Question about extra tipping envelopes

[Travelbugs2.2]

Hi

 

On first 4/5 cruises, we always pre-paid gratuities, tipped extra as we felt (ad-hoc) to bartenders as we went , and at the end of the cruise, we always put a little extra in the envelope for the cabin steward.

On our last cruise however, for the first time - I noticed on the last night, other diners in our MDR area subtly handing envelopes to our head waiter and assistant.

I also felt as if our waiters (who had been fantastic the entire cruise), were possibly  expecting it from us also!

 

To be honest, had we thought this was a ‘thing’ that most people did - we probably would have done it too.  (Sheep that we clearly are🤣).  We simply never noticed it on previous cruises , and never thought of it as a result.

 

My question is - for those of you that do tip extra envelopes to the waiters .. approx how much do you tip for a 3 night or 7 night cruise ?

Do you tip both the head waiter and assistant waiter individually?

Or how regular is it to do in the first place?

 

I’m still not sure if we were just oblivious to it on the first number of cruises!

 

thank you!

T

[marci22]

If you prepaid gratuities, nothing else is expected. Anything you choose to give would be extra and appreciated.

 

Maybe those people removed tips and were tipping in cash. Maybe it was their favorite waiter. Maybe they got special favors. Who knows. That's why you should tip as you like and not based on what others do.

[kag19]

We always do prepaid gratuities.  Any extra cash we give is handed directly to the employee.  No envelope needed.

[not-enough-cruising]

I do not participate in the auto gratuity program and tip everyone with an envelope; perhaps this is what you were witnessing. I do not however tip the head waiter nor the Maitre’d. I tip my waiter and assistant waiter separately of one another 

[Merion_Mom]

22 minutes ago, marci22 said:

If you prepaid gratuities, nothing else is expected. Anything you choose to give would be extra and appreciated.

 

Maybe those people removed tips and were tipping in cash. Maybe it was their favorite waiter. Maybe they got special favors. Who knows. That's why you should tip as you like and not based on what others do.

 

Excellent response.

 

 

[Travelbugs2.2]

Thanks all!

 

I feel better now knowing for some weird reason!

(& it was actually the waiter and asst waiter I meant)

I think we’ll stick to what we have been doing, However on the last night - if we did feel like it, we may give something else to those waiters without feeling awkward.

 

Equally, if we decided not to - we won’t feel awkward for not doing so.

Thank you!

T

 

[George C]

We always tip extra normally 40 to 60 for room stewards we do get envelopes, we eat most meals in specialty and suite restaurant so we tip with each meal. 

[Merion_Mom]

22 minutes ago, Travelbugs2.2 said:

Thanks all!

 

I feel better now knowing for some weird reason!

(& it was actually the waiter and asst waiter I meant)

I think we’ll stick to what we have been doing, However on the last night - if we did feel like it, we may give something else to those waiters without feeling awkward.

 

Equally, if we decided not to - we won’t feel awkward for not doing so.

Thank you!

T

 

 

I don't eat in the MDR as much as I used to, but when I do, I would say that it's 50/50 for giving extra gratuity.

[WeighAnchor]

I usually give a small gratuity ($20 each) in an envelope to my Stateroom Attendant, Waiter and Assistant Waiter on 7 day cruises in addition to the automatic gratuities. It is just a way to say you consider them better than average. I tip others at the time of service (DL drinks, special requests to the Head Waiter upon completion of the task, etc.).

Edited December 18, 2019 by WeighAnchor

[njkruzer]

If you are looking for envelopes there are usually some at guest services.  Don't have to wait on line as they are sitting on the counter so you can just walk up and take what you need. 

[RCCLNYMETS41]

Just off oasis last week. Tip envelopes were available on the right side of guest services counter and As mention you do not have to stand in line. We did the prepaid gratuities. We felt we had some exceptional service so I gave an additional $50 each to cabin steward and waiter. And $30 to assistant waiter. I Don’t have a lot of disposable extra income, but after Being able to spend a couple of thousand dollars on a cruise, and receiving excellent service, I feel That if I can swing a few extra dollars, that giving out the extra $130 means a lot more to the Crew members who work so hard and live away from their family, than it does to me. Tipping, of course is a personal choice.

[snl2000]

I feel like it used to be more common to tip extra. We've noticed that many people even skip the MDR on the last night so they don't have to deal with the feeling of expected extra tips.

 

We tip extra when we feel we received more exceptional service than we expect. For instance, if our cabin steward cleans our room each day, they are doing their job--they will get their portion of the automatic gratuity. 

 

I almost always form a relationship with one or two of the bar waiters in the lounge I frequent. I tip them often and extra at the end. If I get a drink on the pool deck or a random bar, they get the automatic gratuity only.

[cb at sea]

Your expected tips are  added to your bill nightly....If you wish to tip additionally, that's up to you.  It's not really expected.  We do tip "our" bartender (if we frequent one particular person) a bit extra on the last evening....the included tip seems ample for what we order....opening a beer or a simple mixed drink really doesn't require extra every time!  

 

You really need to remember how much you're paying for "tips" that go on your bill, or you've prepaid....let that be your guide!

 

[spookwife]

19 hours ago, Travelbugs2.2 said:

 

 

My question is - for those of you that do tip extra envelopes to the waiters .. approx how much do you tip for a 3 night or 7 night cruise ?

 

Do you tip both the head waiter and assistant waiter individually?

Or how regular is it to do in the first place?

 

I’m still not sure if we were just oblivious to it on the first number of cruises!

 

thank you!

T

its been years since we felt the MDR staff warranted anything above   the standard gratuities(prepaid or otherwise)  

 

but when  we did, it was a flat rate that was one amount for the head waiter and a marginally less amount for the assistant( except once where the assistant was  an order of magnitude better at her job than her partner)  

[John&LaLa]

We used to have a really good waiter in the DL. We always tip for every drink, but those tips are pooled, so nothing really for the excellent service she provided.

The Diamond Concierge told us we could give her an envelope at whatever bar she usually worked at and she would not have to put that in the pool. 

[deliver42]

Extra tipping is completely optional.Don't feel bad if you don't. If this helps, I never tip the head waiter or Matre D. On a 7 day, I usually tip $25,00 to the waiter and the ass't.

[Cruise a holic]

We also do extra tipping- we do put in an envelop and the rate varies depending upon who we give it to.  Range $25 and up.  We think that extra special service deserves extra special tipping.

[neverbeenhere]

The formula for additional gratuities: 

 

Days of Cruise multiplied by the average satisfaction score of all in your party divided by pi multiplied the number of letters in the Captain’s entire name divided by the number of shoes you cruises with and divided again by the number excursions you took that you liked and divided one more time by the total number of cruises you have taken that started on a Friday. 
 

in other words, give whatever you like. 

[Joseph2017China]

How much do you tip in a restaurant?  18%-20%

Why do you tip 18% - because that is the recommended amount

Why is that the recommended amount - it is customary amount in the USA

How much do you tip in Europe? The customary amount for the country

 

Why is it so hard to tip on a ship?  The customary amount is posted and the ship makes it easy by prepaying easy.  So no need to tip more, and it certainly is not expected.  But just like in a restaurant, you can tip more if you want.  No one says you must tip 18%.  You can give them 50%.  Some people love to tip bartenders 40-50% on the ship.  Most people tip the recommended amount, and that's it.  Don't let others dictate what you wish, and never feel guilty of tipping the customary amount.

[pcur]

We always tip extra to our room steward(s), since we have to make adjustments to the bed for my husband, and it takes longer to make up the bed each day.  We chat with them when we see them, and I usually ask it they are getting off the ship at any of the ports.  If they are, I'll leave the extra tip in cash in the room the night before with a note.  That way they have some extra cash the next day when they get off and do their shopping.

[MaskedTurtle]

The last time we cruised was a few years ago.  At that time, we pre-paid.  We still received the envelopes in the room, but we also received receipts (that said gratuities were pre-paid) to put into the envelopes to hand to the people.  Do they not do this anymore?  If we pre-pay now (which I did for our upcoming cruise) do we get anything to hand out, or do the staff know that we pre-paid?

[Clarea]

7 minutes ago, MaskedTurtle said:

The last time we cruised was a few years ago.  At that time, we pre-paid.  We still received the envelopes in the room, but we also received receipts (that said gratuities were pre-paid) to put into the envelopes to hand to the people.  Do they not do this anymore?  If we pre-pay now (which I did for our upcoming cruise) do we get anything to hand out, or do the staff know that we pre-paid?

 

No tip vouchers anymore. 

 

However, the staff does know who has prepaid.

[MaskedTurtle]

16 minutes ago, Host Clarea said:

 

No tip vouchers anymore. 

 

However, the staff does know who has prepaid.

Good to know.  Thanks.

[snaefell]

8 hours ago, Host Clarea said:

 

However, the staff does know who has prepaid.

Heaven knows how many times this comes up & there will always be some that say different,given that you could,I believe,withdraw the tips anytime up to the end of the cruise,it would be difficult for that to be of any use surely.

[Clarea]

1 minute ago, snaefell said:

Heaven knows how many times this comes up & there will always be some that say different,given that you could,I believe,withdraw the tips anytime up to the end of the cruise,it would be difficult for that to be of any use surely.

 

I believe it is very difficult to withdraw the prepaid tips.