New to cruising & need help about gratuities

I am planning our first cruise, and would like to know if setting your gratuities to zero at the front desk so we can tip personally would upset anyone.

We have heard that cruise lines don't pay the crew all of the auto-gratuities, and we wish to reward good service ourselves.

Are we wrong? is it not the done thing? any help would be fantastic.:

I am planning our first cruise, and would like to know if setting your gratuities to zero at the front desk so we can tip personally would upset anyone.

We have heard that cruise lines don't pay the crew all of the auto-gratuities, and we wish to reward good service ourselves.

Are we wrong? is it not the done thing? any help would be fantastic.:

It depends a lot on what cruise line you're talking about.

For example, on Holland America, if you remove the Hotel Service Charge (what gratuities are called there), any cash tip you hand over to anyone normally receiving their tips via the HSC has to turn in those cash tips. If it's determined that you removed the HSC, then that cash gets put into the pool to be divided (by percentages) among all people who are supposed to be tipped via the HSC. The HSC pool encompasses behind the scenes personnel (laundry for example) as well as the "normal" dining servers & room stewards. If you leave your HSC in place, any cash tips will be returned to those who you've tipped personally to keep.

On Disney, removal of gratuities is entirely up to you, the guest. You can then tip directly to whoever you want.

Generally, removal of auto-gratuities is not the norm, although there are people who do it.

Yes...you're wrong...pay the suggested tips, and you're done...those who have served you will get their due.

The cruise lines are making it easy for you. If someone other than your cabin attendant, waiter, ass't waiter, or head waiter or bartender (those are the folks who are covered by the tips you pay) do something special for you, feel free to hand them a couple of bucks. Otherwise, the tips that are added to your account cover ALL of those you are supposed to tip.

Thanks C B At Sea, these may seem silly questions, but if you have not cruised before you need the advice

Many Thanks

Many Thanks for the info SHMOO HERE, I think I will leave well alone and just pay in advance.

Thanks to all:

Good decision; it's what we always do. Not only is it easier, it's more fair, as some people who do behind the scenes work get a percentage too.

We usually tip our room steward extra at the end of the cruise, unless they are really bad (have never had that happen), but rarely for dining staff as we do Anytime dining and so often don't have the same waiters.

Many Thanks for the info SHMOO HERE, I think I will leave well alone and just pay in advance.

 

Thanks to all:

Good decision.

Many Thanks for the info SHMOO HERE, I think I will leave well alone and just pay in advance.

 

Thanks to all:

As another poster said, many people behind the scenes will be working hard to make sure your cruise is a great experience. Leaving the auto-tips in place with reward them, too!

Thanks to all who replied.

Shame on me for not thinking of all the back-room staff who work so hard.

So many things to think of, I wasn't thinking straight.

I will have many more questions, and hope you will all have patience with me

What a fantastic site, I have already found out so much.

When we started cruising (in 1985!) everyone would get envelops in their cabin to pay tips for your room steward, waiter & bus boy, on the last night. But people would give empty envelops or not show up in the dining room or just not give anyone an envelop with tips.

Ask your waiter how much he gets paid. I have been told by two different waiters last month it is $85 a MONTH!

These guys work 7 days a week, more than 8 hours a day and don't go home for 6-8 months. And, they are always smiling!

Anything you get at a bar- soda or alcohol will have a 15% tip automatically added to your bill. We have given extra cash tips to our room steward, dining room staff and bar waiter. They have more than earned it!

(I get only ice on sea days from the bar, usually the same, smiling bartender. On the last day I give him a tip for the 15% he doesn't get giving me only ice!)

I am planning our first cruise, and would like to know if setting your gratuities to zero at the front desk so we can tip personally would upset anyone.

We have heard that cruise lines don't pay the crew all of the auto-gratuities, and we wish to reward good service ourselves.

Are we wrong? is it not the done thing? any help would be fantastic.:

First time I've seen this. Is this accurate?

Thanks to all who replied.

 

You are located in the UK where tips are included in the price. These gratuities questions usually come from Europe, Australia and New Zealand. In the USA, gratuities are never in the advertised price. They are added to the bill, on cruise ships as a daily fee. You may hand additional envelopes to specific staff if you feel they went beyond regular service.

We have just booked with an Australian company that advertises all tax and gratuities included. :)

You may wish to check with your travel agent to see if they have included your gratuities with your price - sometimes this happens or you might have been required to pre-pay your gratuities. They should be able to tell you for sure.

If not gratuities will be added to your sea pass account daily. These cover all dining facilities and room steward.

Drink tabs (including non-alcoholic) will have a 15 or 18% tip included - look before you sign the tab.

If you plan to use room service it is customary to tip the delivery person $1-$5 depending on the size of the order - they are not included in the automatic gratuities. Also, if you have access to a concierge lounge the bartenders in the lounge serving your "free" drinks are not included - again - your choice - but tipping them a couple of dollars is appreciated. Some people tip the concierge if they do a lot for them - again - your choice.

So much easier to leave the automatic tips in place and if you want to tip extra you can always do so.

Enjoy your cruise.

I am planning our first cruise, and would like to know if setting your gratuities to zero at the front desk so we can tip personally would upset anyone.

We have heard that cruise lines don't pay the crew all of the auto-gratuities, and we wish to reward good service ourselves.

Are we wrong? is it not the done thing? any help would be fantastic.:

You have heard wrong.

The crew is happy with the system.

First time I've seen this. Is this accurate?

I don't believe it is accurate--we'd hear plenty of complaints from the crew if the auto gratuities were not all handed out.

You are located in the UK where tips are included in the price. :)

Not true. Our gratuities have never been included in the price.

You are located in the UK where tips are included in the price.

No! This is wrong. It may be the case with Australian cruises, but if a cruise line adds autotips for US passengers, it charges UK passengers the same rate in exactly the same way. They are not included in the price, they are added to the folio daily.