Tipping: Keeping Up With Inflation?

[balf]

Here we go, another tipping saga.

 

David

 

Told ya.

 

David.

[capnpugwash]

Told ya.

 

David.

 

You did :) and we should probably have known better but I think it was a genuine question that was answered fairly well until Prince Charmless turned up.

[cruiseluvva]

Apart from the advice about leaving the auto tips in place, which I whole heartedly agree with, I think the amount anyone chooses to tip in cash, should be between them and the recipient.

 

Isn't it rather oneupmanship to boast how much is given - if extra is given at all, which is not strictly necessary anyway.

[fantasy51]

I feel quite comfortable in regards to my tipping habit except for one question: Is room service included in the autotips? I am never sure if I should be tipping them when they arrive with a pot of hot water.

 

(Of course, judging by what some people claim to have seen, I could always just order extra cookies and hand them over as a tip. NOT! ;) )

Edited September 10, 2014 by fantasy51

[balf]

until Prince Charmless turned up.

 

But doesn't one alwayso turn up?

 

David

[DDBINK1]

How much does one tip when on a World Cruise?

[brigittetom]

How much does one tip when on a World Cruise?

 

My mom tipped per segment.....same as those getting on and off. Much less painful. :)

[cunardaddict]

My mom tipped per segment.....same as those getting on and off. Much less painful. :)

 

Or weekly...

[newjoisey]

I give 10$ per day and some of our famous sweets

 

dude...you 10 bucks a day ?.............stop ....you are killin meeezz:rolleyes:

[cunardaddict]

dude...you 10 bucks a day ?.............stop ....you are killin meeezz:rolleyes:

 

What's the problem? It is on top of the autotip. If the butler serves 8 suites he'll receive 80$ a day/ 3,200$ a month extra. The assistant will receive extra tip. Many of those from Asia do proudly support large families with their work.

 

If that little money would make me think about I wouldn't book QG.

 

I don't use the butler intensely. If you think that it should be more, well, up to you.

[RemPuck]

I've been following this thread with interest ahead of a coming trip. My plan is to tip beyond the automatic gratuities, and I see the amount is quite "debatable." That aside, who gets tipped? We'll be in PG - is there more than one room attendant? What about the dining room - how many people are to be tipped there? Bar tabs have an automatic 15% charge (which I have no issue with); do we tip a bartender at the end of the trip, too?

 

Thanks for any feedback.

[Pennbank]

Can we forget the personal insults and get back to the original question? :rolleyes:

 

The amount you leave will differ depending on whether or not you leave the auto gratuities on. I believe you should leave those in place and give extra if you want to. Don't feel any obligation. You know your circumstances. You know how much help you have been given or not. If you can afford a lot, then give a lot (the same as you might at home). However you do it, do it simply and preserve the dignity of the staff member.

 

100% agree

 

Why do people on here need help in " how much should I tip" It surely must be a wind up.

Do people that ask that question on these forums never dine in fine restaurants.

I am amazed at why this questions keeps appearing.

If you were to pop into my favourite , The Leopard at des Artistes in Manhattan I would know how much to tip !

Edited September 10, 2014 by Pennbank

[maina]

Pennbank--In the U.S. I would know what to tip for various services (restaurant, hairdresser, etc.) because I'm from this culture. In places in the world where the service charge is included, I would know (or find out) what to do from reading advice in travel guides or online, e.g., in France one might leave the waiter some change, or round up, since their compensation system is not based on tipping as in the case of U.S. wait staff. I think the problem for some people, which is why they ask, is that there is a combination system on Cunard (and I presume other cruise lines). There is the automatic service charge, but some people (especially I would think Americans who are used to tipping) do want to go over and above that but aren't sure what's reasonable. Let's say you are paying $1400 per person for a 7-day crossing; American guidelines (in restaurants) is 15-20%. For two people for 7 days, the automatic service charge is nowhere near the 15-20% one would tip a restaurant waiter, and that surcharge is divided among various people. Granted, Cunard stewards, waiters, etc. are paid a better wage than U.S. waitstaff who are expected to subsist on tips and not wages. However, I think it's perfectly fine to just pay the service charge, but also perfectly fine if one wants to tip extra, knowing how hard the staff work (at least most of them).

[mariposa777]

There is an article on the main CC site - and a long long discussion about it in the forums somewhere, generally saying the writer of the piece is very generous.

 

http://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/articles.cfm?ID=132

 

In Australia we tend to tip at restaurants 10% or a little more - although I have probably gone as high as 20% for spectacular (not often).

 

I very rarely use cabs but would generally round up the fare.

 

Other than that we do not tip. So these discussions, including the disclosure of amounts tipped, are really useful when I am researching trips. I aim to tip according to local practice if I can work it out …

 

I would not discuss it over the table in the MDR though … and we tried to keep it subtle when tipping our head waiter on the last night.

 

The intricacies are mindboggling … staff getting lists of autograt opter-outers and having to track cash tips … the differences (or not) between tips added to bar bills and cash tips to the waiter …. who exactly to tip and expect he/she will look after their people downstream….. aggghhhh.

Edited September 11, 2014 by mariposa777
too many words

[cunardaddict]

Maina, I totally agree with you.

[balf]

Let's assume that everyone follows the guideline from the new record holder.

 

$400 for a crossing to the room steward. Let's call that a week and say that the steward services 20 cabins with the help of an assistant.

 

So that would bring in $8,000 for a little under a week, $416,000 a year. Split that equally between two and you have $208000 plus the pittance wage from Cunard and the share of the added tips.

 

How many Primark dresses would that buy.

 

David.

[cunardaddict]

Balf, sounds like a good compensation for the stewards family who earns as little as 15$ a months sewing 12 hrs a day and 6 days per week at a Primark supplier's sweat shop.

[Underwatr]

This notion of tipping 15% of the cabin fare is surely a run-up. Many Americans have a habit of not tipping hotel maids anything, let alone 10 or 15%. Hotel maids are paid minimum wage unlike restaurant servers.

Edited September 11, 2014 by Underwatr

[PunkiC]

Would you rather people feel awkward and not have a clue what to tip? Possibly its time someone writes a guide because it seems that lot's of people have no idea and would love some guidance and advice.

 

I don't see anything wrong with discussions of tipping in general, i.e., "Should I tip over and above the auto-tip?" Nor do I see anything wrong with general answers, i.e., "If you feel you have received excellent service and want tip over and above the auto-tip, then by all means do so".

 

I do not approve, however, of saying something like "I always tip my steward $400 per week over and above the auto-tip". Especially when there is an inference that there is something wrong with people who do not follow that example.

 

There are folks for whom one Cunard cruise is a lifetime dream. If they save up enough to cover their travel, the cruise fare for an inside cabin, and the auto-tip, they should never be made to feel inadequate for not tipping over and above the auto-tip. We are all on the cruise to have fun, not to judge others.

 

Maybe people who want to feel better than everybody else, and judge folks for their supposed inadequacies, should be restricted to the Queens Grille where they won't be exposed to the Hoi Polloi.

[burchan]

I always auto tip. On my last cruise I gave extra tip but it was returned to me under the door with Thank You. I suspect he considered it not enough. From now on Auto tips only.

[cwn]

Since some are asking....In the Ask Cunard section (what ever it is called) Cunard really already tells you what to do. Though they could be more direct.

 

How does tipping work?

During your voyage, you will meet staff throughout the ship who provide you with excellent service. Many more crew support those who serve you directly. A discretionary Hotel and Dining charge will be added to your shipboard account on a daily basis for each passenger (including children). This charge will be shared amongst all those who help provide and support your experience, including the waitstaff, stateroom stewards, buffet stewards and others. Please note, this is a discretionary charge and should you wish to remove it or make any adjustments, you may contact the Purser’s Desk before the end of the cruise.

Grill Accommodations: $13.50 USD per person per day†

Britannia Accommodations: $11.50 USD per person per day†Note: Casino dealers and Spa personnel do not share in the Hotel and Dining charge as not all guests utilise these services.

What about gratuities in the bars?

A 15% gratuity is added to your bar charges and dining room wine account. This is shared amongst the beverage staff and their support staff.

 

In the US, which has a large tipping culture and it is truly a cultural thing, as has been stated, it is customary to tip between 15 and 20% of what ever the cost of the service is. It is easy to apply this to cruise tipping....say the fare per person for your cabin is $500 per day and remember that includes food and room cost. So a good tip for good service for food and room would be (20% of 500) $10 per person per day. Guess what, Cunard and most other mainstream lines already add a set amount per day for regular cabins and for suites. For Cunard, in a regular cabin, it is $11.50US pp /pd, more than 20% of the cost of most regular cabins. So the auto tip is already a very generous tip by any country's standard and covers everyone without one running around passing out envelopes and making a big display of one's tipping...after all this is very personal.

 

We have been cruising for 30 years...long before the auto gratuity. Back in those days, we filled envelopes twice a cruise based on a suggested minimum amounts to the wait staff and stewards. It was something like $5-6 dollars total per person, per day and increased as the years went along. Then the auto tip appeared and I really love it. It has also increased since it was first brought out. So I feel Cunard and other lines are taking care of inflation with the rates they have set for passengers and passengers are tipping at the US rate of 20% for service. At this rate a passenger has every right to expect good service.

 

Leaving the auto tip on is the easiest way to tip...then everyone gets something and if you feel that someone has been extra wonderful to you, give some extra...you feel good and the staff member feels good and knows you were extra pleased with their efforts. "Flashing money around" is just plain poor taste, be it on land or sea.

 

As far as the staff supporting big families...that is true, but....these families do not live in the likes of Germany, England or the US. The staff work on the cruise ships exactly because the guaranteed pay is such a good wage and raises their standard of living so much...even with out any extra tips. There are many jobs in first world countries where the bed winner is away from their family for many months at a time! Don't buy into a guilty trip some people try to serve up about how poorly paid/lonely the staff is...it is all relative. Ships have a tipping culture..some lines include the tips in the base fare and say no tipping...others like Cunard use the auto gratuity. If one gives anything over that, it is their personal business and any attempt to suggest otherwise is just plain crude. As others have said a kind word, a smile and respect go a long way!

[fantasy51]

say the fare per person for your cabin is $500 per day and remember that includes food and room cost. So a good tip for good service for food and room would be (20% of 500) $10 per person per day.

 

A very sane, well-balanced response. I'd agree with your priorities and principles.

 

My only problem is your maths. At $500 per day, then $10 only works out at 2%. However, if I go to a hotel, I don't tip the bellboy or maid based on the cost of my room. It's the same on a cruise ship. A cruise is more than just a restaurant so we shouldn't expect to pay a percentage of the full bill the way we do in a restaurant. If people have the money to do that, then good luck to them and I know the workers will appreciate it, but it's not something that most of us would do.

[cwn]

A very sane, well-balanced response. I'd agree with your priorities and principles.

 

My only problem is your maths. At $500 per day, then $10 only works out at 2%. However, if I go to a hotel, I don't tip the bellboy or maid based on the cost of my room. It's the same on a cruise ship. A cruise is more than just a restaurant so we shouldn't expect to pay a percentage of the full bill the way we do in a restaurant. If people have the money to do that, then good luck to them and I know the workers will appreciate it, but it's not something that most of us would do.

 

You are right about my math and not tipping hotel staff though we always tip for the luggage... not sure where my head was on that! And, of course, room and food is not the only thing we are paying for on a cruise ship. Sorry.

 

But my point about the $11.50 tip per day for a regular cabin was that it has increased over the years. How ever the original amount was figured by the cruise lines, either to be given directly to the staff by the envelope system of old or the newer auto tip system, it was and is a fair amount. Plus, if you didn't cruise under the old system, you have no idea how disrupting all that envelope passing (or not being passed:( ) was on the last day!

 

The contracts guarantee the crew a set amount including their portion of the auto tip if included in that. That is why if a passenger takes the auto tip off, the affected crew have to turn in any thing given them or risk being caught with the money and sent home at their own expense. They live in very close quarters with little personal space or time...why tempt them to break the rules. Working on a cruise ship has always been a good job....a guaranteed monthly amount for the length of the contract that is always better than anything they can make at home. Then if they are really good there is always the chance that the passenger will tip something extra plus a chance for advancement to higher paying jobs.

 

What amazes me is when some one brags they give the room service guy a $5 tip every morning for their morning coffee or talks about removing the auto tip for what ever reason. Especially when the line specifically states the auto tip includes the room service and others the person is served by daily. But. as I said...tipping is personal and one person shouldn't be influenced by the claims of another. A tip is not meant to be a person's year's pay, but a little thank you for something above and beyond.

Edited September 12, 2014 by cwn

[david,Mississauga]

This notion of tipping 15% of the cabin fare is surely a run-up. ...

 

A few decades ago before anyone ever heard of "auto-gratuity" or a recommended daily amount for cabin and dining room staff, many shipping lines discreetly recommended that a passenger's total tips could be 5% of the fare. The amount of 15% may be fine for restaurants, but was unreasonable for ship fares because the fare includes costs for officers, fuel, head office, etc. The total tipping amount thus calculated was customarily split as 40% for cabin steward(ess), 40% for dining room staff and the remaining 20% for all other staff such as the wine steward, deck steward, etc.

 

A question was asked about the staff in Princess Grill. On the QM2 we have always had three wait staff and on our one QE trip there were two. We have always tipped in addition to the usual because of the excellent service. We give one envelope addressed to the two or three staff, including a thank you card with the money, as opposed to giving each one a separate envelope. We have always had one cabin steward in PG.

Edited September 12, 2014 by david,Mississauga
typo

[cwn]

A few decades ago before anyone ever heard of "auto-gratuity" or a recommended daily amount for cabin and dining room staff, many shipping lines discreetly recommended that a passenger's total tips could be 5% of the fare. The amount of 15% may be fine for restaurants, but was unreasonable for ship fares because the fare includes costs for officers, fuel, head office, etc. The total tipping amount thus calculated was customarily split as 40% for cabin steward(ess), 40% for dining room staff and the remaining 20% for all other staff such as the wine steward, deck steward, etc......

 

Our first cruise over 30 years ago was on a Cunard ship, the Vistafjord, an absolutely wonderful ship! I don't remember how that tip was done, but we were at the Chief Engineers table, a wonderful experience in its self, with three Brits who had been cruising together with Cunard, first as three couples, then after 25 years as three singles. We were still young and in awe of the whole experience. I do remember them explaining the tipping and many other things about ship life to us, just not the exact method used. The next cruise a couple of years later was on the original Royal Princess when she was a couple of years old and we did the envelope bit.

 

Your comment made me curious about the current auto tip amount verses the fare. So this time I dug out the calculator :D and figured that our $11.50 pp/pd on our 2015 QE Would Cruise segment will work out to be with in ~$50 of 5% of our cruise cost. Interesting, not sure it proves anything other than we will continue leaving the auto tip on as it is easy.