Were I to tip upfront, I would feel that I was sending a message that I had very low expectations of receiving excellent service and felt it necessary to "bribe" the attendant to improve his or her performance.:)

[GrannyMouse]

You can either pre-pay, whereupon you will get vouchers to hand to the tipped staff on the last night. Or, you can tip in cash, again, on the last night. Your room attendant will leave envelopes in your cabin to put either cash or vouchers in.

The only cash tips you need to make on the ship DURING the cruise would be to room service delivery folks, if you use them. They are kitchen staff and are not part of the tipped employees.

 

 

Don't forget the Kids' Crew staff (if you use them). They are not included in the prepaids.

[cruisePRN]

Many times what you consider a tip upfront is viewed as a bribe. The service is exceptional for all passengers, that's what makes cruising better then land vacations.

[alwalaska]

Don't forget the Kids' Crew staff (if you use them). They are not included in the prepaids.

 

The kids crew is actually a salaried position rather than a tipping position, so tipping is not necessarily expected, but on our Disney cruise, they were so wonderful we decided to tip them at the end of the cruise. They were surprised and very happy since they don't often receive tips.

 

On another note on this thread, I read somewhere on the RCCL website that room service tips were at your discretion, but they have suggested amounts as minimums for the other tips. Most posts I have read say about $2 for tip to room service. We haven't used room service yet on our cruises, but others have said they saw their waiters delivering room service during off hours, so maybe they use both the kitchen staff and the wait staff depending on what time of day it is.:confused:

[GrannyMouse]

The kids crew is actually a salaried position rather than a tipping position, so tipping is not necessarily expected, but on our Disney cruise, they were so wonderful we decided to tip them at the end of the cruise. They were surprised and very happy since they don't often receive tips.

 

On another note on this thread, I read somewhere on the RCCL website that room service tips were at your discretion, but they have suggested amounts as minimums for the other tips. Most posts I have read say about $2 for tip to room service. We haven't used room service yet on our cruises, but others have said they saw their waiters delivering room service during off hours, so maybe they use both the kitchen staff and the wait staff depending on what time of day it is.:confused:

 

We were on NCL Sun in January with two grandkids. The Kids Crew gave out tip envelopes on the last night of the cruise. A good staff can make or break the cruise for kids. We happily contributed as the staff was wonderful.