Gratuity included...so do we tip? Who, when, where?

[scrapperluv]

Hi all!

 

This is our first time on a cruise and I want to get the etiquette right. We'll be on Carnival's Breeze in May and gratuity is charged per day per passenger (I think like $11.50 day/passenger). Is this gratuity on our bill when we check out at the end?

 

Does this mean we don't tip anyone at all? Can someone please share who they tip and when? Thanks!

[sparks1093]

Hi all!

 

This is our first time on a cruise and I want to get the etiquette right. We'll be on Carnival's Breeze in May and gratuity is charged per day per passenger (I think like $11.50 day/passenger). Is this gratuity on our bill when we check out at the end?

 

Does this mean we don't tip anyone at all? Can someone please share who they tip and when? Thanks!

 

The gratuity will be on your bill at the end. It covers your steward and your waitstaff and there is no need to tip them unless you feel they deserve more in which case you can get an envelope from the Purser's desk or have the extra amount added to your account. If you use room service then a dollar or two for a simple order is appreciated (a little more for a larger order). Bar services and spa services will have a gratuity included on the bill.

[BattyL]

We always tip extra to our room steward and our servers in the MDR. Also tip a few dollars when getting room service. I think these people work so hard and are always so pleasant, they deserve it -IMO :o

[Disconnections]

The gratuity will be on your bill at the end. It covers your steward and your waitstaff and there is no need to tip them unless you feel they deserve more in which case you can get an envelope from the Purser's desk or have the extra amount added to your account. If you use room service then a dollar or two for a simple order is appreciated (a little more for a larger order). Bar services and spa services will have a gratuity included on the bill.

 

Also, keep in mind, the automatic gratuities can be adjusted at your discretion, based on the level of service you receive.

[fishtaco]

And your drinks you buy onboard also attract an added gratuity or tip!

 

Just remember there is no need to tip anyone onboard. Tips have been taken care of by the daily gratuity that is added to your account.

 

A cruise ship is a "Cashless Society" and the reason Tips are automatically added daily as a suggested amount that is fair to all because you need not carry any cash, everything goes on your account.

 

I still tip last dinner and to my steward last day (but now a small amount extra) because thats how tips used to be done before the introduction of Auto or Pre paid tips.

 

The staff are more than happy if auto daily tips are left as is but alas many cruisers who are faced with a last night account decide to go and adjust their tips down even to Zero as they have spent more than they intended.

 

You can leave your tips as is and everyone is happy, you can tip extra and everyone is happy but never feel pressured to tip any extra over and above auto tips just because others choose to or profess to as many cruisers who do tip extra in cash had there$11.50 per day gratuities paid for them by their Travel Agent as a perk for booking.;)

[kona_wahine]

We always prepay our tips so that's not added at the end of the cruise.

 

Roomservice you should tip based on how much you order. We take some dollar bills. Last cruise we never did order room service. We were on the lido so close to the food. I missed those chocolate chip cookies though!

 

If we have good service in our room we will leave extra for our steward. They work so hard!

 

There is an automatic tip added when you buy a drink.

[Aplmac]

By far the easiest way to handle tips

is to consider them an integral part of the cost of your cruise

and have them pre-paid and out of the way, some weeks before you even set foot on the ship!

 

 

Any extra tipping beyond that

is then a purely personal matter based on Who and Why.

 

.

Edited May 10, 2014 by Aplmac

[092306]

You can also pre-pay the $11.50 per day if you want so that it isn't added to your on board account. We do this for every cruise. We also bring cash to tip porters, room service, excursion guides or taxis and to give extra gratuity to our waiters and room stewards for exceptional service.

[SadieN]

Auto-tips cover room stewards and food service waiters.

 

Not included

--15% will be added to any bar bill

--Customary to tip for any spa services (make sure the tip is not on the bill already).

--kid's club counselors

--losing dealers;) in the casino

 

Some will give extra to stewards, waiters and barwaiters/bartenders.

[jsbellisle]

Auto-tips cover room stewards and food service waiters.

 

Not included

--15% will be added to any bar bill

--Customary to tip for any spa services (make sure the tip is not on the bill already).

--kid's club counselors

--losing dealers;) in the casino

 

Some will give extra to stewards, waiters and barwaiters/bartenders.

 

Don't forget tips on your excursions too... A great excursion guide, bus/taxi driver that includes great narration of the island, etc..

[pauleydm]

If you have not pre-paid your gratuity, the entire amount will be charged to your sail and sign account on the second night of the cruise:)

[OCruisers]

You're covered but can also tip additional to any you wish in cash. :D

LuLu

[Hei1980]

Auto-tips cover room stewards and food service waiters.

 

Not included

--15% will be added to any bar bill

--Customary to tip for any spa services (make sure the tip is not on the bill already).

--kid's club counselors

--losing dealers;) in the casino

 

Some will give extra to stewards, waiters and barwaiters/bartenders.

 

I almost got caught with the extra tip for the spa service I received, didn't have my glasses on! The service I received was good but not that good to rate a 40% tip.

 

We no longer tip extra for the room stewards or the waiters; we do tip 20% at the Steakhouse, $2.00 for room service. We travel with my DH's scooter and walker so by the

time we reach the ship we are tipped out!

[Disconnections]

The gratuity will be on your bill at the end. It covers your steward and your waitstaff and there is no need to tip them unless you feel they deserve more in which case you can get an envelope from the Purser's desk or have the extra amount added to your account. If you use room service then a dollar or two for a simple order is appreciated (a little more for a larger order). Bar services and spa services will have a gratuity included on the bill.

 

I almost got caught with the extra tip for the spa service I received, didn't have my glasses on! The service I received was good but not that good to rate a 40% tip.

 

We no longer tip extra for the room stewards or the waiters; we do tip 20% at the Steakhouse, $2.00 for room service. We travel with my DH's scooter and walker so by the

time we reach the ship we are tipped out!

 

The steakhouse's cover charge includes a gratuity.

[okgirl]

We rarely tip in the MDR unless we've been seated with the same waitstaff most of the cruise and they've really given us great service.

 

I don't generally tip our cabin steward because we keep the cabin very neat, and I feel that the auto tip covers what they are doing.

 

We do tip room service $2 to $5 cash depending on the size of the order.

 

We almost always tip our bartenders and the casino bar waiters generally $1 because we do have the Cheers program and they are serving us quite frequently. We just add it to the ticket.

[christmas]

I don't tip extra unless there is above and beyond service.

[cb at sea]

As long as your suggested grats are paid...you're good to go. If you wish to give someone extra, the last evening is when you do it. Except for room service...tip at time of delivery.

Edited May 10, 2014 by cb at sea

[Hei1980]

The steakhouse's cover charge includes a gratuity.[/quote

 

It was a free meal, including the wine...reason we tipped.

[SMSACE6]

How do you get a free meal in the steakhouse?

 

Im just curious. I have never heard of this before, but I dont cruise often, so maybe that is why, anyway, still curious.

 

and does this happen often?

Edited May 10, 2014 by SMSACE6

[Casco Bay Kid]

Also, keep in mind, the automatic gratuities can be adjusted at your discretion, based on the level of service you receive.

 

I have no idea why anyone would remove auto gratuity. That's just rude.

 

Sent from my HTC One mini using Forums mobile app

[Hei1980]

How do you get a free meal in the steakhouse?

 

Im just curious. I have never heard of this before, but I dont cruise often, so maybe that is why, anyway, still curious.

 

and does this happen often?

 

Lifetime Pompous Platinum. When we reached the milestone, we both received the perk of

two free dinners at the Steakhouse. Yum!

[Catrin]

Like so many have said, we keep our gratuities on our S&S card. These go on our bill at the end of the cruise. It is part of our budget.

What we tip in addition?

• 
  Room Service - $2 each time
  Taxi Cab Drivers - to the pier and in port
  Porters who may handle luggage
  Waiters at any of the beach restaurants
  We tipped a person in Roatan who handled all the beach chairs, because of his attention and kindness.
  We have tipped Camp Carnival Staff.
  Piano Bar Players or Red Frog Pub acoustic guitar players
  

Catrin

[SMSACE6]

Lifetime Pompous Platinum. When we reached the milestone, we both received the perk of

two free dinners at the Steakhouse. Yum!

 

Ok, thank you, I wasnt really thinking about anything like that, because I am still steerage class, and will likely always be. But thanks for answering my question.

 

and OP, sorry, didnt mean to highjack your thread, but as many here have indicated, the norm is to either prepay the tips before your cruise, or to leave auto tips on, and they are charged to your sail and sign account, and then if you feel that your room steward or dining room waiters did an exemplary job, you can always hand them a little extra on the last night of the cruise.

That is what I do too.

[Hei1980]

Ok, thank you, I wasnt really thinking about anything like that, because I am still steerage class, and will likely always be. But thanks for answering my question.

 

and OP, sorry, didnt mean to highjack your thread, but as many here have indicated, the norm is to either prepay the tips before your cruise, or to leave auto tips on, and they are charged to your sail and sign account, and then if you feel that your room steward or dining room waiters did an exemplary job, you can always hand them a little extra on the last night of the cruise.

That is what I do too.

The first time we did not give an extra tip to our waiter; he was delightful but truly an awful

waiter, really bad. We were leaving the ship never to see him again and there he was as we

were checking out. He gave me a big hug and a fond farewell....guess it's not all about money but how you treat one another.

[ccruisequeen]

I tip the porter for retrieving my checked bag and bringing it to the car. It helps since I can't handle it along with my walker.