Choosing not to prepay gratuities.

[jimbo5544]

I think you are confusing that incident with "Silver Wind". See this post by Cruise Law News:

 

http://www.cruiselawnews.com/2018/05/articles/disease-1/silver-wind-flunks-usph-sanitation-inspection/

 

Or if you have a link to Carnival being sited for this same violation, please post it.

 

Thanks

 

 

 

 

 

Are tips now based on scores for inspections?

 

 

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[Cushing985]

I am not being cheap but I am not these peoples employer carnival is. Carnival should be paying their wages especially if all they are doing is cleaning the deck or washing windows. When I go to a hotel or even resort I don’t tip the front desk clerk so why should I on a cruise. I do tip the waiters in the MDR and the room stewards. I also tip the counselors in camp carnival that watch my children. When I eat at a buffet I don’t tip the people who put food on my plate. I tip my server.

 

I think most of us realize the cruise industry doesn't pay their staff very well. The reality is they expect the passenger to supplement their salaries with tips. Although I hate this saying "It is what it is."

[Elaine5715]

I usually give my waiter about $20 on night 1 and then another $10 on the final night.

 

Room steward gets $10 night one with a request for a specific towel animal, and $5 each day he continues to provide the requested (Or another cool) towel animal. Then we usually leave something at the end of the cruise.

 

But I agree, there are dozens of people I never see who get some of that tip and deserve it. The guy at Guys will make me a dozen burgers, I don;t pull out cash to tip him.

There are three people on your main dining team and you tip one which means they then tip out the other two.

By pulling the auto tips, those wait staff who serve you at breakfast, brunch, lunch, tea time and and Lido lose out.

The money you leave just the stateroom steward means they tip out their assistant. They also need to tip out laundry if you send anything out.

[Elaine5715]

When reading these threads, a topic that comes up a lot is the people who are "behind the scenes." Rather than starting a new thread on this topic (there are too many already), I will pose a question about who they are?

 

When I mention them, I refer to dining staff that might often get overlooked, as well as the housekeepers that assist the steward (housekeeping team in auto-grats).

 

When I read the daily breakdown of the gratuities on Carnivals Website, I see "Alternative Services: $2.50." Does anyone know if those refer to non-MDR dining options (Guys, Tandoor, Pizzeria del Capitano), or are those covered in "Dining Team: $6.40?" Or are they something completely different?

 

At any rate, that is my assumption that auto-gratuities take care of all of these people,which is why I leave the autos intact. I don't need to think about it. I am pretty sure none of those, according to Carnival's breakdown go to the folks who wash the deck. i would be curious about "Alternative Services" however.

Yes, Lido dining venues are part of the alternative services (plus Deli, etc). That $6.40 goes to the three members of your dining team for the two meals they work each day.

[Harrier1961]

It becomes my business when you hose crew. It has been stated over and over that the grats collected always go to the intended crew. Again, how do you determine the appropriate amount? Typical dinner with a starter, entree, sides, coffee, dessert landside would cost about $40 each...so you are claiming you leave in cash at least $8 each person every MDR meal? Leaving at Lido at least $3 for breakfast and $4 for lunch? And of course, sitting there until each server gets to your table to get their share? Finding both your room steward and assistant room steward twice a day and handing them each $2 per person per service...

 

Riiighhttt....and they let me drive the ship.

 

 

 

Actually, unless you are one of the crew, it still isn’t any of your business.

Just saying...

 

 

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[CallistaSkye]

That is their job. It’s not my responsibility to pay those that clean the deck that is carnivals job. I get paid to do my job but I don’t get tipped to do it. With that being said we remove the auto tips and pay as we go to those that deserve it.

 

Except that the service industry is set up completely differently than a regular job, so you cannot really compare them. and it may not be "your responsibility" but stiffing them tips is not going to make the company change. It's just hurting the people who are working there. If you want to help them, then fight for change in legislature against tips, and for working wages. But trying to claim you are tipping those who "Deserve" it is false. You're tipping those people who you see in the front of house, and that's all. Meanwhile many many more people helped you in the back of house. There is zero reason that a couple hundred dollars extra on a thousands of dollar vacation should matter, and if it does, then you need to go on another vacation somewhere else.

[CCruiser1234]

....I would love it if the folks behind the scenes are getting something out of this but I sure don't want the cruise line taking any of it.

 

 

Forest for the trees.

 

‘I don’t want the cruise line taking any of it’ - sounds like a non-objective “us versus them approach”.

 

On the assumption you mean corporate execs as “the cruise line” - it is their product, and their employees. That said, all of them are “the cruise line”.

 

Regardless of hearsay opinion that they don’t get any because the big mean execs keep it all- you can always not pre-pay gratuities, or pay the minimum rate, and then - give envelopes with cash directly to the people that you consider to have given good service.

[summersigh]

The crew and the cruise line sign contracts that state exactly what % of the auto-tip pot each employee receives.

My question is that ...... if a person feels that the cruise line in question is so low that they will lie about how much of the tip employees get and steal from said employees ... why would you choose to sail on a line you believe would do so?

 

And no ... I personally do not believe CCL or any of it's other cruise line holdings would do that. Just MHO

[Crusin Hogs]

I wish they would add the tip to the cruise fare......done!

 

Pre pay with your fare ,and it is done

[KarimaJ]

So if I don’t prepay, and wait until the end then I can use my OBC to pay for it right?

 

 

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[Saint Greg]

So if I don’t prepay, and wait until the end then I can use my OBC to pay for it right?

 

 

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Yep.

[PTC DAWG]

Glad to see it’s not just NCL folks who think those that remove the “tips” from their accounts are cheapskates...

[grozas]

If any of you old timers remember back in the day of little white envelopes what kind of scramble it was to get $1, $5, and $10 and stuff the proper tip into the proper envelope on the last day - you would really appreciate pre-paid tips.

 

 

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[GradUT]

If any of you old timers remember back in the day of little white envelopes what kind of scramble it was to get $1, $5, and $10 and stuff the proper tip into the proper envelope on the last day - you would really appreciate pre-paid tips.

 

 

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I DO remember....and I DO appreciate pre-paid tips.

[PhillyFan33579]

That is their job. It’s not my responsibility to pay those that clean the deck that is carnivals job. I get paid to do my job but I don’t get tipped to do it. With that being said we remove the auto tips and pay as we go to those that deserve it.

 

In my opinion, if you can’t afford the auto tips, you can’t afford the cruise. Personally, I wish they would just add the cost of gratuities to the cost of the cruise and eliminate the ability for passengers to remove them.

[BiscayneBay460]

Does anyone know the reason that suite gratuities are $1 more each person / each day? We are going on our fifth cruise soon and this is our first suite. We pre-pay our tips and am just curious about the price difference.

[GTO-Girl]

We are also considering to tip as we go. Just curious..do you remove the auto tip on the first day or wait until the end when it’s billed?

 

If you are going to remove your tips please do it on the first day so the crew knows upfront what to expect!

 

Did not let them bust their butts all week thinking you are going to leave your tips in place, only to find out you removed them the last day.

[FSHLOT]

I remember when tipping use to be an event on the last night of the cruise. People walking around with a handful of envelopes to deliver to the dining room staff, and it actually worked out fine. Now we pre-pay and give certain indivuals a little extra cash (Cabin steward, head waiter..etc...). Pre pay is the way to go.. imo. And just give extra if you feel like it. Pretty simple

[jimbo5544]

Does anyone know the reason that suite gratuities are $1 more each person / each day? We are going on our fifth cruise soon and this is our first suite. We pre-pay our tips and am just curious about the price difference.

 

 

 

More space

 

 

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[CC Rider 69]

Does anyone know the reason that suite gratuities are $1 more each person / each day? We are going on our fifth cruise soon and this is our first suite. We pre-pay our tips and am just curious about the price difference.

More square footage to service.

[devinc]

In my opinion, if you can’t afford the auto tips, you can’t afford the cruise. Personally, I wish they would just add the cost of gratuities to the cost of the cruise and eliminate the ability for passengers to remove them.

 

This.

 

And, I really sighed at the woman inquiring about, then complaining about a $10 cc hold @ 8am the first morning while I was getting change at GS.

[jimbo5544]

This.

 

 

 

And, I really sighed at the woman inquiring about, then complaining about a $10 cc hold @ 8am the first morning while I was getting change at GS.

 

 

 

Never gets boring here in CC land.

 

 

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[Micahs Grandad]

Never gets boring here in CC land.

 

 

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Especially when people argue over tips

[sw33twif3]

You do get charged while on the cruise. I believe you can go to guest services and have the charges removed if you prefer. However, I would encourage you to go look at the tip breakdown on the Carnival website to see who gets a portion of the charges gratuities. It includes those folks you might not necessarily tip but who definitely deserve recognition.

 

Ultimately, it’s a personal choice. Hubs and I pre-pay and then still tip for good service on board (bar tenders, cabin steward, dinner staff, etc.).

 

 

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I leave the tips on my card. Then bring cash to tip extra to stewards and waitstaff who have worked hard and given good service. I even bring envelopes. When I took a Behind the Fun tour I realized how hard these people work. Their living conditions below deck are pretty tight, they sign months-long contracts, and most of their money goes back to families in their home countries. I understand that this is a good job for most of them. If they go above and beyond for me, I am willing to reward their good service.

[jimbo5544]

Especially when people argue over tips

 

 

 

Yup

 

 

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