Extra tips at the end of the cruise

[Marelaine]

On 9/26/2019 at 12:15 AM, Scottygirl1 said:

OK, I am absolutely gobsmacked (astounded) at the additional tips mentioned by some here. We always pay the auto-tip but that's it.  We've never tipped a barman or a waiter etc.  Mind you we hardly eat at the MDR and if we do we never get the same staff.  We did tip a butler years ago when he did go over and above for us and also a room steward on a recent short cruise.  I'm blown away by the amounts given over and above the auto tip.  

We are MDR select, but we usually settle in with one waiter by the second night. On the one cruise where we had a different wait staff every night, we didn't tip extra to the MDR staff.
For the cruise where the attendant didn't remember to replenish soap and toilet paper unless we asked, we didn't leave extra. 
We don't frequent the same bar for most of our drinks so we don't tip the bartenders. But the MDR bar server who showed up with our drinks as soon as we were seated - she got extra $.
No one should expect more than the auto-grats. 

[Jeremiah On a Cruise]

For a seven day cruise, the amount I tip (and how I tip) vary based on the service provided.  But:

 

We never have gotten close to removing the automatic gratuity, but would do so in an extreeme case.  We view this as part of the fare, and not part of the tipping.

We set aside around $100 for extra tips.  We have been close to $300 on some cruises and been close to $0 on other cruises.  This is based exclusivley on service provided.

Even though tips may be pooled, we always tip individuals based on service received in that area.  Some cruises we leave $5 at the buffet table when we leave.  Some cruises we tip at speciality resteraunts.  Some cruises, we don't tip our room stewart or wait staff.  It all varies based on service provided.

When we tip, we always tip with money.  I have no issues with people tipping using gifts, but have never felt drawn to do so.

 

Tipping (beyond automatic gratuities) should never be a status symbol or stressor or source of judgement for us as guests.  I don't think you should view tipping as an obligation or expectation.  Tipping is a way that I get to show gratutitde and appreciation for how the service treated us, and as such, is something we always try and view as a positive rather than a negative.  Once I start to view tips as something that I'm obligated to do, it is no longer an expression of my gratitude, but rather an act to avoid feeling negative - and that defeats the prupose for us.

 

[Marelaine]

23 hours ago, m8zenblue said:

Just to weigh in on this subject, again,  of tipping, as I have commented on this subject on a previous post.

I was accused by others of wanting more than I was entitled to and taking away from other guests by tipping practices, mainly from people from countries that do not practice the tipping habits of Americans.

I will defend my tipping practice of tipping my cabin attendant prior embarkation and at debarkation.

I also tip our server, his or her's assistant, the sommelier and the maitre d at debarkation.

I have always had excellent, I repeat, excellent attention and will continue to tip as I wish.

In closing, it's your money, do as you please, I will never, ever, comment about what someone does with THEIR money.

 

I remember that. People were downright hostile. 
We don't pre-tip, but nearly always receive excellent service. The one point that I took away from you was that it might be a good idea to tip $1 per drink to bar servers. It worked pretty well at the pool. 

 

[Pickels]

On ‎9‎/‎25‎/‎2019 at 6:13 PM, calicakes said:

I know that money is a really touchy subject to a lot of people.  I'm not one of them.  So with that being said, I would like to know if you tip extra( and specifically how much) at the end of the cruise? 

 

We just returned from 10 days on Equinox and we did tip extra.  I wasnt sure how much extra to tip.  A few months before we left, I ordered men's leather wallets from Ebay.  I got a ridiculously good price on them.  If you want to know, I'll tell you.  They look much more expensive than they were.  I wrapped those up with cash inside for the server and his assistant in Blu.  I gave the wallets( no extra cash) to the few people in Blu who served us 1 or 2 times.  I gave a wallet and cash to the main pool server( we spent every single sea day at the pool).  For the women, I assembled makeup bags with makeup purchased with coupons and received in subscription boxes.  Those went to the gals at Cafe Al Bacio, the hostess in Blu, the pastry gal in Blu.    I'll add a picture to the next post. 

Naw!  Looks good at first but, in reality, the green stuff is much better.  The staff doesn't make a lot in wages and they DEPEND on the tips, both the automatic gratuities and the "extra" at the end of the cruise.  IMHO----Those "gifts" look and sound a bit tacky.  For us it's always been a three figure amount in a plain envelop with a thank-you card.