Do employees know which passengers have prepaid or not?

[VTFoto]

Sometimes I would give more or less depending on service. Wondering if they would not necessarily do their job if they knew they were getting their tip regardless.

[LHT28]

I have heard they have a list

But we have PPG & never noticed the service was anything less than if we tipped at the end of the cruise

 

YMMV

[ithaca gal]

I personally do not think they would do less if they knew they were getting a tip. Actually, they probably are hoping someone appreciates their hard work and gives them an ADDITIONAL AMOUNT! Leaving the auto-tips/service charge in place is the MINIMUM amount they should be given, after all.

[OCruisers]

Don't know when they know but they do by the end of the cruise. On B2Bs we have been thanked by our cabin stewards at the end of the first sailing for the auto tip.

 

Not having it removed seems to be a good thing for them.

 

We normally wait and tip extra on our last sailing but do check to make sure we will be having the same cabin steward.

[fishywood]

With a number of their passengers removing tips your cabin steward and dining room team will be very happy to see that you have prepaid and will attend to you accordingly. They are aware of this as any tips received from passengers who neither prepay nor participate in auto-tipping must be turned in.

[sail7seas]

They know if guests remove automatic tips or hotel service charge from their account.

 

It is not a negative for them to know you are leaving your HSC in place..... and if the service is really wonderful, they hope for some additional. ;)

 

 

 

Edited August 7, 2015 by sail7seas

[cb at sea]

Yes...by then end of the cruise, which is when tipping happens, they know.

[AKman2495]

I tell this story often because it sums things up nicely. My DD told my DW before our first cruise not to pay the gratuities as you go-just give some envelopes at the end of the cruise. (I left the auto tips on unbeknownst to her).

 

Anyway, about halfway through the cruise, my DW came to me and asked me to turn on the auto tips. She had received such good service from all of the crew, there was no way she could remember all of them much less adequately tip them all at the end of cruise. We did add tips for the steward and a couple of the servers who did a great job, but she felt a lot better knowing that the auto tip was on.

 

FWIW

[NMLady]

I have been cruising since the envelope days. We prepay our gratuities. I have never noticed any lessening of service. In fact, it seems the opposite -- service is excellent since they appreciate the gratuities, knowing they'll get the tips.

[kevncali]

I'm old school and "tip as I go". To remove automatic discretionary gratuity charge from your sign & sail card go to Pursers desk on day 1 of cruise.

I tell the cabin steward on day 1 that I will tip him/her cash on last day of cruise. Everyone else I tip on each receipt after buying drinks, etc.

I feel the pre pay gratuity is leverage for the cruise line to pay low wages.

I basically tip everyone but some more than others as they deserve it.

[sail7seas]

I have been cruising since the envelope days. We prepay our gratuities. I have never noticed any lessening of service. In fact, it seems the opposite -- service is excellent since they appreciate the gratuities, knowing they'll get the tips.

 

For me, it is still the 'envelope days'. I always leave automatic tips (Hotel Service charge) in place but when I am particularly happy with our stewards etc, I always tip additional in an envelope.

 

I left NCL Dawn this morning and had an envelope for the Butler and my cabin stewardess. I did not request any service at all from the concierge or I would have tipped her, as well.

 

Though there are automatic tips, no one yet has refused a bit 'extra' :) though that is personal choice whether to provide more or not.

 

[sail7seas]

I'm old school and "tip as I go". To remove automatic discretionary gratuity charge from your sign & sail card go to Pursers desk on day 1 of cruise.

I tell the cabin steward on day 1 that I will tip him/her cash on last day of cruise. Everyone else I tip on each receipt after buying drinks, etc.

I feel the pre pay gratuity is leverage for the cruise line to pay low wages.

I basically tip everyone but some more than others as they deserve it.

 

HAL never has any place on a slip where one can add on a tip.

[DocF]

On at least the three entry level cruise lines, the stewards and waiters receive a print out that tells them exactly who has pulled the automatic gratuities. They also will usually be questioned about why the passenger in such and such cabin or at table X has done this, usually in a manner that makes one think the employee is guilty of some heinous crime.

 

Leave the auto-tips alone and add some cash at the end of the cruise if one wishes to do so.

 

Doc

[LHT28]

I'm old school and "tip as I go". To remove automatic discretionary gratuity charge from your sign & sail card go to Pursers desk on day 1 of cruise.

I tell the cabin steward on day 1 that I will tip him/her cash on last day of cruise. Everyone else I tip on each receipt after buying drinks, etc.

I feel the pre pay gratuity is leverage for the cruise line to pay low wages.

I basically tip everyone but some more than others as they deserve it.

Just curious how do you know how much to tip for a meal when you do not receive a bill??

or do you just not bother with the waitstaff?

Gratuities are added automatically to beverage purchases

Edited August 8, 2015 by LHT28

[Cruisin' Chick]

I'm old school and "tip as I go". To remove automatic discretionary gratuity charge from your sign & sail card go to Pursers desk on day 1 of cruise.

I tell the cabin steward on day 1 that I will tip him/her cash on last day of cruise. Everyone else I tip on each receipt after buying drinks, etc.

I feel the pre pay gratuity is leverage for the cruise line to pay low wages.

I basically tip everyone but some more than others as they deserve it.

 

On some lines, doing what you described above actually will penalize the crew members you are giving cash to. For example, on Princess, when you give your cabin steward or waitstaff cash, they are required to turn it in with your cabin number to their supervisor. If you hadn't removed the autogratuities, the cash will be given back to the crew member (so he or she will get their share of the tipping pool as well as the cash). If you did remove the autograts, that money will go into the tipping pool -- so the crew member's share is much lower.

 

In addition, many cruiselines will also feel that you are removing the tips because you are unhappy with your crew member. So he'll get a ding on his record.

 

Seriously, just leave on the tips. If a crew member provided excellent service that you wish to reward, you have the choice to give more. Also some ships have something akin to "made a difference" cards. On Princess, it's the "consummate host" cards. All you need to do is provide the first name, work station (say "Donatellos dining room, table 5), a little comment. Give to the passenger services desk and you may have helped an excellent worker get a promotion or raise.

 

If you are unhappy with the service, go to the passenger services desk and let them know. Maybe it's a misunderstanding about what your cabin steward is doing that can be resolved.

[sloopsailor]

On some lines' date=' doing what you described above actually will penalize the crew members you are giving cash to. For example, on Princess, when you give your cabin steward or waitstaff cash, they are required to turn it in with your cabin number to their supervisor. If you hadn't removed the autogratuities, the cash will be given back to the crew member (so he or she will get their share of the tipping pool as well as the cash). If you did remove the autograts, that money will go into the tipping pool -- so the crew member's share is much lower.

 

In addition, many cruiselines will also feel that you are removing the tips because you are unhappy with your crew member. So he'll get a ding on his record.

 

Seriously, just leave on the tips. If a crew member provided excellent service that you wish to reward, you have the choice to give more. Also some ships have something akin to "made a difference" cards. On Princess, it's the "consummate host" cards. All you need to do is provide the first name, work station (say "Donatellos dining room, table 5), a little comment. Give to the passenger services desk and you may have helped an excellent worker get a promotion or raise.

 

If you are unhappy with the service, go to the passenger services desk and let them know. Maybe it's a misunderstanding about what your cabin steward is doing that can be resolved.[/quote']

 

I agree with every point you have made. I strongly believe that anyone who removes the auto gratuities and insists on paying it individually is a person who has control issues and must be in control at all times. By doing it themselves they create the false assumption that they can force better service, in great part due to trust issues. Plus, I have no doubt that they will typically under estimate how much gratuities to give, and end up giving much less that the auto-grats would total to. It is a much more dramatic hit to the wallet when hundreds of dollars in cash has to be handed out all at once, as opposed to a only portion being added to their ship board account each day.

 

We always pre-pay our gratuities, even when we are not required to. We have never experienced poor service even though we have "guaranteed" the staff's tips in advance.

 

But of course, we aren't the entitled type who demand to be treated like kings and queens. We have always been quite satisfied and have never felt the need to remove or lower the amount of the gratuities, nor have ever had to speak to a supervisor about unsatisfactory service.

Edited August 8, 2015 by sloopsailor

[simplelife]

Wondering what the "tip as you go" folks do in the buffet. Whom do they tip?The quality of service there depends on a number of people, some of whom my be unseen.

[sparky-elpaso]

Sometimes I would give more or less depending on service. Wondering if they would not necessarily do their job if they knew they were getting their tip regardless.

 

I'm going to go at this a different way.

 

I'm assuming you have (or had) a job. Did you do your job any differently because you knew you were going to get a paycheck at the end of the week or month?

 

I was taught to do any work to the best of my ability - and I'll bet the crew members were too.

[navybankerteacher]

Wondering what the "tip as you go" folks do in the buffet. Whom do they tip?The quality of service there depends on a number of people, some of whom my be unseen.

 

Call me a skeptic, but I also am inclined to wonder IF they really tip at all: their claimed approach makes so little sense as to be completely questionable.

[iheartbda]

I'm old school and "tip as I go". To remove automatic discretionary gratuity charge from your sign & sail card go to Pursers desk on day 1 of cruise.

I tell the cabin steward on day 1 that I will tip him/her cash on last day of cruise. Everyone else I tip on each receipt after buying drinks, etc.

I feel the pre pay gratuity is leverage for the cruise line to pay low wages.I basically tip everyone but some more than others as they deserve it.

 

If that's the way you do things, so be it. However, please explain how your way does anything to rectify your feelings on this.

[kelkel2]

I have heard they have a list

But we have PPG & never noticed the service was anything less than if we tipped at the end of the cruise

 

YMMV

 

I have seen this discussed several times on cruise critic. Some people have claimed to have seen a list.

I don't know, we always pre pay our gratuities and have received excellent service as well.

I could honestly see the managers of the stewards having it, but honestly why would the cruise line provide that to them? If that's the case and they really do have a list it didn't affect our service on our cruises.

[cruisead]

I'm old school and "tip as I go". To remove automatic discretionary gratuity charge from your sign & sail card go to Pursers desk on day 1 of cruise.

I tell the cabin steward on day 1 that I will tip him/her cash on last day of cruise. Everyone else I tip on each receipt after buying drinks, etc.

I feel the pre pay gratuity is leverage for the cruise line to pay low wages.

I basically tip everyone but some more than others as they deserve it.

 

So, you don't tip your wait staff in the dining room? Since there's no bill at the end of every meal in the MDR, how do you tip them? How do you tip staff in the buffet who are still serving you in some manner? Do you give each and every one of them cash at the end of the cruise?

 

IMHO, it's not some conspiracy theory to have a service charge on cruise ships just to allow them to underpay workers. It's been this way for decades.

[sail7seas]

I agree with every point you have made. I strongly believe that anyone who removes the auto gratuities and insists on paying it individually is a person who has control issues and must be in control at all times. By doing it themselves they create the false assumption that they can force better service, in great part due to trust issues. Plus, I have no doubt that they will typically under estimate how much gratuities to give, and end up giving much less that the auto-grats would total to. It is a much more dramatic hit to the wallet when hundreds of dollars in cash has to be handed out all at once, as opposed to a only portion being added to their ship board account each day.

 

We always pre-pay our gratuities, even when we are not required to. We have never experienced poor service even though we have "guaranteed" the staff's tips in advance.

 

But of course, we aren't the entitled type who demand to be treated like kings and queens. We have always been quite satisfied and have never felt the need to remove or lower the amount of the gratuities, nor have ever had to speak to a supervisor about unsatisfactory service.

 

 

After a great many cruises on many cruise lines, it is my opinion most (NOT all) people who say they prefer to tip independently mean they prefer to not tip. Some will actually tip something and most usually will have to be pooled as pointed out above but most of those folks have no plan to tip.

 

 

I'm going to go at this a different way.

 

I'm assuming you have (or had) a job. Did you do your job any differently because you knew you were going to get a paycheck at the end of the week or month?

 

I was taught to do any work to the best of my ability - and I'll bet the crew members were too.

 

 

 

Yes, ^^ this.

Pride in one's work. Self respect. Sense of responsibility.......

 

AND they really would like to get another contract. If their performance is sub-par they may not be asked to return for another contract.

 

[GUT2407]

So, you don't tip your wait staff in the dining room? Since there's no bill at the end of every meal in the MDR, how do you tip them? How do you tip staff in the buffet who are still serving you in some manner? Do you give each and every one of them cash at the end of the cruise?

 

IMHO, it's not some conspiracy theory to have a service charge on cruise ships just to allow them to underpay workers. It's been this way for decades.

 

I'm not try to start a storm but am genuinely interested.

 

How do you tip at a Buffett on land?

 

It has always puzzled me.

[LHT28]

I'm not try to start a storm but am genuinely interested.

 

How do you tip at a Buffett on land?

 

It has always puzzled me.

since you are puzzled does that mean you do not leave a tip for buffet type restaurants ?

 

You leave cash on the table or add it to your CC bill when paying

big difference is you have a bill so you have some idea as to what percentage to tip