Should Solo Cruisers Tip Extra?

Sorry if this has been discussed before - i looked but could not find it if it had.

Should solo cruisers tip extra? Case in point: I'm taking the 32-day San Diego to Rome cruise in February 2009. With two persons in the stateroom, all those on the receiving end of the $10 per day gratuity charge would split $640 (unadjusted). But since I'm going solo (my first time!), if I don't increase the automatic $10 per day, they will only receive $320 at trip's end.

Yes, I know some will say they have less work to do for only one person rather than for two, but only to a point. For example, while the room steward will only have to change/make one bed per day, he/she will still have to clean/straighten up the bathroom, cabin, and balcony (and, believe me, I can be every bit as messy as two people;), water/replace the fresh flowers, make towel animals (how I love those towel animals:D), and, of course, put out mints (okay, that last one was supposed to be a joke).

So, do any of you solo cruisers have any thoughts on this? Appreciate hearing from you.

Happy cruising!

I realize that I am not directly addressing the point you made, but having already paid 50% - 100% MORE as the result of traveling solo, I would NOT feel obliged to pay additional tips (although I usually do leave something in addition to the "automatic" amounts).

First of all, what a phenomenal opportunity to take what will no doubt be a great cruise. Oh the things you will see and the people you will meet! How exciting!

I agree with MTWINGCPA. While I do already pay quite a bit in supplement, I do not feel obliged but I will tip extra when appropriate. My last room steward was great and I tipped accordingly. On my March cruise, the steward was only so-so and got the standard tip. The Pool Bar bartenders on AOS went above and beyond the call...always treating me like a rock star. Needless to say, they were duly taken care of.

Hope that helps...

I agree with you both. I rely on my feelings toward my Room Steward/ess when it comes time to tip them. 99% of the time, I feel as if I have been very well taken care of by the staff & want to tip them significant additional amounts. If I never see them, have to write them notes to get supplies replenished (soap, shampoo, etc), or have to constantly ask for the basics, I don't tip additional amounts. BTW, I am a sucker for a steward/ess who leaves me 2 chocolates each evening. :)

I double tip for the reason you state--I don't want the room steward to get less than he or she would had the cabin been full. Plus I'll tip extra for good service (just like a couple would). I think its about as much work to clean a cabin with 1 person in it as it would for two people (its the same number of floors, showers, sinks, and beds to clean/make up).

Some lines up the daily tip by $1 per day for solos. The only one you need to include in any extra tip is the room steward, as a solo doesn't impact the number of passengers a waiter serves. I don't feel it's fair to the hard working room stewards to miss out on one full tip, because I choose to sail solo. And it's also not the room steward's fault that the cruise line charges a single supplement, so why take it out on him/her?

Hi, 32 days?....I am NOT jealous;) :)

Sounds like a simply fantastic cruise:D

As for the tipping question....I don't tip for 2 but I do

tip more the suggested amount.... and depending on

the circumstance I also tip folks who are not

on "the list". Example, I usually hang out at the Martini

Bar quite often and usually that Bartender takes good care

of me throughout the cruise so at the end I take care

of him too.

Tipping is such a personal thing.

Hope you have a WONDERFUL 32 days:)

It depends on the steward. If I get great service, I usually double up. If the service is so-so, which only happened to me once, I will usually just stick to the auto tip. On the Tahitian Princess, for example, my room steward was outstanding and totally deserved the extra tip. One day, he even cleaned my running shoes which were covered with mud after a shore excursion. I was in the cheapest cabin, but the service was first class. If the OP can afford it and the service is excellent, I say tip double. If not, tip according to the service you get. I do agree that with solos, the steward still does the same work as for a double.

I don't feel it's fair to the hard working room stewards to miss out on one full tip, because I choose to sail solo. And it's also not the room steward's fault that the cruise line charges a single supplement, so why take it out on him/her?

I understand your point, but I don't see that anything is being "taken out" on anyone. The situation simply is as it is. I can't compensate for all of the perceived unfairnesses of the world, and heaven knows I've been on the RECEIVING end of my share. :-)

The only one you need to include in any extra tip is the room steward, as a solo doesn't impact the number of passengers a waiter serves.

I prefer non-traditional dining and I always insist on a table to myself. So it might, in fact, cut down on the number of people the waiter can serve that evening. If they seat me at a 4-top, do I owe a tip for 4 ??? I think not! :-)

That said, I actually don't know how the auto-tip money gets allocated to the waiters in non-traditional dining.

Hi,:) I guess I did not read some of the replies as carefully

as I should have.....I never auto tip.

I bring greenbacks with me AND Thank You cards from home.

I put the money inside the card and on the last evening

hand each one out personally. That is just how I have

always done it.

Darcie, you tip for 2 even when you are sailing solo?

This is the first time I can recall in forever where we

differ on a topic;)

I do take care of the folks who take care me though....

just want to be clear:D

Thank you all so very much for your replies. You each make good points.

Yes, for whatever reason, my basic cruise fare (meaning before port costs, taxes, fuel surcharges, etc.) was slightly MORE than double the single fare price (based on double occupancy). Go figure.

And I was surprised to read that some cruise lines increase the daily gratuity amount for solo cruisers. If this applies in my case, I hope I'm duly informed of this before we sail. (Not that I think the staff isn't deserving, I just don't like 'hidden' charges.)

Which made me ponder something else: Does a given cruise line therefore REDUCE the automatic $10/person/day charge when there are three or four in a cabin? :confused:

It's really interesting - and beneicial, too - to hear others' experiences and feelings on this. Thanks again for responding.

Happy cruising!

To Lois R who said, "I usually hang out at the Martini Bar . . ."

Something tells me we could become fast friends . . . ;)

I have never even thought about double tipping until I read this thread. I left the auto tip on and gave extra to those that did an extra special job. Like the bartender who knew after day one what I was drinking and was pouring as soon as I sat down.

I am in the Martini Bar every night befor dinner:D :)

Meet me there:D

As for the cruiseline putting double tips on the account?

Hmmm......the first time they do that to me, Guest Relations

will be seeing me front and center.

As I replied earlier, I don't do the auto thing....cash

is my preference when it comes to tipping and those who

receive it from me seem quite pleased as well:)

I am in the Martini Bar every night befor dinner:D :)

Meet me there:D

 

As for the cruiseline putting double tips on the account?

Hmmm......the first time they do that to me, Guest Relations

will be seeing me front and center.

 

As I replied earlier, I don't do the auto thing....cash

is my preference when it comes to tipping and those who

receive it from me seem quite pleased as well:)

Unfortunately, I cannot do martinis anymore. But I do spend a good amount of time in the wine bar. Thank goodness I can still have my champagne. I am always most appreciative of a bartender who doesn't ignore me because I'm solo.

Which made me ponder something else: Does a given cruise line therefore REDUCE the automatic $10/person/day charge when there are three or four in a cabin?

In the situations I've seen, the auto tip is PER PASSENGER, sometimes with a reduced rate for children. So, any given room steward has a random chance of having more than two people in his cabins. Seems like this would even out over time, given that the actual effort to clean the cabins probably doesn't vary much.

But, are we sure that the auto tips are allocated to the steward based on the ACTUAL NUMBER of people in his cabins? And not simply a preset allocation of the total pool based on the number of cabins he is responsible for? Plus or minus any additional tips specifically charged for him through the purser's desk? (I assume that cash tips on non-US ships are simply "pocketed" regardless of stated policy.)

Unfortunately, I cannot do martinis anymore. But I do spend a good amount of time in the wine bar. Thank goodness I can still have my champagne. I am always most appreciative of a bartender who doesn't ignore me because I'm solo.

Hi:) first, the Martinis I drink are actually "Cocktails";)

different flavors that are delicious. The Purist will tell you

what I am drinking is not a "True Martini". That is just

fine by me. Call it whatever you want...its soooo good:D

And 2nd, I have never had a ship bartender ignore me because

I am solo:eek: ....they end up knowing me quite well as the cruise

goes along.:D

Hi,:)

Darcie, you tip for 2 even when you are sailing solo?

This is the first time I can recall in forever where we

differ on a topic;)

I do take care of the folks who take care me though....

just want to be clear:D

Lois, I don't always tip double, and certainly not for waiters/assistant waiters and all that. What I sometimes do is tip 150%, which is the regular tip and then 50% of that. And like you, I do not auto tip. I like giving the cash in a card, just as you.

Hi Darcie:) you were talking about cabin attendants....I still

leave them more than what would be for 1 person but I don't

choose to give them a total that would cover 2 people.

I know it is not their fault I am sailing solo but I don't feel compelled

to compensate them for someone else if you want to look at that

way.

I give what would be my normal amount and add some extra on top

of that...but that amount is not double.

I leave 4 weeks from today:) and sail 4 weeks from tomorrow:D

Lois, I don't always tip double, and certainly not for waiters/assistant waiters and all that. What I sometimes do is tip 150%, which is the regular tip and then 50% of that. And like you, I do not auto tip. I like giving the cash in a card, just as you.

I'm a new cruiser (only 3 under my belt) since retiring and new to these boards but I read the posts by you two with great interest and can't tell you how helpful they have been. :D :) I'm cruising again in January of 2009 and have never done auto-tip, because I loved Lois's idea about the thankyou cards and wanted to be sure everyone personally got their tip. But I've been reading on some threads that the staff must turn over all their tips to a central place and they are then divided among them all. :( Someone suggested that you should do the autotip because anything extra you give them in cash, they can keep. Have you heard anything about this, is there any truth to it?

I travel solo also and just want to be sure that those who treat me extra special get to keep everything I tip them. I've also never been treated poorly as a solo, if anything, like Lois, the bartender becomes a "special friend". ;) :D At your suggestion Lois, I had my first (of many) Hypnotique (sp?) a year ago on my Alaskan cruise. Yummy!!!! ;)

I'm a new cruiser (only 3 under my belt) since retiring and new to these boards but I read the posts by you two with great interest and can't tell you how helpful they have been. :D :) I'm cruising again in January of 2009 and have never done auto-tip, because I loved Lois's idea about the thankyou cards and wanted to be sure everyone personally got their tip. But I've been reading on some threads that the staff must turn over all their tips to a central place and they are then divided among them all. :( Someone suggested that you should do the autotip because anything extra you give them in cash, they can keep. Have you heard anything about this, is there any truth to it?

 

I travel solo also and just want to be sure that those who treat me extra special get to keep everything I tip them. I've also never been treated poorly as a solo, if anything, like Lois, the bartender becomes a "special friend". ;) :D At your suggestion Lois, I had my first (of many) Hypnotique (sp?) a year ago on my Alaskan cruise. Yummy!!!! ;)

Ohhhh... I have not had a Hypnotiq in a LONG TIME....next

cruise is 4 weeks from tomorrow...I will be having one then!

As for the pooling of tips...I believe each cruiseline has

their own way of doing things. But then again, I don't know

for sure.

I am going to ask your specific question this coming cruise as well.

(About the pooling etc.)....I asked this a long time ago and was

told, no they are not.... all my cruises except 2

have been on Celebrity so that is the only line I can give

you the answer I was given about...

Maybe someone else can chime in on Royal, Hal, Carnvial, NCL, Princess,

and those who sail the luxury lines too...Seabourn, Crystal,

Regent, etc...

Thanks so much, Lois. I've only cruised on Celebrity so far (love them) so maybe I read that info on another cruise board. I hope so. Thanks for asking the question and enjoy your upcoming cruise!

Sue

Hi Sue, I've asked specifically on RCCI, Celebrity, Princess and Crystal if they pool their tips and the answer was, No. They get to keep every dollar of the tips they receive.

Lois, where on your going on your upcoming cruise and on what ship???

Hi Darcie:)

I am going back on my favorite ship (Mercury) and will be

going to Alaska:D

Flying to Seattle a day early and taking Amtrak up to

Vancouver the next morning.

This will be my 2nd Alaskan cruise and I cannot wait:)

It was a very good price since it is the last cruise of the season

for her....Vancouver south back down to Seattle;) Its an

8 night cruise.

Not sure if you remember but 2 years ago in May 2006

there was a major story about the Captain of Mercury

at the time. On my particular cruise, the Captain failed

the breath test:eek: and was dismissed before we sailed.

From everything that happened in the end, the test

was overturned but he still was dismissed. Its like a pilot

having a drink on the day he flies.......You just CANNOT

do it...PERIOD.

Oh wow, Lois. I do remember that incident, but I didn't realize you were on the ship at that time. Did they actually pull the captain off the ship? Who took over?