Tipping, here's how we handled it

[krewzin]

We contact RCL a couple weeks ahead of our cruise and upon request...have been given the names of both our cabin steward and waiter/assistant waiter. We then put $20 for each in an envelope and send it in ahead of our cruise.

 

Call it what you want...but our 'tip ahead' always ensures that we get nothing but the best service....much better than we would have gotten otherwise because they see that we're going to take care of them even before we step on the boat.

 

We're talking with some RCL folks in corporate about the possibility of getting some of their home addresses and/or relatives names; we feel if we could send either a small gift, or just a $10 gift card to Chili's to their family members a couple weeks before we cruise ...we would be treated even better.

[TheGinBoy]

We contact RCL a couple weeks ahead of our cruise and upon request...have been given the names of both our cabin steward and waiter/assistant waiter. We then put $20 for each in an envelope and send it in ahead of our cruise.

 

 

 

Call it what you want...but our 'tip ahead' always ensures that we get nothing but the best service....much better than we would have gotten otherwise because they see that we're going to take care of them even before we step on the boat.

 

 

 

We're talking with some RCL folks in corporate about the possibility of getting some of their home addresses and/or relatives names; we feel if we could send either a small gift, or just a $10 gift card to Chili's to their family members a couple weeks before we cruise ...we would be treated even better.

 

 

Not sure what is about this but I find the whole thing slightly creepy - especially the last bit.

 

*shudder*

[Laney219]

Not sure what is about this but I find the whole thing slightly creepy - especially the last bit.

 

*shudder*

 

Sarcasm.

[TheGinBoy]

Sarcasm.

 

 

No, Laney219, sarcasm is something utterly different.

 

What I provided there was a facetious, yet honest, reaction.

[IWORK2CRUISE]

We've only sailed once since the new policy of loading drinks onto our SeaPass card...just checked with DH and he said he tipped the bartender each time he ordered a drink in the Schooner Bar..funny I didn't think DH carried any cash "ever" :D. I wasn't with him on those trips to the Schooner Bar ;). So I can see now with the new policy we will need to carry some cash if we plan on drinks other than from the CL/DL.

 

Re: Drink Vouchers

We usually bring a lot of one dollar bills and leave some every time we use our vouchers.

However, we have been required to sign when using the vouchers so there is the opportunity to write in a gratuity.

Edited May 3, 2015 by IWORK2CRUISE

[Laney219]

No, Laney219, sarcasm is something utterly different.

 

What I provided there was a facetious, yet honest, reaction.

 

I was saying that the post you commented on was 'sarcastic in nature'.

[TheGinBoy]

I was saying that the post you commented on was 'sarcastic in nature'.

 

 

My apologies, Laney219.

 

I sincerely hope you're correct, because the notion that someone is seeking employees' family details to send them incentives for better service makes me somewhat queasy.

 

It's odd, isn't it? How some of the things we see on here (and other forums), no matter how bizarre, could be both equally true and equally fictitious.

[Laney219]

My apologies, Laney219.

 

I sincerely hope you're correct, because the notion that someone is seeking employees' family details to send them incentives for better service makes me somewhat queasy.

 

It's odd, isn't it? How some of the things we see on here (and other forums), no matter how bizarre, could be both equally true and equally fictitious.

 

No worries. I could have been clearer in my initial comment to you, but was just 'answering your question' type of thing.

 

Totally agree about the 'beyond belief' nature of threads. Finding the names of the cabin steward/wait staff was believable... Seen some strange requests... the Chili's gift card was my clue to the sarcasm (hopefully). I mean I would believe it if the gift card was to Ruby Tuesdays, but Chili's really!?

:rolleyes:

[setsail]

Just off Oasis this morning.......May 2 '15

In addition to the "regular" gratuities, we tipped our cabin attendant $20, waiter, assistant waiter and Head waiter $10 each, after the 3rd day...we waited to see how we were being treated.

Waiting till the end of the cruise is nice, but, in advance gets you even better service....(they were all excellent from the beginning anyway)

We tipped the bar waiters $1 for each of our free (Diamond) drinks, otherwise they get nothing for serving them.....when you add it all up,,,it's a small figure, these people work VERY hard...7 days a week...

So many of the guests are a real PIA's....

 

Thanks for taking care of the crew that served you. They leave their families for many months at a time and travel thousands of miles away from home so their families can have a better life. It doesn't matter how or when just that you did your part. Many don't tip.

[pinkroses]

We contact RCL a couple weeks ahead of our cruise and upon request...have been given the names of both our cabin steward and waiter/assistant waiter. We then put $20 for each in an envelope and send it in ahead of our cruise.

 

Call it what you want...but our 'tip ahead' always ensures that we get nothing but the best service....much better than we would have gotten otherwise because they see that we're going to take care of them even before we step on the boat.

 

We're talking with some RCL folks in corporate about the possibility of getting some of their home addresses and/or relatives names; we feel if we could send either a small gift, or just a $10 gift card to Chili's to their family members a couple weeks before we cruise ...we would be treated even better.

 

Are there Chili's in small villages in India?

[SonicShip]

A bit insulting I think..that you're expecting/assuming anything less than good service.

 

I will pay some of the additional tip to my cabin steward one the first day if I have additional requests.

[caribbean sailor]

Very interesting post. I hope that the tipping up front does not become 'the norm' as more people tip in the beginning to entice exemplary service.

 

When we pay upfront for a drink package we don't immediately think about the 18% we have already paid. It almost seems unnatural to get served a drink and not tip..

 

Maybe you should think about it,Royal Caribbean does.Have a great next cruise.:)

[Ocean Boy]

No worries. I could have been clearer in my initial comment to you, but was just 'answering your question' type of thing.

 

Totally agree about the 'beyond belief' nature of threads. Finding the names of the cabin steward/wait staff was believable... Seen some strange requests... the Chili's gift card was my clue to the sarcasm (hopefully). I mean I would believe it if the gift card was to Ruby Tuesdays, but Chili's really!?

:rolleyes:

 

Considering the difficulty people report booking dining and excursions I find it TOTALLY unbelievable that anyone is going to find the names of their cabin/wait staff prior to the cruise. That gave away the sarcasm immediately.;)

[Ocean Boy]

When are the pre-paid gratuities actually distributed? I would assume at the same time as the gratuities billed daily to the onboard account.

 

I have no idea. But when gratuities are pre-paid the staff at least is aware ahead of time that they are not going to be stiffed at the end of the week. So it is really not much different that tipping in the beginning of the cruise instead of the end.

[calypso73]

Hi, I'm new to cruising and come from a non tipping culture (well apart from restaurants where we generally round up the bill). I'm a bit confused about tipping for drinks. I was led to believe that an 18% gratuity is added to the cost of each drink automatically at purchase. 18% is also included in the cost of the drinks package. Am I expected to tip bar staff on top of the 18% I am automatically charged? I have elected to prepay my tips when I booked the cruise and thought that any other tipping would only be for extraordinary "above and beyond" type service. It seems however that there are people I am expected to tip on top of the regular gratuity charge? (and for some it seems I should tip them before they have served me at all in order to get the best service)? It all seems a bit weird to me. Shouldn't people do the job to the best of their ability anyway? I'm all for tipping for people that go out of their way to do more than expected. I just dont get the double tipping (prepaid or automatically added gratuities + extra) for just doing your job?

[splash_in_the_water]

Shouldn't people do the job to the best of their ability anyway?

 

in a perfect world, yes.

[Summerknight]

We tip $1 extra for our free diamond drinks in cash. If our waiter or room steward happens to have a port day off we like to give them $20 that day. I believe they get paid once a month and we like to see the happiness the kind gesture gives them. We do not cosider this a bribe at all.

We have only had one horrible waiter and it was not on a Royal cruise.

[Grandma Dazzles]

Hi, I'm new to cruising and come from a non tipping culture (well apart from restaurants where we generally round up the bill). I'm a bit confused about tipping for drinks. I was led to believe that an 18% gratuity is added to the cost of each drink automatically at purchase. 18% is also included in the cost of the drinks package. Am I expected to tip bar staff on top of the 18% I am automatically charged? I have elected to prepay my tips when I booked the cruise and thought that any other tipping would only be for extraordinary "above and beyond" type service. It seems however that there are people I am expected to tip on top of the regular gratuity charge? (and for some it seems I should tip them before they have served me at all in order to get the best service)? It all seems a bit weird to me. Shouldn't people do the job to the best of their ability anyway? I'm all for tipping for people that go out of their way to do more than expected. I just dont get the double tipping (prepaid or automatically added gratuities + extra) for just doing your job?

 

 

Many of the comments are referring to free drinks. Past cruisers who have a Crown and Membership level of diamond or above receive 3 free drinks, or free drinks in a special diamond lounge. It is customary to tip the waiter, either by the drink, or at the end of the cruise, as the drinks were free. Same thing for passengers in suites who use the concierge lounge.

 

Your drinks purchased either individually or in a package already have the tip included. If you wish to add additional you may do so, but definitely not required; many people do this as they use the same bartender all week and feel they get better drinks or service.

 

Hope that explains for you.

[daka]

Summernight....

I never even thought to ask about that.....I can only imagine how much those hardworking people would appreciate a few extra $$ on days they can leave the ship.

[Eileenieg63]

Good morning - first-time cruiser here. Question: how do staff know that you have pre-paid gratuities? We chose MTD on Liberty, therefore ppd grats had to be. I don't have a problem with that, but wonder if servers, etc. would think why this couple isn't handing out cash tips now and again.

Thank you.

[Clarea]

Good morning - first-time cruiser here. Question: how do staff know that you have pre-paid gratuities? We chose MTD on Liberty, therefore ppd grats had to be. I don't have a problem with that, but wonder if servers, etc. would think why this couple isn't handing out cash tips now and again.

Thank you.

All tips are now either pre-paid or automatic.

[Dead-metal]

We contact RCL a couple weeks ahead of our cruise and upon request...have been given the names of both our cabin steward and waiter/assistant waiter. We then put $20 for each in an envelope and send it in ahead of our cruise.

 

Call it what you want...but our 'tip ahead' always ensures that we get nothing but the best service....much better than we would have gotten otherwise because they see that we're going to take care of them even before we step on the boat.

 

We're talking with some RCL folks in corporate about the possibility of getting some of their home addresses and/or relatives names; we feel if we could send either a small gift, or just a $10 gift card to Chili's to their family members a couple weeks before we cruise ...we would be treated even better.

 

Not sure what is about this but I find the whole thing slightly creepy - especially the last bit.

 

*shudder*

It is very creepy and borders on stalking.

 

I would hope that RCI would not give out address of staff members to random guests.

[buchhalm]

So it is ok to pre-pay gratuities to RCI before you even cruise but it is not ok to destribute tips once you board the ship until the cruise is coming to an end or it's a bribe. Just saying.;)

What he said!:)

[sauvichick]

This is who we tip additionally each evening: the bartender Steve who served us every night at the nightclub and had our drinks started as soon as we walked in (vodka soda and a tall water), and the servers in the CL. Our stateroom attendant, Floyd received an additional tip at the end and so did the concierges, Dexter and Fernando . Rudi our sommelier got a little extra too. All these people were terrific and did go out of their way so we had no problem tipping them.

[StolidCruiser]

Hi, I'm new to cruising and come from a non tipping culture (well apart from restaurants where we generally round up the bill). I'm a bit confused about tipping for drinks. I was led to believe that an 18% gratuity is added to the cost of each drink automatically at purchase. 18% is also included in the cost of the drinks package. Am I expected to tip bar staff on top of the 18% I am automatically charged? I have elected to prepay my tips when I booked the cruise and thought that any other tipping would only be for extraordinary "above and beyond" type service. It seems however that there are people I am expected to tip on top of the regular gratuity charge? (and for some it seems I should tip them before they have served me at all in order to get the best service)? It all seems a bit weird to me. Shouldn't people do the job to the best of their ability anyway? I'm all for tipping for people that go out of their way to do more than expected. I just dont get the double tipping (prepaid or automatically added gratuities + extra) for just doing your job?

 

Its easy in these discussions to get the impression additional gratuities are "customary". They aren't. Your viewpoint that additional gratuity for exceptional "above-and-beyond" service would be more accurate.