Tipping Confusion

[Merion_Mom]

I was under the impression that tipping was based on the number of days of the cruise, not the number of nights. Thus a 4 night, 3 day Monarch of the Sea cruise would be $9.75 x 2 x 3 = 58.50 not $9.75 x 2 x 4 = $78.00 as the calculator says.

 

flobee, you have your numbers backwards. A 4 night cruise would have been a 5 day cruise. Monday to Friday. 4 nights, 5 days.

[TPKeller]

I was under the impression that tipping was based on the number of days of the cruise, not the number of nights. Thus a 4 night, 3 day Monarch of the Sea cruise would be $9.75 x 2 x 3 = 58.50 not $9.75 x 2 x 4 = $78.00 as the calculator says.

Hi Flo,

 

I think you have your example backwards... it is impossible to have a 4 night, 3 day cruise! All cruises are technically one more day longer than night.

 

This is a common area of confusion. So much that I even added a context sensitive help pop-up to the calculator. If you click on the "Nights" link, a small window pops up to explain.

 

Basically, the marketing folks like to talk about cruises in terms of days, because you get what sounds like more that way. Saturday to Saturday is 8 days. But since only one party can actually occupy a cabin per night, that is the more accurate way to count the length of the cruise, and so that is why tips are counted per Night.

 

Another way to think of it is that for the day you are getting off the ship, the next passenger will cover the tips for the staff for that day. :)

 

I hope that helps!

 

Theron

[WinnieinWA]

Does RCI give you the option of placing the tips on your sea credit card or do I need to bring cash?

 

I recently made my Feb. 2008 reservation via RCI web site and there was a box to check if a person wanted to prepay tips.

 

I clicked it. I am cruising solo so the prepaid tips for 7 days came to a total of $68. and some change. I like that option of prepaying so I know I won't forget anyone. Then I can give extra to the people who "make my cruise special".:)

 

I always bring about $50.00 in one dollar bills(USD) when I travel for tips.

 

Winnie <-----> can't wait till she can tip again:p

[drbrowne]

:confused: This may sound a little blonde, but does a jr suite pay the same rate as a full blown suite? This is my first time in a jr suite and not sure what I will be getting. I just assumed that it's a little larger cabin than a regular balcony cabin.

[TPKeller]

:confused: This may sound a little blonde, but does a jr suite pay the same rate as a full blown suite? This is my first time in a jr suite and not sure what I will be getting. I just assumed that it's a little larger cabin than a regular balcony cabin.

Not blonde at all, but rather a poor naming convention on the part of Royal Caribbean. Junior Suites have the same recommended tip amounts for room stewards as the lower categories. Once you get higher than Junior Suite, the higher recommended amount kicks in.

 

Theron

[sagiv666]

Do you tip no matter what or tip based off how good or bad the service was? I can see a standard for tipping if the service is excellent but there should be a chart for less then excellent service. JMHO

 

When we cruised to Alaska on the Radiance last September, we had a choice as to how to tip those of the crew who helped us. If you are so concerned about tipping for substandard service, don't tip through your account -- do it in cash.

[Tranquil Waters]

On our first cruise we had the same experience. i hated the thought of giving the headwaiter 10 cents. so i spoke with the desk and asked what the policy and what you HAVE TO DO. they said it was strictly a guide and we could tip who we wanted and as much or as little as wanted. we ate in the windjammer alot because of our little guy (1 1.2 yrs old) and we had one guy in there that helped us out HUGE with things with our little guy all week. so he got a great tip from us. he had said he almost never gets anything because he's in the windjammer alot.

 

we made pretty good friends with him over the week. he mentioned most of the staff on board do not get paid - only what they make on tips. the service crew rotate positions so they all get to work in the dining room and other locations on the ship to earn better tips. so every other cruise he's in a different part of the ship. some positions get lots of tips others ZERO. can you imagine working like they do and not even have a pay check to pick up.

 

i say tip those that give you the service and tip those even better that went beyond what they had to do to make your trip great!

 

Sounds like someone was feeding you a line if he really said that most of the staff do not get paid. They do get paid. Not a lot - tips do make up a good percentage of their income - but he was being less than truthful to say they do not get paid at all.

 

I accept that tips are part of the cruising structure. And I accept that these service people work very hard and really help to make the cruising experience special. :)

 

But I do sometimes find myself getting turned off when I feel like someone is trying to manipulate me into giving a bigger tip. And I do feel like some of these service people have become experts at dishing out the sob story along with the service. They are poor, and lonely, and miss their little child at home, and work 20 hours a day, and get no salary....... etc, etc, etc.

 

I guess I just find it hard to believe that I am just such a warm and caring person ;) that every cruise service person that I have met suddenly just opens up to me about their personal life. I am thinking that the cruiser that came before me and the cruiser that comes after will be getting the very same story. :D

 

But none of that effects my tipping habits. We have always gotten wonderful service and tips have always been well earned - and then some.

[Tranquil Waters]

Sorry about the "stutter"

[Tranquil Waters]

Wow, I really did it this time......

[Tranquil Waters]

Urrggg!

[Tranquil Waters]

Sigh................

[Cindy]

We almost always tip over the suggested levels. On Royal Caribbean I use the vouchers, then add cash when we've had great service. On the cruise where our dinner service was lackluster, I gave only the vouchers to our waitstaff, and extra to our stateroom attendant.

[mxylpic]

No, the 2nd or 3rd day there will be a form delivered to your cabin in the evening that you fill out. You can ONLY do the standard tips this way and if you want to add anything then just do it with cash. If you want to lower them it can not be done with the prepay as they are a fixed amount. The last night you will receive vouchers and envelopes in your cabin to hand out.

 

OK, this part confuses me a bit. Are we expected to track these folks down? What if I choose to not dine in the dining room on the last night do I have to make a special trip.

 

On my first Cruise on Carnival all my tips were prebilled and I got envelopes on the last night for additional tips for the room steward or whoever. I assume my pre-paid gratuities were automatically distributed somehow, I don't know in their paycheck or something.

 

RCI's method seems to be the same (coupons as I understand it) in that you're not giving cash. If I don't give the envelopes to folks personally because I don't see them will they still get their gratuities?

 

Ed

[scareyness]

I have read this thread with GREAT interest. We are new cruisers, have just returned from only our second (but, hey we all have to start somewhere!)

 

I own and run a Guest House in the UK and consider it ESSENTIAL for me to give EXCELLENT service no matter what! I most certainly would not expect a tip, but on occasions I do get a present or tip which is of course every nice.:D

 

I read our guidelines on tipping at the start of the cruise. During our holiday we found the staff not to be as friendly or service as good as our first cruise, but that can happen anywhere. We found many of the maintenance works and those doing essential behind the scenes work much friendlier than say some of the waiters!!!

 

We heard all the sob stories as previously mentioned and I'm sorry but I find it wrong that these cruise companies not only charge high prices for the cruise but then you are 'expected' to pay the salaries too! If you tipped everyone as they suggest you tip bill can become VERY high.

 

I was utterly mortified when our waiter came up to us on the last night and asked us for their tips while we were eating our dinner!!!!! I almost choked on my food. We were not happy at all.

[Don Pedro]

OK, this part confuses me a bit. Are we expected to track these folks down? What if I choose to not dine in the dining room on the last night do I have to make a special trip.

 

On my first Cruise on Carnival all my tips were prebilled and I got envelopes on the last night for additional tips for the room steward or whoever. I assume my pre-paid gratuities were automatically distributed somehow, I don't know in their paycheck or something.

 

RCI's method seems to be the same (coupons as I understand it) in that you're not giving cash. If I don't give the envelopes to folks personally because I don't see them will they still get their gratuities?

 

Ed

 

Great question Ed. We were also concerned with this as we rarely eat in the dining but still tip the full amont as the dining room wait staff also helps out in the Windjammer.

 

Like you we wondered if they would have to turn the coupons or voucher in to someone in order to get their tips. The answer we discovered is that they do not need them to get their tips. The tip money is automatically credited to their account. The voucher or coupons are more for the passengers benefit as it gives them something to pass on to the crew members.

 

If we've received good service we'll drop a little cash into the envelop with the coupons.

[Tranquil Waters]

I am curious about one thing. We have never sailed in a JS. We have done everything else between an OS and an inside cabin but never the JS.

 

Anyway, my question is sort of a "when is a suite, not a suite" sort of question. RCI calls the JS a "junior" suite. However, you receive no suite priveleges in terms of consierge lounge, etc. Then you are told that a JS is not really a suite. So where do tips fall in this "no man's land" of a cabin? Do JS cruisers tip regular cabin rates or suite rates? Or somewhere in between?

 

Just curious.....................

[TPKeller]

Post number 30, from early this morning:

Not blonde at all, but rather a poor naming convention on the part of Royal Caribbean. Junior Suites have the same recommended tip amounts for room stewards as the lower categories. Once you get higher than Junior Suite, the higher recommended amount kicks in.

:)

 

Theron

[drbrowne]

Thank you Theron for your quick answer. I do love Cruise Critic!!

[TPKeller]

Thank you Theron for your quick answer. I do love Cruise Critic!!

Yeah, it's kind of fun to hang around! :)

 

Theron