Question of tipping

[moeferg]

I have read a lot about tipping on the forum, but I still have a question. Please explain the auto tipping. Does this charge get tacked on your card and then you do nothing else, or do you actually leave a tip in an envelope? If I do the auto tipping, am I expected to tip more at dinner and my room stewart?

[babyblue78]

Yes, the charge is just added to your Sail & Sign, you don't have to do anything else. You will not need to leave or hand out extra tips in envelopes unless you want to tip anyone extra. You will get an envelope in your cabin to tip the maitre' d if you feel inclined.

[babyblue78]

Also, it is customary to tip the room-service delivery in cash when they deliver, $1-2 bucks is good. Those tips are not including in the auto-tip total.

[moeferg]

Thanks, that's what I needed

[missesmamax3]

I have read a lot about tipping on the forum, but I still have a question. Please explain the auto tipping. Does this charge get tacked on your card and then you do nothing else, or do you actually leave a tip in an envelope? If I do the auto tipping, am I expected to tip more at dinner and my room stewart?

 

Auto tipping can be prepaid (which we did), or tacked onto your S&S acct. If the other staff does a good job, you can tip them more, but you don't *have* to.

[jordanaire]

I have read a lot about tipping on the forum, but I still have a question. Please explain the auto tipping. Does this charge get tacked on your card and then you do nothing else, or do you actually leave a tip in an envelope? If I do the auto tipping, am I expected to tip more at dinner and my room stewart?

 

Prepaid tips are automatically added to your Sail & Sign account. You are not required to leave any more tips...unless of course you feel as though a particular person went above and beyond your expectations! If that is the case, then you more than welcome to leave more, which you can place in small envelopes (available at the Purser's desk) and hand it to them during your last evening of your cruise.

 

Some people continue to remove the prepaid tips from their S&S card (for various reasons) and want to pay in cash. I've heard that some believe that the services they receive is better if they are not prepaid, and the waiters or stewards work a little harder as they are uncertain as to how much they will receive for their service by the end of the cruise. Don't know what to believe here!

 

:cool:Bill

[agc291]

Also you can move your tips around at guest services. For example we just returned on sunday from the Victory. We only ate in the main dining room for 2 nights out of the 7 so we had the $$ that wouldve been given to the dining staff for those other 5 nights to our housekeeping staff. Our room steward & house keeping staff were wonderful and certainly deserved it.

[serene56]

Also you can move your tips around at guest services. For example we just returned on sunday from the Victory. We only ate in the main dining room for 2 nights out of the 7 so we had the $$ that wouldve been given to the dining staff for those other 5 nights to our housekeeping staff. Our room steward & house keeping staff were wonderful and certainly deserved it.

 

 

Where did you eat? Did you have traditional seating or anytime seating==

 

the servers that work your dining room area also worked the buffet.

[S.S.Oceanlover]

Prepaid tips are automatically added to your Sail & Sign account. You are not required to leave any more tips...unless of course you feel as though a particular person went above and beyond your expectations! If that is the case, then you more than welcome to leave more, which you can place in small envelopes (available at the Purser's desk) and hand it to them during your last evening of your cruise.

 

Some people continue to remove the prepaid tips from their S&S card (for various reasons) and want to pay in cash. I've heard that some believe that the services they receive is better if they are not prepaid, and the waiters or stewards work a little harder as they are uncertain as to how much they will receive for their service by the end of the cruise. Don't know what to believe here!

 

:cool:Bill

 

Or you could get worse service by taking off the tips as the steward, waiters might figure you are going to stiff them so why kill yourself for nothing.

 

Bill

[crusin4funtimes]

I booked thru a TA, can I prepay my tips with my TA AFTER I have made my final payment? Thank you:)

[Cruise Sampler]

I cruise with pre-filled envelopes and I give cash ...not a card. This time, the guess service hit 50.00 per person on day 2 of cruising for the 5 night

cruise.

 

It was a simple matter to just take the tip envelope down and replace my 3 daughters "fun" money with the 50.00 taken.

 

I like to personally give tip money so to this I added 20 in cash to both waiters and constantly gave to the room stewarts and food delivery people smaller tips on a daily basis..

 

Yes, the waiters serving you in the main dining rooms are seen on at least 3 levels of the ship serving during other food service times...it is sad when these are shorted because the tips are the paychecks. I asked.

[DVC Sadie]

I booked thru a TA, can I prepay my tips with my TA AFTER I have made my final payment? Thank you:)

 

Yes, you can. I have pre-paid all of our tips for our upcoming trips through our TA.

[skylock]

I cruise with pre-filled envelopes and I give cash ...not a card. This time, the guess service hit 50.00 per person on day 2 of cruising for the 5 night

cruise.

 

It was a simple matter to just take the tip envelope down and replace my 3 daughters "fun" money with the 50.00 taken.

 

I like to personally give tip money so to this I added 20 in cash to both waiters and constantly gave to the room stewarts and food delivery people smaller tips on a daily basis..

 

Yes, the waiters serving you in the main dining rooms are seen on at least 3 levels of the ship serving during other food service times...it is sad when these are shorted because the tips are the paychecks. I asked.

 

The tip is NOT their paycheck. They get that from Carnival. They get tips from the Pax.

 

And whom did you ask?

[serene56]

The tip is NOT their paycheck. They get that from Carnival. They get tips from the Pax.

 

And whom did you ask?

 

 

I think the poster only misunderstood- when the automatic tip stays in place it is put on the individual paycheck.

[LitchfieldParkCruisers]

Ahhh..the dreaded auto-tipping.....my theory is it was put into place because so many people overspent on their cruise that they would shortchange the service folks to ensure they had gas money to get home.

You will be able to track your S&S account from your cabin TV. Shortly after boarding you will see the charges for the week of tipping per person linked to your account. Any adjustment you want to make to that amount can be done at the purser's desk throughout the cruise. The auto tip takes care of any dining room people and room stewards and I have heard that it is all split between all the workers. (not sure, just rumour) You will have the option of tipping the dining room maitre'd at the end of the cruise if you want. We have only tipped the maitr'd when we have used their services. Also, when you purchase a alcohol, a tip is automatically added(I think 15%) on the bill so even one beer will include the tip.

I travel with my family, kids included, so I usually tip the room stewerd a bit extra up front because I know I will be calling on them throughout the week. Once or twice the dining room service was above and beyond great and I have tipped extra there too.

And when you find that attentive bartender/server you always see in your regular hangout area, it NEVER hurts to throw them a few extra bucks to make sure your glass is never empty!!haha

Have fun on your cruise!!!!

 

LPC

[boohicks]

Where did you eat? Did you have traditional seating or anytime seating==

 

the servers that work your dining room area also worked the buffet.

 

Thank you so much repeating this statement! I have always seen and love to see and say "HI" to our waiters in the buffet area as well! They do not only work in the MDR. I still don't get why anyone wants to take their tips off when they don't eat in dining room? If you eat in the buffet, these people work there too! Ok, I know everyone makes their own decision......

[crusin4funtimes]

Yes, you can. I have pre-paid all of our tips for our upcoming trips through our TA.

 

 

Thank you!

[DVC Sadie]

Thank you!

 

You're very welcome.:) I always like to pre-pay as much as possible (even the tours), just one less thing to think about while on vacation. Have a great cruise.

[H82seaUgo]

Ahhh..the dreaded auto-tipping.....my theory is it was put into place because so many people overspent on their cruise that they would shortchange the service folks to ensure they had gas money to get home.

 

that's exactly it. people didn't have the foresight to put the cash on the side, and then only gave what was left, or nothing at all, all around the time alternative dining came around. you used to have to starve on tip night if you wanted to stiff the staff. once alternative dining started, the mdr was only half full on tip night.

 

when autotip started, it was almost full capacity again on tip nighjt.

[cdamion]

What I don't like is that Carnival asks you to tip the Maitre D at the end of the cruise. That is not included in the auto tips.