Tips

[gridswaldtravlers]

Hey Fellow Cruisers,

Here is my question, Should I leave the auto tipping on, if we only eat in the dinning room 3 or 4 times? Does this tip cover all the staff including the buffet staff? Thanks for all repies

Oh, I know they all work hard ,I just want to make sure the right people get tipped.

[big_duck]

Hey Fellow Cruisers,

Here is my question, Should I leave the auto tipping on, if we only eat in the dinning room 3 or 4 times? Does this tip cover all the staff including the buffet staff? Thanks for all repies

Oh, I know they all work hard ,I just want to make sure the right people get tipped.

 

Yes they cover all server staff. The dining room staff often work the Lido deck.

[royd1968]

yes...leave them on....those tips get split up...and its only gonna be a matter of a few dollars difference if you choose to not eat in the mdr a couple nights...I personally wouldnt want to end up on one of those lists that highlight the people that have removed the auto tip....keep in mind, that list doesnt explain why you removed the tips...I know some people do it for very positive reasons...while others do it to be cheap..

[KimberleyFL]

The dining staff rotates for breakfast dining room, lunch dining room, and breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the Lido. Carnival will disburse tips accordingly. So, your dinner waiting staff isn't the only ones receiving the tips. The tips are also for your room steward.

[Traveler353]

Stand by:

[golfadj]

This will get interesting.

 

However it would be better to actually tip the people on Lido who actually do the work in your behalf when you have most of your meals up there.

 

Since we eat as much as possible in the DR as we find the food much better we do leave the auto tip on and than add if appropriate.

[cb at sea]

If you leave the "auto-tip" on, then anyone who serves you will get their "fair share" of the tips. If you take it off, then you will feel obligated (I hope) to individually tip those that serve you. Auto-tip is an easier solution.

[ak74]

"Autotip" is not a tip but a surcharge. It is adjustable per Carnival policy. Remove it and tip as appropriate directly for excellent service. Pursers are going to give you hard time when you ask to remove this unauthorized charge, just tell them you don't want it on your bill.

[skylock]

"Autotip" is not a tip but a surcharge. It is adjustable per Carnival policy. Remove it and tip as appropriate directly for excellent service. Pursers are going to give you hard time when you ask to remove this unauthorized charge, just tell them you don't want it on your bill.

 

 

It has been a long time since I adjusted the auto tip amount, but when I have done it in the past, the purser never gave me a hard time. Has that changed?

 

I just told them what I wanted to do, they asked why, I told them as they filled out the little slip. I signed it and that was it. No other conversation at all.

[Georgiagolfer]

"Autotip" is not a tip but a surcharge. It is adjustable per Carnival policy. Remove it and tip as appropriate directly for excellent service. Pursers are going to give you hard time when you ask to remove this unauthorized charge, just tell them you don't want it on your bill.

Only adjusted autotip once, but the Purser did not give me a hard time. They asked why, and I told them.

[mrsbean1990]

Yes, leave it on. You are paying $10 per person a day for your room to be cleaned twice a day (clean towels, cleaned bathroom, bed made, floor vaccuumed), for your meals to be served to you in the MDR, and for you not to have to prepare meals or even clean your table in the buffet.

 

It's a bargain!

[elbmag]

I cruised on Carnival once before but don't remember how this worked so i'm going to ask.

 

How does your room stewart or waiter know you tipped? I don't want to feel uncomfortable the last night like I have to tip more just because they come around looking for tips. I fully intend to keep the auto tip in place and will add extra if I feel I was given exceptional service. Lets assume I received "standard" service and feel the auto tip amount is right.

[yogi2929]

If you do not do auto-tips a list is posted in the Galley. Evidently the waiters know but the room stewards do not.

[bplazo]

I would not even give a thought to take the auto tip off.

[elbmag]

Maybe I didn't word my question correctly. I have no intention of taking the auto-tip off but when the last night arrives how do they know that you have already tipped through the auto-tip?

 

I don't want to feel like I'm being "cheap" because I didn't physically hand them a tip even though i've already taken care of it through the auto-tip process. Do you just tell them I already tipped through auto-tip or are you given an envelope or something that shows you auto-tipped and you give them that?

[G'ma]

Hey Fellow Cruisers,

Here is my question, Should I leave the auto tipping on, if we only eat in the dinning room 3 or 4 times? Does this tip cover all the staff including the buffet staff? Thanks for all repies

Oh, I know they all work hard ,I just want to make sure the right people get tipped.

 

Leaving the autotips in place will assure that all those servers in all venues are rewarded. Tips are pooled and share per the formula found on Carnival's website.

 

If you wish to tip more to specific folks, that can be handled in cash at the end of the week.

[pnjkeith]

Maybe I didn't word my question correctly. I have no intention of taking the auto-tip off but when the last night arrives how do they know that you have already tipped through the auto-tip?

 

I don't want to feel like I'm being "cheap" because I didn't physically hand them a tip even though i've already taken care of it through the auto-tip process. Do you just tell them I already tipped through auto-tip or are you given an envelope or something that shows you auto-tipped and you give them that?

 

 

They all know if you do auto tip or remove it. Go remove it on day 1. See what happens, service by steward and waiter will be crap! Adjust it up or down, its your money. Cash tip at end of cruise before auto tips was the best. IMO service was better, they knew they had to earn it, now they expect it.

[Mego0427]

I have heard that there is a list of people who have taken the auto tip off. So you not being on that list is how they know you have already tipped. The only envelope they have anymore is for the mater d (Sp?) As far as I know no one else really expects to get actual money in an envelope anymore because if people want to add more they can do it via the purser.

[luvtovaca]

So, can we just give the room steward or DR staff, etc. a cash tip on top of auto tips on the last day? Or will he/she have to "pool" that cash? If we want to tip in cash to anyone, above the auto tips, how is that generally handled?

[salty dingo]

Definitely do leave the auto-tip in place. The cruise line divides it appropriately, so you don't have to.

 

It does not matter where you eat - all staff is compensated properly.

[SavannahMoon]

So, can we just give the room steward or DR staff, etc. a cash tip on top of auto tips on the last day? Or will he/she have to "pool" that cash? If we want to tip in cash to anyone, above the auto tips, how is that generally handled?

 

I understand they have special envelopes at the purser's desk that you can ask for, and give anyone who was exceptional for you, an additional tip.

 

We tipped our room steward extra on the first day, as well as midway through the cruise.

[Wolfie48]

"Autotip" is not a tip but a surcharge. It is adjustable per Carnival policy. Remove it and tip as appropriate directly for excellent service. Pursers are going to give you hard time when you ask to remove this unauthorized charge, just tell them you don't want it on your bill.

 

Since the autotip is spelled out in the contract when you sign up for a cruise you are authorizing the charges.

[Pegs222]

If you do not do auto-tips a list is posted in the Galley. Evidently the waiters know but the room stewards do not.

 

Oh yes they do see it; as your S&S bill is in your mailbox.

[cruiserCP]

Maybe I didn't word my question correctly. I have no intention of taking the auto-tip off but when the last night arrives how do they know that you have already tipped through the auto-tip?

 

I don't want to feel like I'm being "cheap" because I didn't physically hand them a tip even though i've already taken care of it through the auto-tip process. Do you just tell them I already tipped through auto-tip or are you given an envelope or something that shows you auto-tipped and you give them that?

 

They know - I am told the list shows who removed the auto-tip from their bill. I make up little envelopes at home with $50 in them for the room steward and the dining room for the end of the trip, if the service is exceptional I add to it. Since the maitre d' is not included in the auto-tip distribution, I make a separate envelope for him/her.

I start out the trip by giving the room steward my instructions as to how I like the room made up and I give him/her $40 to start the trip. It has always worked and I think we have always had excellent service. We are neat travelers but I am sure there are some who leave messes everywhere. I would not want their job.....

It is just my way of letting them know I appreciate that they are part of making my vacation a good one.

caryn

[salty dingo]

...when the last night arrives how do they know that you have already tipped through the auto-tip?

 

... Do you just tell them I already tipped through auto-tip or are you given an envelope or something that shows you auto-tipped and you give them that?

They know, and you do not have to mention it. I'm sure they would know if you took the tips off, as well.

 

Hopefully, not many people would do that, unless there was a real problem with the service that could not be corrected via the normal channels.