Tipping - cash vs. onboard account

I know a lot of people, including me, tip staff onboard even though we have paid the DSC and the extra 20% for beverage or specialty dining already built in. I am wondering if it makes any difference to the staff if I tip them in cash vs. if I add it to my onboard account. So for example, I buy a drink (I don't have UBP) and I put $1 extra on the bill I sign vs. give them $1 in cash, same with specialty dining, etc. Or when I tip my cabin steward at the end of the trip - I have always given cash before but this upcoming trip I have a lot of OBC so if I have extra at the end I might try to use some for a tip for my cabin steward instead of cash. But if this is problematic for the staff in some way, I would be happy to tip in cash too. Anyone have insight into this? I don't think I've seen it discussed in the usual tipping threads.

I missed the part about you not having the UBP so I deleted my original answer.

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Unless you order over the $15 limit for drinks, it'll probably be hard to tip bartenders. I never saw a receipt and the way they operate you might not even get one if you ask. Not sure about speciality.

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Unless you order over the $15 limit for drinks, it'll probably be hard to tip bartenders. I never saw a receipt and the way they operate you might not even get one if you ask. Not sure about speciality.

 

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That’s only when you have the UBP. Without the package they will need to have you sign a receipt.

To answer the OP, I would always do cash if you have it. That way you know for sure.

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That’s only when you have the UBP. Without the package they will need to have you sign a receipt.

 

To answer the OP, I would always do cash if you have it. That way you know for sure.

 

 

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Well at least the first few sentences say they have it and paid the 20%? Their wording is conflicting to me.

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They appreciate cash for extra tips. My last sailing, 2 weeks Europe, I got to know a couple bartenders pretty good. I asked one day and was told that there’s a certain amount of $ the ship must make. Once that amount is made they get a portion of the extra line tips. The bartenders who told me this said that on the Europe sailings (the Jade) they don’t get much extra. Once they get back to the states they start getting a lot more $ because people are leaving a lot more on the extra line tips and also giving a lot more cash tips. They get to keep every penny of cash tips and they don’t share- the two I spoke with agreed that if I tipped just one they wouldn’t share it with their partner. They don’t share with supervisor either. It’s cash in hand and it’s yours to keep regardless of if you work as a team. It’s not like on land where the server often tips out his crew.

The one thing you can do is to go to guest services and get individual slips for extra tips. Those come off obc and go to staff. Extra, above dsc, tips given this way you can use refundable and non refundable obc. So if you had extra non refundable obc at the end it’s an easy way to get rid of it.

I found it easier just to give the staff who was serving me most often a few bucks here and there or towards the end of cruise instead of each time. This is probably the most common way of giving extra. They don’t expect a tip every time and have been taken care of with the dsc.

I know, and the OP says they have the package. Hence my comment.

 

Well at least the first few sentences say they have it and paid the 20%? Their wording is conflicting to me.

 

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OP specifically stated the DO NOT have the UBP.

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OP specifically stated the DO NOT have the UBP.

 

 

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And I was going off her fist statement that said they had already paid the 20% on beverages that is already built in... which you don't pay upfront unless you have the package. Which was then contradicted several sentences later when they said no beverage package.

 

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I don't have the UBP as stated in my first post. Any time you buy a beverage onboard or purchase food not included in the SDP the bill includes 20% added on as gratuity automatically. I was trying to say I will tip over and above that 20% that is already tacked on. So is cash king, or will my server (or cabin steward, etc.) actually get the money easily if the tip comes from my OBC.

I don't have the UBP as stated in my first post. Any time you buy a beverage onboard or purchase food not included in the SDP the bill includes 20% added on as gratuity automatically. I was trying to say I will tip over and above that 20% that is already tacked on. So is cash king, or will my server (or cabin steward, etc.) actually get the money easily if the tip comes from my OBC.

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They appreciate cash for extra tips. My last sailing, 2 weeks Europe, I got to know a couple bartenders pretty good. I asked one day and was told that there’s a certain amount of $ the ship must make. Once that amount is made they get a portion of the extra line tips. The bartenders who told me this said that on the Europe sailings (the Jade) they don’t get much extra. Once they get back to the states they start getting a lot more $ because people are leaving a lot more on the extra line tips and also giving a lot more cash tips. They get to keep every penny of cash tips and they don’t share- the two I spoke with agreed that if I tipped just one they wouldn’t share it with their partner. They don’t share with supervisor either. It’s cash in hand and it’s yours to keep regardless of if you work as a team. It’s not like on land where the server often tips out his crew.

 

The one thing you can do is to go to guest services and get individual slips for extra tips. Those come off obc and go to staff. Extra, above dsc, tips given this way you can use refundable and non refundable obc. So if you had extra non refundable obc at the end it’s an easy way to get rid of it.

 

I found it easier just to give the staff who was serving me most often a few bucks here and there or towards the end of cruise instead of each time. This is probably the most common way of giving extra. They don’t expect a tip every time and have been taken care of with the dsc.

Thanks, this is very helpful. So it sounds like cash for beverages or dining is best, but if I want to tip a specific person like my cabin steward using OBC with the slip from guest services is fine.

I know a lot of people, including me, tip staff onboard even though we have paid the DSC and the extra 20% for beverage or specialty dining already built in. I am wondering if it makes any difference to the staff if I tip them in cash vs. if I add it to my onboard account. So for example, I buy a drink (I don't have UBP) and I put $1 extra on the bill I sign vs. give them $1 in cash, same with specialty dining, etc. Or when I tip my cabin steward at the end of the trip - I have always given cash before but this upcoming trip I have a lot of OBC so if I have extra at the end I might try to use some for a tip for my cabin steward instead of cash. But if this is problematic for the staff in some way, I would be happy to tip in cash too. Anyone have insight into this? I don't think I've seen it discussed in the usual tipping threads.

I bring $10 bills and give as tips to bartenders and waiters we see on a regular basis. We usually tip every three days and they will remember you and serve you first. We were on a cruise recently where the bartender remembered our first names from a cruise we took two years prior. Bet it was because of the tips.

It's either/or...whoever sells you the drink gets credit for it.

Cash. I have heard from many of the crew that they don't receive the tips that go on the onboard account.

Cash is king, makes the crew real friendly!

Just off the Breakaway on 2/16 and we did the OBC tipping but only our Butler was notified. We gave a card to our favorite server and she told us on the morning of disembarkation that she wasn't showing the money in her account. Turns out - it won't be in there until she gets her pay the end of the month and the concierge didn't bother to mention that to us. So our stateroom steward doesn't know we left him an extra tip because we didn't give him a card. We thought it was a good idea to let them know how much we left so they would know but didn't do it for the stateroom steward - now I feel bad about that. They all work so hard.

Just off the Breakaway on 2/16 and we did the OBC tipping but only our Butler was notified. We gave a card to our favorite server and she told us on the morning of disembarkation that she wasn't showing the money in her account. Turns out - it won't be in there until she gets her pay the end of the month and the concierge didn't bother to mention that to us. So our stateroom steward doesn't know we left him an extra tip because we didn't give him a card. We thought it was a good idea to let them know how much we left so they would know but didn't do it for the stateroom steward - now I feel bad about that. They all work so hard.

I didn’t know that they weren’t given the voucher amount immediately. Hmm. That is disappointing.

Anyone know if there’s a way to confirm they got their just due? We put in vouchers for our room steward and two bartenders.

Tip in cash.

We tip extra for each drink. By mid cruise, the bartenders have items ready before you get to the bar.

I don't have the UBP as stated in my first post. Any time you buy a beverage onboard or purchase food not included in the SDP the bill includes 20% added on as gratuity automatically. I was trying to say I will tip over and above that 20% that is already tacked on. So is cash king, or will my server (or cabin steward, etc.) actually get the money easily if the tip comes from my OBC.

But why are you going over and above 20% is my first question.

I'm curious. For European cruises, do you feel the CM's would prefer Euros or U.S. dollars when tipping in cash?

But why are you going over and above 20% is my first question.

I’m not who you asked but...

Exemplary service deserves exemplary compensation.

IMHO, of course.

I'm curious. For European cruises, do you feel the CM's would prefer Euros or U.S. dollars when tipping in cash?

I’ve seen crew shopping while in port with pounds aus$ us$ yen euro nz$ and others I couldn’t identify, I don’t think it really bothers them what currency it’s in.

I'm curious. For European cruises, do you feel the CM's would prefer Euros or U.S. dollars when tipping in cash?

They are happy with either. I usually do dollar just because Everything on the ship is in usd and it’s easier for me to bring usd/not have to pay to get euro. They’re certainly happy with euro just because it’s cash they can spend right away in port but say it’s the end of season and they’re going back to USA - they would probably prefer usd.

My thought about tipping is if its general services OBO would be ok. For personal services such as Bartenders, Waiters, Caben stewerts and so on I will give cash just so I know its going into their pocket.

Just off the Breakaway on 2/16 and we did the OBC tipping but only our Butler was notified. We gave a card to our favorite server and she told us on the morning of disembarkation that she wasn't showing the money in her account. Turns out - it won't be in there until she gets her pay the end of the month and the concierge didn't bother to mention that to us. So our stateroom steward doesn't know we left him an extra tip because we didn't give him a card. We thought it was a good idea to let them know how much we left so they would know but didn't do it for the stateroom steward - now I feel bad about that. They all work so hard.