Tip your stateroom attendant on the first day??

[cruisinfanatic]

We have tipped our state room attendant upon boarding and magically our luggage appears very quickly.

You wasted your money, LOL. Your room steward has no say in when your luggage arrives.

[critterchick]

I never pre-tip. I will leave a tip if we have a party in our cabin and extra glasses/plates, etc. to clean up, or if I request something really out of the ordinary from the cabin steward (which I haven't - down pillows don't count). If I have made any special requests and if they have been met with a pleasant attitude, AND if the regular cabin service is as expected, I'll leave extra. I also try to have a pleasant attitude and treat them like the human beings that they are.:)

[SheltieLady]

We never tipped the first day we did pre-pay the tips, she was so wonderful that at the end of the cruise we gave her extra. If she saw me heading to the cabin we would race to see who got there first if she did my door was always opened for me. Even if I got to the door before her she would say let me get the door for you. I can't remember her name but she was a wonderful cabin steward we were on the Jewel of the Seas.

 

 

Christine

[rsjc]

I always have when I had a cooler in the room I wanted to keep iced down. Works great:rolleyes:

[Tranquil Waters]

I always have when I had a cooler in the room I wanted to keep iced down. Works great:rolleyes:

 

Just so you will know for the future, you will get your cooler kept iced down without tipping up front. I do think something extra at the end of the cruise is more than deserved when making such requests. But these types of requests will be honored with nothing more from you than the request and a smile (probably the request alone would do it, but I think the smile is a nice gesture. :)) No tip up front needed.

[rsjc]

Just so you will know for the future, you will get your cooler kept iced down without tipping up front. I do think something extra at the end of the cruise is more than deserved when making such requests. But these types of requests will be honored with nothing more from you than the request and a smile (probably the request alone would do it, but I think the smile is a nice gesture. :)) No tip up front needed.

 

I do it just to be nice to the deserving individuals that work so hard for so very little....;)

[negc]

We never tipped the first day we did pre-pay the tips, she was so wonderful that at the end of the cruise we gave her extra. If she saw me heading to the cabin we would race to see who got there first if she did my door was always opened for me. Even if I got to the door before her she would say let me get the door for you. I can't remember her name but she was a wonderful cabin steward we were on the Jewel of the Seas.

 

 

Christine

Sounds like Cora (Corazon) who was our room attendant on several Jewel cruises but it could well describe many of the room stewards who we have met over the many cruises and many years we have sailed on RCI.:) One year when she saw us and saw that we were in a stateroom that was not assigned to her, she made a point of telling our room steward that she wanted him to give us outstanding service and attention. He probably would have anyway, but her gesture was very much appreciated.:)

[geegee1]

for those that are saying it's a bribe.

To

Insure

Prompt

Service

[setsail]

Calling it a bribe is ok with me. We have bribed for years as we can be needy sometimes, and we find that our service is kicked up a notch. My son & dil also do the same as they have seen the benifits when we sailed together.

These hard working people who have left their families behind are there for one reason. MONEY. And their service reflects that.

[Tucker in Texas]

I tipped once up front to our steward and he was the worst one I ever have. Took us three days to get soap (finally had to go to the desk), decided we didn't need bath towels a few times or only one, was hanging on to our empty cans of soda for posterity, and and few other things but the crowning blow was when he took up my husband's uneaten chocolates on his bedside table. We were in a conscierge suite, too! That was back with envelopes and that $20 pre tip came right off the "recommended" tips at the end.

 

Now what I do is ask him the first time I see him for a few things--empty out the fridge, keep the cooler full of ice, down pillows, two copies of the Compass. Those are usually my only special requests throughout the whole cruise. The next morning, I leave a "thank you" note and a couple of dollars. I, also, load up on the Russell Stover individual candies when they go on sale following a holiday and leave those with the note. If there has been no holiday close to embarkation, then a bag of Milky Ways works (hidden from husband, though).

 

Throughout the cruise, I will leave a "thank you" note for something he has done the previous day if only "thanks for keeping our cabin so clean and tidy" with a couple of bucks. This is the same money I would have tipped extra at the end of the cruise anyway. So instead of $20 extra in the envelope, he gets a little throughout the week along with $5 and another note with the voucher at the end of the cruise. Since I have used this "system," I've gotten very good service. Not saying I wouldn't anyway but it has been noticably better than before I started doing it.

 

Halfway through the week if our dining service is good, husband slips them $5 and thanks them for the special things we have asked them to do--like his wedge salad with ranch dressing.

 

Tucker in Texas

[kooljamming]

Tipping upfront hurts the service industry. I would hate for the day I can't afford the extra to get lesser service than the person who can flash an extra hundred. Or having my $20 be measured against someones $100. I have seen at all inclusive resorts, some people use it to get served first. I have chosen vacations that have been known for good service and was pleased without any upfront payment. I have never booked a vacation where I felt paying upfront was necessary. I do give generously at the end TAPS:

 

To

Appreciate

Prompt

Service

[Silvery Seas Cruiser]

We don't tip in advance because most people who earn tips don't expect an advance tip. It seems like a slippery slope to me. Do those who tip the steward in advance also tip the dining room waiters in advance? Do they seek out a bar tender and tip him in advance for the cruise? Do they tip in the casino in advance hoping to improve their luck?

 

Now I confess, I am worried that if others are tipping in advance, maybe we will receive inferior service because we do not. This topic does make me uneasy.

[cruisecrasy]

for those that are saying it's a bribe.

To

Insure

Prompt

Service

 

Cute but its still a 'bribe'!

 

Do u give your waiter in a restaurant his tip before u even order your food - of course not!!

 

Do folks sometimes give the head waiter an amt of cash (which as we all know is to secure a certain or better table)?

 

Its a bribe anyway u 'slice' it!!

[Happy ks]

for those that are saying it's a bribe.

 

To

Insure

Prompt

Service

 

 

I have no idea where this started, but it's completely wrong. If you tipped to insure prompt service, a tip would always be given in advance, like a bribe. Someone probably made it up because of the letters and it has just stuck.

 

How many of you tip in a restaurant prior to service?????

[Rancher Dave]

Now what I do is ask him the first time I see him for a few things--empty out the fridge, keep the cooler full of ice, down pillows, two copies of the Compass. Those are usually my only special requests throughout the whole cruise. The next morning, I leave a "thank you" note and a couple of dollars. I, also, load up on the Russell Stover individual candies when they go on sale following a holiday and leave those with the note. If there has been no holiday close to embarkation, then a bag of Milky Ways works (hidden from husband, though).

 

Throughout the cruise, I will leave a "thank you" note for something he has done the previous day if only "thanks for keeping our cabin so clean and tidy" with a couple of bucks. This is the same money I would have tipped extra at the end of the cruise anyway. So instead of $20 extra in the envelope, he gets a little throughout the week along with $5 and another note with the voucher at the end of the cruise. Since I have used this "system," I've gotten very good service. Not saying I wouldn't anyway but it has been noticably better than before I started doing it.

 

Interesting concept. I do agree with saying thanks as the cruise goes along...treating the crew like humans instead of servants goes a long way towards getting great service. I'd gladly replace a few neighbors on my street with crew I've met on Voyager.

[Route66]

Many thanks for your answers and proposals, it's a great help.

[mgg42]

[quote name='geegee1']for those that are saying it's a bribe.

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[SIZE=4][B]P[/B][COLOR=darkred]rompt[/COLOR][/SIZE]
[SIZE=4][B]S[/B][COLOR=darkred]ervice[/COLOR][/SIZE][/quote]

That's a cure saying, but it is not actually the origin of the word. If it were, we would actually talk about "teps" instead of "tips", as what it would really be for is "To [COLOR=Red][I]Ensure [/I][/COLOR]Prompt Service".

[honeywell]

[quote name='Happy ks']

How many of you tip in a restaurant prior to service?????[/QUOTE]

That is why I don't even feel comfortable with the whole "pre-paid gratuity" concept. Not to say it is wrong, or you should or shouldn't do it - it just feels unnatural to me.

I tip well at the end of my cruise, over and above the recommended amount if warranted, tip others who aren't even "on the list" like Adventure Ocean staff - but feel funny doing so ahead of the service rendered.

For my cabin steward and others who do a great job I will find out their port "day off" and give them some $$$ to spend on themselves, buy lunch or have a drink. I always tip for special requests at the time of service. But just "slipping them a tip" when I meet them is strange to me. But that is just me.

[Cavatelli430]

We just returned from Majesty. We had pre-paid our tips when we book the cruise. I don't know for sure if the room attendants have that info ahead of time or not, because the tip sheet was left in our room during the week. I went to guest services to make sure it showed our tips were already paid, they said yes. Javier was very friendly and did a great job, the last night when we got our envelopes & tip coupons, we added an extra $10 for his great service. We also gave extra money to our waiter & asst waiter, as I have special dietary needs & they were very great in helping me be able to make changes to entrees, so I could eat them. The whole staff on Majesty is great, extremely friendly!!

In the past we paid our added the tips to our Seapass when the sheet was left in our room, and added cash as we felt it was well deserved. I've never noticed a difference in service from the staff either way. We've had 3 great RCL cruise experiences and hope to have many more!!

[Tranquil Waters]

[quote name='setsail']We have bribed for years as we can be needy sometimes, and we find that our service is kicked up a notch. My son & dil also do the same as they have seen the benifits when we sailed together.
These hard working people who have left their families behind are there for one reason. MONEY. And their service reflects that.[/quote]

I guess I would have to ask how you know the service is kicked up a notch? And this is asked nicely. Unless you have the same attendant on 2 separate cruises - and can then compare as to whether your service was better or worse depending on the pre-tip or lack there of - how would you know? The attendant could very well give this "kicked up" service to everyone.

And even if you had the same attendant on 2 cruises and tipped up front one time and not the other and noticed a difference in service. How could you know it was because of the tip? Maybe he/she was sick one of the weeks. Maybe he or she had a fight with their SO and was having a bad week in general one week.

I think it would really be hard to know for sure that a pre-tip was giving better service......

[cruisendude2001]

more often than not i will introduce myself and my wife to the steward. Let him or her know that this is an important vacation for my wife and I and I want her to have the best time possible and than slip him or her a $20 anytime we need anythign extra its there super fast. and you never know when someone like a room steward will come in handy. especially if you prepay tips they get a little piece of paper im sure they have to turn in somewhere and thats not till the end. mabye they get to get off at a port and my $20 will get them hammered for the day and they won't let me forget it. or if i have a balcony $20 magicaly makes lounge chairs show up on my balcony things of that nature.

[cruzincurt]

When we first meet our steward, we explain that we are low maintenance. As a result, he/she probably doesn't spend more than 5 minutes in the room wiping down the shower, replacing the towels and remaking the bed. No ice coolers, picking up clothes, etc., to fuss with.

Never tipped in advance, always appropriate service.

[Debde]

On my last cruise the SA-who was THE BEST came in-after introducing himself-upon his own opinion felt a roll away bed would be better then the teens sharing a sofa bed and went and got a roll-away bed for us. He was spot on with that suggestion.
I did give him an extra thank-you for that idea. Heck-he just made extra work for himself. He did that because he felt [B]we[/B] would be more comfortable!!
I'm a big believer in give a little extra thank you during the cruise for sevice that was extra or over the top [in a good way] and adjust the main tip at the end. Thank goodness I have always had a great SA that the adjustment was always on the plus side!!

[Tranquil Waters]

[quote name='cruzincurt']When we first meet our steward, we explain that we are low maintenance. As a result, he/she probably doesn't spend more than 5 minutes in the room wiping down the shower, replacing the towels and remaking the bed. No ice coolers, picking up clothes, etc., to fuss with.

Never tipped in advance, always appropriate service.[/quote]

You make another good point - about what one needs from a cabin steward. Which is another reason I have to wonder about the "notched up" service.

Our cabins have always been cleaned with the steward "mysteriously" always knowing when we will be out and about. We come back and the cabin is perfect. (We don't leave clothes strung about, etc either).

Our ice bucket is always full. When we brought a small cooler, it was kept full.

Any requests for something extra (not already in the cabin) have always been promptly accomplished. (Not that this has occurred very often - needing something not in the cabin).

And, yes, when we have been in JS the attendant got me a lounger when he overheard me - on the first day -mention to DH that the balcony only had regular chairs. I wasn't complaining just making the observation. We had not been sure what to expect. OS and GS had lounger. Regular balcony cabins had regular chairs. But this was first JS. I would never have even thought of requesting something special. Yet there it was the next morning.

Just not sure what else I could possibly want from a cabin attendant......

Anyone who wants to pre-tip should certainly do so. I just don't think it is fair to the hard working, wonderful cabin attendants that we have had to suggest that they are not giving "notched up" service to all their passengers. Because the ones we have come in contact with certainly have. :)

[Happy ks]

[quote name='honeywell']That is why I don't even feel comfortable with the whole "pre-paid gratuity" concept. Not to say it is wrong, or you should or shouldn't do it - it just feels unnatural to me.

I tip well at the end of my cruise, over and above the recommended amount if warranted, tip others who aren't even "on the list" like Adventure Ocean staff - but feel funny doing so ahead of the service rendered.

For my cabin steward and others who do a great job I will find out their port "day off" and give them some $$$ to spend on themselves, buy lunch or have a drink. I always tip for special requests at the time of service. But just "slipping them a tip" when I meet them is strange to me. But that is just me.[/quote]


We pre-pay the gratuities because we know we will tip at least the minimum, if we don't receive good service we will report it and have it fixed, not come home and complain about it later.

Having worked in a job where I received tips and having worked in the hospitality industry in the past, I will tell you that a reduced or no tip at all does not "teach a lesson" that most people think it does. The inferior server/steward will only think the customer was cheap.

We prefer to pay as much of the cost of the cruise in advance, it's that simple for us. The servers/cabin stewards don't know how you're paying the tips, they won't know until the last night when you give them the envelope.

I feel we're lucky that most of the time we've been happy enough to give a little extra along with the coupon at the end of the cruise.

I will add that the job I did where I received tips from most people (hair styling), I felt like it was a bribery to be tipped in advance. Even though I knew my customers well, when they handed me cash up front, it would make me feel like maybe I hadn't done the best job I could the last time. The only time I didn't feel this way was when a parent would send in their kid with a check.