tipping

[Elaine5715]

I knew that :)

I was merely referring to when the tip $$ were added to the Sail and Sign account if you were using a credit card to pay.

 

Good because a lot of folks don't, thus the whining about tipping "before they do anything"

[LilMissScareAll]

I prepay. I'd rather keep that final cc charge as low as possible

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G870A using Tapatalk

[Who Cares?]

If people want to prepay for things before they leave that is certainly their decision. I just said what we prefer to do.

 

Actually, you said you see no reason to prepay and I simply gave you one reason someone may want to. ;)

[RHilla619]

I've always pre-paid during the booking just to be done with it, and so I have my true total cost accounted for. It's also one less thing to worry about while on board, and I always reward any bartender/waiter/stew that went above and beyond for me during the week with a little extra on the last day.

[ShakyBeef]

I don't prepay. I'd rather keep possession of my own money than give it to Carnival to "hold for me". :cool:

 

I leave auto-tips in place, and lately, I go to GS and increase them a couple days into the cruise. The increased auto-tips get added to my S&S balance, earning me 2 FunPoints per dollar on my Carnival MC.

 

After the cruise, I "pay myself back" for the S&S balance, including tips, with a statement credit by redeeming my FunPoints. I like to do it this way because my S&S balance is usually larger than my cruise fare. If I don't have enough FPs to "pay" for both (which I usually don't), I'd rather use them on the larger amount. So I didn't take a "free cruise" with my points, but all my onboard spending was free.:)

 

It just comes down to: we all have different preferences for different reasons, and different ways of doing things. My way isn't necessarily better than yours, but it's the best for me.;)

[Lace]

Out of Curiosity, how many ppl do prepaid tipping? In the past II have done prepaid tipping and tip extra accordingly. But prepaid seems to take the guest work out of the biggest chunk of it for me. I'm a fan of tipping for good service, I was in the service industry for years. But I have friends that have cruised and don't do prepaid tipping, so now it has me second guessing. Thanks for any input!

 

I don't. I tip in cash.

[evandbob]

I always do the prepaid auto tips, just easier for me. I consider it part of the cruise fare and would wish that the cruise lines would just combine the fare and tips to begin with. If I have any special requests for my cabin steward, I'll leave a note in an envelope with a $10 or $20.

I'm going on a 21 day B2B this weekend and tips have been prepaid months ago.

[Cushing985]

I don't. I tip in cash.

 

Just curious...do you go down to the laundry room to tip the people who wash your sheets? Do you tip the people up on deck at sunrise cleaning up? Do you tip the people who are cleaning the carpets overnight? They also get the tips Carnival adds to your bill.

[Lace]

Just curious...do you go down to the laundry room to tip the people who wash your sheets? Do you tip the people up on deck at sunrise cleaning up? Do you tip the people who are cleaning the carpets overnight? They also get the tips Carnival adds to your bill.

 

Why would I? They are full salaried employees. The only people that get tips are the service staff that interact with passengers. The salaried employees work up to the tipped positions, but must pass stringent requirements to do so.

 

http://www.cruiseshipjob.com/position.htm

Edited January 19, 2016 by Lace

[Cushing985]

Why would I? They are full salaried employees. The only people that get tips are the service staff that interact with passengers. The salaried employees work up to the tipped positions, but must pass stringent requirements to do so.

 

http://www.cruiseshipjob.com/position.htm

 

So wrong. Carnival states these people are the "behind the scenes" workers who get a portion of the tips the passenger pays.

[Lace]

So wrong. Carnival states these people are the "behind the scenes" workers who get a portion of the tips the passenger pays.

 

Bring a load of bills and tip who you like.

 

Even the workers in the Steakhouse tell you they don't get tips just to get more cash out of your wallet and into theirs

 

But go ahead and track down some of those behind the scenes workers and ask them. They do not get tips.

Edited January 19, 2016 by Lace

[Cushing985]

Bring a load of bills and tip who you like.

 

Even the workers in the Steakhouse tell you they don't get tips just to get more cash out of your wallet and into theirs

 

But go ahead and track down some of those behind the scenes workers and ask them. They do not get tips.

 

From Carnival's site:

 

SERVICE GRATUITIES (TIPS)

 

It is customary to extend gratuities/tips to the shipboard staff for their services. How much to tip is a personal matter and completely up to the guest. Our recommended guidelines in regards to what is appropriate are as follows:

 

Service Per Guest, Per Day

Dining Room Services $6.10

Stateroom Services $3.90

Alternative Services: distributed to kitchen, entertainment, guest services and other hotel staff members. $2.00

Total Gratuities $12.00

 

If you want to pay cash at least be honest about it and realize some of the crew are being shorted by your actions.

[Lace]

From Carnival's site:

 

SERVICE GRATUITIES (TIPS)

 

It is customary to extend gratuities/tips to the shipboard staff for their services. How much to tip is a personal matter and completely up to the guest. Our recommended guidelines in regards to what is appropriate are as follows:

 

Service Per Guest, Per Day

Dining Room Services $6.10

Stateroom Services $3.90

Alternative Services: distributed to kitchen, entertainment, guest services and other hotel staff members. $2.00

Total Gratuities $12.00

 

If you want to pay cash at least be honest about it and realize some of the crew are being shorted by your actions.

 

Uh huh. Keep buying into that. Ask the kitchen help, entertainment and guest services how much of those tips they get. You'll feel like a fool.

[Cushing985]

Bring a load of bills and tip who you like.

 

Even the workers in the Steakhouse tell you they don't get tips just to get more cash out of your wallet and into theirs

 

But go ahead and track down some of those behind the scenes workers and ask them. They do not get tips.

 

Tips are part of the fee to the Steak House.

[Lace]

Tips are part of the fee to the Steak House.

 

Yes, I know that. But many state when they ask that it's not.

 

Even John Heald once said they are not.

 

Again, please tip who you like how much you like. I know better.

 

I on the other hand will tip those assigned to me who work for me as if I hired them myself, and tip accordingly.

Edited January 19, 2016 by Lace

[notyours75]

We pre-pay and consider it part of the cruise fare itself. We will give out some limited cash tips to persons who have exhibited truly exceptional service on our cruise. I do not feel an obligation to tip more for normal service, because again I've pre-paid my tips in an amount that was not my choosing. If Carnival is comfortable with that amount then I am as well. Our service has always been good and never had cause to think about trying to reduce the amount.

 

I don't really like the whole system but it is better than dragging around envelopes full of cash to everyone on the last day and allows us to better budget our actual expenses. And yes ultimately cruise lines should be paying their employees a living wage that does not depend heavily on passenger gratuities and cruise fares should reflect that.

[beachbum53]

No, I don't pre-pay the auto-gratuities. I also don't give the cabin steward any extra cash at the beginning of the cruise. Why pay ahead of time for something that hasn't been done yet? When you go out to eat at a restaurant, do tip your waiter or waitress BEFORE you've even ordered?

[fitoldguyinspeedo]

No, I don't pre-pay the auto-gratuities. I also don't give the cabin steward any extra cash at the beginning of the cruise. Why pay ahead of time for something that hasn't been done yet? When you go out to eat at a restaurant, do tip your waiter or waitress BEFORE you've even ordered?

 

On good ole terra firma, at your local fav restaurant, if you slip the maitre d' a $20 before dinner you get a much better table for dinner.

[firemanbobswife]

No, I don't pre-pay the auto-gratuities. I also don't give the cabin steward any extra cash at the beginning of the cruise. Why pay ahead of time for something that hasn't been done yet? When you go out to eat at a restaurant, do tip your waiter or waitress BEFORE you've even ordered?

 

Well not a restaurant because it's customary to leave a percentage of the bill amount. And since it's typically not known how much that would be, then of course not. However, if there was an option to order ahead of time, or like a "one price" type of restaurant, pay for all our food upfront and a "gratuity" or "service charge" (as it really is no matter what anyone says) was a flat rate then sure. Why not? It's the same either way.

 

BTW, when you prepay your gratuities the people don't get it ahead of time. It is in their check after you leave just the same as if it was billed to your S&S account. But they do have a list and know who has paid and who hasn't. Take that for what it's worth.

 

The Service Charge is such a small amount when looking at the big picture. I prefer to go into my cruise with a zero balance and this last time I ordered my BB ahead of time as well. People will do what they want and no amount of bantering back and forth will change anyone's mind.

 

Happy cruising, y'all!

[declansdad]

No, I don't pre-pay the auto-gratuities. I also don't give the cabin steward any extra cash at the beginning of the cruise. Why pay ahead of time for something that hasn't been done yet? When you go out to eat at a restaurant, do tip your waiter or waitress BEFORE you've even ordered?

 

 

Do you leave on the auto-gratuity or do you have them remove it at the start of your cruise?

[javaonline]

Can you use a Carnival Gift Card for Tipping?

[firemanbobswife]

Can you use a Carnival Gift Card for Tipping?

 

You can prepay them as part of your reservation which you can use a GC for or have them applied to your S&S account and then apply the GC to the balance. So yes, you can.

[beachbum53]

Do you leave on the auto-gratuity or do you have them remove it at the start of your cruise?

 

No, I don't have it removed. I know the idea of the auto-gratuity came about so that people wouldn't have to put cash in envelopes to give out to the staff. I have also read on here that the staff know if you've had your auto-gratuity removed. If the charge doesn't get posted to your S&S account until the last day or so of the cruise, how would the staff (cabin steward, waiters, etc.) know ahead of time? I realize that some people pre-pay the gratuities (days, weeks, even months ahead of time) as a convenience to themselves, to "get it out of the way", as some have put it. If you're happy doing it that way, fine. However, in my mind, you're paying far in advance for a service that has not been rendered yet. That's a concept I'm having a hard time understanding. Would you pay someone else in the service industry (plumbing repair, carpet cleaner, furnace/a.c. repair person, etc.) before the work is done? Maybe I'm looking at it the wrong way, but pre-paying a tip before service is rendered, and particularly a specified (not suggested) amount, just doesn't seem right to me. If it's going to be prepaid, and it's going to be a specified amount, then let's stop calling it a "gratuity" and call it what it really is. An income supplement.

Edited January 19, 2016 by beachbum53

[firemanbobswife]

No, I don't have it removed. I know the idea of the auto-gratuity came about so that people wouldn't have to put cash in envelopes to give out to the staff. I have also read on here that the staff know if you've had your auto-gratuity removed. If the charge doesn't get posted to your S&S account until the last day or so of the cruise, how would the staff (cabin steward, waiters, etc.) know ahead of time? I realize that some people pre-pay the gratuities (days, weeks, even months ahead of time) as a convenience to themselves, to "get it out of the way", as some have put it. If you're happy doing it that way, fine. However, in my mind, you're paying far in advance for a service that has not been rendered yet. That's a concept I'm having a hard time understanding. Would you pay someone else in the service industry (plumber, carpet cleaner, furnace/a.c. repair person, etc.) before the work is done? Maybe I'm looking at it the wrong way, but pre-paying a tip before service is rendered, and particularly a specified (not suggested) amount, just doesn't seem right to me. If it's going to be prepaid, and it's going to be a specified amount, then let's stop calling it a "gratuity" and call it what it really is. An income supplement.

 

I agree with your last two sentences wholeheartedly. That's exactly what it is. Maybe that's why I don't have a problem prepaying it.

 

To me it's no different then taxes or port fees. We pay for our cruise MONTHS (unless it's a last minute deal) ahead of time before we ever step foot on the ship so we are paying for something that hasn't been received yet either. Same for airline tickets (and taxes and fees).

 

I would love it if Carnival just called it like it is - a "Service Charge" and pay the people accordingly. Let us truly tip for service should we want above and beyond the basic wage they should be getting anyway.

 

I always give extra. Yes, the workers get paid more that what they would get in their home country, but they are gone for 6 months or more at a time. A few extra bucks isn't going to kill me and I am thankful that there are people that don't mind working 12+ hours a day 7 days a week for months on end to make sure I have a great time.

 

And yes sometimes you do have to pay a service worker at least partial payment or good faith amount upfront. Not all the time, but sometimes, depending on the job. Keep in mind that they don't survive off tips, though. They are paid by the job.

Edited January 19, 2016 by firemanbobswife

[declansdad]

No, I don't have it removed. I know the idea of the auto-gratuity came about so that people wouldn't have to put cash in envelopes to give out to the staff. I have also read on here that the staff know if you've had your auto-gratuity removed. If the charge doesn't get posted to your S&S account until the last day or so of the cruise, how would the staff (cabin steward, waiters, etc.) know ahead of time? I realize that some people pre-pay the gratuities (days, weeks, even months ahead of time) as a convenience to themselves, to "get it out of the way", as some have put it. If you're happy doing it that way, fine. However, in my mind, you're paying far in advance for a service that has not been rendered yet. That's a concept I'm having a hard time understanding. Would you pay someone else in the service industry (plumbing repair, carpet cleaner, furnace/a.c. repair person, etc.) before the work is done? Maybe I'm looking at it the wrong way, but pre-paying a tip before service is rendered, and particularly a specified (not suggested) amount, just doesn't seem right to me. If it's going to be prepaid, and it's going to be a specified amount, then let's stop calling it a "gratuity" and call it what it really is. An income supplement.

 

 

If you don't have them removed you are still paying for something before it is completed, it is just the timing of the billing cycle. If you truly wanted to pay for the service after it was performed, you would remove the auto-gratuity and pay with cash to each person at the end of the cruise.