Ok, so how much do YOU give as a tip?

[remydiva]

I read this article on Cruise Critic a couple of years ago and use the infomation as a guide now.

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=132

 

well according to that guideline I am tipping way too much! who knew!

 

also the article does not mention the big bugaboo that opting out of the autotip means the cash tip does not go directly to the intended receiver..it goes to the tip pool...but that is another thread.

[nho9504]

Yes, this is correct.. Person who never worked would get approx $600, for others it depends on their wages throughout the life.

Retiring age is higher.. For me it will be 67, or more by that time, given that our almost bankrupt goverment still have money to pay. ;)

 

If you refer to Social Security in US, you are INCORRECT.

 

People never work will get NOTHING.

 

You have to earn "credits" in order to qualify Social Security.

 

Maximum credits a person can earn per year is 4. It used to be based on hours worked, but now it is based on $ you earned. In 2008 you receive one credit for each $1,050 of earnings, up to the maximum of 4 credits per year.

 

In general, you need to work 10 years before you are eligible to receive Social Security benefits when you reach the age that entitles to, based on the year you are born. But you must work to earn the "credits".

 

Disable benefit has a table based on age and work that is less than the normal social security benefits. But they still have to work at least 5 years before they are eligible.

 

The only people who could receive benefits without working would be widow or widower, when the deceased spouse has worked at least 10 years. The widow or widower has to reach at least age of 60, or if they are disabled, age of 50, to be qualified for the survivor benefit.

 

Social security assistance is NOT the same as social security. It is a welfare, not a retirement benefits. Please get your concept correct first before posting misleading info.

 

http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/10072.html

 

You may want to read thru the FAQ so you have a better understanding on how SS works.

[cactusrose]

well according to that guideline I am tipping way too much! who knew!

 

also the article does not mention the big bugaboo that opting out of the autotip means the cash tip does not go directly to the intended receiver..it goes to the tip pool...but that is another thread.

 

No the article doesn't mention what happens if you opt out of the pool but it does encourage you to leave the autotip in place. I think this may be because the article is not specific to Princess. The guidelines are for additional tipping over and above the autotip.

[nho9504]

Yes, you are right, it's SSA. (Sosial Sequrity Assistance). Everybody else gets pension according to their contribution.

 

It is called SSI - Supplemental Security Income.

 

Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

 

Supplemental Security Income is a benefit which can be given to an individual whose monthly income and assets are below amounts that change annually. In addition to these financial eligibility criteria, the applicant must meet age requirements (65 or older) or must be able to establish a disability according to Social Security Disability guidelines. SSI pays cash benefits and entitles the individual to automatic Medicaid assistance. Use the Social Security contact information listed above for SSI information.

 

Even that, it is not for people who never work.

 

It is part of the welfare system that has financial assistance programs for low income people.

 

http://www.agingcarefl.org/caregiver/alzheimers/financial

 

There is no such thing called SSA.

[Putterdude]

We leave the auto-tip in place then tip each of the room steward, waiter and ass't waiter $10 to $20 depending on level of service every week. We also tip for room service and the head waiter if he does something special for us.

[Tatka]

 

Social security assistance is NOT the same as social security. It is a welfare, not a retirement benefits. Please get your concept correct first before posting misleading info.

 

http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/10072.html

 

You may want to read thru the FAQ so you have a better understanding on how SS works.

 

Oh, please don't be so serious. I wasn't going to give a lecture about this subject. All I wanted to show is approx minimum, but thank you for info.

[remydiva]

Oh, please don't be so serious. I wasn't going to give a lecture about this subject. All I wanted to show is approx minimum, but thank you for info.

 

different subject....different thread.....

[Donray]

Somehow I think $20 per day for the room steward is not correct.:rolleyes:

 

Maybe $20 for the 7 nights is more like it.:cool:

 

 

I hope your not that much of cheap skate.....

[Colo Cruiser]

different subject....different thread.....

 

 

I agree way of topic. :rolleyes:

[robgvic]

I really do hate it when people go so far off topic and then that becomes the thread of nastiness. It results in my not really wanting to look at Cruise Critic

[johnmik1]

We always leave the tip in place and usually tip the cabin steward $100 per week over and above.We also tip the headwaiter $50 per week and various servers from $10-$20 for exceptional dinner service.Being Elite,we come with clean clothes and go home with clean clothes which means the cabin steward must go down and pick them up before his shift starts.This is a lot of extra work so we tip accordingly.We cruise often and take longer cruises and feel that these people deserve the extra income as their service is usually excellent.

[Garn]

Ok, how about shore excursions? I really don't have a clue what's expected.

 

So, if you were to hire a private tour guide for the day, and were a group of 6 or 8 people, what would you tip them? What if there was both a driver and the guide?

 

How about a snorkeling trip, where there might be a guide, a bus and a boat?

 

This is assuming that they did a good job, of course.

[Tatka]

I hope your not that much of cheap skate.....

 

This poster was talking about $20 on top of the regular autotip.

 

We don't usually tip more than regular fare for 3 of us, what does it make us, even cheaper skate?

[nho9504]

We always leave the tip in place and usually tip the cabin steward $100 per week over and above.We also tip the headwaiter $50 per week and various servers from $10-$20 for exceptional dinner service.Being Elite,we come with clean clothes and go home with clean clothes which means the cabin steward must go down and pick them up before his shift starts.This is a lot of extra work so we tip accordingly.We cruise often and take longer cruises and feel that these people deserve the extra income as their service is usually excellent.

 

I agree about tipping the cabin steward more when you are elite - they do extra work to take care of the laundry (and shoe polishing if you require that, too).

[Nancyquilts]

I would suppose that the extra $5 or $10 that they have to throw into the kitty anyway

I always thought they could keep the extra tips, not put them in the kitty. That would make me lose incentive for tipping extra for good service. We tip extra because we want that particular person to keep and use the extra money. Nancy

[B40 Tha Cruisa]

I always thought they could keep the extra tips, not put them in the kitty. That would make me lose incentive for tipping extra for good service. We tip extra because we want that particular person to keep and use the extra money. Nancy

 

If you leave the auto-tip on, it is my understanding that they do keep anything extra.

 

If you remove the auto-tip it is thrown into the pool.

[spongerob]

Is that why they have to be emptied so often?

[pretenda]

how a cabin steward or a waiter would know if your auto tip had been removed and so would have to put a tip "in a pool"!

We always tip our waiters and cabin stewards (and lots of others too) - we've never been asked our room number or for any other details.

Glenda

[sultan_sfo]

We budget 50% extra above the auto-tips that is for 2 of us it is 2 auto-tips + at least a total extra cash tip = one auto-tip amount which we divide according to service. Laundry -- we give $10 tip with each load and request the cabin steward to give $5 of that to his laundry contact person.

 

...

Being Elite,we come with clean clothes and go home with clean clothes which means the cabin steward must go down and pick them up before his shift starts.This is a lot of extra work so we tip accordingly.

...

[johnmik1]

how a cabin steward or a waiter would know if your auto tip had been removed and so would have to put a tip "in a pool"!

We always tip our waiters and cabin stewards (and lots of others too) - we've never been asked our room number or for any other details.

Glenda

 

Waiters have asked us many times what our cabin # is and have written it down.

[DGNY]

how a cabin steward or a waiter would know if your auto tip had been removed and so would have to put a tip "in a pool"!

 

We always tip our waiters and cabin stewards (and lots of others too) - we've never been asked our room number or for any other details.

 

Glenda

 

When you go to the pursers desk to remove the auto-tip a report is generated. This report will go to the hotel manager who I'm certain will want to know if the steward knows why they were removed.

[rednancy1]

I hope your not that much of cheap skate.....

 

No I am not a cheapsskate. :(

 

The discussion was about how much extra to tip over and above the suggested gratuities. :rolleyes: Not $20 total for the week.

[rednancy1]

This poster was talking about $20 on top of the regular autotip.

 

We don't usually tip more than regular fare for 3 of us, what does it make us, even cheaper skate?

 

Thank you Tatka. :)

[ILOVEMEXICO]

We've only been on a couple of cruises but we've left the auto tip and then tipped the cabin stewart and head waiter and his assistant on our last evening.

 

As far as being rich and affording cruises - I agree with Pam - it's a choice of where we spend our money when not cruising that permits us to cruise or take land vacations. We are now on a retirement income which is by no means excessive, but even when we worked, we did not go out to eat in restaurants as often as lots of our friends would - we would much rather buy some really good steaks or seafood and cook a nice dinner at home as well as enjoy a nice bottle of wine - much cheaper. Then friends would say to us that we were rich because we would go on summer and winter vacations - that was and is not the case - it's just where we chose to spend our money - what little we have!!!

[happynanny99]

Congrats on your remission happynanny99!!!! Enjoy your cruise. You deserve it!!!!!

oh thank you am getting soo excited for christmas too .....feel so lucky.. good luck to you:)