Tipping question.....

[rtread]

I have to admit I'm a little confused with tipping on these cruises. I don't want to appear the cheapskate nor do I want to throw money away. I see a lot of comments on here about prepaid gratuities....then I see comments about tipping other than the prepaid gratuities.

What is a good rule of thumb on when to tip and when not? What is appropriate....$1, $2, $5, $10??

Thanks!

[MikeK]

    At the start of the cruise we usually give $5 to the baggage handlers (4 bags)  $20-$50 extra to the room attendant.  $30-$50 to waiter.  $20 asst waiter.  I don't drink anymore but when I did I gave about $1 a drink.  A lot of this depends on how friendly they are and what kind of job they are doing.   These people work their ass off.  Help them out!  I take a large amount of $1s and $5s with me on the cruise for this purpose.  

[KLA]

I can't speak for others, but as for me, I just about always prepay my gratuities. It's just one less thing that I have to think about on board. 

When you arrive at the port and hand your luggage over to the porters, it is customary to tip $1-$2 per bag. They're the ones making sure your luggage makes it on board after all. 

My husband and I typically get the deluxe drink package and indulge a bit on board, so we'll usually carry on a stack of $1 bills. On the first day usually, we'll find a bar and bartenders we like and we'll tip and extra $1 or two here and there. The bartenders will learn your name and drink very quickly - this has paid off for us many times during busier bar times. 

As far as stateroom, we'll tip an extra $20 or so if our stateroom attendant is great (though I've heard of others doing more - this is really up to you). Another consideration here is if your room needs some extra attention, or if you have a lot of people. 

For dining, again, we'll tip an extra $5-20 if it's really above and beyond. For both stateroom and dining I've had experiences in both directions. 

[melski94]

You should tip the porters as they are not included in any gratuity you have paid.  If you pay your gratuities, whether pre-paid or added to your daily charge, then you don't have to pay anything extra. That being said, I also tip extra at the end of the cruise but that is completely our choice and you wouldn't be a cheapskate if you choose not to tip extra.  

[Lovetocruise2002]

We always pay the auto gratuity.  On top of that, we are pretty much in line with what other have already posted.

- $1-2/bag for the porters

- $20-50 stateroom attendant

- $20 assistant waiter (if we end up with the same one for most of the cruise)

- $30-50 waiter (if we end up with the same one for most of the cruise)

- $1-2/drink for the Diamond lounge or suite lounge bartenders

- $20-50 for the concierge (depending on how much we needed from them; usually it's not much)

Tipping is very subjective.  I don't tip a set amount per cruise.  It really does vary depending on the level of service I feel that I have received.  The one thing that never changes for us is the pre-paid gratuities.  There are so many people who work hard to make your vacation what it is, not just the people you run into (which is what many people believe).

 

[Matt]

Pre-pay gratuities too.

Just to prove there is no set rule for all, I don't tip as many people as @Lovetocruise2002 does, but I do agree with the rates she set.

54 minutes ago, KLA said:

As far as stateroom, we'll tip an extra $20 or so if our stateroom attendant is great (though I've heard of others doing more - this is really up to you). Another consideration here is if your room needs some extra attention, or if you have a lot of people. 

For dining, again, we'll tip an extra $5-20 if it's really above and beyond. For both stateroom and dining I've had experiences in both directions. 

Totally agree, and I think in practice we tip along these lines.

[JBC]

I echo what most others have said, always do the pre-paid gratuities, always tip the porters.  The wait staff and room attendants almost always get tipped on the last day, providing their services were good, which they always have been for me.  I always have the drink package, and I will usually tip with that as well.  If someone is bringing me a drink, whether I am sitting at a lounge area of Schooner, by the pool, or in a show, those people always get an extra buck or two per drink.  If I am going to be sitting at a bar for a while, I will tip every drink there as well, especially at a crowded bar.  It's amazing what a few dollars will do for the amount of attention paid to you.  It makes me feel good, they are appreciative, and to me it just improves the overall experience.  My thoughts are by the time I have boarded the ship, I have spent many thousands of dollars on cruise fare and flights.  An extra $100 or $150 over the course of the week in dollar bills makes no difference at that point.

That said, I see plenty of people handing off their luggage without tipping the porters, and plenty of people with drink packages that don't tip anything additional, so doing that certainly isn't out of the norm.  I am sure there are lots that don't give anything additional to the room attendants or wait staff either.  That's just not me.        

[Ron Rico]

23 minutes ago, JBC said:

I echo what most others have said, always do the pre-paid gratuities, always tip the porters.  The wait staff and room attendants almost always get tipped on the last day, providing their services were good, which they always have been for me.  I always have the drink package, and I will usually tip with that as well.  If someone is bringing me a drink, whether I am sitting at a lounge area of Schooner, by the pool, or in a show, those people always get an extra buck or two per drink.  If I am going to be sitting at a bar for a while, I will tip every drink there as well, especially at a crowded bar.  It's amazing what a few dollars will do for the amount of attention paid to you.  It makes me feel good, they are appreciative, and to me it just improves the overall experience.  My thoughts are by the time I have boarded the ship, I have spent many thousands of dollars on cruise fare and flights.  An extra $100 or $150 over the course of the week in dollar bills makes no difference at that point.

That said, I see plenty of people handing off their luggage without tipping the porters, and plenty of people with drink packages that don't tip anything additional, so doing that certainly isn't out of the norm.  I am sure there are lots that don't give anything additional to the room attendants or wait staff either.  That's just not me.        

I have a question - do you hand the bartenders a cash tip (kind of sounds like you do) or request a paper receipt and add the tip there (which I have done in the past - is that wrong)? Do the bartenders have a preference? I want to get it right, too! Thanks!

[JBC]

Yes, always cash (as long as I have it on me).  They definitely prefer cash over writing it on a receipt.

I will bring a stack of ones and fives and leave them in the safe in my room, and take as needed throughout the week.  So if I am heading to the pool for a few hours, I will grab some ones to take with me.  Same for heading out to the bars or shows in the evenings after dinner.  That is how I do it.  I try to minimize what gets charged to my account, and in my opinion, the recipients prefer cash (I've never asked them directly).  

[MikeK]

1 hour ago, D_Hubb said:

I have a question - do you hand the bartenders a cash tip (kind of sounds like you do) or request a paper receipt and add the tip there (which I have done in the past - is that wrong)? Do the bartenders have a preference? I want to get it right, too! Thanks!

 i always tip with cash.  That way you know they are getting the tip.  Bring extra ones and fives on the cruise but you can always get the smaller bills at the cash window of the casino or guest services.

[stevendom57]

Now the question for me is how do you tip the waiter and assistant waiter? I use the envelope provided in my cabin for my cabin steward, but how do you give the waiter/assistant their money. Just cash in the hand, leave it on the table as you leave after the last meal, get another envelope from GS?

[SolariumSnoozer]

39 minutes ago, stevendom57 said:

Now the question for me is how do you tip the waiter and assistant waiter? I use the envelope provided in my cabin for my cabin steward, but how do you give the waiter/assistant their money. Just cash in the hand, leave it on the table as you leave after the last meal, get another envelope from GS?

I always get 2 more envelopes, one for the waiter and one for the assistant waiter.  I also make a point of giving to them at the end of our last meal with them.  I've talked to others who have left the tips at guest services, but I always want to make sure I give it to them personally.

[AnnetteJackson]

When I am cruising there are cruises where I do not go into the MDR at all.  I do apply gratuities in advance to my reservation, but if I dont go to the dining room, I have them adjust where those gratuities are going to.  I have elected for the MDR portion to go to the stateroom attendant, or a team of bartenders if I hung out in one bar more than the other.  I do not mind tipping people at all with extra tips and love to give cash to them, but I do not like to tip for services I did not use.

[Lovetocruise2002]

3 minutes ago, AnnetteJackson said:

When I am cruising there are cruises where I do not go into the MDR at all.  I do apply gratuities in advance to my reservation, but if I dont go to the dining room, I have them adjust where those gratuities are going to.  I have elected for the MDR portion to go to the stateroom attendant, or a team of bartenders if I hung out in one bar more than the other.  I do not mind tipping people at all with extra tips and love to give cash to them, but I do not like to tip for services I did not use.

What a great idea!  There have been cruises where we did not set foot in the MDR at all as well.  I never thought to do that!  Question though, does eating in Coastal Kitchen count as MDR?  Meaning, I wonder if the MDR portion of the auto grats goes to any of the CK staff?

And @stevendom57, I always hand it to them directly.  I never leave it on the table.

[melski94]

8 minutes ago, AnnetteJackson said:

When I am cruising there are cruises where I do not go into the MDR at all.  I do apply gratuities in advance to my reservation, but if I dont go to the dining room, I have them adjust where those gratuities are going to.  I have elected for the MDR portion to go to the stateroom attendant, or a team of bartenders if I hung out in one bar more than the other.  I do not mind tipping people at all with extra tips and love to give cash to them, but I do not like to tip for services I did not use.

I think my issue with this is that MDR staff still serve other venues at breakfast and lunch (Windjammer, etc) and I'm eating somewhere on the ship where I'm getting service from these people.  It isn't the wait staff's fault where I'm assigned that I chose not to eat in the MDR at night so I feel that they are getting stiffed and thats the bulk of their pay.   I really wish RC would stop playing the gratuities game and just call it a service fee.

[AnnetteJackson]

1 minute ago, melski94 said:

I think my issue with this is that MDR staff still serve other venues at breakfast and lunch (Windjammer, etc) and I'm eating somewhere on the ship where I'm getting service from these people.  It isn't the wait staff's fault where I'm assigned that I chose not to eat in the MDR at night so I feel that they are getting stiffed and thats the bulk of their pay.   I really wish RC would stop playing the gratuities game and just call it a service fee.

This is true, but they already take a portion of the prepaid tips and it goes to all staff - to be spread around the ship to everyone providing direct service.    And, I will tip someone that goes out of their way in the Windjammer on the spot with cash.  

[Todd W]

20 minutes ago, AnnetteJackson said:

When I am cruising there are cruises where I do not go into the MDR at all.  I do apply gratuities in advance to my reservation, but if I dont go to the dining room, I have them adjust where those gratuities are going to.  I have elected for the MDR portion to go to the stateroom attendant, or a team of bartenders if I hung out in one bar more than the other.  I do not mind tipping people at all with extra tips and love to give cash to them, but I do not like to tip for services I did not use.

never even occurred to me to do this.  great idea!

[tiny260]

4 hours ago, Lovetocruise2002 said:

We always pay the auto gratuity.  On top of that, we are pretty much in line with what other have already posted.

- $1-2/bag for the porters

- $20-50 stateroom attendant

- $20 assistant waiter (if we end up with the same one for most of the cruise)

- $30-50 waiter (if we end up with the same one for most of the cruise)

- $1-2/drink for the Diamond lounge or suite lounge bartenders

- $20-50 for the concierge (depending on how much we needed from them; usually it's not much)

Tipping is very subjective.  I don't tip a set amount per cruise.  It really does vary depending on the level of service I feel that I have received.  The one thing that never changes for us is the pre-paid gratuities.  There are so many people who work hard to make your vacation what it is, not just the people you run into (which is what many people believe).

 

I always pre-pay also.

I'm right in line with these other figures, except on the last 5-6  cruises I have not eaten in the MDR but at specialty restaurants with the UDP, I typically leave a  written in $10 tip per specialty  dinning.  

[marti314]

58 minutes ago, AnnetteJackson said:

When I am cruising there are cruises where I do not go into the MDR at all.  I do apply gratuities in advance to my reservation, but if I dont go to the dining room, I have them adjust where those gratuities are going to.  I have elected for the MDR portion to go to the stateroom attendant, or a team of bartenders if I hung out in one bar more than the other.  I do not mind tipping people at all with extra tips and love to give cash to them, but I do not like to tip for services I did not use.

I asked to do this on Allure last month because i had the UDP and never went to the MDR and they said they can only remove auto gratuities, not change who or where they go to...  

[AnnetteJackson]

35 minutes ago, marti314 said:

I asked to do this on Allure last month because i had the UDP and never went to the MDR and they said they can only remove auto gratuities, not change who or where they go to...  

Not sure it was the person you were talking to or not.  I have done this of 5 cruises on the past 2 years.  No issues any of those times.

[WAAAYTOOO]

I always prepay grats and once they're done, I forget about them.  I assume they're going to good people doing very hard work for very little money.  Even though we haven't set food in a MDR in over a year, I still leave those tips in place.  More trouble than it's worth to try and move them !  We always tip in cash for food and drinks as well as service like the stateroom attendants and whoever else.

[marti314]

6 minutes ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

I always prepay grats and once they're done, I forget about them.  I assume they're going to good people doing very hard work for very little money.  Even though we haven't set food in a MDR in over a year, I still leave those tips in place.  More trouble than it's worth to try and move them !  We always tip in cash for food and drinks as well as service like the stateroom attendants and whoever else.

if its true that the company takes a percentage of the AUTO GRATUITIES then some of it ends up in Mr Fain's 5.5 million dollar paycheck.

[WAAAYTOOO]

8 minutes ago, marti314 said:

if its true that the company takes a percentage of the AUTO GRATUITIES then some of it ends up in Mr Fain's 5.5 million dollar paycheck.

I'm sure this is probably true...but if it is, it will be true no matter where I direct my grats.  

[marti314]

Yea and if we hand money directly to the people we interface with we are leaving a lot of behind the scenes folks out  soooooooooooooo cant win.

[SpeedNoodles]

 

 

 

5 hours ago, melski94 said:

  I really wish RC would stop playing the gratuities game and just call it a service fee.

Maybe I'm stupid (ok, I'm probably stupid), but isn't it just semantics whether they call it gratuities or a service fee?

[twangster]

18 minutes ago, SpeedNoodles said:

Maybe I'm stupid (ok, I'm probably stupid), but isn't it just semantics whether they call it gratuities or a service fee?

When you are an international operation you have to consider customer interpretation and reaction on a global basis.  

Plus it's easier to make it sound like something it isn't.  Less pushback.  

[SpeedNoodles]

4 minutes ago, twangster said:

When you are an international operation you have to consider customer interpretation and reaction on a global basis.  

Plus it's easier to make it sound like something it isn't.  Less pushback.  

But in the end it's the same amount of money, yes?

For all I care, they can call it a Honey Badger Victim Counseling Fee. 

[twangster]

4 hours ago, marti314 said:

I asked to do this on Allure last month because i had the UDP and never went to the MDR and they said they can only remove auto gratuities, not change who or where they go to...  

Just keep in mind those same MDR wait staff also work in the Windjammer so if you use the Windjammer at all, don't neglect them.

[twangster]

3 minutes ago, SpeedNoodles said:

But in the end it's the same amount of money, yes?

Call it Fred if you'd like, it's the same thing.

Technically the daily auto gratuity is the "Daily Service Charge" or DSC as the crew know it.  

[DRLPP]

This is a little off subject but we have a B2B cruise coming up in 2020 out of Sydney. Do you tip extra in Aussie or NZ money or US ? I always prepay gratuities but I am talking about extra cash tips to cruise staff.

[Bean79]

I thought the 18% extra you pay for the deluxe drinking package was used for tips. So some of you still tip on top of that too?

[twangster]

1 minute ago, Bean79 said:

I thought the 18% extra you pay for the deluxe drinking package was used for tips. So some of you still tip on top of that too?

Welcome to the message boards!

You are correct.  With a drink package you don't have to tip more, you paid the 18% at time of purchase.  You might be given a zero bill that has space for you to add more tip but that is optional since gratuity is included.

Having said all that, many of us have learned that offering a cash tip gets a bartender's attention.  They remember who tipped more and often provide better service the next time.  

[Dawn T.]

20 hours ago, DRLPP said:

This is a little off subject but we have a B2B cruise coming up in 2020 out of Sydney. Do you tip extra in Aussie or NZ money or US ? I always prepay gratuities but I am talking about extra cash tips to cruise staff.

My husband and I just cruised out of Sydney on the Ovation last month.  We pre-paid our gratuities and used US Dollars on the cruise for extra tips.  

[tonyfsu21]

On 4/12/2019 at 1:17 PM, Lovetocruise2002 said:

What a great idea!  There have been cruises where we did not set foot in the MDR at all as well.  I never thought to do that!  Question though, does eating in Coastal Kitchen count as MDR?  Meaning, I wonder if the MDR portion of the auto grats goes to any of the CK staff?

And @stevendom57, I always hand it to them directly.  I never leave it on the table.

Interesting. I didn’t even know you could do this. We never step in the MDR either so this could be useful in other places. 

[nrgMike]

appropriate is whatever you can afford to give in my opinion.

[Bean79]

Thanks for the warm welcome to the boards. I haven't been on a cruise in 10 years so a lot of this is all new to me. Thank you all for the great info on the boards. I have been on a lot of cruises in the past but life kept me from cruising. I wish they didn't charge the 18% so I could just tip with cash like I'm used to, but I understand why they do it.

[Rene Desmarais]

My wife and I have discussed the Tipping on our May 12th cruise.

She agrees to pay prepay the gratuities.  but that's it.  nothing else.

I'm going to feel really bad when someone gives us great service and not tip them..

grrr

[F1guynz]

On 4/13/2019 at 11:16 AM, DRLPP said:

This is a little off subject but we have a B2B cruise coming up in 2020 out of Sydney. Do you tip extra in Aussie or NZ money or US ? I always prepay gratuities but I am talking about extra cash tips to cruise staff.

We tip in either Australian or US dollars when we cruise out of Sydney, it just depends what currency we have with us.

 

[fonemanbob]

We do all of the above and it works.  Especially giving the cabin steward $ 20 up front.   It works.    As does giving the bar tender at the pool and extra amount up front.. They will remember your name and beverage.   Handing out cash goes directly in their pockets.  Prepaid gratuities goes to everybody.  Like the old adage:  Money talks,  B.S. walks.  On many occasions we have walked up  to  a packed pool bar and in moments are drinks are ready.  If someone grumbles that we cut in or something we just say we forgot our sea pass.   And leave an extra gratuity as well.  ( Cash)   

[bcarney]

On 4/12/2019 at 1:11 PM, AnnetteJackson said:

When I am cruising there are cruises where I do not go into the MDR at all.  I do apply gratuities in advance to my reservation, but if I dont go to the dining room, I have them adjust where those gratuities are going to.  I have elected for the MDR portion to go to the stateroom attendant, or a team of bartenders if I hung out in one bar more than the other.  I do not mind tipping people at all with extra tips and love to give cash to them, but I do not like to tip for services I did not use.

Wow, I didn't know you could do that!  We didn't use the MDR at all on our last cruise, and would have rather the tip gone to the staff in the specialty restaurants we visited (on top of the cash tips we left).  I'll remember this in the future as we've pretty much decided we'll be skipping the MDR from now on.