Is it just me??? Tipping??

[RDangerIII]

Is is just me or does it seem like Carnival's service has gone down since they require tips be charged to your sail and sign??? My wait staff was excellent, but I had many many complaints from people in my group, who refused to go to the dining room after two days of bad service.

[Flip2cruise]

Is is just me or does it seem like Carnival's service has gone down since they require tips be charged to your sail and sign??? My wait staff was excellent, but I had many many complaints from people in my group, who refused to go to the dining room after two days of bad service.

 

I havent noticed a decline in service. The staff knows that people can and will remove tips if the service is bad.

[Cotton]

Maybe it IS just you?:D I've heard very few complaints like that. My service has been excellent - both before automatic tipping and after.

 

Not saying anything particular about you.....but I feel that 'you get what you give'. Give a smile, you get one back. Be courteous, folks are courteous in return.....etc. Some cruisers treat these hard working people as if they were their personal servants, and that's just wrong.:o

 

So, no, I've not noticed any decline in service. As above poster said, they realize that their tips can be reduced or removed.

[Bsan1221]

Is is just me or does it seem like Carnival's service has gone down since they require tips be charged to your sail and sign??? My wait staff was excellent, but I had many many complaints from people in my group, who refused to go to the dining room after two days of bad service.

 

My last three cruises had pre-paid tips and I have received EXCELLENT service.

 

 

I doubt it has anything to do with the pre-paid tips the wait staff and cabin stewarts know that tips can be taken off at any time so I dont think that is a factor. JMHO

[Stella_Illuminata]

I havent noticed a decline in service. The staff knows that people can and will remove tips if the service is bad.

 

I agree. If you think the service was not deserving of the automatic tip, you can make the appropriate changes.

 

I've heard other service complaints, and there will probably always be more, but for the most part, it seems as if it is rare with Carnival. Most people know the same thing the staff does - they CAN change the tips.

 

So really, it's not just you. There are other people who've said the same. But, I for one was very happy with all the service I received on my last Carnival cruise, and we are crusing again with Carnival this month (can't wait!!!!! :D) But, if we find any service to not be acceptable, we will change the tip.

[4yanx]

Maybe it IS just you?:D I've heard very few complaints like that. My service has been excellent - both before automatic tipping and after.

 

Not saying anything particular about you.....but I feel that 'you get what you give'. Give a smile, you get one back. Be courteous, folks are courteous in return.....etc. Some cruisers treat these hard working people as if they were their personal servants, and that's just wrong.:o

 

So, no, I've not noticed any decline in service. As above poster said, they realize that their tips can be reduced or removed.

 

Thank you! :)

[yogimax]

The service has been excellent. What I have noticed (and I'm not referring to the OPer) is that more and more people are looking to avoid paying tips. "Oh, the service wasn't good, so I'm not going to tip." Of course, there are those few occasions when the service may be poor, but people also use this as an excuse to justify their cheapness. I liked one post which said they didn't eat in the dining room and used the amount they "saved" on tips to eat in Portofinos. Cheap... cheap... cheap!

[GoinCruisin]

Have had nothing but outstanding service... thankfully. I make it a point to establish a "connection" with my steward, and dining team... I always think it is harder to give someone subpar service when you have a rapport going... but I do that on land too... I think too many people treat people in the service industry like "hired help" and then expect amazing service... forgetting that these are people to. A little respect goes a long way... and will most of the time, get you good service in return :D

[smilesntravels]

I'm sure there are occasions when service isn't that great, but it does seem like most of them work really hard and give good service. I agree with Cotton (nothing in regards to the poster though), that if you treat people well, and not like they're servants, then things usually turn out for the best! Sometimes I'm amazed when people write the review of their cruise, and point out how the water was five minutes late or they got their neighbors salad. Just my two cents :D

[TripletDad]

We just got off the the Victory yesterday and the service was excellent.

Ali and Anna were our servers in the pacific dinning room. I can't say enough about them. They took care of anything you asked for. We gave them extra tips besides what was automaticly put on our sign and sail card. Our room steward did a good job also. We can't wait to go our next cruise. We have one booked next year on the Fantasy for the whole family. I plan on writing a review of our Victory sailing.

 

TripletDad.

[JPAJ]

We do have our tips adjusted if we dont eat in the dinning room. Our last cruise we ate in the dinning room twice, and we tipped for those two nights. But for the next 5 days we ate in the lido we didnt tip for dinning room service. Just like I wouldnt walk past a restaurant and walk in the door, leave a tip on the table, turn around and walk out. JMHO

[blwms]

I have noticed no difference in service since the change in tipping procedure. My wife and I are not demanding people..we just want our food served in a reasonable time and manner and have always found that done on the cruises we have be on..Carnival and others. To be honest, I am pleasant to my servers and have always found them to be pleasant to me. I do not detain them with "small talk" so that they may serve others more promptly. And if someone thinks I'm being catty..I don't mean it that way, but I have seen it happen. You or I are not the ONLY people being served by these people and all of us will get better service if we enjoy our food, our tablemates and let the servers to their job.

[lynyrd]

I personally don't like "over-attentive" servers. I drives me crazy to have someone come to the table every few minutes and ask you if everything is okay while you are trying to eat or enjoy a conversation. JMO

[yogimax]

We do have our tips adjusted if we dont eat in the dinning room. Our last cruise we ate in the dinning room twice, and we tipped for those two nights. But for the next 5 days we ate in the lido we didnt tip for dinning room service. Just like I wouldnt walk past a restaurant and walk in the door, leave a tip on the table, turn around and walk out. JMHO

 

And did you tip the Lido Staff??? Even when you eat in a buffet, any buffet, there are people who clean the tables, clear the dirty dishes, etc., etc.. As far as Carnival is concerned, the weekly tip is to cover your dining service, regardless of whether you eat in the dining room or the buffet.

[peterv]

Well Carnival may like you to tip the same amount if you only eat in the Lido, but since the level of service is not the same as the Lido, why should you be expected to tip at that level. You stand in line to get your own food and beverage, and they bus the tables. Same as in any buffet type restaurant. There is $1 tip to them in the auto tip and since the OP didn't say that they removed it, I would assume they paid it.

 

Cheers,

Peter

[yogimax]

Well Carnival may like you to tip the same amount if you only eat in the Lido, but since the level of service is not the same as the Lido, why should you be expected to tip at that level. You stand in line to get your own food and beverage, and they bus the tables. Same as in any buffet type restaurant. There is $1 tip to them in the auto tip and since the OP didn't say that they removed it, I would assume they paid it.

 

Cheers,

Peter

 

Hmm... let's see. So you think $1 is sufficient for 3 meals a day in the buffet. My math tells me that you would be tipping 33 1/3 cents a meal. An honest question - does that seem fair or reasonable? I don't think so!

[peterv]

Since many people don't even leave the $1.00 when at a buffet restaurant, then yeah, 33 1/3 cents per meal sounds about right. After all that is the suggested gratuity.

 

Cheers,

Peter

[boaterette]

I have always had excellent service and have never reduced the tips. My question is do you people who say that you should tip in the buffett do you also tip at buffetts at home or say when in Vegas? And if you are tipping them to clean your table what about the local Mcdonalds?

[Cotton]

My question is do you people who say that you should tip in the buffett do you also tip at buffetts at home or say when in Vegas? And if you are tipping them to clean your table what about the local Mcdonalds?

 

Hi Boat, and welcome to the boards. I don't think they meant they actually leave a tip at the Lido Deck buffet area - as that $1.00 per day on your automatic tips is for the buffet folks.

 

And, not that it's relative to cruise ships, but I DO leave a small tip when I have a meal at a local buffet restaurant, as well as when I've been to Vegas. McD's - no. What do they do at McD's - you empty your own tray and put it in a stack before you leave.;)

[peterv]

Maybe that will be the new trend in the Lido buffet soon. Farming it out to fast food chains! After all RCI has Rockets.

 

Actually I think they have already started with pay for ice cream, and pastry and coffee bars.

 

Cheers,

Peter

[yogimax]

Since many people don't even leave the $1.00 when at a buffet restaurant, then yeah, 33 1/3 cents per meal sounds about right. After all that is the suggested gratuity.

 

Cheers,

Peter

 

Hi Peter,

Sorry, I didn't see you where you were from. Can I assume that the usual standards for tipping are much lower in the UK than in the US?

Regards,

Yogi

[Cotton]

Peter, I'm curious about the "pay for" ice cream. I've seen the specialty dessert/coffee bars, but not ice cream.:confused: Is this some type special ice cream? Which ships?

[dan40]

I feel that service is actually improved since the CHEAP SCREWS have been more or less forced/embarassed into tipping.

Seems to me the waitstaff is vying for add-on tips.

On the Pride out of Port Canaveral we had the best, most professional, cheerful service we have ever experienced. And I'm including Seabourn, Crystal, Cunard and 4 and 5 star land restaurants and 45 years of dining out.

We always have good service or I make my displeasure known to the waiter, well before tip time. If service improves, I pay the proper tip. Not leave the tip but pay the tip as the service people have earned it and thats how they're paid. If service is only sufficient, I owe the tip.

 

Dan

[RDangerIII]

I hate when people on this board ty and get high and mighty. I was asking because, I was with a group of 200 and I was responsible for this group and I got more than few complaint from people I know are not complainers. Some were musicians and musician are usually the easiest to please because they get stiffed all the time. Oh and Cotton, just to let you know, I let Carnival take my tips out plus I tipped my waiter $40.00 because he was that good. Also gave all the staff working our area, little glowing trinkets that I think they almost appreciated as much as money. They had staff from the other side of the restaurant hovering around our table hoping for a glowing ice cube or a flashing pin. (Thanks http://www.profit-on-hold.com) Also gave my cabin Stewart an exta $20.00 on the first day and and extra $10.00 on the last day. Hope you tip as well....

[GroupCruiser]

It really amazes me how people can pay big bucks to go on a cruise, then eat dinner in the Lido buffet. Not that there's anything wrong with the food there, but a big part of the whole Cruise Experience is dinner in the dining room. They can go to a local buffet at home. The suggested tip is such a small amount compared to the entire cruise, if someone has to stand in line to get $25 back they shouldn't be going in the first place. We never eat breakfast or lunch in the dining room, but we've NEVER thought about reducing the tip because we didn't eat there. You figure your waiter is there, waiting for you to show up so he can serve you, and just because you decide to eat somewhere else means he doesn't get paid that week? That's ridiculous.

 

I always thought it was a disgrace back in the days of paying in cash how so many people didn't show up in the dining room on the last night so they didn't have to leave the tip. I guess they figured if they didn't have to face the guy in person empty handed they could get away with it.

 

At least these hard working people are getting substantially more now than they used to in the past.