Ok, so how much do YOU give as a tip?

[remydiva]

We have beat the horse of autotips to death and my thread will hopefully die a natural death....

 

So, let's talk numbers...I mean $$$$.

 

IF you leave the autotip aka 'hotel charge', 'service charge' 'surcharge' in place AND you want to leave a cash tip as an extra THANK YOU to a staff member who is exceptional, how much do YOU leave for:

 

room steward?

waiter?

assistant waiter?

head waiter?

hostesses?

favourite bar tender?

 

And I have a second ?, ...

 

when you buy drinks from the bar, pool or liquor in the dining room, a 15% 'tip' is automatically put on the bill. Who gets that $$? :confused:

 

If it goes into the tip pool along with your 'autotip', then is that doubletipping?

[paul929207]

I leave on the autotip. I only tip extra where someone had provided special services. The amount depends on the services. I have given $5 to $25.

[B40 Tha Cruisa]

I have tipped my room steward at the beginning of the cruise, which has worked. (although I believe he would have been phenominal either way)

If I have good service from crew members throughout the cruise I always have some 10's and 20's ready to go.

 

As far as "double tipping" goes, I guess you could call it that. I just think it is another way of paying the crew. The way I look at it, cruising is such a great deal you have to expect some nickel and diming. Still costing me less than a land based vacation.

[Bemidji Ty]

I do the same as B40. Leave the auto on and tip extra for extraordinary service. Cruising is such a great deal and tipping is such a small part of the cost of my vacations.

[kooljamming]

I leave on the autotip. I only tip extra where someone had provided special services. The amount depends on the services. I have given $5 to $25.

 

Same here. Also I try NOT to leave my cabin too messy. I travel with a collapsible laundry bin and place dirty towels in a pile. I am a realtively neat housekeeper, so I do the same when I am on vacation, land or sea.

 

Pauline

[regnig]

We have beat the horse of autotips to death and my thread will hopefully die a natural death....

 

So, let's talk numbers...I mean $$$$.

 

IF you leave the autotip aka 'hotel charge', 'service charge' 'surcharge' in place AND you want to leave a cash tip as an extra THANK YOU to a staff member who is exceptional, how much do YOU leave for:

 

room steward? $20+ for exceptional service

waiter? When using Traditional $20+ depending on service provided. Must admit in all the years only two stand out as not being exceptional. Last year when we ate all our meals in the Caribe we gave $20 to two different fellows who provided service to us each night.

assistant waiter?$10+ again depending on service provided

head waiter?Sometime $5 depending on how attentive he/she was.

hostesses?Not sure who you are referencing. If you mean the maître d' then only two times that I remember did we tip extra and I believe it was $20

favourite bar tender?We've never had the occasion to feel the need to tip any bartender above the %15 he/she already received.

 

And I have a second ?, ...

 

when you buy drinks from the bar, pool or liquor in the dining room, a 15% 'tip' is automatically put on the bill. Who gets that $$? :confused:

 

If it goes into the tip pool along with your 'autotip', then is that doubletipping?

 

Even though it wasn't on your list we also give $2 to room service when delivering just AM coffee/tea. When real food is involved (sandwiches, salads, etc) we usually tip $4-$5.

[karatemom2]

We always leave the autotip with the expectation of good service, but if the service is truly above and beyond expectations we will give and extra $20 to $30 to our steward, waiter and assistant waiter.

 

We also tip around $10 to $20 per counselor in the kid's club and my DH usually tips his favorite Casino workers. In a couple of cases I have tipped an extra $10 at the end of the cruise to a few favorite bar staff as well.

[chasinraynbowz]

This past cruise, we left the auto tips on and tipped our waitress and room steward each an additional $20. I always tipped $2 each time room service was delivered also.

 

We also try to make life easy for our room steward. Before we left each morning, everything was put away, towels in a single pile on the floor in the bathroom, etc. We never left our room messy at all.

[rundent]

I would suppose that the extra $5 or $10 that they have to throw into the kitty anyway isn't as appreciated as someone who treats them with courtesy and consideration - making their hard job easier and more pleasant. I've read about cruisers who leave some small appliance or some-such with the steward when they leave and are sure that he [or she] is so thrilled. Well, I wouldn't bet on it. Probably thinking that "here's another thing to go over the rail". Better to leave a neat room ["not on vacation to do housework"] and don't be a PIA. Of course we are not on the cruise to please the staff, but like all else there is a happy medium.

[jfv379]

DH usually tips his favorite Casino workers.

 

 

I hope he only does this when he's winning......:eek:

[Ula]

Our last cruise was the only time we tipped a bar tender. Just the nicest guy. He would say just the usual? And what is the ladies usual right now? My husband has a usual I more pace myself on a cruise. He deserved an extra tip. I will not tip for just doing your job.

We have always tipped room service and the cabin steward and that depends on level of service from the steward. Some are great, and some are not so much. But I will say it is all an individual choice. We are at a point in our life where we can afford to extra tip. Many are not. That extra should not be expected.

[juggles]

I know for sure that bartenders get $800 a month basic, that is such a low income, so they depend on the tips pool...i.e. the 15% on drinks.

I don't mind that and if a bartender is particularly nice, I tip them on top as well.

Can you imagine if no one tipped or if the 15% wasn't added?

Also, they work 11 hours a day and don't get time off during the six months contract

[Pam in CA]

I always leave the auto-tip on and if the service has been excellent, i.e., beyond the norm, I'll tip extra. How much depends on the length of my cruise and how extra special the person has been. I never pre-tip as I don't think that accomplishes anything, I always leave my cabin neat and clean, and I'm always polite with the stewards and waitstaff, always thanking them for what they do. I find that a "Thank you" and recognition goes a long way. I've only tipped bar staff extra two times because both times, they were exceptional, always greeting me by name, knowing what we prefer to drink, making sure we're served quickly, etc.

[Melxx]

I leave the auto tip on if I've had exceptional service I will tip extra. When we are on a Christmas Cruise I take Christmas cards with me and put money in the cards for the cabin Steward and table waiters as a gift.

[juggles]

I leave the auto tip on if I've had exceptional service I will tip extra. When we are on a Christmas Cruise I take Christmas cards with me and put money in the cards for the cabin Steward and table waiters as a gift.

 

 

You must be very rich to afford a christmas cruise!!! LOL, well done for tipping

[Crown Prince]

My DH usually tips his favorite Casino workers.QUOTE]

 

On my last, Ruby, I spoke with 2 different Casino Workers on the Promenade Deck. :D

 

They also pool their tips. They do not work for Princess. They work for Carnival. ;)

 

 

:cool::D;)

[Pam in CA]

You must be very rich to afford a christmas cruise!!!

This is an uncalled for comment. One doesn't have to be rich or wealthy to "afford" a Christmas cruise. There are many ways to save your money throughout the year and enjoy a cruise rich in the holiday spirit.

[juggles]

This is an uncalled for comment. One doesn't have to be rich or wealthy to "afford" a Christmas cruise. There are many ways to save your money throughout the year and enjoy a cruise rich in the holiday spirit.

 

 

You're joking, a christmas cruise at present on the Ruby is £2700 for a week, way beyond some of us....on British pensions....maybe the USA pays more.

My pension is equivalent to $134 a week. My heating bill for NOV DEC JAN will be $1200 and that's as well as electric/phone/house/food/clothes etc etc etc

[Pam in CA]

You're joking, a christmas cruise at present on the Ruby is £2700 for a week, way beyond some of us....on British pensions....maybe the USA pays more

I'm sorry you can't afford it and have just a small pension but a discussion about how much people make or can/can't afford isn't a subject to be discussed on these boards.

[juggles]

I'm sorry you can't afford it and have just a small pension but a discussion about how much people make or can/can't afford isn't a subject to be discussed on these boards.

 

 

Oh pardon me for being honest. It was a 'backhanded' / joke compliment that someone can afford $4000 for a weeks christmas cruise. Dear me

[spongerob]

I think a "pension" in the UK is the same as our Social Security. Is that correct?

 

We leave the autotips on. When people deserve extra, they will get extra. Most usually do. I will tip a head waiter or maitre d' if I have asked for something that they have to approve and provide, or if I have needed their assistance with something. I'm just sharing the wealth, so to speak.:)

[Tatka]

We leave auto-tip or regular tip on the lines that don't use auto-tip.

 

It's three of us, so even if service is exceptional, our tip is fair. We never create a mess in our state room.

[Tatka]

My pension is equivalent to $134 a week. My heating bill for NOV DEC JAN will be $1200 and that's as well as electric/phone/house/food/clothes etc etc etc

 

Well, not all cruisers are senior citizens in US, well majority is not.

 

We have 30 yeas till our time to enjoy full-free time.. and cruised for the last 5 years. But no... even Christmas 7 day cruises aren't that expensive as your numbers indicate. You can do research years before cruise, find the best price.

[robgvic]

please dont continue this last set regarding affording a cruise. I'd he this developing into the criticism of a cruise recently that went on for days

[happynanny99]

Oh pardon me for being honest. It was a 'backhanded' / joke compliment that someone can afford $4000 for a weeks christmas cruise. Dear me

think it is not correct that anybody makes comments about when or where a person cruises to. think you should be happy to be healthy and be of pensionable age and fit enough to go on a holiday. we are going on a new year cruise to celebrate my remission of the big c. some people go away at christmas because they have not got family to share the holiday with. please dont assumem merry christmas:)