Mandatory Tipping

Just got off the Legend and was wondering if anyone felt the same way as me. I remember years ago before tipping was automatically put on your sail and sign that service in the dining room and the room stewards was soooo much better. Open seating breakfast and lunch was terrible and it wasn't only once or twice. Room stewards were just ok....it use to be fantastic!!!!!

Overall the cruise was relaxing........loved the comedians and the Village Idiots juggling team and DON'T miss Happy Cole he was great. I would rather have tipped him instead of some of the other people who got mandatory tipping. I know some posters will say " You can adjust your tipping at the Pursors Desk........" It would be impossible to adjust my tipping so that my two waiters got the $80.00 per person, because they were the two who deserved the $$$$$$$.

Now remember this is a question don't jump all over me if you disagree......

It would be impossible to adjust my tipping so that my two waiters got the $80.00 per person, because they were the two who deserved the $$$$$$$.

There is *no* "mandatory" tipping on Carnival. Only NCL has stepped out onto that slippery slope. You *always* have the option to adjust the tips in whatever manner you see fit. The only exception to this would be if you had pre-paid the gratuities as part of your final cruise payment.

I didn't know that all the $$$$ could go to one or two people.......i thought it could only be adjusted up or down across the board....good to know

No, it wouldn't.

 

There is *no* "mandatory" tipping on Carnival. Only NCL has stepped out onto that slippery slope. You *always* have the option to adjust the tips in whatever manner you see fit. The only exception to this would be if you had pre-paid the gratuities as part of your final cruise payment.

Question for tef (or anyone else) then... would you then go to the purser, remove your tips completely, and tip in cash to those you thought deserved it?

TIA.

Just got off the Legend and was wondering if anyone felt the same way as me. I remember years ago before tipping was automatically put on your sail and sign that service in the dining room and the room stewards was soooo much better. Room stewards were just ok....it use to be fantastic!!!!!

. Now remember this is a question don't jump all over me if you disagree......

Inforem,

I agree with you totally. Room service and dining service used to be much better before auto tipping. There is a HUGH difference between the service now and when we started cruising in 1990. I admit I have now grown used to the auto tipping and yes its easier to do, but I miss the "old days" when service seemed better.

I guess though when we compare what we pay now to cruise what we paid then (almost the same amount of money)...I can't complain.

Spoilt

Question for tef (or anyone else) then... would you then go to the purser, remove your tips completely, and tip in cash to those you thought deserved it?

 

TIA.

You may if you so choose. I believe they will even provide the envelopes.

Inforem,

I agree with you totally. Room service and dining service used to be much better before auto tipping. There is a HUGH difference between the service now and when we started cruising in 1990. I admit I have now grown used to the auto tipping and yes its easier to do, but I miss the "old days" when service seemed better.

I guess though when we compare what we pay now to cruise what we paid then (almost the same amount of money)...I can't complain.

Spoilt

I have been sailing since 1992...twice a year......and I think it should go back to the old way.....but next time I think I will cancel the " mandatory tipping" and go back to the old way of handing out tips. I think the staff will do better. Especially the people who deserve it.

I agree with you about the service in the open seating breakfast and lunches.

Some of the wait staff just about throw the food at you and at times just ignore your requests. That is the only time I have had bad service on our cruises. I always found room service good and our room stewards have always been OK. Some better then others but our rooms have always been well cared for. We always have had good experiences in the casual dinning buffetts. I do however have a problem with so many people rushing to give extra tips to insure good service. I think that the practice will be expected in the near future and you will have to plan on more cash to get the same service you are getting now. I do however give extra at the end of the cruise if I was well taken care of which has been most of the time.

I have been cruising since the 70's and YES the service was better way, way back. But there were only a few ships compared to today and the ships were much smaller so everything was more personal.

Today, I think auto-tipping has IMPROVED service compared to the early 90's, late 80's. I also think that the huge amount of cheap screws that stiffed the help in those days, caused service to go downhill. Also caused the need for auto-tipping.

With the massive number of huge ships today, service can be hit and miss as hiring and training are more difficult.

I'm pretty demanding and won't tolerate poor service. But once they understand that I only demand proper service, nothing special, we do fine.

When there were only thousands of cruisers per year instead of per week, service was excellent. Prices and choices stunk.

Life is a series of trade-offs.

Dan

Inforem, I don't know why you keep saying "mandatory". It's 'automatic tipping', and is certainly a fair amount - BUT if you choose to remove all of it and tip to whomever you choose, that's your decision (except as Tef said,if you have paid this when you paid for your cruise, which is called pre-tipping).

Mandatory is when someone makes or commands you to do a certain thing. And Carnival certainly isn't doing that.

I have been sailing since 1992...twice a year......and I think it should go back to the old way.....but next time I think I will cancel the " mandatory tipping" and go back to the old way of handing out tips. I think the staff will do better. Especially the people who deserve it.

If you hold out the tip until the end, would your waiter even know that you have? If they don't know, you really wouldn't have accomplished anything.

Seems to me that if you get bad service, you should say something to the "Boss" (no, gentlemen... I don't mean your Wife). If you don't, poor service will continue.

If you get average service, do nothing. Great service, you might tip more.

I have wondered, because when I asked the CD on our last cruise this question, he sort of dodged it, but ...

Passengers are told during the disembarkation talk that if they give cash tips to individuals instead of the automatic tipping, the money is "pooled" and divided amongst the people who served you ... making it less likely that your awesome head waiter got his $75 bucks, and the non-existent room steward still gets a decent tip instead of the fiver you thought he deserved for never checking on your room all week aside from the last day (with his hand out).

Now, when they say that cash tips are pooled, do they mean that they shake down all the crew at the end of the cruise and force them to fork over any cash they may have recieved so it can be redivided?

**DISCLAIMER**

In the interest of preventing outrage, we auto-tipped, and added some to most of our staff, plus we left a dollar on our trays on the Lido deck each time we ate there. We thought that those people deserved a tip for their constant vigilance and for the some times revolting trays they had to take care of.

I do not like the idea of pooled tips, I always tip well when I receive good service. Being a server myself, I certainly do not think that it is fair that a "great" server receives the same amount as a "slacker". Luckly I work at a place that you keep 100% of your tips.

....... plus we left a dollar on our trays on the Lido deck each time we ate there. We thought that those people deserved a tip for their constant vigilance and for the some times revolting trays they had to take care of.

Fern, I've only had snacks/pizza/desserts on Lido, but I have handed the bus person a dollar once in awhile (even though $1 of your auto tips go to Lido Deck personnel daily). They do work hard up there.:)