Tipping: What do other lines do?

[madaroch]

Does anybody know what the current tipping programs are on some of the other lines. This is new to HA, so maybe the other lines have a new policy as well.

What do the other lines charge for bar gratuity?

[Starr Mtn]

Click here: Cruise Tip Calculator http://members.aol.com/CruiseTip/



You might want to check out this link - and you can see the calculations of tips for other cruise lines .......

[Ine]

On Celebrity Lines there is a daily charge (for tips) of US 10.95 per person per day for oa. diningroom, cabinservice etc.

In bars there is a 15% serivcecharge.

[JDee]

On Celebrity, $10.50 per day is the suggested tip. Pax have the option of charging it to their account, but only if they choose to. It is not an automatic charge. The pax must take the initiative to have it charged to shipboard account. Pax can also adjust up/down any automatic charge to the account.

The $10.50 is broken down as follows: Waiter $3.50; Assistant waiter $2.00; Assistant Maitre d' $.75; Stateroom attendant $3.50; and Assistant Chief Housekeeper $.75.

Believe RCI has exactly same system as Celebrity. Most of the other main lines are in the same range of approx $10.00 per person per day. The luxury lines are in a class by themselves...

Of the lines that have auto tipping in bars & lounges, usually 15 percent, and that's not optional. It's added right on the check and you have no choice in the matter.

Happy cruising....

[iluvcruzin]

RCCL has guidlines around $10.00 per day. They do not force auto-tipping (they offer it for convience but you have to request it). They don't require a CC or minimum daily hold like HAL. Carnival is like RCCL.

[Aussie Gal]

We were on the Tahitian Princess in March doing the Tahitian itinerary and Princess is exactly the same as HAL. $10 per day per person. I think they have had this in place for quite awhile as no-one was complaining.

Jennie

[TPKeller]

On Celebrity Lines there is a daily charge (for tips) of US 10.95 per person per day for oa. diningroom, cabinservice etc.

Just FYI,

I've seen it discussed before that European passengers are often charged for their tips at the time of booking/final payment. I believe this is because tipping is not as much of a custom to Europeans as it is for Americans, but I'm not an expert on this.

Theron

[Stevesan]

I like that Celebrity apparently provides the customer with a breakdown. I wish HAL would do the same. Unfortunately, HAL implies that everyone but the captain shares in the tip pool!

[HeatherInFlorida]

As much as I dislike the HAL auto tip, they will break it down for you on request.

I believe Celebrity has it right. They give you the option of tipping on your own or asking to have the automatic tip applied to your shipboard account. They are not heavy handed about it and offer the auto tipping only as a convenience to passengers. This system gives those of us who like to tip individually the ability to do so. It is then, as it should be, an actually "gratuity" and not a service charge as it is with HAL.

[boards]

I wonder if it is possible that both lines are watching to see which method is more readily accepted by us and then they will decide which method they will continue using that will keep everyone (or at least most) happy. Just seems to me that they cannot be doing this to cause this much unhappiness.

[elmorejj]

I believe NCL started having their tips unremovable, ie. they will be added to your bill and you can`t remove or adjust them, not sure of the amount ......jean :cool:

[MyImagination]

Here is the Carnie breakdown on tipping.
http://www.carnival.com/CMS/FAQs/Gratuities_Tips.aspx (http://www.carnival.com/CMS/FAQs/Gratuities_Tips.aspx)

What is the tipping policy onboard?http://www.carnival.com/Images/spacer.gifGuests can pay their shipboard gratuities in one of two ways:

1. Reverse Gratuity Policy - For our guests' convenience, we automatically add the recommended gratuities to the onboard Sail & Sign account on embarkation day.

Guests will have the discretion to adjust these gratuities based upon the level of service received during the cruise. This includes the option to adjust gratuities (up or down) for any individual on the Dining or Housekeeping staff. In order to do so, the guest will need to visit the Information Desk on board.

2. Pre-Paid Gratuity Policy - Gratuities are pre-arranged and paid at the time of booking or any time up to two weeks prior to the sail date.

All guests on each booking must prepay the gratuities, with the exception of children under two. The pre-paid gratuities can not be removed once the booking has been ticketed. The guest will not have the option to adjust the gratuities (up or down) based on the level of service received during the cruise.

The dollar amount of the gratuities will appear in the Miscellaneous Charge field on the booking. The guest copy on the cruise ticket will indicate if gratuities have been paid.

The total amount will be $10 per guest, per day, which breaks down as follows:



$5.50 pp/pd for Dining Team Service (Headwaiter and Waiter)
$1 pp/pd for Bistro Service (Waiter/Cooks)
$3.50 pp/pd for Cabin Services (Cabin Steward)
Tipping the Maitre D' is strictly at guest's discretion, based upon services rendered. For guests who wish to extend this gratuity in cash, an envelope will be available on the last evening of the cruise.

Tipping still applies regardless of the dining options selected, such as eating at the casual dining restaurant or utilizing room service.

Bar Waiters, Deck Stewards and Bell Boys - Certain personnel, as noted above, may be tipped as service is rendered. A 15% gratuity is automatically added to beverage purchases which the guest may adjust appropriate to the service received.

Note: Guests under two years of age are not required to extend gratuities.

[jhannah]

I personally like the auto-tip program. We had experienced it with Princess, so it wasn't a surprise or anything new for us when HAL started it. One thing for sure, it saves having to bring the extra cash along. I like that. And while I understand the more personal nature of directly handing a deserving staff member his/her tip, this procedure makes stiffing the hard-working service personnel take a little more work on the passengers' part. Before, one could just walk off "anonymously" without leaving a tip. Now, one has to "fess up" to the front desk. I am curious to know if this policy has truly had its intended affect.

[Oceanwench]

In February I sailed on RCCL's Enchantment of the Seas.
The way tipping was handled: They set up a table near the dining room on the next-to-last day. If pax wanted to have the "recommended amount" of tips charged to their account, they could go to this table and register and pick up coupons and envelopes.

The coupons were for the various personnel - head water, cabin steward, etc.
Pax could put these coupons in an envelope -- with or without extra cash -- and hand them out.

The recipients knew that if they received an envelope with a coupon, just how much that coupon translated to.
We inlcuded extra $$$ when it was appropriate.

So that way, we had the RCCL recommended amount charged to our account, we personally handed the tips to our waiter, etc., and we were able to add a little extra to those who provided us with outstanding service.

[boards]

We will like the auto-matic tipping policy as well. We haven't as yet cruised with that policy, but its a way of having the tips taken for the most part, care of. Then you can tip extra when you feel its warranted. Less money to have to carry with you.