tipping advice required

On our last cruise we were advised to cancel our daily tips that were added automatically to our account and tip those who gave the good service at the end. Does anyone have any advice for the Ind of the seas for our Feb Cruise

I always leave the daily tips on. In fact I pay for them in advance. However if service is poor (and this has not happened yet) I would request that they be removed. If at the end of the cruise I think staff have gone above and beyond I always giver extra to them directly.

I know on Navigator my friends asked for the Maitre d' to be removed from their pre paid gratuities and it was declined (we were MTD). He was a total waste of time.....

It may depend whether the OP is dining My Time as to whether the prepaid can be removed or not.

It's an American ship, so is geared up to the American tipping mind set, so I'd just go along with- that's how we deal with such ships- pay up front, or daily from your credit card. At least RCI have removed the 15% tip on all drinks, out of Southampton, so that's one less thing to worry about.:rolleyes:

Jo.

If you are doing "My Time Dning" you will have to pay tips up front.

I like to pay my tips at the end of the cruise :D

On our last cruise we were advised to cancel our daily tips that were added automatically to our account and tip those who gave the good service at the end. Does anyone have any advice for the Ind of the seas for our Feb Cruise

Having only sailed Independence this is what I do. When we book we pre pay our tips so most of it is already done. We then wait the whole cruise to see who has gone the extra mile and the tip additionally to that! Last year our extra tips went to our assistant waiter, he was brilliant. My OH is a fussy eater and pretty much every night has the steak and chips, every evening our assistant waiter asked him if it was the same again with a cheeky smile (the head waiter only appeared once a night to ask us if our food was ok). Our cabin attendant got extra tips because he was just amazing. He seemed so serious at first but it was all part of his act and he then was brilliant, he always seemed to be somewhere to wish us a good night or morning, asking us what we were going to be doing....and I had a towel animal every night :D

We also gave additional tips to other members of staff that were not on the tipping list. A few bar tenders and one of the customer relations team who were all brilliant. If you order room service a 1 or 2 dollars is always enough for them, but if you order a big meal then possibly a little extra.

Hope this helps

CK x

Cheers Kitten. Only 15 days to go

Cheers Kitten. Only 15 days to go

That's ok. I'm so excited for you, I have 96 days to go! Still a long way off but excited as anything.

If you run into any problems on board go and see James at customer relations he is brilliant and sorts everything out for you there and then (if he is back on board, I believe he will be). We were owed cruise credit and never got it so we headed (this being our first day) to customer relations and ended up speaking to James, he sorted it out there and then for us. We have had the problem before and it took a good full day before it was sorted. We then saw him for everything, even if he was on the desk and looked lonely we went over for a chat. Really nice guy.

Hope you have a good trip

CK x

On our last cruise we were advised to cancel our daily tips that were added automatically to our account and tip those who gave the good service at the end. Does anyone have any advice for the Ind of the seas for our Feb Cruise

Unless the procedure has changed since we went on IOTS then you won't have to do anything if you want to pay tips personally, otherwise you have to complete a form which authorises the payment of stated tips from your onboard account.

It's an American ship, so is geared up to the American tipping mind set, so I'd just go along with- that's how we deal with such ships- pay up front, or daily from your credit card. At least RCI have removed the 15% tip on all drinks, out of Southampton, so that's one less thing to worry about.:rolleyes:

Jo.

Isn't it just built into the price now?

Isn't it just built into the price now?

Yes on Indie the 15% tip is built into the drinks price. Not a separate line as too many Brits were crossing it out and refusing to pay the tip.....:rolleyes:

I always pay tips up front with my cruise fare too. One less expense on board.

Yes on Indie the 15% tip is built into the drinks price. Not a separate line as too many Brits were crossing it out and refusing to pay the tip.....:rolleyes:

 

I always pay tips up front with my cruise fare too. One less expense on board.

Thanks - didn't even know you could cross that out and remove it.

I have always accepted the 15% even when I have had to wait 20 minutes for someone to serve me in the quiet bar!!

I used to pre-pay, but not any more - I will tip well when the people deserve it (probably above the guidelines) - but if they are a waste of space, then no. Gladly I can count on one hand, these people.

A tip should be just that - a tip - not a service charge.