First time, monarch of the seas..tipping? eating?etc questions

[colinmc123]

hello, going on monarch of the seas rccl, dec 14-18,

wondering about how the tipping policies are, will anything be automatically added to my CC. and if i dont go to the main diner sit down then i can avoid tipping for the days i do not go?

and what do the cabin stewards do to deserve their tip?

[kitty9]

Regardless of where you choose to dine, you're always being served by someone, so avoiding tips should not be an option even if you don't dine every night in the main dining room. Your waiter might be working in the buffet for breakfast or lunch and he's still working for you regardless of where you dine. You can have your tips placed on your on board account, or you can tip in cash on the last night---They will give you envelops for that.

 

Your cabin steward works very, very hard. They clean your cabin twice a day---make your bed, vacuum your floor, scrub your toilet-sink-shower. They bring fresh towels twice a day. Yes, they greatly deserve your tip. I hope you're not thinking of not tipping.

[Fredr]

Hello,

 

The previous poster (Darcie) really knows cruises, and I agree with her totally.

[colinmc123]

thanks, ill tip dont worry! The cash thing is good so i can rate it on service then. And i guess it should be easy to find them the last day?

[cb at sea]

ALL of the ship's employees who serve you TOTALLY deserve the "suggested" tips.! Your room attendant will clean your cabin TWICE daily. They will make sure you have ice at all times. They will take and return any laundry/dry-cleaning you may have. They will entertain you with artfully folded towel animals....

Your waiter and ass't waiter will make your dinners special. Even tho THEY are the ones you tip, other waiters will assist with breakfast and lunch....you do not need to tip those folks.

If everyone tips their dinner waiters, then EVERYONE is covered. Don't scrimp on the tips....these folks work HARD to make your vacation the best it can be....

[colinmc123]

dont need/want it cleaned twice daily, thats a waste, towel animals....well ya....... laundry, nope. ice YES! so depending on service and everything, but oh well

[travelntreats]

dont need/want it cleaned twice daily, thats a waste, towel animals....well ya....... laundry, nope. ice YES! so depending on service and everything, but oh well

Theres always a fish that has to try to go the opposite way in the stream rather than going with the flow..... Just look at the gratuities as part of the total cruise costs and enjoy all the "pampering" service these crew member do for their passengers (regardless if you need it or not !).

Might as well not fight it on this topic !

[JanineM]

dont need/want it cleaned twice daily, thats a waste, towel animals....well ya....... laundry, nope. ice YES! so depending on service and everything, but oh well

 

The recommended amount is about $4 per person per day. They will clean it twice a day whether you like it or not - there are standards to be maintained. I figure $4 per person per day is a pretty fantastic deal for all they do.

 

How do you plan to 'rate' their service? What system do you plan to use? Are you going to compare it to a 4 star hotel where you would pay $200 per night for just the room to crash --- without any ice, food, resort amenities or entertainment? In that case, they probably deserve a lot MORE! :p

[uppitycats]

Why is it always a first-time cruiser who thinks he knows better how to manage this?

 

Like in America, people that do our "dirty work" -- waiters, hotel maids, etc. -- are vastly UNderpaid on cruise ships, and depend on the tips to supplement their income. Over time the cruise company has figured out how little to pay them and have them depend on passengers to tip them..and now makes it easy through auto-tipping, pre-paying tipping, etc. Yet there are still folks who think they know better, and buck the system.

 

Until such time as these folks get paid what they deserve..which is WAY more than they're getting now...or until the cruise companies simply fold the tipping into the cruise fare ... I leave the auto-tip in place, or follow the cruise line guidelines, and generally tip more.

[colinmc123]

bla bla bla lol, if i wanted to go on a ship where they treat me like a 5 star hotel i would have gone on oasis of the seas, but ya w/e too many threads fighting over tipping, kinda rediculous how questions about tipping flame up so much debate, this is a resouce not a fight.

on the other board it was getting ridiculous.

what kind of food can i expect on monarch of the seas?

[travelntreats]

Not 5 star...... so you should be happy....But wait... you are not going to eat in the MDR !!

 

If you think that there are too many threads on tipping and that it is ridiculous regarding the flaming, why did you even post the question ???

[colinmc123]

because i am new and i only found out after i posted the question lol.

i will eat in the MDR at least once for breakfast and diner.

[uppitycats]

because i am new and i only found out after i posted the question lol.

i will eat in the MDR at least once for breakfast and diner.

 

 

The main dining room is not a diner. You're eating dinner in the main dining room... or maybe not.

 

There is a search engine on this site, and while it's not always entirely accurate, "tipping" will bring you a thousand threads.

 

Whether you eat in the main dining room or not..again...the waiters that serve you in the main dining room also work in the buffet, setting up food, cleaning up before and after, bussing tables, etc. And also work in all of the other food venues where you might be eating. Unless you intend to carry on all your own food and eat in your cabin, you'll be encountering people serving you in a variety of ways, seen and unseen, throughout all of your cruise. "Stiff" them if you must, but don't brag about it here.

[colinmc123]

wow you can never take any critique...

the more you say im going to stiff them the less eager i am to tip...as i have said time and time before...i will tip based on service, stop pushing it.

[travelntreats]

wow you can never take any critique...

the more you say im going to stiff them the less eager i am to tip...as i have said time and time before...i will tip based on service, stop pushing it.

So you are going to let an "invisible" person persuade you to tip less because of their attempt to make a VALID POINT to you ???:confused:

 

To coin a phrase from the comedian Ron Young..... "You can't fix stupid" ! :eek:

[JanineM]

So you are going to let an "invisible" person persuade you to tip less because of their attempt to make a VALID POINT to you ???:confused:

 

To coin a phrase from the comedian Ron Young..... "You can't fix stupid" ! :eek:

 

I agree. Either colinmc123 is trying to get us to haul out the popcorn and oil, or he doesn't get it. Why penalize the staff on the ship because you don't like the comments on a cruise chat board?