Tipping: What is considered "generous"?

[Grover-Lee]

If you put "Gratuity" in the search box on the Cruise Critic main page you will see an article titled Op Ed: A Cruise Insiders Guide to Tipping. The person states dollar amounts and reasons behind the amounts. Although it's one person's thoughts, it is a good article to use as a guide.

 

I could just be a complete dork, but I can't find this. Can you post a link? :D

[chamima]

I could just be a complete dork, but I can't find this. Can you post a link? :D

 

Google is your friend.

http://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=132

[Champagne Cruiser]

Google is your friend.

http://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=132

 

Thank you. The reason I didn't include the link is because I am technically challenged when it comes to things like including a link. It's also the reason I am unable to post pictures. I am in awe and appreciate those who post photo reviews :):)

[DirtyDawg]

gormless, sorry for editing your comments below but...........

 

I'll agree that your attitude toward the staff that are there to help you is the best way to reward them. Be considerate, ask politely when you want something, and understand what the staff can and can't do. Recognize that most of these people are stuck away from their families for months at a time.

 

The automatic gratuities handle the baseline. If someone goes above and aboard, recognize that and reward them. Basic respect for another person goes a long way.

 

.....that is the best post I've read around here in a long, long time!

Edited May 22, 2015 by DirtyDawg

[keithm]

The problem with this whole tipping issue is that the culture is so varied as to which part of the world you come from.

We were on an excursion in Australia last year and when asked about a tip the driver replied "heck no we don't expect a tip, we get paid a proper wage here " . In Fort Lauderdale a few years ago we had a meal in a restaurant and the bill was $89 I left $100 thinking 10/11% tip was reasonable and when we left the restaurant the waiter shouted abuse at us up the street because it wasn't enough. I once read a post from a person in Finland who commented that if you left a 10% tip there they would probably assume you had forgotten to pick up your change and try and catch up with you to return it.

I don't mean to cause offence with any of those examples but just to demonstrate the there is such varied attitudes towards tipping depending and on you location.

However if you are going to Cruise, especially on an American Line tipping is part of the culture. When we first started cruising I used to be all British and always pay the suggested amounts in cash at the end of the Cruise with the attitude "you can't reward service until you have had it" . It soon became apparent that I was just letting my principles get in the way of common sense and now we just prepay and forget about it . As regards to giving extra ,when I paid cash I gave the suggested amounts so why would I give extra when I have already prepaid the suggested amounts and then they are adding 15/17% tip automatically your bar bill as well. The only exception is, normally we give the waiters in the Diamond/Elite Lounge a tip at the end of the cruise, basically because the drinks are free in there anyway so there's no auto tip on a free drink.

The food service minimum wage here in the US is a lot lower than the standard minimum wage. The food service minimum is lower on expectation of making tips. In other countries, it's a lot higher. In Canada they now make you use this little handheld computor to pay your bill(if you're charging on a card) It's simply so the B@@#$%$#$%$ in the government can track the tips & tax the workers on it. We make sure we tip only in cash when up there & for the most part here in the US as well. I'd rather see the $$ go to the food servers rather than a mindless bureaucratic govt.

Edited May 23, 2015 by keithm
correcting grammar

[cb at sea]

If you tip the "suggested" amounts, you are tipping enough. No worries!

[gcgold]

The food service minimum wage here in the US is a lot lower than the standard minimum wage. The food service minimum is lower on expectation of making tips. In other countries, it's a lot higher. In Canada they now make you use this little handheld computor to pay your bill(if you're charging on a card) It's simply so the B@@#$%$#$%$ in the government can track the tips & tax the workers on it. We make sure we tip only in cash when up there & for the most part here in the US as well. I'd rather see the $$ go to the food servers rather than a mindless bureaucratic govt.

 

 

another way of looking at it is so that taxes are paid by all ??

[LabGuy64]

I can't speak for anyone else but,....I think the autotip and the 18% on drinks is pretty generous unless someone goes way out of their way service wise.

 

Sorry for starting yet another TippingThread but inspite of all the information on these boards, I still don't know

if I am tipping enough.

 

I often read "I tipped them generously" but may I ask:

what exactly is considered "generous"?

 

Say I am in a regular / aq stateroom and

* do not have any special requests for the attendants,

* do not leave a mess for them to clean up,

* leave on the auto tips - what do I give the 1. and the 2nd attendant at the end, so that they would consider the tip to be more or less "generous"?

 

(let's say they do their job without further ado, if they are especially friendly or helpful, I would add a little more.

Just looking for the kind of minimum extra that would already be considered as generous).

 

Is it possible to give me a number to go with?

TIA

[Barry ATL]

I can't speak for anyone else but,....I think the autotip and the 18% on drinks is pretty generous unless someone goes way out of their way service wise.

 

If I understand the original poster, they want to turn off auto tipping for the 1 1/2 year old toddler because they think the cruise price is too high. Having worked in the hospitality industry I can say that a 1 1/2 year old toddler adds a lot more work to the staff that benefits from the tips than say a 30-50 year old adult.

[GatorMomInNC]

The food service minimum wage here in the US is a lot lower than the standard minimum wage. The food service minimum is lower on expectation of making tips. In other countries, it's a lot higher. In Canada they now make you use this little handheld computor to pay your bill(if you're charging on a card) It's simply so the B@@#$%$#$%$ in the government can track the tips & tax the workers on it. We make sure we tip only in cash when up there & for the most part here in the US as well. I'd rather see the $$ go to the food servers rather than a mindless bureaucratic govt.

 

I thought that was a new security measure to prevent skimming - taking your card in the back and swiping it to counterfeit. I actually really liked that about Canada and wish they did it here.

 

I usually tip 150-200% of auto tips. But that is for excellent service, which I have always had on DCL. (I know this is a Celebrity board, but I just can't imagine better service than what I have had on DCL). Stiill, I hope to have excellent service on Celebrity in a few months :-).

 

My reasoning is, a standard tip on land is considered 15-18%, but I usually leave 20-30%, or more for great service (so 150% of the standard) so I do the same on the ship. I spent several years working my way through school as a waitress and bartender and know how good it feels to receive a big tip and know you did a great job.

 

On HAL a couple years ago I had the worst server EVER, so bad we asked to switch after the second night. But the replacement server was very competent, so I tipped just a little over and made sure to confirm he would get the entire tip. But I didn't get the special kind of service I was used to on DCL, so I left a standard tip, not a special tip!

[Project_gal]

The food service minimum wage here in the US is a lot lower than the standard minimum wage. The food service minimum is lower on expectation of making tips. In other countries, it's a lot higher. In Canada they now make you use this little handheld computor to pay your bill(if you're charging on a card) It's simply so the B@@#$%$#$%$ in the government can track the tips & tax the workers on it. We make sure we tip only in cash when up there & for the most part here in the US as well. I'd rather see the $$ go to the food servers rather than a mindless bureaucratic govt.

 

Handheld terminals are used for security purposes - they combine "chip & pin" technology with the security of never losing sight of your card. [i wish that the USA would adopt the technology that the rest of the world has embraced.]

 

IF they enable the authorities to track what tips are paid [and that is not the reason the technology exists], all that means is that a person is taxed on what they actually receive rather than what the authorities assume they have received in tips.

[KaththeTaff]

I'll agree that your attitude toward the staff that are there to help you is the best way to reward them. Be considerate, ask politely when you want something, and understand what the staff can and can't do. Recognize that most of these people are stuck away from their families for months at a time.

 

The automatic gratuities handle the baseline. If someone goes above and aboard, recognize that and reward them. Basic respect for another person goes a long way.

 

Excellent post. Money isn't the be all and end all for everyone. Some staff will appreciate being treated as human beings rather than servants far more than receiving an extra tip. Having a little chat, asking them how they are, how long they've been aboard and so on can make their long day a little more bearable.

 

We had a lovely lady serve is in Bistro on Five while on the Eclipse. We had such a good and long chat with her that she always stopped to talk to us whenever we saw her around the ship. That seemed a lot more genuine to me than what is effectively paying someone to smile at you. To be honest, I've never found any difference in service whether I've given cash tips or not. It's almost always been exceptional either way.

[gcgold]

The food service minimum wage here in the US is a lot lower than the standard minimum wage. The food service minimum is lower on expectation of making tips. In other countries, it's a lot higher. In Canada they now make you use this little handheld computor to pay your bill(if you're charging on a card) It's simply so the B@@#$%$#$%$ in the government can track the tips & tax the workers on it. We make sure we tip only in cash when up there & for the most part here in the US as well. I'd rather see the $$ go to the food servers rather than a mindless bureaucratic govt.

 

 

having read through the myriad of threads about tipping etc I become more and more bewildered by the inconsistencies in the arguments put forward by the 'pro-tippers'

 

they tell us that we have to tip because the staff are paid low wages yet when some questioned the distribution of auto-grats the replies came back "thats between the staff snd the employer". I cannot think of a bigger contradiction than that [emoji41]

 

Now this post comes out with a clear message about tax evasion. I dont know about other countries but over here Tax evasion is illegal. My company and its employees accept that payments made to them are subject to tax in accordance with the regulations.

 

I have always ' gone along with the local customs' particularly in the USA and tipped cash etc . No more. I would like to thank the poster for pointing out the tax evasion aspect.

 

Whether Cruise Critic are prepared to allow the promotion of tax evasion is a matter for their conscience.

Edited May 23, 2015 by gcgold

[Can'tstopcruising]

having read through the myriad of threads about tipping etc I become more and more bewildered by the inconsistencies in the arguments put forward by the 'pro-tippers'

 

they tell us that we have to tip because the staff are paid low wages yet when some questioned the distribution of auto-grats the replies came back "thats between the staff snd the employer". I cannot think of a bigger contradiction than that [emoji41]

 

Now this post comes out with a clear message about tax evasion. I dont know about other countries but over here Tax evasion is illegal. My company and its employees accept that payments made to them are subject to tax in accordance with the regulations.

 

I have always ' gone along with the local customs' particularly in the USA and tipped cash etc . No more. I would like to thank the poster for pointing out the tax evasion aspect.

 

Whether Cruise Critic are prepared to allow the promotion of tax evasion is a matter for their conscience.

 

If you want to talk about tax evasion......

 

What kind of taxes do you think the employees on a ship pay?

[tartana]

If someone were to leave tips on the bed, for example, would only the one cabin person get it? Or would it be shared between the 2 or more people that look after your room? Also, in all inclusive resorts in Caribbean countries, I often take good quality chocolates, etc and share them among the various helpful, friendly staff ( sometimes daily) Have any of you ever heard of anyone doing this on cruise ships? Would it be appreciated or do they always have "treats" of their own anyway. In the Caribbean, I have never found a staff member yet that wasn't thrilled, but I realize it's not the norm for them in those countries like it can be for some of ours. Just wondering opinions from regular cruisers :)

[gcgold]

If you want to talk about tax evasion......

 

What kind of taxes do you think the employees on a ship pay?

 

 

no idea - please tell [emoji15]

[Can'tstopcruising]

no idea - please tell [emoji15]

 

Can't tell because I don't know either!

 

But I can use my imagination!

Edited May 23, 2015 by Can'tstopcruising

[A_Sea_Bugg]

Please understand, I'm not being critical here, but this sounds more like bribery than tipping. Whatever works. I believe the gratuities we pre-pay are adequate. We also tip extra for extra services and services above and beyond. We always tip for room service and always for the servers at the Elite Happy Hour, because those drinks are free. I believe excessive tipping is un-necessary, unless you are, in fact, bribing, in which case, it is not tipping.

 

There has been many debates on tipping when it started where it started and why it started. This is what I have always heard as the origins.

 

Contrary to the common belief that tipping originated in the US, it was actually a practice in England during the 17th Century.*

 

According to a report published in the New York Tribune, Visitors entering Taverns or pubs during the 17th century, could get a better service if they added some money in the Tip Jar, a jar kept especially for this purpose, in the tavern. These Jars bore a sticker that read*"To insure promptitude"*which later on went on to be called*TiP.*People who tipped received faster and prompt services from the waiters, as the name suggests. And slowly this practice spread across Europe.

 

So it seems that tipping started off as bribery.

[A_Sea_Bugg]

We also pre-pay our tips, but we like to reward service that goes "above & beyond". How much has always been the question. On our first experience in the Concierge Lounge on RC, my DH was quietly asked by a fellow passenger how much to tip the Concierge, at the end of the cruise. My DH thought about it for a while, and replied: "Well, what did he do for you?" For some passengers, the Concierge was simply a smiling, polite host -- but for others, he did much more. So, when in doubt about what to tip (beyond the published guides), that still the rule of thumb that we use -- works for us. :cool:

 

Very good advice.

[CGinMTL]

a) I think that the problem is the people that remove tips.

If everybody left the tips on, there would be no issue for the crew.

.

b) I agree that treating them as people and individuals is also very important.

.

c) I try to pick up after myself so the cabin steward does not have to take extra time to fold my cloths (that is my job, not theirs).

Last cruise, I forgot one day and my outfit was folded on the couch. I felt so bad I kept apologizing for the rest of the trip.

On the last day, he said "thank you for keeping the cabin clean, it makes it a lot easier and faster for us".

.

d) When tips are already included, then I do not add more.

.

e) Finally, when we have OBC that are non-refundable. I usually ask the desk if these can be rolled over to the tip pool. And most cruise lines agree.

.

Basically, the issue here is people using the term "generous", they should say “extra’. Tips are personal and private. I heard from waiters that some of the envelopes they receive at the end are actually empty.......... the nerve.

The people that need to express how generous they are, I take with a grain of salt.

.

Enjoy the service, and don't worry about the rest. Let your conscious be your compass and you will be ok.

[gcgold]

a) I think that the problem is the people that remove tips.

If everybody left the tips on, there would be no issue .,..,,,

 

can someone please explain why removing the auto-tips is allowed by CelX.

[Adidas4fun]

There has been many debates on tipping when it started where it started and why it started. This is what I have always heard as the origins.

 

Contrary to the common belief that tipping originated in the US, it was actually a practice in England during the 17th Century.*

 

According to a report published in the New York Tribune, Visitors entering Taverns or pubs during the 17th century, could get a better service if they added some money in the Tip Jar, a jar kept especially for this purpose, in the tavern. These Jars bore a sticker that read*"To insure promptitude"*which later on went on to be called*TiP.*People who tipped received faster and prompt services from the waiters, as the name suggests. And slowly this practice spread across Europe.

 

So it seems that tipping started off as bribery.

A jar in the 17th century with a sticker?

 

Urban myth.

[Karynanne]

can someone please explain why removing the auto-tips is allowed by CelX.

 

I highly doubt anyone will have an answer.

[Suzy Smith]

There has been many debates on tipping when it started where it started and why it started. This is what I have always heard as the origins.

 

Contrary to the common belief that tipping originated in the US, it was actually a practice in England during the 17th Century.*

 

According to a report published in the New York Tribune, Visitors entering Taverns or pubs during the 17th century, could get a better service if they added some money in the Tip Jar, a jar kept especially for this purpose, in the tavern. These Jars bore a sticker that read*"To insure promptitude"*which later on went on to be called*TiP.*People who tipped received faster and prompt services from the waiters, as the name suggests. And slowly this practice spread across Europe.

 

So it seems that tipping started off as bribery.

 

It's a very interesting theory from the New York Tribune, but it does not make sense in the UK as the word here would be "ensure" i.e. to make sure something will happen. I don't know about its meaning in other countries, but in UK English, "insure" means the opposite - to protect against.:D

[sasset]

can someone please explain why removing the auto-tips is allowed by CelX.

 

They should adjust the wages so that 'auto' gratuities aren't necessary. Then passengers could hoose to tip or not based on the level of service.