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Tipping Culture


RTA Gaming

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Its up to you!

Tipping extra is not expected nor is it compulsory. Its up to you to decide if a reward is merited.

Some tip barstaff as soon as they board just so they always have a drink in their hands, others wait until the last day then tip those who deserve it and did a good job without the need for bribery on boarding, others choose not to leave extra as they have already paid gratuities  

There's NO right or wrong answer, its your choice and you do what you want not what others do 

 

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8 hours ago, RTA Gaming said:

I have never experienced tipping, coming from a place where tipping isn't common culture. While gratuity seems to be included, I'm seeing mixed opinions on whether or not extra tipping is expected. Help?

Part of the issue is whether you are the sort of person who bonds with others easily.  We like to get to know our MDR wait staff as well as our Stateroom Attendant.  We have found that getting to know these people not only improves the service we receive, but the stories shared by Royal's staff enrich our lives.  Thus, tipping a little extra at the end of the trip is usually natural for us.  If there is no chemistry between us and Royal staff members, we may not tip extra at all (having pre-paid normal gratuities.)  We've sometimes gotten to know bar wait staff or Diamond Lounge staff, and I'd say the personal connection we achieve is an underlying factor for tipping.  This is important for Diamond Lounge/vouchers where there isn't an automatic gratuity added because there's no purchase.

Now there are times I don't want to get to know strangers and I just follow the local customs, whatever they might be.  (When in Australia/NZ we were counseled by locals o to avoid over-tipping.)  But tipping isn't just a financial thing, there is an underlying social process at work.  That is all I wanted to point out.  Enjoy your cruise!!

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I agree there is no right or wrong answer here…it’s personal preference.
My preference is to tip everybody. Heck, if I could find the lady whose voice tells me what floor the elevator is stopping on, I’d tip her.

Seriously…I know many, if not all, crew members have spent the last year and a half struggling to support themselves and their families. I believe this is the time to be as reasonably generous as I can to show my appreciation and I’m happy to be able to do so. Where many of them come from, every little bit goes a very long way. I missed my cruise vacations…but they missed their salaries. Just my opinion.

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43 minutes ago, BrianB said:

 

Seriously…I know many, if not all, crew members have spent the last year and a half struggling to support themselves and their families. I believe this is the time to be as reasonably generous as I can to show my appreciation and I’m happy to be able to do so. Where many of them come from, every little bit goes a very long way. I missed my cruise vacations…but they missed their salaries. Just my opinion.

Pandemic caused issues for lots of people all across the world not just countries crews come from, many in more affluent countries lost their jobs therfore their salaries also!

Yes they get jobs away from home to make a better life for themselves as my friend has done with a german cruiseline, now when they are onshore which is most ports of call they are eating out! Or Drinking! Buying clothes they cant get at home! Going sightseeing or just having fun with all of their tip money and posting all the photos on social media 

Every crew member has the same story of hardship its what gets them the $$$$ 

Tips should be for the service you receive not the hardship stories

 

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I throw a little extra tip at my stateroom attendant if they go above and beyond. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't...last time, my guy did the bare minimum of keeping the room clean, so he didn't get any extra. The time before, the guy was amazing and got extra. So it really depends.

As far as anyone else goes, I never really form attachments to individual venues or employees, so I don't usually tip extra. We almost never eat in the MDR, which I understand is a location many others throw some extra money down. 

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Meh. Hardship stories or not, we live below our means and can afford to tip the people who make our cruise better with their personal touch.  What they do with the cash we give them as a tip is of no concern to us….it’s not our money anymore once we hand it over. 
 

Everyone is allowed to have different opinions. 

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10 minutes ago, teddy said:

Meh. Hardship stories or not, we live below our means and can afford to tip the people who make our cruise better with their personal touch.  What they do with the cash we give them as a tip is of no concern to us….it’s not our money anymore once we hand it over. 
 

Everyone is allowed to have different opinions. 

Yip thats what i said at the right at start but without the stories about covid  hardship or having family to support which may make some feel more pressured to tip! 

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So I am not a seasoned cruiser and I just got off a 4-nighter.  I never heard any hardship stories from any of our servers or staff.  Everyone was super excited to help us in any way.  We tipped (at the end of our cruise so they had no incentive but did what they did anyway) our waiter, assistant waiter, and even the head waiter…also our cabin steward who was sooo nice!!  He found out we were celebrating our anniversary and left us a beautiful note and towels made into a heart with 2 swans kissing.  Our room was cleaned twice daily and spotless every time!   Our wait staff remembered our likes right way…learned our names immediately (using notes of course) and only gave us personal information if we asked.  We have no complaints and appreciated their service.  They did not know we would tip them but, I believe, worked hard because that is their job.

The crew members (at least I know ours) do not get off the ship when in port.  They often work more than one job and whatever time they have off is needed for them to catch up on sleep.  I believe they work very hard for their pay and they deserve recognition for their service.  So…we tipped 😄

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15 minutes ago, Canadian-Cruiser said:

And yet it is the cabin attendants who are paid less 🤔 rather than the bartenders who don't do hard labor.

I may be opening a can of worms here, but that's how I roll...sounds like that's something the cabin attendants should be bringing up with their employer or, if it exists, bargaining group. 

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11 minutes ago, Canadian-Cruiser said:

And yet it is the cabin attendants who are paid less 🤔 rather than the bartenders who don't do hard labor.

Our cabin attendant had 9 or 10 rooms to clean every morning and every evening and sometimes midday checks…because the ship was not at full capacity.  He told us when the ship is full he typically has 14-18!  I don’t care what anyone says but that is hard work and very deserving of a tip…perhaps even more so than the bartenders!

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When we're treated well, we tip very well.  When we're treated not so well, I still tip, but not as much.  What a system.😕  Sometimes I even pre-tip, to insure we'll not be ignored.

We buy the tip package.  That sort of helps with tips with some folks that we otherwise might not think to tip.  But I otherwise tip well in addition to this.

I try to talk with the workers on the ship.  Bartenders, servers, cabin attendants, etc.  I enjoy hearing of their experiences, and even of their family.  Many of them enjoy my interest.  Again, treat me well, I treat you well, and when it's all done, my tips further show my appreciation.

 

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On 11/8/2021 at 4:12 AM, RTA Gaming said:

I have never experienced tipping, coming from a place where tipping isn't common culture. While gratuity seems to be included, I'm seeing mixed opinions on whether or not extra tipping is expected. Help?

As you will see from all of the above posts EVERYONE is different and either tips extra or doesnt based on what they feel is right for them. Like always tipping threads ended up a who can p!$$ the furthest competion, tip if you want if you dont no one is going to think bad of you 

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20 hours ago, PPPJJ-GCVAB said:

...also our cabin steward who was sooo nice!!  He found out we were celebrating our anniversary and left us a beautiful note and towels made into a heart with 2 swans kissing.  Our room was cleaned twice daily and spotless every time!  

We got one too!

image0 (3).jpeg

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I don't feel obligated to tip and I did have a waiter in the main dinning room not only ask for 10s but share his hardship. I tipped extra for amazing service. I thought it was funny that my mother thought we should tip more because we were staying in a suite. I reminded her we tip for service not just because......Our room attendant was amazing, so I did given him extra.  We could tell the difference after two of our party stayed in and another person had to clean the room. Beds were always made, ice and coffee were always refreshed and nothing was ever moved or missing. Tipping is personal and you should just do what feels right to you.

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We prepay our tips; however, we have always had excellent service and tipped extra (handed to them personally) in all cruises except one.  On the Oasis, the room steward we had was terrible.  We had both Granddaughters in our room and I asked for an extra sheet/blanket so that they could each have their own and not have to fight over who had more/less cover.  He grumbled and complained having to do that.  We had to ask for ice every single day!  Needless to say, he did not get any extra from us.  However, on that same cruise, they got dining all screwed up with our family of eight at two different (we were linked together) tables (not even close together).  The Maitre'd was able to get that fixed after the first night by putting a "plywood-type" on top of a 4-top table and made it work.  We rewarded him for doing this.  We also had the best wait staff too.  Out of all our cruises only having "one" person to complain about is not too bad.  We didn't complain to anyone during our cruise but I did on the survey.

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there's a multitude of threads on this subject, with everyone's own spin.

years ago I used to follow a blog called "WaitButWhy."  back in 2014 the writer did a totally unscientific piece on tipping and the results he found.  it's pretty interesting and you can read it here:  https://waitbutwhy.com/2014/04/everything-dont-know-tipping.html

warning:  his writing style isn't for everyone, so proceed with an open mind.  but the parts in the middle are particularly interesting to me, "other factors that should influence tipping decisions" including time, effort, their salary, etc. these are the parts that are quasi-relateable to cruising.  (ie, the bartender cracking open the bottle of beer at the Schooner Bar versus poolside making your labor-intensive Miami Vice.  there's a difference in effort here.  something to consider!) 

bottom line, OP, just remember that US tipping culture is beyond bizarre, and its totally OK to be unsure of protocol.  whether you "pre-pay" gratuities before your pay-in-full date, or whether you're having them deducted daily on your seapass account, you're still paying them.  anything you do above and beyond that is totally up to you. 

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9 hours ago, RTA Gaming said:

Wow, the advice is seriously overwhelming me. Also, just a final question. How do I tip? Do I just take the money and give it by hand? Do I have to say something? I'm really clueless about tipping, and thanks for the help 😁

As you stated above, you will be charged (or may have already prepaid) for the standard tips.  If you wish to tip above that, simply hand them the envelope, or cash directly and thank them.  This could be done at the end of the cruise, or immediately after receiving some service.

 

 

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Oh my god yes. Its not so much how much to tip since the amount differs quite a bit, but whenever travelling to the US/ places with tipping Culture, I get anxiety about how to go about tipping. 

 

On my last cruise, we brought along cash and wasn't sure how to hand it over. Do we leave it in the bill folder or hand it over personally? What if we ate at a complimentary venue where you don't get a receipt?  Do we still write the amount in tips on the receipt or will the money inside be indication enough? So. Many. Questions.

 

Once, we left some cash in the folder and wrote the amount on the bill as well. I noticed that I was also charged on my onboard account.

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42 minutes ago, LogicallyLazy said:

Oh my god yes. Its not so much how much to tip since the amount differs quite a bit, but whenever travelling to the US/ places with tipping Culture, I get anxiety about how to go about tipping. 

On my last cruise, we brought along cash and wasn't sure how to hand it over. Do we leave it in the bill folder or hand it over personally? What if we ate at a complimentary venue where you don't get a receipt?  Do we still write the amount in tips on the receipt or will the money inside be indication enough? So. Many. Questions.

Once, we left some cash in the folder and wrote the amount on the bill as well. I noticed that I was also charged on my onboard account.

In true American fashion, everyone has a little money shooting gun and they shoot the cash tips at people

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23 hours ago, LogicallyLazy said:

Oh my god yes. Its not so much how much to tip since the amount differs quite a bit, but whenever travelling to the US/ places with tipping Culture, I get anxiety about how to go about tipping. 

 

On my last cruise, we brought along cash and wasn't sure how to hand it over. Do we leave it in the bill folder or hand it over personally? What if we ate at a complimentary venue where you don't get a receipt?  Do we still write the amount in tips on the receipt or will the money inside be indication enough? So. Many. Questions.

 

Once, we left some cash in the folder and wrote the amount on the bill as well. I noticed that I was also charged on my onboard account.

On our last several cruises we were provided envelopes near the end, which we used for dinning staff and stateroom attendant.  In the Diamond club, cash tips may be provided discreetly as there is no invoice to add a gratuity automatically.

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This tipping culture topic has got me thinking and now am questioning....we cruised on Adventure over the summer and had a Thrill Waterpark cabana on CoCoCay.  We had an amazing time.  We weren't in the cabana that much, but our attendant did stock with bottled water for all of us (more than the 6), brought desserts and ice cream, and lunch.  I did tip him, but had to wait about 10 minutes for him to come back in order to do so (we left around 3:30PM).  There were 4 adults and 2 teens in the cabana; none of us drink alcohol and were pretty content with the soda and water in the cooler.

I am hearing/reading the recommended tip is about $20 per adult.  What are your thoughts?  Ne honest.  

We have a Thrill waterpark cabana again for our 11/20 Symphony cruise and want to make sure we appropriately tip this time (if we didn't last time).

Thanks in advance!

 

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