Tipping on Windstar

Can anyone who has been on a Windstar cruise explain or advise on the extra tipping expectation. I have been reading about this line since I'm taking a cruise with them in the Summer. I've read that most people tip at the end of the cruise even though there is a $12 per day, per person auto gratuity added by the line. I tend to be a high tipper, but I am not sure that I understand the norm in this situation. Thanks.

You are right everyone is charged $12 per day for service. Bar servers get the 15% added to you bar bill. However, if you feel,that someone has given you extra service, been particulary nice, or served you a lot or that your cabin steward has done a great job it is up to your discretion to give these people something extra after the cruise. We have been on 16 cruises with WS and we have always given envelops at the end of the cruise with a thank you to: the cabin stewards, bar people and waiters that we have especially enjoyed and are thankful for. After 16 times we know many of the people so we are happy to tip extra. We are like you generally good tippers but it us truly up to one's discretion. Happy Sailing Susanne

Is there a rule of thumb that you use? For example, if your cabin steward is wonderful, do you do another $5 per day/$10 per day, etc.?

Hi, this is me and certainly not a rule. We give our cabin steward $50 for a 7 day journey. The others all depends how often they serve us, how long we have known them etc., no rule of thumb but the range is $ 20-50 on 7 day journeys.I do not even know if this is generous or not, I hope it is, but it is what we do. What I have found out lately in the WS cruises, is that they are mixing up the people more, we used to have the same servers by just where we sat, bar people seem to be more consistent. But, the service is so extraordinary in the long run we are just happy and do what we can. Happy Sailing Susanne

We tipped between $20 and $200 extra on our B2B to the people who really made our cruise special. All in all it worked out to about five servers/bartenders and our cabin steward. The steward the first week was just OK and only got the auto-tip. The guy we had the second week was fantastic and got an extra $50. One bartender who really took care of us over the two weeks (and I mean REALLY) got an extra $200 from us. One of the busboys got an extra $20 and three severs got between $20 and $100 each.

We have no set formula as such, but do tip a little extra to those who make our cruise extra special. So who we decide to tip and how much varies from cruise to cruise, but it is generally in the $20-$50 range.

Thank you everyone for sharing your practices. I appreciate all I can learn in advance of this cruise.

Wow most of you are bigger tippers than us!

We have cruised 4 times. Not sure we did anything extra our 1st cruise because it probably didn't occur to us. Our next cruise we really had some outstanding cabin stewards (we had 2 - we changed rooms but our 1st steward kept taking care of us, in addition to the new one). We gave both both an extra $20 when we left. We probably gave our dinner waiter an extra $20 as well, can't recall for certain.

On another cruise, we took some family members. One has some severe dietary restrictions and we were a little worried about how they would be accomodated. We were very impressed with the care given to dinner dining choices by the dining manager and tipped extra at the end of the voyage, probably $25. We did not tip the server who had a very difficult time giving us good info on ingredients and had some serving issues. She was very nice, it was a competence and knowledge issue. We discretely switched sections even though she saw us one night and mentioned that she had saved a table for our largish group.

On our last cruise, we gave extra to the dining manager who took very good care of us, our cabin steward and one of the front desk receptionists who went out of her way to help us with a room issue. My husband probably tipped a bartender extra on a cruise or two. We may have given something extra to the wine steward as well, we were really delighted with his service and how personable he was, but I am not positive.

I think it is all very discretionary and completely up to you as far as you feeling that is something that you are motivated to do.

We made sure that any extra tip was delivered personally by one of us with a heartfelt thank you for going the extra mile.

Wow most of you are bigger tippers than us!

 

 

 

We have cruised 4 times. Not sure we did anything extra our 1st cruise because it probably didn't occur to us. Our next cruise we really had some outstanding cabin stewards (we had 2 - we changed rooms but our 1st steward kept taking care of us, in addition to the new one). We gave both both an extra $20 when we left. We probably gave our dinner waiter an extra $20 as well, can't recall for certain.

 

 

 

On another cruise, we took some family members. One has some severe dietary restrictions and we were a little worried about how they would be accomodated. We were very impressed with the care given to dinner dining choices by the dining manager and tipped extra at the end of the voyage, probably $25. We did not tip the server who had a very difficult time giving us good info on ingredients and had some serving issues. She was very nice, it was a competence and knowledge issue. We discretely switched sections even though she saw us one night and mentioned that she had saved a table for our largish group.

 

 

 

On our last cruise, we gave extra to the dining manager who took very good care of us, our cabin steward and one of the front desk receptionists who went out of her way to help us with a room issue. My husband probably tipped a bartender extra on a cruise or two. We may have given something extra to the wine steward as well, we were really delighted with his service and how personable he was, but I am not positive.

 

 

 

I think it is all very discretionary and completely up to you as far as you feeling that is something that you are motivated to do.

 

 

 

We made sure that any extra tip was delivered personally by one of us with a heartfelt thank you for going the extra mile.

I'm assuming these weren't all Windstar cruises, as Windstar has no female cabin or dining room staff. Unless something has changed in the past few years, the only females working on the ships are in the spa, entertainment, recreation, and guest services areas. Less than a dozen total.

Windstar just started with women as waiters and bar people. We were on the Wind Surf in January and there were about 6 ladies in those positions, lovely and hard working. Happy that is happening. Happy Sailing. Susanne

Hi, the answer to this may be obvious but just wondering relative to currency. All discussion has been about using dollars. In the EU do you usually tip in euros and if so what is average tip?

We did the auto tips on our credit card. We tipped every above the standard in Euros as we were in Europe and the ship would remain there for the next few months still. Windstar crew seem to get more shore leave than other lines we've sailed. They were out and about in every port. Shopping, playing soccer, going to the local casinos. I'm sure they would have an easier time spending Euros than US dollars.

Thanks so much for info

Is it possible to tip the laundry workers? I understand they do a wonderful job.

They do, do an extraordinary. I do not know the answer but why not.? Ask reception and designate an amount on your bill or an envelope addressed specifically to the laundry. I do not know why I never thought iof that thanks because they are so worth it. Happy Sailing. Susanne

I'm assuming these weren't all Windstar cruises, as Windstar has no female cabin or dining room staff. Unless something has changed in the past few years, the only females working on the ships are in the spa, entertainment, recreation, and guest services areas. Less than a dozen total.

Yes, Ducklite, they were all Windstar cruises. It was the first time I had seen female dining stewards, but I didn't really think about that until you mentioned it. It was on the Windsurf in 2014. I was on the Windstar in 2015 and do not recall seeing female dining stewards, and on neither ship did I see female room attendants, but then I was really paying much attention either.

Women are on the Surf, Breeze, Legend and Pride. The only reason the smaller ships do not as yet have women is due to living quarters and no private bathroom facilities.

It appears you can add gratuity to your credit card at the end, correct? If we tip some in cash would XPF be okay? (We'll be on the Tahitian cruise.) Or is US currency preferred if going the cash route.

It appears you can add gratuity to your credit card at the end, correct? If we tip some in cash would XPF be okay? (We'll be on the Tahitian cruise.) Or is US currency preferred if going the cash route.

I would go with XPF for any cash tips. The crew is in French Polynesia and it will be easier for them to use the local currency for personal expenses on shore or to wire home.

Does Windstar have a Crew Welfare fund?

On other cruise lines where tipping is included, we give a special thank you to our room steward/ess or butler and then a donation to the Crew Welfare fund. There are so many behind the scenes actors who assist to our good time but receive none of the glory that some other crew members receive.

They do have a crew welfare fund. On the Windsurf in April, a young father cabin steward had unexpectedly passed away while on home leave. An item was auctioned with the proceeds going to his family, and other funds had been donated from the existing fund. It is possible to make a donation to this fund while onboard.

So, if we have leftover Kuna from our Croatian stops would it be a good idea to tip some of our extra tips with that?

I certainly don't want to leave something that would make it difficult for staff to use, but it would be a good way to use up leftover funds!

Not sure I would tip in Kuna as they are only accepted in Croatia and the ship might not be back there for a month or two depending on the itinerary.

Hi,

I know this thread is old, but it is the only one I could find about tipping extra to staff.  We have never been on Windstar, but on other cruise lines we typically would give a bit extra to the staff that helped make our cruise special.  From reading this thread that appears to be what others do too.  I assume then the staff must expect it?  I was wondering about Room Service though.  Do you typically tip the person that brings you your room service food?  What about if it's just coffee in the morning?  Thank you in advance, we sail in a few weeks.

4 minutes ago, SeaDayLvr said:

Hi,

 

I know this thread is old, but it is the only one I could find about tipping extra to staff.  We have never been on Windstar, but on other cruise lines we typically would give a bit extra to the staff that helped make our cruise special.  From reading this thread that appears to be what others do too.  I assume then the staff must expect it?  I was wondering about Room Service though.  Do you typically tip the person that brings you your room service food?  What about if it's just coffee in the morning?  Thank you in advance, we sail in a few weeks.

This sounds like the stereotype of US tourists ruining it for everybody else by over-tipping.  If the staff have come to 'expect' it, 'included' no longer means 'included.'