Automatic tips??...Advice please.

[ruddock]

We are going on our 1st ever cruise on the 27th May....We have been informed we will be charged 7 euros each per day or around 112 in total for the 8 night trip...I prefer to tip in my own time according to service received.......Is it possible not to pay the automatic tipping sysem?

 

Thanks in advance.

[PBC29]

I can't say for euro trips but as an american in the caribbean last week we could remove the auto tip. I did cash the same amount to the people I was served by. I was alittle disappointed that our waiter in the mdr gave a sob story he's going home soon to his family 4 kids on the 2nd to last night purely to try and get a higher tip. I have good hearing and the amount of kids he had changed from table to table which wasn't very nice. He did give good service though.

 

Just go to the main customer service desk and ask for the form to change the tips they didn't even ask for a reason or try to convince me to keep it as is like most people on here do. At most they can say is no.

[guxu]

I can't say for euro trips but as an american in the caribbean last week we could remove the auto tip. I did cash the same amount to the people I was served by. I was alittle disappointed that our waiter in the mdr gave a sob story he's going home soon to his family 4 kids on the 2nd to last night purely to try and get a higher tip. I have good hearing and the amount of kids he had changed from table to table which wasn't very nice. He did give good service though.

 

Just go to the main customer service desk and ask for the form to change the tips they didn't even ask for a reason or try to convince me to keep it as is like most people on here do. At most they can say is no.

Rumor says crew members keep notes who removed auto tip. Looks you experience proved that :eek:

[hpreece]

This is nice to know...thanks.

[Capricruiser]

It's much easier and better to just accept the automatic service charge which is added to your bill at the end of the cruise. That way all the staff get something when the purser divides it amongst them. The entire crew from the deck cleaners to the barmen and waiters all get a cut and apparently it's very significant for them. If your waiter or cabin steward were exceptional you can always pass them an additional 10 or 20 euro note at the end. I sometimes do it at the beginning if I want to ensure good service or want something special.

[dizzy1948]

Hi Ruddock - you don't say what country you are from - if you're an Aussie - the tips are included in your fare. If not you might want to look on the tipping policy section of Costa Cruises. Always a good place to start. When we went last year there were a few very upset UK people as they got slugged at the end of the cruise. Read Costa Policy.

Like others have mentioned - you may be able to waiver the tips - but make sure you do it as soon as you step on board - don't wait while the last minute. At least that way you know what's what.

 

Enjoy your cruise - it's as good as you want it to be.

 

Regards

[alwaysfrantic]

I can't say for euro trips but as an american in the caribbean last week we could remove the auto tip. I did cash the same amount to the people I was served by. I was alittle disappointed that our waiter in the mdr gave a sob story he's going home soon to his family 4 kids on the 2nd to last night purely to try and get a higher tip. I have good hearing and the amount of kids he had changed from table to table which wasn't very nice. He did give good service though.

 

Just go to the main customer service desk and ask for the form to change the tips they didn't even ask for a reason or try to convince me to keep it as is like most people on here do. At most they can say is no.

 

I guess I don't see why not just go with their system. The servers get their money in a fashion they rely on. If you want to give extra cash then just give them extra. I'm not sure its worth the hurt feelings of the crew thinking you are going to stiff them, and the loss in the tip portion to those who receive a portion of the set gratuity.

[ruddock]

Hi Ruddock - you don't say what country you are from - if you're an Aussie - the tips are included in your fare. If not you might want to look on the tipping policy section of Costa Cruises. Always a good place to start. When we went last year there were a few very upset UK people as they got slugged at the end of the cruise. Read Costa Policy.

Like others have mentioned - you may be able to waiver the tips - but make sure you do it as soon as you step on board - don't wait while the last minute. At least that way you know what's what.

 

Enjoy your cruise - it's as good as you want it to be.

 

Regards

 

 

Cheers

We are from England and to be honest this tipping business seems a tad pricey....We have to pay £7 each per day not as i thought euros.

 

Way i see it is fairly simple...The crew are doing their chosen job yet passengers are being forced to supplement the crews wages....Not wishing to appear a mean guy BUT £112 in tips seems expensive,

 

I sincerely hope this cruising lark becomes a regular thing for me and the mrs.

[Moeve]

@ruddock since you are new to the boards perhaps you should have a look around. These tips may seem excessive to you but this is the only way you are going to find such offers from the lines - you the passenger recieving the service is simply put - paying the staff with thoses tips!!

 

Albeit I will agree that "tips" is the wrong term for this part of your cruise costs but is is an old term that has survivied the old passenger ship travel days. In fact it should be called a service charge and be done with it.

 

Read on the boards - there is lots of info out there. And if you don't like this system well then cruising may just not be for you...... or you adapt, understand why it is there and enjoy your cruising trips and giving the tips......

[luv2cruise523]

If you have to be worried about being nickled and dimed to death stay home!

[dizzy1948]

WOW - CLAW SHARPENERS ANYBODY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Hi Ruddock

 

You keep trawling these boards and asking away - the end result is you either pay or you don't. Check immediatley you board - saves all the stress. You can also - as an aside - ask for a print out of your account on a daily basis to keep check on your spends. I will tell you that there is a charge of 15% on every drink you buy. These aren't cheap and they are in Euro's. But if you trawl the boards you will get a fair amount of information. MY OWN PERSONAL opinion - Costa is expensive on board - but............... it wouldn't stop me going again. You can double up at "happy hour" worth it. Now you are over the initial shock of the costs - and believe me - you will find plenty of UK passengers going off on one at the end of the cruise. The pursers desk is the place to be the night before you dock. At least you know what's coming - you have read some fine print. Concentrate now on what you need to know for your ports of call - there are lots of people hanging around the boards who will be very helpful.

 

Don't be put off - keep asking

 

regards

[ruddock]

If you have to be worried about being nickled and dimed to death stay home!

 

 

Fine manners you have.

[ruddock]

WOW - CLAW SHARPENERS ANYBODY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Hi Ruddock

 

You keep trawling these boards and asking away - the end result is you either pay or you don't. Check immediatley you board - saves all the stress. You can also - as an aside - ask for a print out of your account on a daily basis to keep check on your spends. I will tell you that there is a charge of 15% on every drink you buy. These aren't cheap and they are in Euro's. But if you trawl the boards you will get a fair amount of information. MY OWN PERSONAL opinion - Costa is expensive on board - but............... it wouldn't stop me going again. You can double up at "happy hour" worth it. Now you are over the initial shock of the costs - and believe me - you will find plenty of UK passengers going off on one at the end of the cruise. The pursers desk is the place to be the night before you dock. At least you know what's coming - you have read some fine print. Concentrate now on what you need to know for your ports of call - there are lots of people hanging around the boards who will be very helpful.

 

Don't be put off - keep asking

 

regards

 

Thanks mate for your advice.....We need it.

[dizzy1948]

Hi ruddock

Throw your itinerary out and see what you get - you can save a lot of money on doing it yourself - but do it on a seperate thread for eg: Stopping at Ho Chi Minh City etc. List your ports of call on a new thread and you will be surprised what comes back.We owe our cost effective trip to people on this board and we saved a fortune. Ask away but list your ports of call along with anything you might want to do - the people on this board are wonderful

 

Regards

Liz

[Goldryder]

My next cruise...33 days on Costa Allegra...is €198 in service charge to be paid at the end of the cruise.

 

I have budgeted for that, and some on top for those who stand out for me service wise along the way.

 

The Costa websites all have the service charges listed according to where you are going & which ship and if in any doubt you can always email or call Costa and ask them what the exact amount will be for the full cruise. Don't forget that kids/teens are reduced rates too.

 

Service charges 2010 - for cruises from december 2009 to november 2010

 

included:

Transatlantic cruises of November 2009

Grand Oriental cruises of November 2009

Costa Serena 27 November 2009

Costa Pacifica 29 and 30 November 2009

Costa Europa 8 and 11 November 2009

Costa Classica 20 November 2009

Costa Marina 22 November 2009

Costa Allegra 27 November 2009

 

 

For all hotel services a mandatory service charge will be added each day to guests' accounts. Payment will be requested only at the end of the cruise and depends on the duration of the cruise. The following charges are applicable:

• 7 euros/day per adult for all cruises up to 8 nights, or 6 euros/day per adult for longer cruises

• 11 dollars/day per adult for Caribbean cruises on Costa Fortuna and Costa Atlantica departing from Fort Lauderdale

• 9 dollars/day per adult for 4-5-6-night mini Far Eastern cruises on Costa Allegra, Costa Classica and Costa Romantica

• 9 dollars/day per adult for South American and spring transatlantic cruises on Costa Concordia, Costa Magica and Costa Victoria

There is no service charge for children under the age of 14, whereas guests between the ages of 14 and 17 will be charged 50% of the above rates. The entire service charge is set aside by the company for staff who perform hotel duties on board as an incentive to continue improving the quality of service offered on Costa ships. Costa Cruises has received SA 8000 international certification for ethical conduct and social accountability. The service charge is an integral part of the total price of the cruise and therefore the amount cannot be altered.

 

The above is from the Costa UK website. Note the bolded sentence, please...=)

[talkone]

THATS THE WAY I READ IT NO CHANGE TO SERVICE CHARGE........................so how come some say you can !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!$11 x2 does seem a lot, but then we did get our carribean 14 nites for £1000 outside each so an extra $300 is not that bad

[Moeve]

The European Itins do not allow a change to the tips unless you have a probelm BUT you have give them achance to "fix" the problem. This applies mainly to those nationalities who are not used to the US way of tipping.

[ruddock]

Our holiday is as follows

 

Travel by coach from England to overnight stop at Belgium

Travel to Lake Garda for 4 nights

Travel to Savona for 8 night cruise

 

Total cost for the both of us is £2200...We have budgeted a further £1200 for spending...........No idea of the cost of cruising from other countries........Did we get a decent deal??

 

As you can see we are on a fairly tight budget..Hence my question regarding the auto tips....We will be doing our own shore excusionss so in essence we have around £90 per day for expenses.

 

Will it be enough????????//

[Goldryder]

It will be €7 per day per adult for the cruise, paid before you disembark on the last morning of the cruise.

 

The maths is simple enough, just make sure you have the full amount set aside before you go crazy spending anything either on the ship or on land.

[libby10205]

We are going on our 1st ever cruise on the 27th May....We have been informed we will be charged 7 euros each per day or around 112 in total for the 8 night trip...I prefer to tip in my own time according to service received.......Is it possible not to pay the automatic tipping sysem?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

I understand wanting to TIP on your own. But do not understand how would you be able to know who to TIP? Do you see the buffet server, dish washer, laundry worker, guy mopping the floor or polishing the brass?

 

The TIP is a service charge added to all cruise passengers on almost all cruise lines. TIP is probably the wrong term for the charge. It is not just for waiters and cabin stewards but shared with all the "back of the house".

 

I consider it a part of the cost of the cruise. By calling it a TIP, you do not have to pay taxes on the amount.

[hat776]

Some knowledgeable folk on the NCL forum say that if you have the automatic tip removed and you then tip individually the crew member cannot keep the cash but has to pass it on to the tip pool.

It seems to be easier to have it removed on Costa than on the American lines. (the automatic tip is higher too)

I never end up removing it as I pity the buffet, kitchen and house keeping crew. Anyway, a waiter once told us that they have to tip out to the waiters helpers and kitchen staff as otherwise they would make life very difficult for him. The cabin steward does the same with housekeeping .

[Moeve]

Beware I have seen the wording is different for EU passengers than for US passengers. It seems for European passengers it isn't removeable as it might be for US passengers.... Probably the result of the crew getting stiffed regularly...