Extra tipping

[srussell]

Friends of mine just returned from a Carnival cruise and were surprised that on the last night of their cruise their waiter handed them a "gift" which was a picture of the ship and insinuated that a tip would be appreciated. My friends gave him $20.00.

Keeping in mind that they were already paying their tips via their shipboard account I found this to be surprising.

I am a little concerned that this will become standard practice and not only will we all pay tips on our shipboard accounts we will begin receiving the little envelopes in our cabins again.

I have mixed emotions about the automatic tips, but I will really be upset that on my next cruise that I am made to feel that additional tipping is expected at the end of the cruise.

 

I do tip extra for what I consider extra service, but I think that the automatic tips should cover the standard tips.

 

Has anyone else had the experience of feeling that additional tipping is expected?

 

Thank you

[Cotton]

NO, I've never been made to feel in the slightest way that I should tip more. On a cruise a coupla years ago, the waiter handed me a ship's placemat with picture of the ship - at dinner the last night. I said thx, and he smiled his usual smile and walked on. I didn't feel he was 'asking' for extra tip, just walking around handing out placemats as souveniers.

[colette5479]

On my previous Carnival cruises, I was given a picture on the last night but I was never given the impression I was expected to tip extra. Perhaps he had a really pushy waiter or assumed something that was not implied. I could see this if he were a first time cruiser.

 

I've never been pressured to tip extra. I have never had any staff say anything to me about tipping at all. I have been known to tip extra if I felt someone went beyond the call and did their best to make by vacation memorable.

[srussell]

Thank you for your input. I didn't know if this was an isolated case or not. I just didn't want to see this become a trend.

 

This was their 5th cruise, but the first with automatic tipping.

 

Glad to hear that the last day of the cruise is not an uncomfortable situation.

[kujobie]

I've never felt pressured to tip extra, but you do sometimes feel pressured to spend $$ throughout the cruise. They are always pushing an art show or a gambling tournament or bingo every day but what you want to spend is up to you. Another thing is the pictures. Every time you turn around, someone is taking your picture and for $20, you can have your very own copy. But, again, it's up to you. If you tip the recommended amount, don't feel bad.

[Cotton]

Aw, Kujobie, to be fair, all the photos don't cost $20! Actually, the only one I buy is the one just prior to boarding the ship, and only because I use it as the first page for my cruise scrapbook, showing homeport and date. One photo - $7.50. I've never had anyone try to persuade me to buy any of them.:)

 

And, as you said, you don't have to spend any money on those extra things like Bingo, art, etc. I've certainly never felt pressure to do any of those things. They're just there for folks who choose to do them.

 

None of the above has anything to do with the OP's question anyway.:D

[M.S JAZO]

Same goes for me. We also at the last nite of every cruise we got the pictures and the waiter never made it feel like if we had to tip him more then what was added to the account. Even before we rememberd we would get the pictures we were going to give them extra becuase they were great and made us have a more memorable cruise. But they never said anything about a tip

[JesterPlaying]

Well our wait staff never pushed for an extra tip and we gave one anyway. However, on our cruise on the Spirit this Summer they did provide envelopes to tip the Maitre'D. they said he was not part of the tipping pool and a gratuity would be appreciated so bring your envelope the last night. thsi was totally confusing to me. Why have automatic tipping then push for separate tipping for the Maitre'D? Like a sheep I tipped but felt like I was tipping managment. What is next? An envelope to tip the Captain?

 

I love Carnival but either make tipping automatic or don't.

[cyberfox]

I never felt pressured to buy or tip. I did tip the waiter and his assistant because they gave good service and I liked them. I probably tipped the Matre 'D less than expected but then what did he do special for me? Nothing. I believe you should tip if you feel like it is warranted....otherwise don't do it.

[atlmagic]

I've certainly never felt pressure to tip more. In fact, the Maitre'D worked a few miracles for me and REFUSED to take a $$$ handshake. He was discrete but said it was his pleasure.

 

You KNOW he got a BIG tip at the end!

[hstrybuf]

I've never felt it necessary to tip extra for a postcard or placemat. I have always tipped the recommended amount, extra for special requests and often extra at the end of the cruise. Never had a truly bad steward or waitstaff.

[Gamecock Jeff]

I just got off the Imagination and our server, Romeo, was amazing! Our table, 4 of us, tipped him an extra $40 for making our dinners so special. I also gave our room steward, Charles, an extra $10. I had another $10 in the envelope for the Maitre 'D but I never saw him the entire cruise or on the last night or the box to drop the envelope in, so I kept that money. The cruise director explains that they used American Express' minimum tipping guidelines to establish the $10 per day per person charge, but American Express did not have a recommendation for the Maitre 'D. Thus the reason for the extra envelope.

[JesterPlaying]

So let me see if I understand this right. Because American Express did not specify the Maitre'D, Carnival couldn't make the rate $11 per person per day and include them? Maybe they were excluded because all they do is table assignments at the beginning of the cruise. even that is probably done by their staff. The whole thing was cheesy the way it was handled. It was an oh by the way we forgot your tip doesn't go to this guy kind of thing so please take care of him too.

 

I am not agaisnt the automatic gratuity and appreciate the fact I can increase it. I just would like it to be automatic for everybody and not be hit up with an envelope at the end. Does the Purser and staff get a tip? Does the Cruise Director? Why only an envelope for one individual?

[Mrs. Connie]

Along with the MD envelope were the words "it is customary..." I suppose, for those who don't know better. Since he supervises all the waiters, I consider the MD "management." It is not customary to tip management. I tip extra to all the people who serve me, beyond the S&S. If the MD had done us any favors, I might have been inclined to give him something, but since he did not, I have no obligation nor guilt. Connie

[srussell]

Again, thank you all for your input.

 

As I said before, I just don't want to see a trend start that something "extra" will be expected at the end of the cruise.

 

One envelope now, two next year, three the following year etc. Soon, everyone will forget what the automatic tipping is for or they will come up with a different name for it and suddenly the envelopes will reappear.

 

I spoke to our cabin stewards on our last cruise about the automatic tipping and they said that they were very happy with it.

 

We do tip extra for special requests, room service, concierge etc.

 

I just think that the passengers should mandate what is considered standard and not the cruiseline.

 

Thanks for the comments

[iss1]

On all the Carnival cruises I was on , it is the M'D that comes along the last night of the cruise and gives me the placemat photos (not the waiter), it is a good segway into him recieving his expected tip.

And it has always been suggested that there were rates/per day for all the cruise staff for the lenght of the cruise- wiater, bus person, cabin steward etc. and the Maitre' D was all ways a sinlge tip at the end of a cruise usually a 5 or 10 dollar per guest tip, more if he really did anything special for you. The M'D is like a "management" job but they still deseve a tip if they do something for you, that is why it has always been (and still is) at your discretion. M'D's get paid alittle more than waiters, and that is what all waiters want o be one day. Waiters get bigger tips, but they only have a few tables to take care of per seating, where as the M'D has alot more guests to keep happy, so alittle money from alot of guests works out better than more money from a few guests. But since they don't get paid much and rely mainly on tips, thats why they are automatically charging them to your accounts now so they don't get stiffed. But the M'D is still at your discretion. There is no conspiricy to get more money from you, why automatically tip the M'D when he may not even do anything for you during your cruise. Just a thought.

[rcsort]

We have never tipped the MD....I have never even met the MD on our cruises.... Now, if I wanted to change tables.... I would definatly slip him ( or her ) something.... On our last cruise ( Miracle ), we did tip our steward ( Alberto ) extra. He was awesome! Kept us supplied with ice and believe me we go through alot:) :) No matter what though.... We always leave at least the tips that are added to our SS card!!!