Tipping on Crown

[OuiOnboard]

Do not think that is correct... For instance, you along with many others remove the autotip. You personally tip equal to the tip specified however no one else does. This makes the pool smaller and therefore his/her part of the pool is smaller. By leaving the autotip in place, they will get their fair share of the pool plus whatever extra tip you gave them.

I understand what you are saying. Guess I was only speaking of the individual cruiser, because we can only control our own tipping bahaviour. What others do is between Princess, the crew member, and the "tipper or stiffer", as the case may be.

The fact remains that the removal of auto-tips by a cruiser who tips personally equal to the tip specified by auto-tips will not result in a crew member having a reduction in pay as a result of that action.

As stated earlier, the person who doesn't want to tip, will probably not tip.

 

(edit for typo correction)

[coiran]

Do not think that is correct... For instance, you along with many others remove the autotip. You personally tip equal to the tip specified however no one else does. This makes the pool smaller and therefore his/her part of the pool is smaller. By leaving the autotip in place, they will get their fair share of the pool plus whatever extra tip you gave them.

 

You are correct Larry - The auto tip is figured into everyones paycheck at the start of the cruise - if you take it off your steward is debited for his amount as is everyone else who gets it. I don't see whats wrong with leaving the autotip in place and rewarding those, individually, who you think deserve it - that is - unless you are CHEAP!!

Ron

[Carolyn R]

According to our fabulous waiter on the Sun Princess, Hristo, if you have left your automatic tips of $10 per person in place, any tips you individually give above and beyond to those who have given extraordinarily good service are kept by them. We all had an extra tip for both him and for his assistant Ramona but we were asked to put our cabin number on the envelope so it could be verified whether or not we had cancelled the automatic tip or left it in place.

[OuiOnboard]

... unless you are CHEAP!!

 

Ron

I wish you more success in these efforts than you've had enforcing the formal night dress code. :D

[Sheilateak]

I see auto-tipping as a convenience. I don't see any difference in service level because you have auto-tipping in place. I also have been told if you really receive bad service you can adjust or eliminate the tips from your account.

 

I am not saying you should adjust because you were not waited on like I have seen some people expectations on these boards are. There is a big gap between superb service and bad service. Some people don't want to tip or bad mouth the crew for anything below absolute perfection. Are you all performing at that level 100% of the time at your jobs. The crew members are just like us they have less than perfect days.

 

Give the tip and a little extra if you got a little extra.

[bdjam]

It's funny how your 'close' friends that work for corporate differ in the rules from my 'close' friends who work for corporate. :confused: but I diagress.

Perhaps you’d like to elaborate on who your friends at corporate might be. Perhaps they don’t understand the tipping policies or processes – have they ever been on a Princess ship (and I don’t ask to be sarcastic – many people working in Santa Clarita have NOT been on a Princess ship)?

Why do you CARE ? This is a forum to discuss things about Princess and to get ready for a trip/plan a trip/walk down memory lane (i.e. good times and a quick getaway from the day to day grind).

 

The staff on board the ship are the true people who have something vested in regards to tips not you (unless you are one of the staff).

 

I find it funny how the tips issue causes the board to fill up with so-called experts and ideas and emotions. This is really an emotional issue for some folks here.

 

Let it go and enjoy your next cruise with or without autotip with or without extra tipping, etc, etc, etc and bring on all the extra wine you want and get free ice cream at certain times while you are at it

I’ll let Largin answer as to why he cares. Personally, I know how hard the people on board ships work and I know also the auto tip shouldn’t even be an option – they deserve at least that much for what they do each day. Without these hard working staff members, your getaway from the day to day grind would be much less pleasurable.

 

Also, having worked in the service industry myself, I know how people are about tipping – some are generous, others are tight – and they are usually the people who require the most work.

 

The staff does have a vested interest in tipping, but since the tip comes from the passenger, their interest can only be a passive one…they cannot convince one to tip more if that person isn’t going to tip in the first place. Further, it’s important that people know the proper way the auto tip and tip pool works on Princess so as to not unintentionally short one of the hard working staff members.

 

Tipping is an important part of the overall cruise experience – and it should not be “let go.”

[Jacqueline]

The reason that we know that this is a fact is that when autotipping went into place a few years back, those of us who had been criusing (Princess) for some time were unsure about how all this was going to work.

Most people at that time felt just as you do now. Tipping should be personal. Many of us were used to writing notes and handing out gratuities to the staff who had so graciously tended to our needs over the voyage. The last night of the cruise had become a time honored ritual to say "thank you".

But times change. Princess management made a drastic (it seemd to us) adjustment to the autotip method.

After a couple months of posts and clarifications, many many posts, letters for the captain (you can imagine it was practically mutiny) clarifications for corporate headquarters later the facts are established.

Its an unusual situation and at odds with the American system. But, in other countries, tipping is not part of the culture (this was one reason for the autotip). Plus as has been noted, there was a move to recognize those at the Horizon court and so on.

With anytime dining most of us have a different wait staff from day to day. How can that staff be rewarded ? No one wants to carry money every night.

I can see where this is hard to believe, but autotipping evolved for a reason and it must be working cause they have stuck with it !

Enjoy !

[brunosr]

When we go aboard and meet our steward, we give him/her $40.00 right away. You’ll be very surprised that what ever you want or ask for, is there right away. If the cruise goes very well, we give then another $40.00 on the way out. Short money for extremely good service.

[Ethel5]

I was told by our cabin steward, with whom we have sailed a few times, that if a person removes the auto-tip, the steward is assessed $1.10 per person to tip the behind the scenes crew who helps him bring up laundry and doing other hard jobs.

[Pam in CA]

No one wants to carry money every night.

But if you take off the auto-tip, you'd have to carry money around with you all day since the wait staff in both the dining room and buffet area participate in the tipping pool. Many do an excellent job of helping you get coffee and/or juice in the morning or wait on you in the dining room if you go there for breakfast or lunch. It's not just the waitstaff in the dining rooms at night. There are many others who work the other shifts and would be stiffed.

I can see where this is hard to believe, but autotipping evolved for a reason and it must be working cause they have stuck with it !

Shortly before auto-tipping was put into place, we were on the Royal Princess on the first cruise after a 60+ day world cruise. It absolutely astounded us when we heard that some of the passengers (more than just a couple) had completely stiffed the dining room staff of any tips. They'd worked and waited on these people for over two months and received not a dime other than their basic salary. This is one of the primary reasons for the instituting of the auto-tip. People are cheap. Another big reason is Anytime dining where many passengers have different waitstaff every night. Without the auto-tip, most of the Anytime waitstaff wouldn't get a tip.

 

$10/pp/day has been the recommended cruise tip for probably 10 years. Not just on Princess but on other cruiselines as well. Given inflation and the fact that most of us are earning more now than we did 10 years ago, I just don't see the reluctance to leave a reasonable tip that rewards all of the people who have had the opportunity, many of the indirect but just as important, to serve you.

[miched]

The employees know who removes the auto tip and who stiffed them.

 

My cheap A$$ brother in law stiffed all the employees. He said F em. I will never see them again.

 

The joke was on him. He never seen his luggage after he put it the hallway as required. I am sure that everything swims with the fishes after the employees pilfered thru the bags. He looked and looked in the staging area and could not find one bag. We left to catch our plane and him and his wife were still looking. They missed their flight, and lost everything. I think he recovered $500 thru the travel insurance.

[Lynda90]

IMHO, the auto tip makes life much easier on the ship. I don't have to stop and figure what everyone should get at the end of my cruise. If I have received exceptional service, I will tip extra to everyone who has contributed to that service. I have never had to do it, but if I had sub-standard service I would adjust the auto tip accordingly.

IMHO once again, my gut feeling is that those who remove the auto tip are basically cheap, cheap, cheap and really don't want to tip. The argument that they would rather tip individually at the end of the cruise is really not feasible. Especially knowing the fact that the tip recipients will have to turn the tips in to be dividided in the tip pool. That completely counters the "rather give it myself" concept.

[TourneyKit]

IMHO, I'm a tipper, good or bad service, so the auto tipping is fine. However, I do like to recognize and get excellent service. The wife and I will be going out on the Crown in November for a back to back two week vacation. In order to "insure" we have good service, I will hand the CS a $50.00 the first time we meet him/her, and tell them that it is in "addition to their regular tip, so that they may enjoy one of the ports of call." And although we will be using "anytime" dining, I'll also slip a $20 into the palm of the Maitre D' the first night out when he seats us. Why? Because he will both remember us and let his staff know. It may not be a guarantee of "excellent service" but it certainly will go a long ways, simple human nature. I also give room service people a few dollars when we use room service. Again, common sense. At the end of the cruise, I will again take care of the CS with a little something and the Maitre D'. But by that time, I'll be willing to bet up front, they have earned it. When you consider that they are tagging you 15% on your bar bill automatically, and that you would (or should) leave a 15% tip at the IHOP for breakfast, what you tip on a 7 day cruise is minimal at best. These people work for peanuts AND TIPS...give them their tips. :)

[OuiOnboard]

...In order to "insure" we have good service, I will hand the CS a $50.00 the first time we meet him/her, and tell them that it is in "addition to their regular tip, so that they may enjoy one of the ports of call." And although we will be using "anytime" dining, I'll also slip a $20 into the palm of the Maitre D' the first night out when he seats us. Why? Because he will both remember us and let his staff know. It may not be a guarantee of "excellent service" but it certainly will go a long ways, simple human nature. I also give room service people a few dollars when we use room service. Again, common sense. At the end of the cruise, I will again take care of the CS with a little something and the Maitre D'. But by that time, I'll be willing to bet up front, they have earned it....

Methinks you'll be a very popular AND happy cruiser. Go for it!!

[TourneyKit]

Methinks you'll be a very popular AND happy cruiser. Go for it!!

 

A bad day cruising, beats the hell out of a good day at work:)

[rebeccalouise]

First, I don't think people are cheap that cruise. I don't think many people who cruise don't understand tipping. Secondly, I think that cruising has changed because of freestyle/personal choice dining.

As a frequent cruiser, I have mostly been exposed to traditional dining. I have always tipped according to service rendered and have not experienced bad service. So, my waiters, stewards, kids club staff and bartenders have been amply compensated. I just think that since that times are changing, that autotipping has indeed covered all employees. There is nothing wrong with this.

However, I enjoyed the old way better. I like having a cabin steward, assistant steward, maitre'd, head waiter, and assitant waiter. This is what I was used to and there was always the same way of tipping.

To infer that people are cheap is incorrect because when all is said and done- I tip more than the required daily "autotip". In fact, most cruise lines require half for children and I tip more than the adult rate for my son- plus at minimum- $ 100 for the kids club staff- which isn't even asked for nor factored in.

Generalizations are insulting. The people that have served me for the past twenty years have not been "stiffed" at all. I think many people tip more than the required amount.

But I am glad that this conversation brought some things to my attention. From now on, they will get the "envelope" and something extra. But I don't think that "autotipping" has raised nor equaled the usual quality of service on any cruise line.

[coiran]

I wish you more success in these efforts than you've had enforcing the formal night dress code. :D

 

 

??????I don't recall ever getting a dress code debate?

Ron

[jdm]

I agree with Tourneykit completely. We cruise often, (23+cruises) always receive excellent service. We hand the room steward some cash as soon as we meet him and let him know of any extras we need such as more towels etc. We are nice and ask the staff about their families etc. It appauls me to hear how some people treat the staff.

 

We always ask for traditional dining and the waitstaff gets to know us and our prerferences. We always tip extra. Just makes sense.

[MetalManCPA]

I didn't look too deep into the tipping on my first ever cruise (8/7). I knew they took $10/day per person, so for me, I was tip pooling at $30/day. There's nothing I can do if Princess isn't fair about how they distribute the tips - I did my part by keeping the autotip on (IMO).

 

At the bars, 15% was added on to every drink, so that was enough for me.

 

I felt no need to tip anybody at the buffets. In hindsight now, I feel I probably wronged workers at the sit down dining. I never gave out any extra tips, and I feel something should have been given. But, we had three people at any one time serving/cleaning the tables, so who should I have tipped?

 

We felt our stateroom steward did a phenominal job. I did NOT envelope tip, but instead just handed him $30 in cash on the last morning hoping he would just put it in his pocket and keep it for himself.

[coiran]

MetalMan - you sound more like the norm to me - I agree with you - I will also extra tip the waiter if I have a good one and have him frequently for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Throwing $20's $50's and $100's at your steward is crazy to me - perhaps not for the "highrollers" which I am not one of.

Ron

[sjbdtz]

MetalMan - you sound more like the norm to me - I agree with you - I will also extra tip the waiter if I have a good one and have him frequently for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Throwing $20's $50's and $100's at your steward is crazy to me - perhaps not for the "highrollers" which I am not one of.

 

Ron

 

I agree...but then again I'm not one to have a lot of special requests. I hope that my room is made up in the morning, and turned down in the evening. That's it, that's all.

 

Since I didn't smuggle any alcohol, I don't need any ice. :rolleyes:

 

 

I don't understand people who think bribery is noble. Chances are they'd get the exact same service even without handing out $40 when they meet the steward.

 

For me, the steward fades into the background, much like the room attendant at a hotel (I stay about 70 hotel night / year)

 

As for the waiter, I know they're taken care of with the autotipping.

 

What I like with autotipping is that tipping is taken care of. I don't need to concern myself with it.

 

At all.

 

If they want to make it $15 / day.....so be it. Just having one less thing to worry about makes it all worthwhile.

 

As for the poster who feels so good making it "personal"....remember that to these workers, you're just the person occupying the room this week.... most of the time they'd have no clue who you were, if you returned a month later... :eek:

 

If the autotip wasn't sufficient, then they'd be hard pressed to staff the ships...and they aren't.

[MetalManCPA]

MetalMan - you sound more like the norm to me - I agree with you - I will also extra tip the waiter if I have a good one and have him frequently for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Throwing $20's $50's and $100's at your steward is crazy to me - perhaps not for the "highrollers" which I am not one of.

 

Ron

 

The only reason we gave $10 per person extra in cash on the last day was that our SRS was always there. We chatted, he was in our room several times a day cleaning up, he always commented to enjoy our day or asked how things were going - it was more than I was accustomed to as compared to a resort. Therefore, I felt he deserved a little extra.

 

Side note: To each his own regarding tipping. If you feel noble and that staff is underpaid and the auto tipping isn't sufficient, then tip away everybody with cash to your hearts content. Princess does the auto tipping on purpose, so that their customers have one less thing to worry about. Again, in hindsight, the only people I feel I probably should have given a little extra to was our staff at the sit down dining. But, the SRS was the most important, especially based upon how our room was kept.

[Lynda90]

First, I don't think people are cheap that cruise. I don't think many people who cruise don't understand tipping. Secondly, I think that cruising has changed because of freestyle/personal choice dining.

As a frequent cruiser, I have mostly been exposed to traditional dining. I have always tipped according to service rendered and have not experienced bad service. So, my waiters, stewards, kids club staff and bartenders have been amply compensated. I just think that since that times are changing, that autotipping has indeed covered all employees. There is nothing wrong with this.

However, I enjoyed the old way better. I like having a cabin steward, assistant steward, maitre'd, head waiter, and assitant waiter. This is what I was used to and there was always the same way of tipping.

To infer that people are cheap is incorrect because when all is said and done- I tip more than the required daily "autotip". In fact, most cruise lines require half for children and I tip more than the adult rate for my son- plus at minimum- $ 100 for the kids club staff- which isn't even asked for nor factored in.

Generalizations are insulting. The people that have served me for the past twenty years have not been "stiffed" at all. I think many people tip more than the required amount.

But I am glad that this conversation brought some things to my attention. From now on, they will get the "envelope" and something extra. But I don't think that "autotipping" has raised nor equaled the usual quality of service on any cruise line.

You certainly are entitled to tip any way you wish. When auto tipping first came out, I didn't like it either. But, knowing that the staff who serves me loses out if I remove the auto tip, I leave it on. No matter how much you personally tip, the money will still go into a pool and your great service may end up not getting rewarded. So your "envelopes" will not end up with those who served you well and they may very well end up getting (using your words) "stiffed". Why not leave the auto tips on and then if you want to tip extra, the envelopes would be great. Just because you don't like the auto tipping, is no reason to basically take it out on the staff. If you receive horrible service, you can always adjust the auto tips at that time. Just looking at it from another angle and not trying to insinuate anything about you personally.

[rebeccalouise]

No offense taken. I actually learned a thing or two from this discussion- things that I wasn't aware of. I absolutely adore cruising and the staff is the best part of my experience. I just love them- so I want to make sure that they are compensated. If they pool the tips that definitely makes me rethink how I will approach cruising in the future. Thanks for everyone's input.

[survivor]

We always leave the auto-tip in place especially for the "behind the scenes" people.The waiter and assistant, IMHO if they are really good,which we have always found, we tip extra at the end.Also the cabin steward gets an extra tip.If you figured out what the percentage of your tip is to the cost of your trip I'm sure the $10.00 pp per day is really quite a bargain.LOL I feel good service deserves a bit more, we are spending so much on a trip and most of the crew works very hard for probably not a lot of money.:)