Grautuities

for better service should we tip prepaid or at the end of cruise

I have done both ways and always get the same service...very good service. I also bring envelopes and some extra cash to give at the end of the cruise because so far we have receive EXCEPTIONAL service and we like to tip a lil more. Those folks work so hard, are away from their loved ones and treat us like family.

We leave the gratuities on our S&S card. However, we do tip extra to our room steward crew & waitstaff.

I voted pre tipping, only because that it is how we do it. The service is mostly exceptional, either way. Pre tipping does not change the level in my opinion, it is just convenient to do pre cruise.

Off the Elation yesterday. My 16th sailing. Left pre-paids as is. Day before debark gave room steward twenty, assistant ten and bar server ten. Crew fantastic as always. Saw no reason to change what works for me.

We have always paid our gratuities before we leave on our cruise and we have always had great service. We usually tip our room steward and wait staff a little extra on the last night.

I am going on my 1st cruise in April, and I am prepaying my tips, and going to take extra cash for tips if the service warrants it. I think that is the best thing to do!

weshould rememberthatthey arent tips theyarethe crewspay andtheyneedtobepaid

Same service either way in my opinion. I wish they would just make it a part of the cruise fare.

Pre paid but we always give our cabin steward a tip at the beginning of the cruise and the end.

Both

We prepay our gratuities. We also tip each day during the cruise, it seems we get that little extra. We have never had bad service on a Carnival Cruise.

Mick

We have always just prepaid, I consider it just part of the cruise price. We also tip while on board to visible staff that assist us. I have never paid tips afterwards so I wouldn't know if the service is different but we have always had great service IMO.

I also just pay the standard on the sign and sail card, but i just got back from the bank I had them give me $50 in singles and $50 in 5's for the everyday stuff to tip.. I tip a buck everytime i get a drink, or 5 bucks here and there if i have to ask for somthing, extra pillow, room service, great bartender ect. Then at the end of our last cruise we gave our waiters 20 each extra they rocked.. 2 more days!!!!!! leaving in the am for our hotel by the port....

for better service should we tip prepaid or at the end of cruise

There are a actually three choices. Pre paid, auto, or cash.

You should choose what works best for YOU.

Room service 3 or 4 ?

Room staff 3 or 4 A day?

Wait staff no clue

shore excursions 5 ?

taxi 5 ?

luggage every tome someone handles 1 per bag?

I am really just guessing if Im totally off please tell me.Thanks sooooo much!

Room service 3 or 4 ?

Room staff 3 or 4 A day?

Wait staff no clue

shore excursions 5 ?

taxi 5 ?

luggage every tome someone handles 1 per bag?

I am really just guessing if Im totally off please tell me.Thanks sooooo much!

I don't think it matters either way,

The one think I do suggest, is if you are going to have to remove the tips for what ever reason, (and I am not going there on this thread, it is your choice)

I suggest not removing them before the last evening on the ship.

We have had to remove for our own reason in the past, and we will go and do it after dinner on the last night or after the show on the last night.

The reason for this approch is we don't want on "the list" if it actually exists.

On many threads there has been mention of a "list" in the crew area that shows who has removed tips during the cruise. I don't know if you would get worse treatment if you did remove and were on the list, but I did not want to take the chance.

So, pre pay or not, but leave on till the end of the trip.

Since many of the cruise lines now add prepaid gratuities to your on board account, why not just increase the cruise rates accordingly, rather than have the gratuities placed on your account? That way, it would end all of these ongoing threads. The staff members would get their money, and you could still give an additional amount if you wanted to. If it was included as a part of your cruise fare, people wouldn't be able to go to the purser's desk to have it changed or removed.

Tough answer given those two choices. I like the convenience of prepaid gratuities and go that route every time. I do add additional tips to those crew members who provide exceptional or additional services. Usually my cabin steward and one or two of the deck wait staff.

http://luv2cruise.blogspot.com

I voted for prepay, but not because I think it insures better service. I just prefer the convenience. We've always had very good service.

We normally tip our steward extra at the end of the cruise and sometimes our waiters, for extra service. Since we do Anytime dining whenever possible, we often have different waiters each night; we don't tip extra in those circumstances.

Edit to say I hate the envelope system and running around trying to get envelopes to everyone. Besides the inconvenience it makes me feel condescending.

We prepay all our gratitudes. We have never had service so bad that we would want to take back any part of our gratituty. If we feel that the service can improve than we note this on our satisfaction survey.

We just leave the auto tip on then tip extra to those that made our cruise extra special

We just leave the auto tip in place as well.

And at the end of the cruise we tip extra to those whom we felt made our cruise an enjoyable one.

It doesn't matter. If you "pre-pay", they don't get the money in advance...they get it with their next paycheck AFTER the cruise!. Envelopes with cash they get when you hand it to them...but with either method, the cruise is OVER before they get tipped!