Is tipping getting out of hand??

[tem0627]

Okay, I have been trying to ignore this subject and not state my opinions... fearing starting WW3 but, I'm feeling rather saucy today... so as someone who worked in the service industry for 10 years, here I go.

 

Acccording to the RCI guidelines, tipping is as follows per person:

$5.75 - suite attendent

$3.50 - stateroom attendent

$3.50 - waiter

$2.00 - assistant waiter

$.75 - head waiter

 

So, let's say my husband and I are going on a 4 night cruise. Based on that, our stateroom attendent will have earned $28 from us alone. That does not seem too bad does it? However a stateroom attendent will take care of anywhere from 20-30 rooms (based on information from a previous stateroom attendent). So, for math sake, let's just say they take care of 25 rooms. Over 4 nights, they are making $700 (not to mention the free room and board and the monthly stipend that they do receive... as working for tips only in the US Gov is not legal) and that is only IF each room has the minimum of 2 guests and not a single person tips above and beyond. In tips alone, that is $175 a day minimum. And yet, people talk about tipping extra in the beginning of the cruise in order to get decent service??? In my opinion (again as someone who worked for tips for a very long time) tipping should be earned, not expected or demanded by people. I am all for tipping a job well done, however when I hear of people being disappointed because they received an extra $30 for great service, it makes me feel like that person is in the wrong business! So, to me, yes, tipping and the tipping expectation has definitely gotten out of hand.

 

Erica

[PH8]

So, to me, yes, tipping and the tipping expectation has definitely gotten out of hand.

 

Erica

I disgree.......to me the threads about tipping have gotten outta hand..

 

 

[saltsandknit]

Although I do think tipping has become a bit excessive, I have to remember that those who serve us get almost no time off, work hard, work long hours and do everything they can to please us. Even though I grumble when I pay the tips for my family of 6, I still feel that those I have tipped have earned every penny. FWIW.

[cruisingfromvegas]

I put myself through college working in the tip industry and graduated without any student loans. I do believe that a tip is something to be earned as well, but keep in mind that these people work more than just an eight hour shift, and they dont have weekend off. If my cabin stewart can earn an extra $50K for a 6-8 month contract I say that would be great! Maybe this guy has a family somewhere far away that he only will see 2-4 months at best out of the year. I feel as if these people should make as much as they can, as long as they EARN it and dont expect it. I always over tip for good service bacause I havent forgotten where I came from.

OK, I'll get off my soap box...for now.

[terri23]

I know what the tipping "guidelines" are before I board. I tip accordingly and often tip extra when deserved. Their total income has nothing to do with it. It's really nobody's business but their own. I certainly think it's wrong to use income "guesstimates" to justify being cheap and ripping off the service staff.

[tem0627]

I am not saying I am trying to be cheap and not tip. We will tip at least the recommended amount if not more for great service. I just get frustrated when people expect tips and when you give them extra, sometimes it still isn't "good enough" and they walk away with a disappointed look. I also do not agree that people need to pre-tip in order to get people to do the jobs they were hired to do.

[vator90]

I have never tipped anyone on a cruise ship that did anything in disgust. They always and without exception accepted my gratuity graciously and went on their way.

[Kruuzin]

We usually leave what they suggest. I don't think that there has ever been anyone that I felt went above and beyond what their job functions were. We had a waiter on the Mariner a few years ago, she went above and beyond in teaching my daughter how valuable she is. She was wonderful to my daughter and my family.

 

We were on Princess in April-I know different line-but this room steward worked 4 hours in the morning and 4 hours at night. He was done with his room duties at 9:30, I believe. I'm thinking he probably had other duties perhaps that he had to attend to-just my thought. He went above and beyond his call. We got free laundry service-suite cabin-my husband took advantage of this and by the end of the cruise-the room stweard was bringing us an extra large laundry bag or 2 or 3 smaller bags. To my husband, he made him feel "special" by noticing what his needs were.

 

Okay, I'm done, Sorry-nobody has talked to me all day.:o

[tem0627]

We had a waiter on the Mariner a few years ago, she went above and beyond in teaching my daughter how valuable she is. She was wonderful to my daughter and my family.

 

 

That is awesome. Hopfeully your daughter still remembers that!! :)

[bplazo]

Twenty-five cabins sounds like alot of cabins. I think that some of the stewards have assistants and have to pay out to them.

[Kruuzin]

That is awesome. Hopfeully your daughter still remembers that!! :)

 

She does remember. She made the cruise for my daughter. We are sailing the same ship in August and have tried to find out if she is still there. Not that she'd remember us, but we would remember her. She was very petite and did mention that carrying the big trays of food was getting hard for her. I hope good things have happened for her.

[cruisePRN]

I wish they would incorporate the tips into the cruise fare and leave us alone:D

[dratomic]

Ship tippping is definitely getting out of hand!

 

Patrick

 

[terri23]

Patrick - LOL - I've had a tough day at the office but you gave me a chuckle.

[VernRDH]

I also don't believe that the cabin attendants have 25 cabins each. I think on our Legend cruise our attendant said he had 12-15 cabins, depending on how full the cruise was. We had an aft cabin, and passed by 3 other attendants -one was an assistant to the other 2. I assume he was in training and tips had to be shared.

 

I think the people who work aboard ship work very hard, long hours. Just because they aren't cleaning cabins, doesn't mean they aren't working. They have other duties to do I'm sure. The wait staff work in other venues like WJ during breakfast or lunch in addition to dinner in the DR.

 

I have always tipped at least the recommended amount, sometimes more for excellent service. Our decision to tip extra is no ones business but ours, just like how much the staff makes.

[PhoenixCruiser]

Okay, I have been trying to ignore this subject and not state my opinions... fearing starting WW3 but, I'm feeling rather saucy today... so as someone who worked in the service industry for 10 years, here I go.

 

Acccording to the RCI guidelines, tipping is as follows per person:

$5.75 - suite attendent

$3.50 - stateroom attendent

$3.50 - waiter

$2.00 - assistant waiter

$.75 - head waiter

 

So, let's say my husband and I are going on a 4 night cruise. Based on that, our stateroom attendent will have earned $28 from us alone. That does not seem too bad does it? However a stateroom attendent will take care of anywhere from 20-30 rooms (based on information from a previous stateroom attendent). So, for math sake, let's just say they take care of 25 rooms. Over 4 nights, they are making $700 (not to mention the free room and board and the monthly stipend that they do receive... as working for tips only in the US Gov is not legal) and that is only IF each room has the minimum of 2 guests and not a single person tips above and beyond. In tips alone, that is $175 a day minimum. And yet, people talk about tipping extra in the beginning of the cruise in order to get decent service??? In my opinion (again as someone who worked for tips for a very long time) tipping should be earned, not expected or demanded by people. I am all for tipping a job well done, however when I hear of people being disappointed because they received an extra $30 for great service, it makes me feel like that person is in the wrong business! So, to me, yes, tipping and the tipping expectation has definitely gotten out of hand.

 

Erica

 

Erica, you are either in a regular stateroom or a suite so you only need to tip the one that applies to you.

 

###

[Kruuzin]

Patrick--too funny-thanks:D

[A Sixth?]

Cruised a lot, but never on RCL. Isn't there an "auto tip" added to your on-board account?

[barbaragrace]

I'd rather pay extra money in the price of the cruise then have tips added to the sail and sign card at the end of the trip.

[BobBeaSea]

No, tipping or gratuities, call it what you will, is not out of hand. IMHO the only thing out of hand is how a lot of passengers handle tipping. :D

 

P.S. Someday all the lines will just make the gratuities part of the fare and all will be happy.

[amybear912]

I'd rather pay extra money in the price of the cruise then have tips added to the sail and sign card at the end of the trip.

 

 

You have this option... you can have the tips added to your cruise fare... my sister did this last month on Sovereign... when she reserved the cruise via the website, there was a box to "pre-pay" the tips... it became part of her cruise fare.

[A Sixth?]

You have this option... you can have the tips added to your cruise fare... my sister did this last month on Sovereign... when she reserved the cruise via the website, there was a box to "pre-pay" the tips... it became part of her cruise fare.

 

Princess, NCL , Cunard and many others add an "Auto gratuity" to your account of $10.00- 12.00 per passenger per day that is divided up amongst the staff. I am guessing RCL does not do this? :confused:

[negc]

Princess, NCL , Cunard and many others add an "Auto gratuity" to your account of $10.00- 12.00 per passenger per day that is divided up amongst the staff. I am guessing RCL does not do this? :confused:

You are guessing right. Unlike those other lines, RCI leaves it up to you to decide how and how much you want to tip. If you wish to have the tips added to your account, you have to authorize them to do so and you will be given envelopes and vouchers to give to your service staff.

 

I agree with PH8 that the threads about tipping are more out of hand than tipping itself and as far as the room stewards being well rewarded financially, at least based on those guesstimates that people are always coming up with that show how much money the crew "really makes", it always makes me wonder why, if the money is so good, we don't find more unemployed or underemployed US citizens willing to take on these jobs?:rolleyes:

Could it be that the money and the working conditions are not all that some would claim?:confused:

[sj25]

We usually leave what they suggest. I don't think that there has ever been anyone that I felt went above and beyond what their job functions were. We had a waiter on the Mariner a few years ago, she went above and beyond in teaching my daughter how valuable she is. She was wonderful to my daughter and my family.

 

We were on Princess in April-I know different line-but this room steward worked 4 hours in the morning and 4 hours at night. He was done with his room duties at 9:30, I believe. I'm thinking he probably had other duties perhaps that he had to attend to-just my thought. He went above and beyond his call. We got free laundry service-suite cabin-my husband took advantage of this and by the end of the cruise-the room stweard was bringing us an extra large laundry bag or 2 or 3 smaller bags. To my husband, he made him feel "special" by noticing what his needs were.

 

Okay, I'm done, Sorry-nobody has talked to me all day.:o

I have to ask her name...my daughter fell in love with our waiter her name was lovlin...something like that.

[MoreCruisesNow]

I hate to add to a tipping thread....

 

But I'm have horrific visions of the threads and postings that would follow any cruise line having the "temerity" to add tips to the cruise price!