Cruising in Australia - tipping???

[AtSeaWithChris]

Hello, I am sorry if i'm asking a question that's been asked a lot but after 10 years I still have trouble figuring out how to actually get good results with searching the forums here.

 

There are some really good offers to cruise in Australia and doing a mock booking there is not an option to prepay tips.  

 

Now I have heard that their culture is different when it comes to tips but I have never been to Australia however I have been to the UK and Europe and, with their vat tax, they include taxes in the price (you pay what you see). However in the touristy areas they are accustomed to getting tips from people that are from places that tip.

 

So my question is this: On a carnival cruise is it actually tip free and nothing is "expected"?

 

That being said it would feel awkward not to tip so I would probably still do so but I just would like to know the expectations beforehand.  The flights would be almost triple the cruise fare before counting in hotel before\after so I would like to appropriately budget the trip.

 

Thanks for your honest and or candid responses.

[chocolate melting cake]

We were on the Spirit 10 years ago, the first Carnival ship brought into Australia. I can't help you with the question of tipping on the ship----ours left Hawaii and was a regular cruise till it reached Australia so tipping was as usual. I can tell you that I was told by many Australians (70% of the passengers) that tipping was frowned upon in Sydney, they said it had the connotation of "Here, since you don't make enough pay where you work!". We had a wonderful tour guide for a full day tour in Sydney---we purposely waited to be the last off the bus and watched the other 40+ people leave, not one person tipped the guide, so we guiltily thanked him and left!

[Essiesmom]

Try asking the experts here:

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/564-australia-new-zealand-cruisers/

[Eli_6]

My TA said that tipping is included in the fare on Carnival Australian cruises and not expected.  I mean, I don't think anyone is going to turn down cash if you want to offer it, but it is apparently not expected. 

[Hunter69]

Yes, Tipping is not accepting on Carnival Australia Cruises.

Your Gratitude is in Fare, the staff get paid different when sailing from Australia. 

We usually might give at end of cruise your Wait staff in MDR, favourite bar tender & room attendant a envelope with something in it (Money). 

 

[Petersonfcu]

Australia has a strong anti-tipping culture.  The only time I have ever had a cash tip rejected in connection with a cruise was by a baggage handler when boarding a Princess cruise out of Australia from Sydney to Singapore.  The handler was quite indignant when I offered him a few Australian dollars, and it made quite an impression on me.  

[AtSeaWithChris]

With the no tipping culture there how is service? I know when we went to the UK we were happy to return to the US where we got much better table service at restaurants.

[Petersonfcu]

4 hours ago, AtSeaWithChris said:

With the no tipping culture there how is service? I know when we went to the UK we were happy to return to the US where we got much better table service at restaurants.

Well, we did get our bags despite our run-in with the handler!

 

Actuallly, though, our trip to Australia was quite a few years ago and I don't remember anything particularly good or bad about the service in Australian restaurants.  I know we have been to other places like France that I would say have a minimal tipping culture.  Our experience with waiters in these places is that they do their jobs well, but they don't smile and banter the way many American waiters and waitresses do.  I don't really need my servers to entertain me though.