Extra tipping

[Princess1963]

I am wondering if I should tip my room steward at the beginning of the cruise because I would like them to have a bucket of ice filled in my cabin every night. I have never asked for anything extra done before. I am also going to bring drinks for the first time. Should I give them a tip when I ask about the ice or just at the end of the cruise. If I should tip them what would be a correct amount. I am pre paying tips

Edited July 2, 2020 by Princess1963
Adding the same sentence twice

[neverbeenhere]

Do whatever makes you happy. 
correct amount: whatever makes you happy.

when: whatever makes you happy.

rule of thumb: whatever makes you happy. 
 

don’t worry, be happy!

[LHT28]

1 hour ago, Princess1963 said:

I am wondering if I should tip my room steward at the beginning of the cruise because I would like them to have a bucket of ice filled in my cabin every night. I have never asked for anything extra done before. I am also going to bring drinks for the first time. Should I give them a tip when I ask about the ice or just at the end of the cruise. If I should tip them what would be a correct amount. I am pre paying tips

Why not just ask for  them to have the ice bucket filled  at night   then tip at the end of the cruise 

 

Usually it is done  anyway 

What cruise line?

What do you mean you are going to bring drinks?  Usually most lines do not allow spirits to brought onboard

[mom says]

By bringing drinks on board, I hope you just meant sodas, or the bottle of wine or champagne that is allowed.  Beer and spirits are not allowed,  and will be confiscated. 

 

As for asking to have the ice bucket filled- we ask for this at the beginning of every cruise. And we leave the extra tip for the cabin steward on the last night.

[flowslow]

Totally up to you. Tip whatever amount you feel like giving and whenever you wish to give it. Tipping in advance could probably make the crew even more enthusiastic to fulfill your requests, though they've always been very helpful and enthusiastic in their jobs in my experience.

[getting older slowly]

Room Steward... we tip the last day...

 

On a B2B was unsure if we were getting the same Steward so tipped on last day of the first leg, then the last day of the second leg...

 

Also try to engage them, always say hello etc....

so far we have had pretty good Stewards... and a couple of outstands ones as well

 

Cheers Don

[sparks1093]

We've done it both ways, tipped extra at the beginning of the cruise and tipped extra at the end of the cruise. Didn't notice a difference in service. 

[sanger727]

I never tip at the beginning. To me it sends the message that I don't think they will do a great job without being tipped, which is a bit insulting. I've never had trouble having special requests accommodated. If I made special requests I usually tipped a bit extra at the end. Agreed, there's no rule or right or wrong, just what you feel comfortable with. 

[Princess1963]

I am planning on bringing my own cans of soda on board. Thanks for the suggestions that will help alot

[MCC retired]

19 minutes ago, Princess1963 said:

I am planning on bringing my own cans of soda on board. Thanks for the suggestions that will help alot

 

Per CCL website

 

Bringing Liquor and Beverages On Board - Embarkation

Guests are prohibited from bringing water, sodas and other non-alcoholic beverages that are packaged in glass or plastic bottles.

 

On embarkation day, a small quantity of non-alcoholic beverages (i.e., sparkling water, sodas, energy drinks, juice, and milk), packaged in cans or cartons, may be brought on board and must be in the guest's carry-on luggage. A small quantity is considered a maximum of 12 sealed, unopened cans/cartons of 12 ounces each or less, per person.

 

Edited July 2, 2020 by MCC retired

[Aquahound]

23 hours ago, Princess1963 said:

I am wondering if I should tip my room steward at the beginning of the cruise because I would like them to have a bucket of ice filled in my cabin every night. I have never asked for anything extra done before. I am also going to bring drinks for the first time. Should I give them a tip when I ask about the ice or just at the end of the cruise. If I should tip them what would be a correct amount. I am pre paying tips

 

So getting back to the question...

 

Tipping is up to the individual.  However, since you asked if you should, my advice would be no.  Day 1 with the steward is almost always talking about preferences.  Just include daily ice in your conversation about turn-down service, etc.  No need to tip for telling the steward your preferences.

 

That said, if you still feel inclined to tip them, there's nothing wrong with that either.  

[Toofarfromthesea]

On 7/1/2020 at 7:08 PM, Princess1963 said:

I am wondering if I should tip my room steward at the beginning of the cruise because I would like them to have a bucket of ice filled in my cabin every night. I have never asked for anything extra done before. I am also going to bring drinks for the first time. Should I give them a tip when I ask about the ice or just at the end of the cruise. If I should tip them what would be a correct amount. I am pre paying tips

 

If you are pre-paying your tips you have done what is required.  Anything above that is at your own pure discretion.  But you shouldn't feel like you have to tip extra in order to get routine service, like ice.  You can certainly choose to, but whether you do or not should not effect your level of service.

[cb at sea]

They seem to consider this a "bribe" rather than a tip for good service.  Ask for what you want, and it will be done.  Show your appreciation on the last evening of the cruise, as is customary.

[Elaine5715]

On 7/2/2020 at 7:48 AM, sanger727 said:

I never tip at the beginning. To me it sends the message that I don't think they will do a great job without being tipped, which is a bit insulting. I've never had trouble having special requests accommodated. If I made special requests I usually tipped a bit extra at the end. Agreed, there's no rule or right or wrong, just what you feel comfortable with. 

If you are making special requests at the beginning of the cruise, it is appropriate to tip with that request like offering $20 to desk clerk to find a nice room.  You don't wait until check out to tip for that nice room

[Elaine5715]

1 hour ago, cb at sea said:

They seem to consider this a "bribe" rather than a tip for good service.  Ask for what you want, and it will be done.  Show your appreciation on the last evening of the cruise, as is customary.

No, they don't

[clo]

51 minutes ago, Elaine5715 said:

No, they don't

I would say if you're tipping in advance then it's definitely a bribe. How could it be anything else?

[mom says]

2 hours ago, Elaine5715 said:

If you are making special requests at the beginning of the cruise, it is appropriate to tip with that request like offering $20 to desk clerk to find a nice room.  You don't wait until check out to tip for that nice room

If that's not the definition of a bribe, I  don't know what is.

[nosapphire]

We tip at the end of the cruise.

If we have made requests out of the ordinary to our room steward, it's a bigger tip.

This is on top of any included or "ship added" gratuities - the extra tip is our appreciation of the service provided.

[sanger727]

7 hours ago, Elaine5715 said:

If you are making special requests at the beginning of the cruise, it is appropriate to tip with that request like offering $20 to desk clerk to find a nice room.  You don't wait until check out to tip for that nice room

First of all, I don’t do that because that is definitely a bribe. Second of all, that’s an entirely different scenario. The desk clerk isn’t providing you service for the length of your stay, as your room steward is. 

[sparks1093]

7 hours ago, clo said:

I would say if you're tipping in advance then it's definitely a bribe. How could it be anything else?

The previous poster said "they" consider it to be a bribe, not that posters on Cruise Critic consider it to be a bribe. I would suspect that most of the crew sees it at extra money.

[sparks1093]

6 hours ago, mom says said:

If that's not the definition of a bribe, I  don't know what is.

To me in order to be a bribe there needs to be an underhanded element involved, i.e. you are trying to get the crew member to do something that they shouldn't do. If it's something that they would normally do anyway I don't see it as a bribe, just payment up front for services that will be rendered. 

[d9704011]

2 minutes ago, sparks1093 said:

To me in order to be a bribe there needs to be an underhanded element involved, i.e. you are trying to get the crew member to do something that they shouldn't do. If it's something that they would normally do anyway I don't see it as a bribe, just payment up front for services that will be rendered. 

I agree with you and I believe the specific activity that mom says commented on pretty much fits into the category of paying somebody to do something they ought not be doing or an obvious attempt to receive a product/service/consideration beyond what is deserved or rightly paid for.

[sparks1093]

4 minutes ago, d9704011 said:

I agree with you and I believe the specific activity that mom says commented on pretty much fits into the category of paying somebody to do something they ought not be doing or an obvious attempt to receive a product/service/consideration beyond what is deserved or rightly paid for.

Yes, paying a desk clerk for a nicer room would fall into that category, my comments were more in line with paying a cabin steward for keeping an ice bucket filled.

[wowzz]

2 hours ago, sparks1093 said:

Yes, paying a desk clerk for a nicer room would fall into that category, my comments were more in line with paying a cabin steward for keeping an ice bucket filled.

But, by giving the steward cash in advance, you are trying to ensure that your needs are catered for before anyone else's. However you want to dress it up, you are bribing the steward to do something for you,  at the expense of other people. 

[evandbob]

Tipping Culture varies from country to country, and then sometimes from area to area.  As a Noo Yawker for 68 yrs, I was surrounded by examples of how tipping made our city operate and became quite accustomed to it.  However, I can see how someone brought up in the UK, OZ or NZ has a different view.

 

When we did a land tour of OZ & NZ, I often had to restrain myself from offering a typical NY 25% gratuity to every tour guide or wait staff.  When we did feel it appropriate to offer a tip for exceptional service, we kept it to 10%.

 

There should be no need to impugn the motivation of anyone else about tipping.  To ascribe a perjorative like bribing or being cheap serves no purpose other than "polite" negative criticism or worse.

 

If cruising does not re-start, this whole thread becomes moot.

Edited July 5, 2020 by evandbob