Another tip question.

[Wee Bob]

Exactly...it IS a personal choice on how and who to tip. I remove the tips the first day and REWARD the people who deserve it. I have never been on a cruise where I tipped less than the suggested amount.

I have never tipped in a restaurant, hotel or casino BEFORE services are rendered.

To each his/her own.

 

hmm...very interesting comments from everyone. I know last year I had auto tip and also gave our room staff a big tip for doing such a great job. However when we finally got our bill from Carnival, I found soda charges to the room?? I have to admit, I was a bit irritated due to my wife and I went out of our way to ensure NO ONE drank the water and soda. Funny though, I have been seeing alot of Carnival customers noting that they too have been charged for a soda or two from thier room that they did not drink. I would imagine that could add up to some $$ for Carnival.:rolleyes:

[RizzoLee]

hmm...very interesting comments from everyone. I know last year I had auto tip and also gave our room staff a big tip for doing such a great job. However when we finally got our bill from Carnival, I found soda charges to the room?? I have to admit, I was a bit irritated due to my wife and I went out of our way to ensure NO ONE drank the water and soda. Funny though, I have been seeing alot of Carnival customers noting that they too have been charged for a soda or two from thier room that they did not drink. I would imagine that could add up to some $$ for Carnival.:rolleyes:

 

OT, but we got charged for the water bottles a few times now-we just had the Purser's Desk correct it. You can also ask the steward to remove the drinks at the beginning of the cruise. With the ships that have the tv folios, I monitor mine once a day to make sure we're on top of charges. The water charges didn't appear until the last day though.

[jakieemma]

hmm...very interesting comments from everyone. I know last year I had auto tip and also gave our room staff a big tip for doing such a great job. However when we finally got our bill from Carnival, I found soda charges to the room?? I have to admit, I was a bit irritated due to my wife and I went out of our way to ensure NO ONE drank the water and soda. Funny though, I have been seeing alot of Carnival customers noting that they too have been charged for a soda or two from thier room that they did not drink. I would imagine that could add up to some $$ for Carnival.:rolleyes:

 

Something almost always seem to appear on my folio that I did not use/purchase. I have had in room fridge items and a cook book on my accounts. I pay off my folio every other day with cash and pay very close attention to the final bill they put under the door on the last night.

I'm not sure if it's on purpose or just an on going mistake:rolleyes: , but I know I'm not the only one who has had this problem.

I love the fact that you can scan your folio on the TV during "down time".

[Jeanny]

A few years ago on one of my cruises I decided that I would remove the tips from my S&S card and give them out in cash instead. I rationalized that it would be a nice and personal gesture to those who served me.

 

When I went to the Pursers desk to ask that the tips be removed the very first question the purser asked me was, "Has there been a problem with the service." I explained to her that everything was fine. In fact, my steward was one of the best I had ever had. I just wanted to tip him and waitstaff individually. Of course she removed my tips as I asked.

 

A couple of days later my steward, Josef, asked me if I was unhappy. I was puzzled and said of course not. I was having the time of my life. It took another day before I figured it out. I ended up asking one of the assistant stewards and she confirmed that Josef was called in by the Hotel Manager and asked if he knew why the tips were removed.

 

I felt like a heel.

 

Looking back, I realize how self serving it was to remove the tips just so I could feel important doling out the money on my own. It didn't occur to me that that the people who did their best to take care of me during the cruise would be put in an awkward position because of it.

 

Naturally I tipped using envelopes and I'm sure that it was appreciated. But removing the tips did nothing for the steward or waitstaff but put them in an uncomfortable position just so I could feel like a big shot.

 

As it turns out, I wasn't a bigshot.

 

I was a jerk.

 

Today I leave the tips in place. I would not hesitate to adjust or even remove them if I felt it was warranted. (And after 13 cruises that has not yet happened.) And we also give extra if it's warranted.

 

The tipping system is not perfect. I know there are many who believe it should be built into the cost of the cruise and maybe that's true. But the people who depend on the tips didn't make the rules and, at least the way I see it, shouldn't be punished for it.

 

I'm sure this will fall on a lot of deaf ears, but I really believe in taking care of the people who take care of me. If it costs me $10.50 a day (or $31.50 when I sail with the family) it's a bargain.

 

And it's still the right thing to do.

 

At least for me.

 

no, you weren't a jerk and shouldn't feel like a heel! You didn't know. When I cruised on Disney, they left envelopes the last night but I had to make sure I brought an a lot of extra cash designated just for tips. We left extra in our cabin stewards envelope as he had gone above and beyond for us. It's amazing to me they can remember everyone's name!!!

 

On CCL, they do the tips different. I've noticed from previous threads that management thinks the employees did "something wrong" when people remove the autotips. They really shouldn't think that way, but they do. If, for instance, one poster who said they caught their cabin steward going through their things, yes that tip DEFINITELY deserves to be removed and management SHOULD be notified.

 

But, just because a person wants to remove an autotip, so they can give the employee more, shouldn't make a person feel like a heel. On CCL, I believe and this is my own personal opinion, leave the autotips alone (if deserved) and give extra $$ to the people who deserve it. I think this way the $$ is theirs and they don't have to share it. Again, my opinion!

 

Yes, to each their own. Me personally? I wouldn't want to be standing in line to remove the autotips at the begining of my vacation. If the service doesn't meet your expectations, then yes, report it and adjust the autotip. But the tip doesn't actually go on your account until the last night, so A) there is still plenty of time to make any adjustments and B) it's one last thing you have to do if there are no adjustments. C) if you want to leave extra $$, just leave the cash in an envelope.

 

Threads like these go on and on, everyone is right, no one is wrong, everyone has an opinion, everyone has an option, everyone has their own way of doing things.;)