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

[billco]

We have beat the horse of autotips to death and my thread will hopefully die a natural death....

 

So, let's talk numbers...I mean $$$$.

 

IF you leave the autotip aka 'hotel charge', 'service charge' 'surcharge' in place AND you want to leave a cash tip as an extra THANK YOU to a staff member who is exceptional, how much do YOU leave for:

room steward? waiter?

assistant waiter?

head waiter?

hostesses?

favourite bar tender?

And I have a second ?, ...

 

when you buy drinks from the bar, pool or liquor in the dining room, a 15% 'tip' is automatically put on the bill. Who gets that $$? :confused:

 

If it goes into the tip pool along with your 'autotip', then is that doubletipping?

 

Depends on cruise length or times served.

room steward? $20/day

waiter? $5.00 meal

assistant waiter? $3.00 per meal

head waiter? $2.00 per meal

hostesses? $5.00 per drink

favourite bar tender? $100

[chrysalis]

Depends on cruise length or times served.

room steward? $20/day

waiter? $5.00 meal

assistant waiter? $3.00 per meal

head waiter? $2.00 per meal

hostesses? $5.00 per drink

favourite bar tender? $100

 

room steward must love you at $20 per day

[Tatka]

I don't know how Princess splits tips, but on Celebrity it's 3.5 pp/pd, so if steward has 12 (min) cabins to clean, he gets around $84 a day, but I figure it's usually more, as there are 3-4 people in some of the rooms. (let's say he gets $100/day tax free)

 

Pretty decent compensation, considering he doesn't have to live in US and pay for everything we are paying.

[Melxx]

I think a "pension" in the UK is the same as our Social Security. Is that correct?

 

We leave the autotips on. When people deserve extra, they will get extra. Most usually do. I will tip a head waiter or maitre d' if I have asked for something that they have to approve and provide, or if I have needed their assistance with something. I'm just sharing the wealth, so to speak.:)

 

Hi all,

 

In the UK a pension is paid to people who have retired from work due to being at a pensionable age because our laws have been changed that means a woman of an age between 60 and 65 and men from 65 to 68 will be able to have a weekly payment paid to them by the government all UK citizens qualify for this state pension don't know if thats the same as USA Social Security?

 

The reason we cruise at Christmas it's the only time my husband and I can shut down our business.

[AJMissal]

Did you know that if you remove the auto tip that the staff has to give the cash tips to Princess. When you give a cash tip, they now ask your room number. If it shows that your auto tips have been kept on, they may keep the tips, however if you take it off, they get nothing.

 

I gave our room stewart $40.00 and the waiter $20.00 and junior waiter $10.00. I would have given them more, but they were very very very slow. I think Princess cut back on the staff!

[swom]

We also leave on the auto tip and if our cabin steward has been fantastic, (as they usually are) we tip them an extra 40 to 50 bucks and exceptional bartenders get an extra 20 each for a 7 day cruise.

[juggles]

think it is not correct that anybody makes comments about when or where a person cruises to. think you should be happy to be healthy and be of pensionable age and fit enough to go on a holiday. we are going on a new year cruise to celebrate my remission of the big c. some people go away at christmas because they have not got family to share the holiday with. please dont assumem merry christmas:)

 

 

I think nobody has a sense of humour on here either!! Jeez I'm glad I have

[Tatka]

Hi all,

 

In the UK a pension is paid to people who have retired from work due to being at a pensionable age because our laws have been changed that means a woman of an age between 60 and 65 and men from 65 to 68 will be able to have a weekly payment paid to them by the government all UK citizens qualify for this state pension don't know if thats the same as USA Social Security?

 

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. ;)

[NevadaHiRoller]

I bring plenty of crisp 100 dollar bills and I usually hand one out to the room steward, one to the waiter and one to the asst waiter, as I believe they work just as hard as the waiters. I don't always use or see the same bar tenders.

[rdsqrl]

I don't know how Princess splits tips, but on Celebrity it's 3.5 pp/pd, so if steward has 12 (min) cabins to clean, he gets around $84 a day, but I figure it's usually more, as there are 3-4 people in some of the rooms. (let's say he gets $100/day tax free)

 

Pretty decent compensation, considering he doesn't have to live in US and pay for everything we are paying.

You have got to be kidding. He may not live in the U.S. but he lives somewhere! -- where he has taxes and bills to pay and rent and perhaps a family he supports, plus saving for retirement.

I simply don't understand people who post comments like yours. Who are you to determine whether the steward makes "decent compensation"? Their take-home pay is none of our business. And, you should know that your little scenario above fails to take into consideration your Celebrity steward's tip-out to their assistant and other behind-the-scenes workers -- so your calculations are not only inappropriate but also wrong.

[swom]

we are going on a new year cruise to celebrate my remission of the big c. some people go away at christmas because they have not got family to share the holiday with. please dont assumem merry christmas:)

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

[babyher]

think it is not correct that anybody makes comments about when or where a person cruises to. think you should be happy to be healthy and be of pensionable age and fit enough to go on a holiday. we are going on a new year cruise to celebrate my remission of the big c. some people go away at christmas because they have not got family to share the holiday with. please dont assumem merry christmas:)

 

 

 

Congratulations on your remission. :)

 

My mom just celebrated 3 years being cancer free after being diagnosed with breast cancer.

 

Many many more happy healthy years to you both :)

[Tatka]

You have got to be kidding. He may not live in the U.S. but he lives somewhere! -- where he has taxes and bills to pay and rent and perhaps a family he supports, plus saving for retirement.

 

I simply don't understand people who post comments like yours. Who are you to determine whether the steward makes "decent compensation"? Their take-home pay is none of our business. And, you should know that your little scenario above fails to take into consideration your Celebrity steward's tip-out to their assistant and other behind-the-scenes workers -- so your calculations are not only inappropriate but also wrong.

 

If you don't understand something it doesn't give you a right to be rude!

 

I talked to a couple, I have friends working on the ships in different positions, including waiter and steward, and other personnel. While dollar is lower now, pay at key positions (room steward and waiter) are much higher than average salary. That is why they work where they work, don't you think? Just so you know I am originally from one of the countries were cruise lines hire their staff.

 

I tell you a secret.. I was making around $50-150 for some time as a full time teacher with master degree in Math.

 

And besides why is my calculation inappropriate??? :rolleyes:

Cruise lines who still don't have autotip system clearly indicate how much of the tips goes to each position. Many websites openly show salaries for these positions.

[cactusrose]

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. ;)

 

$600 if your have never worked?:eek: That isn't social security, that's welfare. The only people who get social security for never working are widows or widowers who are able to draw on their deceased spouses social security, but only once they have reached 60 years of age or have minor children.

[rednancy1]

You must be very rich to afford a christmas cruise!!! LOL, well done for tipping

 

You sound like rich is a dirty word. :mad:

 

Not everyone who cruises during the holidays is "rich".

 

Is this something to be ashamed of?:confused:

[Tatka]

$600 if your have never worked?:eek: That isn't social security, that's welfare. The only people who get social security for never working are widows or widowers who are able to draw on their deceased spouses social security, but only once they have reached 60 years of age or have minor children.

 

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

[rednancy1]

We always leave the auto tip and then give extra to those who are outstanding.

[Cruisin' Chick]

You're joking, a christmas cruise at present on the Ruby is £2700 for a week, way beyond some of us....on British pensions....maybe the USA pays more.

My pension is equivalent to $134 a week. My heating bill for NOV DEC JAN will be $1200 and that's as well as electric/phone/house/food/clothes etc etc etc

 

Many of us can only travel during certain times of the year, due to jobs or school aged children (many U.S. school districts have policies about kids missing school to spend vacation time). We fall into the second category so that's why our last couple of cruises were in the summertime or during the holiday time. But we don't go on a vacation every year (this year we spent a couple of days up the coast from us) so that's how we save money for a high peak season cruise (as well as book an inside cabin). If you're retired, you have more choices as to when you can go, including when many of us can't.

Did you know that if you remove the auto tip that the staff has to give the cash tips to Princess. When you give a cash tip, they now ask your room number. If it shows that your auto tips have been kept on, they may keep the tips, however if you take it off, they get nothing.

 

I gave our room stewart $40.00 and the waiter $20.00 and junior waiter $10.00. I would have given them more, but they were very very very slow. I think Princess cut back on the staff!

 

I think that's the system ever since autotips have existed, that tips given to waitstaff and cabin stewards must be turned in until it's checked to see if you've kept on your auto-tip.

As for the idea that bartenders are in the pool, I seem to recall they are not, as not everyone onboard utilizes them.

[remydiva]

Thank you all for your responses.

 

It would seem there is quite a range of what people leave in addition to the autotip ranging from nothing extra to $20/day for the room steward!

 

Good to know, as it is hard to know how much is appropriate without appearing cheap.

[Tatka]

Oh, we had another option of paying back to our waiter on Explorer OTS. His next cruise after our caribbean one was Canada/NE. We met him in the port and showed our Boston.. He was more than happy. :D

[rednancy1]

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:

[Tatka]

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:

 

Stop it! You are being really cheap! :D

[rednancy1]

stop it! You are being really cheap! :d

 

 

rotflmao :d

[cactusrose]

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

[nho9504]

We always leave auto-tip in place. In fact when we cruise RCCL, we would go to purser desk to fill out the form to put the tips on our account.

 

When services are exceptional, we would give extra cash tips to deserved individuals.

 

This year we did 2 transatlantic crossings on Emerald.

 

On the April crossing, we had very good services in dining room and very amiable headwaiters, a good but not excellent cabin attendant.

 

We gave our waiter $30 Euro and the assistant waiter $20 Euro, one headwaiter (the one at the door arranging seating) $20 Euro. The other one we would like to give him the same but he actually purposedly kept a distance from us on the last night - he waved and said hello to us but never came near, as if he wanted to avoid us giving him the extras! He normally would stop by every night to chat for 10 minutes! We gave the cabin attendent $25.

 

On the October crossing, nothing was exceptional. In fact we were told by our cabin attendant that most of the crew were transferred to Ruby and Emerald became the training ground for new crew. Cabin attendant turned down the transfer because he said the transfer would mess up with his vacation.

 

We did not give any extra on this sailing.