Tipping Over and Above Suggested Gratuities

Regarding gratuities, I read where some leave cash (a couple of dollars) daily for their room stewart and others mentioned they give their room stewart a $20 tip on embarkation.. This is over and above the suggested gratuities. Curious to know if this is a widespread practice. Thanks

Regarding gratuities, I read where some leave cash (a couple of dollars) daily for their room stewart and others mentioned they give their room stewart a $20 tip on embarkation.. This is over and above the suggested gratuities. Curious to know if this is a widespread practice. Thanks

I'm sure this was covered in the two tipping threads that are currently open.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2402486

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2404040

Regarding gratuities, I read where some leave cash (a couple of dollars) daily for their room stewart and others mentioned they give their room stewart a $20 tip on embarkation.. This is over and above the suggested gratuities. Curious to know if this is a widespread practice. Thanks

I never tip on embarkation. All ways at the end of the cruise. For me I think that a pre tip could be taken as a insult or bribe. I also get some of the cards that you can give the crew member a good review and hand that to them with some extra cash.

As above, I never tip on embarkation. But then, I don't ask for anything beyond the basics/necessities. We need the beds separated (noted on pre-embarkation forms) with daughter's bed against a wall. Please supply her with a mattress topper and a top sheet. (again, pre-embarkation form). These are medical needs. Ice daily, please.

I sometimes give tips above the norm on the last night if the individuals have done a superior job during the cruise. If I didn't get my ice, he doesn't get an extra tip!

Basically, I see it as a decent job, whether server or stateroom host, is paid for with the automatic tip. You need to be better than the minimum to be paid more than the standard.

Also, remember the "consummate host" card if someone does an excellent job. I'm not sure what it gets them, but they definitely feel it is important.

How widespread is extra tipping? On our first Princess cruise, I saw a lot of money changing hands at the last dinner. The people next to us gave the server and the assistant each $20 for what I considered an average to below average service (the assistant messed up the beverages several times!) I did not tip extra. On the next 2 cruises, I saw none.

On the other hand, when daughter was little we'd come back to the room to find a towel animal on the bed or her stuffed animal wearing a bandana or whatever....never ran out of toiletries, etc. That sort of service saw some extra money.

As above' date=' I never tip on embarkation. But then, I don't ask for anything beyond the basics/necessities. We need the beds separated (noted on pre-embarkation forms) with daughter's bed against a wall. Please supply her with a mattress topper and a top sheet. (again, pre-embarkation form). These are medical needs. Ice daily, please.

 

I sometimes give tips above the norm on the last night if the individuals have done a superior job during the cruise. If I didn't get my ice, he doesn't get an extra tip!

 

Basically, I see it as a decent job, whether server or stateroom host, is paid for with the automatic tip. You need to be better than the minimum to be paid more than the standard.

 

Also, remember the "consummate host" card if someone does an excellent job. I'm not sure what it gets them, but they definitely feel it is important.[/quote']

 

Thank you, I forgot what the card was called.

Do you normally tip a waiter before a meal?

Tipping is personnel and private. Each should do as they feel is the right thing to do. That is why envelopes are avaiable at the Customer Service desk. I would never ask how much someone types and would consider it a rude and insulting question if anybody asked me.

Is $2 a day for a steward looking after your room good enough? I asked what they get from the automatic gratuities and was told it was $2 a day. I was also asked not to say about it which makes me think he is worried that Princess would find out who said.

Regarding gratuities, I read where some leave cash (a couple of dollars) daily for their room stewart and others mentioned they give their room stewart a $20 tip on embarkation.. This is over and above the suggested gratuities. Curious to know if this is a widespread practice. Thanks

We never leave a few $$ tip in the cabin. If you did your cabin steward would probably just leave it there thinking it was your money. We also never provide a tip up front. We expect to receive excellent service and don't want to pay up front for same. In addition to the auto tip we normally provide a generous amount to the cabin steward on the day before disembarkation. When the cruise is a b2b we wait until the last days before providing any extra cash. We always place it in an envelope and personally hand it to the cabin steward. By the way the job is cabin steward, not stewart.

Is $2 a day for a steward looking after your room good enough? I asked what they get from the automatic gratuities and was told it was $2 a day. I was also asked not to say about it which makes me think he is worried that Princess would find out who said.

Interesting. Reality is that I have no idea how the automatic gratuity is divided on Princess.

On DCL, where the automatic gratuity is less than on Princess, the stateroom host gets $4 per guest per night of cruise. That's $8 us, plus room, board, and uniforms from DCL as well as travel at the end of the contract, and he spends about 30 minutes total in the room--about 20 minutes in the morning and 10 minutes at night. I don't know what the "right" amount is, but DCL says it is $4 per guest. I've never heard a host complaining as his total compensation is typically a lot more than he could earn at home.

What I DO feel that is my responsibility, in addition to the standard tip, is to not create a pigpen in the room. Clothing is picked up and put away, etc. before the host cleans. As I explained when my daughter was little, our job is to handle the "neatness," his job is to deal with the "clean."

Interesting. Reality is that I have no idea how the automatic gratuity is divided on Princess.

 

On DCL' date=' where the automatic gratuity is less than on Princess, the stateroom host gets $4 per guest per night of cruise. That's $8 us, plus room, board, and uniforms from DCL as well as travel at the end of the contract, and he spends about 30 minutes total in the room--about 20 minutes in the morning and 10 minutes at night. I don't know what the "right" amount is, but DCL says it is $4 per guest. I've never heard a host complaining as his total compensation is typically a lot more than he could earn at home.

 

What I DO feel that is my responsibility, in addition to the standard tip, is to not create a pigpen in the room. Clothing is picked up and put away, etc. before the host cleans. As I explained when my daughter was little, our job is to handle the "neatness," his job is to deal with the "clean."[/quote']

Totally agree. I am amazed when I walk by rooms that have their doors open and see how some people leave their cabin. On one the poor steward would have had a hard time walking in there let alone using the vacuum.

And no my seeing the rooms is not when they are being cleaned, stewards generally pull door across to maintain privacy.

Several years ago the Cruise Director on one of our cruises publicised where the tips go: one-third to the cabin steward; one-third to the relevant table waiter and assistant; and the remainder divided among the other service staff including head waiters and Maitre d'. You can easily work out how much your steward will receive in a week at $8 or so per day (two-berth cabin) multiplied by the number of cabins (around 10). :)

Whether or not you tip at the start of the cruise is up to you. I can see the argument from both sides. Personally, I feel it could be a bit offensive and seen as a bribe for someone to do their job properly. On the other hand, people have said that when they pre-tip extra, their cabin is cleaned first and they always get the ice etc. that they request. It's up to you. :)

We once had a steward by the name of Stewart [emoji57]

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Tipping "upfront" is a "BRIBE"...not a tip. On cruises, tips are extended on the LAST EVENING....

If you want to tip more than what is included in your daily tips, that's the time to do it. WHAT you tip additionally is up to you!

On what line does a stateroom "steward" or "host" have 10 cabins? On most that we've seen they are in the 18-20 cabin range.

This a small minority that tip above the norm. I tip extra every time the crew member

saves my life! I would do the same when I'm at Burger King and the person at the counter saves my life. In fact, anytime someone saves my life, I would leave a good tip!

I help this helps in your decision making!

Regarding gratuities, I read where some leave cash (a couple of dollars) daily for their room stewart and others mentioned they give their room stewart a $20 tip on embarkation.. This is over and above the suggested gratuities. Curious to know if this is a widespread practice. Thanks

Everyone does thing differently.

Regarding gratuities, I read where some leave cash (a couple of dollars) daily for their room stewart and others mentioned they give their room stewart a $20 tip on embarkation.. This is over and above the suggested gratuities. Curious to know if this is a widespread practice. Thanks

Not a chance. Your gratuity doesn't even stay on the ship you're sailing, it goes to corp to distribute as it see's fit.

Not a chance. Your gratuity doesn't even stay on the ship you're sailing, it goes to corp to distribute as it see's fit.

You are almost correct.. The Autotip $$ and any tips received by passengers that remove the Autotip are pooled with other ships in the same class and distributed. Any $$ given by a passenger that has not removed the Autotip is kept by the recipient. That is why you put your name & cabin number on the envelope.

Regarding gratuities, I read where some leave cash (a couple of dollars) daily for their room stewart and others mentioned they give their room stewart a $20 tip on embarkation.. This is over and above the suggested gratuities. Curious to know if this is a widespread practice. Thanks

We give cash tip on an envelope to our room steward at the end of the cruise, not on embarkation.

If I felt the service was very good and I generally feel that on Princess, I give an envelope with a little extra to the room steward and my wait staff. Everyone can see it differently. I view the auto tip as the minimum, so I ask myself, "Did I receive service that was better than that and how would I tip." For me, it's no diferent than deciding was this service worth 15%, 18% 20% etc. at a restaurant.

I have lived in many of the countries where cruise ship personnel call "home". I know what they are giving up (families) to do this job, which is still low pay in comparison to US wages. I ALWAYS tip up front. I do not consider it a bribe. I ask for small extra services; (always having ice in my room, etc.). I feel it IS a personal decision, and my personal decision is to tip Stewart extra...as I can afford it!

I have lived in many of the countries where cruise ship personnel call "home". I know what they are giving up (families) to do this job, which is still low pay in comparison to US wages. I ALWAYS tip up front. I do not consider it a bribe. I ask for small extra services; (always having ice in my room, etc.). I feel it IS a personal decision, and my personal decision is to tip Stewart extra...as I can afford it!

What matters is what the person you are bribing thinks. Giving a tip to someone is about making them feel valued. It is not to put yourself in control.

I tip extra at the end of the cruise for better than expected service - and I don't need to brag that it is because "I can afford it" when I do so. I also don't disrespect the crew by putting them in a position where they feel they now owe me something extra because I bought their servitude in advance with a bribe.

I have always been taken care of. "Extra" services like keeping the ice bucket filled or delivering my laundry are what I would consider part of their regular responsibilities. I base my extra tips more on how personable and friendly they are than on how often the ice bucket is serviced. I tip them extra for the person they are, not for the work that they do.

On what line does a stateroom "steward" or "host" have 10 cabins? On most that we've seen they are in the 18-20 cabin range.

On the Princess ships I have been on, the stewards service around 10 cabins. Out of curiosity I have looked at this on several cruises. If someone categorically said it was 12, I wouldn't disagree, but I do not agree with 18-20. :) Way back in the day when the steward had an assistant, they had more cabins to service.

If one person is looking after 18-20 cabins they would be very busy all day, rather than standing casually folding towels and chatting to passers-by for some of the time. :) They would also earn a fantastic amount in their portion of the tip pool ($1,100 per week). :) Add to that their basic remuneration (fairly small) plus personal tips passengers give them.

On the Princess ships I have been on, the stewards service around 10 cabins. Out of curiosity I have looked at this on several cruises. If someone categorically said it was 12, I wouldn't disagree, but I do not agree with 18-20. :) Way back in the day when the steward had an assistant, they had more cabins to service.

 

If one person is looking after 18-20 cabins they would be very busy all day, rather than standing casually folding towels and chatting to passers-by for some of the time. :) They would also earn a fantastic amount in their portion of the tip pool ($1,100 per week). :) Add to that their basic remuneration (fairly small) plus personal tips passengers give them.

I got off the Ruby just this past Thursday and my cabin steward had 18 cabins.