Do I need to Tip

[kiwigirl@nz]

We are on the Divina in July. I know gratituties are included in some prepaid costs but I know nothing about tipping.......

[Beamafar]

The Service Charge is added to your onboard account each day. IIRC it's €8.50pppd at the moment (this is increasing to €9 but I'm not sure when). There are those who remove these charges for various reasons eg unhappy with level of service, choosing to tip individual crew members, etc.

 

Personally speaking, I've never removed them but I do also give a small tip to the cabin steward. On only one occasion did I not do this as the steward in question was less than satisfactory. (I never reported how bad she was - she just didn't get a tip!). I also tip the waiter and assistant in the MDR and once or twice I've tipped a couple of servers in the bars and one or two of the Entertainment Team.

[kiwigirl@nz]

The Service Charge is added to your onboard account each day. IIRC it's €8.50pppd at the moment (this is increasing to €9 but I'm not sure when). There are those who remove these charges for various reasons eg unhappy with level of service, choosing to tip individual crew members, etc.

 

Personally speaking, I've never removed them but I do also give a small tip to the cabin steward. On only one occasion did I not do this as the steward in question was less than satisfactory. (I never reported how bad she was - she just didn't get a tip!). I also tip the waiter and assistant in the MDR and once or twice I've tipped a couple of servers in the bars and one or two of the Entertainment Team.

 

Sorry, a novice here. But how much would you tip?

[Beamafar]

Sorry, a novice here. But how much would you tip?

 

There are no fixed amounts to tip - whatever you feel the service is worth to you and whether you want to tip over and above what the cruise line adds on.

 

Some tip a lot more than others and what seems like a big tip to some may be small change for others. Remember, too, that not all nationalities agree with tipping. I'm sure the crew members are happy to receive tips regardless of amount.

[AmoMondo]

There are no fixed amounts to tip - whatever you feel the service is worth to you and whether you want to tip over and above what the cruise line adds on.

 

Some tip a lot more than others and what seems like a big tip to some may be small change for others. Remember, too, that not all nationalities agree with tipping. I'm sure the crew members are happy to receive tips regardless of amount.

 

MSC policy say that tips are not required.

 

I however do what Bea does and invariably tip my. Bain steward and waiter a bit extra on the final night (unless I've not been happy with them) never had anything but great or fantastic cabin stewards, twice had less than stellar waiters. One just didn't want to be in the service industry, clearly hated his job and everything was too much trouble (and I'm not talking about me making lots of additional demands, just stuff like, can I have my wine, please can I have my wine, still don't have my wine.....). Another was home sick and spend 2 weeks of the 3 week cruise telling us how much he wanted to go home, not just occasionally. He wasn't there by week 3, so not there to get a top. We did sympathise with him and advise him that if he was really that unhappy, would it not be better to look into leaving.

 

I occasionally tip a bar waiter or bar man. Again at the end of a cruise. This is more when I've been haunting a specific bar and they have been brilliant at remembering what I like, one even started keeping a seat for me at the bar!

[Crzyfrk62]

I was in the YC and we did tip our butler, cabin steward and favorite bartender. I do this on most of the cruises if the employees go above and beyond. That little amount of tip money for what they do sometimes doesn't seem right.

I have tipped from 20 - 100 depending on length of Cruise and service.

[AVACTION]

On our last cruise we tipped the barman, butler and assistant butler throughout the cruise.

 

However the best response and thanks that we got was when I handed out (and pinned on) Australian Flag Pins, thanking them for making our holiday special.

 

The waiters, maitre de, barstaff and waiters all seemed REALLY thrilled to get something more personal.

 

Perhaps you could get some NZ Flag pins (before you change your flag!!).

[kiwi sailor]

On our last cruise we tipped the barman, butler and assistant butler throughout the cruise.

 

However the best response and thanks that we got was when I handed out (and pinned on) Australian Flag Pins, thanking them for making our holiday special.

 

The waiters, maitre de, barstaff and waiters all seemed REALLY thrilled to get something more personal.

 

Perhaps you could get some NZ Flag pins (before you change your flag!!).

But which NZ flag, we have got 70 versions floating around as an option at present. We can't be mistaken as Australians you know. LOL

[kiwigirl@nz]

On our last cruise we tipped the barman, butler and assistant butler throughout the cruise.

 

However the best response and thanks that we got was when I handed out (and pinned on) Australian Flag Pins, thanking them for making our holiday special.

 

The waiters, maitre de, barstaff and waiters all seemed REALLY thrilled to get something more personal.

 

Perhaps you could get some NZ Flag pins (before you change your flag!!).

 

Moot point about the NZ Flag...lol

We are expats and not leaving from NZ. Don't think anybody would want a flag from the country we live in at the moment ;)

[kiwigirl@nz]

But which NZ flag, we have got 70 versions floating around as an option at present. We can't be mistaken as Australians you know. LOL

 

Cant be mistaken ;)

[Janet&Carl]

On our last cruise we tipped the barman, butler and assistant butler throughout the cruise.

 

However the best response and thanks that we got was when I handed out (and pinned on) Australian Flag Pins, thanking them for making our holiday special.

 

The waiters, maitre de, barstaff and waiters all seemed REALLY thrilled to get something more personal.

 

Perhaps you could get some NZ Flag pins (before you change your flag!!).

 

AVACTION I just cruised on the Orchestra for the past two weeks. Staff that have pins still wear them. Everytime we said we were Australian the crew member said "I love you Aussies" It was a fab cruise thanks to you memorable Aussies.

 

And to NZ girl - we were told that the daily service charge is in place of tips and is split up between the staff that serves you. As such (and being Aussie) we mostly haven't tipped on top of that except for the time we have spent in Yacht Club when the holidays were truly memorable.

Edited June 25, 2015 by Janet&Carl

[kiwigirl@nz]

AVACTION I just cruised on the Orchestra for the past two weeks. Staff that have pins still wear them. Everytime we said we were Australian the crew member said "I love you Aussies" It was a fab cruise thanks to you memorable Aussies.

 

And to NZ girl - we were told that the daily service charge is in place of tips and is split up between the staff that serves you. As such (and being Aussie) we mostly haven't tipped on top of that except for the time we have spent in Yacht Club when the holidays were truly memorable.

 

For your advice, I appreciate that.

Wish we were leaving from home so we could do something similar.....

[GUT2407]

You don't NEED to but sometimes you may WANT to, service can be that good.

[dhill]

Just tip what and when you feel like it.Its like tipping in a restaurant or hotel I don't understand how leaving a tip for someone got so complicated?Just because you are on a ship doesn't make it any different then tipping any where else:)

[Beamafar]

Just tip what and when you feel like it.Its like tipping in a restaurant or hotel I don't understand how leaving a tip for someone got so complicated?Just because you are on a ship doesn't make it any different then tipping any where else:)

 

It is different in the sense that gratuities are added to your onboard account daily unlike a hotel or restaurant experience.

[ithaca gal]

On our last cruise we tipped the barman, butler and assistant butler throughout the cruise.

 

However the best response and thanks that we got was when I handed out (and pinned on) Australian Flag Pins, thanking them for making our holiday special.

 

The waiters, maitre de, barstaff and waiters all seemed REALLY thrilled to get something more personal.

 

Perhaps you could get some NZ Flag pins (before you change your flag!!).

 

The flags are a very nice personal gesture but make sure you include some money too! That really makes them smile!

[Alex71]

We had some fabulous waiters and cabin stewards. In these cases we gave each of our two cabin stewards an extra 10 EUR and each of our two waiters also an extra 10.

 

We also had cases where we were not quite as impressed and did not top up the automatic amounts.