Tipping - When/Where/How

[macdon9876]

This is an excellent site - thanks to all posters for the info. My wife and I are sailing for the first time in July - very excited!

 

The biggest question I still have is about tipping. There seems to be a wide range of opinions on this topic.

 

We were required to pre-pay gratuities as part of our cruise fare (we have MyTime dining, the only option that was available since the Traditional dining was full). We still plan to tip extra in cash for certain cruise staff.

 

It sounds like the room steward will be very deserving of extra tips. Some people like to tip him on the first day, whereas others have said this can sometimes insult their sense of professionalism. What about daily tipping as one might do in a hotel? Perhaps $5/day, and perhaps a bit extra on the last day.

 

Dining itself seems a bit more complicated. While we figure we'll probably eat in the MDR regularly, we'll likely also eat at an optional restaurant at least once during the cruise. Since our dining might not be consistent, would leaving a cash tip each night be considered gauche? If acceptable, is it left on the table or given directly to wait staff (and which wait staff... sounds like there are several waiters)? We also struggle with how much for the restaurants... there is no bill to base a 15-20% tip on! What about breakfast and lunch... is tipping common in these cases?

 

We're travelling from Canada, so the other big question we're struggling with is simply how much cash to bring. Our exchange rate is pretty lousy right now... banks are charging about $1.30 CAD for each US dollar. Luckily the cruise fare itself was in CAD!

 

Thank you in advance for any tips and comments.

[LHT28]

JMO

We usually tip the room steward extra at the end of the cruise if they have gone above & beyond the normal duties

 

If you eat elsewhere on the ship you will probably see waitstaff from the MDR there as they rotate around the ship, different venues

 

If we sit in the same section for a specific wait team then we will give a bit extra at the end

it is not required but a personal choice

Bar staff get a share of the 15% added to each purchase

 

I do think it is a bit tacky to leave cash on the table but it is your choice

Do what you feel works for you

 

Enjoy

[macdon9876]

Thanks for your reply.

 

I figured leaving cash on the table wasn't the proper thing to do, so it's good to hear that the wait staff is often the same between various venues. Since posting I've also read in a few threads that MyTime diners can also request the same wait staff if they wish. Do you simply tip the main waiter you had, or do you tip the assistant and head waiters as well?

 

 

 

 

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[CaribCruiser54]

This is an excellent site - thanks to all posters for the info. My wife and I are sailing for the first time in July - very excited!

 

The biggest question I still have is about tipping. There seems to be a wide range of opinions on this topic.

 

We were required to pre-pay gratuities as part of our cruise fare (we have MyTime dining, the only option that was available since the Traditional dining was full). We still plan to tip extra in cash for certain cruise staff.

 

It sounds like the room steward will be very deserving of extra tips. Some people like to tip him on the first day, whereas others have said this can sometimes insult their sense of professionalism. What about daily tipping as one might do in a hotel? Perhaps $5/day, and perhaps a bit extra on the last day.

 

 

Dining itself seems a bit more complicated. While we figure we'll probably eat in the MDR regularly, we'll likely also eat at an optional restaurant at least once during the cruise. Since our dining might not be consistent, would leaving a cash tip each night be considered gauche? If acceptable, is it left on the table or given directly to wait staff (and which wait staff... sounds like there are several waiters)? We also struggle with how much for the restaurants... there is no bill to base a 15-20% tip on! What about breakfast and lunch... is tipping common in these cases?

 

We're travelling from Canada, so the other big question we're struggling with is simply how much cash to bring. Our exchange rate is pretty lousy right now... banks are charging about $1.30 CAD for each US dollar. Luckily the cruise fare itself was in CAD!

 

Thank you in advance for any tips and comments.

 

We sailed on Indy over New Years and also had pre-paid gratuities (we were eventually able to get our preferred early traditional dining before beginning our cruise so you might want to check with cruiseline a couple of weeks before sailing if you prefer traditional). We asked for 4 tip envelopes and gave extra Gratuity to our 3 dining room servers and room steward on final night as we thanked them for helping make our cruise so memorable.

Enjoy your cruise!

[BullDawg91]

You might need small bills to tip room service people even when your order is free and for the luggage porters at port.

[cb at sea]

If you have paid the suggested gratuities, you're done! There is no need to tip extra, unless you feel someone has gone "above and beyond"...

 

Those tips you've paid cover your cabin attendant, waiter, ass't waiter and head waiter. If you use a specialty restaurant, the tip is included in the fee you pay. Again, no need to tip additionally!

 

Room service is not included in the tips you've paid, so plan on $1-5, depending on how much they have to carry to you!

 

Any additional tips are customarily offered on the last evening...not on a daily or "as you go" basis.

Edited February 1, 2015 by cb at sea

[Anthony63]

If you plan on purchasing a drink "Alcohol" package the tip is figured into ythe price of the plan however if you seem to be patronizing the same watering hole with the same bartender a few buck here and there helps out. I normally do the palm the tip with the waitstaff and shake the hand of the drink server, my server and his/her assistant. Not sure if you just give it to your main server if anyone besides him/her will get anything.

[Folk Singer]

Thanks for your reply.

 

I figured leaving cash on the table wasn't the proper thing to do, so it's good to hear that the wait staff is often the same between various venues. Since posting I've also read in a few threads that MyTime diners can also request the same wait staff if they wish. Do you simply tip the main waiter you had, or do you tip the assistant and head waiters as well?

 

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We like the prepaid gratuitous ourselves and we always give a little extra in the envelopes to the various staff at the end. If they do something a little extra special slip a 10.00 into their hand at the end of the meal etc.

[sail7seas]

While I've read where some people tip at the start of their cruise, that feels like

'bribery' to me. It seems to be saying I don't think I'll get good service if I don't give you (steward) cash in advance. Suit yourself, of course, but if you are not receiving good service, the answer is to speak with the dining supervisor, cabin steward supervisor/head housekeeper or whichever department applies. If that does not get the situation corrected, go to the next management level with your issue. I would never 'reward' bad service by giving money in order to get good service.

 

[macdon9876]

Thanks for the range of comments. It sounds like tipping at the end is the way to go.

 

Happy to hear that the tip is included in the cover charge of optional restaurants. In terms of the wait staff, it sounds like cruisers are served by a team instead of a single waiter (in the MDR)... is that correct?

[Langley Cruisers]

Happy to hear that the tip is included in the cover charge of optional restaurants. In terms of the wait staff, it sounds like cruisers are served by a team instead of a single waiter (in the MDR)... is that correct?

 

Hi there, and welcome.

 

The "service charge" or fee that you pay per person in a specialty restaurant is part of the tip, yes, but you should know that at the end of the meal you will be asked for your Sea Pass card and given a bill. On the bill, there is an extra line which says "Gratuity" - feel free to add something if you like but you may also just write in "0" and sign the bill, no problems. The gratuity is optional but I did want to give you the heads up on how it is "presented" to you. :)

 

Your prepaid tips include your cabin steward, waiter, assistant waiter, and head waiter. The tips are divided between these people (how much they get is absolutely none of my business and I truly believe none of anyone's business so I won't get into that :)). Because of My Time Dining and the possibility that you may not get the same wait team each night, prepaid gratuities for MTD were introduced a number of years ago. Now, it's actually obsolete in my opinion as RCI adds a daily gratuity to each passenger's account anyway (but that's for another thread!! LOL!).

 

You've done some research and you seem eager to do the right thing, as it were. We have sailed RCI many times and I know you will enjoy your cruise and find the service to be excellent. Remember that you do not have to tip extra - however, our past cruise we did give our cabin steward an additional tip in an envelope because she was awesome and took extra good care of us.

 

Have fun!!

[macdon9876]

Very informative and helpful information, thank you.

 

These prepaid gratuities seem to be a bit of a double-edged sword in some ways. I can see the rationale, as you explained regarding MTD, and there is the potential convenience, but it also seems to make knowing when and how much extra to tip cruise staff (if desired) a bit more complicated. I appreciate yours (and others') comments trying to explain it to a newbie!

 

 

 

 

 

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[sail7seas]

Thanks for the range of comments. It sounds like tipping at the end is the way to go.

 

Happy to hear that the tip is included in the cover charge of optional restaurants. In terms of the wait staff, it sounds like cruisers are served by a team instead of a single waiter (in the MDR)... is that correct?

 

For the sake of clarity for everyone reading here, HAL upcharge for specialty restaurants does NOT include tip. I know, Macdon, you are not sailing HAL but this info might be helpful for others. It also may apply to other cruise line so inquiry should be made about each.

 

[Cruisin' Chick]

For the sake of clarity for everyone reading here, HAL upcharge for specialty restaurants does NOT include tip. I know, Macdon, you are not sailing HAL but this info might be helpful for others. It also may apply to other cruise line so inquiry should be made about each.

 

 

And it might be helpful to put the actually cruise line/ship in one's question. I can see your countdown clock so I know it's on a Royal Caribbean ship, but some may have that setting turned off. Else you run the risk of those answering to give the info regarding their cruise line of choice.

[Langley Cruisers]

...but it also seems to make knowing when and how much extra to tip cruise staff (if desired) a bit more complicated..

 

Understood, but remember that once you prepay your tips, you are done. You do not have to tip anyone else, except for room service if you so desire, as mentioned. Please try not to worry about this, OK? You have prepaid, you are done like dinner. :) If you hadn't read this board, would you have even considered tipping extra? Interesting, hmm? ;):p

[Lerin]

Ah, another tipping thread.

 

We've been on over a dozen cruises together and probably about 25 total and have tried it all.

Tipped on the first day, tipped on the last day, tipped practically everyone who provided a service, tipped only those who said our names, tipped over $50, tipped $5, tipped in an envelope, tipped with a note, left a tip on the bed... and once even removed auto tips (long story).

 

Quite frankly we've never noticed a difference in service either way.

 

We now only do the automatic grats and will give a buck or two for room service. We believe tips should be given to those who go above and beyond their job description and have yet to be served by someone who falls into that category.

 

Bottom line is how you tip is up to you.

[Anthony63]

And this is where a good thread starts going bad.

[Folk Singer]

While I've read where some people tip at the start of their cruise, that feels like

'bribery' to me. It seems to be saying I don't think I'll get good service if I don't give you (steward) cash in advance. Suit yourself, of course, but if you are not receiving good service, the answer is to speak with the dining supervisor, cabin steward supervisor/head housekeeper or whichever department applies. If that does not get the situation corrected, go to the next management level with your issue. I would never 'reward' bad service by giving money in order to get good service.

 

 

 

Good point.

[macdon9876]

Understood, but remember that once you prepay your tips, you are done. You do not have to tip anyone else, except for room service if you so desire, as mentioned. Please try not to worry about this, OK? You have prepaid, you are done like dinner. :) If you hadn't read this board, would you have even considered tipping extra? Interesting, hmm? ;):p

 

 

 

I wouldn't say that I'm to the point of "worry", but more along the lines of, "When in Rome...". 😊

 

Interesting question, although I suspect that, yes, I would have still wondered about extra tipping... for example, when dining at a restaurant where a 15% gratuity is automatically added to the bill, one might opt to tip extra for a particularly good server. Where it seems a bit different with cruising is that the $12 pp/pd is shared among several people, and also a lack of understanding of just how many people cruisers interact with (e.g. a wait team instead of a singer server). Thanks to these and posts in other treads, it is much clearer now - thank you!

 

 

 

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[CaribCruiser54]

I wouldn't say that I'm to the point of "worry", but more along the lines of, "When in Rome...". 😊

 

Interesting question, although I suspect that, yes, I would have still wondered about extra tipping... for example, when dining at a restaurant where a 15% gratuity is automatically added to the bill, one might opt to tip extra for a particularly good server. Where it seems a bit different with cruising is that the $12 pp/pd is shared among several people, and also a lack of understanding of just how many people cruisers interact with (e.g. a wait team instead of a singer server). Thanks to these and posts in other treads, it is much clearer now - thank you!

 

 

 

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Guess the bottom line is, the "mandatory" tips are covered, after that just do what makes you comfortable. There is no right or wrong. Have a great cruise!

[Langley Cruisers]

Guess the bottom line is, the "mandatory" tips are covered, after that just do what makes you comfortable. There is no right or wrong. Have a great cruise!

 

There you go, that's exactly it. That's the crux of it right there. :)

[Folk Singer]

Guess the bottom line is, the "mandatory" tips are covered, after that just do what makes you comfortable. There is no right or wrong. Have a great cruise!

 

 

So True. Just go with the flow and have fun.

[macdon9876]

First off, apologizes if this question should be in a new thread...

 

On Royal Caribbean / Independence of the Seas, Is lemonade free all day, or just in the morning? Can you get it anywhere or just in dining venues? I've read conflicting answers in different threads.

 

We don't drink enough to justify an alcohol package (I don't think... 😊) but I'm wondering about a pop (soda) package. Some posts have said you'd need to drink about a gallon of pop per day to justify the package, which is much more than I'd typically drink. Lemonade would be a fine substitute if it's free at anytime. We also drink a lot of water, so we figure we'll bring our own filter bottles.

 

Thanks!

 

 

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[Anthony63]

First off, apologizes if this question should be in a new thread...

 

On Royal Caribbean / Independence of the Seas, Is lemonade free all day, or just in the morning? Can you get it anywhere or just in dining venues? I've read conflicting answers in different threads.

 

We don't drink enough to justify an alcohol package (I don't think... 😊) but I'm wondering about a pop (soda) package. Some posts have said you'd need to drink about a gallon of pop per day to justify the package, which is much more than I'd typically drink. Lemonade would be a fine substitute if it's free at anytime. We also drink a lot of water, so we figure we'll bring our own filter bottles.

 

Thanks!

 

 

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You are right this thread is about tipping.

 

If the link works this would be better information than I can give you. If the link doesn't work do a Google search royal caribbean lemonade cruise critic and I am sure you you can find an answer.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1348905

[DirtyDawg]

While I've read where some people tip at the start of their cruise, that feels like 'bribery' to me.

 

I have no issues with tipping up front. It's kinda like a signing bonus. Hey if it's good enough for Tom Brady, it's good enough for my Room Steward or my Bartender.:D;)