What benefit would I actually see with a cash tip at bar on day 1 or 2?

[5waldos]

23 minutes ago, deliver42 said:

Covid or not, I've always tipped by the drink and will continue to do so.

Does the amount you tip change depending on whether the cruise price includes gratuities or not?

[D C]

15 minutes ago, 5waldos said:

Does the amount you tip change depending on whether the cruise price includes gratuities or not?

The way I see it, the cruise price (out of pocket total) always includes gratuities.

[5waldos]

18 minutes ago, D C said:

The way I see it, the cruise price (out of pocket total) always includes gratuities.

Perhaps I should reword my question- do you tip the same depending on whether the cruiseline claims that they include gratuities or not? 

[D C]

2 minutes ago, 5waldos said:

Perhaps I should reword my question- do you tip the same depending on whether the cruiseline claims that they include gratuities or not? 

Sorry, gave perspective without answering.

Yes.  Since I'm paying the gratuity as part of my cruise fare, or in addition to my cruise fare, I see no difference and tip the same. 

[5waldos]

3 minutes ago, D C said:

Sorry, gave perspective without answering.

Yes.  Since I'm paying the gratuity as part of my cruise fare, or in addition to my cruise fare, I see no difference and tip the same. 

Seriously trying to understand thinking here- would you do the same in a restaurant which added the tip directly onto the bill, as some do? And more do if there are a lot of people at the table? Would you add an additional tip?

[mbddisney]

I know this is not drink related but going on the Apex and have anytime dining and will be trying out all 4 restaurants so I guess any extra tip would have to be done the night we are in that restaurant as we will not be able to tip at the end.  Just wondering how other people might handle this.  Thanks in advance for some direction

[D C]

34 minutes ago, 5waldos said:

Seriously trying to understand thinking here- would you do the same in a restaurant which added the tip directly onto the bill, as some do? And more do if there are a lot of people at the table? Would you add an additional tip?

Scenario 1: Cruise price = $2000 including gratuities

Scenario 2: Cruise price = $1800 + $200 gratuities

Total price is the same.

Even if Scenario 2 was $2000 + $200 gratuities.  I'm not getting off the ship without paying the customary gratuities.  "included" means I'm still paying them, but they're hidden in the fare.

 

Anything I choose to add to that is the same either way. 

 

And sure, if the restaurant adds a gratuity and I think the server is deserving of more, I'll happily add to the included gratuity.  

[sunlover33]

3 hours ago, CILCIANRQTS said:

I’ve never had a server say “No thank you” to a pre-tip.

Guess you’ve never tipped (or bribed) a maitre’d for a good table.

Different strokes… 🥂

No it’s not something I personally would do. I tip at the end of a cruise for good service, not to gain any advantage. 

[sunlover33]

3 hours ago, CILCIANRQTS said:

I’ve never had a server say “No thank you” to a pre-tip.

Guess you’ve never tipped (or bribed) a maitre’d for a good table.

Different strokes… 

Edited March 8, 2022 by sunlover33

[sunlover33]

3 hours ago, CILCIANRQTS said:

 

Edited March 8, 2022 by sunlover33

[mfs2k]

Some people tip the Uber driver and some people say the Uber model was created with an understanding the price includes gratuity. 

 

I’m pretty sure the Uber driver is grateful for any additional gratuities added because who wouldn’t be ??

 

The same applies for service crew on a ship. Yes there are included gratuities but they’ll be grateful for additional tips you give them. 

[NantahalaCruiser]

1 hour ago, 5waldos said:

Perhaps I should reword my question- do you tip the same depending on whether the cruiseline claims that they include gratuities or not? 

Perhaps you are confusing Celebrity's daily gratuities with Celebrity's drink gratuities.

 

Celebrity's daily gratuities, regardless of whether or not they are included in the fare) do not cover bartenders.

 

Celebrity's drink gratuities (which are supposedly going to the bartenders) are included in the cost of your drink package regardless of whether you have received the package as a perk included in your fare or paid extra for the package (the gratuity is added to a purchased package at the time of purchase.)  And if you do not have a package, the gratuity is added to each drink at the time of purchase.

 

Either way, the standard drink gratuity has already been paid.  It is then a personal choice, whether or not you may wish to give an additional tip.  And that personal choice is made knowing that the bartender has already received the standard gratuity via one of the above forms of payment.  Whichever means of payment of the standard amount of gratuity should be meaningless in your decision to make an additional tip..

[Rickster]

Just stepped off the Constellation yesterday.  We always tip a buck a drink. We can afford it and having only the classic beverage, I always get premium package liquor pours.  As one of the previous poster noted, I also hand two dollar bills as well.  Whatever floats your boat!

[Guppy99]

On 3/6/2022 at 10:03 PM, Woody14 said:

It is not that I have anything against tipping and I seek out my favourite bartenders at the end and give them an extra tip but reading on the boards all the conversation about tipping in advance I am curious what I would actually see as far as a benefit.    I can't see them giving me a much different experience is i slip them a dollar or 2.   maybe if I dropped a 20 or 50 maybe but still I have a premium drink package so why should I tip to start?

I don't think you understand the concept of tipping. It's called a gratuity because you are grateful for excellent service.  You don't give someone a dollar and preface it with a statement of "now what are you going to do for me?".

[LGW59]

4 minutes ago, Guppy99 said:

I don't think you understand the concept of tipping. It's called a gratuity because you are grateful for excellent service.  You don't give someone a dollar and preface it with a statement of "now what are you going to do for me?".

Call it whatever one wants, I do both, I call it an insurance policy 

[Guppy99]

33 minutes ago, LGW59 said:

Call it whatever one wants, I do both, I call it an insurance policy 

I give my cabin steward a cash gift when embarking because I have a couple of requests like empty the fridge, please bring the canapes whether we are there or not, and please fill the ice bucket morning and night. I alsohange all the towels daily. So, this is not a bribe, it's to thank him/her for making a little more work for him/her. Then I tip again at the end (over the pre-paid gratuities). I think the stewards have the most thankless, difficult, and sometimes disgusting job on the ship. It most definitely not a "not going to do it unless it gets me something" thing. It's a thank you.

[LGW59]

1 minute ago, Guppy99 said:

I give my cabin steward a cash gift when embarking because I have a couple of requests like empty the fridge, please bring the canapes whether we are there or not, and please fill the ice bucket morning and night. I alsohange all the towels daily. So, this is not a bribe, it's to thank him/her for making a little more work for him/her. Then I tip again at the end (over the pre-paid gratuities). I think the stewards have the most thankless, difficult, and sometimes disgusting job on the ship. It most definitely not a "not going to do it unless it gets me something" thing. It's a thank you.

A thank you in advance, yep always works for me

[Dr. Cocktail]

I have been fascinated by this thread for numerous reasons.  I took my first cruise at 26 where I was *ahem* a little cost conscious and tipped the bare "acceptable" (that's another discussion ...) minimum.

 

After taking our first Yacht Club/Haven cruises starting 8 years ago,  tipping everyone at the end became strangely complicated and stressful. Do we tip everyone (we kinda' did) who we interacted with or what our own "personal interaction threshold of tipping" results indicated?

 

We  made a highly personal and hopefully equitable decision based on many factors, namely:

1) we could afford it 2) after hundreds of days at sea, we saw how while most treated staff well, far too many treated them like dirt 3) after owning my own business for decades I saw how small, random acts of kindness made my staff happy 4) how staff really did worry about being stiffed at the end and 5) most importantly, it made me happy to know that the few dollars I gave with each interaction made the person serving me who lived thousands of miles away from his family happy and possibly relieved for a minute.  He or she has NO ideal whether you will "catch up" at the end.

 

Our rules were/are simple: give each server/pool attendant a few dollars for the first assistance each "shift" (before and after lunch, pre-dinner cocktails) for the first interaction. Meaning - you get some money for the first drink, but not the second!

 

I enjoyed giving it for the pleasure of giving and it was always received with gratitude.  For those who were always helpful and around, we top it off at the end.

 

For those who say "tipping is personal, we don't talk about money, they're already tipped, blah, blah, blah" I always refer to a wise sage of mine who is a revered and  retired university professor.

 

When people say "it's not about the money, it's the principle" it's ALWAYS about the money.

 

If you can afford the suite, you can afford the few dollars extra to support people who make your vacations so enjoyable. They're not there because they love you - they're there to support themselves and their families and every little bit counts.

Edited March 9, 2022 by Dr. Cocktail

[sea-jay]

Before a cruise I always stop by my bank and get $30 or $40 worth of 2 dollar bills.  When I give a tip the first day at a bar, I explain the origin of the $2 bill and then give another one every day I get a drink at the same bar ( I also tend to frequent the same bar the whole cruise).  I know I get a better pour and more prompt service (especially when the bar is really busy) because they know they are going to get another $2 bill.

[LGW59]

5 hours ago, 5waldos said:

Perhaps I should reword my question- do you tip the same depending on whether the cruiseline claims that they include gratuities or not? 

Why does it matter how and what others tip?  Make your decision based on you not what others do or do not do.  Cannot imagine planning my vacation this way

[Guppy99]

6 hours ago, 5waldos said:

Perhaps I should reword my question- do you tip the same depending on whether the cruiseline claims that they include gratuities or not? 

Are you implying that cruise line takes the money from you in pre-paid tips but then doesn't distribute them?

[D C]

7 hours ago, 5waldos said:

Perhaps I should reword my question- do you tip the same depending on whether the cruiseline claims that they include gratuities or not? 

 

46 minutes ago, Guppy99 said:

Are you implying that cruise line takes the money from you in pre-paid tips but then doesn't distribute them?

Certainly sounds that way with the 'claims' in there.  Perhaps the cruise line is more trustworthy when they bill you separately than if they say they're included? 

[Guppy99]

1 hour ago, D C said:

 

Certainly sounds that way with the 'claims' in there.  Perhaps the cruise line is more trustworthy when they bill you separately than if they say they're included? 

You usually have the option or not to pre-pay. In any event, there are oversight measures which guarantee that the money is distributed as stated. What I can't quite fathom is that the OP has gone from 'what do I get" to an industry wide conspiracy to cheat the passengers and the employees. 😵

[sgmn]

Over in Europe 10% is adequate or nothing in a pub. And yes I do tip more when I visit America as I know its expected, but If I tip a $ on top of the 18% enforced gratuities that makes a tip on a $10 drink almost 30% for taking the top off a beer or pouring a glass of wine ! 

I do tip a dollar or two for my free Diamond/Elite drinks but personally think 30% is over the top  but each to his own .....

Edited March 9, 2022 by sgmn

[mfs2k]

Yesterday I got an Instacart delivery. I always add a 15% tip to the driver so she got $18 tip for my $120 order. 
I discovered on the receipt I was double charged for a $20 item. Instacart acknowledged the error and credited me back $20 but they didn’t adjust the percentage gratuity. 
I had the option to lower the 15% tip. I thought about it but I didn’t change it. The mistake wasn’t deliberate. 
I suspect many of you would have changed the tip. Some of you will say I’m cheap for tipping 15%. Others would say I’m way too generous and they tip $5 per order or a $2.00 bill in cash. Some will say they’d remove the tip if that happened and others would say they never tip at all. 
How you tip is up to you. Do you need self gratification? Do you want to help others who are literally serving you by giving a few extra dollars?  Do you believe an advance gratuity will give you better service than the rest of us get because they’ll give subpar service without it?  And what about “I get bigger pours when I tip even though I  have an unlimited drink package?”  
Just remember one thing. When you buy insurance you’re betting against yourself. 

 

Edited March 9, 2022 by mfs2k