pre-pay tips

[lawsoncd3]

Hi everyone:

Wanted to know the opinion of those who have traveled before... I saw on the RCCL website that you can actually pre-pay your tips. What are your thoughts, suggestions and have you done this? I personally like the idea of paying for as much as I can before I leave home.

 

Dona :)

[Theresa522]

Hi, we prepaid our tips on our Carnival cruise and NCL cruise and it was great. You can still tip extra if you wish. Also, if you should receive bad service you can go and take the tip off. However, I highly doubt that will happen.

[Nliedel]

I have never done it. I once did not tip the suggested amount (trust me I had reason) and I frequently tip more for really great service.

[jazz1180]

We had prepaid tips when we cruised on NCL. It was great... one less thing to worry about. We also tipped all of our servers and the cabin steward in addition to the prepaid tips because of the great service. Just be sure to remember that if you plan on using room service, those tips aren't included in the prepay. We generally tipped the room service deliverer 2-3 bucks depending on how much we ordered.

[Tony O]

I would rather tip at the end of the cruise. You see when you pre pay your tips it takes several weeks for them to receive it from the cruise line. Besides what would you rather have a piece of paper of good old American dollars?

[SingBill]

I usually have the tips added to my seapass account after I board. Anything extra I include as cash in the envelopes.

[Silvery Seas Cruiser]

On Jewel of the Seas we signed up for the pre-paid tips arrangment once on board. By the second night, it became evident that my Hubby was extremely dissatisfied with our waiter, head waiter and assistant waiter, so he decided we would eat every night in the Windjammer. We also ate in the Portofino one night...excellent service, by the way.

 

So when we got our envelopes, I went to the Customer Service to have all but two day's tips removed form those three dining room staffers and lo and behold, I was told once you sign up for the pre-paid tips, you cannot adjust the tips downward! Those dog gone waiters got a full tip, "served" us only two nights and that was that. We no longer sign up for the pre-paid tip arrangement.

 

I bring a dozen or so of my own envelopes and pass them out the last night to the people who have really earned tips with good service.