Is pre-tipping your cabin steward a good idea?

[sfaaa]

Apparently none of the people on here have ever received free drinks before. That explains a lot of the posts. ;)

 

Why would a stranger give you free drink unless there is some other motive behind it?

[sfaaa]

 

And I don't think getting a "free drink" is stealing on the part of the bartender. It's all about making the customer feel special and unique, and they will undoubtedly end up spending way more than the cost of that drink in other areas of the ship.

 

 

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A legit promo on the house is always rung into the system by an authorized person (usually a manager or supervisor), properly accounted for and charged to a designated promo account. Anything not punch into the POS or done under the table is not going to go well for the employee if caught.

[PREYOU12]

We've done it both ways, and after the first time we pre-tipped, I noticed our room steward made sure to remember our names, said good morning, and joked with us when we told him about funny things happening to us. A fellow passenger was complaining that she never saw her steward, but I think ours lived under our bed. Room was cleaned before we got back from getting coffee! :)

[babyher]

Tacky, immoral, and now a thief.

 

OK.

 

Therefore, the time I did not tip the bartender and he had a bad day, and killed his roommate, I am also an accessory to murder.

 

And why would your post be deleted? Oh, yeah, this is Cruise Critic.

 

In that scenario , I like to believe that the roommate had it coming to him long before you were even involved . *LOL*

[LA_CA_GAL]

 

Why would a stranger give you free drink unless there is some other motive behind it?

 

Because it creates good will.

 

It creates appreciation.

 

It encourages the customer to come back and spend more.

 

It encourages the customer to tell others, and bring them.

 

Maybe it is just good business practice.

 

Hey, from my good experiences overall, I booked a number of cruises with that line.

 

Hope that answers your question.

[Capt Nemo]

The way we do it and it works every time is to introduce ourselves and get his or her name. Every time we pass through the hallway and see them working, we wave and say hello. Every time!

 

On our last cruise, we asked if there was anything from the Windjammer he wanted? He joked back, black coffee. So we brought back a cup of black coffee (hidden from potential supervisors).

 

Let me tell you, our room was given 'special' attention from then on - and it was obvious too. And of course, at the end of the cruse, we gave him an 'envelope' to show our appreciation.

[Capt Nemo]

I am incredibly "tacky" as well as "immoral".

 

I believe you are trying to be cute and funny, but it isn't going over very well. Your comments themselves are kinda tacky, not funny or cute.

 

We are going to have to make you walk the plank lady!

[MJF0507]

I've had a few friends say to leave $20 in a thank you card the first night on board for your steward to "grease the wheels" and ensure a nice trip.Is this true? Does it work? Anyone heard of it?

 

If you are happy to help out your steward with some extra cash: (first, middle or last night) than go right ahead. Your generosity will ensure a nice trip for *you* because you feel better about what you did and after all, that is the key. If it makes a difference to the particular steward that gets cash, is totally up to them. Either way you get good service and you ensure a nice trip.

Edited April 13, 2016 by MJF0507

[sfaaa]

Because it creates good will.

 

It creates appreciation.

 

It encourages the customer to come back and spend more.

 

It encourages the customer to tell others, and bring them.

 

Maybe it is just good business practice.

 

Hey, from my good experiences overall, I booked a number of cruises with that line.

 

Hope that answers your question.

 

Dang, how come no one told me that back when I was single and in college.

[gourmetnotgourmand]

We always tip extra on about the 2nd day. What does it do for us? Well, after 37 Cruises we still have not ever had breakfast, tea or anything in our cabin. But the cabin steward sure makes up our room quickly. We barely walk out and they are right on the job. To us that alone is worth the extra money. Nice to come back to a freshly made "home". In addition the steward never lingers around our door on embarkation day.

[phase2]

OK, we just came home from our FIRST, but hopefully not last cruise. We did tip the cabin steward and our waiter (we had him every night -11 days). However, I never know HOW much to tip. Can y'all share some thoughts on that? Thanks!

[declansdad]

Why would a stranger give you free drink unless there is some other motive behind it?

 

 

You really have never been given a free drink by a server or a meal by a waiter?

 

 

Because it creates good will.

 

It creates appreciation.

 

It encourages the customer to come back and spend more.

 

It encourages the customer to tell others, and bring them.

 

Maybe it is just good business practice.

 

Hey, from my good experiences overall, I booked a number of cruises with that line.

 

Hope that answers your question.

 

 

What she said.

[babyher]

Because it creates good will.

 

It creates appreciation.

 

It encourages the customer to come back and spend more.

 

It encourages the customer to tell others, and bring them.

 

Maybe it is just good business practice.

 

Hey, from my good experiences overall, I booked a number of cruises with that line.

 

Hope that answers your question.

 

 

Granted I didn't work on a cruise ship . But back in my bartending days the owners always made allowances for little gestures like that. Treat a good customer well and they will treat you well.

[Husky61]

A legit promo on the house is always rung into the system by an authorized person (usually a manager or supervisor), properly accounted for and charged to a designated promo account. Anything not punch into the POS or done under the table is not going to go well for the employee if caught.

 

And you know this happens on the cruise ship how?

[Husky61]

OK, we just came home from our FIRST, but hopefully not last cruise. We did tip the cabin steward and our waiter (we had him every night -11 days). However, I never know HOW much to tip. Can y'all share some thoughts on that? Thanks!

 

I'd say tip what YOU want.

[Husky61]

I believe you are trying to be cute and funny, but it isn't going over very well. Your comments themselves are kinda tacky, not funny or cute.

 

We are going to have to make you walk the plank lady!

 

I think her comments are funny and cute and not tacky at all.

[BIGDADDYRICH]

pris993 and Elaine 5715 have a good grasp on it. When we first board, I make it a point to introduce ourselves to our steward, if he/she doesn't find us first. I give them a $20 and ask only that I have fresh ice in the morning and evening(something that is usually provided anyway) What I have received in return is some of the spa robes brought to us, even if our room didn't come with any. On our most recent trip, an 11 day Canary Island trip, on the "laundry special" days that promised their return by 1700 the next day, our steward had our clothes washed, folded and in our stateroom 4 hours later, all without asking. We had conversations everyday making sure they knew that they were people, not servants. These people work their asses off cleaning 12-16 cabins twice daily. The reason why NCL only has 1 American flagged ship, instead of the 3 they tried to flag is because they couldn't get enough Americans to fulfill the 50% requirement. The work & pay was not satisfying enough, resulting in some horrible cruises when this plan was implemented. Don't be ignorant in believing your daily gratuities are satisfactory. Thank them with cash.

[sfaaa]

And you know this happens on the cruise ship how?

 

You clearly have no idea how hospitality industry operate.

[Bshollow]

I tip the room steward the first day. I don't really care if some consider it a bribe or whatever else suits their fancy. That first tip is my way of showing my appreciation for the steward's effort to prepare the room for me prior to me boarding, which is usually a lot more involved than the typical clean up throughout my stay that the auto-gratuity covers. I also tend to throw in an extra tip at the end if I feel they earned it through expectional service.

 

I believe in tipping. I did not come from a wealthy family but I've managed to do quite well for myself through hard work and perseverance. I'm at a point in my life where I have the ability to pay it forward, and by God, I do so. People can frown upon my choices or judge me for them but I can't tell you how many times when I was trying to get ahead when I was starting out that those little "bonuses" that kind people offered me meant the difference of driving to work or walking 5 miles. Don't be so uptight. If you want to pre-tip, do so because that's what you want to do and it makes you feel good doing it. Justify it however you want, or don't justify it at all. You don't have to explain yourself to anyone. If you don't want to pre-tip, than don't.

[Suze10860]

I tip the room steward the first day. I don't really care if some consider it a bribe or whatever else suits their fancy. That first tip is my way of showing my appreciation for the steward's effort to prepare the room for me prior to me boarding, which is usually a lot more involved than the typical clean up throughout my stay that the auto-gratuity covers. I also tend to throw in an extra tip at the end if I feel they earned it through expectional service.

 

I believe in tipping. I did not come from a wealthy family but I've managed to do quite well for myself through hard work and perseverance. I'm at a point in my life where I have the ability to pay it forward, and by God, I do so. People can frown upon my choices or judge me for them but I can't tell you how many times when I was trying to get ahead when I was starting out that those little "bonuses" that kind people offered me meant the difference of driving to work or walking 5 miles. Don't be so uptight. If you want to pre-tip, do so because that's what you want to do and it makes you feel good doing it. Justify it however you want, or don't justify it at all. You don't have to explain yourself to anyone. If you don't want to pre-tip, than don't.

 

Well said.

[LA_CA_GAL]

• 
  

I think her comments are funny and cute and not tacky at all.

 

You looking to walk the plank with me?

 

Granted, we have violated CC rule number one, having some fun with a thread.

[LA_CA_GAL]

You clearly have no idea how hospitality industry operate.

 

Being knowledgeable and experienced in a topic is never a prerequisite to posting wrong information on CC.

[declansdad]

You clearly have no idea how hospitality industry operate.

 

 

Doesn't seem that you do if you didn't understand the concept of bartenders providing the odd free drink.

[LA_CA_GAL]

Doesn't seem that you do if you didn't understand the concept of bartenders providing the odd free drink.

 

Have you ever been to a casino?

 

Free drinks. Why, numerous reasons, but mainly, it is a good policy leading to increased profitability.

 

Same thing goes for other establishments that provide alcoholic beverages.

 

Why is it so hard to grasp the fact that providing a free beverage is just good practice and stimulates business and profitability?:confused:

[GottaKnowWhen]

Have you ever been to a casino?

 

Free drinks. Why, numerous reasons, but mainly, it is a good policy leading to increased profitability.

 

Same thing goes for other establishments that provide alcoholic beverages.

 

Why is it so hard to grasp the fact that providing a free beverage is just good practice and stimulates business and profitability?:confused:

 

Why is it so hard for some of you to get the point? The issue some of us have is not about the bartender choosing to give free drinks and how that goes over with management. The issue raised is about "bribery." If you overly generously pre-tip the bartender and then he/she starts giving you a bunch of free drinks, that is not "good policy", but rather it is the bartender using the company's goods to profit himself/herself. If the free drink policy is applied randomly without regard to whether the customer is a big tipper or not, that is wonderful.

 

And for what its is worth, the issue also is not about whether or not to tip. I know some people think that tipping is evil somehow, but I don't think anybody on this thread has brought up that argument. The issue is whether pre-tipping makes sense. And for me it doesn't make sense. For the record, I do believe in generous tipping for good service, and toward the end of a cruise I diligently seek out the stewards and waiters and bartenders who have helped make my time aboard more pleasant. And along the way I do what I can to make their jobs more pleasant.