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MDR Gratuities

srjones1

By srjones1,
in Carnival Cruise Lines

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camarowesley

camarowesley

Posted
Posted
On a typical cruise my wife and I will only eat in the MDR two nights, the first night and formal night. Is it appropriate to remove the gratuities for the nights we don't go? I don't want to start another tipping debate just wondering what some of you guys think.

 

Not to sound snarky, but this question has been asked numerous times and the overwhelming response is always NO.

How would you determine what amount to deduct, or do you remove the entire amount? These servers work very hard and long hours for very little pay, please leave gratituties in place. I wouldn't do their jobs for the pay they receive, even with tips. Would you?

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LargeCornGyro

LargeCornGyro

Posted
Posted
Not to sound snarky, but this question has been asked numerous times and the overwhelming response is always NO.

How would you determine what amount to deduct, or do you remove the entire amount? These servers work very hard and long hours for very little pay, please leave gratituties in place. I wouldn't do their jobs for the pay they receive, even with tips. Would you?

 

That's like going to a restaurant and tipping for yourself and then some extra for some other empty tables.

 

If the table is empty, there is less work.

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Havingfun2010

Havingfun2010

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Cabin steward is included in your tips. I usually leave a little bit more at the end if I feel they went above and beyond, which they usually do.

 

Confused....what is above and beyond? If the room is cleaned, and the toilet paper is replenished, what would be above and beyond? That would be standard. If they get ice, it is because the ship has no customer accessible ice machines. I have never had a cabin steward do any more than what was expected and what is required. (Just give a tip, but don't justify it as above and beyond, unless they do something outside their job description!)

 

Bar staff receives 15% automatically every time you get a drink. You can leave a tip here and there if you like. I will leave a dollar every now and then. This seems to get them back to take your order quicker.

 

Never gave more than 15% for a drink (which is way too much) and never had an issue with slow service. Extra tips are nice, but just that. No change in service ever observed, just perceived.

 

I give 2 to 3 dollars for each room service delivery. Depends on how much I order.

 

Confused...why does it matter how much you ordered? They are just delivery people but they do need a tip.

 

I always tip the Maitred. Ten dollars usually. I do this because I am sure his job behind the scenes is more then many can imagine.

 

He gets a good salary, and is no longer a tipped employee. Personnally, I would give the window washer a tip before him. They deserve it more.

 

Just to make sure this is not taken negatively, tips are important, and should be given, just the reasons need to be evaluated. For example, a bar tender, will make more money serving 5 beers than one mixed drink. Those 5 beers, he would not get an extra tip, but the one mixed drink, might get the extra $1.00. So speed, and efficency, will create more tips, which means fast service, to take care of more customers. So going slow, is a negative impact on pay, thus no reason to expect faster service from the one person that gave an extra tip.

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sml3

sml3

Posted
Posted

Pardon my hijacking of your thread but I have a tip question and thought I'd just post it here. Second Carnival cruise and I read that on the 2nd (?) day onboard all tips are automatically added to your account. That's fine with me as I always pay at least the recommended amount. However, I seem to think last time I prepaid the tips. Is it necessary to prepay if they are going to automatically add it anyway? And if I do prepay, how do I do this? I don't see the option online under my account. I booked through a Carnival rep. Thanks.

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srjones1

srjones1

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Tip for good service. You get good service, leave your gratuities. If you don't, remove them.

 

But really, you do what you feel you need to do. You don't need anyone's permission.

 

Definitely don't need permission. Lol. I was just curious if we should leave the tips for getting no service, as in we don't use the MDR. I wasn't considering that a portion of that goes to the buffet line people. If I were to find out for sure that buffet line folks don't get a piece of the MDR staff tip then it would come off quickly.

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Tithonus

Tithonus

Posted
Posted
Definitely don't need permission. Lol. I was just curious if we should leave the tips for getting no service, as in we don't use the MDR. I wasn't considering that a portion of that goes to the buffet line people. If I were to find out for sure that buffet line folks don't get a piece of the MDR staff tip then it would come off quickly.

 

The buffet line folks get a different segment off the tips.

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FlaGrl4Evr

FlaGrl4Evr

Posted
Posted

Does the remove-the-tip conversation go something like this?

 

 

 

Guest: " Yes sir/mam, I've just waited 52 min in this guest sevice line to remove X portion of my tips because I'm not 100% proof-positive that the MDR servers have actually given me any other type of service while I'm on the ship."

 

Guest Services: " Sir, you've spent $2400 on your cruise and already have a $892 S&S bar bill, and you want me to remove $2 for the 3 days that you didn't dine in the MDR ? Do I have that correct?

 

Guest: " Yup, you have that right. It's MY $2, mine, mine, mine and I'm not giving it up to anyone that I cannot physically see with my own two eyes."

 

Guest Services: " Yes sir, it will be taken care of." :rolleyes: But all the while thinking, cheap-skate, can afford $892 on a bar bill and it's only 3 days into the cruise but can't let go of a few bucks to the person that is making sure he has a memorable cruise, clean ship and good all-around service.

 

 

 

 

REALLY ???? Is is really worth it ? Who gives a flying chicken where the extra $ goes, let Carnival decide. JMO, but pay it, forget it, and enjoy your cruise......... besides, by leaving it on, wheather you've dined each eve in the MDR or not, you're helping to make-up for the cheap-

skates that remove their tips altogether. Pay it and forget about it. Is it really worth the hassle and embarrassment of waiting in the long GS line to remove a measly few dollars ?

We saw our dining room waiter selling water on our excursion day, so they do, in fact, play various roles on the ship. Our assistant waiter also worked in the omelet station in the morning buffet line, so they really do have more than one duty.

 

 

 

.

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LargeCornGyro

LargeCornGyro

Posted
Posted
Does the remove-the-tip conversation go something like this?

 

 

 

Guest: " Yes sir/mam, I've just waited 52 min in this guest sevice line to remove X portion of my tips because I'm not 100% proof-positive that the MDR servers have actually given me any other type of service while I'm on the ship."

 

Guest Services: " Sir, you've spent $2400 on your cruise and already have a $892 S&S bar bill, and you want me to remove $2 for the 3 days that you didn't dine in the MDR ? Do I have that correct?

 

Guest: " Yup, you have that right. It's MY $2, mine, mine, mine and I'm not giving it up to anyone that I cannot physically see with my own two eyes."

 

Guest Services: " Yes sir, it will be taken care of." :rolleyes: But all the while thinking, cheap-skate, can afford $892 on a bar bill and it's only 3 days into the cruise but can let go of a few bucks to the person that is making sure he has a memorable cruise, clean ship and good all-around service.

 

 

 

 

 

 

REALLY ???? Is is really worth it ? Who gives a flying chicken where the extra $ goes, let Carnival decide. JMO, but pay it, forget it, and enjoy your cruise......... besides, by leaving it on, wheather you've dined each eve in the MDR or not, you're helping to make-up for the cheap-

skates that remove their tips altogether.

 

.

 

Nope.

 

Approach the VIP line that has no waiting.

 

Guest: I'd like to have my tips removed and tip in cash

 

Guest Services: Yes sir. Can I have your portfolio number

 

Guest: Sure, it's _______

 

Guest Services: Thank you.

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awhcruiser

awhcruiser

Posted
Posted

No. And it should not be allowed.

On a typical cruise my wife and I will only eat in the MDR two nights, the first night and formal night. Is it appropriate to remove the gratuities for the nights we don't go? I don't want to start another tipping debate just wondering what some of you guys think.
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srjones1

srjones1

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Always a spirited debate.

 

As to the customer/agent conversation on page 2, we spent a week at a beach resort last summer and I didn't just randomly pass out tips to random employees for making it memorable, etc. I took care of the ones who's services were directly beneficial to me.

 

After reading page after page of similar conversations I understand everyone has their opinion and it goes strongly in every direction, but thanks to those that provided theirs on this particular question.

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