Tipping extra?

My husband and I are leaving for an Alaskan Cruise next Saturday and we have only been on one other cruise before this. I seem to remember that we tipped the steward and dining staff extra at the end (personally with a note) based on a suggestion by others. I know this is not required but wondered if there was any amount that is typical for this assuming we get great service. I don't want to over tip but don't want to be cheap either. We are in a regular balcony room on Crown Princess.

Any help is appreciated.

My husband and I are leaving for an Alaskan Cruise next Saturday and we have only been on one other cruise before this. I seem to remember that we tipped the steward and dining staff extra at the end (personally with a note) based on a suggestion by others. I know this is not required but wondered if there was any amount that is typical for this assuming we get great service. I don't want to over tip but don't want to be cheap either. We are in a regular balcony room on Crown Princess.

Any help is appreciated.

We just got back from the Alaskan cruise and had a fabulous cabin steward! We tipped him extra and gave him the card you can fill out for someone that does outstanding service. We also had a fantastic anytime dining waiter that we ended up asking for every night so we gave him an extra tip the last night along with a positive write up card. We don't always tip extra since on other cruises the service did not warrant a tip.

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My husband and I are leaving for an Alaskan Cruise next Saturday and we have only been on one other cruise before this. I seem to remember that we tipped the steward and dining staff extra at the end (personally with a note) based on a suggestion by others. I know this is not required but wondered if there was any amount that is typical for this assuming we get great service. I don't want to over tip but don't want to be cheap either. We are in a regular balcony room on Crown Princess.

Any help is appreciated.

There is no standard.

If you leave the auto tips on that's all that is required.

Any extra really does depend on the service, we have tipped between zero and $50 extra, depending on the person. For us it's not about service in the traditional sense as making us feel happy, so the bloke who has a joke and a chat but is maybe not the best at their job will be streets ahead of the cold efficient machine, with us.

We've even tipped a wine waiter (not Princess) who didn't serve us once (non-drinkers) because he made our meal times fun even though he was well aware he'd get no sales, he could easily have just passed by our table, but most nights, when he had attended to his tables he'd come over and have a chat, it was almost like he was using us as a bit of down time, but was still fun.

Since it is extra over an above the auto tip, it is what ever amount you feel is appropriate.

We usually book a mini suite, since you mention your cabin category... don't think that matters actually.

Our extra tips usually figure out to be about the same amount in total as our auto tip, which we distribute to the dining room staff including the head waiter and matre'd, since we are fussy and generally order off menu, plus our room steward. We order Room service for breakfast every day so tip daily in cash to the person who delivers.

On our next cruise, we plan to eat in the Crown Grill every night. We will leave the auto tip on, probably tip extra 15-20% of the costs of the meal.

If we go to the buffet and ask for something special that is not on the buffet, we tip the staff who gets what we requested on the spot when delivered a few dollars.

They figured it all out for you and charge a daily gratuity which recently went up un necessarily. I don't plan to tip anything more. I might remove them and tip in cash so I know the people I want to tip actually get what I give them. People think they turn in cash but I know better.

My husband and I are leaving for an Alaskan Cruise next Saturday and we have only been on one other cruise before this. I seem to remember that we tipped the steward and dining staff extra at the end (personally with a note) based on a suggestion by others. I know this is not required but wondered if there was any amount that is typical for this assuming we get great service. I don't want to over tip but don't want to be cheap either. We are in a regular balcony room on Crown Princess.

Any help is appreciated.

Totally up to you with any extra amounts. We've decided on all sorts of different amounts based on how good the service was, length of cruise, etc.. Sometimes it's been an extra $10 to the wait staff, soketi s $20, and sometimes an extra $50, sometimes not any extra, and once an extra $100 as the service then was over the top and it was a longer cruise... Room steward, again - totally varies. Sometimes $20, sometimes $50, sometimes no extra.. It varies... So, go with whatever you feel appropriate, if service warrants extra. There's no expectation of specific amounts...

If you pay the "suggested" amounts, you're good. no need for extra...unless you feel the need!

If you tip the auto gratuity, you have done exactly what is expected. As others have said, we have tipped extra and on other cruises have not tipped a penny over the automatic. It totally depends on the service and attitude we receive.

On our last Princess cruise, we made 3 small requests of our cabin steward. Each time, he said no. I've never heard of a cruise ship where you can't get a blanket. The mattress topper--he said we should have requested it in advance. I did and had the e-mail to prove it. Yeah, he did his job and nothing more. So he got the standard tip and nothing more.

In some other circumstances, I've nearly doubled the "standard." As above--attitude and service says it all. But if you tip the standard, you have done "just right." How much to go up if you choose to--totally up to you.

They figured it all out for you and charge a daily gratuity which recently went up un necessarily. I don't plan to tip anything more. I might remove them and tip in cash so I know the people I want to tip actually get what I give them. People think they turn in cash but I know better.

The auto tip recently went from $11.50 per person per day to $12.00 per person per day. Now they have suddenly raised it again to $12.95 per person per day. What's up with that? It seems like they are raising it up higher and higher to "make up for" the people who don't tip at all. It's like those who leave the auto tip in place are being expected to cover the lost tips from those who turn the auto tip off.

At the new rate the auto tips for my next cruise will run $725. :eek:

 

At the new rate the auto tips for my next cruise will run $725. :eek:

They didn't want you wondering that to do with that OBC.

Can we STOP now or this will go on for days.

Tony

This is a tipping op ed piece on Cruise Critic.

http://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=132

Can we STOP now or this will go on for days.

Tony

My money is on it going on for days, like most tipping threads.

No one complains when they get to add up all their OBC for stock.military. FCC.loyalty credits T/A gifts or Princess OBC specials..... but sure complain when the auto grat is added daily to counter the free monies you accept willingly........just saying... oh yea and brag how they can cheat Princess and cash it out to take home without spending it

No one complains when they get to add up all their OBC for stock.military. FCC.loyalty credits T/A gifts or Princess OBC specials..... but sure complain when the auto grat is added daily to counter the free monies you accept willingly........just saying... oh yea and brag how they can cheat Princess and cash it out to take home without spending it

Wow, someone is bitter about something.

Leaving the autotip in place is enough most of the time. If someone gives exceptional service, then a little bit extra is nice. DH is more generous than I am, so I leave it up to him. I think he gives $10-$20 extra depending on circumstances.

Can we STOP now or this will go on for days.

Tony

OK, Tony. Good idea to stop before it becomes ugly. I leave my auto tip in place and I have been known to tip extra besides. I was just surprised by two increases so close together.

I will bow out of this thread as I know what you mean about going on for days (and days, and days, and...) Yes, I did add to it with this post but mostly just to agree with you and to agree with your plea that we let this topic fade away. There are sooooooooooooo many great things about cruising and about the fact that the people here are able to cruise! All of us here should be happy that we can do so.

My money is on it going on for days, like most tipping threads.

You are so right!!!!!!!! It's the same thing over and over again from the same people.

Tony

The auto tip recently went from $11.50 per person per day to $12.00 per person per day. Now they have suddenly raised it again to $12.95 per person per day. What's up with that? It seems like they are raising it up higher and higher to "make up for" the people who don't tip at all. It's like those who leave the auto tip in place are being expected to cover the lost tips from those who turn the auto tip off.

 

At the new rate the auto tips for my next cruise will run $725. :eek:

The auto tip for cabins below the mini-suite category went straight from $11.50/day to $12.95/day.

There was no intermediate change to $12/day.

OK, Tony. Good idea to stop before it becomes ugly. I leave my auto tip in place and I have been known to tip extra besides. I was just surprised by two increases so close together.

 

I will bow out of this thread as I know what you mean about going on for days (and days, and days, and...) Yes, I did add to it with this post but mostly just to agree with you and to agree with your plea that we let this topic fade away. There are sooooooooooooo many great things about cruising and about the fact that the people here are able to cruise! All of us here should be happy that we can do so.[/quote

 

I do the same as you. I totally agree with you.

Tony

The auto tip recently went from $11.50 per person per day to $12.00 per person per day. Now they have suddenly raised it again to $12.95 per person per day. What's up with that? It seems like they are raising it up higher and higher to "make up for" the people who don't tip at all. It's like those who leave the auto tip in place are being expected to cover the lost tips from those who turn the auto tip off.

 

At the new rate the auto tips for my next cruise will run $725. :eek:

I think they raised it because everyone paid the auto gratuity so they figured if people aren't complaining ( by removing it and in addition tipping so much extra) why not soak them a little more. I don't believe the crew got any extra. I think your $725 is way higher then what the ship will actually give the crew. Consider removing the auto grats and tipping your waiters and cabin steward in cash, they LOVE cash.

You are so right!!!!!!!! It's the same thing over and over again from the same people.

Tony

Just waiting for the "I give gifts instead of cash and they love it" guy :rolleyes:

Just waiting for the "I give gifts instead of cash and they love it" guy :rolleyes:

I'm sure he'll be along.

I'm sure he'll be along.

Together with the $2 note lady.