Gratuities

Obviously, I don't know your drinking habits, but if you are in a bar, you may want to tip the server a little for bringing the drink (despite the fact that grat. are added to the bill you will sign). A small tip (a dollar?) will go a ways toward insuring better service.

A relatively small tip (not a dollar, obviously) to the room steward on the last night does say thank you; he/she is aware that he will get a larger share of the in-place grat. than someone behind the scenes. As someone else said, add a thank you note to make it a bit more special--and above all, remember his/her name and praise the person in the survey you will be sent by email on the day you disembark. Those surveys are incredibly important to the staff's jobs.

After listening to the useful advice I will probably be leaving it on both rooms. So my next question is would you tip each day, I'm thinking you will have a lot of interaction with your room attendant so would you tip him/her extra each day, at the end?

If we want to tip extra, we tip at the end of the cruise. The stateroom attendant will leave you an envelope for extra tips. If you need more envelopes, go to Guest Services.

As has been pointed out previously on other tipping threads and the information is also available elsewhere on the internet what you are wanted to do won't work. If you remove the autogratuties from the room then that room is flagged to staff. Any tip staff receive from that room has to be put into the general pot anyway. They are not allowed to keep it. Of course some staff may try to bypass that and keep the money. However given they are all onboard living in the same area that wouldn't be a move to make for a pleasant stay on board as they only people they would be cheating are the fellow staff members.

A cabin however which has fully paid the tips can freely tip any member of staff over and above which they are allowed to keep.

Thanks, that's really useful

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After listening to the useful advice I will probably be leaving it on both rooms. So my next question is would you tip each day, I'm thinking you will have a lot of interaction with your room attendant so would you tip him/her extra each day, at the end?

 

 

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At the end. Final night is always a good time.

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Thanks, that's probably what I will do but I'm worried it will be frowned upon if I'm not individually tipping too.

 

 

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I want you to know that you will NOT be frowned upon for not tipping extra. You MIGHT be frowned upon for removing auto-grats because there is a list.

Do not feel compelled to tip above and beyond the auto grats - furthermore - if you feel service in any area is not good - you should discuss it with the manager (ideally it's something that can be remedied before you feel it's a negative) and if needed remove that tip component if you feel it necessary. But that is probably not ideal as he starting position.

We tip any 'extras' at the end of the cruise. We did MTD last time but had the same wait staff all week for our family. For my next cruise - I might give the waitstaff their tip on the 6th night instead of the 7th - I really would have preferred to eat in the WJ that 7th night but felt i needed to go to the dining room to give them their tip and thank you that they definitely deserved. I also take a picture of the names on the table or a picture of them with my kids that has their name tags so I can get it right on the survey. I also ask staff that are really helpful in our other encounters to pose for a photo so I can remember to include a note about them...

Enjoy your trip!

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Ginny10, ignore the negative nancys here. Do what you feel is right for your situation. It is NOT unethical to remove the auto gratuities. RCL allows for it, therefore, there's no reason not to. I, for one, DO remove the auto gratuities. I do it because I want to tip based on the service I receive. It's a free country, do as you like. There are judgmental people on these board that always try to force their beliefs on others.

I tip well when it is deserved, less when it's warranted. On my last sailing, I watched my cabin mate follow suit (removing auto gratuities), but only so she could get out of tipping entirely. That disgusted me. She did it as a way to save money.

I've never noticed our cabin/table being "flagged", and receive lesser quality service, due to the removal of gratuities. However, when I used to leave the auto gratuities on my account, I felt a lack of attention, especially in the dining room. Could have just been coincidence, but it led me to tip as I see fit.

Feel free to remove them and tip cash.

The problem I have with these discussions is that while we debate whether or not the way the cruise lines have employee pay and the gratuities set up is fair or right(and I agree there is room for discussion) it is the reality for those crew member who work so hard for us to have a good time. Right or wrong, it's part of how they are paid. So, I'd leave them on. And tip outside of them if you want to, but don't feel pressured to do so "generously".

After listening to the useful advice I will probably be leaving it on both rooms. So my next question is would you tip each day, I'm thinking you will have a lot of interaction with your room attendant so would you tip him/her extra each day, at the end?

 

 

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No. That is the whole point of auto-gratuity. No need to tip anything extra, especially not everyday. Not to the stateroom attendant or anyone else.

Some do but that is up to them. Most don't IMO.

Different matter if you have special requirements and stateroom attendant or anyone else goes out of their way to fulfil them. Then it is a matter of judgement when you tip and how much.

I sometimes tip the stateroom attendant extra at the end of the cruise but that is my preference. Not an obligation and shouldn't be an expectation if the auto-gratuities have already been paid.

It's no different to eating at a restaurant where a service charge is automatically added. No need to leave an extra tip or feel obliged to.

No. Leave the auto tips in place. If you feel anyone went above and beyond, then give them a bit extra but do not give extra cash to some while shorting others.

This is what I do.

Thanks, that's probably what I will do but I'm worried it will be frowned upon if I'm not individually tipping too.

You will not be. The staff knows you are paying the auto gratuities.

There are a number of threads that seem to indicate the staff also knows who have removed the gratuities.

Think about that. :)

You are under NO obligation to tip more than what is charged to your account daily. Any drink you buy (or package) will have 18% added to the cost...that's ample tip.

Just leave the tips on your rooms, and you're done. There is no need or expectation to tip more.

You are under NO obligation to tip more than what is charged to your account daily. Any drink you buy (or package) will have 18% added to the cost...that's ample tip.

 

Just leave the tips on your rooms, and you're done. There is no need or expectation to tip more.

Fixed.

You are under NO obligation to tip. Any drink you buy (or package) will have 18% added to the cost...that's ample tip.

Reading these threads I'm starting to worry that leaving it at the prepaid grats will look like I'm a cheapskate. For example, I've read several times about tipping bartenders will result in better service. I don't want stronger drinks but I do want timely, polite service. Is that extra dollar per drink expected at this point? I thought the 18%woukd be okay but maybe we should bring a stack of singles?

No. Leave the auto tips in place. If you feel anyone went above and beyond, then give them a bit extra but do not give extra cash to some while shorting others.

Very much agree.

In an ideal world I would leave the gratuities on both rooms and tip individuals generously however that's not a financial option for us.

As long as you leave the auto gratuity in place there is no need to tip additional. Many on staff you don't normally tip depend on these. Please consider the auto-gratuity as a "resort fee" or "service charge" and consider it to be part of the cost of cruising...just like port fees and taxes. Then, don't give it another thought!

If you remove the tips from one room, but leave them on the other, you're giving reduced tips up front, so using the tips from the room you removed to tip in cash isn't tipping "above," what is customary, but is just bringing you back to where you started. I understand if you can't afford to go above and beyond, but then just leave the auto tips in place. That ensures everybody gets what is customary and nobody gets short changed.

^^^ This.

Reading these threads I'm starting to worry that leaving it at the prepaid grats will look like I'm a cheapskate. For example, I've read several times about tipping bartenders will result in better service. I don't want stronger drinks but I do want timely, polite service. Is that extra dollar per drink expected at this point? I thought the 18%woukd be okay but maybe we should bring a stack of singles?

I don't believe there is a need to tip extra. Some do and of course it is up to them. IMO there is no need, not required or expected.

The system works. Everyone who should be tipped receives their tips. Leave it in place.

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Reading these threads I'm starting to worry that leaving it at the prepaid grats will look like I'm a cheapskate. For example, I've read several times about tipping bartenders will result in better service. I don't want stronger drinks but I do want timely, polite service. Is that extra dollar per drink expected at this point? I thought the 18%woukd be okay but maybe we should bring a stack of singles?

It definitely is not expected. We do it just because it isn't expected, and that makes us a little more memorable. Generally, we pick a favorite bar and arrive about the same time each evening (sometimes Diamond Club, sometimes not). A few tips on the first nights generally results in our table already being set for us, and our usual drinks being delivered as soon as we arrive. We like it that way, and that's why we tip early on.

When we're frequenting the Diamond Club, it does seem important to tip. Since there is no charge for the drinks, there is no grat. included. The servers there work hard to please, and tipping seems important to us.

But it definitely is not expected, and it is personal preference. As others have said, in the regular bars, 18 1/2% is already included.

Reading these threads I'm starting to worry that leaving it at the prepaid grats will look like I'm a cheapskate. For example, I've read several times about tipping bartenders will result in better service. I don't want stronger drinks but I do want timely, polite service. Is that extra dollar per drink expected at this point? I thought the 18%woukd be okay but maybe we should bring a stack of singles?

You definitely do not have to tip more. That being said - on our last cruise, I did have a stack of singles (we needed small bills for other things like tipping porters etc) and I often kept some with me. If I felt I got great service at the bar - I definitely used one. If it was just okay service, the auto grat 18% was all they got.

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I know, I have debated whether I should ask this question as I have read other threads re gratuities and I have seen how they can end up. Sorry forget I asked

 

 

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You're just caught up in a ongoing discussion that has a history of cheapskates who toy with and look for ways to skip out on the tips. Not your fault at all. There are a couple ways I look at this topic. 1. The auto tip mechanism does insure people behind the scenes get a part of the teams tip. 2. I give extra to who I want to recognize. Additionally mentioning them on a comment card is Huge for them. Money is great, but positive feedback leads to advancement. Have a great trip!

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Hi, we have a cruise booked next year for myself, my husband and 4 children. We would like to tip individuals but obviously don't want the staff that are more behind the scenes to miss out. My question is do you think it would be acceptable to remove the gratuities on one room and use this to tip individuals and leave the gratuities on the other room?

 

 

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I'm typing this before i have read the current comments on this thread. I'm just letting you know that i'm going to enjoy reading the high emotions that accompany any 'Tipping' thread.

Here i go, wish me luck....

Reading these threads I'm starting to worry that leaving it at the prepaid grats will look like I'm a cheapskate. For example, I've read several times about tipping bartenders will result in better service. I don't want stronger drinks but I do want timely, polite service. Is that extra dollar per drink expected at this point? I thought the 18%woukd be okay but maybe we should bring a stack of singles?

Last cruise, I tipped the pool bar staff extra because they gave great service, not to get them to do so.

You don't need to tip extra. Unless YOU want to.

The cheapskates are those that remove the auto gratuities to save money for THEM.