Extra Tipping on Silversea - Is It Routine?

We will be on Silver Spirit for the first time in December. I am aware that "all hotel service gratuities are included..." according to Silversea.

Is it routine to give extra in cash at the end of the cruise to staff such as bartenders, your butler, waiter, or room steward? We always do on mainstream cruise lines but am wondering what the custom is on Silversea.

Thanks for your input.

Of course it's your personal preference on whether or not to tip individuals. There is truly no right or wrong answer but tips are genuinely NOT expected.

What many travelers do, (myself included) is to make a donation to the Crew Fund which will ultimately benefit all the crew including the ones you don't see.

You can do this at the purser's desk.

I second that.

As CASHIPman says, tipping is not expected. However, I just disembarked from the Shadow and received what I considered to be exceptional service from our butler. So I wrote him a thank you note and sealed it in an envelope, along with some cash. I only did this because he went above and beyond what I would have expected to make our trip enjoyable and comfortable. The way that I "tipped" other individuals was by calling them out with compliments in the customer survey at the end of the trip. But generally on Silversea, I find that the best way to show your appreciation is by treating the staff kindly, smiling and saying "thank you."

I hope you have a great time on your first Silversea trip!

As other said tipping is a personal decision.

In the end do what you think makes sense.

I think giving a nice tip to the crew fund is a nice way to thank as many of the crew members as possible including many who work behind the scenes.

Keith

We are strong believers in the crew fund.

Please, leave your mega ship tipping habits at home. If you are compelled to tip, crew fund works best. And mentioning an individual on the comment card can mean more than cash to that person.

Please, leave your mega ship tipping habits at home. If you are compelled to tip, crew fund works best. And mentioning an individual on the comment card can mean more than cash to that person.

Speaking as somebody who is just coming over from a "mega" line I'll say this is a good thread for us Silversea newbies. We've been Holland America cruisers for years and that line has gone from "no tips required", which really didn't mean no tipping, to charging a daily hotel service charge to your on board account. Many, if not most, regulars on HAL tip an additional amount out of hand to those select crew/staff who have made their cruise that little bit better. Better to know up front that tipping really, seriously is not required or expected than to embarrass oneself at the end of the cruise as you watch passengers tip the crew/staff.

For cruises we have very much enjoyed (most of them), we have made a donation to the Crew Fund generally approximating around $25 per day for the voyage.

In addition, we have sometimes left a "Thank You" note with a "CC" to the Butler Manager and Housekeeping Manager for our Butler and Cabin Attendant where the service has been above and beyond and have included cash in the envelope for both. This way they get the cash to enjoy and the cudo's from Management.

On one occasion we did give one restaurant waiter an envelope with a card and some cash because he had been simply exemplary throughout the voyage.

It's not required, nor expected, but I think it's nice to share, where your enjoyment has been enhanced by above average service.

On Silversea, the tipping is always private. I have never seen another passenger give a tip openly. A note in an envelope left in the cabin upon disembarkation is the norm.

CJ

I agree with Conchyjoe, if you do decide to tip a bit extra keep it private. We did tip our butler and steward last Dec. but used an envelope in our suite. We always give to the crew fund since there are so many staff you never see that make the cruise so enjoyable.

For the amazingly exceptional ones, I write a note of thanks. For the normally exceptional ones, they are named on the comment cards.

Throughout the cruise I chat with staff and treat them as I would like to be treated. On one cruise, a staffer wasn't getting ashore (and we'd been at sea for a while) so I asked if she needed me to pick her up anything while ashore. She did and I was able to 'tip' her with that.

As CanadianKate says a good comment on the guest comment cards can mean much more to the crew than an extra tip. If you mention someone's good service specifically it is noted by senior management and this helps in their advancement.

For the amazingly exceptional ones, I write a note of thanks. For the normally exceptional ones, they are named on the comment cards.

 

Throughout the cruise I chat with staff and treat them as I would like to be treated. On one cruise, a staffer wasn't getting ashore (and we'd been at sea for a while) so I asked if she needed me to pick her up anything while ashore. She did and I was able to 'tip' her with that.

How thoughtful of you to do that for her. I'll keep that in mind for future cruises.

For the amazingly exceptional ones, I write a note of thanks. For the normally exceptional ones, they are named on the comment cards.

 

Throughout the cruise I chat with staff and treat them as I would like to be treated. On one cruise, a staffer wasn't getting ashore (and we'd been at sea for a while) so I asked if she needed me to pick her up anything while ashore. She did and I was able to 'tip' her with that.

I agree with all that you have said and this is the approach we take.

Keith

Tip early, Tip often, Tip generously.

I find it a little hard to believe that a comment on a guest comment card would be more important than some extra cash. Why not do both?

I find it a little hard to believe that a comment on a guest comment card would be more important than some extra cash. Why not do both?

I don't think I could possibly disagree more. The cruise fare specifically includes all gratuities. To feel compelled to tip on top of that is like paying the cruise ship for an excursion and then insisting on paying the full rate to the excursion company once ashore as though one were a walk-up customer not connected to a cruise line. For a cruise line that does not include tips in its rates, such as Cunard or Celebrity, tipping is expected, both by the cruisers and the crew, who depend on the tips to supplement their incomes. But when a cruise line specifically sets salaries to cover full compensation, additional tipping is not only unnecessary but could be viewed by some as a bit showy. I've heard the term "ugly American" applied to tourists who leave 20+% tips in foreign restaurants that specifically say service is included. I can see similarities here.

As a fellow cruiser said to me on Whisper "it has taken years to get to this point of NOT tipping"

Why do people wish to spoil this agreement by tipping and thereby cause instability in levels of service and animosity between non tippers and crew.

It has to be one way or the other to have a contented ship. The crew fund is fine, as it is non specific and relatively anonymous.

If the cruise line has stated tipping is included, leave it at that.

Some people seem to have much more money than sense and dare I suggest know the price of everything and the value of nothing.

Please leave it at home!

Unfortunately, I believe it is in the DNA of many Americans to feel guilty unless they tip. Even when it is specifically included. You will never hear a Japanese person or an Australian or even most Europeans ask if they should tip extra. And because on most cruise lines tipping is not included it is hard for many to accept that this is the case here. Drinks are also included in the fare yet we never hear anyone ask if they should pay extra for the drinks. That is why a donation to the crew welfare fund is such a great solution. You reward all the service personnel aboard and do not have to worry about who or how much extra to tip.

It does matter to the crew if they get mentioned. There are rewards for being mentioned often and that often includes a monetary award.

Unfortunately, I believe it is in the DNA of many Americans to feel guilty unless they tip. Even when it is specifically included. You will never hear a Japanese person or an Australian or even most Europeans ask if they should tip extra. And because on most cruise lines tipping is not included it is hard for many to accept that this is the case here. Drinks are also included in the fare yet we never hear anyone ask if they should pay extra for the drinks. That is why a donation to the crew welfare fund is such a great solution. You reward all the service personnel aboard and do not have to worry about who or how much extra to tip.

One of the things that I truly like about crew funds is that it is for everyone. There are so many people who really make the cruise memorable and many we do not have contact with as they work "behind the scenes".

This is a good way to touch everyone for those who would like to do this.

Keith

There are so many people who really make the cruise memorable and many we do not have contact with as they work "behind the scenes".

 

This is a good way to touch everyone for those who would like to do this.

One of my memorable moments on Silversea was passing a crew member in coveralls in the companionway (I'm on deck 4 so see "below deck" crew more often there than on upper decks) and having him address me by name.

Even crew members who have limited contact with the passengers make the effort to learn our names. That's pretty impressive!

Kate, I agree. That is very impressive.

Keith

Keith, I agree with you, itinerary and sea days make a difference. On our Wind cruise through the Norwegian fjords, full with the owner on board, we had no galley lunch, no bridge tour and no other extras. Still had a great time 70f at the North Cape and clear!:)

My bad! Should be on galley lunch thread!:eek: