Gratuities are

[Expat Cruise]

It is a service fee and Carnival should call it that. Since you live in the P.I. have you sailed Carnival Australia? The service fee is included in your cruise fare and tipping is truly tipping per Webster on Carnival Australia. Happy Sailings

 

No have not use Carnival for Australia or New Zealand, used two other cruise lines and removed the auto tipping from both and tip those who I believe had earned Gratuities.

[Micahs Grandad]

If they go above and beyond or do something to make our cruise better we will add to the auto tip. If not the auto tip is sufficient.

[cmukid87]

The only gratuity I have an issue with is the automatic 15% on drinks that can't be removed. Why say it is gratuity, just build it into the price? If I order a bucket of beers, I feel $3+ gratuity is pretty extensive.

 

I know, I know. I sound cheap. I pay the gratuities and add a dollar here and there anyways. It just seems like poor practice is all.

[tlb0019]

I have known people who work on the ships, and I have been told that a lot of times, they do not ever see those pre-paid tips. Most would prefer you tip cash while you are onboard, but of course that is nothing they can say.

[summersigh]

we do not prepay- but pay the auto-tips while on the cruise. But we have usually received such good service that we want to give tips to those who serve us.

Sounds like us ... :)

[salty dingo]

we leave anywhere between 5-20 dollars on the table per meal and give the steward 100 dollars at the end of the trip depending on the service level received. We feel that’s plenty and also have the service charge removed.

That seems pretty close to what you would be charged with pre-pay or automatic gratuities, but also seems like a whole lot more work. You have to carry cash around to every meal. What if you eat at the buffet... or Guy's, or somewhere they just hand you the food. Who do you tip? Seems way too complicated to me.

[BookDragon]

I have to admit, the concept of prepaying tips is completely foreign to me...so I understand others’ reservations about this particular system. However, seeing as we are new cruisers, we chose to go with the flow and prepay the tips so that we don’t have to worry about them (When in Rome...). We also plan to write hand written thank you notes directly to those who go above and beyond as well as let corporate know who their stand out fabulous employees are. TBH, I don’t understand when I read how some are paying tips on drinks when they’ve already prepaid tips for their cruise and are also already paying an additional 15% gratuity on each drink anyways. I truly respect others’ choices when it comes to tipping for drinks...I just personally don’t get it.

[dxvdxviii]

The $12.50-$16/day is split among 20 or so staff, many of whom you never see. Now consider how low that tip for your room steward or waitstaff actually is!

If you receive exceptional service, tipping beyond the $12.50/day is perfectly appropriate.

 

 

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[asalligo]

I used to tip extra because I felt I was getting exceptional service, but service was lacking on both my cruises last year and I just left the standard. First the morning or evening room cleaning discussion and I chose evening and did not push for both, but then my steward missed some days in which I got neither and I had to find him and get towels. Service in the dining room has become slow and inaccurate, but I do not blame the staff, Carnival has pushed the limits on what a person can do in a time frame.

[A&Jfamily]

I have to admit, the concept of prepaying tips is completely foreign to me...so I understand others’ reservations about this particular system. However, seeing as we are new cruisers, we chose to go with the flow and prepay the tips so that we don’t have to worry about them (When in Rome...). We also plan to write hand written thank you notes directly to those who go above and beyond as well as let corporate know who their stand out fabulous employees are. TBH, I don’t understand when I read how some are paying tips on drinks when they’ve already prepaid tips for their cruise and are also already paying an additional 15% gratuity on each drink anyways. I truly respect others’ choices when it comes to tipping for drinks...I just personally don’t get it.

 

The pre-paid gratuities go to the dining room and room steward/behind the scene staff. So it is not designed to specifically cover the bar service. It is simply the structure of how "American" cruise lines work. As I said in other posts, the "when in Rome" philosophy is the correct one; if you were in Europe on a land based vacation my answer would be entirely different.

 

If you are really curious about the gratuity breakdown you can check on Carnival FAQ and find it there.

[ray98]

People try so hard these days to create some little outrage.

[ray98]

The only gratuity I have an issue with is the automatic 15% on drinks that can't be removed. Why say it is gratuity, just build it into the price? If I order a bucket of beers, I feel $3+ gratuity is pretty extensive.

 

I know, I know. I sound cheap. I pay the gratuities and add a dollar here and there anyways. It just seems like poor practice is all.

 

 

....but that is how the bartenders and drink servers get paid.:confused::confused:

[salty dingo]

I like the idea of a "service charge" better than a tip. I don't want to go around all vacation long, trying to decide who gave me great service and who didn't, and rewarding accordingly. That sounds like what a manager does at work. I don't want that responsibility on vacation. I want absolutely no responsibility at all!

 

If I get great service, I'll continue to use the company. If I don't get great service, I will complain, and if my complaints are not addressed, I will find another company.

 

If you ask Carnival (as in any Cruise Director), they will tell you let them know ASAP if there is any service problem. Don't wait until the end of the cruise and adjust the tips, because you prevent them from doing something about the problem when you handle it that way.

 

Also, if you tip as you go, the management never knows who is giving good service and who isn't.

[summersigh]

If they go above and beyond or do something to make our cruise better we will add to the auto tip. If not the auto tip is sufficient.

[BookDragon]

The pre-paid gratuities go to the dining room and room steward/behind the scene staff. So it is not designed to specifically cover the bar service. It is simply the structure of how "American" cruise lines work. As I said in other posts, the "when in Rome" philosophy is the correct one; if you were in Europe on a land based vacation my answer would be entirely different.

 

If you are really curious about the gratuity breakdown you can check on Carnival FAQ and find it there.

 

Thank you, the concept is foreign to me so at least I have a better understanding of where my prepaid tips go. But please answer me this, why tip bartenders for drinks that a 15 % gratuity has already been charged on each drink? This is something I really don’t understand.

[Toesinthewater728]

I tip because I know that I get treated better than average. Not to say that average service is not good, but I have countless experiences of hospitality staff going above and beyond for a small gratuity that is a mere change to me. Forget about gratuities that have made me money in casinos or afforded me free drinks at a bar. From an experience perspective my history of gratuities have been excellent investments for me.

 

 

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[Sam Ting]

That seems pretty close to what you would be charged with pre-pay or automatic gratuities, but also seems like a whole lot more work. You have to carry cash around to every meal. What if you eat at the buffet... or Guy's, or somewhere they just hand you the food. Who do you tip? Seems way too complicated to me.

 

If ther just hand you the food we just tip the same as we would in any McDonald’s or kfc.

Nothing.

 

It’s not that hard. In fact it’s not hard at all

[Sun4Me2Please]

I guess I will chime in..... So I look at it in this way. If you went to a restaurant and they automatically charged you 15% on your bill (some places do this) and say you were thrilled with the food and service you may be more inclined to give your wait staff more. If your experience was par you may not. It is no different on the ship. When you look at the gratuities on the ship these go to several people and the break down is not that much per person, it depends on their position. I say if you feel fine with your paid gratuities that is great, but I sometimes tip more based on the quality of service. These people work their butts off and I really appreciate them so if they go above and beyond I will always tip more, if not well then I am perfectly fine with what has been paid.

[famof4togo]

Good Karma....and I do think it gets you better service when you tip well.....

 

That and my childhood BFF's mother was a waitress and she instilled good tipping in me from a very early age...lol

[NHNEV2003]

We are happy to tip--on a Carnival ship, at a restaurant, etc, etc, etc.

 

We have no problems tipping extra if warranted.

 

We are not unhappy with cutbacks from the way it was 30 years ago. We have eight cruises and we have enjoyed each and every one of them.

And, we have two more booked.

 

We cruise to have fun--we come to this message board because there is occasional useful info--in between all the bitching about Carnival Cruise Lines.

[HawkIVette]

 

:evilsmile:Or, is it because what used to be a 3-man team in the dining room is now a 2-man team, handling MORE TABLES?

:o

We have always had a 3 person team in the MDR. Agreed, they have more tables, but that just adds to the total dollars they get as tips.

 

I do however leave an extra $20 each on the last day becuase 1) I feel they deserve it for great service (if it was great service), and 2) it is more of a personal thing to give it hand to hand on the last night as a "good bye for now" thing than the auto tips.

 

But NO one says you have to give more. In fact, you can give less or remove the tips completely. If you feel pressured, it might be that you are feeling guilty.

[Can'tWait2SetSail]

I do it because I appreciate how hard the staff works and I know they don't make a lot. A little from my pocket means a lot to them. I have always done this even before pre-paid. If you don't want to tip extra, don't.

[Expat Cruise]

The $12.50-$16/day is split among 20 or so staff, many of whom you never see. Now consider how low that tip for your room steward or waitstaff actually is!

If you receive exceptional service, tipping beyond the $12.50/day is perfectly appropriate.

 

It is not my job or responsibility to pay these people I never see. It is not a gratuity by definition, cruise lines need to stop lying and trying to play this game. These cost should be paid by the company to the workers from the cruise fare. Auto tipping in fact hurts the people who give great service and you want to reward.

[angeebabee]

An obsession for Americans.

 

 

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[Expat Cruise]

An obsession for Americans.

 

 

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No my fellow Americans are fools and have been brainwashed into believing tipping is something that is standard.