Gratuities for Dummies - New Cruiser

Ok, so before anybody flames me for opening a new post on this topic, I did check the last one ... it's several pages long and doesn't really address my specific concerns. I've never cruised before (first cruise booked for November this year!) and I'm from a country where tipping is NOT the norm so it all seems a little weird to me and I just need some guidance.

I've been reading a bit on here about 'automatic gratuities'. I think I understand the concept, but the first thing I'd like to know is whether these were included in our fares or whether it's something that gets charged to our onboard 'account' ... ie over and above what we've already paid to travel?

Secondly, if it's charged to our onboard account, how much gets charged and when? Is it a percentage of our fare? Is it a set rate for everybody per day? How is it calculated?

And finally, I've read that some people have these charges 'removed' and elect to tip as they see fit. I'd like to know how one would go about having these charges removed? Is it something that you do online before you travel or do you need to go and see somebody about it once you've boarded?

Thanks in advance to anybody who can give me some answers! :)

 

I've been reading a bit on here about 'automatic gratuities'. I think I understand the concept, but the first thing I'd like to know is whether these were included in our fares or whether it's something that gets charged to our onboard 'account' ... ie over and above what we've already paid to travel?

 

Secondly, if it's charged to our onboard account, how much gets charged and when? Is it a percentage of our fare? Is it a set rate for everybody per day? How is it calculated?

 

And finally, I've read that some people have these charges 'removed' and elect to tip as they see fit. I'd like to know how one would go about having these charges removed? Is it something that you do online before you travel or do you need to go and see somebody about it once you've boarded?

You'd have to check your invoice to see if grats are included - typically so for Aussie bookings.

$13.50 pp per day in regular cabin.

Can be removed at Guest Services on board.

Read some more tipping threads - all answers will be found in those.

Automatic gratuiies will be added to your onboard account in the amount of $13.50 per guest per day. Add $3 per guest per day if you are in a GS or better stateroom. I believe cruises out of Australia have the gratuities incorporated in the basic cruise fare.

And I am guessing from your two other posts that there is a strong possibility that you booked in Australia, so your gratuities are included in the fare you paid.

Anything that you tip beyond that is purely up to your discretion.

Ok, so before anybody flames me for opening a new post on this topic, I did check the last one ... it's several pages long and doesn't really address my specific concerns. I've never cruised before (first cruise booked for November this year!) and I'm from a country where tipping is NOT the norm so it all seems a little weird to me and I just need some guidance.

 

I've been reading a bit on here about 'automatic gratuities'. I think I understand the concept, but the first thing I'd like to know is whether these were included in our fares or whether it's something that gets charged to our onboard 'account' ... ie over and above what we've already paid to travel?

 

Secondly, if it's charged to our onboard account, how much gets charged and when? Is it a percentage of our fare? Is it a set rate for everybody per day? How is it calculated?

 

And finally, I've read that some people have these charges 'removed' and elect to tip as they see fit. I'd like to know how one would go about having these charges removed? Is it something that you do online before you travel or do you need to go and see somebody about it once you've boarded?

 

Thanks in advance to anybody who can give me some answers! :)

You may need to visit or call guest service to have the automatic gratuities removed.

Have a look at your fare breakdown on line, the tips should be shown along with other charges such as Port taxes.

I know there have been changes to Australian bookings, but friends have had the auto tips removed and tipped what they felt appropriate.

Read some more tipping threads - all answers will be found in those.

Thanks for the suggestion, but as I mentioned, I have already been reading the last thread on this topic and it didn't address my specific concerns. Six pages in and 45 minutes later, I figured I'd be better off posting my own questions. :')

And I am guessing from your two other posts that there is a strong possibility that you booked in Australia, so your gratuities are included in the fare you paid.

Yes, I'm travelling from Australia ... nice detective work! ;) Very relieved to hear that these charges were already included in our fare. We had to scrimp and save just to afford this (our first holiday in four years) so the thought that there may have been be an additional amount to include in the budget was a little scary!

Anything that you tip beyond that is purely up to your discretion.

Forgive me for asking, but why would people tip anything beyond that? Do some staff not receive a portion of my pre-paid gratuity?

Some people like to tip above and beyond the auto gratuity. This is a personal choice.

... Forgive me for asking, but why would people tip anything beyond that? Do some staff not receive a portion of my pre-paid gratuity?

Your prepaid gratuity is shared with your stateroom attendant, helpers, and dining staff. The dining staff includes those in the main dining room and the Windjammer buffet, for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Forgive me for asking, but why would people tip anything beyond that?

You'd have to live for a quite a while in US to understand.

All who are supposed to be tipped get a portion of the tips included in your fare. You are under no obligation to tip additionally. No worries!

Even though the cruise ship model is turning more from a "US" model of tipping relative to service performed to a "European" model of "servers are paid to serve" with no significant tipping beyond spare change, I still *enjoy* tipping for what I call beyond necessary service, where you, your name or preferences are remembered (without aid of computer) or just for something simple like a room service delivery. I just bring a stack of USD $1 bills, and most of the time don't spend more than 30 or 40 of them on a weeks cruise, or add $1 to our "included" drink tips or $5 pp to a speciality restaurant check when service was particularly good. We also tend to leave a bit extra for the stateroom attendant as well. Who knows, maybe the possible expectation of a tip could encourage better service?

Now, I will admit during a few recent trips to France it was a bit refreshing to just see your bill at the end of the meal and not have to owe anything more for tax or tip, with servers usually getting the food to you efficiently and little chit-chat about "how is your meal". I don't find most servers on cruises being terribly chatty outside of taking your order, nor do I find most pausing to see if you will hand them or leave a tip. The only difference is that if you have a drink package some servers will hand you a receipt to sign where you can leave a tip, and others don't. I just don't think decreasing the tip at the end of the cruise has much of an effect but perhaps put a few more $$$ back in your pocket. Speak to someone if you want to make a point about service.

If you booked via the Australian Website / Using an Australian Travel Agent your fare paid already includes the gratuities. They cannot be removed at Guest Services I wouldn't have though as they're already paid.

You are not expected to or required to tip anyone else onboard. You can give extra to someone personally if you feel they deserve it though.

Forgive me for asking, but why would people tip anything beyond that? Do some staff not receive a portion of my pre-paid gratuity?

For us it is a server who remembers us and us things without asking. My DW drinks a lot of water and when she gets a coffee he gives her a water without her asking. Or when he tells her they are out of her favorite cookie. Things that show us they remember us.

You've already received good information about tips being charged to your account. Nothing else to say on that subject.

Yes, you can go to guest services and remove your tips, but why? People say that they want to tip directly -- personally, I think some of the people who ask this question are just being cheap and are looking for how to skip tipping. Others say that they want to tip directly to the people who serve them, but reinventing the wheel this way doesn't make any sense. The tips you pay are distributed to the staff who take care of you for breakfast, lunch and dinner -- and also to the cabin stewards. They've "signed on" and have agreed to a system that gives them all a share of the tips that're paid directly -- why would anyone want to disrupt that system, especially since it would mean carrying cash around the ship and forcing the server to carry cash around. It's just easier for everyone if the passenger tips through the existing system and the servers receive their "whole week's tip" at the end of the week.

As for why you might opt to tip "above and beyond", sometimes a crew member will do something really great for you. For example, I remember a couple things that happened when my kids were still small: I remember a couple times my kids asked for peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwiches at lunch, though they weren't on the menu -- and we had a server who went and made those sandwiches for my kids. Another time my daughter was taken by a fit of shyness and wouldn't order her dessert -- our wonderful waiter said, "Don't worry -- I'll bring you the Shy Girl Special." It was a brownie sundae with hot fudge served in a fancy wine glass (again, not on the menu). She lit up when she saw it, and our other three girls all chimed, "We want the Shy Girl Special tomorrow!" And for the rest of the week, that's what they each had. Today at home, one of our kids will say, "Do we have the stuff to make a Shy Girl Special?" This is the kind of thing for which I'll tip "above and beyond".

One more tipping note for a first-time cruiser: The bartenders are not included in your daily tip, so it's "right" to add a tip when they serve you. You don't need to carry cash; rather, you can write in a tip on the receipt that you sign. UNLESS you have the beverage package; if so, you've already tipped when you purchased the package.

 

Yes, you can go to guest services and remove your tips,

 

One more tipping note for a first-time cruiser: The bartenders are not included in your daily tip, so it's "right" to add a tip when they serve you.

It's already been established that the OP is from Australia where gratuities are included in their fare and cannot be removed.

There is an 18% gratuity automatically added to every drink so there is no need to tip more on top of that.

Tipping extra is just something you do when you feel the service has been above and beyond what was expected, as has been explained. You don't have to hand out twenties wherever you go, but it is certainly appreciated when you give a little extra to those people who made your vacation a little more special.

Thanks for the suggestion, but as I mentioned, I have already been reading the last thread on this topic and it didn't address my specific concerns. Six pages in and 45 minutes later, I figured I'd be better off posting my own questions. :')

 

 

 

Yes, I'm travelling from Australia ... nice detective work! ;) Very relieved to hear that these charges were already included in our fare. We had to scrimp and save just to afford this (our first holiday in four years) so the thought that there may have been be an additional amount to include in the budget was a little scary!

 

 

 

Forgive me for asking, but why would people tip anything beyond that? Do some staff not receive a portion of my pre-paid gratuity?

Some people go above and beyond. So some of us tip extra a bit.

Last cruise, the pool bar staff was wonderful, so I gave them an extra tip.

Not sure how room service tipping is handled with the Australian included gratuities system. It is usual to tip room service for delivery, as they are not included in the daily billed gratuities on US based cruises.

Not sure how room service tipping is handled with the Australian included gratuities system. It is usual to tip room service for delivery, as they are not included in the daily billed gratuities on US based cruises.

I believe the newly instituted room service charges include gratuity.

Please don't remove the automatic gratuities. It's such a small amount and is spread amount many. If there is someone you wish to reward additionally do so. But you are not requires to. I always give extra to room steward and main dining room staff. $50 each for a 7 day cruise

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Canadian here, and while our attitudes to tipping are a little less generous than Americans', the reality is that in both countries, the wait staff in bars and restaurants are paid as poorly as it is possible for employers to pay them under the law. Why? Because owners expect the employees will be tipped, and staff will accept bad wages in hopes of earning more by being attentive, careful and pleasing.

The cruise ship staff are very poorly paid under international law. Some support entire families on what they earn on board. So please do not remove their gratuities from your bill. That money is buying shoes or dental care for the family back home.

Having said all that, should you tip extra? No, not unless you demand extra. Some people get on a ship and seem to expect the staff to cater to all their whims and desires. If you are going to do that, then yes, pony up some cash because you are adding to a busy person's workload

I will also add, I never went wrong by tipping a buck or two on every bar order, EVEN though there is already a gratuity added on every bar bill. Faster service, possibly a little more generous pour, and a serving of peanuts and dried fruit. Yep. Pick a bar, go there by preference, tip, and receive some consideration.

Unpaid Auto-gratuities reimbursed by the cruise line?

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2539916

Check out this thread. If one does not pay auto gratuities the staff suffers more than I realized.

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uuuggghhhh........

Someone break out the popcorn.

Ok, so before anybody flames me for opening a new post on this topic, I did check the last one ... it's several pages long and doesn't really address my specific concerns. I've never cruised before (first cruise booked for November this year!) and I'm from a country where tipping is NOT the norm so it all seems a little weird to me and I just need some guidance.

 

I've been reading a bit on here about 'automatic gratuities'. I think I understand the concept, but the first thing I'd like to know is whether these were included in our fares or whether it's something that gets charged to our onboard 'account' ... ie over and above what we've already paid to travel?

 

Secondly, if it's charged to our onboard account, how much gets charged and when? Is it a percentage of our fare? Is it a set rate for everybody per day? How is it calculated?

 

And finally, I've read that some people have these charges 'removed' and elect to tip as they see fit. I'd like to know how one would go about having these charges removed? Is it something that you do online before you travel or do you need to go and see somebody about it once you've boarded?

 

Thanks in advance to anybody who can give me some answers! :)

Hi! Great questions, and I'm sure they've already been answered, thanks to our awesome members, but I did want to share Cruise Critic's comprehensive tipping guide in case it's of use to you: https://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=1393. Enjoy your sailing!