Tipping cabin stewards

[sail7seas]

Just a newbie with 20+ cruises...but I feel the same way :)

 

With 20 cruises, I'd hardly call you a 'newbie'. You are a very experienced cruiser but you don't need me to tell you that. :) :)

 

[sail7seas]

The auto tips should be renamed as a 'service surcharge' and make in part of the fare, then it is resolved. People can then tip the people they want directly and no one missed out due to people thinking they know how to distribute tips fairer or better than the ship.

 

 

I have said it and am no prepared to be flamed for this opinion.

 

HAL DOES call it 'hotel service charge'.

 

I hope you don't consider this a flame. It is not intended to be.

 

[sail7seas]

You are missing the point. If you have a travel partner who complains constantly, that speaks to crew loudly and slowly as if they are children, are demanding, are never satisfied, they expect that they are the only stateroom, that they constantly contradict themselves, etc etc etc.. and I have met many..besides that those folks should receive poor service they do not. That upfront gratuity is more a sympathy gesture to someone who is going to help the spouse survive and smooths the initial impression, reassures the cabin steward that that you understand it's going to be a challenge and here's combat pay, welcome to my foxhole.

If you haven't figured how many posters here are pain in the ass cruisers then I can't be more clear.

The polite, considerate cruisers is becoming extinct.

 

 

 

Wow..... I don't think we missed the point but maybe thought you should be getting tipped for traveling with this difficult person. :D How you must dread each of those encounters.

Best Wishes..

 

 

*I reread your post and can't determine if you identified yourself as the one traveling with the difficult person. I hope I got it wrong........ for your sake. :D

 

If so, I can't say I've ever seen a line up of cruise guests treating stewards as you describe. Sure, there probably is one or two here or there but I certainly hope they are a rare exception.

 

 

Edited January 16, 2016 by sail7seas

[notentirelynormal]

have always found staff to be efficient and friendly. They do the job the cruise line employs them to do - why would I feel any need to tip them ? I do my job and neither expect nor receive tips [emoji32]

 

Always great to hear from just one more in a long line of people from England who doesn't want to tip even though it is expected and accepted by the vast majority. You forgot to throw in about how every one in England gets a decent living wage and no one - ever - tips in England. We all no this is total bu** sh** but hey, if it makes you feel better to screw over the staff, knock yourself out. Just be honest and call the spade a spade.

Edited January 16, 2016 by notentirelynormal

[Elaine5715]

Wow..... I don't think we missed the point but maybe thought you should be getting tipped for traveling with this difficult person. :D How you must dread each of those encounters.

Best Wishes..

 

 

 

 

With me, it would be once and done but on most of my cruises, I have had those fun folks as tablemates, cabin neighbors, sat next to them at shows,in the casino, at the bars, waiting for the dining room to open, at past guests parties, etc. My guess is the same percentage of CC posters are PITA cruisers on every cruise. Just reading letters to JH confirms how poorly guests treat crew.

[sail7seas]

With me, it would be once and done but on most of my cruises, I have had those fun folks as tablemates, cabin neighbors, sat next to them at shows,in the casino, at the bars, waiting for the dining room to open, at past guests parties, etc. My guess is the same percentage of CC posters are PITA cruisers on every cruise. Just reading letters to JH confirms how poorly guests treat crew.

 

I reread your prior post and was editing mine when you were posting this message. :)

 

[notentirelynormal]

If so, I can't say I've ever seen a line up of cruise guests treating stewards as you describe. Sure, there probably is one or two here or there but I certainly hope they are a rare exception.

 

 

I have never or seen or heard this either.

 

Elaine 5715 What cruise line do you sail on that has such a vast amount of cruisers that treat the staff like crap? It just astounds me that you have seen and heard this so often. For the most part, when I get to my cabin I go inside and my cabin steward, at some time during that greeting time, shows up and goes over everything and asks if I have any requests. The door to my cabin is usually closed while he is inside or he stands in the door. I'm inside my cabin and not hanging out in the corridor and no one can hear what I am saying.

 

I then go about my business which is either in my cabin or out and about around the ship. When I return my cabin steward is either doing his business or talking to another person, usually inside their cabin. It is a rare thing for me to see him interacting with other cruisers but if he is it has always been a civil conversation.

 

Even if these "rude" people that you seem to overhear and run into so often are there - the cabin steward must still treat them in the same manner as he would treat those that don't abuse him. That is his job. He should treat them no better and no worse then he threats everyone else.

 

I have to ask Elaine. What do you do when you hear these multitude of conversations? Do you say something to the rude person? Do you tell the stewards supervisors to let them know it is not him but the passengers so he does not get into trouble. Do you tell anyone? Clearly you feel wronged that somehow someone else got their cabin cleaned/kept better than yours. I again have to ask. How do you know they tipped in advance? How and when do you hear these conversations?

 

Of course there are those that are rude and condescending. No one is arguing that BUT the question was about tipping your cabin steward in advance. You have stated that rude passengers do tip in advance and you, who doesn't, gets lousy service. I'm asking how you factually know this. I don't want you opinion - I want to know how you actually know this since you have been so adamant that this is what happens.

[Elaine5715]

I have never or seen or heard this either.

 

Elaine 5715 What cruise line do you sail on that has such a vast amount of cruisers that treat the staff like crap? It just astounds me that you have seen and heard this so often. For the most part, when I get to my cabin I go inside and my cabin steward, at some time during that greeting time, shows up and goes over everything and asks if I have any requests. The door to my cabin is usually closed while he is inside or he stands in the door. I'm inside my cabin and not hanging out in the corridor and no one can hear what I am saying.

 

I then go about my business which is either in my cabin or out and about around the ship. When I return my cabin steward is either doing his business or talking to another person, usually inside their cabin. It is a rare thing for me to see him interacting with other cruisers but if he is it has always been a civil conversation.

 

Even if these "rude" people that you seem to overhear and run into so often are there - the cabin steward must still treat them in the same manner as he would treat those that don't abuse him. That is his job. He should treat them no better and no worse then he threats everyone else.

 

I have to ask Elaine. What do you do when you hear these multitude of conversations? Do you say something to the rude person? Do you tell the stewards supervisors to let them know it is not him but the passengers so he does not get into trouble. Do you tell anyone? Clearly you feel wronged that somehow someone else got their cabin cleaned/kept better than yours. I again have to ask. How do you know they tipped in advance? How and when do you hear these conversations?

 

Of course there are those that are rude and condescending. No one is arguing that BUT the question was about tipping your cabin steward in advance. You have stated that rude passengers do tip in advance and you, who doesn't, gets lousy service. I'm asking how you factually know this. I don't want you opinion - I want to know how you actually know this since you have been so adamant that this is what happens.

 

I don't know that the all traveling partners of PITAs offer a gratuities when making their initial requests/demands (which is indeed an appropriate time) but they all should and some do. It is though a common practice in many hotels. I did not say those who didn't tip in advance got poor service, I said, these awful people should get poor service.

I also am an astute observer. Haven't you ever notice at a restaurant after listening to one person bitch unreasonable at wait staff that the husband reaches deeper into his pocket ( sometimes after she announces there wouldn't be a tip) and increases the gratuities to apologize for her bad behavior?

I think people who plan on be obnoxious or their partners should offer gratuities with their first set of demands. Doesn't excuse the behavior but $20 already in the pocket can make that forced smile on the crew less forced.

Edited January 16, 2016 by Elaine5715

[sail7seas]

Where (which country/city) have you visited hotels that expect in advance tipping for housekeeping or wait service? I've done lots of traveling and have never encountered such a situation.

 

[donaldsc]

someone's wage / salary is between them and their employer. If I dont think my salary is sufficient I wouldnt have applied for the job .

 

I dont know how much the Captain or Hotel Director gets either. neither will i be giving them a tip [emoji32]

 

Can we assume that when you visit the United States from England, you walk out of restaurants w/o leaving a tip? When you visit another country, you should adapt to the way they do things in the country you visit. But of course you already know that but do not care.

 

DON

[Elaine5715]

Where (which country/city) have you visited hotels that expect in advance tipping for housekeeping or wait service? I've done lots of traveling and have never encountered such a situation.

 

 

People who stay at high end hotels, long term, repeat visitors and at resort type places. Places where they want the minibars stocked, ice , extra this and that, ..

[sail7seas]

Like The Ritz, Four Seasons, Hassler (in Rome), Plaza, St. Regis etc, ...... been in all those hotels and never heard/saw this. Tipping at the time my laundry is delivered, room service arrives, housekeeping brings me extra towels is not in advance. That is tipping for service provided at the time of the service.

 

[spookyfudge]

I give $20-30 depending on length first meeting cabin stewards for ice everyday, extra towels etc. The. Again. Last day, in lauding normal $13 per day fees. Gets great service,!

 

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[notentirelynormal]

People who stay at high end hotels, long term, repeat visitors and at resort type places. Places where they want the minibars stocked, ice , extra this and that, ..

 

You need to be more specific. It sounds like you travel with a very, umm, select type of person that most of us don't. You obviously have a different experience than the majority of people. Again, what cruise line do you sail on? What hotel line do you deal with? Are you saying that really wealthy people are crap?

[Ahall2015]

The auto tips should be renamed as a 'service surcharge' and make in part of the fare, then it is resolved. People can then tip the people they want directly and no one missed out due to people thinking they know how to distribute tips fairer or better than the ship.

 

 

I have said it and am no prepared to be flamed for this opinion.

 

 

Agreed!! We prepaid our gratuities. They were taken care of and out of the way before we ever stepped foot on the ship. Yes I had read numerous times that no extra tipping was necessary however the cruise line workers are doing their jobs just as if they were on land. So we treated them as such. Tips were added to all bar purchases just as if we were having a night out on land. Yes we did tip the sweet young man who delivered our room service just as we would have if we had ordered room service in a hotel. We also tipped the person who took our bags at the terminal, the cab driver who took us to the terminal, the awesome crew of our score excursion, and our servers in the MDR. Did we have to? Of course not, but why wouldn't we? These are all positions that would have received tips if we were on land. Finally we actually DID tip our cabin attendant $20 on the second night and this is why: our cabin attendant greeted us and introduced himself within the first ten minutes we were in our cabin on the first day. After that We were barely in our cabin except for really late at night. I did leave a note on the second night asking for ice, but when it comes to tips we like to personally hand them to the person so they know that their service is appreciated so we gave it to him when we ran into him in the hall and it happened to be the second night. JMO each to his own. In our situation we looked at the prepaid gratuities as just another part of cruising. Paid way in advance and tipped as usual for the actual cruise

[MicCanberra]

In my experience, the more you pay for your room the less the hotel gives you in the extras. e.g. 3 star Hotel has basic cheap room but has wifi and breakfast included. 5 star - Raffles, Fairmont and the Savoy, no free wifi or breaky.

[wwcruisers]

Like The Ritz, Four Seasons, Hassler (in Rome), Plaza, St. Regis etc, ...... been in all those hotels and never heard/saw this. Tipping at the time my laundry is delivered, room service arrives, housekeeping brings me extra towels is not in advance. That is tipping for service provided at the time of the service.

 

 

Totally agree, Sevenseas! We always leave the auto-tip in place, and then tip accordingly, at cruise's end. Growing up in the South, I always heard that there is a difference between a tip and bribe -- and, a lady always knows which is appropriate! ;)

[luddite]

someone's wage / salary is between them and their employer. If I dont think my salary is sufficient I wouldnt have applied for the job .

 

I dont know how much the Captain or Hotel Director gets either. neither will i be giving them a tip [emoji32]

 

Ah.

It is clear that you do not understand how the system works.

[Ladesign]

Ah.

 

It is clear that you do not understand how the system works.

 

 

Oh but i do. The cruise line charge me $xx for the cruise. I expect the standards on the boat to be of a level commensurate with the marketing material published by the cruise line. Nowhere does it state that I need to tip/bribe staff in order to get good service.

 

I find that being friendly and polite with the staff to be just as effective as the little bribes I have seen given. Indeed some staff have told me that some 'tippers' seem to think it gives them a right to be rude and demanding.

 

Everyone to their own [emoji41]. Never had a problem with waiting or bar staff or room attendants. I do mention the staff by name on the 'attention to detail' cards if they are particularly good. According to one staff. member I encountered on a subsequent trip our 'mention' had been "better than any tip I have received"

Edited January 17, 2016 by Ladesign

[moniquet]

Have to laugh at some who claim to know exactly what the Stewards want/think:D

 

Far better to tip AND give them a mention. Tip, bribe whatever, money talks. When we went to Las Vegas we were told it was advisable to tip the Maitre'D to get a good seat for the shows. It worked every time, of course it is really a bribe. I wait for a couple of days to see how the Steward performs, if all is well I give a tip. I don't go with the theory that good tippers do it because they are rude, obnoxious whatever. Imagine they would be the ones most likely to queue up to remove tips.

[SheriAZ]

I am a newbie because I have only cruised one time. That said, if I ever cruised with a certain friend of mine(I wont) I would be tipping like crazy as an apology for her demanding ways. Otherwise I would be too embarrassed to face the steward or wait staff.

[rdsxgrl28]

someone's wage / salary is between them and their employer. If I dont think my salary is sufficient I wouldnt have applied for the job .

 

I dont know how much the Captain or Hotel Director gets either. neither will i be giving them a tip [emoji32]

 

Oh but i do. The cruise line charge me $xx for the cruise. I expect the standards on the boat to be of a level commensurate with the marketing material published by the cruise line. Nowhere does it state that I need to tip/bribe staff in order to get good service.

 

I find that being friendly and polite with the staff to be just as effective as the little bribes I have seen given. Indeed some staff have told me that some 'tippers' seem to think it gives them a right to be rude and demanding.

 

Everyone to their own [emoji41]. Never had a problem with waiting or bar staff or room attendants. I do mention the staff by name on the 'attention to detail' cards if they are particularly good. According to one staff. member I encountered on a subsequent trip our 'mention' had been "better than any tip I have received"

 

You can rationalize it anyway you want, face it your just cheap!

[DirtyDawg]

I read some people tip cabin steward upon arrival then again when they leave.

This being above and beyond prepaid grats. How much do you do before and after? just curious Don't want to be wrong Cant someone help me out here??

 

Most people who tip extra will tip at the end of the cruise. But you would not be wrong if you tipped extra at the beginning or in the middle of the cruise - just in the minority.

[luddite]

Oh but i do. The cruise line charge me $xx for the cruise. I expect the standards on the boat to be of a level commensurate with the marketing material published by the cruise line. Nowhere does it state that I need to tip/bribe staff in order to get good service.

 

I find that being friendly and polite with the staff to be just as effective as the little bribes I have seen given. Indeed some staff have told me that some 'tippers' seem to think it gives them a right to be rude and demanding.

 

Everyone to their own [emoji41]. Never had a problem with waiting or bar staff or room attendants. I do mention the staff by name on the 'attention to detail' cards if they are particularly good. According to one staff. member I encountered on a subsequent trip our 'mention' had been "better than any tip I have received"

Uhhhhh.

No.

[swaddy]

Always great to hear from just one more in a long line of people from England who doesn't want to tip even though it is expected and accepted by the vast majority. You forgot to throw in about how every one in England gets a decent living wage and no one - ever - tips in England. We all no this is total bu** sh** but hey, if it makes you feel better to screw over the staff, knock yourself out. Just be honest and call the spade a spade.

 

First time we visited America, over 20 yrs ago, we were surprised at the amount of tipping that was considered normal. The courier on our tour found it necessary to remind us on a daily basis of the amount of tips he would expect at the end of the tour. The English do not tip in the same way, if I went for coffee in the daytime I would not expect to tip, at night we would leave up to 10% . My husband working for the civil service was not allowed to accept tips or even gifts.

Yes we do tip guides etc when on a cruise as we are aware that it does make up for inadequate wages. There is a national minimum wage in England, there is also a movement to increase this to provide a better 'living' wage.