gratuities

[derhart]

We will be sailing on board the Celebrity Summit in November. We don't plan on eating in the dining room very often - buffet, room service, etc for us. In your opinion, will we be better off tipping as we go or sticking with the gratuities package being added to our total bill? We plan on tipping our room attendant very well as they will probably be doing the majority of work for us.

 

Any thoughts?

 

thank you :)

[cmhdoogalsatsea]

We will be sailing on board the Celebrity Summit in November. We don't plan on eating in the dining room very often - buffet, room service, etc for us. In your opinion, will we be better off tipping as we go or sticking with the gratuities package being added to our total bill? We plan on tipping our room attendant very well as they will probably be doing the majority of work for us.

 

Any thoughts?

 

thank you :)

You raise a good question, and I expect that you'll get a wide range of responses because this is a deeply personal issue for folks, without one "right" answer, so I won't try to tell you what you "ought" to do,but share my experience as one data point in your decision making.

 

First CONGRATS on an upcoming trip on Summit. It's a really nice ship, and I think the crew on it is uniquely fantastic in an industry in which nearly all crews are really good.

When it comes to gratuities, my own view is that even though it's fully optional, the standard per diem is my price for entry. I've made a bargain with the cruiseline in which they give me a lower ticket price that I can brag to friends about but expect that I'll do my part in compensating the folks who make my trip special. Then, when I'm on board and folks such as waiters and stewards make me feel extra nice, I show that gratitude at the end with additional tips if i choose to, and I usually do.

 

I'm not a drinker and so don't spend much time in the bars, but on my most recent trip I noticed some folks who ordered drinks in the buffet giving their waiter a couple of dollars. I'd never thought about, but it struck me as something I'd want to do, so on my next trip (Summit in October) I'll bring some single bills.

 

Happy travels!

[CRZR58]

We will be sailing on board the Celebrity Summit in November. We don't plan on eating in the dining room very often - buffet, room service, etc for us. In your opinion, will we be better off tipping as we go or sticking with the gratuities package being added to our total bill? We plan on tipping our room attendant very well as they will probably be doing the majority of work for us.

 

Any thoughts?

 

thank you :)

Do you mean cheaper when you say better off? :confused: If so, then it's completely up to you.

[wrk2cruise]

I'm with cmhdoogalsatsea. I consider it like port fees, it's not specified in the initial price presented at booking but is really part of the overall base cruise fare. I have cruised the Caribbean quite a bit and generally don't get off the ship there anymore. I don't even consider that I maybe shouldn't be paying the port fee. I feel the same with the automatic gratuity, I have crew which are assigned to serve me and that amount is really part of their base compensation. When they or others go above and beyond their base good service I will give additional at the end of the cruise, generally a modest amount.

[DYKWIA]

We prepay tips and apart from any mandatory service charge unless someone does something above and beyond that's it.

[gerelmx]

We prepaid Gratuities 90 day prior sailing together with the final payment.

[sportsmum]

Please correct me if I am wrong, but, if you do not leave the auto gratuities on your bill then anything collected by individuals has to be put 'in the pot'. If you leave the grats on then anything extra you give can be kept by the individual.

 

The same staff work the buffet area as in the dining room. They all take shifts and bus tables, get drinks, etc. The gratuities are divided between staff - behind the scene too - so whether you leave it on your final bill or do it individually it will be split.

 

It is my understanding that you must go to the front desk to remove the auto gratuities and they will ask you why and what was not up to standard.

[WestLakeGirl]

SPortsmum is spot on. If you don’t leave that autotips in place, it is seen as a black mark against your server. If you do, then you can be sure that all those waiters in the buffet, at Aqua Spa cafe, behind the counter at Cafe al Bacio, and throughout the ship, will be involved in your autogratuity.

 

Do you really want to carry around a lot of cash to tip each server you encounter in the buffet?

[jody75]

Tell your conscience guide you.

[davekathy]

Personal choice.

[Marelaine]

We always pay our auto grats when we make final payment before the cruise. I just consider it part of the cost. If anyone gives us special service, we give them an envelope with cash and a brief thank you note at the end of the cruise. I understand if you remove auto grats, the crew member is supposed to put anything you give into a pool. Not sure how that is enforced.

 

We rarely order room service, but when we do, we tip at the time of delivery. I don't think our cabin attendant has ever delivered our meals. We are regular balcony passengers. If you're in a suite, your butler may handle all your special arrangements so it may be easier to tip him/her at the end of the cruise.

 

 

On one cruise, there was a buffet attendant who assisted our disabled son with getting his food and finding our table. It was so nice for me not to run through the buffet lines twice. We gave him a nice tip at the end of the cruise. He seemed genuinely surprised to get anything extra.

 

I've never carried $$ on the ship for tips, but I'm reconsidering doing it for the beverage servers. With the bev packages included in fares, I'm wondering if those crew members receive their fair share of the tips. I know this should not be my concern as a passenger, but I have family members who work in the service industry and they depend on tips.

 

Like PPs have said, it's a personal matter. You do what you think is right.

[woody14h]

We prepay tips and apart from any mandatory service charge unless someone does something above and beyond that's it.

Not sure if they are considered prepay but we find the daily service charges posted ($13.50+) to our account and have no problems with them. We tip over and above if we receive fine service in Cabin service and/or Dinner service. Even we don't use the Main dining room all that much I feel it is all part of the pot for our attendants.. I have never been unhappy to pay the daily fee. Just saying. :)(y)

[davekathy]

Not sure if they are considered prepay but we find the daily service charges posted ($13.50+) to our account and have no problems with them. We tip over and above if we receive fine service in Cabin service and/or Dinner service. Even we don't use the Main dining room all that much I feel it is all part of the pot for our attendants.. I have never been unhappy to pay the daily fee. Just saying. :)(y)

$14.50 per person, per day in standard staterooms.

[cruisestitch]

To the OP, if you choose not to go with the daily auto-tips, you should do so as an informed decision with awareness of the nuances and implications.

 

1. When a passenger goes to Guest services to have the auto tips removed, there is an assumption made that it is due to being unhappy with the service. As already mentioned, it becomes a black mark on your server’s record. That may not be what you intend.

 

2. If you remove the auto tips, then those you tip in cash are required to turn over that cash into the tip pool. They don’t just get to keep it. On the other hand if you leave the auto tips in place and give a cash tip over and above that amount, then they are allowed to keep it. So your idea to tip those who serve you directly will actually backfire because they won’t get to keep that money.

 

3. The idea to tip those who serve you turns out to be rather awkward and sometimes even difficult to do. How will you do this, will you chase them down, what if they go off duty between when they serve you and when you want to tip them at the end of your meal? You won’t be able to find them. What if you have more than one server at a given meal. Say someone gives you a hand carrying your dish of food to your table And then later someone else clears the table. How will you tip these people and how much will you tip them? Say you forget to pick up a napkin and silverware and you flag down a passing waiter who brings you some how much will you tip that person?

 

4. While you don’t plan to eat dinner in the dining room, you still have a table assignment, and the servers there have set the table and are waiting for you to arrive. They must do this whether you come or not. The staff can’t assign other people to your table right away because they don’t know your plans. So that waiter, and the assistant waiter, stand ready to serve you and in essence they are losing out on Tips by you not showing up, having taken the tips off your account.

 

These are just some of the issues to keep in mind if you are planning to remove the auto tips

[dkjretired]

Might also add that many of those people who serve you lunch and breakfast in the buffet are the same ones who are your waiters in the evening in the MDR and are working for you.

[DYKWIA]

Not sure if they are considered prepay but we find the daily service charges posted ($13.50+) to our account and have no problems with them. We tip over and above if we receive fine service in Cabin service and/or Dinner service. Even we don't use the Main dining room all that much I feel it is all part of the pot for our attendants.. I have never been unhappy to pay the daily fee. Just saying. :)(y)

 

Yes, I meant to say we pre pay the daily service charge upfront and then forget about it.

[GastroGnome]

Don't forget that there are a lot of folk you don't see day to day whose contribution to your enjoyment is absolutely essential.

 

 

Do you tip the guy (or gal) who spends their night cleaning the public areas? The guy who prepares your veg? The guy who washes your dishes? Even the one who cleans (as opposed to serves) your stateroom?

 

 

 

Th issue of cruise lines using gratuities to top up basic pay is a significant and political one. But if you remove gratuities you harm those you do not normally see.

 

 

I'm all for rewarding good service. Yes, a small personal tip is great. Although - believe me - servers know full well when you have removed gratuities and it does not ensure better service! If you mention anyone by name in the post cruise survey thing that counts toward significant additional awards on board. Even if you do tip personally over and above the gratuities please do also list the crew by name. The awards can mean the renewal of a contract - that can be pretty much "life and death" to many.

[derhart]

thank you very much for your replies. I honestly hadn't thought about some of the things mentioned here.

[keithm]

Might also add that many of those people who serve you lunch and breakfast in the buffet are the same ones who are your waiters in the evening in the MDR and are working for you.

Absolutely!:)

[keithm]

We will be sailing on board the Celebrity Summit in November. We don't plan on eating in the dining room very often - buffet, room service, etc for us. In your opinion, will we be better off tipping as we go or sticking with the gratuities package being added to our total bill? We plan on tipping our room attendant very well as they will probably be doing the majority of work for us.

 

Any thoughts?

 

thank you :)

Please leave on the gratuity. It is shared my many that you don't see. Those that cook your food whether in the MDR or the buffet. Your linens & such don't clean themselves. These people need that to help support their families. Think of that please.

[woody14h]

$14.50 per person, per day in standard staterooms.

Typo, my bad.:eek:

[davekathy]

Typo, my bad.:eek:

I thought maybe you hadn't been on a cruise since the increase. ;)

[Chicago Boy]

We will be sailing on board the Celebrity Summit in November. We don't plan on eating in the dining room very often - buffet, room service, etc for us. In your opinion, will we be better off tipping as we go or sticking with the gratuities package being added to our total bill? We plan on tipping our room attendant very well as they will probably be doing the majority of work for us.

 

Any thoughts?

 

thank you :)

 

Those who work on board a ship work long and hard hours and are supporting families back home. It is for this reason, we have the gratuities added to our account. At the end of the cruise we always pass out envelopes to those who have taken care of us. If you wish to do something different then that is your choice. Enjoy your cruise.

[DENIE]

We have never thought about removing the tips, and instead tipping those who directly serve us. As others have said, so many work in the background and are never seen - maintenance, window washers, mechanical. We always leave the automatic tips on, and also bring cash for those who do provide great service. We especially always tip our cabin steward extra, even during the cruise. They have always expressed appreciation, and they deserve it!

[CEOofVacation]

In addition to leaving auto gratuities in place, we always budget an additional 5% of cruise fare and split them amongst those who have taken good care of us and hand them out in the white envelopes on the last evening of the cruise.