Room Attendants - Do you tip extra?

[Planmaam]

OK, so here's a new question. Do you leave a tip for your room attendant(s) at the end of the cruise, and if so how much? I did not on our first cruise, as I was new to the process, and frankly never saw them. Nor was the service special. But on our last cruise, we did leave $40.00 for each of them (there were two). They did a great job, and I felt deserved something extra.

 

But that was a couple years ago, and I was wondering what the norm is now. So let's hear what you do/will do, whether the service is poor, ordinary, or special.

 

Thanks,

[Azure Moon]

The amount you leave extra is up to you. :cool:

We've left anything from $20 extra to $70 extra for cabin stewards.

[garycarla]

NCL will automaticlly charge each person in the cabin $12 each per day that will cover things. You are welcome to tip above and beyond that as you feel appropriate, but most do not.

[Ms belp]

We normally leave $20 to $25 per person. Not our first cruise either though. :o Like you, we did not know.

 

Our last cruise on the Spirit was so exceptional however that we left more. I just take chicken noodle soup to work.

[Ericktina]

OK' date=' so here's a new question. Do you leave a tip for your room attendant(s) at the end of the cruise, and if so how much? I did not on our first cruise, as I was new to the process, and frankly never saw them. Nor was the service special. But on our last cruise, we did leave $40.00 for each of them (there were two). They did a great job, and I felt deserved something extra.

 

But that was a couple years ago, and I was wondering what the norm is now. So let's hear what you do/will do, whether the service is poor, ordinary, or special.

 

Thanks,[/quote']

I always ask how many cabins they have to do. Last cruise--34--HOW do they do it??? Yes--we always tip extra--amount depends on how special, but never less than 5.00 per day each. I do admit I have never had a bad steward on NCL. If I ever had a steward who was as bad as some I have read about on these boards, I would have to re-think that!!

[retiredonthesea]

We also have given a special tip and it did depend on the extra mile the stewards went too---anywhere from $20.00 to $100.00. Sometimes we have special requests that deserve leaving the stewards a much bigger tip. It's NOT necessary, but we feel the need to give more when we ask for more:o.

[dtracker]

Don't feel bad if you don't leave an extra tip. Under the new DSC method, the staff is getting anywhere from 20-40% more than they used to under the old method of tipping because of all the pax that skipped out on their tips.

 

NCL's DSC is also at the upper end of the scale, as well. Yes, I agree most stewards and servers work hard and long hours for their pay, but I think most are very happy and appreciative of the new rules of tipping. Anything extra is just icing on the cake.

 

If you choose to tip extra, that's nice, but my point is not to feel cheap if you don't. JMHO.

 

DT

[hrfs]

I only leave extra if they go above and beyond the call of duty so to speak. Since, as mentioned above they already get a fairly good sized tip anyway. Last year on the Gem I never saw my stewards, the cabin was clean, we had ice and towels but that was just doing their job and I didn't feel the need to leave anything extra. Last month on the Pearl one of our party was ill and the stewards were stuck cleaning up more than just the usual and were very pleasant about it. They also helped my daughter find her way back to our cabin when she got lost and even left her towel animals every evening. Needless to say they received a hefty tip.

[cruisin' judi]

We usually give them something the first day and then more at the end if they were outstanding. Last cruise we gave the room attendant $20 the first day of the cruise and then another $20 at the end since he was wonderful and did more then what we asked him to do.

 

Judi

[uppitycats]

We generally tip extra at the end of the cruise, and especially if the service was exceptional. On our last cruise we rarely saw the stewards, but our cabin was always clean and fresh when we returned to it, and any request we made (we left notes on the door or on the bathroom mirror) were tended to. So we tipped an extra $40 -- 2 stewards.

[Pickels]

OK' date=' so here's a new question. Do you leave a tip for your room attendant(s) at the end of the cruise, and if so how much? I did not on our first cruise, as I was new to the process, and frankly never saw them. Nor was the service special. But on our last cruise, we did leave $40.00 for each of them (there were two). They did a great job, and I felt deserved something extra.

 

But that was a couple years ago, and I was wondering what the norm is now. So let's hear what you do/will do, whether the service is poor, ordinary, or special.

 

Thanks,[/quote']

 

On the first day of a cruise; I always ask the room attendant to remove the contents of the refrigerator and slip him/her a $10. This sets the playng field, so to speak. At the end of the cruise they each get $100. Unless they really screwed up but, this rarely happens. We've always had great service on all our cruises. Happy Cruisin, ;)

[Smellytoes]

I've always tipped extra because of my kids. I never felt that the room stewards should only get 5 bucks a day for cleaning up after my kids so I evened it off and made sure they got the whole amount. Now that NCL has finally raised the DSC for kids to the same as adults I'll still tip extra because my kids are still really messy.

[LOWTYD]

I've always tipped extra because of my kids. I never felt that the room stewards should only get 5 bucks a day for cleaning up after my kids so I evened it off and made sure they got the whole amount. Now that NCL has finally raised the DSC for kids to the same as adults I'll still tip extra because my kids are still really messy.

 

 

Kids??! I was thinking more of my DH!!! :D

We do tip extra ($20-$50) especially if we ask for extra attention to things (like keeping the cooler full of ice). They do handle a lot of cabins and I appluad them for doing such a great job.

[Planmaam]

Thanks, everyone, for all the replies. Yes, I know it is not required, but I have the same opinion as expressed by many; they often deserve more. It is just nice to know what the ballpark is and if I am in it! I, too have them empty the fridge at the start of the week, and DH usually needs an extension cord to reach his c-pap, (though that requires the electrician to come to the room, go figure!)

 

We also tip good bar & drink people extra if they are particularly good. Our last cruise we did the martini tasting, and the bartender, I'm struggling to remember her name, was so good, funny and amicable that we would seek her out for our afternoon drink, too. She always got over and above the automatic % on the tab.

 

But I will say that I have never tipped the dining room waiters. I guess if I had felt I had gotten particularly good service I would have, but tho it was not bad, it was not "special". :o

[jp2001]

Now, reading this thread, I almost feel cheap. I thought 10$ extra per person (so 20$) was a nice gesture for the room steward at the end of a one-week cruise (of course, I also keep the auto gratuity on). I hardly ever ask for anything (even ice – if they replenish it, good. If not, I don’t ask) and I try to keep the room tidy too so they don’t have to remove my “stuff” in order to clean.

 

Once I had a steward who wasn’t very good (left a razor and bottle in the shower the first day, I ended up cleaning it a bit myself, he didn’t change the linens even when my nose bled on my pillow one night, didn’t replenish the tissues; etc.). I had planned to give him a good extra tip since I was cruising solo and I didn’t want him to get a smaller tip than usual since we were not two but in the end I felt like he didn’t deserve it. I left him only 10$ extra + a half-used Nassau calling card(had we been two, I would have left nothing extra at all – maybe I should have complained, but it’s not my style unless someone is rude).

 

In specialty restaurants, I leave a little extra (usually 10$ for two, but I have given only 5$ for two when we were placed in a small room with a large group of friends talking very loud, laughing; we asked to be placed somewhere else and were placed right by the kitchen door with serving station and there were many good tables available, I really felt they thought we were not worth a good table, probably because we were two young women travelling together).

 

In main dining rooms, it depends. If I ask nothing special and the service is fair but nothing more, I don’t leave a tip. If I have special request or if the service is excellent, I’ll give about 2-3$ if I am by myself or 5$ for 2. I don’t feel any obligation in the dining room.

 

IMHO, when you leave the auto-gratuity on, anything extra should be appreciated. Of course, a steward would be extremely happy to get 100$ has other people said and maybe just happy with my 20$ but since it’s what I can give to show my appreciation and that it is above what is mandatory, I think I’ll continue with that.

[smrtypnts]

We usually give them something the first day and then more at the end if they were outstanding. Last cruise we gave the room attendant $20 the first day of the cruise and then another $20 at the end since he was wonderful and did more then what we asked him to do.

 

Judi

I do the exact same thing. I hand them/him/her a $20 when i board and then tell them i want ice all the time. If they go above and beyond they'll get more than the DSC at the end.

[SuzanneH]

I leave a tip every morning along with a hand written thank you note. I have even received a thank you note back from them! If for some reason I have an extra request (usually only just an extra pillow, or something such as that) I put it in my note and it is always taken care of immediately. They work so very hard that I want them to know they are appreciated.

[ZoneHPH]

I leave a tip every morning along with a hand written thank you note. I have even received a thank you note back from them! If for some reason I have an extra request (usually only just an extra pillow, or something such as that) I put it in my note and it is always taken care of immediately. They work so very hard that I want them to know they are appreciated.

 

yes that is the key! to show one's appreciation! the additional tips are great...but you know what else goes well with that extra monetary gesture?

 

...a sincere smile...like this...:)

[numberguy]

I am like most of you, and the OP--not extra the first two cruises, then realized I should have, and I left $20 for the two attendants ($10 each) on my last day of my most recent cruise.

 

Now I realize it might not have been much, and I'll re-think the amount on my next cruise

 

On my last cruise I left the tip in an envelope (with their names on it) on the desk the morning of disembarkation. Now, I realize, that might be the day that the attendant's contract ends, and they don't clean the room that day. Or they get moved to a different deck. Or a different ship. Or something else.

 

I think I'll make sure to give them their extra on our last NIGHT of the cruise. Do you think it's possible our attendants didn't get our last cruise's tip?

 

I hate feeling dumb.

 

--Michael

[iheartbda]

When the subject of tipping the stewards comes up, there are always those who mention that they never saw him/her until the 3rd day or not at all.

 

I'm curious as to why some think seeing their steward has anything to do with the actual tipping. If the cabin has been cleaned and tidied up as well as the bathroom being clean, the steward has done their job.Not seeing them is, in fact, a good thing. They were not in your way, you were not in theirs and the job was done unobtrusively.

 

If there's something that you need and want to speak to them, it is very easy to get a hold of them.

[ZoneHPH]

When the subject of tipping the stewards comes up, there are always those who mention that they never saw him/her until the 3rd day or not at all.

 

I'm curious as to why some think seeing their steward has anything to do with the actual tipping. If the cabin has been cleaned and tidied up as well as the bathroom being clean, the steward has done their job.Not seeing them is, in fact, a good thing. They were not in your way, you were not in theirs and the job was done unobtrusively.

 

If there's something that you need and want to speak to them, it is very easy to get a hold of them.

 

...what she said! :D

[*Wink*]

If you're giving $10 to each steward, don't feel cheap. I seriously doubt people who say they give a whole lot more than that are being honest.. not the people in this thread, of course.. just people in general. ;)

[mkad1109]

We too tip them extra and as others have said usually $20-40 per cabin (each has two people in it). This thread has had me vacillate between "yes me too" to "wait am I being cheap"? I am still not sure so please no harsh responses.... My thought is that if they have 34 rooms and about 1/2 tip that amount (might be off a little, but others have said they tip more so I think its a good guesstimate) they make an extra $170 each on top of their pay and portion of their autogratuity.... Is this not appropriate for the job? I am just asking so please don't beat me up about it.

[ZoneHPH]

If you're giving $10 to each steward, don't feel cheap. I seriously doubt people who say they give a whole lot more than that are being honest.. not the people in this thread, of course.. just people in general. ;)

 

good recovery...;)

[ZoneHPH]

We too tip them extra and as others have said usually $20-40 per cabin (each has two people in it). This thread has had me vacillate between "yes me too" to "wait am I being cheap"? I am still not sure so please no harsh responses.... My thought is that if they have 34 rooms and about 1/2 tip that amount (might be off a little, but others have said they tip more so I think its a good guesstimate) they make an extra $170 each on top of their pay and portion of their autogratuity.... Is this not appropriate for the job? I am just asking so please don't beat me up about it.

 

i hear you on this. you know what? sometimes DW and i find that we end up getting such nice service from so many people throughout the week we just wish we could tip them all.

 

we try to set aside some "extra" tip money (like some do). but if at the end of the trip you can really only give $20 for both of them...that's ok. again it's more your gesture of appreciation than paying their wage. and remember...30plus rooms. they could get some decent money from week to week.

 

keep in mind they don't have the expenses many of us have while keeping our jobs. sure they might be sending monies home. but all the bills we have...they don't.

 

in the end...tip what you are comfortable with.