Newbies question on tipping

[Chloebags]

We have been told by our ta that our sign and sail card will be automatically debited when we get on board with our tipping money for the whole cruise.

 

Do we have to do this or can we tip as we please?

 

Tia

[irishgirl]

Your account will be charged for the entire amount the first thing. You can go to the pursers desk and have them removed if you care to. But, it's a lot easier to leave them on than try to save enough money to tip at the end of the week.

 

Judy

[Chigirlcruzin]

What is the tipping policy onboard?Service Gratuities

For your convenience, we automatically charge the gratuities for dining and stateroom staff to your onboard Sail & Sign account. The total amount is $10.00 per guest, per day (our recommended guideline) as follows:

$ 3.50 Per Day Stateroom Services

$ 5.50 Per Day Dining Room Services

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

For Cruises-To-Nowhere, gratuities of $10 per guest, per day must be prepaid.

Our Staff is totally committed to exceed your expectations in every way possible. If you are not satisfied with the service you receive, we encourage you to contact the Purser’s Information desk while onboard. This will allow us to address your concerns in a timely and appropriate fashion. At your discretion, you may adjust the gratuities at any time.

For beverage purchases, fifteen percent of the bill is automatically added to the Sail & Sign charge. Room Service staff may be tipped as service is rendered. Tipping your Maître d’ is at your discretion, based upon the service you receive.

 

You can adjust at the purser's desk, but most find this much easier. Once you get on board and experience the service, you'll see that the $10 per person per day is definitely warranted, and in fact, many tip over and above that amount. Just to warn you, tipping can be a very heated topic on these boards.

[seashell36]

You can also pre pay your tips. That way you don't have to worry about it while you are on the cruise. We think it is easier just to go ahead and pay them - then we don't have that first big hit to the S&S account.

[Chloebags]

I was just wondering if you had to pre pay, or if you could do it individually, as soon people we may decide deserve more than what the ship would give them.

 

Since we are doing a b2b and there is 2 of us, it works out to be $280 for the two weeks is that correct?

[BrendaB1]

You will have a separate account for each week of your b2b. $140 each week for two. If you feel some deserve more than others, you are free to tip additional amounts in cash.

[seashell36]

We always take extra cash for those who we feel do go above and beyond the service that we expect. Our waitstaff on our Elation cruise was a great example. Geraldo, our waiter, was really the best! He got an extra tip, in addition to the pre paid tips.

[dlbutler5]

Another item of interest is that when you remove the tips from your S&S the staff are questioned as to their quality of service. You can always adjust the tips up or down on the S&S.

[vinniecooler]

yes--$240 for 2 for 2 weeks.

 

This is money well spent.

Slip your room stewart an extra $20 at beginning of week for a few perks. Such as filling my cooler or ice bucket with my smuggled beers and fresh ice each day. Also, ask for bath robes. You can wear these to the pool.

 

Tim:rolleyes:

[Cotton]

yes--$240 for 2 for 2 weeks.

 

$280.

 

This is money well spent:

Slip your room stewart an extra $20 at beginning of week for a few perks. Such as filling my cooler or ice bucket with my smuggled beers and fresh ice each day. Also, ask for bath robes.

 

The cabin steward will do these things for EVERY passenger...not just those who try to bribe them.:rolleyes: They fill ice buckets twice a day, also bring robes for anyone who asks. This is part of the normal service.

[firefly333]

I was just wondering if you had to pre pay, or if you could do it individually, as soon people we may decide deserve more than what the ship would give them.

 

Since we are doing a b2b and there is 2 of us, it works out to be $280 for the two weeks is that correct?

 

Why would you remove the tips if you want to tip extra??

 

Just get a envelope and put the extra in it and give it to whomever you wish to tip extra. Usually when folks want to remove the tips, its a way to try and tip less.

 

Just be aware when you remove the tips your wait staff and steward are going to get the report and wonder why.

[Chigirlcruzin]

 

The cabin steward will do these things for EVERY passenger...not just those who try to bribe them.:rolleyes: They fill ice buckets twice a day, also bring robes for anyone who asks. This is part of the normal service.

 

I agree with you. No need to tip at the beginning of the week. That said, I've never had to ask for a robe - it's always been in my cabin when I boarded.

[Chloebags]

Thanks for all the advice and information.

 

Over here (the UK) tipping is not the norm, so I just wanted to make sure we dont look brash or stingy beacuse we are not handing something over at the time, which is what we normally do on holiday

 

PS dont get me wrong, OH and I do tip people over here if we think it is deserved.

 

Thank you all again for you help and having patience with this newbie:)

[valancy1]

Just leave them on the S&S card... there are MANY heated discussions about tipping. You don't want to get service and this nice treatment and skip out on it or be perceived as someone who won't tip.

 

I wanted to pre-pay my tips and called my planner; it would have increased my insurance. So we're just putting extra $$ earmarked for the tips and it can come right off the Sail & Sign card.

 

JMHO,

[excitedcruiser]

We always remove our dining room tips because we never eat in there. We leave the rest of the tips on there and tip our cabin stewart daily also.

[Kurbanfan]

I was just wondering if you had to pre pay, or if you could do it individually, as soon people we may decide deserve more than what the ship would give them.

 

Since we are doing a b2b and there is 2 of us, it works out to be $280 for the two weeks is that correct?

 

You can also adjust your tips if you think some are not worth of it. Just a short trip to the pursers office. It is totally up to you......

Otherwise it is more convenient to keep it charged to your S&S card.

[firefly333]

We always remove our dining room tips because we never eat in there. We leave the rest of the tips on there and tip our cabin stewart daily also.

 

You do eat on the ship somewhere so those waiters in the dining room who also do shifts in the buffet or whever are getting no tips.

 

Unless you are taking your own food, I dont understand why you would do this. If you eat in a buffet style restaurant you dont tip there either? Even though folks are still clearing your table and bringing you drinks?

[excitedcruiser]

The dining room tips are separate from the staff on the Lido deck/Buffet area. We did inquire about this at the pursers desk. We did not want to remove the ones from the Lido Deck just the dining room since we have never ate in them.

[firefly333]

The dining room tips are separate from the staff on the Lido deck/Buffet area. We did inquire about this at the pursers desk. We did not want to remove the ones from the Lido Deck just the dining room since we have never ate in them.

 

So you moved them from the dining room to Lido deck?? Remove sounds like you removed tips to all wait staff which are the same people that work both places. The auto tips go to waiter etc, so why not MOVE them instead of REMOVE them. I guess I would be embarrassed to even post that I removed any tips, but we are all different, different storkes for different folks they say.

[Cotton]

The dining room tips are separate from the staff on the Lido deck/Buffet area. We did inquire about this at the pursers desk. We did not want to remove the ones from the Lido Deck just the dining room since we have never ate in them.

 

I don't think you understand this....?

 

The dining room tips are $5.50 per passenger per day. You REMOVE these?

 

The Lido buffet staff tips are ONLY $1.00 pp per day. You LEAVE these on?

 

So, if you took off the dining room tips, you'll be tipping ALL waitstaff ONLY $1.00 pp per day!!? Big whoop!:rolleyes:

 

The dining room waitstaff take turns working in many areas of the Lido buffet area - buffet, pizzeria, salad bar, etc. Do you have any food from those venues?

 

Like Firefly, I'd be ashamed:o to admit I removed those tips.

[excitedcruiser]

Right. I remove the dining room staff and leave the lido staff tips on. I never visit the dining room and have no problem removing these tips. I only eat on the lido. I have on occasion tipped the Lido help. I have known many people who do the same. I am not ashamed to admit it. Some people won't even do that.

[dan40]

The dining room tips are separate from the staff on the Lido deck/Buffet area. We did inquire about this at the pursers desk. We did not want to remove the ones from the Lido Deck just the dining room since we have never ate in them.

 

If you DID dine in the dining room in the evening, you would meet your wait team there. Then when you are having breakfast and lunch in the lido buffet, they would be able to say hello to you there while they are WORKING THE BUFFET TOO. And with you missing from the dining room each evening, it is very possible, even likely, that one of your wait team will be sent to work the buffet since fewer are needed in the dining room. But since you NEVER eat in the dining room, you don't know that.

 

But your tipping, or lack thereof, is your business. Makes one wonder what your land tipping might be like. But would rather not know.

 

Dan

[dan40]

Right. I remove the dining room staff and leave the lido staff tips on. I never visit the dining room and have no problem removing these tips. I only eat on the lido. I have on occasion tipped the Lido help. I have known many people who do the same. I am not ashamed to admit it. Some people won't even do that.

 

" I have known many people who do the same."

 

" I have known many people who do the same."

 

" I have known many people who do the same."

 

 

Always, the strength of numbers to justify an odd position.

50 cruises, Have NEVER met a single person, couple, or group, that never eats in the dining room, or routinely removes the tips. Either one or both.

Hope I NEVER do.

 

Dan

[excitedcruiser]

My land tipping is fine and I don't want to take this to another level. This subject has been bashed enough on these boards and we should end it here. Everyone is intitled to thier opinion. I would tell the newbie cruiser who asked the question in the beginning to do what they feel is right for them and have a wonderful cruise!

[Kurbanfan]

Have NEVER met a single person, couple, or group, that never eats in the dining room[/b], or routinely removes the tips. Either one or both.

Hope I NEVER do.

 

Dan

 

Our last cruise on the Elation our group did not eat in the dining room one time............but you are right you never met us:p