Tipping?

[Blackchips Ahoy]

I think I must have been on a cruise with you. One of the waiters in the dining room had a hard time keeping his pants up and when he walked all you could hear was the $50 in change in his pockets jingling.;)

 

Bill

 

 

He he he... And he liked it!!!;)

[cathyoo]

While tipping extra is NOT mandatory, I would like to make it perfectly clear to mandakate42 that it is acceptable to do so. You can tip whoever you want. Personally we tip our drink servers. I use drink coupons a lot and always make sure to give the coupon along with a dollar. Especially if we have a drink server or bartender who remembers our needs. We tip at the Speciality coffee shop and we tip in the casino, even though we are not big gamblers and generally we mostly lose. Of course, I tip room service and the porters.

 

I save my dollar bills for about 2 months before the cruise. I even put little cruise type stickers on them. When you are in port there may also be people you would want to tip. I honestly don't mind tipping when I am having the time of my life, I like to spread a little joy.

[mike91911]

$ 1.00 Per Day Alternative Services: distributed to other kitchen and hotel service staff

 

That is 10% of your automatic tips that would not make it to the hard working folks that deserve it:(

 

Just out of curiousity...how did these people get paid prior to automatic tipping?

[cathyoo]

I'd be wary of such a man for other reasons.... :p

 

Seriously, though - I (very) occassionally see the $2 bill around here in Virginia because Monticello gives them out routinely in change (because of the picture on them, 'natch), but otherwise they're pretty uncommon.

 

I know where I grew up (Alabama), they were actually shunned because of common folklore that a two dollar bill had only two purposes: placing a $2 bet at a racetrack, or for someone to "buy" votes (two dollars matched the old poll tax way back when).

 

 

The things you can learn on this board...

[Cruise, J.D.]

The very definition of TIP explains it all:

"Optional payment given in addition to a required payment, usually to express appreciation for excellent service."

 

 

"Optional: left to one's choice; not required or mandatory."

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/optional

 

I think that says it all.

[pastorfrank]

No, really?!?

 

 

Those 'tips' on your sign and sail card, for the most part, go towards subsidizing salaries that should not be subsidized by you, they should be paid by Carnival Corporation.

 

Tipping people that actually work for you and serve you is what should really be going on. Just because you think those tips go where they are supposed to doesn't mean they do. We chose to take them off because we're tipping as we go. They could pay higher wages to the workers and cut out the backroom tip shell game they play with your S&S cards.

 

Speaking as a shareholder though, thanks for playing! :D

 

Just my thoughts....

 

We always remove the tips from our S&S and we tip personally to those who go beyond their duty. Let me say this, the first night at dinner we always slip our waiter $20 and our water/bread guy/gal $10....and they know what that means. We always get GREAT service and at the end of the week they get a HANDSOME tip....

 

We do the same with our room steward but, to be honest with you, it doesn't always work with them for some reason. So again, if they go beyond the call of duty (which most do) they get a HANDSOME tip at the end...well more than they would get if I left money on the S&S card.

 

Last cruise we had an amazing bar server in the Theatre...she remembered our names...what we liked to drink...and she always sought us out to serve us....and she got a HANDSOME tip too...

 

So did the coffee girl at the pay as you go coffee bar....

 

So did the casino dealers...

 

So did the pool drink guy who went beyond the call of duty....

 

Talking with the staff on board they would much rather be tipped personally that on the S&S card - because the harder you work the more you make. The way Carnival does it doesn't encourage above average customer service and, at the same time, allows them as a company to pay slave wages.

[big_duck]

No, really?!?

 

 

Those 'tips' on your sign and sail card, for the most part, go towards subsidizing salaries that should not be subsidized by you, they should be paid by Carnival Corporation.

 

100% of all Carnival salaries are paid by customers. :p

[NYCFOD]

And picked up some singles, fives and quarters. I'll need to tip the porters at the pier, the room service guy (I'm thinking $1 per person per delivery), and anyone in port who does something for me. I have lived in NYC for three and a half years, the first thing I learnt to do was ignore everyone who tries to talk to you on the street, so I am sure that will stand me good stead in the ports. The quarters are for the laundry room.

 

Lots of people have their own views on tipping, and everyone is entitled to their view. My own is that I will leave on the auto tipping, and tip extra if warranted. I would only reduce if someone's service was very poor and complaints to the appropriate supervisor didn't work. DH has his own view and may or may not remove the auto tip, but as we have separate s&s accounts that's his issue.

 

If you've ever tried to change foreign currency at a Bureau de Change you'll know that foreign coins are not changeable. So unless your service person is a resident of the US or gets a day off in San Juan or St Thomas, coins won't be much use to them. Personally, I've never seen a $2 bill, and would probably be suspicious of one.

[citcatt1]

I also tip Camp Carnival in cash.

[katiel53]

I know I will be flamed for my opinion, but it is MY opinion. The people who usually remove the auto tips have a million reasons for doing so. None are worth the breath it takes to state them, it's just being cheap, cheap, cheap. No other way to say it.

 

I wish that Carnival would take the same stance that NCL does. It's a charge and it stays. Then what would these people do????????

 

As far as tipping extra for drinks. It depends on the bartender, waiter etc. If you feel you have gotten extra service, liquor or whatever, you can add to the tip. If you give cash, ie, a dollar, then the server gets to keep it. If you add it to the bill, who knows who gets it?

 

For room service, the tip can be $1 for coffee, but if you are ordering a meal, more money is usually given. Ok, I know this will get some more of you. For coffee and danish for 2, we tip at least $2. If we had a meal delivered then it would be $5.

 

Back to the port people. Geez, if you sailed from Miami and tipped a buck a bag, you might not see your luggage again. When we were sailing from Miami, we tipped $5 for 2 bags. There were sure a lot of people who tipped a whole lot more than we did. I have read where the porters told people a buck a bag wasn't enough. I don't know what they did.

 

Anyway, to the OP, use your own judgment. The auto-tips are there for a reason. I wish the cruise lines paid the crew decent wages, but in order to do so our costs would be a lot higher than $10 a day.

 

I do have to say we usually tip more than the $10 a day because we have great cabin stewards, great waiters, and my husband loves to bs with the bartenders so they get extra too. Not every time, but most times. A little kindness goes a long way.

 

For anyone who might say as was posted a few weeks ago, how can you post on here when you don't have a Carnival cruise booked, I say, we do in Jan but my family isn't aware of it yet, so it's not on my cruises, and also, we are platinum on Carnival, so take it for what's that's worth. (Probably not much, lol.)

 

OP, enjoy your first cruise. One cruise is all it took for me to get hooked. I have been on over 50 and my husband is up to about 40. (I sailed before I met him.)

[zqvol]

TIPs for everyone on board is already taken care of because $10 per person, per day, is added to your Sign & Sail Card.

 

You do not need to TIP anyone on board except Room Service... and only if you use it. I have yet to use it.

 

Do not TIP for your cocktails/beer/wine you purchase. Carnival automatically adds a 15% TIP to your bill. This also means you do not need to TIP the wait staff at the pool who brings you a cocktail as the waiter/waitress already added their TIP to your bill.

 

 

So, if you do not use room service, then there is no one on board you need to TIP with cash.

 

 

The only folks you would need cash for TIPing is:

 

Taxi Cabs (they require cash anyway... bring small bills to pay with... many won't make change)

 

Porter, $1 per bag.

 

Room Service, $1 per delivery.

 

The only thing that I will add is that I have never had a cab driver refuse to make change, to do so is called theft and they are not going to risk an arrest over a few dollars.

 

Room service tips are said to be $1 + , what you give them, if anything is up to you.

[Gregor4500]

I didn't read all the posts so this might have been said.

 

I try to find a reason to tip early. This last cruise I gave her $5 the first day for unlocking my fridge. And $10 when she told me she was going ashore. You get the most for your money that way.

[Blackchips Ahoy]

The people who usually remove the auto tips have a million reasons for doing so. None are worth the breath it takes to state them, it's just being cheap, cheap, cheap.

 

LOL!!! If paying wages instead of tipping is what you want to do, that's your opinion. Seeing it the way that I see it is my opinion. Again, thank you for helping the company pay their wages. :D

 

 

We tip pretty much like the good pastor above and echo his sentiment on the subject.:cool:

[Blackchips Ahoy]

So unless your service person is a resident of the US or gets a day off in San Juan or St Thomas, coins won't be much use to them. Personally, I've never seen a $2 bill, and would probably be suspicious of one.

 

 

They have many options to change them. They gamble with them. They save them. They take them to the purser and change them there on the ship.

 

And the $2 dollar bill is still being minted today.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_two-dollar_bill

 

And the golden presidential dollars are not rare or scarce. Any newer vending machine accepts them and any bank will sell them to you.

 

Go to:usmint.gov to see the golden dollars.

[divetrash]

And don't forget, on the last night you will be hit up for a tip for the maitre d'. They are not included in the $10/per person per day. And whether you tip them or not is purely your discretion.

 

I also make sure I have bills to tip in the piano bar, especially if I make a specific request or am really enjoying what I'm hearing. Those folks work very hard to entertain! Plus I always end up tipping the waiter or waitress who adopts me in the piano bar at the end of the week extra because they always take such good care of me.

 

Cheerios,

 

Laura

[VentureMan_2000]

I find it interesting and odd the folks that feel they need to run Carnival's cruiseline for them, and to determine the crew's pay. Most people go on a cruise for a vacation.

 

Do these folks go out to dinner and question the Wait Staff and restaurant Manager how TIPs are dispersed at the restaurant before leaving a TIP?

 

And do these folks actually have to the nerve to ask the Cruise Staff about their wages? I can't think of anything more rude. Would these rude people be willing share their tax return with the rest of us to scrutinize?

 

And to anyone who claims that they remove all the TIPs from the Sail & Sign card so "they can TIP in cash" are totally full of crap... they do it so they can stiff the staff... plain and simple.

 

The only other reason for removing all TIPs would be for those folks who have huge egos to fill... it's not enough to TIP for good service... but these folks TIPing want a congratulatory slap on the back from the person they are TIPing.

 

I'll continue TIPing the amount Carnival suggests... and continue TIPing above for better then expected service. But I'll continue to do it discretely... and I'll do it without worry of distribution.

 

After all, I'm on vacation. :)

[Wennfred]

I have noticed that alot of people on here say to bring alot of ones for tipping. When exactly do you tip?

 

As already posted above, I use ones to tip the following:

 

Cab, Taxi's

Room Service

Bus Transfers

Airport Porters

Pier Porters

Bartenders

Shore Excursion people

 

 

 

Fred

[mandakate42]

We do the same, but I want to make it extremely clear to mandakate42 that this "TIPing extra" at the end of the cruise is not necessary, required, or expected. It's only something that some people do.

 

I feel bad when folks state that they TIP "Extra" as I'm sure it makes some people think that they need to also. No one "needs" to TIP extra. They do not need to TIP more than the gratuities that are automatically added to the Sail & Sign card.

 

The only TIP required on board for mandakate42 is for room service.

 

thanks for the tip!! so when i embark a dollar per bag and room service is really all that you tip? Unless you want to give your room steward or waiter a tip?

[Cruise-Crazy]

I always tip room service $2 per visit.

 

I know that the room steward and dinning room waiters are included in the $10 a day they put on the S&S account but if they gave good service I give them something more at the end of the cruise.

 

Also if there was any bar staff that went above and beyond.

 

These are helpful for tipping room service....

[VentureMan_2000]

thanks for the tip!! so when i embark a dollar per bag and room service is really all that you tip? Unless you want to give your room steward or waiter a tip?

 

 

 

Yes. That is all you need to worry about. And you have the option to TIP one or more staff members additional the last night.

 

You can visit the Purser's desk and ask them for TIPing envelopes to place your money in before handing out a TIP. I prefer this method... it's more discrete.

 

Have a great cruise! :)

[Kurbanfan]

thanks for the tip!! so when i embark a dollar per bag and room service is really all that you tip? Unless you want to give your room steward or waiter a tip?

 

Yes. And your tip for your room steward and waiter is included in your auto tips. But if you want to tip extra....sure. But that is completely your choice:)

[mandakate42]

thanks everyone for your help! I really don't know what I would do without this board!

[elizablake]

MandaKate, you will also need some small bills to pay the cab drivers in Cozumel.

Don't forget about cash for shopping, drinks and food in Cozumel too.

[katiel53]

Yes. That is all you need to worry about. And you have the option to TIP one or more staff members additional the last night.

 

You can visit the Purser's desk and ask them for TIPing envelopes to place your money in before handing out a TIP. I prefer this method... it's more discrete.

 

Have a great cruise! :)

 

By the spelling of discrete, it means that your money given to the server is separate. So does that mean you have the auto-tip and then give something extra?

 

Or do you mean discreet, which means showing reserve etc? If that is your meaning, the waiter/etc. can know you stiffed him his/her regular tip and you are either looking for a thank you thank you thank you sir/madam or if he/she felt this was in addition because you didn't stiff him/her (They know who didn't do auto-tip) then it could /would be a genuine thanks for the extra.

 

We don't remove the auto-tip, but do give extra many times, as I have already posted. I don't feel the extra needs an envelope. When we do give and extra $20 or more, it's just handed to the person when my husband does a handshake.

 

Sorry, I know you don't agree with me and you never answered what will you do when Carnival doesn't let you remove the auto-tip?????? I am interested in what you have to say. Thanks.

[kujobie]

The only thing that I will add is that I have never had a cab driver refuse to make change, to do so is called theft and they are not going to risk an arrest over a few dollars.

 

Room service tips are said to be $1 + , what you give them, if anything is up to you.

 

I think the point is, they will mysteriously not have change in US dollars, and you will get pesos in return. This HAS happenned to me. Bring plenty of small change in ports. Pesos suck..