Do you tip first?

[Pam in CA]

I ALWAYS plan on tipping my waitstaff and cabin steward at the end of the cruise in addition to leaving the auto-tip on. There have been occasions when the service has been so bad that I didn't leave as much tip as I originally planned but I always leave something. This is a very rare occurrence (last time was on a HAL cruise a couple of years ago when my cabin steward was horrendous, worst I've ever experienced.)

[kooljamming]

Well said, Kooljamming. That's what makes the world go round...

 

Don't take what is said here too seriously. On my cruise I tipped more than double the recommended amount.

However on another thread I was called CHEAP and a THIEF for something else. If only a few pre-tip/bribe/over-tip/supplement staff income for any reason, it won't make a big difference.

If many are doing it then it makes the non-tipping debate pointless. The difference is already being made up and the service is still quite good.

 

Might have been a coincident but when I tipped midweek, I noticed wine glasses that I didn't ask for miraculous showed up in my cabin.

The specific reason for the extra tip was to have access to the cabins to take pics once the passengers checked out.

(For those who thanked me through email, you are quite welcome)

Once the money was gone I knew I couldn't short change the budgeted amount.

Tomorrow just get on a dress code thread a be a saint for insulting someone for not following the dress code, better yet a non-tipping one:D

[MaryPoppinz]

If you have special needs that you are asking the steward to fill, then, yes, it is appropriate to tip as those things are provided or delivered. But, even this sort of thing should be very limited and should respect the steward's busy schedule.

 

Presenting the tip at the beginning, before any service is provided may leave your steward wondering just what it is you are trying to convey. Is it a gesture? It is creating an unspoken expectation of some sort? Is this someone who is signalling that they are a difficult passenger who wants his x now and his y yesterday? Is it someone who will create problems for you in your employment by complaining that your level of service doesn't meet his standards? It must be confusing to the stewards who know that it is customary to tip at the conclusion of the trip.

[ckr31]

why would you tip anyone for doing nothing? That's just crazy.If a person gives extra good service I give a extra good tip.That makes more sense to me

[cruzendude]

If you have special needs that you are asking the steward to fill, then, yes, it is appropriate to tip as those things are provided or delivered. But, even this sort of thing should be very limited and should respect the steward's busy schedule.

 

Presenting the tip at the beginning, before any service is provided may leave your steward wondering just what it is you are trying to convey. Is it a gesture? It is creating an unspoken expectation of some sort? Is this someone who is signalling that they are a difficult passenger who wants his x now and his y yesterday? Is it someone who will create problems for you in your employment by complaining that your level of service doesn't meet his standards? It must be confusing to the stewards who know that it is customary to tip at the conclusion of the trip.

 

OR........they might just think WOW...this guy is cool and appreciates what I do so I will MAKE SURE to always get his requests done asap and always make sure he gets everything he has requested.....

 

I have pre-tipped a few times when I have some special requests I want handled and sometimes I have not pre-tipped......there is no right or wrong answer here.....the folks who are stewards are from some of the poorest countries on earth and they and their families appreciate every penny you tip them regardless of when you do it!

Unlike many here who worry what a steward might "think" or wonder about I know there is only ONE reason they are there and that is to earn as much money as possible so a pre-tip will not insult or cause them to wonder about anything........ I have lived in and/or visited many times the asian countries most of the stewards come from many times and know exactly from where they come and why they do what they do to support their families....most of them support not only their families, siblings and parents, but their spouses extended family as well....

[kooljamming]

]why would you tip anyone for doing nothing? That's just crazy.If a person gives extra good service I give a extra good tip.That makes more sense to me

 

I do this all the time and more as a gift than for service.

I am the recipient of a human heart valve (multiple heart surgeries)

My goal is to give to others what I have in abundance

Compared to the workers that is a few extra dollars

On vacation is a few extra minutes taking pics I know others will enjoy or benefit from

At home it's local charities

 

Crazy, hmmmmm, no more than someone deciding if they are not going to use their heart value I can have it.

Maybe what makes it so incredibly wonderful, is that it really doesn't make sense:D.

[4cats4me]

We have never tipped upfront, but most of the time have added

extra tip to the auto-tip at the end of the trip.

[MaryPoppinz]

OR........they might just think WOW...this guy is cool and appreciates what I do so I will MAKE SURE to always get his requests done asap and always make sure he gets everything he has requested.....

 

I don't think it's very cool to set up an expectation of special requests, asap, and me first, but to each his own and I hope you get a steward who fits your style. :)

[paul929207]

One time, we tipped the cabin steward the first day. We did it because there was a problem with our refrigerator and my wife has medicine that must be refrigerated. The cabin steward brought us a new one. I felt that was enough extra service to warrant a tip.

[MacThespian]

Leaving Thurs for Cruise out of NY YEAH! On my last cruise I tipped the cabin steward the first day and recd excellent service. Now mind you I may have recd it anyway but I wanted to take care of our steward up front. Do many agree with me? If so how much? We are two in the mini suite and I am actually neurotically neat so do not leave a mess every day but think its a nice gesture...do most people do that?

 

Thanks!

 

As folks have said, there's a lot of disagreement on this. I see it as a bribe, not a tip. A tip is in response to service, a bribe is an upfront payment to secure service. I've never had a problem with bad service, or with getting our special needs met. (And yes, I do tip at the end of the cruise, whether or not it's automatically added to my account.)

[Sandytoes]

Never!!!!

[Times Prince]

No I don't. I use tipping / gratuities to indicate our appreciation for services well rendered.

 

I don't tip cab drivers when entering the cab before the ride, and I don't tip waitresses in restaurants when they first approach the table. Tipping is done after the service is provided, we arrive safely at our destination, or have had a meal with great service.

 

We do tip during a cruise for special services, like room service on delivery, or once for the special middle of the night cabin cleanup after an unfortunate incident which was the result of contaminated food ingested onshore. :(

 

Whatever your policy on tipping is normally, I would recommend you be consistent, keeping in mind the staff may not be fully compensated by just their salaries.

[kooljamming]

Leaving Thurs for Cruise out of NY YEAH! On my last cruise I tipped the cabin steward the first day and recd excellent service. Now mind you I may have recd it anyway but I wanted to take care of our steward up front. Do many agree with me? If so how much? We are two in the mini suite and I am actually neurotically neat so do not leave a mess every day but think its a nice gesture...do most people do that?

 

Thanks!

 

If I was going to do this then nothing less than $100. Keep in mind you could, more than likely, possibly and probably, paying extra for service you would have gotten for FREE.

Many, not me, might think for doing this, you are not the brightest bulb in the mist.

Let's face it, we all shine differently. Take this with a grain of salt because I am not above bribes.

DH has no idea why I agreed ,with a grin, for him to buy a kegerator:D

For now he enjoys his beer from a tap instead of the bottle:p

[manny500]

How can it be a bribe when it is service that you are going to receive anyway? You are just making a statement that you are going to tip above and beyond. Good tippers and repeat customers are insentive. Ask anyone who has ever waited tables.

[Docswiffy]

Forget I asked..I thought it would prevoke alot of comment and interesting opinions and boy was I right! I assure you that I am one of the brightest bulbs out there which truly being said is sad! I would never pretip a waiter/taxi driver nor grease the palm of a maitre d which I am sure some here have. I am fortunate to be able to tip and think that the steward would not "worry" about why I was tipping first are you kidding me I think he would appreciate it. Indeed they work for very little salary. I assure you I probaly am the easiest person to ever have in a cab, at a dinner table or as a guest in their hotel/cabin. I am the least demanding person from service people (now from spouse is a different story!). I have a staff of over 15 people working for me that would tell you that I am also the easiest person to work for. That being said I do nice things for them all the time that show them I appreciate them. They all do nice things for me as well. Everything comes full circle. That was really the point of this discussion. I think splitting the tip is not really unreasonable 1/2 upfront balance at the end of the trip. I would not take off the auto tip unless every single person serving me on the ship was horrible. If that was the case then I would never cruise again one would think!

 

So thanks for your responses again made for some interesting reads....

[kooljamming]

Thought it would provoke some opinons which is why I love cruise critic! No not a bribe and indeed I do not believe that service people are paid well enough either to put up with the many different personalities of people and demands. While I believe in the auto tip as a whole I believe that the room steward does attend to more needs of mine personally on the ship. Interesting on the chocolate I wonder if there are any other little gifts I could bring instead of cash? Thoughts..maybe a calling card for them to call home?

 

Docswiffy;[/color]19886803]Forget I asked..I thought it would prevoke alot of comment and interesting opinions and boy was I right! I assure you that I am one of the brightest bulbs out there which truly being said is sad! I would never pretip a waiter/taxi driver nor grease the palm of a maitre d which I am sure some here have. I am fortunate to be able to tip and think that the steward would not "worry" about why I was tipping first are you kidding me I think he would appreciate it. Indeed they work for very little salary. I assure you I probaly am the easiest person to ever have in a cab, at a dinner table or as a guest in their hotel/cabin. I am the least demanding person from service people (now from spouse is a different story!). I have a staff of over 15 people working for me that would tell you that I am also the easiest person to work for. That being said I do nice things for them all the time that show them I appreciate them. They all do nice things for me as well. Everything comes full circle. That was really the point of this discussion. I think splitting the tip is not really unreasonable 1/2 upfront balance at the end of the trip. I would not take off the auto tip unless every single person serving me on the ship was horrible. If that was the case then I would never cruise again one would think!

 

So thanks for your responses again made for some interesting reads....

 

/quote]

 

On behave of those who uses the board not to PROVOKE, you are quite welcome. So far you have:

Never: 11

Depends: 6

Both: 1

Yes: 3

Opinion/judgment but no vote: 3

 

For a thread on tipping you barely peek the interest )-:

I could be wrong but I read there is a Special Name for posters who start a thread just to PROVOKE Comments.

I can only assume the other 970+ lurkers really don't give a darn what you do......happy cruisin'

[DNArocks]

This is my first cruise, but in a resort I always leave $3/day for the maid. I was planning on the same for the room steward (along with the autotip...never take that off). I feel they work for me each day, so I leave money each day. I wouldn't if the service was poor (but still leave the auto-tip), but I typically get great service.

I don't think it is unwise to let people know each step that you are willing to tip.

[boone2]

The idea of pre tipping is very patronising, we always leave the auto tip on but if the service was not good we would leave a note in the comments card. We have only had bad service once in our Princess cruises, dealt with it at the time and it was fixed. We always tip our cabin stewards and waiters extra but we expect good service anyway and why would you tip up front. I think it is insulting to those who are paid and willing to give good service which I have found to be the case with the staff on all our cruises

[kooljamming]

Let's all be nice to each other on this thread. The OP posted to PROVOKE OPINIONS. As always what he did says a lot about him, how we respond say a lot about US!

[oceanville]

I tip at the conclusion of the trip. Every scenario for pre-tipping makes me uncomfortable: the implied obligation--here's your tip (or portion thereof) and I expect to have extra everything and to be the first person you serve every day, the pity tip--I think your life is so miserable that I am going to leave you little pots of money, and candy and my deepest regrets, and finally, the never-ending tip--in which a simple transaction is turned into a 7 day compensation melodrama.

I suppose what could be worse is not paying the tip at all. I was reading another thread some weeks back in which well-intentioned travelers were discussing bringing mugs and trinkets as gifts for their cabin stewards. One woman shared her practice of folding dollar bills into origami shapes for the steward to unfold. How would you like to get your paycheck in a gob of $1 bills that you have to take the time to unfold?

[hubofhockey]

I tip at the conclusion of the trip. Every scenario for pre-tipping makes me uncomfortable: the implied obligation--here's your tip (or portion thereof) and I expect to have extra everything and to be the first person you serve every day, the pity tip--I think your life is so miserable that I am going to leave you little pots of money, and candy and my deepest regrets, and finally, the never-ending tip--in which a simple transaction is turned into a 7 day compensation melodrama.

I suppose what could be worse is not paying the tip at all. I was reading another thread some weeks back in which well-intentioned travelers were discussing bringing mugs and trinkets as gifts for their cabin stewards. One woman shared her practice of folding dollar bills into origami shapes for the steward to unfold. How would you like to get your paycheck in a gob of $1 bills that you have to take the time to unfold?

 

You summed up the entire thread perfectly.

 

I can think of one industry where workers get their paychecks in folded up $1 bills and it's a pretty dehumanizing industry.

[koreakruiser]

We do not tip up front, but do go beyond the standard at the end.

 

Just wondering, those that tip up front, do you provide an additional tip at the end, or is that it at the beginning?

[Cuizer2]

Leaving Thurs for Cruise out of NY YEAH! On my last cruise I tipped the cabin steward the first day and recd excellent service. Now mind you I may have recd it anyway but I wanted to take care of our steward up front. Do many agree with me? If so how much? We are two in the mini suite and I am actually neurotically neat so do not leave a mess every day but think its a nice gesture...do most people do that?

 

Thanks!

 

I don't tip before receiving the service. The tip is for service done, not service that you hope will be done in the future.

[kooljamming]

We do not tip up front, but do go beyond the standard at the end.

 

Just wondering, those that tip up front, do you provide an additional tip at the end, or is that it at the beginning?

 

Different people get my 'gift' at different times.

If it's at the end it's given with a handshake saying thanks for a great vacation.

If it's at the beginning I give it explaining I know you guys work hard, here is something extra. Never have I given with any special demands.

At resorts I do it at the end because I am not buying foo-foo this and foo-foo that.

 

I checked the bribe manual and giving something extra for service you are entitled to and would have gotten for free is not covered.

However buying a kegerator for DH with other motives is on the first page. Using said kegarator as leverage is under the blackmail (hmmm black-female) chapter.

Tap beer anyone:p

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[isleptwell]

I'm still trying to get the tip thing figured out. Do you tip each time you've asked for something, including an egg crate mattress or robe at the beginning of the cruise?