Tipping "above and beyond"

[Kate-AHF]

I know about HAL's tipping policy - but expected to give something extra to the dining room staff and the room steward at least.

I'd be interested to hear what others have done - and would imagine that it also depends on cruise length.

Just looking for ideas/guidelines...

Kate

[CaptData]

Money and phone cards (long distance). the cards have to be purchased through the ship so that you get the right one.

[Sierrachik]

I know about HAL's tipping policy - but expected to give something extra to the dining room staff and the room steward at least.

I'd be interested to hear what others have done - and would imagine that it also depends on cruise length.

Just looking for ideas/guidelines...

Kate

We tipped our waiter an additional $15 and the assistant $5, our room steward an extra $40. The dining room staff amounts were what others at our table had suggested and we thought it was fair. We really liked our room steward, he was very pleasant and helpful and wanted to show him we appreciated his hard work and the extras he did for us.

[Sierrachik]

Forgot to mention that we tipped the ladies in the concierge in the Neptune Lounge as well, forget what specific amount it was.

[Jackjenson]

I would really like to know what others have done, I am setting aside some cashola to give out for the excellent service that I am expecting next week on the Westerdam!

[sail7seas]

We tipped our cabin steward, dining steward and (two) assistants. We also tipped the section supervisor for our area of the dining room and two bartenders who took care of us each evening. Even though there is the 15% added to the wine stewards checks, we tipped him and each time we went to Pinnacle, we tipped the stewards there.


We also tipped the Concierge in Neptune Lounge.

I cannot remember if there was anyone else DH tipped as I was 'down for the count'. He took care of it all this time.

I was ill our last night and we could not go to dinner. DH ordered room service delivered (it was EXCELLENT) and he specifically went to the dining room in order to tip everyone. Just because I was ill was no reason they should not have 'been thanked'.

[Lisa63]

In addition to leaving the automatic tipping in place, we tipped our waiter, assistant waiter, maitre d', Pinnacle Grill staff, Club HAL counselors, and the Jave Cafe attendant. We gave cash to each, and when we handed them the envelopes, we let them know that this was in addition to the automatic tips.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We always leave the tips in place.

And we always tip extra to our cabin steward, dining room steward, his assistant, wine steward, our concierge(s) - someone we have 2 - and a bunch of others who have taken care of us and made our cruise special.

[Kate-AHF]

Great feedback y'all - thanks!

Good point about the Java Cafe. I expect to be spending some time there.

[RuffinReady]

each time we went to Pinnacle, we tipped the stewards there.[/b]

Based on a previous thread I am curious about the method that you tipped the stewards in the Pinnacle each time you went there.

Ruffin

[RuffinReady]

each time we went to Pinnacle, we tipped the stewards there.vvvv

[sail7seas]

Based on a previous thread I am curious about the method that you tipped the stewards in the Pinnacle each time you went there.

Ruffin


DH signed the check which was delivered for the price of the dinner as well as our wine. The steward had walked away from our table, so DH stood, the steward saw us stand and returned to the table. DH shook his hand and gave him a cash tip. He did the same with the Wine Steward as well as the Maitre d'. We would not always tip the Maitre d'. There are times we do; times we do not.

[ryansmemom]

My husband and I usually tip (over and above the auto-tip) anyone who has, in our opinion called attention to themselves by way of their outstanding service. This is of course, highly subjective. That is why it is so difficult to give anyone more than suggestions on this subject.

A few examples of the type of service I am talking about are:

We tipped two crewmen who welded my wheelchair.
We tipped the cook at the Lido Deck Grill who cooked our cheeseburgers everyday.
We tipped the Concierge.
We tip the steward who delivered our breakfast. He was the same steward each day and he remembered things like our empty coffee pot.
We tip our cabin steward. We are in a suite and that requires extra work.
We tip lounge servers we see repeatedly over the course of our cruise.
We tip Lido staff we see repeatedly over the course of our cruise.
We tip salon and spa staff.


These are just a few examples. We figure, we are on vacation. We are having a great time. These are the people helping us enjoy ourselves. We feel generous and it feels good.

We really don't spend a lot of time thinking about it. As I said, it feels good to be generous. At least, that is the way it feels to us.

Linda

[tankerjo2]

Our cabin steward who provided exceptional and friendly service was rewarded with an additional gratuity. Also a small gratuity after dinner at the Pinnacle.

The real surprise was the cab driver in San Diego who upon receiving a $5 tip for taking us to the airport said "have a merry Christmas and a nice flight home" which were the first kind words or thank you that we heard in at least a dozen or more cab rides during our last 3 visits.

[DaveOKC]

I agree that if you are in a suite tipping the room steward is a good idea. They have alot more work for these cabiins than a normal one. It only seems fair to me.
DaveOKC

[ExpCruiser]

WOW, I am surprised to see all of this discussion on tipping at HAL. We have cruised most lines and ALWAYS tipped generously ... beyond the "guidelines". We had to struggle to tip ANYONE on last year's HAL cruise when there was a "tipping not required" policy. This year with the Above and beyond program, we gave a modest supplement to our cabin steward ... whom we NEVER met. We gave add'l to our wait staff and the tray preparer in the Lido that greeted us each morning. Since it was hard to get a drink, we didn't give anything add'l to the wine steward. Of course, we add bets for the dealers in the casino too. I am distinctly unimpressed with HAL, have any of you cruised with other lines before??

[RuthC]

Of course I tip generously. Not only does the crew deserve a good tip, but I plan to cruise again and want to be remembered fondly! ;)

Last summer's 34-day cruise on the Rotterdam was my only cruise under the new service-charge policy. My table steward and two lounge stewards remembered me from last year, found me before I found them, and they all greeted me warmly. Service was supurb.
I gave extra tips to my regular lounge stewards, cabin and table stewards, and several stewards who helped me in the Lido.


ExpCruiser, just a quick FYI---since I started with HAL in '78 there has never been a "no tipping" policy. It was "no tipping required". There's a difference.
And yes, I have cruised five other lines.

[sail7seas]

It seems you may have been confused when you sailed HAL in the past. Before automatic tipping, the Policy was Tipping Not Required ; it was NOT tipping not allowed. But no matter........as that is no longer the policy.


AS to your question. We have cruised Celebrity about 5-6 six times; Princess about 6 cruises; Carnival once (but that is a long story); and RCI once....that was more than enough for us.

We have cruised HAL well over 40 times.

[sail7seas]

ExpCruiser.....


We, too, are experienced cruisers. RuthC and I were posting at the same time and gave substantially the same message.

[Jackjenson]

For instance, I am interested in exactly how much money to give the excellent cabin steward in addition to our $10 pp per day. Would a $20 handshake at the beginning, of course assuming that he greets us warmly so we would have the opportunity to do it, and another $20 handshake at the end of the cruise be "generous" or would that be too little or way too much.

I know that we all think it is a little declasse to discuss actual numbers, but I am one of the newbies who is constantly amazed by the amount of wonderful information that you experienced HAL cruisers are willing to share, over and over again....you know who you are (Sail, Ruth, Doone, Rev Neal, Lisa, Heather).

I also know that everyone's opinion of "generous" might be different, I am just hoping to see what you guys have sometimes done for the different types of service, so I can make educated decisions on the subject when we get there.

Thanks,

[KAKcruiser]

I just have to counterbalance this. I am extremely happy with HAL and the crew which is why I sail HAL. I really and truly believe that if I tip $10 per day in addition to the cruise fare I pay, it is enough. The $10 automatic gratuity is already for above and beyond.

[sail7seas]

JackJenson....

Speaking only for DH and Me, we have never pre-tipped. I find it insulting to, in effect, bribe a steward into providing good service. I expect good service from our stewards and if, for any reason, we were having some problem receiving it enough that it mattered to me, I would speak with him and then his supervisors before I would pre-tip.
(If we were to run a party in our cabin or ask for some very special service from him, we would tip at the time that service was rendered.)

We tip is at the end of the cruise and it is a thank you for the good service we have received. I find it most tasteful to place whatever sum of cash into an envelope, perhaps write a personal note of thanks and hand it to the appropriate person on the last day/night of the cruise.

Sorry....You are correct. I do not wish to discuss amount. It is so personal. Some would think we are excessively generous and I really don't want to hear critism about giving way too much.....I suppose there may be someone else who would say they give more. It doesn't 'pay' to get into it here.

That is just our 'method'.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Sorry - I forgot - we tip both of our wait staff and the wine steward each time we dine in the Pinnacle.

As to how much we tip extra - that's our own business.

And we do not tip the cabin steward or anyone else at the beginning of the cruise to ensure good service.

[RuthC]

Jen, I don't want to get too specific, but I will try to help a bit.

On my last cruise I gave an additional $10/day total to various people. This included my cabin and table stewards, assistant table steward, various lounge stewards, Lido stewards, and assorted others who would not normally be in my personal tipping "food chain".

I have never pre-tipped (unless you count crew memories of prior cruises;) ). I don't expect to see my cabin steward often, but do like to see him peek out from wherever to check on my comings and goings. If I do see him early in the cruise I smile, chat a bit, and let him know of any special requests. I've never been disappointed.

Hope this helps.

[Jackjenson]

seem to "tip as you go" which is why I asked. The trip reviews are great for those kinds of specifics, too, which is why they are so helpful. Generousity is always in the eye of the beholder, but if there are clearly established norms, I have a tendency to want to adhere to them.

What you are saying is helpful to me in figuring out what will work for us during our upcoming trip on the Westerdam.

By the way, my best friend, who is a very experienced cruiser and booked our cruise for us, told me that making up festive tip envelopes was one of her favorite things to do when preparing for a HAL cruise, and now the auto-tip takes a little of the fun out of it for her because she is more discreet now with her "extra" tips so as not to make others at the dining room table feel badly if they don't tip over the auto-tip.

I don't really think either of the systems is much better than the other, just different.

[jjbko]

Since the cruise lines are not willing to pay the staff a reasonable wage and expect us the passengers to bear this burdon, why not just add $10 per day per person, to the price of the cruise. Then there would not be any more confusion. Or then again do the cruise line fear that this policy would keep the people off the ship that do not tip at all??????