Question on tipping and cash

[LS78]

Hi All,

 

We are off on our first cruise in February and just had a question on tipping and cash. We are going to take some US dollars to pay for some of our trips and tip the locals providing these - can we also tip our cabin boy and any staff on board in dollars or should we take sterling for this?

 

Also how much do you think we would need for 14 nights? We were thinking of take £1000 in cash. Is there a facility on board to get cash out if we run out or to change sterling into dollars if we take an amount of each?

 

Any advice would be appreciated :-)

 

Thanks

Laura

[u2cruiser]

Hi LS78

 

Congrats on your first cruise. I'm sure it won't be your last. :)

 

We put £100 in sterling to one side in the safe for the tips for our cabin steward and waiters which is about the recommended amount (for 2) for 14 days according to the info in your cabin. You are given envelopes towards the end of the cruise for the tips. Works out around £1.50 a day pp for both steward and waiters.

 

As we were Transatlantic, we had $US as well, which we used as well as sterling for incidental onboard tips once we reached the Caribbean. We saved all our £1 and £2 coins for tipping room service as we have breakfast from them each morning.

 

There is no obligation to tip bar staff or speciality dining room staff but it is gratefully accepted and we thought, well deserved.

 

You can change currency easily onboard at the Pursers desk. We bought some dollars onboard and they were added to our onboard account. The rates were very good too. You can view your account on your cabin TV.

[BrianI]

You can draw sterling or US dollars from reception which is charged against your account and ultimately your credit card so there is no need to take large amounts of sterling. The dollar exchange rate on board is usually less than what you would get here. Any cash withdrawals just appears on your statement as any other onboard spend so your credit card does not see it as a cash withdrawal.

The staff on board are quite happy to receive dollar equivalent in tips when they are in the Caribbean and it is a usefull way of getting rid of unused currency.

Brian

[LS78]

Thanks for the advice - this is great.

 

One other question - we are freedom dining so am I correct in thinking the waiters tips will automatically get added to our account (as we wont have the same waiters each time)

 

Thanks everyone

[BrianI]

Thanks for the advice - this is great.

 

One other question - we are freedom dining so am I correct in thinking the waiters tips will automatically get added to our account (as we wont have the same waiters each time)

 

Thanks everyone

Yes that is correct. The amount is £1.60pp per day.

Brian

[u2cruiser]

Yes that is correct. The amount is £1.60pp per day.

Brian

 

Brian, is that just added to your account, payable at the end of the cruise?

 

We've just booked for October and managed to get Freedom dining this time; we missed out last time booking close to sailing date.

[LS78]

Yes that is correct. The amount is £1.60pp per day.

Brian

 

Thanks Brian. Does anybody ever tip on top? The only thing I worry about it being added to my account is then at dinner I will then feel like Im not leaving anything and end up leaving more ha ha :-)

[Raymondo111]

Thanks Brian. Does anybody ever tip on top? The only thing I worry about it being added to my account is then at dinner I will then feel like Im not leaving anything and end up leaving more ha ha :-)

 

The £1.60 per person per day covers the general waiting staff, if you are on Freedom Dining this allows for you sitting at different tables. If like us we got to know 2 brilliant waiters on the Azura recently and specifically asked for the tables that they served on you can also tip them as well if you think they deserve it. In our case we were a party of 7 and nothing was too much trouble and the banter between us all including the waiters made our holiday.

 

Ray

[LS78]

The £1.60 per person per day covers the general waiting staff, if you are on Freedom Dining this allows for you sitting at different tables. If like us we got to know 2 brilliant waiters on the Azura recently and specifically asked for the tables that they served on you can also tip them as well if you think they deserve it. In our case we were a party of 7 and nothing was too much trouble and the banter between us all including the waiters made our holiday.

 

Ray

 

What were their names - we will have to ask for them :D

[BrianI]

Brian, is that just added to your account, payable at the end of the cruise?

Yes it is along with all your other on board spend. You can increase or decrease the amount by going to reception if you wish. Your on board account can be viewed on your incabin TV so you can monitor it as you go along. There is just one payment on your credit card at the end of the cruise. If you want to pay all or part of this off with cash you can do so at any time up to the last night.

Brian

[Thejuggler]

I wouldn't bother taking as much as £1000 - reception will advance you cash as you need it. Check your insurance too as most policies have a cash limit.

[LS78]

Thanks thejuggler. How much do you think we should take? Maybe 500 to start with?

[BrianI]

Thanks thejuggler. How much do you think we should take? Maybe 500 to start with?

The only cash you would need on board is for the casino and for your tips at the end of the cruise. All other on board costs, drinks, photos, shops, ships excursions, spa etc are charged to your on board account. The other cash you would need is US dollars for trips ashore, taxis, shops, snacks, drinks, etc.

Brian

[hooked cruiser]

When on the Ventura earlier this year we were on Freedom Dining but ended up sitting at the same table every evening.

I was talking to an officer from the pursers dept one evening in a lounge and this came up in the conversation and he stated that if this was the case then we were allowed to cancel the automatic gratuity and pay the tips personally to the waiter and assistant waiter.

We did this, and on the last evening tipped them directly. Our waiter stated that he would have to check that the tips had been cancelled and if this was the case then they were allowed to keep the gratuity given to them.

[cruiseanywhere2]

The previous post mentioned that they were allowed to cancel the automatic tip if they wanted to tip their waiting staff direct and I am now a little confused.

There was me thinking that we were "allowed" to adjust the tips as we wanted e.g. if we don't use the main restaurant and use the buffet for 7 nights out of 12 can we take the tips off our bill for that time?

We always tip wait staff but I really object to being told how much and who to. Another point I have seen how empty the main dining room can get on the last night with people avoiding tipping staff (this happened on the Oriana) maybe the automatic tipping system ought to be extended to club dining as well as freedom dining, or why not go the whole way as they do on american ships and charge extra for drinks. :eek:

[BrianI]

or why not go the whole way as they do on american ships and charge extra for drinks. :eek:

P&O already charge a service charge in effect as the waiters get a commission based on what they sell. The difference is that its included in the price you pay and not put on as an extra.

Brian