GRATUITIES/TIPS/DAILY SERVICE CHARGE – ULTIMATE GUIDE

[Guindalf]

It would be great if this could be a sticky in every cruise line. Please feel free to comment if I've missed anything. There is no need to go over old ground and debate whether or not you should partake. that's for another thread. 

 

Let’s try to end all the questions about the policies and actions concerning when and how much to tip and when to remove gratuities (if at all).

I Do not intend to preach or tell you what you should or should not do. That’s your decision, but I hope I can help you draw your conclusions with your eyes open and not with half-truths, rumors and downright lies.

 

We’ll start with a clarification of terms.

 

1.        Daily Service Charge (DSC).

 

This is the amount added to your account each day and is intended to supplement the income of various members of the crew including stateroom attendant and assistant, wait staff and people behind the scenes that you don’t see. The actual distribution of the DSC is not and should not be your concern. It’s usually something around $15-20 per day but can vary depending on the class of cabin, etc. Compare this to a ‘resort fee’, often charged by hotels, especially in tourist areas like the beach or Las Vegas.

 

The DSC is often called ‘gratuities’ or ‘tips’, which is technically inaccurate and adds to the confusion. Only education of the terms will help.

The DSC can be removed if you feel that you have not received the exceptional service that is usually provided, and the situation can’t be resolved at the service desk. It should NOT be removed because you feel you want to reward specific people, which should be done with either additional individual gratuities or simply by filling in the ‘exceptional people’ form provided.

 

2.        Gratuities/Tips.

 

These are automatically added to services like drinks, specialty dining and spa treatments among others. It’s usually 18-20%. Any time you order a drink, eat in the Steak House, get a massage, or maybe even use the childcare, this charge will be added automatically. If you have a drinks package, and drink that is over the limit of your package will have the gratuity added to the extra amount (example, you order a $12 drink with a $10 limit, you will be charged $2.00 plus 40 cents in gratuity).

Many people like to add a cash tip for a favorite bartender, but that is entirely optional and not necessary. If you have a drinks package, the gratuity is built in and not charged or expected on top.

 

WHO PAYS?

 

The answer is simple- YOU DO. Whether it’s called a DSC, a gratuity or a tip, or it’s built in to the cost of the cruise, it’s all part of the crew’s salary. Those that say ‘I’m not tipping because the cruise line should pay’ are hurting the crew and no-one else. The cruise line IS paying, because all wages are paid ultimately by passengers, no matter how it’s presented. If the cruise line doesn’t make money, then neither does the crew. The DSC is presented in a form that gives an incentive to them to perform at their best.

 

MY OPINION.

 

OK, this is what I think. I think that all prices should include any gratuities and/or tips. I think the DSC is, or was, a way to keep the overall price down and increase the spend of the passengers once on board. I think now, $140 on a seven-night cruise will not make a difference between cruising or not for most people.

As a Brit who’s lived in the USA for the past 28 years, I’m aware that the tipping culture Is not normal for the average Brit or Australian traveler and tips ARE built into the fare. This is why so many of them are so indignant when sailing on a US-based cruise line. To this I say the rules are there for everyone and do not change based on your nationality. When in Rome, etc.

If you feel that your cabin steward has been exceptional, then please do feel free to give them a tip at the end of the cruise – ON TOP of the DSC. Don’t take it from others. If you feel that a crew member is performing below an acceptable standard, in your opinion, don’t rush to remove the DSC, let Guest Services know immediately so they can put it right for you.

Suite guests have the added dilemma of what to tip the concierge and butler. There is no definitive answer because each person is different. They DO receive a percentage of the elevated DSC, but most feel the need to give them an addition amount, depending on the service requested and given.

Please bear in mind that although it may not be YOUR culture, it IS the culture of the services provided. Until everything is absolutely all-inclusive, you are required to follow the rules, even if your opinions are different.

[Nachosdelux]

Thanks for another gratuities thread

[buchhalm]

What I find more intriguing is how many people go on about "exceptional " cabin stewards.

What makes one exceptional?

[mrgabriel]

22 minutes ago, buchhalm said:

What I find more intriguing is how many people go on about "exceptional " cabin stewards.

What makes one exceptional?

 

Yeah, seen a lot of that recently. I don't know, either. I know my expectations (which they always meet) and think that the stewards are now so busy that they don't have time to do much that is exceptional. 

[Luvtoeat]

25 minutes ago, buchhalm said:

What I find more intriguing is how many people go on about "exceptional " cabin stewards.

What makes one exceptional?

I wonder the same thing. The only thing we ever ask for is to bring ice when cleaning the room.

What can they be asked to do that is not part of their normal job. 

I will say we have had cabin stewards that were much more friendly and others not so much, but not sure that qualifies as exceptional. 

[the penguins]

7 hours ago, Guindalf said:

It would be great if this could be a sticky in every cruise line. Please feel free to comment if I've missed anything. There is no need to go over old ground and debate whether or not you should partake. that's for another thread. 

 

Let’s try to end all the questions about the policies and actions concerning when and how much to tip and when to remove gratuities (if at all).

I Do not intend to preach or tell you what you should or should not do. That’s your decision, but I hope I can help you draw your conclusions with your eyes open and not with half-truths, rumors and downright lies.

 

We’ll start with a clarification of terms.

 

1.        Daily Service Charge (DSC).

 

This is the amount added to your account each day and is intended to supplement the income of various members of the crew including stateroom attendant and assistant, wait staff and people behind the scenes that you don’t see. The actual distribution of the DSC is not and should not be your concern. It’s usually something around $15-20 per day but can vary depending on the class of cabin, etc. Compare this to a ‘resort fee’, often charged by hotels, especially in tourist areas like the beach or Las Vegas.

 

The DSC is often called ‘gratuities’ or ‘tips’, which is technically inaccurate and adds to the confusion. Only education of the terms will help.

The DSC can be removed if you feel that you have not received the exceptional service that is usually provided, and the situation can’t be resolved at the service desk. It should NOT be removed because you feel you want to reward specific people, which should be done with either additional individual gratuities or simply by filling in the ‘exceptional people’ form provided.

 

2.        Gratuities/Tips.

 

These are automatically added to services like drinks, specialty dining and spa treatments among others. It’s usually 18-20%. Any time you order a drink, eat in the Steak House, get a massage, or maybe even use the childcare, this charge will be added automatically. If you have a drinks package, and drink that is over the limit of your package will have the gratuity added to the extra amount (example, you order a $12 drink with a $10 limit, you will be charged $2.00 plus 40 cents in gratuity).

Many people like to add a cash tip for a favorite bartender, but that is entirely optional and not necessary. If you have a drinks package, the gratuity is built in and not charged or expected on top.

 

WHO PAYS?

 

The answer is simple- YOU DO. Whether it’s called a DSC, a gratuity or a tip, or it’s built in to the cost of the cruise, it’s all part of the crew’s salary. Those that say ‘I’m not tipping because the cruise line should pay’ are hurting the crew and no-one else. The cruise line IS paying, because all wages are paid ultimately by passengers, no matter how it’s presented. If the cruise line doesn’t make money, then neither does the crew. The DSC is presented in a form that gives an incentive to them to perform at their best.

 

MY OPINION.

 

OK, this is what I think. I think that all prices should include any gratuities and/or tips. I think the DSC is, or was, a way to keep the overall price down and increase the spend of the passengers once on board. I think now, $140 on a seven-night cruise will not make a difference between cruising or not for most people.

As a Brit who’s lived in the USA for the past 28 years, I’m aware that the tipping culture Is not normal for the average Brit or Australian traveler and tips ARE built into the fare. This is why so many of them are so indignant when sailing on a US-based cruise line. To this I say the rules are there for everyone and do not change based on your nationality. When in Rome, etc.

If you feel that your cabin steward has been exceptional, then please do feel free to give them a tip at the end of the cruise – ON TOP of the DSC. Don’t take it from others. If you feel that a crew member is performing below an acceptable standard, in your opinion, don’t rush to remove the DSC, let Guest Services know immediately so they can put it right for you.

Suite guests have the added dilemma of what to tip the concierge and butler. There is no definitive answer because each person is different. They DO receive a percentage of the elevated DSC, but most feel the need to give them an addition amount, depending on the service requested and given.

Please bear in mind that although it may not be YOUR culture, it IS the culture of the services provided. Until everything is absolutely all-inclusive, you are required to follow the rules, even if your opinions are different.

a very detailed explanation. The current rates for Auto Tips along with how the tips are distributed is attached although I understand the Aqua/Concierge Tip has been increased by 50 cents a day but am not sure where the extra goes. If anyone currently on a ship would collect the latest details from GR and post them that would bring us totally up to date.

[Ellis1138]

4 hours ago, buchhalm said:

What I find more intriguing is how many people go on about "exceptional " cabin stewards.

What makes one exceptional?

 

The last one I had, upon hearing about my allergies, made sure not to use any fragranced products for cleaning and put a 5-sided allergy mattress cover on my bed. Everything I had asked for through the special needs had been done to the letter. Throughout the cruise, they made sure I was doing well and got me what I needed. I've been very lucky to have cabin stewards that went above and beyond, especially now that they're overworked.

[wrk2cruise]

I believe everything the OP said is correct with the exception of extra Suite gratuities.   I do not believe the retreat concierge staff participate in tip pool and are compensated like junior officers and the regular 3 person concierge staff including Captains Club Concierge and other guest relations staff.

[Liao]

3 hours ago, the penguins said:

a very detailed explanation. The current rates for Auto Tips along with how the tips are distributed is attached although I understand the Aqua/Concierge Tip has been increased by 50 cents a day but am not sure where the extra goes. If anyone currently on a ship would collect the latest details from GR and post them that would bring us totally up to date.

Why?  This is a detailed breakdown of how they get distributed and it looks fair to me.  IMO if auto gratuities are left in place, and they should be, everyone is well covered.  Folks who want to pay additional are more than free to do so, for whatever reason they decide.

[the penguins]

5 hours ago, Liao said:

Why?  This is a detailed breakdown of how they get distributed and it looks fair to me.  IMO if auto gratuities are left in place, and they should be, everyone is well covered.  Folks who want to pay additional are more than free to do so, for whatever reason they decide.

Because I believe the $18.50 price for Aqua /Concierge has been increased to $19.

I agree the auto grats should never be removed/reduced and tipping is purely a personal choice.

[horseymike]

18 hours ago, buchhalm said:

What I find more intriguing is how many people go on about "exceptional " cabin stewards.

What makes one exceptional?

We have always been able to differentiate between service workers who try hard or as we call it “ go the extra mile “ for us as opposed to those who basically just go through the motions providing minimal service for us. That said , we choose to tip extra to those  that provide better service. We always pay the daily service charge regardless.

[PTC DAWG]

22 hours ago, Nachosdelux said:

Thanks for another gratuities thread

Yep, just what we needed..

[canderson]

51 minutes ago, PTC DAWG said:

Yep, just what we needed..

Not to mention, not very "ultimate".  There are a whole host of situations and options not mentioned in the original post. 

 

@Guindalf

You might want to look into the forms available from Guest Relations for tips and how these can be used (and how long it takes X to process them to a paycheck), and the question of using OBC for tips.  There's plenty more, but ...

[eric4395]

A few years since we were on a Celebrity cruise. Anytime we are in a situation where gratuities are added in we pay them for one person only and remove the other, ie if it is $180 each per trip, we use the other $180 to tip who we wish at the end of the cruise.We are possibly going on a cruise in June next year and this is still our preferred way of tipping and what we intend to do again.i assume Celebrity  can't legally stop us from doing this

It never seemed to be a problem before ?

Edited September 1 by eric4395

[Liao]

13 minutes ago, eric4395 said:

A few years since we were on a Celebrity cruise. Anytime we are in a situation where gratuities are added in we pay them for one person only and remove the other, ie if it is $180 each per trip, we use the other $180 to tip who we wish at the end of the cruise.We are possibly going on a cruise in June next year and this is still our preferred way of tipping and what we intend to do again.i assume Celebrity  can't legally stop us from doing this

It never seemed to be a problem before ?

They will not stop you from doing this.  

[the penguins]

30 minutes ago, eric4395 said:

A few years since we were on a Celebrity cruise. Anytime we are in a situation where gratuities are added in we pay them for one person only and remove the other, ie if it is $180 each per trip, we use the other $180 to tip who we wish at the end of the cruise.We are possibly going on a cruise in June next year and this is still our preferred way of tipping and what we intend to do again.i assume Celebrity  can't legally stop us from doing this

It never seemed to be a problem before ?

Are you are happy that by doing this there are crew who will be working for less than they would have otherwise have got?

The obvious example is your cabin steward (under auto grats they would get $5.19 x 2 under your system that is halved) the same applies to the dining room staff.

Now some of these you can tip from the money you have "saved" but having done that you must accept that there are others who it is impossible to tip - for example the laundry staff, restroom attendants.

 

 

 

[eric4395]

Just now, the penguins said:

Are you are happy that by doing this there are crew who will be working for less than they would have otherwise have got?

The obvious example is your cabin steward (under auto grats they would get $5.19 x 2 under your system that is halved) the same applies to the dining room staff.

Now some of these you can tip from the money you have "saved" but having done that you must accept that there are others who it is impossible to tip - for example the laundry staff, restroom attendants.

 

 

 

I wouldn't describe it as happy but I am extremely comfortable in the way we prefer to do it. I hardly think my $180 dollars that we  have removed from only 1 of us divided between hundreds of staff is going to make much difference to there lifestyle. ( We have contributed by leaving $180) It's the staff who we are directly involved with maid, waiters, individual bar staff who will gain a little bit more. If others chose to pay full and then more to individual staff that is there prerogative, we don't.

Edited September 1 by eric4395

[buchhalm]

10 hours ago, horseymike said:

We have always been able to differentiate between service workers who try hard or as we call it “ go the extra mile “ for us as opposed to those who basically just go through the motions providing minimal service for us. That said , we choose to tip extra to those  that provide better service. We always pay the daily service charge regardless.

Exactly. What IS "going the extra mile "?

Refilling ice and bathroom amenities and keeping the room tidy and the bed made is expected minimum standard.

Folding your pajamas and put them under your pillow, hanging up clothes that are lying around, THAT I would consider "extra" (for example).

That MAY entice me to tip a little bit above the enforced gratuities. 

[DaKahuna]

Some of the things not necessarily in their job description that we have encountered with exceptional room stewards include:

 Putting sheets on couches and chairs and replacing them at least once during a 7 day cruise; remove 3/4 used bars of soap and replace with new ones vs waiting until the bar falls apart before replacing; moving items on the shelf/counter tops and dusting underneath them instead of just around them. 

 

11 minutes ago, buchhalm said:

Folding your pajamas and put them under your pillow, hanging up clothes that are lying around, THAT I would consider "extra" (for example).

 

 This too !!

 

[horseymike]

9 minutes ago, buchhalm said:

Exactly. What IS "going the extra mile "?

Refilling ice and bathroom amenities and keeping the room tidy and the bed made is expected minimum standard.

Folding your pajamas and put them under your pillow, hanging up clothes that are lying around, THAT I would consider "extra" (for example).

That MAY entice me to tip a little bit above the enforced gratuities. 

We had a piece of luggage missing on one cruise , our stateroom steward took the time went down into the lower decks of the ship and found it for us.

That is one example, there have been numerous others.

We appreciate the efforts that most of the crew put forth to make our cruise seamless and enjoyable.

 

[AZ Ocean Lover]

Exceptional service….

 

My husband and I were in one stateroom next to my mother and sister’s cabin. My sister and my husband and myself wanted to go one an excursion in Skagway that my mother had no interest in.  She is low vision so we were concerned about her while we were gone.  She wasn’t comfortable roaming around the ship but insisted we go on the excursion and she would stay in the stateroom, listen to TV and books on tape.  We asked our steward to check in on her if he could and he did.  Made sure she had room service and just made sure she was comfortable.  She raved about him the rest of the cruise.  He got an exceptional tip.

[the penguins]

14 hours ago, eric4395 said:

I wouldn't describe it as happy but I am extremely comfortable in the way we prefer to do it. I hardly think my $180 dollars that we  have removed from only 1 of us divided between hundreds of staff is going to make much difference to there lifestyle. ( We have contributed by leaving $180) It's the staff who we are directly involved with maid, waiters, individual bar staff who will gain a little bit more. If others chose to pay full and then more to individual staff that is there prerogative, we don't.

Sorry but to use an English saying you are simply "robbing Peter to pay Paul".

Your daily grat per person is around $19 of which the vast majority goes the crew your interact with directly (cabin steward and dining room staff) and just $2 goes to the "other hotel services" staff. Unless you have set dining it is impossible for you to reward your table waiters individually - even if you paid daily how would you do it when you have left half your auto grats in place.

Your "individual bar staff" get a 20% gratuity on every drink you order. 

[Pushka]

Cruises booked in Australia on Celebrity for  worldwide have tips included in the fare. 

[chemmo]

18 hours ago, eric4395 said:

A few years since we were on a Celebrity cruise. Anytime we are in a situation where gratuities are added in we pay them for one person only and remove the other, ie if it is $180 each per trip, we use the other $180 to tip who we wish at the end of the cruise.We are possibly going on a cruise in June next year and this is still our preferred way of tipping and what we intend to do again.i assume Celebrity  can't legally stop us from doing this

It never seemed to be a problem before ?

Whilst you are comfortable doing this I don’t think the staff would be happy about it at all.

 

9 hours ago, buchhalm said:

Exactly. What IS "going the extra mile "?

Refilling ice and bathroom amenities and keeping the room tidy and the bed made is expected minimum standard.

Folding your pajamas and put them under your pillow, hanging up clothes that are lying around, THAT I would consider "extra" (for example).

That MAY entice me to tip a little bit above the enforced gratuities. 

To me it is a degree of awareness from a room attendant I often appreciate the most…Noticing as we leave the room in the morning and managing to dive in and get us straight for the day before we have finished breakfast…

 

On one occasion our room attendant noticed we had put three wet pairs of trainers in the bathroom hoping they would dry overnight. When we came back from dinner there was a message to say our room attendant had sent them to ‘get dried’. 

 

On yet another cruise the room attendant noticed I was using some ice in a bag on a sore knee. About an hour later he refreshed the ice and gave us a midday top up for the next few days. He also, despite limited English, made sure I knew I could phone medical if I needed help and told us that they did have wheelchairs on board if I need one. I didn’t but it was lovely to feel looked after…

[pete_coach]

On 8/31/2024 at 3:07 PM, buchhalm said:

What I find more intriguing is how many people go on about "exceptional " cabin stewards.

What makes one exceptional?

The same can go for the servers in the eateries and bartenders.

The waiters take your order, deliver your food, smile and say thank you...what is exceptional? He may say a few platitudes but really,.... exceptional?

Bartenders?  Make a drink for you, like they do for every passenger on the ship. they may talk to you when not busy but... exceptional??

Being cynical but there is not much they do that is not expected or mandated to do.