Who do you tip on a cruise

[Sarpy1]

Just curious on who do you give tips to on a cruise and how much. :)

[98Charlie]

Your cruise line will be adding daily tips or a daily service charge to your account. Generally around $12 per person per day so $24 per day for your cabin of 2 passengers. No additional tip is required or anticipated.

 

Any beverages will have a 15% gratuity added on automatically. Some people do tip extra here in anticipation of better service or better pours of mixed drinks.

 

I do tip room service a couple bucks for morning coffee and Danish that I order.

 

Other than that any tips are solely at your discretion.

 

The porters on the pier (not ship personnel) will be looking for a tip. There, generally a couple bucks per bag.

 

Charlie

[attilamom1217]

We have our account automatically charged daily for the tips. These tips are generally for the waiters (and their assistants), room steward (and assistant). If you have anytime dining (as opposed to traditional), you are generally required to pre-pay your tips. These tips (whether charged daily or pre-paid) average about $11-$12/day/person.

 

Drinks (both alcoholic and non-alocholic) are automatically charged 15% tip when you order them. This is the case whether you order a single drink, a bottle of wine, beer, or a drink package - doesn't matter - 15% tip added to the bill. No further tips are required.

 

You may, if you choose, tip additional if you believe the service you received is above and beyond what was expected.

 

In addition, if you order room service, the person bringing you your order is not in the tip pool and therefore itis a good idea to tip him/her. Amount of the tip should be based on what you think is a fair amout based on what your ordered - a pot of coffee or a 3 course meal or anything in between.

[paul929207]

We leave on the autotip.

 

Depending on the level of service we may give additional to our cabin steward. If we have TD, we may give extra to our waiter and/or assistant waiter.

[98Charlie]

In addition, if you order room service, the person bringing you your order is not in the tip pool and therefore itis a good idea to tip him/her.

I was recently taken to task on this. I had always understood that the room service personnel were outside of the tip pool. I was told (on CC) that that is not the case.

 

I will try to remember and ask when on the next cruise. (That sails this coming Sunday.....thank you very much:p)

 

If anyone has actually heard one way or the other from a true source (like Guest Services or Maître d' on a ship) I would love to hear.

 

Charlie

[attilamom1217]

I was recently taken to task on this. I had always understood that the room service personnel were outside of the tip pool. I was told (on CC) that that is not the case.

 

I will try to remember and ask when on the next cruise. (That sails this coming Sunday.....thank you very much:p)

 

If anyone has actually heard one way or the other from a true source (like Guest Services or Maître d' on a ship) I would love to hear.

 

Charlie

 

Whether inside or outside the Tip Pool, I always tip the room service person. $1/person for a pot of coffee - more if we ordered a fulll breakfast... I am just one of those people who appreciate the hard work and don't give tipping a second thought - I just do it cause it's right for me!

[98Charlie]

Whether inside or outside the Tip Pool, I always tip the room service person. $1/person for a pot of coffee - more if we ordered a fulll breakfast... I am just one of those people who appreciate the hard work and don't give tipping a second thought - I just do it cause it's right for me!

Same here (see my earlier post). I am curious though. And it wouldn't make a difference in my tipping habit for room service either way.

 

Charlie

[nannadaft]

We requested automatic tipping removed from our account. We weregiven envelopes at end in which we put money for who we wanted it to go to

[Essiesmom]

We requested automatic tipping removed from our account. We weregiven envelopes at end in which we put money for who we wanted it to go to

 

Unfortunately, you didn't do your service personnel any favors tipping in this manner. The daily service charge is divided up in a prescribed manner between a number of people. If you remove this automatic charge, any tips you give to the people in that group must turn those monies over to their supervisor. He checks to see that you removed the autotip, and places it in the pool. It is then distributed as if you had left the autotip in place. If the total is less than than the autotip would have been, he gets less, and you have stiffed the people you thought you were rewarding. If you leave the autotip in place and choose to tip extra, that person still has to turn the money in, but his supervisor will check, see that you left the tips in place, and return the funds to him. EM

[sail7seas]

There is nothing to stop us from tipping a bit over and above even if a staff person is in the tipping pool.

 

We cannot have a room service steward deliver a tray to us and not provide a tip for him. I would not be comfortable with that and we always have a tip ready when they arrive.

 

YMMV......

[sail7seas]

We requested automatic tipping removed from our account. We weregiven envelopes at end in which we put money for who we wanted it to go to

 

 

Whatever tips you may have provided to any crew had to be pooled.

 

If you remove the automatic tip, they are not permitted to keep anything you may give them. It has to be turned in AND they are questioned as to why the service was so lacking the guest removed the automatic tip. Their supervisors will ask what more they could be doing to please you in order that you would want to tip.

 

[Dayenu]

We leave the auto-tip on - whatever it is per person per night.

 

Would tip for room service, never had it - we like to be out of the cabin (no balcony for us)

 

Additional tips are added to the bill drinks.

 

We tip a few dollars each if we go on ship tours.

[Scrapnana]

I always leave the auto-tip on and then give some extravcash for waitstaff and steward if they have done an outstanding job. I have yet to get room service but would tip the server if I did.

[Sarpy1]

We have always given the steward an extra tip at the end of our cruise. Should we be giving him some each day and not such a big one at the end of our cruise or does it matter. I didn't know that the tip we give, has to be checked by his supervisor and then given back to him.

[98Charlie]

We have always given the steward an extra tip at the end of our cruise. Should we be giving him some each day and not such a big one at the end of our cruise or does it matter. I didn't know that the tip we give, has to be checked by his supervisor and then given back to him.

Do what feels right for you. I have always waited until the final evening and left an envelope on the bed for them to find at turn down time.

 

Charlie

[iheartbda]

We requested automatic tipping removed from our account. We weregiven envelopes at end in which we put money for who we wanted it to go to

 

May I ask your reason for doing this?

[NMLady]

Just curious on who do you give tips to on a cruise and how much. :)

 

The cruise line automatically adds about $12 per day to each passengers tab for cabin stewards, waiters, and some behind the scene workers such as laundry.

 

Bar drinks/sodas automatically have 15% gratuity added.

 

So, except for butler if you have one, concierge if you use, and kids club if you have kids to use it, there is no need for tipping.

 

However, I always tip cabin steward extra at end of cruise if service has been good. I give him/her a total equaling about $5 per day.

 

I always tip cabin service a dollar or two for breakfast service of coffee & pastry.

 

If we eat in a specialty restaurant and the service has been outstanding (rare) I give the waiter(s) a tip.

If MDR waiter or buffet waiter goes out of their way for me (rare) I thank him/her with a tip at the end of the meal.

[welovedis]

Don't want to hijack the thread, but my son & husband will be getting the soda package for our cruise. Do we tip for those drinks as well or as those something you can get for yourself most of the time? I believe they will get a refillable mug or cup that they would use in more casual places, but if we are sitting by the pool does someone bring their sodas & therefore should get a tip? Just want to be sure we are thinking about it ahead of time.

[Doug S]

Don't want to hijack the thread, but my son & husband will be getting the soda package for our cruise. Do we tip for those drinks as well or as those something you can get for yourself most of the time? I believe they will get a refillable mug or cup that they would use in more casual places, but if we are sitting by the pool does someone bring their sodas & therefore should get a tip? Just want to be sure we are thinking about it ahead of time.

 

Soda cards have a 15% tip built in to the price of the package. But, if I find a convenient bar / bartender to pick up a soda from on a regular basis I will tip a bit a few times during the week. After that you tend to get noticed a bit quicker when everyone is piled up trying to get their attention. But feeling obligated to tip a buck every soda refill would end up costing me more than the package price... Honestly, I rarely see soda orders involve anything more than flashing the card...

[Gunner22aa]

First to answer the question on the soda package. On Princess there is a 15% tip added to the cost of the package when you buy it so your tips are included.

 

I leave auto tip on the account. I do tip extra for beverages. First thing I do when I board is find my bartender for the cruise. There is always one I hit it off with and I stick to them regardless of where they are working on a particular day. It's nice to sit down at a bar and have your chosen libation delivered without a word being spoken.

 

I tip our steward something extra right up front. Perhaps it's just my imagination but our service has always been sterling. Maybe it would have been the same if I didn't tip up front. Just how sterling determines the extra tip at the end of the cruise.

 

I tip in the speciality restaurants as well.

 

I have the means to tip liberally and these folks work long hours for not a lot of money. I've pretty much helped to support families from most parts of the planet and for me that's a good feeling considering what I have been blessed with here in Canada.

[jocap]

Just curious on who do you give tips to on a cruise and how much. :)

Sarpy- Not sure where you're writing from.... it depends on the line and the country your ship is sailing from. If it's Australia, everything could be added to the price; if it's the UK then tips are either included or charged at a fairly low level on your ship's card; if it's RCI/Celebrity from the UK there will be no 15% on drinks.

If it's with P&O, the cruise line states that if the gratuities of £3.60 per day are removed, then anything given to the staff remains with that staff member.

[JustCruiseMe]

First to answer the question on the soda package. On Princess there is a 15% tip added to the cost of the package when you buy it so your tips are included.

 

I leave auto tip on the account. I do tip extra for beverages. First thing I do when I board is find my bartender for the cruise. There is always one I hit it off with and I stick to them regardless of where they are working on a particular day. It's nice to sit down at a bar and have your chosen libation delivered without a word being spoken.

 

I tip our steward something extra right up front. Perhaps it's just my imagination but our service has always been sterling. Maybe it would have been the same if I didn't tip up front. Just how sterling determines the extra tip at the end of the cruise.

 

I tip in the speciality restaurants as well.

 

I have the means to tip liberally and these folks work long hours for not a lot of money. I've pretty much helped to support families from most parts of the planet and for me that's a good feeling considering what I have been blessed with here in Canada.

 

That is such a great attitude, it reminds me of one of my favorite quotes though I can't remember who it's from

 

"Having class isn't how you treat those you serve it's how you treat those that serve you".

 

I truly believe in this to the best of ones ability.

[welovedis]

Thanks for the help about the soda card, I think we have similar tipping ideas so that would make sense to me. We are getting the cards because I figured why not just pay one price for the whole deal but would not mind tipping.

[Sarpy1]

thanks so much for all your suggestions, I appreciate it so much..what about Camp Carnival? Do you all go by the same guidelines for them?

[Lionesss]

We just booked a cruise for next July:D

Included in the fee we put our tips.

But

If someone really goes above and beyond the call of duty we recognize that with a personal envelope.

 

Last cruise: Cabin attendant, and all of the people from CL down in the Conciernage lounge to bartenders.

I know the CL are not included in the tipping that is why we made sure we recognized their service.

Sea Ya