Tipping 2

[SuitCaseBears]

I just got back from a Carnival Legend cruise Sept 23-30 and had to go to Guest Services on the last night because I had misplaced my S and S card. I was appalled to hear a young guy (maybe late 20's) explaining to the purser that he wanted to remove all tips pertaining to the room steward's tips because he and his wife had brought their own sheets and towels and made up the bed and cleaned, etc.!! I was in shock and wanted to hang around and hear the outcome but they got me a replacement card so quickly. What gall. If you are that cheap stay home. I can't imagine what the steward felt but even if they did make the bed, did they vacuum, top up the ice bucket and clean the balcony?

 

:mad::mad::mad:I would have asked for their room number and put the time on my account and then given them The Lecture from All Grandmothers Past Present and Future. Which I'm sure would have done nothing but cost me money, embarrass my husband and convince them that old women are to be avoided at all costs. But I would have felt better.

[sail7seas]

When guests remove hotel service charge from their account, stewards' supervisors speak with them to determine what they could have done better that the guest would not have removed the tips. It puts the stewards in the awful position of having to defend they have been doing a very good job and don't know why the guest would not want to leave the service charge in place.

 

Bad enough they don't get tips but to have to defend their good work, as well, is just too much IMO If someone can't afford to tip, I so wish they would save up a little longer before they took their cruise. If it takes a few more months, maybe it's worth it to wait and be able to not worry so much about keep such a tight budget. JMO.

 

 

 

[Candy]

...snip... So are you saying that the organizer of the meet and greet should be tipping? and to whom? I've done thank you notes - but not tips. I 'm at a loss now. I never considered this (other than the example I gave) before. Basically, they set up cookies, water, tea and coffee. I always order a no host bar so the bar gets gratuities when people order.

 

Have I missed the boat? (seriously)

There is no 15% service charge for the waiters/bartender when the Hotel Manager provides the food and beverages. I tip the bartender and each server. For a group of about 75 they provide me with not only the cookies, water, tea & coffee - we also had fresh fruit kabobs and two chocolate fountains, personally served by the sous-chef. It took several people more than an hour to set up the buffets. The bartender must have made us nearly 200 Mimosas and juices. Why would you NOT tip?

 

Each Meet 'n' Greet costs me about $100 for the invitations, printing, name tags, thank-you notes and tips. I enjoy every minute of it!

 

Some hosts may think these expenses are unnecessary because it's 'free', but I like to make it special. I am also a guest, and I want everyone, including myself, to have a good time.

[world~citizen]

The stewards who clean your cabin, and set your table, get the sheets, towels, tablecloths, napkins from the laundry. Part of the hotel service charge is shared with the people who work the laundry.

 

When you go into a public restroom, it is clean, and has cloth towels. That restroom was cleaned, the towels placed, and the dirty towels sent to the laundry, by an attendant who shares in a portion of the hotel service charge.

 

Personally, I am thrilled to see these people getting a piece of the action.

 

This is a personal opinion that I happen to agree whole heartedly with. However much we tip, we never seem to miss the money.

 

Maybe its karma or something.:)

[kazu]

There is no 15% service charge for the waiters/bartender when the Hotel Manager provides the food and beverages. I tip the bartender and each server. For a group of about 75 they provide me with not only the cookies, water, tea & coffee - we also had fresh fruit kabobs and two chocolate fountains, personally served by the sous-chef. It took several people more than an hour to set up the buffets. The bartender must have made us nearly 200 Mimosas and juices. Why would you NOT tip?

 

Each Meet 'n' Greet costs me about $100 for the invitations, printing, name tags, thank-you notes and tips. I enjoy every minute of it!

 

Some hosts may think these expenses are unnecessary because it's 'free', but I like to make it special. I am also a guest, and I want everyone, including myself, to have a good time.

 

Thanks Candy - I do the invites and all that stuff too and have no problem with the cost. When we had free drinks I did indeed tip. For the cookies and coffee and tea, I haven't in the past:o I hadn't seen other organizers do it and when I originally sought guidance was never told. Would you mind letting me know in those scenarios what you did tip? If you prefer not to post on the boards you can email me. (in my signature) Do you base it on the number of people in the group??? Thanks

[TXCruiser10]

I leave the auto-tip in place and really like it that way. I do not enjoy the practice of handing cash out on the last day. Personally, it makes me uncomfortable and I much prefer not having to worry about it. My DH does hand out extra cash to our cabin stewards because they have always been great!

[Candy]

Thanks Candy - I do the invites and all that stuff too and have no problem with the cost. When we had free drinks I did indeed tip. For the cookies and coffee and tea, I haven't in the past:o I hadn't seen other organizers do it and when I originally sought guidance was never told. Would you mind letting me know in those scenarios what you did tip? If you prefer not to post on the boards you can email me. (in my signature) Do you base it on the number of people in the group??? Thanks

I always tip before the event. After everyone leaves, the servers are gone and are hard to track down. I don't tip the setup crew because it's usually the Beverage Manager and one or two helpers and they are done real fast. Otherwise, I tip:

Bartender $20

Servers $10 each

The sous-chef would not accept a tip, even though he worked tirelessly to set up and served a beautiful buffet. If there are more guests than the waiters can handle, they'll add another. For more than 75 I'd adjust accordingly.

[jd_1976]

I leave the auto-tip in place but my only "complaint" is that none of the money goes to the people that run the kids programs. When I'm on a cruise with my kids I naturally tip extra to the people who have helped watch my kids but none of the pre-paid tips go to them. I know this because my sister is a Children's Program Coordinator for HAL. The sad part is that most people who leave their kids in the program all week don't actually tip. I can't even imagine not giving those people something when my kids have had such a great time.

[sail7seas]

That saddens me to read people fail to tip the Club HAL staff. They do such a wonderful job with the children and we read here time and again how much the children love going to Club HAL.

 

I would be ashamed to pick up a child the last day and not have an envelope for those wonderful people who took such good care of the child and provided such a good time. I don't know how someone could do that but it makes me feel badly to read it.

[hal lover]

The crew really does work so very hard. When I book a cruise, I add in the cost of HSC. If I can afford to take a cruise then I can afford the tip's. We have always tipped the stateroom attendant extra. We tend not to go to the main dining room much anymore but there are always the helpful attendant's in the Lido and I do tip them too. That's just us... I never miss the tip money either.