Why Tip at the Beginning of a Cruise?

[ONT-CA]

34 minutes ago, Pinboy said:

... Never mind that expression " Treat people the way you want to be treated ".  Treat them the way they deserve to be treated.

 

 

 

 

I have to ask, do you tip for service received at WalMart?

[GeorgesGal]

2 hours ago, morfred said:

Wow! DYKWIS -I am impressed. I had never heard the word "preprandial" and just looked it up. I will be using that in the future and and I am looking forward to the blank stares that I get. Thanks for the word-I learn something new every day. ps I know it's a great word when my spellcheck keeps telling me it's wrong

 

Morfred, you've obviously not read any Lawrence Saunders' Archie McNally series books.  Archie uses this word frequently!  And enjoyable easy reading!

[PTC DAWG]

Tip what you want when you want...calling it a bribe is just silly...

[DirtyDawg]

12 minutes ago, ONT-CA said:

 

I have to ask, do you tip for service received at WalMart?

 

Service received at Walmart??

 

Isn't that like Stanley Cup Champions Toronto Maple Leafs. The two terms just don't go together.

[Fouremco]

6 minutes ago, DirtyDawg said:

 

Isn't that like Stanley Cup Champions Toronto Maple Leafs. The two terms just don't go together.

Ouch! 

[Luvcrusn]

1 hour ago, GeorgesGal said:

 

Morfred, you've obviously not read any Lawrence Saunders' Archie McNally series books.  Archie uses this word frequently!  And enjoyable easy reading!

I loved Lawrence Sanders' Archie McNally series! All the simplest food and drinks were so deliciously described and the plots were such a wonderful mix of humor and mystery ! I was sorry when he passed away. Now back to pre vs. post tipping discussion.

[ClaudiaB]

2 hours ago, Luvcrusn said:

We have always paid the required tips and then tipped extra at the end as well, taken the time to get to know our stewards and treated them with respect. We always say "please and thank you" and often fill out mid cruise comment cards praising staff who warranted it.  We have always had exemplary service on X. I cannot imagine what better service could have been provided had we tipped at the beginning of the cruise.

This.   

[mem50]

Personally I find it insulting to tip at the beginning. As if you will be treated better because of it. Never an issue for us! I have seen people tipping in the bars and expounding on how they get better service and “heavy pours” Not true   Smile, use their name and be polite. You will receive the same treatment back. 
Always wondered how much people tip their bus drivers, grocery checkers cafeteria workers etc when they are home. 

[keesar]

I wonder if those who tip at the beginning of a cruise also tip the wait staff at restaurants at home before the food arrives,  😀

[cmhdoogalsatsea]

I generally travel solo and I generally do offer a tip to steward and butler when first meeting. I explain to them that I realize that my pre-paid gratuities are only half what they'd be for a normally occupied cabin even though  I doubt that their efforts will be only 1/2.  To me this is more about evening things up from the  start for the people I feel are most impacted by the way corporate handles solo travelers than it is some sort of "bribery". Given all the expressed concerns about the b word on here, I assume  that many must suffer ethically by having to pay for their cruise prior to debarkation...stooping to bribing the cruise line to get them safely thru the voyage...:-)

 

Edited February 2, 2020 by cmhdoogalsatsea

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

22 minutes ago, keesar said:

I wonder if those who tip at the beginning of a cruise also tip the wait staff at restaurants at home before the food arrives,  😀

They probably “tip” the host or hostess to jump the line waiting for a seat or for a better table than the one they would have gotten.

[Pushka]

Maybe not related to tipping as such but at the bar near the solarium I stood for ages waiting to be served (older female) while similarly aged males and younger were served ahead of me. Maybe I should tip ahead being in this demographic in order to get service. And yes, this was Celebrity. 

[Pushka]

5 hours ago, morfred said:

Wow! DYKWIS -I am impressed. I had never heard the word "preprandial" and just looked it up. I will be using that in the future and and I am looking forward to the blank stares that I get. Thanks for the word-I learn something new every day. ps I know it's a great word when my spellcheck keeps telling me it's wrong

I guess postprandial is a new word for you too!

[keesar]

1 hour ago, WrittenOnYourHeart said:

They probably “tip” the host or hostess to jump the line waiting for a seat or for a better table than the one they would have gotten.

 

You are correct!  Works for cutting ahead in line.  I have seen $$$ being used in restaurants and  also making the host an offer he could not refuse depending on stature.  😓

[MamaFej]

1 hour ago, Pushka said:

Maybe not related to tipping as such but at the bar near the solarium I stood for ages waiting to be served (older female) while similarly aged males and younger were served ahead of me. Maybe I should tip ahead being in this demographic in order to get service. And yes, this was Celebrity. 

I found that men and buxom women got served at pool bars while I was utterly ignored. I found it very rude.

 

Elsewhere on the ship, I received excellent service.

[anniegb]

1 hour ago, Pushka said:

Maybe not related to tipping as such but at the bar near the solarium I stood for ages waiting to be served (older female) while similarly aged males and younger were served ahead of me. Maybe I should tip ahead being in this demographic in order to get service. And yes, this was Celebrity. 

Did you keep quiet?? that has been attempted on me but I speak up.

 

Annie

[Pushka]

1 hour ago, anniegb said:

Did you keep quiet?? that has been attempted on me but I speak up.

 

Annie

I do in the end but really, it is a bit of a spoiler to have to do this. And by that time Im usually grumpy because it has happened again. And pretty much always at the bars. I always do a scan  " on land" to see who is before me and if approached earlier than 'my turn'' I point them out. But that doesnt seem to happen at bars on ships and others certainly dont mind jumping in ahead of me. 

Edited February 3, 2020 by Pushka

[ScubesDad]

I only have one exception for pre-tipping and that is with valet parking.  the intake employee may not be the same as the delivering employee....also if it was to be a short meeting i would ask them not to park it deep as i would be out shortly.  i was told by several supervisors/managers never to pre-tip as it is may be construed as an insult (as previously noted)  and could have the opposite result to the one intended. I would never "grease the palm" of a maitre'd particularly if i had no reservation..i would politely request the best available tablet and acknowledge accordingly.

We have been on enough cruises with X to know the level of service to be expected.  if not a discussion with the employee will occur.

I also realize nothing said here will change anyone's opinion or practice.

[SeasideMemories]

Pushka, Been there done that too at the bar by the pool. Honestly, it was just the worst. Boiled down to whoever pushed in ahead  and was the loudest/pushiest was waited on first.  Not my style.

 

The Sunset Bar/Martini Bar often times was just as busy but the bartenders just seemed to be more aware of who was there and when so took people in, mostly, a first come first serve order.

 

As far as the topic at hand... I think, if I was offered a tip at our first meeting, while I might welcome the money, I would feel a bit sad in that you would think I was not going to give you good service if it wasn’t for that. And a bit conflicted where if I did give you my best service (that I would have anyway) that you would feel I only did it because you pre-tipped me. 

Edited February 3, 2020 by SeasideMemories

[Pushka]

55 minutes ago, SeasideMemories said:

Pushka, Been there done that too at the bar by the pool. Honestly, it was just the worst. Boiled down to whoever pushed in ahead  and was the loudest/pushiest was waited on first.  Not my style.

 

The Sunset Bar/Martini Bar often times was just as busy but the bartenders just seemed to be more aware of who was there and when so took people in, mostly, a first come first serve order.

 

As far as the topic at hand... I think, if I was offered a tip at our first meeting, while I might welcome the money, I would feel a bit sad in that you would think I was not going to give you good service if it wasn’t for that. And a bit conflicted where if I did give you my best service (that I would have anyway) that you would feel I only did it because you pre-tipped me. 

Yes, you are spot on there. The crew at the Martini Bar were excellent, but maybe it was because I was always there with my husband?

[Ross K]

While I have no problem tipping generously for excellent service, I have a big problem tipping in advance of services rendered. I actually find it distasteful. And if a member of crew are unprofessional enough to constantly keep me waiting in favour of someone who has paid a bribe, not only will they receive nothing from me, they can be sure their poor service will be reported. It is for this reason anyway that I think its unlikely in most situations you will receive any meaningful advantage - except maybe a pour on the heavier side - but I have no problem paying for what I consume without encouraging staff or crew to effectively steal from their employer to benefit me. As others have said, I think 'bar presence' is going to be enough in almost all situations.

[justcrusn]

There seem to be 3 strategies here.

1. people who pre-tip 

Most report this strategy results in excellent service

 

2. people who tip extra as extra service is delivered 

Most report this strategy results in excellent service

 

3. people who tip at the end.

Most report this strategy results in excellent service

 

We fall in category 2&3
Im happy to report this results in excellent service!

[Gracie115]

We always give a tip at the beginning to our room steward, usually a $20 bill but that's because we ask him/her for a few things outside the scope of normal service.  It's always been received graciously.  At the lounges we tip a few dollars frequently after receiving drinks.  Have been in the hospitality business for 40 + years and have yet to run into someone who didn't appreciate a tip, before, after or during their working hours.  

[rotoal]

10 hours ago, SeasideMemories said:

Pushka, Been there done that too at the bar by the pool. Honestly, it was just the worst. Boiled down to whoever pushed in ahead  and was the loudest/pushiest was waited on first.  Not my style.

 

The Sunset Bar/Martini Bar often times was just as busy but the bartenders just seemed to be more aware of who was there and when so took people in, mostly, a first come first serve order.

 

As far as the topic at hand... I think, if I was offered a tip at our first meeting, while I might welcome the money, I would feel a bit sad in that you would think I was not going to give you good service if it wasn’t for that. And a bit conflicted where if I did give you my best service (that I would have anyway) that you would feel I only did it because you pre-tipped me. 

Being ignored has happened to me, on the same Silhouette cruise both at the pool bar and the sunset bar.   At the pool bar, it was busy and I was patiently waiting so long at the bar that the woman sitting next to me got upset and yelled for a bartender to pay attention to me.   At the sunset bar, it was busy with men who were ahead of me, all of the men had their orders filled, and the two or three bar tenders then turned their backs to me.   A female assistant manager walked in, didn't make eye contact with me (or with my card angled for someone to take my order) and proceeded to do something right in front of me.   After another minute, I told her that she should be aware of the fact that she was managing a department that discriminated against women.   She started to apologize and everyone ran over to help me, and I said no thank you and left.   I had my seapass card, with a dollar bill tucked behind it waiting both times.   

 

In sharp contrast, a day or two later I went to the World Class Bar and sat at a table away from the bar, waiting for DH.   About 2 minutes later, the bartender who we had befriended brought over our drinks before I had ordered and before DH even arrived.  Needless to say at the end of the cruise we gave that bartender a generous tip.

 

We do usually tip when we order a drink (and carry single bills with us for that purpose), especially at bars that we don't regularly frequent.

 

The bar staff isn't making growing older very easy.

[Pinboy]

19 hours ago, DirtyDawg said:

 

Service received at Walmart??

 

Isn't that like Stanley Cup Champions Toronto Maple Leafs. The two terms just don't go together.

The next time the Leafs win the Stanley Cup , I'll be the first to tip in Walmart---- assuming I live that long.