Tips for Americans on Tipping in Cunard's Queens Grille Restaurant

[Bigmike911]

I have traveled with Cunard for 17 voyages and I have never felt that I was being 'hustled' for a tip. I have never removed the auto gratuity, and have often rewarded excellent service with a bit extra. Having said that I have also declined to reward poor or at best ordinary service. As for best wishes being given by members of staff saying they hoped I had enjoyed the voyage and would return, those are simple good manners much as one would wish friends and acquaintances Bon Voyage when they travel. 

[exlondoner]

1 hour ago, Bigmike911 said:

I have traveled with Cunard for 17 voyages and I have never felt that I was being 'hustled' for a tip. I have never removed the auto gratuity, and have often rewarded excellent service with a bit extra. Having said that I have also declined to reward poor or at best ordinary service. As for best wishes being given by members of staff saying they hoped I had enjoyed the voyage and would return, those are simple good manners much as one would wish friends and acquaintances Bon Voyage when they travel. 

 

I have always felt the staff were more concerned to get good reports on service on the Feedback form rather than extra tips. But, of course, I haven't encountered everyone.

[Victoria2]

11 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

 

I have always felt the staff were more concerned to get good reports on service on the Feedback form rather than extra tips. But, of course, I haven't encountered everyone.

To my mind, if you  give extra tips then the good reports are surely a given.

[Solent Richard]

On 8/26/2019 at 11:25 AM, Pennbank said:

 

... Most staff return again and again to Cunard so their system must work if you double tip, adjust  auto tips, remove them completely and give the cash or just don't tip.

Your decision and no one else's business....

 

 

In my experience most staff return again and again to most cruise lines: both those who advocate the auto-gratuity and those where it is 'not' required as in Seabourn, Silversea, Hapag-Lloyd, etc etc.

[IB2]

4 minutes ago, Solent Richard said:

 

In my experience most staff return again and again to most cruise lines: both those who advocate the auto-gratuity and those where it is 'not' required as in Seabourn, Silversea, Hapag-Lloyd, etc etc.

It is remarkable how many opportunities you get to tip.  Firstly, a significant daily tip is pre-added to your bill, as a form of tax.  Second, whenever you buy practically anything on board, from a drink with your dinner through to an afternoon in the spa, another percentage tip is pre-added to your bill.  Third, when presented with said bill, the total space is left blank and a gratuity space helpfully provided as a prompt to add yet another layer of tipping.  Finally, at the end of the week, there is an air of expectation as many passengers give, and many staff receive, cash amounts as gifts.  Given what has gone before, this last is the most unnecessary yet also most enjoyable, for giver and receiver.

 

 If Cunard abolished the pre-added daily tip, I doubt behaviour on the rest would change that much.

[Solent Richard]

10 minutes ago, IB2 said:

It is remarkable how many opportunities you get to tip.  Firstly, a significant daily tip is pre-added to your bill, as a form of tax.  Second, whenever you buy practically anything on board, from a drink with your dinner through to an afternoon in the spa, another percentage tip is pre-added to your bill.  Third, when presented with said bill, the total space is left blank and a gratuity space helpfully provided as a prompt to add yet another layer of tipping.  Finally, at the end of the week, there is an air of expectation as many passengers give, and many staff receive, cash amounts as gifts.  Given what has gone before, this last is the most unnecessary yet also most enjoyable, for giver and receiver.

 

 If Cunard abolished the pre-added daily tip, I doubt behaviour on the rest would change that much.

 

Very much agree with you particularly the penultimate sentence.

 

Giving that little extra to those who have made my cruise/holiday special makes me feel good too.

[Underwatr]

The last time I had daily gratuities charged was December 2014.  Cunard regularly offers prepaid gratuities as a booking perk.

[majortom10]

15 minutes ago, Underwatr said:

The last time I had daily gratuities charged was December 2014.  Cunard regularly offers prepaid gratuities as a booking perk.

Well you are lucky you have that privilege in the US as it is something we are never offered in the UK. Another one where those in UK dont get same as those who book in US as the free drinks if booking a Queens/Princess Grill suite which we do not get either. Me thinks that UK cruisers are being taken as fools by Cunard. The more I learn the more I am heading towards "all inclusive cruises" where everybody gets the same no matter wherever they are in the world.

[exlondoner]

1 hour ago, majortom10 said:

Well you are lucky you have that privilege in the US as it is something we are never offered in the UK. Another one where those in UK dont get same as those who book in US as the free drinks if booking a Queens/Princess Grill suite which we do not get either. Me thinks that UK cruisers are being taken as fools by Cunard. The more I learn the more I am heading towards "all inclusive cruises" where everybody gets the same no matter wherever they are in the world.

I get the impression that UK passengers are more likely to get OBC, which tends to pay for the auto tip. So perhaps,it is swings and roundabouts.

[majortom10]

1 hour ago, exlondoner said:

I get the impression that UK passengers are more likely to get OBC, which tends to pay for the auto tip. So perhaps,it is swings and roundabouts.

I am afraid your impression is wrong on my next roundtrip TA on QM2 14nts I have $80pp OBC so a total of $160 that is about half the price of tips at the current rate.