Never saw a single dollar tipped on the MSC Seaside last week.

[SquishTheWhale]

That is fine. I am American and choose to give a little extra to those that serve me kindly and personally as well. One knows not how much and to whom the prepaid gratuities go to and how much the line keeps for the house. This way I have a better idea. I hope they stick the hundreds I gave into their shoes and back to their cabin! LOL! ;)

Which is totally fine by me- I'd never have a problem with someone who wants to tip extra, that's their business. What I do have a problem with is the implication by some people that those who do not double tip are 'cheap'.

 

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[Hey Tina]

MSC explicitly does not recommend tipping individual members of staff, so it sounds like you saw, or didn't see as it were, a lot of people following MSCs "rule". Do what you want with your money (I couldn't care less) but I think making a post about how you broke the "rule" is pretty pointless.

[tallnthensome]

MSC explicitly does not recommend tipping individual members of staff, so it sounds like you saw, or didn't see as it were, a lot of people following MSCs "rule". Do what you want with your money (I couldn't care less) but I think making a post about how you broke the "rule" is pretty pointless.

This little tiny disclaimer buried within the MSC website doesn't sound like a rule but more of a suggestion:

 

Tips: MSC Cruises does not recommend tipping individual members of staff.

Bar Service Charge: A 15% Bar Service Charge is automatically added to all purchases.

That's fine though ..... I'll say this though when it comes to rules. My boarding pass said to show up at the pier at 3:30 as well as other peoples at different times. How many people followed this? A recommendation is just that ....... But if we are to follow all the "rules" let's not be selective of which ones apply then. I don't think the above "Tips": is why people did not to give their bartender a dollar or two. They never intended to. They were more than happy to get them and nobody was taking them away and that's all I have to say on this matter .........

[deliver42]

As I said before, I have no problem with people not tipping extra. My problem is with those that want to take away the DSC, which is hard earned.

[riclop]

This is just an observation and my opinion. The ship was at least 70% European and South American and tipping must not be something that is done to my dismay. I took $200 in singles and tipped a dollar for every drink, and even cash tipped for Venchi and gelatos. The staff/bartenders was so happy when doing so. I never saw one other dollar given by anyone else. I thought the bar service was fast and excellent ...... waiters/waitresses on deck walking around taking orders and even orders in the buffet with the call buttons. They tried very hard to please and were always pleasant. I thought they deserved a tip as their service was better than on most other ships I've sailed. If you want to make some workers happy on the ship, throw them a few bucks. God knows nobody else did ..... Just saying.

I tip at the end to anyone who has given me great service.

[Cafedumonde]

This is just an observation and my opinion. The ship was at least 70% European and South American and tipping must not be something that is done to my dismay. I took $200 in singles and tipped a dollar for every drink, and even cash tipped for Venchi and gelatos. The staff/bartenders was so happy when doing so. I never saw one other dollar given by anyone else. I thought the bar service was fast and excellent ...... waiters/waitresses on deck walking around taking orders and even orders in the buffet with the call buttons. They tried very hard to please and were always pleasant. I thought they deserved a tip as their service was better than on most other ships I've sailed. If you want to make some workers happy on the ship, throw them a few bucks. God knows nobody else did ..... Just saying.

 

I am with you. As someone who has worked in the service industry in a previous life, I can tell you that people in the service industry regardless of where they are from, love waiting on Americans-- and can't stand waiting on non- Americans. Just the truth. Custom or not.

[nednrom]

As someone pointed out earlier, guests follow the norms and customs of the countries and the itineraries for tipping rules. Europeans do not normally are required to tip but pay the service charge. They also pay higher prices as fares. NCL does the same thing for their European and Southeast Asian cruises. This doesn't mean there are some who don't give additional tip for outstanding service to a cabin steward or other crew, but not tipping certainly shouldn't cause dismay.

[nikkiw60]

As someone pointed out earlier, guests follow the norms and customs of the countries and the itineraries for tipping rules. Europeans do not normally are required to tip but pay the service charge. They also pay higher prices as fares. NCL does the same thing for their European and Southeast Asian cruises. This doesn't mean there are some who don't give additional tip for outstanding service to a cabin steward or other crew, but not tipping certainly shouldn't cause dismay.

 

 

 

This is from the App.

 

 

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[sverigecruiser]

I'm certainly not trying to offend anyone, let me say that first off. When I sailed the NCL Escape I saw many tips given and this was on top of the 18% gratuity. Saw it on the Vista last year and previous cruises as well. It was just an observation. I just felt that a cruise staff is a cruise staff no matter what line as they are from all over the world. The majority were European on MSC. If it's customary not to tip or give as a little as a extra dollar here or there or they are unworthy then that is ok too. Just saying the reactions the staff gave me from doing so made each dollar worth it. They were most appreciative and deserved it. I felt I would rather do that then dump it into a slot machine ......

 

I can't remember that I ever has seen a cashtip on NCL.

[stuart2468]

Why do so many people get so upset with the way others tip? Tipping for us Brits is not mandatory, as i suspect alongside most of Europe.

 

Quite frankly its no-one else's business how the person next to you chooses to tip.

[GUT2407]

This is just an observation and my opinion. The ship was at least 70% European and South American and tipping must not be something that is done to my dismay. I took $200 in singles and tipped a dollar for every drink, and even cash tipped for Venchi and gelatos. The staff/bartenders was so happy when doing so. I never saw one other dollar given by anyone else. I thought the bar service was fast and excellent ...... waiters/waitresses on deck walking around taking orders and even orders in the buffet with the call buttons. They tried very hard to please and were always pleasant. I thought they deserved a tip as their service was better than on most other ships I've sailed. If you want to make some workers happy on the ship, throw them a few bucks. God knows nobody else did ..... Just saying.

 

Why “to my dismay?”

 

I guess because it’s your way or wrong.

[sidari]

Tall ... We usually have no issues but with this one I do, you are entitled to do as you please with your hard earned money just as everyone else is.

MSC have as been pointed out asked that people do not tip due to the daily service charge and the bar charge of 15% by all means feel free to do as you see fit for you bearing in mind that we can pay upto £1,000/ $1,400 more than you will just for our cruise in the Caribbean depending on cabin booked, without a drink package we do not receive bottled water as you do and as you would in Europe. This will no doubt have some bearing on how people think.

[cruzeluver]

In twenty plus cruises taken over Celebrity, Royal, Carnival and now MSC, we have never given cash tips on a per-beverage basis, nor have we seen anyone else do so. We pay the recommended gratuities charged to our account and have given additional cash at the end of the cruise to stateroom stewards, dining room teams and in one case an over-and-above coffee shop employee.

[Annbel1511]

I am with you. As someone who has worked in the service industry in a previous life, I can tell you that people in the service industry regardless of where they are from, love waiting on Americans-- and can't stand waiting on non- Americans. Just the truth. Custom or not.

 

This is kind of harsh. I'm European and I tip when I'm in the US as people rely on tips to complement their salaries which are really low. In most of Europe the situation is different and tips are not necessary to complement the salary. So there is no need to tip. I personally almost round up the amount, for example if the check is 95€, I will leave a 100€ and this is always greatly appreciated but not expected.

[mom2tcdx2]

I can honestly say in over 20 plus cruises, I have never really noticed anyone tipping extra when ordering drinks. Now I personally rarely hang out right at the bar, so I might be missing things. But honestly there isn't any reason to tip extra, beyond what is already covered on the trip. Now I won't say that I haven't given extra - but usually we do a lump sum. For instance we had two great bartenders on the Breakaway, and we had the drink package. We had 5 in our group and we ended up tipping the 2 $60 each at the end of the week.

[nikkiw60]

We also tip extra at the end of the week.

 

 

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[sandpiper35]

Do you get the feeling that there are a lot of people in this board with a guilty conscience?

 

Tip or no tip, the important thing is to CRUISE!

 

Just saying.

 

Happy Cruising Alll!

[nikkiw60]

Do you get the feeling that there are a lot of people in this board with a guilty conscience?

 

Tip or no tip, the important thing is to CRUISE!

 

Just saying.

 

Happy Cruising Alll!

 

 

 

Nope just different ways of tipping!

 

 

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[sandpiper35]

Nope just different ways of tipping!

 

 

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LOL. Yup, I thought so.

 

Cheers.

[Expat Cruise]

I was on this sailing as well....did tip some bar attendants as well as cabin stewards and waiters as well....all seemed very appreciative...did notice at guest services Friday some passengers trying to remove gratuities from bill...I wish they just built them into fare...first time on MSC and we had a great time, will sail again with right itinerary and price

 

Thank you for the post.... I'm very happy to hear some of the passengers were removing these fees with guest services. maybe some members here who read about the stupid letters the company was posting on cabin doors for tip removal. It show some guest do understand that these fees do not belong on the guest accounts and should be removed on principles alone.

[graphicguy]

I tipped on the Meriviglia sailing the Mediterannean late last year. Everyone I tipped seemed very happy to receive it. Tipped bartenders, room steward, wait staff, etc. I certainly had better than timely service whenever they saw me as a result.

 

Didn’t look like there were any repercussions accepting my tips.

[nikkiw60]

LOL. Yup, I thought so.

 

 

 

Cheers.

 

 

 

Meaning?

 

 

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[Celandine]

Very interesting discussion here, I do always leave the full service charge on (last week I actually heard a guy at guest services ask to have his reinstated because he cancelled the the night before in anger but changed his mind...) and if someone has gone above and beyond for me I usually tip extra at the end.

 

In all my cruises I’ve never seen someone tip a drink server in cash but I order so few drinks that my own observation is very limited.

 

Very interesting to read through though

[Extra Kim]

I never saw one other dollar given by anyone else.

 

I don't think that I EVER have tipped a bartender in cash on a cruise ship, but I have tipped on every cruise I have done on the bar slip.

[thegraminator]

This is such a hot button topic ! My feelings are tip if you want and don't tip if you don't want to ! It's a personal decision and no one should be critical of your choice .

 

Personally , I am a big tipper . I worked in the service industry for 16 years. I always gave my best service , and most of the time I received tips . I never really expected a tip but I always appreciated the act of kindness .

 

I tip well all the time ( restaurants , pizza delivery , hair dressers , hotel staff , etc.) But that's just me and what I want to do.