Tipping

[Cushing985]

1 hour ago, rainbowflag said:

You mean the email posted here earlier in post #21?

 

No, that was a snapshot of the original post.  I think it was originally posted in 2005 or 2006.  Regardless, it makes sense that the accountants on the ships need to keep the employees informed if someone pulls their tips.  They expect a certain amount of money after a cruise and when it comes up short they would question it.

[VentureMan_2000]

4 hours ago, jimbo5544 said:

It’s legit, it was a big thing back here at the time,

Well... I'll be.  

Seems wrong.  I can't help but think that most folks remove gratuities for non-service related reasons. 

[pinacoladasatpianobar]

4 hours ago, sanger727 said:

you are putting too much emphasis on the ‘pre-pay’. Cruise lines charge an automatic gratuity to everyone that takes care of the MDR employees. Outside of a few people who choose to remove them, everyone pays this. It doesn’t make a lick of difference to the crew whether you pay it before your cruise or with your bill at the end. The general assumption is that you will pay those gratuities and no one has a a hand out with the expectation that you will give them more. You can tip above the gratuities if you choose to and it will be appreciated but there’s no expectation that you will. As others have said, there’s no bill in the mdr so there’s no tip line to address. If you order a drink you’ll see a tip already added on. There’s a tip line if you wish to tip more, but again, no need to.

Thanks!  I just didn't want these employees to think that we were stiffing them if we just got up and walked out. We're still getting used to cruises so I just want to make sure we are following the norm!

[pinacoladasatpianobar]

Thanks everyone! We're still getting used to cruises. We have done everything right so far, but I didn't want these employees to think that we were stiffing them if we just got up and walked out after we were eating. It just feels a little weird to just walk out without paying anything or just walk away from the bar without leaving an additional tip. 

[rainbowflag]

46 minutes ago, VentureMan_2000 said:

Well... I'll be.  

😛 to your conspiracy theory 🙂 

Edited December 31, 2019 by rainbowflag

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

In addition to the above, camp ocean tips would be completely separate. Also room service. These two have no auto tipping feature. 

[coevan]

1 hour ago, VentureMan_2000 said:

Well... I'll be.  

Seems wrong.  I can't help but think that most folks remove gratuities for non-service related reasons. 

 

 

non service reasons = cheap

[Elaine5715]

19 hours ago, VentureMan_2000 said:

 

When you eat, there is no receipt to sign or review -- you just enjoy your food.  When you purchase a drink or cocktail/wine, an 18% TIP is added to the price automatically.  No need to worry about actually TIP'ing any person directly on the Cruise as these "pre-paid" gratuities do that for you.

I hope that answers your question. 

 

 

If there was a receipt, the typical appetizer, entree, dessert, coffee tab would be $25 to $50 a person

[VentureMan_2000]

8 minutes ago, Elaine5715 said:

If there was a receipt, the typical appetizer, entree, dessert, coffee tab would be $25 to $50 a person

 

But there's not...

All food and gratuities are wrapped up in the cruise price and pre-paid gratuities.  No need for a receipt.

[GradUT]

3 hours ago, Danca4eva1994 said:

Thanks everyone! We're still getting used to cruises. We have done everything right so far, but I didn't want these employees to think that we were stiffing them if we just got up and walked out after we were eating. It just feels a little weird to just walk out without paying anything or just walk away from the bar without leaving an additional tip. 

You'll soon get used to it.  😊

 

So, the bottom line is:

1.  It doesn't matter if you pre-pay gratuities or wait to pay until you get your final bill.  The amount charged will be the same, i.e. there is no discount for pre-paying gratuities.  Just DON'T remove gratuities!

 

2.  Whether to tip additionally is up to you.  The service you receive will be excellent whether you tip additionally or not.  (FWIW, I do not tip extra and the service we have received from waitstaff, stewards, etc. has been exceptional.) 

[jimbo5544]

4 hours ago, VentureMan_2000 said:

Well... I'll be.  

Seems wrong.  I can't help but think that most folks remove gratuities for non-service related reasons. 

Did I say they did not?  What I said was that the note posted was legit.

[VentureMan_2000]

1 hour ago, jimbo5544 said:

Did I say they did not?  What I said was that the note posted was legit.

 

No... you were clear.  I was just making a comment regarding those who remove their gratuities... see coevan's post above.

[Elaine5715]

6 hours ago, VentureMan_2000 said:

 

But there's not...

All food and gratuities are wrapped up in the cruise price and pre-paid gratuities.  No need for a receipt.

Wasn't the point

[QuiGonJohn]

On 12/30/2019 at 7:58 PM, VentureMan_2000 said:

 

When you eat, there is no receipt to sign or review -- you just enjoy your food.  When you purchase a drink or cocktail/wine, an 18% TIP is added to the price automatically.  No need to worry about actually TIP'ing any person directly on the Cruise as these "pre-paid" gratuities do that for you.

TWO THINGS

Please keep this on what you can and cannot do, not a debate on right or wrong.

 

1. I believe you can remove your gratuities at the end of the cruise. If you did not pre-pay and if you take the time to go to Customer Service.  But just wanted to verify in regards to Carnival, as I heard some cruise lines were making that even more difficult. Like you are charged them, then have to wait a week or two later for a refund.

 

2. On the beverage gratuities, is it automatically added to non-alcohol, as well. Also, can you opt to tip less or remove the 18% drink gratuity.

Edited February 20, 2020 by QuiGonJohn

[lindsay0526]

The “prepaid” or automatic gratuity is $13.99/day/per person, and that breaks down to $4.35/day/pp for your housekeeping team, $6.89/day/pp for your dining team, and $2.75/day/pp for the other people who help serve you every day but may not receive a direct tip.

 

There are other “automatic” gratuities that are added- 

specialty drinks- anything you order (alcoholic beverages, sodas, coffees, smoothies) where someone has to make it for you- you will be charged an automatic gratuity

spa services- again, an automatic gratuity will be added

specialty dining- auto gratuity

 

I wouldn’t adjust my gratuities for 2 nights for my dining team knowing that I wasn’t eating in the dining room those nights...  but that’s just me.

 

Even if you prepay, you can adjust your gratuities (up or down) depending on your service before you leave the ship. Personally, we always tip the recommended amount, and then leave a little extra cash for our team before we leave. They do work very hard to keep us happy, and we have never had a bad housekeeping or dining team.

Edited February 26, 2020 by lindsay0526

[Acheavacci]

On 12/30/2019 at 6:41 PM, pinacoladasatpianobar said:

If we don’t do pre-paid gratuities, will Carnival automatically post tips on our final folio at the end of the cruise? Or do we tip as we go?

 

for example, if we eat in the MDR 5 times, is it somehow logged so Carnival knows how much to charge our card for tips? Drinks at the bar as well? 
 

why do you choose prepaid gratuities? 
 

I never understand the tipping so if someone can break it down for what’s the standard (bar, MDR, cleaning staff, etc) I would appreciate it! 

Attached is the breakdown of gratuities that was on my account summary from our Breeze Feb 15-22 2020 cruise.  IMHO, it is very low gratuities for the service we received.  Our female steward, Carmina, was fabulous.  Always smiling and asking about our day.  Yeah, she may have been "acting" for an additional gratuity but she also had a kind heart.   when she saw my kids struggling first night of the cruise to get there sea legs she brought them green apples and ginger ale (free of charge).  She had my heart after that.   

 

The wait staff was so friendly and fun.  One day my daughter was wearing a Peru T-shirt from a school trip she took and all wait staff remembered her and would my say "My Rosie from Peru" whenever they saw her in the MDR.  

 

Please keep in mind the workers are working hard on the ship and do much more than what you see on the guest decks.  One woman from the fun shop staff had an eleven yr old daughter that she will not see during her 6 month contract.  I can't imagine having that type of struggle that it is for the best to leave your family for that length of time.    

[lindsay0526]

On 12/31/2019 at 12:17 PM, pinacoladasatpianobar said:

Thanks everyone! We're still getting used to cruises. We have done everything right so far, but I didn't want these employees to think that we were stiffing them if we just got up and walked out after we were eating. It just feels a little weird to just walk out without paying anything or just walk away from the bar without leaving an additional tip. 

Yeah, I hear that, but know that either you’ve prepaid the tips or you are going to have them added to your ship account at the end of the trip. And then any bar staff that you utilize will also be tipped automatically. The wait staff won’t feel like you are stiffing them if you don’t leave a nightly tip- remember you’ve either prepaid them or are going to pay the gratuities at the end of the week. We do like to throw the staff that we personally encounter- like our housekeeping/dining staff- a little extra money at the end of the week, if they were phenomenal. I’m talking $10-20 per person, because remember, you’ve already tipped.

[beshears]

I don't have time to read your replies, and more than likely someone, or more than one have already answered your question.  As I'm sure they told you, there is a tip added for each day of the cruise on your bill.  I go to the Pursers, or Guest area, and get the tipping envelopes.  I then tip at the "end" of the cruise who I want to tip, with CASH!  This is not mandatory, but it is what I like to do. 🙂

[Jamesatgsu]

1 hour ago, Acheavacci said:

Attached is the breakdown of gratuities that was on my account summary from our Breeze Feb 15-22 2020 cruise.  IMHO, it is very low gratuities for the service we received.  Our female steward, Carmina, was fabulous.  Always smiling and asking about our day.  Yeah, she may have been "acting" for an additional gratuity but she also had a kind heart.   when she saw my kids struggling first night of the cruise to get there sea legs she brought them green apples and ginger ale (free of charge).  She had my heart after that.   

 

The wait staff was so friendly and fun.  One day my daughter was wearing a Peru T-shirt from a school trip she took and all wait staff remembered her and would my say "My Rosie from Peru" whenever they saw her in the MDR.  

 

Please keep in mind the workers are working hard on the ship and do much more than what you see on the guest decks.  One woman from the fun shop staff had an eleven yr old daughter that she will not see during her 6 month contract.  I can't imagine having that type of struggle that it is for the best to leave your family for that length of time.    

 

Never knew they had that breakdown in the HUB like that. I was initially going to remove gratuities and tip how I saw fit, but after the first one, I realized how impractical that was (never carrying cash around and all the different staff members out on the Lido deck and around the ship).  Knowing what the lives of the staff are like in cramped quarters and away from their families for months, all for a terrible wage by American standards, I couldn't justify taking tips away, and have always left them extra cash at the end of the cruise.  I think it is one of those jobs that would be a fun and interesting experience if I was single, but couldn't imagine doing it as a spouse and parent.

[pinacoladasatpianobar]

2 hours ago, Acheavacci said:

Attached is the breakdown of gratuities that was on my account summary from our Breeze Feb 15-22 2020 cruise.  IMHO, it is very low gratuities for the service we received.  Our female steward, Carmina, was fabulous.  Always smiling and asking about our day.  Yeah, she may have been "acting" for an additional gratuity but she also had a kind heart.   when she saw my kids struggling first night of the cruise to get there sea legs she brought them green apples and ginger ale (free of charge).  She had my heart after that.   

 

The wait staff was so friendly and fun.  One day my daughter was wearing a Peru T-shirt from a school trip she took and all wait staff remembered her and would my say "My Rosie from Peru" whenever they saw her in the MDR.  

 

Please keep in mind the workers are working hard on the ship and do much more than what you see on the guest decks.  One woman from the fun shop staff had an eleven yr old daughter that she will not see during her 6 month contract.  I can't imagine having that type of struggle that it is for the best to leave your family for that length of time.    

Thanks for that! We're still new to cruising and have always had our gratuities posted on our final statement rather than pre-paying), but I just wanted to make sure every tip was included. We did't want to stifle anyone accidentally.

[pinacoladasatpianobar]

2 hours ago, lindsay0526 said:

Yeah, I hear that, but know that either you’ve prepaid the tips or you are going to have them added to your ship account at the end of the trip. And then any bar staff that you utilize will also be tipped automatically. The wait staff won’t feel like you are stiffing them if you don’t leave a nightly tip- remember you’ve either prepaid them or are going to pay the gratuities at the end of the week. We do like to throw the staff that we personally encounter- like our housekeeping/dining staff- a little extra money at the end of the week, if they were phenomenal. I’m talking $10-20 per person, because remember, you’ve already tipped.

Thanks! This thread has definitely helped us and we've done it all right so far! Better to be safe than sorry. 

[pinacoladasatpianobar]

1 hour ago, beshears said:

I don't have time to read your replies, and more than likely someone, or more than one have already answered your question.  As I'm sure they told you, there is a tip added for each day of the cruise on your bill.  I go to the Pursers, or Guest area, and get the tipping envelopes.  I then tip at the "end" of the cruise who I want to tip, with CASH!  This is not mandatory, but it is what I like to do. 🙂

Yep, all good here after the clarification of everything! Thanks!

[drmom423]

I haven't cruised in almost a year, but I don't remember the per-drink gratuity listed on the receipt when I sign. But, we always have Cheers. Is it a new thing to have the gratuity listed? 

[tandemcruzr]

When you buy the Cheers program, you are charged an 18% gratuity. No tip will be seen on your drink ticket. You can add additional if you want to.

 

Without Cheers, an 18% gratuity is added to your ticket for each drink (bar, coffee, shakes, etc.)

[coevan]

7 hours ago, Jamesatgsu said:

(never carrying cash around and all the different staff members out on the Lido deck and around the ship). 

 

 

you can tip extra on your charge slip and yes they get it, don't need to carry cash