Tipping

[Phalgal]

I know the materials say all gratuities are included but what's the actual situation? Do passengers feel obligated to still tip, like waitstaff and house keeping? 

[Wendy The Wanderer]

51 minutes ago, Phalgal said:

I know the materials say all gratuities are included but what's the actual situation? Do passengers feel obligated to still tip, like waitstaff and house keeping? 

No.  Some do, some don't, no pressure.  We generally don't, but often contribute to the Crew Welfare Fund.

[cwn]

Scroll down this page to the thread Regent Seven Sea Gratuity. Two pages of recent comments should tell you everything you need to know.  Short answer, NO passengers do not feel obligated to tip. It is not required or expected and is a personal thing. 

[rcandkc]

58 minutes ago, Wendy The Wanderer said:

No.  Some do, some don't, no pressure.  We generally don't, but often contribute to the Crew Welfare Fund.

Same here. 

[seasickphil]

Tips are normally given to the guides if you go on any included shore excursions.

[Bellaggio Cruisers]

When we have a butler, if he does more than required, we give an extra gratuity. 
sheila

[Brownie54]

Tips to the drivers AND guides on the excursions. They are not Regent employees.

[Lonedaddy]

14 minutes ago, Brownie54 said:

Tips to the drivers AND guides on the excursions. They are not Regent employees.

Depending on where you are e.g. Australia.

[Brownie54]

I don’t think that guides and drivers are Regent employees, anywhere. Therefore, please tip.

[irishwitchy]

1 hour ago, Brownie54 said:

I don’t think that guides and drivers are Regent employees, anywhere. Therefore, please tip.

Once again,  the tipping of guides and drivers depends were you are in the world as per lonedaddy’s comment.   

[flossie009]

A first for us yesterday when the porters at Miami port asked for a tip when we handed over our bags

[Scout16]

I would say that in most cases tips are proper for non-Regent employees, the people who meet you at the airport and get you to the hotel are in a gray area.  I wish that there would be suggestions in the ort information in the daily passages as to what is expected as to tipping in the country you are visiting, such as percentage and if there is a preferred or forbidden currency.   I lack much experience with pre and post cruise tours.  I will be on a pre cruise tour in Japan this April, what is customary for the guide and driver for a three day tour? 

[BBWC]

2 hours ago, Scout16 said:

I will be on a pre cruise tour in Japan this April, what is customary for the guide and driver for a three day tour? 

Absolutely no tipping in Japan, it is even considered offensive.

[wristband]

How about embarkation in Miami?  The cutie pies taking luggage before checking in are port employees.  With palms outraised up, demanding a tip.  Last cruise, I did not tip for one small suitcase.

 

Delivered to our room, the lock on my suitcase was smashed and the suitcase had been stomped on (not done at the airport, we spent several nights pre-cruise in Miami).  I reported this to the front desk and showed the broken lock.  Told Regent had no oversight as the bag handlers are port employees. 

 

A nasty bunch, nasty experience.  No tip from me ever again at the Miami port.

[Parapara]

How much easier it would be if there was no such thing as tipping. Coming from a country where we don’t tip, we know that if someone helps you in some way they are just being kind not looking for money. The one thing that is really worrying me is our future cruise leaving from New York. I have asked people, googled tipping but still have no idea who, how much and when we have to tip. I don’t want to end up with a smashed suitcase!

[Pcardad]

$5 per bag to port handlers because the money is nothing vs losing a bag or having it destroyed.

[shuguley]

7 hours ago, flossie009 said:

A first for us yesterday when the porters at Miami port asked for a tip when we handed over our bags

Union stevedores at the Miami cruise terminal are not Regent employees and they are NOT bashful about asking for a tip.

[tripperva]

27 minutes ago, shuguley said:

ion stevedores at the Miami cruise terminal are not Regent employees and they are NOT bashful about asking for a tip.

 

[tripperva]

Just now, tripperva said:

Just give them $5 per bag and go on your way to a great cruise.

 

[flossie009]

10 minutes ago, shuguley said:

Union stevedores at the Miami cruise terminal are not Regent employees and they are NOT bashful about asking for a tip.

 

1 hour ago, Pcardad said:

$5 per bag to port handlers because the money is nothing vs losing a bag or having it destroyed.

Sounds like bribery or extortion rather than a tip for an exceptional service already provided 🤨

 

We have boarded Regent ships many times at Miami port, but this is the first time we have been openly asked for money by the baggage handlers.

 

Touch wood we have never had a bag damaged or lost between kerbside to ship.

[frantic36]

2 hours ago, Pcardad said:

$5 per bag to port handlers because the money is nothing vs losing a bag or having it destroyed.

 

I will be arriving at the shipping Miami with carry-on only because Luggage Forward will have delivered our checked bags to the ship (hopefully). I will not hand these bags to port handlers because they contain valuables. Based on others experience when I refuse the port handlers assistance they will just move onto others with no pushback?

[Techno123]

We were lucky on our current cruise. The luggage was put into a van at the hotel and delivered to the port in Miami so no-one with palm outstretched or threats of suitcase destruction 😜

[Pcardad]

They are not dangerous...just greedy and rude.

[HotRoot]

This week we tipped $5 for three bags in Miami.  All were in perfect condition when they arrived at our suite.

[wcsdkqh]

1 hour ago, HotRoot said:

This week we tipped $5 for three bags in Miami.  All were in perfect condition when they arrived at our suite.

Consider yourself fortunate.