Meangreen Posted April 25, 2022 Report Share Posted April 25, 2022 My family and I are first time cruisers, so please bear with me. I have read some about tipping for different things on the ship (ie. wait staff, baggage handlers, room crews, etc.). When I booked the cruise we added the gratuities onto the bill up front and have read where some get it added to the end of their cruise to pay at that point. I guess the impression we have is since we paid it for each person up front what would be the need to be tipping while we're on the ship. I know everyone handles it a little differently and I don't want to short change someone just because we "prepaid". So I am very open to any ideas or thoughts on the subject. Since this can be a sensitive subject, I don't want to start a war (so please be nice to each other) since this is my first post here and I do have a few more questions as we get closer to our sailing date in July of '22. Thanks! FrHoffard and Moby Dick 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pattycruise Posted April 25, 2022 Report Share Posted April 25, 2022 The baggage handlers are not included in any gratuities, they are independent of the cruise line. IF you choose to add additional tips for the stateroom attendant or wait staff they would appreciate it. Your stateroom attendant will put tipping envelopes in your stateroom the last night for that purpose. Moby Dick and Allen2 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter D Posted April 25, 2022 Report Share Posted April 25, 2022 If you pre-pay gratuities upfront in your cruise price, it covers wait staff and stateroom services, and there is no obligation to pay more to those crew members after the cruise unless you want to. If you purchase beverages or specialty dining, then additional gratuity will be added to the purchase. As @Pattycruise, mentioned, you will get blank gratuities envelopes in your stateroom, and if you feel any crew members went above and beyond, and you would like to show additional gratitude, then that is a way to do so. Moby Dick 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moby Dick Posted April 25, 2022 Report Share Posted April 25, 2022 If you have pre-paid your tips, that's about it. You should from this point forward consider whether a service was above and beyond what you'd expect and add gratuity from there. Like stated, the baggage handlers, the "Port Baggage Handlers/Porter", are not employees of the Cruise Line, therefore they do not get any part of your pre-paid gratuity. Also, if you ask for something or above and beyond the programed service, tip and tip well. For example: If you don't like the table in the Main Dining Room (MDR) and you ask the Maitre d for a window table/a two topper/whatever, give him/her a little/a lot of appreciation. Peter D 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allen2 Posted April 25, 2022 Report Share Posted April 25, 2022 If you approach shipboard tipping like land-based, it is hard to go wrong. When a server in a land-based restaurant does an exceptional job, we tend to increase the tipping level. The same should be true on a ship: exceptional service/probably increased tip. For wait staff and stateroom attendant, that can be added at the end of the cruise. Indiv1idual bar servers - maybe individual tips during the week. And I would repeat: tip luggage porters on site! You would like your bags to arrive in a timely fashion ChessE4 and Moby Dick 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moby Dick Posted April 25, 2022 Report Share Posted April 25, 2022 7 minutes ago, Allen2 said: You would like your bags to arrive in a timely fashion And undamaged. No, I'm not accusing everyone of them. Just more of a possibility. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OutToSea Posted April 25, 2022 Report Share Posted April 25, 2022 40 minutes ago, 1st Mate said: You would like your bags to arrive in a timely fashion one time I thought my wife had tipped the porter so I did not tip them. 2 of the 3 bags had the bag tag removed. Just saying WAAAYTOOO and Moby Dick 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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