automatic tipping..first time on HAL..do they provide envelopes

[wolfatlga]

Greetings...
Since this is our first HAL cruise, I was wondering how you let the staff know we are going the automatic tipping? On our RCCL cruise, there were envelopes in our cabins addressed to the appropriate staff letting them know we had selected that method, and of course you could add extra.

Thanks...
Wolf

[elmorejj]

HAL does not provide this type of envelope although if you wish to tip extra you can get envelopes from the front desk or from the concierge if you are in an S or PS cat. The DR and cabin staff are quite aware who has left the auto tips on their bill...........jean

[Bucky3]

We leave our tips in place on our account, and I take a few "thank you" notes and envelopes with me for whatever extra we give.

[kryos]

I leave the primary tip on the account, and then stop at the front desk before the end of the cruise for a few envelopes. Then I just write a note and pop the cash in the envelope to hand to my room and dining room stewards. For anyone else ... like a favorite bar waiter, etc. ... I just hand them a few bills on the last night of the cruise.

I personally like the convenience of the auto tip, though ... and generally, for "adequate" service, I let that suffice. If service, however, is extraordinary from certain people, it is only then that I sweeten the pot with something extra.

On my last cruise, my room steward was extraordinary ... clearly the best I have ever had. I really appreciated that because I heard a lot of grousing from my tablemates about the sub-standard stewards they had ... so I made sure to really take care of him. I also gave a little something extra to my waiters and to this really nice lady in the Explorations Cafe. Other than that, auto-tip took care of everything.

Blue skies ...

--rita

[RuthC]

Your stewards will be informed of guests who have removed/reduced the service charge, as they must turn in any cash tips given to them. Since they are allowed to keep extra tips if you leave the service charge intact they will have that information without any additional envelopes.
As noted by others, you can obtain envelopes (or bring your own thank you notes) if you wish to write a note/give something extra. Lounge stewards are not part of the auto-tip service charge; there's a 15% charge added to bar bills. You can tip extra to them (if you wish) by using the same method as above.

[Sunshine91]

In 1991 our honeymoon cruise was on a Big Red Boat - 3 or 4 days R/T Port Canaveral - Nassau. The last day our cabin steward leaves some envelopes and a few strips of green duck tape. Well, we figured out what the envelopes were for, so we put in what we hoped was the right amount & then sealed the envelopes with the green tape.

We pass out the envelopes at dinner & leave 1 in the cabin for our steward. We ask our tablemates about their tape, noticing that their envelopes aren't sealed like ours. Those tape strips are to put on our luggage, so that we can find it in the terminal the next morning! We felt like total idiots. Had to go to the front desk to ask for more tape. That was embarrassing. Could you tell that was our 1st cruise?

[bepsf]

In 1991 our honeymoon cruise was on a Big Red Boat - 3 or 4 days R/T Port Canaveral - Nassau. The last day our cabin steward leaves some envelopes and a few strips of green duck tape. Well, we figured out what the envelopes were for, so we put in what we hoped was the right amount & then sealed the envelopes with the green tape.

We pass out the envelopes at dinner & leave 1 in the cabin for our steward. We ask our tablemates about their tape, noticing that their envelopes aren't sealed like ours. Those tape strips are to put on our luggage, so that we can find it in the terminal the next morning! We felt like total idiots. Had to go to the front desk to ask for more tape. That was embarrassing. Could you tell that was our 1st cruise?

Susan--

What a cute story!
But how did you tell your luggage from all the other luggage that had green duct tape on them?
;)

[Krazy Kruizers]

The last full day, in the morning, the crew are notified as to who has had the automatic tips removed. We don't worry about the envelopes. We just give the crew a big hand shake as pass the money over to them that way on the last night of the cruise. That way they can quickly put the money into their pockets. I know that some on this board also write notes - I am not into that.

[thomasale]

I know you put the luggage tags on your tip envelopes secretly hoping that they would come back to you!!! :)