confused about tipping???

[mrdrdoso]

I have only sailed with ncl, on their line the tips are added on your account. With rcl we didn't have it added on as of yet, If I do that once we sail do I personally have to go around with envelopes and hand out tips or is it given to our assigned stewards, waiters, etc.? I want to make sure the staff is taken care of but that seems like a hassle.

I don't mind slipping them something extra on the side, but we have 3 rooms that I am paying for and want to make sure I got this straight, I would be mortified if I inadvertinantly stiffed someone.

Can someone set me straight!:confused:

[horsesrus]

You can either pre-pay your gratuities or pay cash on the ship, we always pre-pay and get the tip "vouchers" to hand out. You will get envelopes second to the last night (along with your vouchers if you pre-paid). Handing them out has never been toublesome for us, we see our room steward several times a day so he/she is easy and the others we take to the dining room with us the last night.

[mrdrdoso]

So the voucher system would be best, since we will all be seated together i can put them all in one envelope for the entire table. Will the dining staff realize they come from differant rooms? Will I really know who my head waiter, my assistant waiter is, I think being a newbie to rcl I just want to get it straight.

[DonnaK]

Please note that you do NOT have to hand out the tip vouchers in order for the wait staff to get their tips. The vouchers are just for show, because those who didn't auto tip would be handing out envelopes, and this way those who auto tipped will also have something to hand out so it doesn't appear that they are stiffing the staff. Some people feel uncomfortable while seated at a large table for dinner, for example, and everyone else is giving cash tips, and they have nothing to hand out because they autotipped.

 

If you choose to autotip (by making the arrangement at the customer service desk during your cruise) then rest assured that your tips will be distributed to the appropriate people regardless of whether or not you hand out the vouchers. The waiters, cabin steward, etc, have a list of who autotipped, so they will know you didn't stiff them.

 

And yes, you know exactly who your assistant waiter is. He/she will be working hard to serve you - refilling your water/ice tea glasses, etc.

 

As for the head waiter, they are becoming more and more visible of late, stepping in to assist your wait team whenever necessary, and making sure everything is running smoothly. Even if you don't see them very much, that doesn't mean they aren't serving you, because a large portion of their job working with your wait team behind the scenes.

[negc]

If you have traditional dining you will meet your dining room wait staff the very first night and will know them quite well (and they will know your preferences equally well) by the end of the cruise. Your headwaiter will probably check your table each night to make sure that you are getting excellent service. He or she will be the person in the red jacket who oversees the tables in your section of the dining room. Handing out the envelopes with vouchers on the last night isn't going to be a hassle and the staff will know that the tips are for your entire party so nothing to worry about there either. Relax and enjoy your cruise.:)

[horsesrus]

Please note that you do NOT have to hand out the tip vouchers in order for the wait staff to get their tips.

 

This is true, we always hand ours out in the envelopes as we would hate for our servers and room steward to think we are stiffing them after a week of great service. :) I'm assuming they don't know who at their table or which state rooms have pre-paid but I could be wrong.

[negc]

This is true, we always hand ours out in the envelopes as we would hate for our servers and room steward to think we are stiffing them after a week of great service. :) I'm assuming they don't know who at their table or which state rooms have pre-paid but I could be wrong.

 

I think that they do know, or at least can find out rather easily. However, I believe that most of the experienced wait staff actually can tell from their interaction with guests throughout the cruise, which ones will tip them and which may not. :)

[mrdrdoso]

thank you that was most helpful, knowing they get a list who auto-tipped, because our table is just the 6 of us we are all doing the same thing so nobody will feel out of place.

now can you make the cruise date come any faster

[ilmsg]

What happens if you choose not to eat at the main dining room for all the nights?

[TwoTravelin]

What happens if you choose not to eat at the main dining room for all the nights?

 

If you prepay gratuities, the tips will go to the dining room staff regardless of whether or not you dine there.

[cruiserbryce]

we have always had the tips added to the sea pass acct...but still have no hand them to the staff. Unsure what happens if you dont walk it around. We didnt see our cabin steward the last day a couple cruises back...hopefully he got it...we just left it in the room for him

[ilmsg]

If you prepay gratuities, the tips will go to the dining room staff regardless of whether or not you dine there.

 

If you don't prepay, and only ate in the main dining room the first night and chose to eat elsewhere the remaining nights, would it be rude to leave a tip just for one night? And how would they get the tip if you didn't eat at the DR the last night?