Is tipping in cash still preferred by cruise staff ?

[runningtide]

Quick question. For years, I always tipped my favorite bartenders, and cabin steward in cash. They always like the practice. On my last cruise, one bartender told me they could no longer "pocket" the tips for themselves, but had to share the cash tips to other crew at the bar.  I understand that tipping is included in many charges..., but what Im talking about is an additional tip in cash. Does anyone with recent experience know if a crew member is tipped additionally in cash, can he or she keep the tip for themselves, or does it go into a pool for the crew.

[jalves]

They have always technically been required to pool cash tips.  Not that everybody followed that practice though....

[PTC DAWG]

CASH seemed very much appreciated on the Equinox last week…I have no idea if they pool it or not. 

[LMHSRN]

We have been told by several crew members that as long as you do not remove your tips from your account, any additional cash they receive is just theirs.  They do not have to share that portion.

[bEwAbG]

I noticed at our dog groomer yesterday that each groomer now had a Venmo account listed by the register.  How long until X adapts to the trend?

[NutsAboutGolf]

If you remove auto gratuities, say its $15.50/day, you are no longer tipping the behind the scene staff such as the chefs so of course if you give the steward and waiter the chefs $$$, they make more and prefer you do that.

[cruzzzinma]

I think the bartenders due pool their cash tips.

Edited August 13, 2021 by cruzzzinma

[NutsAboutGolf]

34 minutes ago, bEwAbG said:

I noticed at our dog groomer yesterday that each groomer now had a Venmo account listed by the register.  How long until X adapts to the trend?

 

Other cruise lines give you a receipt for every drink and meal, its $0 and you can you leave an additional tip line which gets charged to your on board account.  

[Auntiemomo]

15 minutes ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

If you remove auto gratuities, say its $15.50/day, you are no longer tipping the behind the scene staff such as the chefs so of course if you give the steward and waiter the chefs $$$, they make more and prefer you do that.

I don't think that is correct.  If you remove the auto grats, everybody knows about.   Anything you give the waiters/stateroom attendants in cash has to be turned over to the tipping pool.  If you leave on the auto grats and give the waiters/stateroom attendants extra at the end, they do not have to turn that in and can keep it for themselves.  At least that's my understanding.

[Laurab23]

I've seen them put tips in a cup at the martini bar so I guess they pool tips. Unless they are working alone when you give them a tip. Then I've seen them put it in their pockets.

 

Laura

[Auntiemomo]

1 hour ago, jalves said:

They have always technically been required to pool cash tips.  Not that everybody followed that practice though....

That's not necessarily the case.  Usually the folks at the martini bar pool those tips, and the other bars may do it differently.

[Auntiemomo]

1 minute ago, Laurab23 said:

I've seen them put tips in a cup at the martini bar so I guess they pool tips. Unless they are working alone when you give them a tip. Then I've seen them put it in their pockets.

 

Laura

Yes!

[Pinboy]

Pinboy can't talk about bars ( not a drinker ) but assume the Bar Tenders would share the tips after each shift.

In the Specialty restaurants , we were told on more than one occasion , if you add the tip to the bill , it goes into the tip pool for that restaurant. If you give a tip directly to your Server, that person keeps the tip-- no sharing with the pool.

A tip given directly to your Room Steward is not shared in the tip pool--- and, why would it ???

It's awful when those " sleezebags " remove their Gratuities !!!

Edited August 13, 2021 by Pinboy
Forgot a point

[davekathy]

30 minutes ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

If you remove auto gratuities, say its $15.50/day, you are no longer tipping the behind the scene staff such as the chefs so of course if you give the steward and waiter the chefs $$$, they make more and prefer you do that.

Hopefully with AI (at least the cruises booked with AI) removing gratuities is no longer allowed. 

Edited August 13, 2021 by davekathy

[dkjretired]

I’ve been on this board for 25 years and you will see 100 different answers for your question. Quite frankly and with due respect to everyone I don’t think anyone knows for certain what the policies actually are onboard. It’s possible that every restaurant or department has different policies. Notice just in the few relies here there are contradictions.

[TeaBag]

I would like to think the extra cash we give our cabin steward would be for him alone, since he is the one who did such a great job of looking after us but I understand they may have to share it.

[jg51]

19 minutes ago, davekathy said:

Hopefully with AI (at least the cruises booked with AI) removing gratuities is no longer allowed. 

.

That is what we too assumed, "davekathy" -- in which case the amount (that is "included" in an "always included" fare) is no longer a "gratuity," but a "service charge." 

 

A gratuity (as wikipedia clearly explains) is a tip given freely AFTER a service is rendered, as a thank-you gift -- not an amount that one is forced to give BEFORE a service is rendered.

 

Nevertheless, we are not yet completely sure that you are right, "davekathy" ... because someone posted a message (here at CruiseCritic), a month or more ago, explaining that, if a (AI) guest were seriously unhappy with service received [stateroom, dining, bars?], he/she could go to Guest Relations and require the refunding [to on-board credit?] of all or part of the amount that was prepaid.  We have no desire or intention of doing that, but we are very curious to learn what is 100% factual in that regard.  (Only someone who genuinely tries to do it will know the answer.  All else is speculation/assumption.)

.

[davekathy]

Just now, jg51 said:

.

That is what we too assumed, "davekathy" -- in which case the amount (that is "included" in an "always included" fare) is no longer a "gratuity," but a "service charge." 

 

A gratuity (as wikipedia clearly explains) is a tip given freely AFTER a service is rendered, as a thank-you gift -- not an amount that one is forced to give BEFORE a service is rendered.

 

Nevertheless, we are not yet completely sure that you are right, "davekathy" ... because someone posted a message (here at CruiseCritic), a month or more ago, explaining that, if a (AI) guest were seriously unhappy with service received [stateroom, dining, bars?], he/she could go to Guest Relations and require the refunding [to on-board credit?] of all or part of the amount that was prepaid.  We have no desire or intention of doing that, but we are very curious to learn what is 100% factual in that regard.  (Only someone who genuinely tries to do it will know the answer.  All else is speculation/assumption.)

.

I don't care!! Call it what ever you or anyone else wants to call it! Celebrity calls it a gratuity and that's what I will "always" refer to it as and that's good enough for me. 

[LGW59]

13 minutes ago, davekathy said:

I don't care!! Call it what ever you or anyone else wants to call it! Celebrity calls it a gratuity and that's what I will "always" refer to it as and that's good enough for me. 

"We" absolutely agree davekathy, a gratuity is a gratuity is a gratuity, "always" and a rose is a rose is a rose, "always" no matter what you want to call it.  

 

Pinboy - spot on for calling out the s-bags who have the gratuities removed!  Unless something truly egregious happened, and I don't call a drink not being made to perfection or a steak not being cooked exactly as one wants it egregious, just send it back already, they will gladly bring you another.

 

Those of you with soon to be future cruises in the coming weeks...I truly hope you "always" enjoy every moment of it!

Edited August 13, 2021 by LGW59

[m8zenblue]

Just a note.

We always give our cabin attendant, waiters, sommelier and all bartenders tips at the end of our trip.

I was told they keep all cash tips given to them.

[zitsky]

18 minutes ago, m8zenblue said:

Just a note.

We always give our cabin attendant, waiters, sommelier and all bartenders tips at the end of our trip.

I was told they keep all cash tips given to them.

 

What's the point of AI with gratuity (or service charge) included if you are going to tip extra?  I consider myself a generous person but I don't want to tip twice unless the service is really, really good.

[jgmorgan]

We have always considered the included gratuities to be for the ship-wide hospitality crew.  We always give end of cruise gratuities to the folks who deliver direct service to us for the duration of the cruise (room attendant, waiters and their assistants, sommelier, restaurant hostess or host, and the Maitre d’). Based on conversations with them over the years, we believe they get to keep that money individually.

[Pinboy]

9 minutes ago, LGW59 said:

Pinboy - spot on for calling out the s-bags who have the gratuities removed!  Unless something truly egregious happened

LOL---- To be honest, or, sort of --- Pinboy has been on lots of cruises--- and ONLY one time I " Almost  " found an " excuse " ( ??? ) to remove ALL the Gratuities of our 14 day cruise  !!!

Our Waiter , The Bum , forgot to bring my 3rd shrimp cocktail with the 2 other appetizers I ordered !!!

Lucky for him, " Someone " just stared at me --- That , changed my mind !!!

 

 

 

[canderson]

16 minutes ago, zitsky said:

 

What's the point of AI with gratuity (or service charge) included if you are going to tip extra?  I consider myself a generous person but I don't want to tip twice unless the service is really, really good.

No different than in the old days, where we tipped the recommended minimum, then added extra at the end of the cruise where really good service warranted it.

[LGW59]

1 minute ago, Pinboy said:

LOL---- To be honest, or, sort of --- Pinboy has been on lots of cruises--- and ONLY one time I " Almost  " found an " excuse " ( ??? ) to remove ALL the Gratuities of our 14 day cruise  !!!

Our Waiter , The Bum , forgot to bring my 3rd shrimp cocktail with the 2 other appetizers I ordered !!!

Lucky for him, " Someone " just stared at me --- That , changed my mind !!!

 

 

 

 

1 minute ago, Pinboy said:

forgot to bring my 3rd shrimp cocktail with the 2 other appetizers I ordered !!!

Absolutely the definition of egregious!  I'd of demanded the server give me a gratuity.!  You clearly have a very smart DW.  ROTFL