Tipping

I have a friend that is taking his first cruise. He always insists on tipping. I have tried to explain this might be in bad taste on Silversea. I know for a fact it is on Seabourn where it is really discouraged except for the crew fund which rewards everyone. Do passengers tip individuals on Silversea?

Hmmmmm, any chance this topic has not been covered during the past month?

Tell your friend that no tipping is required and those that do should be made to walk the gangplank. Explain the crew fund to them.

Contrary to 50 Oregon, we always leave a staff tip to butler, and prior to butlers, the stewards. We also realized that leaving an overall crew tip was important and leave nothing less than $500 for 7-9 days and up.

Tips are included on silversea. That is one reason you pay a premium price. The staff are much better compensated that those on lines where tips are not included. No need to tip extra as you have already paid the tip.

Well that's a range $0 to $500. Oh my now I don't know what to do.

And that is because tipping s personal, and in my opinion no one else's business.

I have a friend that is taking his first cruise. He always insists on tipping. I have tried to explain this might be in bad taste on Silversea. I know for a fact it is on Seabourn where it is really discouraged except for the crew fund which rewards everyone. Do passengers tip individuals on Silversea?

If your friend insists on tipping then he shouldn't let the fact that SS claims it is included stop him and he should ignore what everyone else does or says they do. They make some claims that wages are higher but I believe that not to be so. It is entirely his business and no one elses.

I would say that splitting his tipping fund between the crew fund and personal tips in some percentage split of his choosing is the best approach. If I were doing this I'd say a 60/40 split with most going to the fund. Just tell him to recheck first who and what excactly currently they are doing with the fund - with some recent genuine specific examples- on that particular ship as one source some time ago implied it was used by ships management to buy stuff for the crew that really you you might think should be funded by SS out of your fare like furniture for common areas etc. I don't think passengers should give cash intended for staff to SS management to buy furniture with. So check before he contributes. Too few ask but presume. In the same way a sensible person wouldn't give substantial money to a charity without checking first exactly how they are going to spend it, do not presume that cash collected by SS management on behalf of the staff is used in the way he would have liked.

Ask and probe and if you can report back what he did and what he was told to help others decide!

:)

Jeff

Totally agree Jeff,stories of misuse of the 'Crew Fund' abound and are a good reason to abide by SS brochure which clearly states no gratuities required.It is a personal choice but NOT a requirement.

The answer is that there is no one answer to this.

Some don't tip, others do tip, some give to a crew fund, others give to one or more people and/or a crew fund.

If this was my friend I would just say that tipping is not required and leave it at that. If they want to tip that is their business and no one else.

Keith

And that is because tipping s personal, and in my opinion no one else's business.

Totally agree. Nuff said!