Tipping for good service

I know tips are not expected on a Marella cruise, but if a member of staff offers me excellent service is it acceptable to offer them a small tip?

Also is it better to give them pounds or euros? I’m thinking of bar staff / waiters if I’m particularly happy with the service they give me.

We always do for good service and they are happy with anything, they have in the past told us they like dollars to send home which is what we normally do but other cruisers could have different experience's.

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We tipped on our cruise, we used euros simply because it was a med cruise and that is the most used currency. When we go to the caribbean it will be dollars, I'm sure they will be welcomed as the euros were.

We always tip our cabin steward and, if we have a regular table, our waiters in the currency used locally at the time (Euros for Med, Dollars for Caribbean etc.). We also leave some money at reception to go in the 'Cruise Fund' as a little thank you to those crew members we never see but whose hard work makes our trips so special.

We always leave a tip for good service and we always take bars of chocolate ,our safe didn't work and they sent a worker to fix it,I gave him a pack of 4 mars bars ,and you thought I gave him a fortune ,he kept saying thank you over and over,every time he saw me .

We always leave a tip for good service and we always take bars of chocolate ,our safe didn't work and they sent a worker to fix it,I gave him a pack of 4 mars bars ,and you thought I gave him a fortune ,he kept saying thank you over and over,every time he saw me .

Perhaps he was a Mars Bar addict :D

I think anything like that is also good for bartering.

Just to remind folks. On Marella tipping is not needed so no need to feel embarrassed about not doing it and no need to succumb to peer pressure if you experience any. My experience is Marella crews are efficient, friendly and seem happy with their lot. If you do tip it is real tipping, for service above and beyond

We always leave a tip for good service and we always take bars of chocolate ,our safe didn't work and they sent a worker to fix it,I gave him a pack of 4 mars bars ,and you thought I gave him a fortune ,he kept saying thank you over and over,every time he saw me .

I would have given a small cash tip because mars bars won't last long in my hands.

I like to buy them a personal gift.

One cruise we found out that the Waiter collected fridge magnets of the countries visited. On one stop he was doing all dinner duties and couldn't get off the ship. The ship wasn't returning to that port as the next cruises had changed destinations. We were going on a trip with shopping stops anyway, so bought him a magnet. Not expensive, only a couple of pounds, but it was the personal touch, that made it something more than cash.

He was so amazed that we spent our holiday time buying him a gift. He later showed us a picture of all the magnets he had on his wall in his room and our one was the pride of place in the middle.

It's these little things that make a difference to all.

We bought ourselves a souvenir animal and asked if we could name it after him. He loved the idea that we would do that.

Any currency will be fine regardless of where you are, there are many nationalities onboard and they have their own ways of swapping/changing money.

Also any fishing tackle is appreciated ,you can see them fishing when in port

Also any fishing tackle is appreciated ,you can see them fishing when in port

Fishing for Tips.

The only fishing I've seen them doing is

Fishing for Tips.

Very unfair comment I've done 32 cruises with Thomson and never had staff fishing for tips

Originally posted by Ska man

Also any fishing tackle is appreciated ,you can see them fishing when in port

The only fishing I've seen them doing is

Fishing for Tips.

 

 

Very unfair comment I've done 32 cruises with Thomson and never had staff fishing for tips

Tips are included in the price.

On most other cruiselines it would be a fair comment.

Regards Graham.

That's ok then apology accepted Graham Although tips are included many of us do give extra for service above and beyond I have even taken onboard shampoo, conditioner, cough medicine and sweets for certain individuals - one of which Pensioncruiser will recognise no doubt

That's ok then apology accepted Graham Although tips are included many of us do give extra for service above and beyond I have even taken onboard shampoo, conditioner, cough medicine and sweets for certain individuals - one of which Pensioncruiser will recognise no doubt

That's ok then apology accepted Graham Although tips are included many of us do give extra for service above and beyond I have even taken onboard shampoo, conditioner, cough medicine and sweets for certain individuals - one of which Pensioncruiser will recognise no doubt

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The cruise lines policy is very clear.

"All tips and service charges are included in the price of your cruise. You’re not expected to tip any of our crew – unless you want to, of course."

If you want to tip the crew really does not care what currency it is they see it all as extra money. They can exchange at the crew's banking office and get whatever they want.

Ive said it before ,there is no such thing as included tips, it's just thomson speak to make you think you are getting something for nothing and you are supposed to look at it as an advantage over other companies.

Spin it around and they saying tips are compulsory and we have already included them for your convenience ,we are not going to tell you how much you have paid and we will not tell you who get's them and how much , if you are dissatisfied with any aspect of service you can not remove anyones tips.

As for most other companies they tell you how much you are paying ,who you are paying them to ,and often you can have them removed and tip as you please.

Why can't marella just be honest and say tip's are entirely at your discretion, surely that is a bigger PR advantage over other companies with their compulsory grat's.

Until someone can come on here and say exactly how much these so called included tips are and who gets them i stand by what i say ,don't be fooled by the spin machine.

Nothing like saying it as it is Okavango!!

Think the difference is that with lines that charge for tips they pay out those tips with the salary but with Marella its an absolute extra. Just my observations realise others may not agree but in the end does it matter just enjoy the service and tip if you feel comfortable doing so. tomothy123 asked a simple question.

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Nothing like saying it as it is Okavango!!

I take it you also understand the big myth of tips included.

Think the difference is that with lines that charge for tips they pay out those tips with the salary but with Marella its an absolute extra. Just my observations realise others may not agree but in the end does it matter just enjoy the service and tip if you feel comfortable doing so. tomothy123 asked a simple question.

 

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Yes and the simple answer is tips are not expected even though they have not already recieved the ficticous included tips. Its entirely your choice.

OK That's gone totally over my head, as I said simple question which required simple answer which was IMO addressed in the first few replies. I'm out of this post.

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"All tips and service charges are included in the price of your cruise. You’re not expected to tip any of our crew – unless you want to, of course."

Included in the price of your cruise, what is clearer than that? You are obviously not getting something for nothing and it does not imply that.

The so called tips are not itemised and we have no need to be concerned about how Marella pay their crew. After all we all know the passenger pays for everything and I know Marella crews are just as efficient as other cruise lines crews.

Other cruise lines discretionary tipping forms part of the wages and the ability to remove the tips just allows some passengers to stiff the crew. Reducing the tips because of bad service is just a cover story. If you are unhappy with a crew member talk to their supervisor, that is what I do.

Why try to provoke a tipping argument here, go to the P&O board instead and read the constant stream of heated discussions on the subject there

"All tips and service charges are included in the price of your cruise. You’re not expected to tip any of our crew – unless you want to, of course."

 

Included in the price of your cruise, what is clearer than that? You are obviously not getting something for nothing and it does not imply that.

The so called tips are not itemised and we have no need to be concerned about how Marella pay their crew. After all we all know the passenger pays for everything and I know Marella crews are just as efficient as other cruise lines crews.

Other cruise lines discretionary tipping forms part of the wages and the ability to remove the tips just allows some passengers to stiff the crew. Reducing the tips because of bad service is just a cover story. If you are unhappy with a crew member talk to their supervisor, that is what I do.

Why try to provoke a tipping argument here, go to the P&O board instead and read the constant stream of heated discussions on the subject there

Well said