Who tips their cabin steward

[MrsDeee]

Unless the service is awful, which, so far, has never happened, I tip the steward, waiter, and assistant waiter extra the last night.

 

 

 

Do the waiter and assistant waiter not share tips? I was assuming that I would tip one, and they would split it. Is this an incorrect assumption?

 

 

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[MrsDeee]

We have been on over 30 cruises. When we started cruising with Royal they didn't automatically add tips to the sea pass. They gave you a suggested amount that you should tip. That was a pain since you had to cruise with lots of cash. We followed the suggested amount and almost always gave more. Now that you can either prepay or its added daily it is a much better way for us. We do give more at the end of our cruise to our steward. We also give extra to our wait staff, wine steward, maître d, and favorite ball staff. These people work hard. They also give up things to work on a cruise ship away from their family.

 

 

 

Can you tell me when you interact with a wine steward and maitre d? I'm a first time cruiser, and these jobs aren't familiar to me. I'm sailing on the liberty, if that matters.

 

I'm planning my list for gratuities, and I don't want to leave anyone out that may deserve it, that I may unexpectedly run into. Thanks!

 

 

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[Cel_cruise]

If you interact with the maitre de because you have an issue in the dining room (issue with waitstaff, location, timing etc), you will know. If I have no issues that need extra attention from the maitre de, I don't tip him extra. If you have an issue that's handled in 5 minutes and no future follow ups are made - don't feel obligated to tip extra. If they help you and then follow up with you thru the cruise - consider some extra money at the end - but remember - they serve thousands on board, even a small amount ($10) will be appreciated - even more so - mention them on the post cruise survey.

 

If you don't need help from the wine steward to select wines during your trip - the standard tips cover them. If you interact with them or get help from them - you will know it and know if they deserve an EXTRA tip above the standard tip. Again - mention by name in the cruise survey would be a great thank you as well.

 

 

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[grapau27]

One perhaps should not rely on the number of posters on one side of an issue to be any real indication of public sentiment. Posting in a thread is voluntary action and generally those who have the more extreme views post and those who don't have extreme views typically say nothing.

 

Each person has their own motivations and it isn't our place to guess the motivations of those who are claiming that the standard gratuity is anything but 100% sufficient, adequate and fully respectable. It is very unlikely that anyone has illegitimate argument to undermine our hosts advisories to us. It's their house​. They set the rules. They say that a certain amount is appropriate then it is, just like it is appropriate to smoke where they say to smoke, bring on board the alcohol that they say you're allowed to bring aboard, etc.

 

 

 

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As long as you behave and don't bring smuggled alcohol on board that's where your view ends in my opinion.

I totally agree with tipping but no one has the right to say you must give this much money for tips and we are all free to give what we deem correct,we are not in N.Korea.

 

love sailing with RCCL

[bUU]

If you interact with the maitre de because you have an issue in the dining room (issue with waitstaff, location, timing etc), you will know.

And that's why I don't see any reason to provide an extra tip for the maitre d'. If I'm interacting with him or her it's because of a problem I encountered and I shouldn't reward someone for fixing a problem which is in reality a reflection of their own poor supervision of their staff.

 

... even more so - mention them on the post cruise survey.

Without a doubt.

 

I totally agree with tipping but no one has the right to say you must give this much money for tips and we are all free to give what we deem correct,we are not in N.Korea.

Correct: We are in the part of the world where things like respect for one's host as a guest should have some impact on the way one behaves.

 

 

 

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[grapau27]

And that's why I don't see any reason to provide an extra tip for the maitre d'. If I'm interacting with him or her it's because of a problem I encountered and I shouldn't reward someone for fixing a problem which is in reality a reflection of their own poor supervision of their staff.

 

Without a doubt.

 

Correct: We are in the part of the world where things like respect for one's host as a guest should have some impact on the way one behaves.

 

 

 

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Exactly but you have paid for your cruise and only you have the right to say if you tip or not unless they rephrase it as a service charge like a lot of US hotels do.

 

love sailing with RCCL

[bUU]

So you're hinging your point on the word used. That seems a little predatory in my opinion. I know that Holland America calls it a hotel service charge. So does that mean on Holland America you would abide by their standard without question as long as you received adequate service?

 

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[island lady]

We are also ones that always give our cabin attendant an extra cash tip (over the prepaid tips I opt for when I book our cruises). Only once we did not tip extra, since our cabin attendant that cruise just could not get anything right, but that is rare for us.

 

I also "re-work" the towel animals they leave, plus create some of my own classics, which

always gets a laugh from them. ;)

[grapau27]

Look I always pre-pay my tips when booking my cruise and always tip about 200 dollars extra on the ship,i agree totally that the crew work long and hard and TBH the cruise lines should recognise this in their pay.But they still have no right to insist what you should give, advise yes.

 

love sailing with RCCL

[MrsDeee]

If you interact with the maitre de because you have an issue in the dining room (issue with waitstaff, location, timing etc), you will know. If I have no issues that need extra attention from the maitre de, I don't tip him extra. If you have an issue that's handled in 5 minutes and no future follow ups are made - don't feel obligated to tip extra. If they help you and then follow up with you thru the cruise - consider some extra money at the end - but remember - they serve thousands on board, even a small amount ($10) will be appreciated - even more so - mention them on the post cruise survey.

 

If you don't need help from the wine steward to select wines during your trip - the standard tips cover them. If you interact with them or get help from them - you will know it and know if they deserve an EXTRA tip above the standard tip. Again - mention by name in the cruise survey would be a great thank you as well.

 

 

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Thanks!

[deliver42]

I don't know if the waiter and assistant waiter share their tips, and I don't really care. The ass't works harder than the waiter IMO, and I tip both individually.

[grapau27]

And that's why I don't see any reason to provide an extra tip for the maitre d'. If I'm interacting with him or her it's because of a problem I encountered and I shouldn't reward someone for fixing a problem which is in reality a reflection of their own poor supervision of their staff.

 

Without a doubt.

 

Correct: We are in the part of the world where things like respect for one's host as a guest should have some impact on the way one behaves.

 

 

 

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So what your saying is if they say tip12 dollars you say yes.so if they then say hang upside down you will do that to respect your host? LOL

 

love sailing with RCCL

[grapau27]

So what your saying is if they say tip12 dollars you say yes.so if they then say hang upside down you will do that to respect your host? LOL

 

love sailing with RCCL

Anyway we are paying customers not guests and customer is always right.

 

love sailing with RCCL

[sprint180]

I usually tip $20 but then if my husband is alone he tips way way more.

[Cel_cruise]

So what your saying is if they say tip12 dollars you say yes.so if they then say hang upside down you will do that to respect your host? LOL

 

love sailing with RCCL

 

 

Well - given we don't know how to calculate the expected 15%- 20% for the standard tip getters (closer to 20% is the norm where I live but it may still be 15% elsewhere in the USA) , we have to trust that RCI has done the math and that the standard tip aligns with the proper percentage for a good job.

 

After that - it's up to us as paying customers on board to determine if additional gratuities for better than good service have been provided.

 

 

 

 

 

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[Cel_cruise]

And that's why I don't see any reason to provide an extra tip for the maitre d'. If I'm interacting with him or her it's because of a problem I encountered and I shouldn't reward someone for fixing a problem which is in reality a reflection of their own poor supervision of their staff.

 

Without a doubt.

 

Correct: We are in the part of the world where things like respect for one's host as a guest should have some impact on the way one behaves.

 

 

 

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So - I don't disagree with you on the maitre de comments - but sometimes the 'issues' are not something that they did wrong and also sometimes they do go above and beyond in rectifying an issue.

 

If I want to switch tables to a different group or different size or different time and they do some shuffling for me to accommodate that - it doesn't mean that they are doing a poor job supervising their staff or running their restaurant. And if that takes them 2 minutes to adjust vs 30-60 minutes of juggling, the reward should be different. Also - if they remember to follow up with us the day after the move to make sure it's okay, again - more deserving of a reward.

 

If they are helping address piss poor waitstaff - totally different situation that might fall into your point about running their dining room.

 

 

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[Gone2/c]

Tipping is such a provocative subject . Some folk have firm views as to the correct thing to do and others are more flexible and don't get hung up on it. There will never be a happy medium. If the overall tipping ethos is spoiling someone's experience surely that can't be good for anyone. It's great to have principles but enjoying a nice break with no stress is by far more important.

 

 

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[island lady]

Yup, always the traditional (old) themes on CC.

 

Tipping

Dress code

Smoking

Chair Hogs

Unruly children

Elevator manners

 

I am sure there are more... ;)

 

Never gets old I guess. :p

[Thorben-Hendrik]

With respect, at least here in the US, the difference in perspective is more varied than that. Many people who advocate to abide by our cultural norms (as reflected in the standards that the cruise ships set forth regarding tipping) ALSO would prefer a system where service workers were provided a full living wage and tipping was therefore only for going above and beyond (I.e., more like the UK and Western European models). One doesn't necessarily need to fully support all aspects of a system in order to recognize that "it is what it is" and that THEIR responsibility is to do their part in accordance with the systems rules until the system changes.

 

And this is a key message: Even if folks don't like the system, they need to recognize that they aren't the masters of the universe and that it is not righteous to impose their preferences on others who are responsibly performing their obligations with the system. Until one successfully convinces society as a whole that their way is better, they are still just one person, beholden to live in accordance with their obligation to be a responsible member of society.

 

(Can you tell that I'm a worship leader? And after all, it is Sunday.)

 

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Total BS - as long as it is my money I decide what I will do with it and what my preferences are and NOT the "system"!

[cruisinfromtampa]

We tip an additional $10 per night to our room steward.

 

 

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[bUU]

So what your saying is if they say tip12 dollars you say yes.so if they then say hang upside down you will do that to respect your host? LOL

They're not asking for that. Be serious, and respectful of perspectives you don't like.

[grapau27]

Yup, always the traditional (old) themes on CC.

 

Tipping

Dress code

Smoking

Chair Hogs

Unruly children

Elevator manners

 

I am sure there are more... ;)

 

Never gets old I guess. :p

Yes but it is new people to cruise critic who are asking these questions who have not posted before.

 

love sailing with RCCL

[grapau27]

Total BS - as long as it is my money I decide what I will do with it and what my preferences are and NOT the "system"!

Agree totally

 

 

love sailing with RCCL

[grapau27]

They're not asking for that. Be serious, and respectful of perspectives you don't like.

You are the one being condescending and disrespectful to people who have a different way of doing things.

 

love sailing with RCCL

[bUU]

So - I don't disagree with you on the maitre de comments - but sometimes the 'issues' are not something that they did wrong and also sometimes they do go above and beyond in rectifying an issue....If I want to switch tables to a different group or different size or different time and they do some shuffling for me to accommodate that ... If they are helping address piss poor waitstaff - totally different situation that might fall into your point about running their dining room.

I see the distinction you're making and can see a lot of merit in it.

 

Total BS - as long as it is my money I decide what I will do with it and what my preferences are and NOT the "system"!

With respect, without some more substantive moral defense, I cannot help but see that as an explicitly predatory perspective.

But heck, I live in Georgia, and we take hospitality very seriously here, perhaps more seriously than elsewhere.