Cash tips - how much and to whom?

Curious who you tip and how much?

I tipped the person cleaning our room $5 each day because he made great towel animals that my son loved.

Also tipped drink waitresses and bartenders so they know I'm a tipper and will give me priority service and stronger drinks - usually $1-$2 per drink average.

Dozens of existing threads on tipping . . .and they almost always get shut down due to arguments that arise.

I searched "tips" and came up with threads about cruise tips/advice - not cash tips (although I admit I didn't look through all of the "tips" hits).

I also read an article on here, but it was from 2008 so wondering if that info was still valid.

If you're on a cruise line that adds tips to your account daily or makes you pay in advance...then there is no need to tip additionally. We've never had a problem getting really strong drinks...without pre-tipping! 15% is added to the bar tab.

Nowadays, the major lines add the tip daily to your account...they are getting away from the "cash tip" thing.

Curious who you tip and how much?

 

I tipped the person cleaning our room $5 each day because he made great towel animals that my son loved.

 

 

Also tipped drink waitresses and bartenders so they know I'm a tipper and will give me priority service and stronger drinks - usually $1-$2 per drink average.

All the cruiselines we've been on have auto-gratuities (sometimes called Hotel Service Charge) added to the onboard account. We have tipped additionally for some (room stewards/dining room servers) who were very good.

Most drinks purchased onboard cruise ships also have an auto-gratuity as part of the charge. Never had any issues (servers ignoring us, weak drinks) just tipping that way.

Curious who you tip and how much?

 

I tipped the person cleaning our room $5 each day because he made great towel animals that my son loved.

 

 

Also tipped drink waitresses and bartenders so they know I'm a tipper and will give me priority service and stronger drinks - usually $1-$2 per drink average.

If you leave the auto gratuities in place then your cabin steward will automatically get a share. You can top him extra at the end of the cruise. I think all of the cabin stewards make towel animals for their cabins.

You don't need cash to give extra tips to bartenders and drink waitresses. They already share in an automatic 15% gratuity already added to price of drink, but if you want to give extra you can just write it in on your tab, saving cash.

We give whoever brings our cabin service morning coffee and pastries a couple dollars each time but beside the extra for our cabin steward those are the main cash tips we give.

If you're on a cruise line that adds tips to your account daily or makes you pay in advance...then there is no need to tip additionally. We've never had a problem getting really strong drinks...without pre-tipping! 15% is added to the bar tab.

 

Nowadays, the major lines add the tip daily to your account...they are getting away from the "cash tip" thing.

Many of us tip aside from the automatically charged hotel service charge or tips on our on board accounts. To say 'they are getting away from the "cash tip" thing' is very misleading. We always give our cabin and dining stewards additional cash tips, a favorite bartender, wine steward, room service steward and concierges..... Not required but many continue to provide cash tips.

If I wanted to tip my cabin steward extra, what would a reasonable amount be (HAL, 7 day, not a suite).

If I wanted to tip my waiter and his/her assistant extra because I'm gluten free and that's a pain in the fanny, what would a reasonable amount be?

If I have [eat not at the same time/table every night] so I am a pain in several waiter's fannies, how do I handle it then?

The last time I did this I stuffed the amount of cash Celebrity told me to into little white envelopes. It seemed so much simpler.

Vicki

 

The last time I did this I stuffed the amount of cash Celebrity told me to into little white envelopes. It seemed so much simpler.

 

Vicki

By leaving the automatic service charge in place you are providing what the cruise line tells you to, without having to have cash. That is exactly what you did on Celebrity but without the hassle of having to have cash.

If you want to give extra tips that is entirely up to you and your budget.

We tipped the two room stewards, our two waiters and the young lady who brought us our drinks in the Passport Bar. She was nice. Nobody else had much to do with us.

In their hands. Last night/morning.

We tip when we go out to a restaurant so . . .

Next cruise everyone goes on, throw your room steward $20 or $40 as soon as they introduce themselves, then watch how they bend over backwards the rest of the cruise trying to make you happy. :)

Next cruise everyone goes on, throw your room steward $20 or $40 as soon as they introduce themselves, then watch how they bend over backwards the rest of the cruise trying to make you happy. :)

This is what we do, and it works every time. They know there's more where that came from and work hard to keep it coming. Win-win!

This is what we do, and it works every time. They know there's more where that came from and work hard to keep it coming. Win-win!

We have the same result - and we don't tip up front. We usually leave an envelope the last day though - we've always had excellent service on all of our cruises.

Another thing to do is to fill out a comment card if your cabin steward goes "above and beyond" - it helps them get time off, raises, etc.

My response is geared towards Royal Caribbean as that is the line I cruise most often.

Regular cabin is billed $12 per person per day for gratuities. This covers steward and dining staff (all locations that you eat). That being said, I have often tipped my main dining room waiter extra and also room steward - based on their excellent service.

Also tip room service delivery staff (they are not part of the automatic gratuities of $12 per day). Usually tip $2 to $5 depending on the order.

Also tip concierge lounge/diamond lounge bartenders - the drinks are free, so there is no automatic gratuity.

Many people tip the concierge, based on service rendered.

All of those "extra tips" are very much appreciated. Have never felt it necessary to tip up front - service has always been excellent.

Curious who you tip and how much?

 

I tipped the person cleaning our room $5 each day because he made great towel animals that my son loved.

 

 

Also tipped drink waitresses and bartenders so they know I'm a tipper and will give me priority service and stronger drinks - usually $1-$2 per drink average.

you are not required to tip ANYTHING over and above the daily charge to you account and the automatic 15% added to all bar tabs.

anything over and above should only be for superlative service( and to be quite honest,the last few cruises I have gotten good service, not superlative so no one got any extra).

the people that are not covered by the daily charge, I tip at the end, based on their attitude and service( for us that means the staff in the Concierge lounge on Royal)

My NSHO:if you have to brag about how well you are tipping you are just showing off and aren't actually doing to to reward the staff for their hard work

you are not required to tip ANYTHING over and above the daily charge to you account and the automatic 15% added to all bar tabs.

Actually one is not REQUIRED to even tip the daily charge to your account :)

By leaving the automatic service charge in place you are providing what the cruise line tells you to, without having to have cash.

Actually the cruise line doesn't tell you to tip, they suggest it.:)

We do the auto thing but also tip additional in cash to those who have done extra things for us and/or made our cruise more enjoyable. :)

LuLu

Actually the cruise line doesn't tell you to tip, they suggest it.:)

I was using the words that the post-er I quoted used so I could compare apples to apples.