Tipping extra at the end of the cruise

[colesc15]

I was thinking.. I've been on a few cruises and whenever we have awesome service from someone, they get my wow card and extra money at the end on top of the prepaid gratuity.. I always just hand them the cash at the end so they can keep it. This past cruise we had the best waiter of all time. My question is how much do you guys usually give at the end of a cruise if they were awesome? There were 5 of us at the table and at the end, I gave him a 50 at the end from me and my girlfriend and the other three we see with also gave him a 50. What do you guys usually leave for a good waiter/room attendant? Was I right around average or low or? I always am curious as to what to actually give other than 'what you can afford'

[dplusd]

I think an additional $50 tip is very nice and generous. I usually leave an extra tip my steward, but on a 7-day cruise, that amount is usually $20. But, we keep our room neat and organized and don't really make special requests.

 

We usually do MTD, and if we have the same wait staff for most of the cruise and we liked them, we will give them a similar extra tip on the last night.

 

I think you are very generous and there is nothing wrong with that!

[colesc15]

I love doing mtd and getting the same waiter all week! Keep the answers coming :)

[Scotty G]

I was thinking.. I've been on a few cruises and whenever we have awesome service from someone, they get my wow card and extra money at the end on top of the prepaid gratuity.. I always just hand them the cash at the end so they can keep it. This past cruise we had the best waiter of all time. My question is how much do you guys usually give at the end of a cruise if they were awesome? There were 5 of us at the table and at the end, I gave him a 50 at the end from me and my girlfriend and the other three we see with also gave him a 50. What do you guys usually leave for a good waiter/room attendant? Was I right around average or low or? I always am curious as to what to actually give other than 'what you can afford'

 

Generally speaking ones ability to tip and the amount is based on many factors. Since you are interested in an amount, why don't you start a poll?

 

Needless to say many have given their opinions here over time (ad nausium); and, those results are available via the search feature.

 

I must say that your tip was geneous for sure!

[silygirl77]

I've given the steward and waiters an extra $10 a day each if they were good!

[colesc15]

Generally speaking ones ability to tip and the amount is based on many factors. Since you are interested in an amount, why don't you start a poll?

 

Needless to say many have given their opinions here over time (ad nausium); and, those results are available via the search feature.

 

I must say that your tip was geneous for sure!

 

If someone didn't feel comfortable saying how much, a general range is fine too. I was just looking at other people's thoughts on what they felt was right

[cb at sea]

Yes, I, too, think an extra $50 on top of what you'd already paid was VERY generous.

 

I think that's why most servers/attendants like "auto-tip"...as folks forget what they've already spent!

 

So far, the most additional tip to a waiter has been $30.....he was very pleasant every evening. If we tip additionally, it's usually in the $20 range for waiters.

 

Our best attendant ever was one we never, ever saw! The room was immaculate all the time....without intrusiveness! We left him (or, maybe, her....who knows!?) an extra $40 (for a 4 nighter).

[colesc15]

Yes, I, too, think an extra $50 on top of what you'd already paid was VERY generous.

 

I think that's why most servers/attendants like "auto-tip"...as folks forget what they've already spent!

 

So far, the most additional tip to a waiter has been $30.....he was very pleasant every evening. If we tip additionally, it's usually in the $20 range for waiters.

 

Our best attendant ever was one we never, ever saw! The room was immaculate all the time....without intrusiveness! We left him (or, maybe, her....who knows!?) an extra $40 (for a 4 nighter).

 

This waiter.. He even gave us his Facebook at the end of the cruise :)

[Katana_Geldar]

We tipped the best bartender $30 at the end of the cruise. I hope he got it, as I didn't see him pick up the receipt where we put it on there.

[CruisinGerman]

We don't tip extra beyond what they pre-pay to our account and we still receive the same excellent service as you do.

 

Kind regards,

 

Gunther and Uta

[critterchick]

We don't tip extra beyond what they pre-pay to our account and we still receive the same excellent service as you do.

 

Kind regards,

 

Gunther and Uta

 

I believe that was are discussing tipping at the end of the cruise as a thank you for a job done better than expected, not bribing the stateroom attendant at the beginning in the hope of getting better service (we never do that).

 

We tip an additional amount to our stateroom attendant at the end of a cruise depending on how much (or if) s/he has gone above and beyond normal service. We don't have dinner in the MDR every night so we consider our prepaid gratuity to be plenty. We have tipped as much as $40 on a 3-night cruise for an attendant who did just about everything but brush & floss for us.;). We've also declined to tip anything over the the recommended amount when the service was just ok.

 

I do generally tip double the recommended amount to my stateroom attendant when I sail solo. s/he has just as much work as when it's DH and I, so it seems only fair to me,

[DonnaK]

We generally give the waiter and assistant waiter an additional $20 each for our family of four. We don't usually give the cabin attendant anything extra.

[erin_cruisers]

You were very generous indeed, but if that's what you felt comfortable giving, then nobody can dispute that. :)

 

We have given anywhere from $5.00 to $20.00 to our waiter, and similar to asst. waiter. Depends on service received from each.

 

Stateroom attendant - anywhere from $10.00 to $20.00.

 

P.S. - And we also give him/her $20.00 on the first day, (along with our usual list of preferences) ;)

[colesc15]

I love reading everyone's varying opinions :)

[jamscckmc]

Only once did we not tip extra to the room steward. The TP and tissues were never replaced, bathroom floor dirty, etc. usually $20-$50 extra each to the room steward, dining room waiter and assistant. $10 for the head waiter. If I add tips to the bar check I do it in cash. If its added to the receipt I've been told it goes into the pool.

[silygirl77]

$50 is generous :)

[colesc15]

Only once did we not tip extra to the room steward. The TP and tissues were never replaced, bathroom floor dirty, etc. usually $20-$50 extra each to the room steward, dining room waiter and assistant. $10 for the head waiter. If I add tips to the bar check I do it in cash. If its added to the receipt I've been told it goes into the pool.

 

I also heard that

[Cheryl H]

Interesting to read this. We are not in the main dining room every night so we just do the normal daily tipping amount for the 3 of us. In fact, our son only goes to the main dining room the first night, but we still tip for every night for all 3 of us.

 

We don't do any requests to our room steward so we just do the normal amount to him also. But this may explain why he was lingering in the hallway the last evening. I wonder if he was expecting more than the required amount. Eek.

 

We do however leave at least 50 dollars for the Adventure Ocean staff even though no tipping is required. I wish I could afford to give them even more. They do such a great job with our son every evening.

[retird]

If someone didn't feel comfortable saying how much, a general range is fine too. I was just looking at other people's thoughts on what they felt was right

 

 

If it makes you feel good, I think your extra 50 was very generous. But in the end, how much you tip should not be based on what we think. If you feel happy with what you gave for the sevice you received, that is all that is important. A forum is a faceless place and I could say that I give 75 to each of waiter, room attendant but that would make you feel that your tip was inadequate. so don't rely on what we say. Just go with your heart.

You sound like a generous caring person.

[colesc15]

Interesting to read this. We are not in the main dining room every night so we just do the normal daily tipping amount for the 3 of us. In fact, our son only goes to the main dining room the first night, but we still tip for every night for all 3 of us.

 

We don't do any requests to our room steward so we just do the normal amount to him also. But this may explain why he was lingering in the hallway the last evening. I wonder if he was expecting more than the required amount. Eek.

 

We do however leave at least 50 dollars for the Adventure Ocean staff even though no tipping is required. I wish I could afford to give them even more. They do such a great job with our son every evening.

 

I'm sure once I have kids, I'll want to do the same

[marci22]

If someone didn't feel comfortable saying how much, a general range is fine too. I was just looking at other people's thoughts on what they felt was right

 

I don't think any amount will ever be 'right' because it is not necessary. Your prepaid tips are perfectly adequate and acceptable. *Any* amount above and beyond is very nice of you to give.

[colesc15]

I don't think any amount will ever be 'right' because it is not necessary. Your prepaid tips are perfectly adequate and acceptable. *Any* amount above and beyond is very nice of you to give.

 

The prepaid tips are split though.. This way, if one waiter goes above and beyond, and one is just so so, the one is rewarded and not the other

[Rogueperson]

I've given between $20 - $30 extra for waiter and assistant waiter each. I usually only have 2 in my party, so that's an additional 10 per person, which is only about 15% more that I already paid. If you have 4 in your party, then 50 is still within range, of that.

 

Please keep in mind, that these people work 12 hours a day easily to give you and I, a great vacation. They don't get weekends off. They do this for 7 months straight before they get any real time off.

 

Usually, this shows in the service they provide us and I'm more than willing to tip accordingly. However, this is not automatic. If i feel like i've been neglected, then I will go with what is automatic. 11 - 12/day/person. Shoot, i figure that if i eat dinner out at a decent place, that's a $15.00 tip there for the waiter by itself, so 22 - 24 (for 2) for everyone is a bargain.

[marci22]

The prepaid tips are split though.. This way, if one waiter goes above and beyond, and one is just so so, the one is rewarded and not the other

 

I understand that. It seems from your posts that you want to know what is the 'right' extra amount to give, and all I am saying is that any extra amount is the right amount to give.