**Pre-paid Tipping**

[stephuney]

Hello ... I am going on my first cruise in May - Carnival Ecstasy - and I cant wait! But I have a question about pre-paid gratuity. I've pre-paid my tips with Carnival when I bought my ticket ... what else do I need "tipping money" for?

 

:confused:

 

(besides shore excursions, taxis, etc ... that I understand ... more specifically wondering about the boat ... I keep seeing people post about bringing small bills for tipping)

 

:rolleyes:

[Happy ks]

If you order room service, it is customary to give a small tip at the time of delivery. We tip perhaps $2 for coffee in the morning, a little more if it is for a meal. You may want to tip extra to some of the service personnel, it is up to you. But, you can put any of those tips on your sail and sign card.

[tinna2000]

also your room steward if they do a super super job

[megr1125]

Not sure about carnival, but we tipped a few dollars to the servers in the buffet who cleared the table, filled drinks and in some cases carried our trays). They really appreciated this....

 

 

Plus you may want a little extra for the cabin steward and dining room servers if they provide really great service!

 

We did auto tips on RCCL's AOS but supplemented with about 10-15$ more for the dining room staff and about $30 for our cabin lady! I gave her maybe $10-20 and a phone caed up front and another $20 at the end, PLUS the suggested daily amount!

 

Our cabin was spotless, cleaned while we were out at breakfast and I had a towel critter every night....(ok, so at 30-something I am reliving my childhood.....I am still a KID! Just a very big one...!!!)

[noobie]

i just booked a cruise and did prepaid tipping.

my wife was wondering how do they know that we have already tipped. are they going to think we are not tipping?

[stephuney]

Hey Noobie ... good question ... how do they know?

 

 

So, any wait staff not on the pre-paid gratuities, and additionally any staff (steward, dining staff, etc) that you want to tip extra for exceptional service? Anyone else?

 

Thanks for the info ...

[LV Cindy & Jon]

If you prepay tips on X they will leave cards in your room to give to your servers/attendants stating that you have prepaid their tips....so you have something to give....I heard RCCL does the same.

[CaptData]

You may also want to tip your fav Bar Tender extra too. There is a 15% grat on alcohol drinks but it never hurts to tip extra for better drinks.

[rlanting]

I also prepaid my tips do they put this money on your ship sail card or do you get a voucher to break up the money as you see fit? I would think that some you would tip higher then others.

 

:eek:

[serene56]

Prepaying tips you do not get vouchers to divide up the way you want. The cruise lines did that for you.

It breaks down to 10.00 a day

 

$5.50 pp/pd for Dining Team Service (Headwaiter and Waiter)

$1 pp/pd for Bistro Service (Waiter/Cooks)

$3.50 pp/pd for Cabin Services (Cabin Steward)

[rlanting]

Can you change the amounts if someone does not do their job?

 

Thanks for the info.

[serene56]

Not if you prepay your tips- If you have them put on your sign and sail card you can have the amounts changed. But before you do the changing please let someone know that you are not happy with the service you are receiving

[rlanting]

Thanks for the info. Everyone is great at the Cruise Critic :) :)

[PlanningToCruise]

Hello ... I am going on my first cruise in May - Carnival Ecstasy - and I cant wait! But I have a question about pre-paid gratuity. I've pre-paid my tips with Carnival when I bought my ticket ... what else do I need "tipping money" for? (besides shore excursions, taxis, etc ... that I understand ... more specifically wondering about the boat ... I keep seeing people post about bringing small bills for tipping)

 

Room service, and porters at the dock

[Cotton]

i just booked a cruise and did prepaid tipping.

my wife was wondering how do they know that we have already tipped. are they going to think we are not tipping?

 

They know. The cabin stewards and dining room waiters receive a printout from the purser on who has pre-paid or left automatic tipping in place.

[Cotton]

... I keep seeing people post about bringing small bills for tipping)

 

The porters at the dock are not ship employees, but are employees of the port authority. You'll need to tip them - and the usual amount is $1 per bag.

 

Room service personnel. (Your cabin steward doesn't deliver room service orders.) I tip $1 for coffee only, and $2 for sandwich, etc. You'll probably have a different delivery person each time you order.

 

Although drinks have a built-in 15% gratuity, you might want to tip a particular bartender if you see him often.

 

Not common practice, but some folks DO tip the busboys, etc. at the Lido buffet area.

 

If you use the spa facilities, you may want to tip an attendant.