Ocean Now Tipping

[artvlay]

If you have food delivered to the pool area, a lounge or in your cabin, do you tip? If so, how much?

[NavyVeteran]

I never carry cash on a ship, so I don't have anything to tip with. I am paying the recommended gratuities for food service and the service charge for beverage service (both included in the Plus fare), so I don't believe additional tipping is required. There would be no way to give a cash tip to the staff who prepared the food or the bartender who prepared the drink, anyway.

Tipping decisions above the recommended crew appreciation and service charges are a personal decision, but I don't feel anyone should feel guilty about tipping only the recommended amount. Personally, I will tip at the end of the cruise anyone who has given me consistent excellent service - cabin steward, waiters who've served me throughout the cruise, and bartenders at the bar I spend most of my time at.

I am not able to understand why sometime would tip extra for room service (when someone spends a few minutes bringing you food and immediately leaves) but not for MDR service (when two waiters spend a couple of hours bringing you each course individually).

[skynight]

Service and crew appreciation is included. No further tipping necessary. I don't carry cash anywhere around the ship. I do have some cash in the cabin. If you order for cabin delivery you might want to provide a few $$. It's up to you. 

[Cruisemeister2002]

I cast my mind back to a P&O cruise I took last year. First time ever I gave our cabin steward a £5 tip (around $7.5) as I thought he was very good. Although I had prepaid service charges. Bad error I am afraid he just got worse the longer the cruise went on. I preferred the old system of tipping those who personally serve you, but can understand that if everyone onboard just tip their cabin steward and their dining waiters that many staff miss out although they are still serving us in the background.

[Potstech]

No as the cruise line has already extracted the tip from my wallet in the crew appreciation charge.