Tipping question

[Havingfun2010]

TIPPING 101:

 

In the USA, it is customary to tip 15%-20% for services. So, most people on the crusie use that number as a starting point. Many tipped people, share tips, or tip back to busboys and/or kitchen help. Part of the behind the scenes customs that we don't see.

 

In other countries, tips are automically added as a service charge. Not much different other than it is added to the bill. Works well also. I'm sure this "service charge" is shared.

 

Cruise ship. Most people forget that the cruise ship is not the USA. The "tip" is really a "service charge" that gets shared with all the service personnel. In my opinion, I really don't care who gets it and why. It's a sysem in place, that does not follow the USA way of thinking, and therefore, I don't get concerned with the process. Ask all the workers, and you will get any answer they feel will make you give them more of a tip.

 

So, I pay the "service charge" and leave it alone. Let the cruise line figure it out, and therefore, I'm not involved with figuring out the customs of the ship, or international crew.

 

A tip, is somethign I give on top of the "service charge" to a person or persons, that make my trip extra enjoyable. Did the server attend to my special requests? Did they always get the food timely to me? You get the picture. The tip is what I had to an individual, and not what is pooled. I accept many people share the service charge, and I don't care. It's part of the price. It's not even that much of an amount, and way low.

 

Personnally, I wish they would just call it a "service charge" and make it so it translates into all customs and is understood by all travelers.

[Folk Singer]

so funny that people get such different stories. I have a friend that works for Royal that says it makes his life MUCH easier when everyone does the automatic tips. Of course, the extras that come in are for him alone. The pre pay tips go into his account and his wife is able to use that at home.

 

 

nice to know.:):)

[cage keeper]

As I had stated before we cruised with two fellow carnival cruise workers who convinced us and several others that tips are not distributed fairly and it's better to hand them in person as she and her husband actually worked on a ship I figure her word is better than anyone's my only question was had people removed them on royal carribean and if so had they given you problems I work and have children so if I don't respond immediately I apologize!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

Thank you for posting this question. I wanted to have my tips removed also but felt funny asking. I didn't want to sound cheep. I worked as a food server for close to 40 years. I want to be sure MY servers and room attendants get MY tips. I would much rather hand it to them. And I always over tip and DH way over tips. We know how important they are.

[Folk Singer]

Thank you for posting this question. I wanted to have my tips removed also but felt funny asking. I didn't want to sound cheep. I worked as a food server for close to 40 years. I want to be sure MY servers and room attendants get MY tips. I would much rather hand it to them. And I always over tip and DH way over tips. We know how important they are.

 

we also like to look after the servers ourselves.

[PattyG12]

Also, the bartenders often work in pairs. What they often do is put all the cash tips in a jar and split them in half at the end of the week. I actually asked about it on our last trip and they explained that they usually share anything over the 15% that's automatically put on each drink.

[nascar junkie]

Just my opinion...I totally hate this whole concept of tipping as it has now gotten to be almost manatory on everything you do in society. I was in a takeout donut shop the other day and I'll be damned if they didn't have a tip jar sitting by the register. For what, making a product? Why not tip the guy who makes your car in Detroit? Anyway, I just consider the 15% as an additional cost of the cruise fare. I will, however, give extra to a cabin steward or waiter who goes beyond what is required or if he/she does something I request out of the ordinary. I have no problem giving the room service guy a couple of bucks for delivering my morning coffee. Also, I feel I have no choice but to tip the porters at the peir unless I want my luggage to end up in Tokyo when I'm going to the Carribean. I'll have a couple of special requests when I board and the steward, if he seems congienial and accomodating, will get a 20 upfront and more at the end if he keeps things as requested. I don't require much and will not be unreasonable. Just my opinion

[summersigh]

I don't know if RCCL works the same as HAL (Holland America) ... BUT ... at HAL if you remove automatic tips the worker you "hand tip" must hand that cash money over to be put in a pot to be divided among workers. Failure to do so results in getting fired.

If you do not remove the automatic tips then the employee may keep all of the cash you gave above and beyond.

So, in essence. the employee gets less than if automatic tipped.

 

Just passing on the info - I don't really care because we do automatic tips and give extra cash for service above and beyond:)

[willing292]

The tips are actually a big part of their wages. They get room and board and medical and uniforms and tips.

 

 

Shirley, Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[Stephluva2711]

TO agree with Nascar, tipping is just over done now adays. You go into your local breakfast spot, they have a tip jar at the register, Cabbies expect a tip for taking you 4 blocks, every where you turn, you have to tip. Now i've cruised on Royal so far 12 cruises, this will be the 13th. We have always tipped in the envelope, sometimes suggested sometimes more, depending on service. Now last year march was my first cruise with the automatic grats. I didn't remove them because i was always in the dinging room etc. In nov. we cruised allure, and i removed the automatic grats because I never ate in the dinging room. So i tipped my cabin guy regular, and the dining room staff i did tip, but didn't do the suggested amount. I know some people on here say you can keep the automatic grats and tip more in cash, but let's be honest, not everyone has the means to do so. Most of the time when i cruise, i take my mother and younger sister, both of whom i pay for. My mother is blind, lives alone and she looks forward to this little treat once or twice a yr. and my sister is only a teen and not working. That also means that majority of spending money i provide. Sometimes i have the means to tip a lot and other times i dont. Should i be judged and persecuted on here for tipping the min.? or removing the auto grats if i eat in a specialty restaurant every night and tip them ? I think just like people don't want to be told on CC what to wear on formal nights, and how they should spend their cruise vacation, Others don't want to be told how or how much they should spend their money. I fully recognize that these people on the cruise work VERY hard and provide a svc, but when is enough enough? tip windjammer crew, for cleaning tables, tip the room svc guy, tip the bartenders extra, tip the cabin and waiters extra, tip the porters or ur luggage will end up in china, tip the guys on coco cay or labadee for getting u a chair... Hell! lol. I'm sailing on Grandeur in may and i don't intend to remove grats, however i prob won't tip the waiter or cabin steward extra either. just being real.

[nascar junkie]

You go Steph. By the way, that's what we call our daughter, Stephanie. My mother-in-law always trys to bust my chops for being cheap when I question a 25% tip for average to below average service. Then again, she's a wealthy woman and I'm not wealthy. Right now, I'm waiting to get a haircut until a coupon comes in the mail because I need to cover the cost of that blasted tip. Hope it comes before July when we sail or I'm going to look like a 70's rock star.:D:eek:

[yogimax]

we also like to look after the servers ourselves.

 

So how do you tip those at breakfast and lunch since they share in the automatic tips??

[Stephluva2711]

Ha ha, i hear ya nascar. I'm sailing in May, have to get my hair done as well, you know us girls we have to get all these elaborate styles ha ha. yup i'm stephanY, gotta be different and have a Y ;) Have a great time on your trip and good luck on the coupon!

[iheartbda]

Ummm excuse me? I rarely post are you talking to me? And if so what us your problem? I politely asked a question maybe you could be as polite!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Total misunderstanding on your part. NO, I was NOT talking about you. I was trying to tell you that your question to the other person would not be answered.

[John Reid]

As I read the responses, I notice how many people correctly wonder how anyone can directly tip those who serve you breakfast and lunch when withholding mandatory gratuities. When MDR staff gets the mandatory gratuity, it is to cover all meals, not just dinner. They do work the breakfast and lunch venues. Whether on this thread or others like it, I don't think I've ever read a response on how that is done.

[yarlenna]

TIPPING 101:

 

In the USA, it is customary to tip 15%-20% for services. So, most people on the crusie use that number as a starting point. Many tipped people, share tips, or tip back to busboys and/or kitchen help. Part of the behind the scenes customs that we don't see.

 

In other countries, tips are automically added as a service charge. Not much different other than it is added to the bill. Works well also. I'm sure this "service charge" is shared.

 

Cruise ship. Most people forget that the cruise ship is not the USA. The "tip" is really a "service charge" that gets shared with all the service personnel. In my opinion, I really don't care who gets it and why. It's a sysem in place, that does not follow the USA way of thinking, and therefore, I don't get concerned with the process. Ask all the workers, and you will get any answer they feel will make you give them more of a tip.

 

So, I pay the "service charge" and leave it alone. Let the cruise line figure it out, and therefore, I'm not involved with figuring out the customs of the ship, or international crew.

 

A tip, is somethign I give on top of the "service charge" to a person or persons, that make my trip extra enjoyable. Did the server attend to my special requests? Did they always get the food timely to me? You get the picture. The tip is what I had to an individual, and not what is pooled. I accept many people share the service charge, and I don't care. It's part of the price. It's not even that much of an amount, and way low.

 

Personnally, I wish they would just call it a "service charge" and make it so it translates into all customs and is understood by all travelers.

 

Well said! I hope that the powers that be read this and do something about it.

[setsail]

IF you are handing it out on your own why would RCI have anything to do with it:rolleyes:

[yogimax]

As I read the responses, I notice how many people correctly wonder how anyone can directly tip those who serve you breakfast and lunch when withholding mandatory gratuities. When MDR staff gets the mandatory gratuity, it is to cover all meals, not just dinner. They do work the breakfast and lunch venues. Whether on this thread or others like it, I don't think I've ever read a response on how that is done.

 

My guess is that the vast majority who remove tips simply do not tip at breakfast and lunch. It is also my guess that some (not all) who remove tips simply do not tip at all.

[Ocean View]

Wouldn't staff know that you removed auto tips? Even if you were going to tip the full amount but in cash wouldn't they think you may cheat them out of it and your service be poor?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[LadyA1154]

What about the specialty restaurants? Do the prepaid tips apply to them as well , or should you tip seperately when dining there ?

[Stephluva2711]

What about the specialty restaurants? Do the prepaid tips apply to them as well , or should you tip seperately when dining there ?

 

When booking a specialty restaurant, it states that gratuity is automatically included in the price that you paid to eat there. however they still give you a receipt to sign even if you paid before the trip and of course there is a line for additional gratuity. Now if the service is great which it usually is there, i do add an extra tip. As stated in previous posts, when i sailed allure last November i removed automatic grats since i never ate in the dining room for lunch/dinner, and i tipped the specialty restaurants extra since we were at a different one every night. However i did put some money in an envelope and give it to the dinging room staff since i know some of them do work at WJ during the day. although it was not the suggested amount for a 7 days cruise However my cabin steward did get the suggested amount. And someone mentioned earlier about does staff know if you remove the tips? and to answer that question, yes they are notified. I never found svc to be bad, u can look at it the other way also and say, if they know they are already getting the tip (if you don't remove auto grats) they may not work as hard. Either way, never had a problem

[Merion_Mom]

Several people have posted that the "tipping culture" has gotten out of hand: you see tipping jars everywhere these days.

 

I do not disagree about seeing tipping jars in odd places.

 

But that has NOTHING TO DO with tipping the staff on your cruise.

 

Just leave the auto tips in place. Give extra directly in cash (or by adding it to your SeaPass; there is a form for that at Guest Services) to anyone whom you would like to reward further.

 

Period.

[Folk Singer]

The tips are actually a big part of their wages. They get room and board and medical and uniforms and tips.

 

 

Shirley, Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

 

 

:):)

[yogimax]

Several people have posted that the "tipping culture" has gotten out of hand: you see tipping jars everywhere these days.

 

I do not disagree about seeing tipping jars in odd places.

 

But that has NOTHING TO DO with tipping the staff on your cruise.

 

Just leave the auto tips in place. Give extra directly in cash (or by adding it to your SeaPass; there is a form for that at Guest Services) to anyone whom you would like to reward further.

 

Period.

 

Yes! Well said! Double Period!

[ryano]

Several people have posted that the "tipping culture" has gotten out of hand: you see tipping jars everywhere these days.

 

I do not disagree about seeing tipping jars in odd places.

 

But that has NOTHING TO DO with tipping the staff on your cruise.

 

Just leave the auto tips in place. Give extra directly in cash (or by adding it to your SeaPass; there is a form for that at Guest Services) to anyone whom you would like to reward further.

 

Period.

 

This! ^^^^^^^^^^^^^

[Stephluva2711]

Several people have posted that the "tipping culture" has gotten out of hand: you see tipping jars everywhere these days.

 

I do not disagree about seeing tipping jars in odd places.

 

But that has NOTHING TO DO with tipping the staff on your cruise.

 

Just leave the auto tips in place. Give extra directly in cash (or by adding it to your SeaPass; there is a form for that at Guest Services) to anyone whom you would like to reward further.

 

Period.

 

I don't think anyone was debating because you see tip jars everywhere you can't tip your cruise staff. if that's all you got out of all these posts, i think you need to read it again. Nascar mentioned it and was somewhat ranting, and i was agreeing with him, about tipping in general. I don't think he meant nor did i mean that because there are tip jars everywhere you can't tip your cruise staff.

 

I'm so tired of people on CC wanting to jump down someones throat because they bring up tipping. If someone wants to remove the auto grats, then what is it anyone else's business BUT that person?? Who are you or anyone else to tell that person how they should spend their money or how they should cruise? Some people don't tip at all, which i DONT agree with and if someone was on here saying they don't tip, i probably would put my 2 cents in. But if someone prefers to remove their auto grats and tip in cash then it is their choice since ya know it's THEIR money.

 

Period.