Tipping

[decrepit old man]

I'm guessing most people who love to tip are very high maintenance people

[julig22]

50 minutes ago, Joesantos said:

Let the bashing begin!

 Usually get $2.00 bills 💸 from the bank 🏦 and give them to get a drink 🥃 

 

Servers remember you of course a smile 😊 and happy attitude helps 

Banks in foreign countries do not always recognize $2 bills as legal currency. When I was in Buenos Aires I was approached by the bartender who asked it the $2 bill he'd gotten was fake - his bank would not take it.  I think he was happier about the fact that I was willing to trade him for REAL money (in his eyes) than he was when he originally got the tip.

Hopefully they can exchange them on the ship after the novelty wears off.

[bkrickles1]

19 minutes ago, decrepit old man said:

I'm guessing most people who love to tip are very high maintenance people

Why??

[bkrickles1]

57 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

Anyone want to discuss formal wear?

I'm so happy not to have to wear anything formal.

I think it was my Encore sailing that I didn't even bring long pants.

Strictly nice shorts with a short sleeve button down or solid t-shirt.

 

And I know you were being facetious. 

Lmao!!

[RocketMan275]

31 minutes ago, decrepit old man said:

I'm guessing most people who love to tip are very high maintenance people

Not at all.

I've found just the opposite.

[graphicguy]

2 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

Not at all.

I've found just the opposite.

I’ve learned to say “yes M’am”

and “no M’am” whenever the GF tells me what to say.  I’m very low maintenance!

[RocketMan275]

4 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

I’ve learned to say “yes M’am”

and “no M’am” whenever the GF tells me what to say.  I’m very low maintenance!

Does she tip well?

[graphicguy]

Just now, RocketMan275 said:

Does she tip well?

Oh yes she does!!!!  😉

[destar]

49 minutes ago, decrepit old man said:

I'm guessing most people who love to tip are very high maintenance people

What do you call the stifflers?

decrepit?

Edited January 12 by destar

[complawyer]

hey! decrepit old man! i too am a self proclaimed ( self described decrepit old man) 76 and counting!

 

I do not consider myself high maintenance in the slightest.  I tip because it often gets me much better service, especially on a cruise ship where you have contact with bartenders, waiters and waitresses, as well as the cabin steward/butler/concierge on an almost daily/continual basis. especially on  longer cruises

 

wanting something nice or a special service has 0 to do with being high , low or even non-maintenance  i hope your post was only in jest, as there is absolutely no correlation in tipping with  your assertions. if you choose not to tip, no one will tie you to a stake, or try and stone you. if you choose to tip,  i assure you the recipients will be most grateful!

 

[NYcruzzer]

1 hour ago, graphicguy said:

Anyone want to discuss formal wear?

Only if we can follow that up with  discussions on Chair hogs, Smoking and what night is Complimentary Lobster served in the MDR

[RocketMan275]

49 minutes ago, NYcruzzer said:

Only if we can follow that up with  discussions on Chair hogs, Smoking and what night is Complimentary Lobster served in the MDR

We will have to discuss the missing complementary cases of water as well.

[slavetoabunny]

We just took a 7 day sailing on the Escape in the Haven.  At the end of the cruise we tipped the butler $200, the concierge (we did use him a lot) $100, the Haven bar staff $100, the Haven dining room staff $100, and the room steward $100.  We also spent a lot of time at the main pool bar and they had a fantastic staff who was really good to us.  We left them $100 also.  

 

[smillerholmes]

On 1/12/2024 at 12:25 PM, phillygwm said:

I always preface by saying that tips are appreciated but not mandatory nor expected.  I do what I do, not trying to virtue shame (or be shamed.) 🙂  Likewise, you do you.  But since you asked the question:

 

When there was 2x cabin service, I used to give $50 at the beginning and, if service was good, another $50 at the end.  Last time I reduced a bit.  IIRC $40/$40. Service is almost always good enough for my steward to get both.  I can think of maybe twice (of about a dozen cruises) where I didn't.   I'm not super high maintenance but I have my idiosyncrasies, like asking for towel animals.

 

IF I'm sitting at a bar for a while and service is attentive, I'll tip $5-10.  If I'm just grabbing a quick drink, I won't.  I only do specialty restaurants but usually $5 per head if service is good...more if it's one of my Platinum meals, because I haven't prepaid tips on those, or if I've caused an inconvenience (i.e. bringing my vegetarian niece to Cagney's, which they accommodated nicely by schlepping the Napoleon over from Le Bistro.  She was prepared to just load up on sides.)

 

I don't do Haven so I can't speak to that.

 

This pretty much mirrors my tipping philosophy with a slight difference.  I haven't done a cruise shorter than 20 days in quite some time.  I either do B2B or 15+ days at a time and since I usually get the same cabin on the B2B I have only once had a different steward.  I usually do $20 upfront with my standard request of:

-mattress topper (totally within scope of duties)

-ice (debatable, but takes extra time) 

- daily towel animals (if time allows) - I consider them totally out of scope since I am not a child. 

 

If things are going well another $50 in the middle and another $50 at the end.  

I had not considered the distinction between Latitude meals vs Free at Sea so I typically tip $10.

 

As for bar staff - I've been booking through the Casino for the last two years so you really have the opportunity to get chatty with the bar staff.  I rotate with a few favorite drinks and they simply catch my eye and get the nod for a refill and then I tip them with the dreaded $2/bill.  

[PartyPlannerLady]

On 1/11/2024 at 3:20 PM, junieh said:

Having read the heated discussions on another post, I was curious as to how much people usually tip on a cruise and when. Do you tip at the start, at the end or daily? And how much?

 

Also, with the freestyle dining and not having assigned tables and therefore servers for the duration of the cruise, do people tip the servers at MDR every night or not bother with tipping except for speciality restaurants?

 

We are relatively new to cruising and in our country tipping is not compulsory so I am genuinely curious. We do pay the full DSC, I wouldn't even dream of having it removed or reduced as the way I see it, it is a part of the cost of the cruise. But tipping on top of paying the gratuities is not a concept that we are very much used to :) We tip because we know it is expected (and sometimes because we really do receive an excellent service so we want to show our appreciation). We don't want to tip more than we need to but at the same time, we don't want to offend anyone. So this is meant as just genuine research, not a debate on tipping :)

 

A tip is cash given AFTER service is performed to reward the degree of service.  A BRIBE is given before hand.  People give whatever amount they want to whomever they want, nothing else is relevant.

[RocketMan275]

11 minutes ago, PartyPlannerLady said:

 

A tip is cash given AFTER service is performed to reward the degree of service.  A BRIBE is given before hand.  People give whatever amount they want to whomever they want, nothing else is relevant.

A distinction without a difference.  

What do  you call a small amount given after each drink, a bribe or a tip?

What do you call a small amount given to the room steward on the second or third day, is that a bribe or a tip for services previously rendered?

[Nclcruise1415]

We typically sail balcony and tip our steward $40-$50 for a week. I will also tip bartenders or servers $1 for each round they get us giving they have a smile on their face. 

[BirdTravels]

On 1/12/2024 at 1:38 PM, decrepit old man said:

I'm guessing most people who love to tip are very high maintenance people

Not really. 
 

We keep our stateroom very tidy. But will tip our steward $15ish a day (at the end of the cruise) 

 

We tip our regular bartenders $1-$5 a drink. 

[SoloAlaska]

Ok so my December cruise was my first with NCL and I find freestyle dining service makes me not motivated to tip waiters. I like MDR service on other lines where the consistent waiter brings value. The MDR on NCL ends up being someone who takes my order and eventually brings me food. Getting water refilled is a hit or miss which is a pet peeve of mine. So no I’m not going to tip mediocre at best service on a nightly bases.

[luv2kroooz]

5 hours ago, RocketMan275 said:

What do you call a small amount given to the room steward on the second or third day, is that a bribe or a tip for services previously rendered?

That can only be determined by the person's intention. If you give it in appreciation for prior service, tip. If it is given with the hope of receiving something in the future, bribe.

[luv2kroooz]

It is great to see so many generous folks on these boards. When you average out those who value the service far in excess of the recommended amount with those who don't, it would seem to me it all evens out. Rest easy, tonight. All is well with the world again.

Edited January 14 by luv2kroooz

[RocketMan275]

8 minutes ago, luv2kroooz said:

That can only be determined by the person's intention. If you give it in appreciation for prior service, tip. If it is given with the hope of receiving something in the future, bribe.

We consider tips given in advance as a form of "prepaid gratuities".   

As I've said, our policy is 'tip early, tip often and tip well'.  If someone wants to think that's a bribe, well, fine, but we've found it improves the service.

 

Edited January 15 by RocketMan275

[luv2kroooz]

43 minutes ago, SoloAlaska said:

Ok so my December cruise was my first with NCL and I find freestyle dining service makes me not motivated to tip waiters.

Maybe you don't want to tip NCLs recommended amount, but wouldn't you agree that whoever is serving you each night deserves something? I don't understand the logic of not tipping waiters just because you don't get the same one every night. Often times, you can ask to be seated in the same section of the dining room and they'll try to make that happen.

[SoloAlaska]

Just now, luv2kroooz said:

Maybe you don't want to tip NCLs recommended amount, but wouldn't you agree that whoever is serving you each night deserves something? I don't understand the logic of not tipping waiters just because you don't get the same one every night. Often times, you can ask to be seated in the same section of the dining room and they'll try to make that happen.

Honestly never had even decent service in the MDR so no I don’t think it deserves more than the basic service fees. The daily service charge I left as is.  I was seated with a table of 6 and they just walked away without handing me a menu for example, didn’t refilled water once in a nearly 2 hour meal, no smile etc. No that doesn’t deserve an additional top.

 

I find that traditional dinning the staff get to know you and you get to know them and that ends up developing better service. 
 

i usually ate with the solo group so didn’t have control on who was serving us. There were so many solos on my cruise they made us eat earlier than planned and take a different entrance. 

[ChiefMateJRK]

31 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

We consider tips given in advance as a form of "prepaid gratuities".   

As I've said, our policy is 'tip early, tip often and tip well'.  If someone wants to think that's a bribe, well, fine, but we've found it improves the service.

 

🤣I'm right there with you, but for this el'cheapo:

 

pain from removing cash from wallet > pain from waiting an extra minute for that drink🤡

 

I know you're a mathy guy @RocketMan275, so you'll follow that. 😎

 

disclaimer: I'm actually quite ready, willing and able to float my fine bartender a couple greenbacks while saying with a smile "see ya' later friend."  We all have fun.  Nobody gets hurt.  The wallet will get over it.