Newbie tipping question

[willow0325]

We're new to Carnival. What is the process for tips? Are they automatically put on your sail pass or do you get envelopes at the end of the week and you distribute them yourselves? Also what are the current tipping "guideline" amounts? Thanks so much and happy cruising!!

[ready2cruzagain]

We're new to Carnival. What is the process for tips? Are they automatically put on your sail pass or do you get envelopes at the end of the week and you distribute them yourselves? Also what are the current tipping "guideline" amounts? Thanks so much and happy cruising!!

 

You can prepay your gratuities but if you don't then they are placed automatically on your S & S card. Here are the guidelines:

 

Tipping Guidelines $10 per guest, per day automatically charged to onboard account. 15% tip included on beverage orders.

[willow0325]

So the $10 per guest, per day covers everyone who gets tipped?

[ready2cruzagain]

So the $10 per guest, per day covers everyone who gets tipped?

 

A 15% tip is added to your beverage purchases.

 

Some people tip their room stewards, waiters, etc more but that is not required and is a personal choice. So you can tip more than the $10 per day if you get great service.

[willow0325]

If we should choose to tip our room steward or wait staff additionally, do you recommend adding it to our S & S card, or can we pay them directly in cash?

 

Thanks again for your help! :D

[ready2cruzagain]

If we should choose to tip our room steward or wait staff additionally, do you recommend adding it to our S & S card, or can we pay them directly in cash?

 

Thanks again for your help! :D

 

I am not sure that you can add it to the S & S card since your tips on your S & S card are pooled. Maybe someone else knows the answer to that. We have just handed them cash in the past if they went above and beyond.

 

Also, I forgot, if you get room service then it is customary to tip the person delivering the food. Some people say a dollar per item but if you get several items that can add up...we usually tip a couple of dollars but have never ordered very much from room service.

[Tejas57]

We're new to Carnival. What is the process for tips? Are they automatically put on your sail pass or do you get envelopes at the end of the week and you distribute them yourselves? Also what are the current tipping "guideline" amounts? Thanks so much and happy cruising!!

 

the exception to this will be the carnival spirit when it sails from australia next year - no tipping on board for this one.

[JerseyshoreBruce]

Besides the pre-paid gratuities if we get good service we give our room steward 50.00 and our wait staff in the MDR about the same. If i hang by the pool alot and get a really good drink waiter i will tip them 20.00 a few days into the cruise. It paid off in Half Moon Cay where he was waitering on the beach and gave me a few free beers!

[BIG_Steve]

So the $10 per guest, per day covers everyone who gets tipped?

 

Some folks like to tip the Maitre'D. I've never needed any help or made a request of them, so I've never tipped them.

 

Our waitress and steward were great, so we gave them extra the last night. Had to ask the steward for some envelopes, there were none in the room.

[ginnyanne]

the exception to this will be the carnival spirit when it sails from australia next year - no tipping on board for this one.

 

 

Why no tipping on this cruise? What's the scoop on that?

[FlaGrl4Evr]

If we should choose to tip our room steward or wait staff additionally, do you recommend adding it to our S & S card, or can we pay them directly in cash?

 

Thanks again for your help! :D

 

 

We pre-paid our gratituies and then gave a little extra to our waitstaff and room steward and his assistant. We brought a small pack of Thank-You cards from the Dollar Store and then just wrote a "thank-you for making our cruise more enjoyable" type note and put the money inside and then just handed them the card on our last evening. We would also tip the room-service workers each time and gave a little extra to one of our favorite servers in the Casino lounge. I would like to add that we would not have given any extra on top of the pre-paid tips unless we received exceptional service (in which we did.)

 

Have a great cruise. :)

[Tejas57]

Why no tipping on this cruise? What's the scoop on that?

 

 

Australia does not have a tipping culture. we also pay our waitstaff a living wage - award is up to $19 an hour so they don't need tips to survive. this of course doesnot mean this will translate onto the spirit however, i hope it does.

[firefly333]

Australia does not have a tipping culture. we also pay our waitstaff a living wage - award is up to $19 an hour so they don't need tips to survive. this of course doesnot mean this will translate onto the spirit however, i hope it does.

 

So, are you certain tips are included on Carnival spirit.

 

Im a little confused by your answer, just wanting to confirm as I know some who cruise in australia.

[cb at sea]

Some cruiselines simply add the tips to the cruisefare...and don't charge it separately...for cruises originating in certain countries, like Austrailia and the UK....this doesn't happen all the time, but once in a while they will not charge the "gratuities", but you can bet the amount is figured into what the customer pays!

[geckog]

We're new to Carnival. What is the process for tips? Are they automatically put on your sail pass or do you get envelopes at the end of the week and you distribute them yourselves? Also what are the current tipping "guideline" amounts? Thanks so much and happy cruising!!

 

From Carnival FAQ:

 

For your convenience, we automatically charge the gratuities for dining and stateroom staff to your onboard Sail & Sign account.

 

The total amount is $10.00 per guest, per day (our recommended guideline) as follows:

 

$ 3.50 Per Day Stateroom Services

$ 5.50 Per Day Dining Room Services

$ 1.00 Per Day Alternative Services: distributed to other kitchen and hotel service staff

 

We carry singles for tipping porters at the port and Room Service servers. They also hand out envelopes at the end of the cruise for tipping the Maître d’ which is at your discretion.

 

Additional tips are up to you. Hope this helps!

[firefly333]

Some cruiselines simply add the tips to the cruisefare...and don't charge it separately...for cruises originating in certain countries, like Austrailia and the UK....this doesn't happen all the time, but once in a while they will not charge the "gratuities", but you can bet the amount is figured into what the customer pays!

 

I understand they do this once in a while .. but trying to confirm they do this all the time for this ship as Im on a forum with a lot in australia.

 

the other forum the prices include cruisefare and taxes and fees, but tips are usually extra, but sounds possible for this ship maybe its always included.

 

would like to know for sure

[Tejas57]

So, are you certain tips are included on Carnival spirit.

 

Im a little confused by your answer, just wanting to confirm as I know some who cruise in australia.

 

 

yep - 100% sure. confimred on the carnival australia's facebook page

[B and C Blake]

Australia does not have a tipping culture. we also pay our waitstaff a living wage - award is up to $19 an hour so they don't need tips to survive. this of course doesnot mean this will translate onto the spirit however, i hope it does.

 

Cruise lines go by Country of Registry for pay guidelines not Country where ship is home ported at.

 

Just like here in the US .. the crew of ships are paid by the ships Registry Country not our country.

[B and C Blake]

from CCL Australia Site ..... What about tipping?

A:

You are welcome to reward our onboard crew for exceptional service, however, tipping is not required.

[SadieN]

It is also customary to tip the kid's counselors. They are not part of the tipping pool.

[ibcnusoon]

We also tipped the counselors at Circle C. They do an amazing job with the kids!