Argh, tipping.

I'm sorry, I know it's been done to death but the multiple train wreck threads on here have only served to leave me more flummoxed, so I'm seeking your advice.

Here are the irrefutables we don't need to argue about:

- I'm on an AU based ship so grats are included in the fare

- I *will* be giving key service staff and additional tip

- I am shy, have some deep seated awkwardness about my privilege vs that of the people serving me, and feel very squicky about the whole tipping thing

I'd like to be prepared, as I wouldn't be carrying AUD for any other purpose than this, so am hoping you can offer some advice on the following:

Who are the key staff one would normally tip? I think I've read that the minimum is steward, head waiter, assistant waiter, anyone else? How familiar does one need to get with a bar or other occasional server before they end up on the end-of-cruise tip list?

Room service is paid as you go, and $2 per delivery will do, is that correct? Is there a way I can do this discreetly, ie. is there a folio to sign where I can tuck the coin or am I going to have to press it into the person's hand?

Could you offer me your views on a $$ range for each role, based on 2 passengers x 12 nights, which is neither offensively low nor ostentatiously high? (In AUD and assuming service is to the expected standard.)

I *really* hate this stuff and am very shy, how can I do this with the least amount of awkwardness? An envelope with thank you note in the room on departure for the steward? How about the waiters, can I leave an envelope on the table on our last night or do I really need to hand deliver?

Arrrgghhh it's keeping me awake at night, please help!

Arrrgghhh it's keeping me awake at night, please help!

You have already tipped. By tipping more you are defeating the purpose of the built-in gratuity. It is not necessary and you do not need to lose any sleep over it.

Don't do any more tipping. Unless of course if you fall overboard and a crew member jumps in to save you, or a crew person performs CPR on you to save your life.

Otherwise, don't tip.

However, if you have had a nice cruise, fill in the questionnaire and give everyone 10/10.

There is no need to tip anyone extra.

If you decide to the ones are any that go out of their way, or above and beyond, to take care of you.

The most likely to get an extra tip from me are my Steward and my waitstaff.

A waiter who makes sure I have a LARGE diet coke, chippies with my din dins and Ice Cream every night, goes a long way towards making me happy (not hard to please really).

If he makes me laugh from time to time even better.

A Steward who is unobtrusive and keeps my cabin tidy might get a sling.

If you want to give additional tips, which are optional, then it's with people you regularly see. if e.g. you have different dining staff each night, then it's less to worry about so it would be mainly your room steward. The same with bar staff. If you go to a different bar or not much at all, then don't worry about it. If you like to visit the same bar each night, and have the same barman who treats you well, it may be appropriate.

In all cases, you should be able to get an envelope (from guest services) and just put whatever you want in there. For your room steward and dining, you can therefore leave it on your table/bed on the last night and they will pick it up, if you prefer to not hand it over. Alternatively and for a barman, you can just hand it across and say "thanks for your service on the trip" and that would actually be preferable as long as you're comfortable doing that.

As for the amount, it really comes down to your situation e.g. how much they serve you and the experience. I'd say $20-100 would be realistic ranges, but everyone and situation is different.

I found a box of really tiny gift cards a year or so ago which I find really useful for tips. I write a few words in the card and slip the cash inside. They are so small, about the size of a credit card, and I can cup them in my hand so very discreet.

Typically we give extra to our steward(s) and MDR waiters. Sometimes a barman who has given us great service on more than one occasion. We rarely have room service but wouldn't tip for it on an AUD cruise.

I base it on $2-5 per day depending on how good the service was - $5 would be over the top exceptional service though.

Its entirely up to you how you go about it (as said in previous posts) however on our recent cruise I slipped $50 in an envelope and wrote a small thank you note to our room steward.

The note was a bit over the top... but I thought I would do it anyway.

I also made sure I filled out the feedback cards for the couple of staff I had regular contact with. I know that these are noted when determining contract extensions and their performance management. So... HELPING someone keep a job is always a good tip too.

I didnt tip any wait staff as we never had the same one twice. However if I was on a fixed table and they looked after me, I would have given them a tip and positive feedback.

Let's not do this all over again and again and again...............:)

Let's not do this all over again and again and again...............:)

Do what? Ask some genuine questions and receive a bunch of helpful replies?

:confused:

I'm sorry, I know it's been done to death but the multiple train wreck threads on here have only served to leave me more flummoxed, so I'm seeking your advice.

 

Here are the irrefutables we don't need to argue about:

- I'm on an AU based ship so grats are included in the fare

- I *will* be giving key service staff and additional tip

- I am shy, have some deep seated awkwardness about my privilege vs that of the people serving me, and feel very squicky about the whole tipping thing

 

I'd like to be prepared, as I wouldn't be carrying AUD for any other purpose than this, so am hoping you can offer some advice on the following:

 

Who are the key staff one would normally tip? I think I've read that the minimum is steward, head waiter, assistant waiter, anyone else? How familiar does one need to get with a bar or other occasional server before they end up on the end-of-cruise tip list?

 

Room service is paid as you go, and $2 per delivery will do, is that correct? Is there a way I can do this discreetly, ie. is there a folio to sign where I can tuck the coin or am I going to have to press it into the person's hand?

 

Could you offer me your views on a $$ range for each role, based on 2 passengers x 12 nights, which is neither offensively low nor ostentatiously high? (In AUD and assuming service is to the expected standard.)

 

I *really* hate this stuff and am very shy, how can I do this with the least amount of awkwardness? An envelope with thank you note in the room on departure for the steward? How about the waiters, can I leave an envelope on the table on our last night or do I really need to hand deliver?

 

Arrrgghhh it's keeping me awake at night, please help!

I think you're guestimates are quite reasonable.

In giving the tip to the staff, I've done it in envelopes, done it in cash in their hand, left it on the dinner table/room dresser. No right or wrong answer. Whatever you feel comfortable with.

I would ask one question however - I have never actually tipped on a ship with "coins" (ie I assume you are thinking of $1 and $2 aussie coins), as I didn't believe you could exchange foreign coins at your bank?? and wondered if it was useless to them when they got back home to their own country?? I have traveled with friends who exchanged a lot of $1 and $5 US notes to take with them for tipping staff as you go. I don't personally go that far (although it did seam to pay off for them in special little extras), I just leave a larger US or AUD note depending on where I'm cruising, say $10 or $20 depending on the length of the cruise in our room, and to our waiter or favourite bar tender etc.

 

I would ask one question however - I have never actually tipped on a ship with "coins" (ie I assume you are thinking of $1 and $2 aussie coins), as I didn't believe you could exchange foreign coins at your bank??

I dont like tipping with coins either. That said, on our recent cruise, I did chuck in about $7 or $8 worth of New Zealand coins. I knew I couldnt use them, however the ship was going back there fairly soon... So our room steward can get better use of them than me.

Chatting with the staff on the ship, if any of them have time off on their port days, they usually go into town and use the wifi on land as its cheaper or free compared to the charges on the ship... so chances are they can probably use the extra change.

I just do not get the whole tipping culture. Would far prefer the staff to be paid properly in the first place.

We pre-paid the gratuities and considered that the fare. Having a suite the gratuities were higher anyway.

On RCI there were envelopes available for anyone you wanted to give some extra. Our steward was excellent so we put in some AU$ and then I realised I had some Indonesian cash left over and he was Indonesian, so put that in as well.

Wait staff in the MDR were fine but not more than expected. We did not drink on board so did not have anything to do with bar staff.

tl/dr Just go with the Pre-Paid Gratuities and only sling a bit extra is someone is exceptional.

Do what? Ask some genuine questions and receive a bunch of helpful replies?

 

:confused:

Good reply "clairebearinaus". There are always people who are new to cruising, and hopefully there will always be new members on this site, and this is one of the many quandaries they are faced with when they first "take to the seas". Yes they can spend time and do a search but it is always helpful to have current information and people's current thoughts on the matter.

Good reply "clairebearinaus". There are always people who are new to cruising, and hopefully there will always be new members on this site, and this is one of the many quandaries they are faced with when they first "take to the seas". Yes they can spend time and do a search but it is always helpful to have current information and people's current thoughts on the matter.

As a new member, I agree.

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

The whole point of prepaid gratuities is to well, prepay gratuities, so no more to pay as far as I'm concerned. No need to worry just enjoy your cruise.

Having said that, for some reason, room service seems to require a tip according to many posts, so I'll probably conform with that, though I don't agree with it, and may avoid room service.

As others have mentioned you really don't need to pay anything extra if you have already pre-paid tips. However if you feel you want to give someone an extra reward $5 -$20 should be more than enough. & yes put it in an envelope if that makes you feel more comfortable. Sometimes, depending on cruiseline, etc, it can also be easy to just tip a dollar here and there to your favourite bartender or barista at the bottom of your docket when ordering a drink.

Also, try not to fall into the trap of giving someone a big tip just because they have the gift of the gab & make you laugh. Sometimes the hardest & nicest working people around you can be the quietest ones. Not all, but sometimes!

We pre-pay our gratuities and tip some extra in cash for good service.

On our last cruise, a three nighter on Explorer of the Seas, we tipped $20 to the server in the Diamond Lounge, $20 to the waiter (which he would share with his assistant, so $10 each), and left $10 in the room for the Steward.

We also travel with USD one dollar notes for room service tipping, although we didn't use room service last cruise.

Cheers

Rosie

Thank so you much everyone, I feel a lot more informed about the whole issue.

Great advice re: coins, and I will get some small denomination USD instead as we do plan to use room service breakfast as our morning wake-up call some days, they will also be useful to have on shore excursions and throughout our post-cruise travels in Asia.

And I'll take a packet of $20s in case other tips are warranted, very handy to know that I can pick up envelopes from guest services and discreetly leave them for staff at the end of the cruise, no awkward conversations!

I'm also relieved to know that it's not expected at all, and I can concentrate on those who have gone the extra mile.

Thanks again :)

Thanks, useful thread. I am one too that hates the concept of tipping (seems a bit condescending to me) but hates more the idea of leaving a service person with the idea that I haven't valued their service, so good to know what is standard.

This is a useful thread and very interesting. i do have a question--why do people say give/leave the tip the last night (in an envelope or not). This is mostly about tips for the cabin steward. In the past, I have left a tip in an envelope on the last day, as we vacate the cabin. The only reason i can think of to do it the night before is so the steward can thank you, but I don't really need that.

What am I missing?

ML

This is a useful thread and very interesting. i do have a question--why do people say give/leave the tip the last night (in an envelope or not). This is mostly about tips for the cabin steward. In the past, I have left a tip in an envelope on the last day, as we vacate the cabin. The only reason i can think of to do it the night before is so the steward can thank you, but I don't really need that.

 

What am I missing?

 

ML

The only reason I can see is that ome people are really embarrassed by the whole tipping thing (well many Aussies are) and sometimes your steward can be very hard to catch that last night, first morning as they bust a gut together as much done as they can to be ready to welcome a new load of cargo.

Sorry amounts....

Last cruise was 34 days. We had ATD but sat in the same area about 25 nights, so had two waiters and two assistant waiters. Pretty sure we gave each of those waiters $75 and each asst waiter $50 (but I don't mind telling you some of the best service I've ever had anywhere, or the service that suits me) didn't tip any bartender, I don't drink, and really didn't have a regular. A few of them got consummate host cards and mentions in surveys. The Barista who took care of Mrs Gut's Chai Tea Latte in Soy extra hot with whatever else it was, got $50, not so much for his service, but because he was a bit of fun.

Now a few cruises back the wine waiter got a $50. And that was from someone he never served once. Why? Because he stopped for a but if a chat and a joke every night, knowing full well that we weren't customers and he was unlikely to make much out of us, and those little jokes and chats made my cruise better.

The assistant waiter who came running one morning in the buffet (day 2 of our cruise) to see if I had my diet coke got $20 (the same day) simply for caring.

Our Steward got little, mainly because he started dropping hints two weeks before the end if the cruise that he wanted one and seemed incapable of grasping "Do not Disturb".

Okay, the only really relevant cruises I have done are both P&O.

The first we left envelopes at the main desk the night before disembarking. Aus dollars $40 for the room steward and $100 for the matre'd who had done an excellent job of looking after my food allergy needs. Also left an additional envelope for the general crew.

Next P&O cruise, different ship. Same cabin steward and matre'd. Cabin steward greeted me effusively on boarding as did the matre'd. Service levels from these two were even higher whereas other staff were disappointing in comparison.

But really, this only matters if you will be back on the same cruise line within a reasonable time frame. Otherwise tipping after the fact is ... Hmmm ... Pointless.

The whole point of prepaid gratuities is to well, prepay gratuities, so no more to pay as far as I'm concerned. No need to worry just enjoy your cruise.

 

Having said that, for some reason, room service seems to require a tip according to many posts, so I'll probably conform with that, though I don't agree with it, and may avoid room service.

We tipped every few times we had room service.

Seemed only one or two people delivered it anyway, so $5 one delivery, skip a few $5 next delivery, seemed to work out fair enough to us. Even though I don't claim that it was 100% fair, to be frank some days we had no cash, or only big notes.

Okay, the only really relevant cruises I have done are both P&O.

 

The first we left envelopes at the main desk the night before disembarking. Aus dollars $40 for the room steward and $100 for the matre'd who had done an excellent job of looking after my food allergy needs. Also left an additional envelope for the general crew.

 

Next P&O cruise, different ship. Same cabin steward and matre'd. Cabin steward greeted me effusively on boarding as did the matre'd. Service levels from these two were even higher whereas other staff were disappointing in comparison.

 

But really, this only matters if you will be back on the same cruise line within a reasonable time frame. Otherwise tipping after the fact is ... Hmmm ... Pointless.

I guess saying "Thank you" after the fact is pointless too.

I always thought that was what tipping was about, saying thanks.

I believe that the same cash exchange, staff banking that they use for everything else will take Goldie's off them anyway.

I guess saying "Thank you" after the fact is pointless too.

 

I always thought that was what tipping was about, saying thanks.

 

I believe that the same cash exchange, staff banking that they use for everything else will take Goldie's off them anyway.

Thank you is vastly different to tipping. and the staff know that too.