Removing Automatic Tips

[CruisinManiac]

What me and Hubby do is cut the tips in half to make sure those we don't see (the behind the scenes people) still get tips and then we personally tip the people who have made our cruise extra special! Our waiter, our steward and his assistant,etc :D That way No one gets left out

 

I am not sure that this is a wise practice, either. :confused: How do you know who the other half went to?

[tulsacubfan]

Then it wouldn't be a tip, it would be a charge. The charge should be figured into the price of the cruise. If you want me to tip someone for doing their job, I should have the right to pay the person directly and decide how much it should be. The idea of a forced tip takes away from the original idea of tipping.

 

Couldn't have said it better myself.

[DocF]

Just leave the tips alone. I know you are trying to sugar-coat the fact that your husband wants to be a cheap skate and stiff as much of the staff as he can, but it reflects badly on you and your waiters and stewards if you do remove the autotips.

 

Doc

[papilliontraveler]

Just leave the tips alone. I know you are trying to sugar-coat the fact that your husband wants to be a cheap skate and stiff as much of the staff as he can, but it reflects badly on you and your waiters and stewards if you do remove the autotips.

 

Doc

 

And you know this how?

[Upandadam]

Of course, you're free to go to the purser's desk and have the auto tips removed, but how would you be able to personally tip every single person who gave you service during the week. It goes to a lot more than merely your waiter and room steward.

 

We always leave the auto tips alone and tip additionally if the service warrants.

[superrupe]

I always remove the auto tips. The workers get paid by Carnival to do a job and it should be done properly without tipping. I don't recieve tips for the work I do so why should others. I never tip and don't really care where my name is posted.

 

 

Here we go again....

 

 

Anyways, if tipping extra, how much is customary? I usually tip 15 - 20 % at a restaurant, but over the length of a cruise? $50 for your steward? I understand the amount of tip depends on the quality of service, but how much? Double the standard tips? I'd be curious to find out how much others have tipped, if they are willing to discuss it of course.

[zenful6219]

Please help me understand. Is the OP talking about the Prepaid Gratuities, which are optional when the cruise is booked, or is the 'auto-tip' something else?

[Marysunshine]

Because we want to pay in person, on our last night, like we use to do.

In the old days, your cabin steward would give you envelopes and you were able to hand deliver your gratuity and show your appreciation to the workers and say thank you and shake their hand. It was just a more personal gesture back then.

The service and work that they do is sometimes so overwhelming, I really don't know how they do it every week. I work for a major airline, and the attitudes that some folks have is just horrible. By the end of the day I need Excedrin.:eek: And that's just an 8 hr shift.

So my husband made a comment he don't want the tips to come out automatically. He wants to give it to them hand to hand.

I know exactly how you feel and I agree that it is more special when you hand the tip directly and thank them for their service. I am actually getting irate thinking that there is a list. That is very tacky and I don't think it is something Carnival should do.

[Soleil09]

Why not keep the autp-tip and give a hand-shake and/or a thank you card? The personalization is still there without the staff thinking that you are a jerk. ;)

[Soleil09]

Here we go again....

 

 

Anyways, if tipping extra, how much is customary? I usually tip 15 - 20 % at a restaurant, but over the length of a cruise? $50 for your steward? I understand the amount of tip depends on the quality of service, but how much? Double the standard tips? I'd be curious to find out how much others have tipped, if they are willing to discuss it of course.

 

We've done an additional 20 for stweard and maitre d' for 5 day cruises. Which I think is more than what the stweard gets on auto-tip alone....

[pnjkeith]

Remove and pay in cash if you choose. Your money.

 

Posters here like to brag and berate others about tipping.

[Soleil09]

hmmmmm I dont see signatures. If they have cruised 10 times before they probably know how to remove tips... or you would think they would know.

 

Its the economy I guess. People cant afford to tip $10 a day so they remove tips and ease their guilt by tipping in person what they feel they can. I know Id feel guilty, maybe they dont. .. but some probably cant afford it in this economy.

 

I understand that some ppl are on a tight budget but if one can't afford a $10 tip pp/pd maybe they shouldn't be crusing....

[chickie_mite]

We always put down a cash deposit for our Sign and Sail.

This cruise, my husband decided he wants to tip personally, with envelopes and a hand shake, like in the old days.

If I don't want the tips to come off automatically, do I tell them this when I put the money down or at the end of the cruise? Has anyone had their tips taken off for this reason? Will they question you about it?

Thanks in advance

 

To answer the questions you posed:

 

1) We remove the auto tips from our S&S account.

2) We go down the last day (sometime during the day, before the lines get really long) and ask for the gratuities to be removed (both husband and wife need to be present).

3) They do question if the service was okay, or if the removal is for other reasons.

4) They are not pissy about it.

 

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion about this topic.

[Flynlo]

I understand that some ppl are on a tight budget but if one can't afford a $10 tip pp/pd maybe they shouldn't be crusing....

 

Nice of you to make that decision for them.

[Flynlo]

To answer the questions you posed:

 

1) We remove the auto tips from our S&S account.

2) We go down the last day (sometime during the day, before the lines get really long) and ask for the gratuities to be removed (both husband and wife need to be present).

3) They do question if the service was okay, or if the removal is for other reasons.

4) They are not pissy about it.

 

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion about this topic.

 

 

Sounds reasonable.

[H82seaUgo]

We always put down a cash deposit for our Sign and Sail.

 

This cruise, my husband decided he wants to tip personally, with envelopes and a hand shake, like in the old days.

 

If I don't want the tips to come off automatically, do I tell them this when I put the money down or at the end of the cruise? Has anyone had their tips taken off for this reason? Will they question you about it?

 

Thanks in advance

 

the tips should be for the help, not your husband. your only result of removing the autotip is pulling the help in to find out how they dissatisfied you.

 

adjust if you feel it reflects the service, but you can still shake their hand at the end of your cruise, and thank them. the old days are just that. old.

[HeelFanInVA]

To answer the questions you posed:

 

1) We remove the auto tips from our S&S account.

2) We go down the last day (sometime during the day, before the lines get really long) and ask for the gratuities to be removed (both husband and wife need to be present).

3) They do question if the service was okay, or if the removal is for other reasons.

4) They are not pissy about it.

 

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion about this topic.

 

I'm sure you'll tell me it's none of my business - but then do you follow-up and leave a nice tip for each person who has provided you service for the week.

 

I know each person has their opinion, but I really just don't get the attitude people take towards the auto-tip. And I've yet to see where any of the crew doesn't deserve the money. Seriously, to just remove everything and "claim" to handing a tip directly to them (I'm sure less than you would have provided in the auto-tip).

 

It amazes me that people forget that this is a service industry and therefore people's pay is dependent on tips from patrons. Good alternative would be increase the pay of the crew in these service positions - and just pass on that increased expense to the passengers. Then you can factor into the cost of your vacation all expenses because it's there in your fare.

[Amosmoses33]

I always remove the auto tips. The workers get paid by Carnival to do a job and it should be done properly without tipping. I don't recieve tips for the work I do so why should others. I never tip and don't really care where my name is posted.

Do you tip when you go to a restaurant?

[H82seaUgo]

I always remove the auto tips. The workers get paid by Carnival to do a job and it should be done properly without tipping. I don't recieve tips for the work I do so why should others. I never tip and don't really care where my name is posted.

 

i take it you do not work in the service industry. i also assume you don't eat at service establishments.

 

i hope you also inform them you do not require their services.

[chickie_mite]

I'm sure you'll tell me it's none of my business - but then do you follow-up and leave a nice tip for each person who has provided you service for the week.

 

I know each person has their opinion, but I really just don't get the attitude people take towards the auto-tip. And I've yet to see where any of the crew doesn't deserve the money. Seriously, to just remove everything and "claim" to handing a tip directly to them (I'm sure less than you would have provided in the auto-tip).

 

It amazes me that people forget that this is a service industry and therefore people's pay is dependent on tips from patrons. Good alternative would be increase the pay of the crew in these service positions - and just pass on that increased expense to the passengers. Then you can factor into the cost of your vacation all expenses because it's there in your fare.

 

Please check my previous posts about this topic. :)

 

Here, I was only responding directly to the OP's questions.

 

Happy Sails. :)

[chickie_mite]

the tips should be for the help, not your husband. your only result of removing the autotip is pulling the help in to find out how they dissatisfied you.

 

adjust if you feel it reflects the service, but you can still shake their hand at the end of your cruise, and thank them. the old days are just that. old.

 

Maybe he's just that good. ;)

[CruisinManiac]

We've done an additional 20 for stweard and maitre d' for 5 day cruises. Which I think is more than what the stweard gets on auto-tip alone....

 

That's about what we do. :)

 

Please check my previous posts about this topic. :)

 

Here, I was only responding directly to the OP's questions.

 

Happy Sails. :)

 

Maybe I am crazy, but I cannot find another post in this thread from you about what you did or didn't tip. :confused:

[dan40]

We always put down a cash deposit for our Sign and Sail.

 

This cruise, my husband decided he wants to tip personally, with envelopes and a hand shake, like in the old days.

 

If I don't want the tips to come off automatically, do I tell them this when I put the money down or at the end of the cruise? Has anyone had their tips taken off for this reason? Will they question you about it?

 

Thanks in advance

 

In the "OLD DAYS" ships had a few hundred pax, and room stewards had a dozen rooms to clean. Now ships have thousands of pax and room stewards have many rooms to clean IMMEDIATELY to get ready for the new pax. Same is true for the DR staff. And all the people have to help with the luggage being brought down for offloading and brought up after on-loading. They don't have the time to be smiling and shaking your hand. There is a better more efficient system in place, USE IT.

Also the crew and the cruise line know that if ANYONE removes their auto-tip, there is a 92% chance that they will stiff everybody.

 

I personally, believe that the only reason to remove the auto-tip at the beginning of a cruise is because that person fully intends to not tip no matter how wonderful the service is. If one does not want the auto-tip on their credit card, they may PAY cash on the last evening for the auto-tip. Then they will also know how the service has been throughout the cruise.

[clarallen]

When my wife and I have cruised, we have gone and asked for the auto tip to be removed. We have always paid our tips in cash. The old way had your tips broken down to your room steward, mdr team, and lide personal. If my wife and I ordered and payed for each meal like on land. Breakfast would be 15-20 dollars. Lunch about the same. Dinner would be about 40 to fifty. if you only tipped just the 10% that would round out for tips for the day $9.00; 18.00 at 20% Four you party of 2 your tipping 20.00 for the day on your cruise. your money is going to more people. In the food industry their auto tip is 18%

[davewilliamt]

I like to remove the auto-tips, but I tip a little differently from other posters.

 

I like to give half of what I would normally tip to the room steward/waiter in the dining room on the first night. I then tip the rest on the last night.

I like them to know that I care about them doing well financially, b/c that is why they got out of bed in the morning.

 

Also, I like to give the deck stewards some cash at the beginning of the trip, you may complain all you want about chair hogs, but if you grease the guy who actually is in charge of the operation you should be fine.

Always get a prime seat and never have to worry about someone moving my stuff.