Private personal tipping

Through out the years I find it is gratifying to be able to tip individuals personally instead of through the Computer process . I like the personal touch. I sailed on Princess and Celebrity with this in mind and they were happy to accomodate. Does anyone know if this courtesy is still in place?

You might want to look here before you go any further.. LOL

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2314688

Through out the years I find it is gratifying to be able to tip individuals personally instead of through the Computer process . I like the personal touch. I sailed on Princess and Celebrity with this in mind and they were happy to accomodate. Does anyone know if this courtesy is still in place?

You can but tipping just doesn't work in that way so you might be disappointed at how the gratuities are distributed even if you hand each service person an envelope. If you remove your automatic tips, then anyone within the tip pool that receives a directed gratuity from one of their passengers has to put that money back into the pool. Anything above and beyond the recommended tip, they are allowed to keep. Someone on these boards mentioned this is no longer the case and ALL directed gratuities (including overages) go into this pool .... but I don't know if that is true.

It is easier and more fair for all if you leave the automatic gratuities as they are and if you want to give some of the personnel something extra, you can always get an envelope at the front desk and tip accordingly.

Hand out cash to anyone and they will happily take.

Tipping can become such a controversial subject. I don't want the wrath of people on me, but I will share my personal feeling on the subject.

I feel like there is a reason/purpose for the auto tips that are required per person. I always leave them in place. If I find someone has gone above and beyond the call of duty, I tip them separately. I feel like it hurts the process to remove the tips, if that's what you are asking about.

If it is what you are asking about, I believe Princess will allow you to remove them. Though I think they try to discourage it. I'm sure if you experience an issue of concern, and the removal request is due to poor service then they want to address it with the guilty party.

Of course, it's up to you and no one but you and the purser's desk will know. although, I think your cabin steward is also made aware of it.

Thank you for your inputs. I'm happy to hear that this is still possible. I was not aware that the cash tips were pooled, interesting.

Also, if you have Anytime Dining, how will you manage the tips for the wait staff? Would you bring money each night to tip the staff?

Thank you for your inputs. I'm happy to hear that this is still possible. I was not aware that the cash tips were pooled, interesting.

Only if you remove the auto tips are cash tips pooled. (So I was told).

Also have heard of staff putting cash in even when not tipped, because it looks bad for them jf autos are removed and cash not given, and many are desperate for the new contract

Hand out cash to anyone and they will happily take.

Although if the passenger hands out cash to anyone & has removed the auto tip then the crewmember must turn in the cash to be shared with all of the other eligible crewmembers or risk being terminated.

Although if the passenger hands out cash to anyone & has removed the auto tip then the crewmember must turn in the cash to be shared with all of the other eligible crewmembers or risk being terminated.

I asked this question of several members of the crew while on a recent cruise on the Regal, and each one of them independently said that absolutely was not the case. Any cash tips they receive they are allowed to keep whether or not the auto gratuity has been removed, and no, they said they don't risk being terminated if they don't turn it in to be shared. A couple of them looked at me like I was crazy when I told them that I had read that on a cruise forum.

I asked this question of several members of the crew while on a recent cruise on the Regal, and each one of them independently said that absolutely was not the case. Any cash tips they receive they are allowed to keep whether or not the auto gratuity has been removed, and no, they said they don't risk being terminated if they don't turn it in to be shared. A couple of them looked at me like I was crazy when I told them that I had read that on a cruise forum.

Thanks for the update about this change because that was not what staff had said previously.

Hopefully that change is now being implemented fleetwide so the hardworking crew get to keep all cash tips whether a passenger keeps or removes the auto tip.

We were with a couple that removed the auto tips and the last day handed the waiters envelopes. However he did not put his name on the envelope. So I wondered how the waiter would know this was given to him by someone who had removed the auto tip. We also gave the waiter an envelope without a name in addition to the auto tip. He put both in his pocket. So how would he distinguish between the two?

Getting so tired of this subject being rehashed over and over and over.......

If it is true that Princess reads these boards, why wouldn't they want to clear this up once and for all? Why keep it a big secret.

The last thing I want to do is take a chance on not giving these deserving crew members what they deserve after the lengths most of them go to make my vacation as perfect as they can. I always leave the auto tip in place and anyone that consistently goes above and beyond gets extra. I hate to think that extra goes into the pool too.

I asked this question of several members of the crew while on a recent cruise on the Regal, and each one of them independently said that absolutely was not the case. Any cash tips they receive they are allowed to keep whether or not the auto gratuity has been removed, and no, they said they don't risk being terminated if they don't turn it in to be shared. A couple of them looked at me like I was crazy when I told them that I had read that on a cruise forum.

Which departments?

The rules are different for various departments and even within departments.

Room service personnel, although included in the tipping pool, can keep all cash tips.

Specialty restaurant waitstaff, also included in the tipping pool, can keep any cash tips.

Bar personnel can keep can keep any cash tips. Of course the 15% that is added to any beverage tab cannot be removed.

It is cabin stewards and main dining room waitstaff who, in the past at least, could not keep cash tips from passengers who had removed the "auto-tip" from their accounts.

We were with a couple that removed the auto tips and the last day handed the waiters envelopes. However he did not put his name on the envelope. So I wondered how the waiter would know this was given to him by someone who had removed the auto tip. We also gave the waiter an envelope without a name in addition to the auto tip. He put both in his pocket. So how would he distinguish between the two?

Every "extra envelope" I handed to my people now has my name and cabin number on it. I started doing that because most asked me what my cabin number was. I am sure there are a few who don't ask.

But I would guess that if someone that they served removed their auto gratuities, then they would have to turn in all unmarked cash???? I don't know.

I guess my question is truly why remove it - do you want to give less? Because if you want to give more, just give more - or is that you want some sort of gratitude from the crew that they slaved over you all week and now should be bowing down for a few more bucks - seriously I think this comes down to some sort of interpersonal thing about wanting to be seen as overly generous or something - and the old argument that you want to reward those who have been special to you is BS -if this was true give them extra cash -

Thanks for the update about this change because that was not what staff had said previously.

 

There is no change -- at least in dining.

Any cash tips are to be turned in to the head waiter,

who then checks a list to see if the auto tips have been

cancelled, or not.

I guess my question is truly why remove it - do you want to give less? Because if you want to give more, just give more - or is that you want some sort of gratitude from the crew that they slaved over you all week and now should be bowing down for a few more bucks - seriously I think this comes down to some sort of interpersonal thing about wanting to be seen as overly generous or something - and the old argument that you want to reward those who have been special to you is BS -if this was true give them extra cash -

I suspect that most people who remove the autotip do NOT give the full amount in cash tips to the staff. In other words the autotips are usuallu removed so the staff can be stiffed.

I suspect that most people who remove the autotip do NOT give the full amount in cash tips to the staff. In other words the autotips are usuallu removed so the staff can be stiffed.

Agree!

I suspect that most people who remove the autotip do NOT give the full amount in cash tips to the staff. In other words the autotips are usuallu removed so the staff can be stiffed.

You nailed it! :D

I have always tipped for Good Service! And even for less than stellar service, but not as much. When cruising, I carry a stack of $2.00 and $5.00 bills to reward service. After all, don't you enjoy being pampered? :confused: We do! :)

Just Mike

Hmmmm there is a change there isn't a change.

There is no change -- at least in dining.

Any cash tips are to be turned in to the head waiter,

who then checks a list to see if the auto tips have been

cancelled, or not.

And you know this how?

Which departments?

 

The rules are different for various departments and even within departments.

 

Room service personnel, although included in the tipping pool, can keep all cash tips.

 

Specialty restaurant waitstaff, also included in the tipping pool, can keep any cash tips.

 

Bar personnel can keep can keep any cash tips. Of course the 15% that is added to any beverage tab cannot be removed.

 

It is cabin stewards and main dining room waitstaff who, in the past at least, could not keep cash tips from passengers who had removed the "auto-tip" from their accounts.

And how do you know all of this?

There is another dynamic with tip pools. You don't have "one person" serving you most of the time. Anyone who has ever worked for tips knows if he doesn't feed the pool, things can get bad for him very quickly. (and his customers as a result) Like the waiter who discovers he short coffee cups because he stiffed the bus staff....They will take care of who needs taken care of. Any front person wants his back support happy. Any staff member who stiffs the pool doesn't last long.

The bottom line is don't worry about it. ALWAYS leave your autotips in place. They are a part of the cost of the cruise. If you can't afford it don't cruise.

IF for some reason you remove the Autotips do so at the START. There is no reason to screw folks twice.

We have a special needs Grandaughter living with us who occasionally cruises with us. I can promise you anyone who makes her feel normal/special is taken care of above and beyond no matter who they are even with the auto-tips in place.

I asked this question of several members of the crew while on a recent cruise on the Regal, and each one of them independently said that absolutely was not the case. Any cash tips they receive they are allowed to keep whether or not the auto gratuity has been removed, and no, they said they don't risk being terminated if they don't turn it in to be shared. A couple of them looked at me like I was crazy when I told them that I had read that on a cruise forum.

This is also my understanding. We remove auto-tips and we are not ashamed to say so. But we do tip more than our fair share to people who provide good, direct services to us.

We have repeatedly been told by numerous employees, including cabin stewards, pursers' staff and onboard Cust Svc Sups, that the scenario described by Astroflyer and others is not the case for cabin stewards. If you tip your cabin steward individually, they just get less of a share of the auto-tip pool.

Here's how it works with an an easy example: if a cabin steward has 20 cabins, and 5 of his cabins turn off auto-tip, then that cabin steward's share of the pool will be allocated for only the 15 cabins (75%) that remained on auto-tip. He does not have to turn in the cash tips. He gets to keep them and they are not part of the pool in any way, and then he also gets allocated tips based on the number of cabins he serves that remain on auto-tip.

I admittedly do not know how it works for food service personnel, nor do I care. When we get good service, we will tip for it. And more than the allocated daily amount. If we don't, we won't. If the wait staff is not providing good service because they know they'll get tipped anyway, which is sadly increasingly the case, then they don't deserve the tips. Maybe service as a whole would improve if they have to earn the tips.

We're tired of hearing how people who remove auto-tips are cheap or evil. We are neither. We just don't believe in pre-paying for something we may not receive. And, if you're being honest, none of us, or very few of us, would do that shore-side. So why do it at sea? Similarly, we are tired of hearing that removing auto-tips somehow deprives the laundry staff, the janitorial staff, etc. of income. You don't pay for these services when you go to a restaurant, a movie, a hotel or any other place shore-side. I do not feel guilty for these people not receiving money from me. If Princess thinks that the staff deserves more money (and most of them certainly do), then Princess should pay them a better wage and let supply and demand dictate the actual price of the cruise.

Question: for all of you who care so much about everyone on board a ship getting tipped, do you tip generously each and every time you go to Starbucks or Dunkin' Donuts or McDonalds? I truly doubt it. These people are also woefully underpaid, and they don't get food and housing from their employers. Think about it.