B2B and Extra Gratuities

[colliercruiser]

When taking a B2B and assuming you can confirm that the same cabin attendant or butler will be on both cruises for your stateroom/suite, do you typically give any extra gratuity after each cruise or just after the second one?

 

 

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[Langley Cruisers]

You may do whatever makes you comfortable. It might be nice to extend the gratuity at the end of each cruise; that's how we would do it, just in case there is a change at the end of the first cruise. You just never know - best laid plans, and all... ;)

 

Have fun!

[lakelorain]

We always treat each cruise separately, just like the cruise line does. Tips for each segment.

[jelayne]

We also tip after each segment.

[cruisestitch]

You may think that you know who your stateroom attendants are but there are so many last minute changes between cruises that you may find that your previous staff are re-assigned to a different area. I would say that you treat each as a different cruise.

 

By the way, on my Back-to-Backs I always tell the stateroom attendant to leave my room alone in the morning. They are busy enough getting the other rooms ready and I can wait until evening for clean towels and such. Just my choice, but they seem to appreciate the tiny reduction in their workload that day.

[Northern Aurora]

Even when we expect to have the same stateroom attendants we have always provided our extra tips at the end of each segment of a B2B or B2B2B.

[keithm]

You may think that you know who your stateroom attendants are but there are so many last minute changes between cruises that you may find that your previous staff are re-assigned to a different area. I would say that you treat each as a different cruise.

 

By the way, on my Back-to-Backs I always tell the stateroom attendant to leave my room alone in the morning. They are busy enough getting the other rooms ready and I can wait until evening for clean towels and such. Just my choice, but they seem to appreciate the tiny reduction in their workload that day.

Very thoughtful. It's a nightmare for them any way at that time.

[Italy52]

We also tip after each segment.

[OuiOnboard]

Yes, we too like to tip after each segment. It just seems to help keep things simple.

[Langley Cruisers]

By the way, on my Back-to-Backs I always tell the stateroom attendant to leave my room alone in the morning...

 

Yes, we do the same thing! We say just come in that evening and not the morning. We put the Do Not Disturb sign out just to remind him/her. And yes, they do seem to appreciate the gesture. :)

[Desertbelle]

We always treat each cruise separately, just like the cruise line does. Tips for each segment.

We do the same.

Plus, it's not that uncommon for a room attendant to be changed even when that isn't the plan.

[Sandtrap328]

My travel agent always gives us pre-paid gratuities as a part of the perks by booking with her company. We will tip some extra at the end of the b2b.

[flyingv4me]

Add us to the list of those who tip after each segment. You never know what can change at the last minute.

[colliercruiser]

Thanks to all for your advice. Tipping at the end of each cruise makes sense, and it's good timing since it's the beginning of the next cruise.

 

 

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[cle-guy]

I just leave the auto gratuities in place, then I don't have to be concerned about when to tip or how much. I just use the system in place.

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

I just leave the auto gratuities in place, then I don't have to be concerned about when to tip or how much. I just use the system in place.

 

I think all the people who have posted leave the auto tips in place. What they're talking about here is extra tips. Over and above the auto tips.

[PoppyandNana]

My travel agent always gives us pre-paid gratuities as a part of the perks by booking with her company. We will tip some extra at the end of the b2b.

 

We only get $50 in OBC. The only time we get free gratuities is if we pick that perk. Is your TA online or brick and mortar?

[colliercruiser]

I think all the people who have posted leave the auto tips in place. What they're talking about here is extra tips. Over and above the auto tips.

 

 

Yes, I was originally referring to the extra tip I would give the attendant above & beyond the standard gratuity, regardless of whether that is paid by me or part of a promo.

 

 

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[Northern Aurora]

I just leave the auto gratuities in place, then I don't have to be concerned about when to tip or how much. I just use the system in place.

 

We always pre-pay our gratuities. My post concerned the timing of an additional tip exceeding the pre-paid gratuity amount. I've never thought that the auto gratuity charges are sufficient given the amount of work that so many of the staff exert to ensure that my vacation is great experience.

[Rob the Cruiser]

Add us to the list of those who tip after each segment. You never know what can change at the last minute.

 

We usually give the extra tips to attendants 2 days before the end of each cruise, just in case there is a last minute change of staff.

[MR_T]

You may think that you know who your stateroom attendants are but there are so many last minute changes between cruises that you may find that your previous staff are re-assigned to a different area. I would say that you treat each as a different cruise.

 

By the way, on my Back-to-Backs I always tell the stateroom attendant to leave my room alone in the morning. They are busy enough getting the other rooms ready and I can wait until evening for clean towels and such. Just my choice, but they seem to appreciate the tiny reduction in their workload that day.

 

This is a good bit of info and as we are doing our first B2B in March I think we will do the same... :)

 

Sometimes it's the little things that count the most & if we can help their busy day a little then that's a good thing :)

[cle-guy]

Using Eclipse 7 night cruise as an example.

 

Data from: http://www.beyondships.com/files/Celebrity_Eclipse_fact_sheet.pdf

 

1426 Cabins total

• 66 Suites
  
• 403 AQ/Concierge
  
• 957 Inside/OV and Verandas
  

Occupancy:

• 2850 Guests
  
• 1250 Crew
  

Daily Grats are:

• $12.95 pp/pd Standard Cabins
  
• $13.45 pp/pd AQ/Concierge
  
• $16.45 pp/pd Suites
  

 

So total collection of gratuities is:

• 66 suites * 2 PAX/Suite * 7 nights * $16.45 PP = $15,199.80
  
• 403 AQ/CO * 2 * 7 * $13.45 = $75,884.90
  
• 957 IN/OV/VE x 2 x 7 x $12.95 = $173,504.10
   
  
• Total Gratuities Collected: $264,588.80
  

 

If divided evenly among all crew that's $264,588.80/1250 = $211.67 per week in gratuities, $11,006.89 per year.

 

Now how to determine how many people ACTUALLY get grats.

 

People have claimed Cabin stewards do 24 cabins a day. So that's 60 cabin stewards needed. Assume another 60 assistants, so 120 stewards, 10% of crew. Let's just double it, and call it 20%.

 

As to restaurant service staff, I don't have a clue. SO lets just assume anther 20%.

 

So now we are splitting the $264,588.80 among 40% of the crew, or 480 people.

 

$264,588.80/480 = $551.22 per week, $28,663 annualized.

 

For line level service staff that's good money, especially considering living expenses are covered - meals, housing, uniforms, no cost to commute to and from work. And especially for crew from places some of the poorer and other countries in upheaval as many crew are.

 

In the US, a housekeeper at a Marriott is likely to be making around $9/hour, 35 hrs a week = $16,380, and they still have to pay for lodging & food and travel to and from work each day.

 

This is why I feel little desire to tip above the suggested grats. The suggested grats are actually quite fair. Crew make nearly double their land based colleagues. Considering in a country like Egypt similar staff would be paid maybe $200 per MONTH, this is GREAT money.

 

I operated a business in Cairo for a few years, and this was actually slightly above the standard monthly salary to employees, and staff were THRILLED with this amount.

Edited September 17, 2015 by cle-guy

[A Sixth?]

....

This is why I feel little desire to tip above the suggested grats. The suggested grats are actually quite fair. Crew make nearly double their land based colleagues. Considering in a country like Egypt similar staff would be paid maybe $200 per MONTH, this is GREAT money.

.

 

Great break-down

 

Been saying the same thing on these tipping threads.

 

Cruise ship workers are doing well compared to the standards of where they generally come from.

[Desertbelle]

I question the number of cabins one steward is responsible for. When walking down the halls I see all the stewards and their carts out in the hall and in cabins cleaning. It seems there are way more than 1 steward per 24 cabins. My guess would be half that. Where does that 1 steward per 24 cabins come from?

[cle-guy]

I question the number of cabins one steward is responsible for. When walking down the halls I see all the stewards and their carts out in the hall and in cabins cleaning. It seems there are way more than 1 steward per 24 cabins. My guess would be half that. Where does that 1 steward per 24 cabins come from?

 

I've read it in various places on the site.

 

I was a manager for Marriott for several years, and our housekeepers were assigned 18 to 21 rooms to clean on an 8 hour shift, basically 20 minutes per room. And mind you they had checkouts each day, so had to do full cleanings on those rooms, where cabin crew, only do a full clean once a week.

 

So I believe the 24 cabins per crew number, perhaps it's even more, but 24 seems like a reasonable figure - it's certainly not less. Also the carts in the hall, there are 3 types, 1 for amenities and cleaning supplies, 1 for clean linens, 1 for dirty linens. So it does look like a lot of carts.

 

This

interviews staff on Carnival, and they say they do 27 cabins each. Edited September 17, 2015 by cle-guy