Extra Tips - What do YOU consider a good tip?

[eggypann]

I've read lots of posts from folks who talk about giving extra tips to those workers who do fantastic jobs. Not being a frequest cruiser I'd like a general idea of what to tip at the end of the cruise - say to my room steward or dining room servers. I've always been a pretty good tipper - comes from having to wait tables in college - but am kind of clueless here. I'll be on a 7 day cruise. Thanks for your help!

[Liberty6277]

I've read lots of posts from folks who talk about giving extra tips to those workers who do fantastic jobs. Not being a frequest cruiser I'd like a general idea of what to tip at the end of the cruise - say to my room steward or dining room servers. I've always been a pretty good tipper - comes from having to wait tables in college - but am kind of clueless here. I'll be on a 7 day cruise. Thanks for your help!

 

Tips already included in cost per day pp. If you want to tip extra go ahead I"ll even take a tip , helps pay for those expensive drinks! A Good tip would be a Days salary. Say $100.

[Traveler353]

I believe that tipping is a personal thing. You can leave what you feel is appropriate for the service rendered.

[jzozo]

We gave my room steward $20 on the first day. He was happy and we had great service from him. We had 2 rooms and had the auto tips on.

[Name Of The Game]

Leftover coffee pot, over-the-door shoe hanger, and old shoes full of sand that I don't want to carry home.

 

Just kidding :D

[Megnolia]

I think it's a good question, since we really had no idea what was appropriate, and it's not like we wanted to ask our neighbours across the hall "say, what are you tipping the steward?"

 

We leave on Auto tips and have tipped $20 for the Steward, $10 for each of the assistant stewards (we usually ask the steward the names of everyone on his team, usually 2 others), $20 head waiter, $10 or $20 team waiter, depending on how often we saw him, and $10 or $20 for drink waiter depending on service. At Christmas we doubled these amounts, with an extra tip card on Christmas day (along with a box of chocolates for each).

 

But, if most people tip more than this, then I would like to know. I don't want my Steward to see $20 and think we were unhappy with him if others tend to give $50!

[Kurbanfan]

I think it's a good question, since we really had no idea what was appropriate, and it's not like we wanted to ask our neighbours across the hall "say, what are you tipping the steward?"

 

 

If you did ask they would more then likely say......."Auto tips"

But, if most people tip more than this, then I would like to know. I don't want my Steward to see $20 and think we were unhappy with him if others tend to give $50!

 

You are kidding right:confused: They are just grateful to get what most people give which is the auto tip........... Most people don't double tip...........

[Nunu]

Worry only about what you feel is appropriate if any extra at all is warranted. (I learned this one from my old man)

[cathyz]

I've read lots of posts from folks who talk about giving extra tips to those workers who do fantastic jobs. Not being a frequest cruiser I'd like a general idea of what to tip at the end of the cruise - say to my room steward or dining room servers. I've always been a pretty good tipper - comes from having to wait tables in college - but am kind of clueless here. I'll be on a 7 day cruise. Thanks for your help!

If our cabin steward has done almost nothing extra for us, but has done his job really well (not all do), then we'll leave him $20-40. If he's done alot (when we are with our group of friends we have happy hour in our suite daily), then he gets $100+ for the daily messes he has to clean. If we really like our waiters, we give them $20-40 each also. And on the last day we try to get to all our favorite bartenders (maybe 3 or 4 of them) and give them an extra $20 each. We don't typically tip the maitre'd unless he's done something for us (we've moved tables a few times) or he's very entertaining and comes to the table alot (which is what Claudio did on the Splendor 3 weeks ago), so he got $20 in his envelop on the last night. We also leave the auto tips in place, have never changed those.

[Nuttycruisegirl]

If my room steward is good....friendly, takes care of the room well (I don't ever really ask for anything extra) I tip them $20 and the asst steward $10. Same in the dining room...If they are friendly and fun $20 for waiter, $10 for assistant. That's just me....you'll get many different opinions...none wrong. :)

[SDPadreFan]

You are kidding right:confused: They are just grateful to get what most people give which is the auto tip........... Most people don't double tip...........

 

And you know this to be an indisputable fact because .....

[eggypann]

Thanks for all of your answers. I do know that the subject of tipping brings out all kinds of comments. I will say, however, that the sum of about $10 per day (covered by the auto-tipping) does not seem like very much at all when divided among all the folks who wait on you! If I could afford $100 per day extra then I'd pay it - but I can't. I will however tip the best I can for those who I feel have gone above and beyond.

[valancy1]

Peg,

 

FWIW, we tip about $20 extra if we like our room steward and head waiter. On our first cruise, our dining room bar man was INCREDIBLE and I just loved him (Ilshat on Liberty). We tipped him $10.

 

Let's put it this way... hopefully most people leave the auto tips on so they are guaranteed their tips. To some $20 is really generous. To others $100 is generous. Do what is comfortable for YOU. They appreciate anything you give. I have never gotten the impression that one is "measured" better or worse at the end of a cruise because of the amount of tip you do or do not leave.

 

Think about it--if you go to a wedding, you may give a specific amount of money. Someone else may give twice as much as you did. Doesn't make your gift worth any less in their eyes, right? :)

 

Enjoy your cruise... and give what you feel is appropriate for you.

Debra

[FightOnRon]

If our cabin steward has done almost nothing extra for us, but has done his job really well (not all do), then we'll leave him $20-40. If he's done alot (when we are with our group of friends we have happy hour in our suite daily), then he gets $100+ for the daily messes he has to clean. If we really like our waiters, we give them $20-40 each also. We also leave the auto tips in place, have never changed those.

 

I've enver been on CCL yet, but on HAL this is about what I do, depending upon length of cruise. Gernerally 10 a day extra for the cabin steward if they are excellant and friendly ,40-50 for the dining room waiter. Auto tips stay in place.

[Kurbanfan]

And you know this to be an indisputable fact because .....

 

I never said indisputable;) It is pretty common that people tend to follow what they sign up for.........auto tips, dress codes, etc.......nothing more and nothing less.......which is all that is expected of them.........

[irishgirl]

I leave the automatic tips on and that's all, I do not tip any extra.

 

Judy

[Monkeythyme]

The best tips are the ones in the jar on my piano.:D

[Lilmatcat]

I always tip extra to the room steward, dining staff, and my favorite bar tenders/waiters -- in addition to the auto tps. Sometimes I have tipped the m'aitre d, other times not.

 

I spoke candidly with one of the dining waiters once and he told me that people are pretty good about leaving auto tips in place on the longer cruises, but that there are many who remove them on the 3-4 day cruises. Knowing that, I'll probably leave an even bigger tip if I take another shorty cruise. They work so hard for what they get I am happy to do what I can to show my appreciation.

[jayesouthworth]

We gave my room steward $20 on the first day. He was happy and we had great service from him. We had 2 rooms and had the auto tips on.

 

We did that only one time on the Pride. We gave the cabin steward $20.00 first day and told him to keep the ice bucket filled. He didn't do jack. So, we took the $20.00 off the final tip. We've never done that again.

[63galaxie]

We tip extra when it's warranted, which is 99.9% of the time on a cruise!

 

We are "middle-income" folks who save and save for a cruise, but we always save enough for extra tips.

 

If the cabin attendant, waiter, and assistant waiter are great, we usually tip an extra $20 each. We've tipped more, and we've tipped less. We've also given others more when they've gone above and beyond.

[boaterette]

It is amazing how many people have responded but didn't even answer the question. Why do you bother? I usually tip an extra 10 to 20 depending on the level of service. In the casino I always tip 1 dollar per drink above the auto tip. It comes in handy when the place is busy. I always get great service.

[michaelaz]

I also tip room steward $20 first day and ask him to keep my ice filled, never had any issues but wouldnt hesitate to remove it if he didnt do squat.

 

Matre'd I just cant see tipping when he only appears for the money handshake on last night.

[minncruisers]

This is a great thread. We've only ever given an extra $20 to the head waiter and $10 to the assistant waiter on the last night of our Alaskan cruise. We've never had both who did such an awesome job as that team and felt they deserved more than the auto tip. I was feeling bad because I thought $20 wasn't very much but I realized my SIL and her DH also tipped them the same so, in essence, they got $40 and $20 respectively. DH and I are usually pretty good tippers, not great, but decent.

[joebat1]

I've read lots of posts from folks who talk about giving extra tips to those workers who do fantastic jobs. Not being a frequest cruiser I'd like a general idea of what to tip at the end of the cruise - say to my room steward or dining room servers. I've always been a pretty good tipper - comes from having to wait tables in college - but am kind of clueless here. I'll be on a 7 day cruise. Thanks for your help!

 

"Get a real day job" ~~!!~~

[NutsAboutGolf]

Doesn't appear it's been addressed. When you get on the ship, you will have an autotip debit of $10/day, per person. A couple would have two $70 debits. On the last night you will get an empty envelope in your cabin which is for the M'd.