Is tipping in cash still preferred by cruise staff ?

[zitsky]

8 minutes ago, mahdnc said:

 

In Club Points?

 

? US Dollars.  We have one answer earlier in the thread. 

[Pinboy]

55 minutes ago, LGW59 said:

Yes but cash is king 

Sure beats candy bars, photos of " me, me , me " , or trinkets from your home town, while you ( the Staff person ) are busting your xxx off trying to make a living and supporting a family that you are away from for " months " at a time.  If I were a Staff person I would " snicker " if someone left me a Snicker bar. 

 

 

 

[canderson]

1 hour ago, m8zenblue said:

Why are people so concerned on what you tip to cruise staff ?

Your money, do what you want, my money I do what I want.

I think of all the posts you may have quoted to add that comment, mine would have been one of the least likely.  We were on an 'aside' about tipping bartenders in general, Europe vs. U.S. 

[zitsky]

12 minutes ago, Pinboy said:

Sure beats candy bars, photos of " me, me , me " , or trinkets from your home town, while you ( the Staff person ) are busting your xxx off trying to make a living and supporting a family that you are away from for " months " at a time.  If I were a Staff person I would " snicker " if someone left me a Snicker bar. 

 

Boy these cruisers sure are a tough crowd!

[sanger727]

3 hours ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

 

X is US and uses USD as currency.  In the US, it state or county/city level to dictate the minimum wage laws and a third of the states allow for waitstaff to make as little as $2.13/hr with the idea that tipping will offset their low wages.  Cruise lines take advantage of this system to pay the staff less.

cruise ship wages have nothing to do with the state they sail out of. There are international laws they follow. They don’t follow US laws. That’s the whole reason they are foreign flagged, to avoid US laws…

 

yes.  Servers in the US are paid very low, I’ve done it. But with standard tips the pay is good. I don’t think people sign up to work cruises and leave their home and family for months at a time because the pay is terrible. 

[Madio]

23 hours 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.

We were on the Equinox last week, and got friendly with a few of the staff.  We were very curious to hear how they had survived being out of work for 1.5 years.  One server in Luminae told us she was quarantined on a ship from March to September 2020, before she could go home to Mauritius (sp?) to stay with her mother.  They’ve all had a tough time, and they were so wonderful last week and happy to be back to work….couldn’t do enough for us.  Long story short:  We tipped extra, were happy to do it,  and hope others followed suit.

[zitsky]

2 minutes ago, Madio said:

We were on the Equinox last week, and got friendly with a few of the staff.  We were very curious to hear how they had survived being out of work for 1.5 years.  One server in Luminae told us she was quarantined on a ship from March to September 2020, before she could go home to Mauritius (sp?) to stay with her mother.  They’ve all had a tough time, and they were so wonderful last week and happy to be back to work….couldn’t do enough for us.  Long story short:  We tipped extra, were happy to do it,  and hope others followed suit.

 

Did you tip through Customer Service or did you leave cash for each individual? 

[Madio]

1 minute ago, zitsky said:

 

Did you tip through Customer Service or did you leave cash for each individual? 

We filled out a form for our Retreat staff.  Evidently, they heard about it immediately, because they thanked us for our generosity.  For cabin steward, special servers, and favorite bartenders, we had brought along little envelopes, and handed them to them.  A young couple on their first cruise was sitting next to us on the last night, asking for tipping advice.  This funny lady on the other side of us said “Where I live in New York, they shoot you if you don’t tip.”  She was a hoot, and we all got a laugh.

[keesar]

12 minutes ago, zitsky said:

 

Did you tip through Customer Service or did you leave cash for each individual? 

We passed on our unused OBC to select individuals by filling out a form.  Our form had an option to give $$ to an individual or a group i.e. Blu wait staff. etc.

[Madio]

1 hour ago, Pinboy said:

Sure beats candy bars, photos of " me, me , me " , or trinkets from your home town, while you ( the Staff person ) are busting your xxx off trying to make a living and supporting a family that you are away from for " months " at a time.  If I were a Staff person I would " snicker " if someone left me a Snicker bar. 

 

 

 

Plus, while these people, through no fault of their own, were struggling to support their families back home, my DH and I were locked down in our comfortable small villa, with plenty to eat, watching our vacation fund grow (since we couldn’t go out and spend money).  Don’t mind sharing it now.

[Madio]

4 minutes ago, keesar said:

We passed on our unused OBC to select individuals by filling out a form.  Our form had an option to give $$ to an individual or a group i.e. Blu wait staff. etc.

That’s what we did too.  Wasn’t about to leave $39.67 on the table (LOL). We designated it to a particular person. 

[mahdnc]

2 hours ago, zitsky said:

 

? US Dollars.  We have one answer earlier in the thread. 

 

Thank goodness.

[keesar]

We were on a cruise last February 2021.  Our statement attendant came to us and asked about a couple of gifts he had received the day before from a couple.  One was a fruit cake wrapped in a Christmas themed box.  Another gift was a souvenir mug from Disney,   What can you say about these....  

[zitsky]

18 minutes ago, keesar said:

We were on a cruise last February 2021.  Our statement attendant came to us and asked about a couple of gifts he had received the day before from a couple.  One was a fruit cake wrapped in a Christmas themed box.  Another gift was a souvenir mug from Disney,   What can you say about these....  

 

If they don't like it, they can give or trade with a coworker.  It was given with good intentions 

 

(And to think, they call ME cynical.)

[davekathy]

6 minutes ago, zitsky said:

 

If they don't like it, they can give or trade with a coworker.  It was given with good intentions 

 

(And to think, they call ME cynical.)

or throw them away. 

[keesar]

Maybe I should have discussed the "tradition" of re-gifting but I thought better of it.  I suggested placing the fruit cake in the staff cafeteria.  Many uses for the Disney mug i.e. keep coins in it, have a favorite beverage, etc.

 

I did ask what he really liked.  He told me that he had a wife, children and grandparents he was working for.  Great guy!

[Pinboy]

42 minutes ago, keesar said:

 One was a fruit cake wrapped in a Christmas themed box.  Another gift was a souvenir mug from Disney,   What can you say about these....  

They brought the stuff with the intent of giving it to their Room Steward as an extra special ( ?? ) reward for good service. 

Why else would anyone bring a fruit cake and/or a Disney mug with them on a cruise ??

" Hey, Honey--- Don't forget the fruit cake -- the one from 3 Christmases ago---that your uncle, that cheap xxx brought us-- it's in the basement beside the Disney souvenirs --- See if that mug , the one with Goofy on it is still there-- just wipe off the dust --- and pack it in your suitcase".  

 

 

 

[LGW59]

58 minutes ago, zitsky said:

 

If they don't like it, they can give or trade with a coworker.  It was given with good intentions 

 

(And to think, they call ME cynical.)

Rubbish it was, I’d of been insulted then thrown in the trash 

[mayleeman]

Reminds me of the presents we used to get from our neighbor for Christmas. One year she gave us a Christmas tree wall hanging made from stacking catfood cans. She was the reason my parents taught me "It’s the thought tht counts."

 

But that phrase also applies to giving gifts. You might appreciate a bit of candy if you were working your tail off for hours every day serving the needs of people indulging in a vacation you could probably never afford. But only as a treat -- like leaving a bowl out with a "Help yourself!" message. If given a few Snickers bars as a gesture of thanks, yeah, maybe I'd be touched. As a substitute for a tip....not so much.

 

But over the years people have mentioned trinkets, and memo pads/pens, etc, and now a fruitcake and Disney cup? Wow, my reaction would be abject disbelief someone could be so clueless, and horrified that they appeared so condescending.

Edited August 14, 2021 by mayleeman

[dkjretired]

5 hours ago, runningtide said:

I totally agree with tipping the steward ASAP, rather than wait till the end of the cruise. I budget a set amount for each day if the service is really great, and always try to leave the tip at least every other day in an envelope with the stewards name on it. This practice always works out to motivate the steward to provide " a little extra care" for us. I know some guest may disagree with this practice, or for that matter tipping extra for service you expect, but its a personal choice for us. I find the really good stewards become like friends during the cruise, since more than other crew members, you usually see them several times a day. 

Some workers who get tips on the first day consider it an insult.

[lorimay]

One year we went on a holiday cruise. I always bake lots of cookies and candy to give away so I brought a tin to give to the cabin steward. We also tip extra so this was just a gesture. His English was not great and I don’t think he understood what I was giving him. He just seemed stunned. I was afraid I offended him. But he came back later in the cruise to thank us. I think someone explained that it was a holiday tradition and he told me he was not going to share with his roommate. His reaction was much better than when, many years ago before cell phones were popular, I read here on Cruise Critic that the staff really appreciated getting prepaid phone cards. So I bought a bunch and handed them out the first night as an extra. They were NOT popular. Now it’s just cash. 

[dkjretired]

5 hours ago, m8zenblue said:

Why are people so concerned on what you tip to cruise staff ?

Your money, do what you want, my money I do what I want.

I agree, just go on your cruise and enjoy yourself.

[morpheusofthesea]

On 8/13/2021 at 3:31 PM, m8zenblue said:

We always give our cabin attendant, waiters, sommelier

Funny you mention the sommelier... We felt terrible for 'our' sommeliers. They have always come to our table every evening to remove our wine glasses and ask if they could get us any drink from the bar and still give us both a smile when we refuse their services (included in suite fare). We still tip them $ at the end of the cruise.

[morpheusofthesea]

On 8/13/2021 at 4:11 PM, Jim_Iain said:

If you write the individual's name then it goes direct to the individual and they would be notified of it.    

It truly is a great idea, but I enjoy the look of surprise and thanks on those that I tip $$ extra. Giving your way is still better than 'no way'.

[runningtide]

36 minutes ago, dkjretired said:

Some workers who get tips on the first day consider it an insult.

I don't think I have ever met a crew member who was insulted by a tip......regardless of when I offered it.