Tipping the Steward at the Beginning

[MrsZee]

I like to tip the steward and waiters extra, and the last time (my first cruise) I gave it to them at the end. Some of you say you do it when you first meet the steward... how much do you generally give them, do you think it actually affected your service for the better, etc? I like to keep a full ice bucket, but other than that we aren't too demanding on a steward. We keep our cabin very tidy.

[Name Of The Game]

Never have we tipped the cabin steward at the beginning of the cruise and our ice bucket has always been replenished twice a day. Did you tip your waiter the first night too? I doubt it.

[cb at sea]

No, Don't! It's a bribe, then....not a tip. If you get better service than you expected, tip additionally at the END of the cruise. Otherwise, tip the recommended amount. If service is awful (which I doubt), take some of the tip away.

[WishIwasOutThereNOW]

i give them a small tip as soon as i meet them. seems to get my luggage to the room faster, and into the room, not left out in the hallway.

[MrsZee]

I didn't tip either the first night, I gave them all an envelope with a 20 in it on the last night. But, I heard people say they gave the stewards extra the first day to guarantee extra attention. Just wondering if it actually worked.

[Name Of The Game]

seems to get my luggage to the room faster....

 

I thought someone else brought the luggage up on carts, not the stewards. :confused:

[WishIwasOutThereNOW]

I thought someone else brought the luggage up on carts, not the stewards. :confused:

 

your probably right...but it does wind up in the room. beats me. :D

[scchasgal]

I thought someone else brought the luggage up on carts, not the stewards. :confused:

 

I don't know about Carnival but on NCL it is the cabin stewards that move the luggage around.

[salty dingo]

You will have people here say they tip in advance to get better service... but I never have, and the service was fine. I have heard stewards tell me that they are confused why someone would tip them for something they have not yet done. They understand a tip as a reward for a job well done.

 

A tip in advance is more of a bribe, and that's not cool in my book.

[htkodiak]

these folks make peanuts for pay....I doubt they look at it as a bribe.I always tip the first night and if the service does not live up to standards I might change the amount of the tip at the end but usually I don't.

[Rotnkid49]

I never hesitate to give something extra to the cabin steward at the end of the cruise in appreciation if they have gone above & beyond the ordinary expected. The pre-paid gratuities are given as a token for a job well done. Why would anyone give a tip at the beginning of the cruise? I wouldnt tip a waiter in a restaurant before I see how the service was.

[MrsZee]

I have heard stewards tell me that they are confused why someone would tip them for something they have not yet done.

 

This is kind of what concerned me, that it would just be awkward.