A real tipping question, not the skinflint -cheapskate one

[TheBeachBears]

Hopefully you can help me out, I am looking for some Tipping info, but not the usual “how can I be a cheapskate post” I want to know ALL the people you have tipped on and off the ship during a cruise. I am doing some research and this is the list I came up with so far:

 

I am good with amounts and arguments pro and con tipping these people

Head waiter

Waiter

Assistant waiter

Cabin attendant

Room service

Luggage attendant

Bartender

Casino dealer

Excursion – both RCI and private staff

Airport porters

Dinning off ship in port

 

I am a little shaky on the amounts for “above and beyond” service for these people

Adventure ocean staff

Spa treatment

Concierge

MaterDee

 

So is this the complete list of people who provide service who may on occasion deserve to be rewarded for the service they have provided you if you so choose to tip, and if you are not opposed to tipping because of you country of origin, religion or because you lost all your money at blackjack last night. Please post up any that I may have missed and if you have had Spa treatment or concierge level and had occasion to tip what was the amount.

 

…..and no the Captain is not on the list

 

Who have I missed?

[Havana Daydreamin]

Off the ship,

 

I usually tip the taxi driver too.

[Fritz265]

Hopefully you can help me out, I am looking for some Tipping info, but not the usual “how can I be a cheapskate post” I want to know ALL the people you have tipped on and off the ship during a cruise. I am doing some research and this is the list I came up with so far:

 

I am good with amounts and arguments pro and con tipping these people

Head waiter

Waiter

Assistant waiter

Cabin attendant

Room service

Luggage attendant

Bartender

Casino dealer

Excursion – both RCI and private staff

Airport porters

Dinning off ship in port

 

I am a little shaky on the amounts for “above and beyond” service for these people

Adventure ocean staff

Spa treatment

Concierge

MaterDee

 

So is this the complete list of people who provide service who may on occasion deserve to be rewarded for the service they have provided you if you so choose to tip, and if you are not opposed to tipping because of you country of origin, religion or because you lost all your money at blackjack last night. Please post up any that I may have missed and if you have had Spa treatment or concierge level and had occasion to tip what was the amount.

 

…..and no the Captain is not on the list

 

Who have I missed?

 

You pretty much covered them all. I tip any waitstaff whether in Portofino, JRs or regular dining. I also tip the concierge and the amount depends on how much we've used his services during the week. If he goes above and beyond, we tip accordingly. We do tip excursion guides based on the level of friendliness and assistance. Ship bartenders are already "tipped" as part of your bill but if they remember my name or especially my drink on a regular basis, I'll tip a little extra.

 

Also, don't forget to have singles if you use room service. I forgot to get singles and one morning on our normal breakfast delivery, I had only a twenty on hand so that person was probably really happy that morning since I wasn't going NOT tip them as I didn't want my food spit on.:eek:

[truffles2]

In conjunction with an excursion guide, we also tip the bus/van driver.

[benolathe]

You pretty much covered them all. I tip any waitstaff whether in Portofino, JRs or regular dining.

 

I've seen "JR" mentioned several different times and cannot figure out what it is an abbreviation for. Will someone please enlighten me. :)

[cb at sea]

Johnny Rockets!

[Langley Cruisers]

^ ^ JR = Johnny Rockets.

[missbear]

I believe the Maitre'd is the same as the head waiter on RCI, so that's possibly one less tip. You don't need to tip them more unless they do something special for you.

 

We haven't had a waiter we tipped extra yet, but we have always had room attendants that we were inclined to tip extra so it's personal opinion. Decide based on how you feel about the work they've done PLUS what you can afford! We've given an extra $20 plus little gifts in the cabin each day. For gifts we've brought wrapped candies, other safe snacks, little unbreakable picture frame, anti-bacterial hand cream, notecards to send home, deck of cards with tourist stuff from our home state, postcards with scenes from our home state, stamps, and we give them a short note/thank you card each day.

 

Bartender, I find someone I like and tell them I don't like to think about tipping, so I'm just going to tip them once. Then I hand them something a little more generous than I think I might tip if I tipped each time, and life is nice and easy. The %15 that is added for a gratuity may or may not actually make it to your server so I just pretend like there is no tip included. They like you, treat you well, and you're done tipping. On my last cruise I gave one of the pool servers $10 on about the second day because I thought I'd just get a drink here and there, he was really thoughtful after that. He knew he wouldn't get another tip and he sometimes brought me my favorite soda for free, a mixed drink or two came my way without my asking, and he was always very prompt when I placed an order. I didn't think $10 was all that generous but he seemed to.

 

Excursion staff, I don't tip the RCI staff. I tip drivers, food servers, and sometimes the random other helpers but I don't tip much with the excursion thing. Polite respect, and a smile go pretty far with most people.

 

I've never actually seen the luggage attendants on the ship. If I did I'd probably tip a few bucks.

 

Room service, $1 for an easy to carry order, $2 if I know they are swamped, $3-5 if it's harder to carry.

 

Airport porters, I don't usually use them but I've heard a buck a bag is standard in some places.

 

Destination Restaurants: Try to learn the local custom because we can throw an economy out of wack and even insult people if we use our own standards of tipping elsewhere. There are places where tipping isn't the norm and you can insult the staff if you do tip so that's a hard one to answer. Americans tip more than anyone else in the world. We use it to say 'thanks' but it's often taken differently, even condescendingly, like we have so much money we just throw it in other peoples faces to prove it. Be careful.

 

For spa services I tip like I do in restaurants. anywhere from %10-20 depending on how they did.

 

Adventure ocean staff. Do they get tips? I teach science camps and afterschool programs to kids and I've never gotten a tip or gift. Check with other parents but I doubt you need to tip unless you were REALLY impressed with one person.

 

Enjoy.

[benolathe]

Johnny Rockets!

 

Thank you so much - now that makes sense!!

 

And, I probably never would have thought of that as we are sailing on the Serenade and there is not a JR on-board - so that just wasn't in my 'field of thought.'

[ChoosinCruisin]

I believe the Maitre'd is the same as the head waiter on RCI, so that's possibly one less tip. You don't need to tip them more unless they do something special for you.

 

The Maitre'd is not your head waiter unless you dine with the Captain.

 

The Maitre'd is the head of the dining operation during dinner, the dining room manager if you want to think of it that way. He is the one to see if you need a change in seating or time.

 

He generally is only tipped when you require his services.

[Fritz265]

The Maitre'd is not your head waiter unless you dine with the Captain.

 

The Maitre'd is the head of the dining operation during dinner, the dining room manager if you want to think of it that way. He is the one to see if you need a change in seating or time.

 

He generally is only tipped when you require his services.

 

Either way, I've NEVER required the services of either a Maitre'd or the head waiter (who I rarely even see) yet he receives his customary tip per guidelines but that's all. Our waiter and asst. waiter do all the work and if they're excellent, I'll let them know.

 

Our suite attendant on Freedom was very nice but I had to ask her for robes, clean pool towels almost daily among other things. I tipped a little above standard but not much where our steward on Explorer was outstanding in every regard. He got more than twice the suggested suite rate.

 

The concierge on Freedom, Paul Murphy, was first rate and we hope we expressed that to him adequately.

[cruisedaze1929]

YOU FORGOT THE PERSON WHO TOOK YOUR BOOKING....

 

I say tip just cabin steward, waiter and jr waiter or waterboy....if they deserve it only tho.

[vmom]

Excursion staff, I don't tip the RCI staff. I tip drivers, food servers, and sometimes the random other helpers but I don't tip much with the excursion thing. Polite respect, and a smile go pretty far with most people.

 

When you book an excursion through RCCL, the excursion staff are NOT employees of RCCL but are staff from a private tour company that RCCL has contracted to do the excursion through. EX: an snorkeling excursion, sightseeing excursion... They should be tipped just as you would tip any other tour guide whether booked privately or through RCCL.

[KLMB]

I am a generous tipper, but please don't tell me they will spit on your food! Does this happen all the time everywhere, I guess I'm naive,(and maybe I want to remain that way!)

[TheBeachBears]

How about the Piano Player or other entertainers? Thanks guys for all the post, we will not be tipping all these people, I should be so lucky to be at concierge level, I also had no idea how to spell Maitre'd or if anyone has had need or wanted to tip that staff member, Thanks again for the info.

[ILoveScotland]

As a relative new cruiser I find all of this helpful. On NCL we just did the required $10 a day that's automatically added to the onboard account. We got upgraded last summer to a suite, and I had no idea how much to tip the butler or concierge and am sure I under tipped but not intentionally.

 

On recent Brilliance transatlantic I had all the tips added to my account but gave extra to room attendant and assistant waiter. I had a bottle of wine left over on my wine package and gave that to the assistant waiter too as she was very thoughtful and helpful.

 

I had room service almost every breakfast and took lots of $1 bills but didn't know how much to give so I usually gave $2 and on occasion $3. As I've read posts on this thread I wonder if I overtipped a bit. It's okay if I did.

[TheBeachBears]

I would think that breakfast would run 5-7 dollars where we are for one, So 35-49 dollars for the week and mabey you tipped 11 dollars, So yes you over tipped, good for you, it's worth it just not to cook or clean up.

[Fritz265]

I am a generous tipper, but please don't tell me they will spit on your food! Does this happen all the time everywhere, I guess I'm naive,(and maybe I want to remain that way!)

If you don't tip at least 20 bucks for each room service order then watch out!!I'm kidding of course. Why would anybody be concerned about that?

[ZoeyZoo]

On land-based spas the usual tip is 15-20% for good to excellent service. I imagine it is the same on board.

 

Also, RCCL (and most lines) take part in the tip pools. Whoever you tip is supposed to turn it into the pool and then it is distributed. So when you overtip it won't necessarily go to the person you're tipping. If they don't turn it in they can be fired for it.

[TheBeachBears]

Also, RCCL (and most lines) take part in the tip pools. Whoever you tip is supposed to turn it into the pool and then it is distributed. So when you overtip it won't necessarily go to the person you're tipping. If they don't turn it in they can be fired for it.

 

I am uncertain if that is true I have never heard that before?

[Bella930]

I understand and am comfortable with what to tip the "ususal suspects". However, I am going to Alaska this year and have booked excursions that I haven't experienced before so I am not sure how handle tips. I will be going on a floatplane trip and whale watching and in both cases the owner of the company will be the pilot / captain. I don't want to offend them by offering them a tip if it is not expected but I also don't want to stiff them since my life will be in their hands... What would you do? Thanks...

[zotzer]

Also, RCCL (and most lines) take part in the tip pools. Whoever you tip is supposed to turn it into the pool and then it is distributed. So when you overtip it won't necessarily go to the person you're tipping. If they don't turn it in they can be fired for it.

 

This is patently false.

 

The 15% that is automatically added to things like bar tabs IS put into a pool and split. Additional tips, either added to the tip line on a check, or paid in cash, go 100% to the server.

 

T

[ILoveScotland]

I understand and am comfortable with what to tip the "ususal suspects". However, I am going to Alaska this year and have booked excursions that I haven't experienced before so I am not sure how handle tips. I will be going on a floatplane trip and whale watching and in both cases the owner of the company will be the pilot / captain. I don't want to offend them by offering them a tip if it is not expected but I also don't want to stiff them since my life will be in their hands... What would you do? Thanks...

 

A group of us took a private tour in Villefranche. Our guide was also the owner--a one woman operation. Some of us tipped her, and some of us didn't. I did, because I had organized the tour, so I asked her at lunch about tipping, and she said people often gave her 10%, so that's what I did.

[amybear912]

I have a friend who works on a cruiseship and here's what he said:

 

1. Included tips for bar bills go to the server... no pooling there... rest assured that "Juicy" got the extra $$ you added on for him remembering you and your drink...

 

2. The tips that go into a pool are the ones you automatically charge to your account either at the time you book the cruise or at the end of the cruise when you have that option... those are then distributed to the staff as part of their paycheck...

 

Tips you personally hand out are allowed to be kept by the individual...

 

I always tip 15-20% for spa services... same as at home...

[TheBeachBears]

I understand and am comfortable with what to tip the "ususal suspects". However, I am going to Alaska this year and have booked excursions that I haven't experienced before so I am not sure how handle tips. I will be going on a floatplane trip and whale watching and in both cases the owner of the company will be the pilot / captain. I don't want to offend them by offering them a tip if it is not expected but I also don't want to stiff them since my life will be in their hands... What would you do? Thanks...

 

We had the same thing in Costa Maya we went to a private hotel and paid for it, then the “staff” since he was living with the owner asked for a tip for the “staff” which consisted of the cook, the owner and him, he even went so far as to suggest an amount. While we did not have a good time there due to the weather and we had already tipped the cook I did give up my last nine dollars as a tip, but boy was I steaming, I also torched the location on that board. I hope his nine dollars was worth it.

 

That being said if there is some mechanism or opening for tipping and it has been tip worthy I would suggest 5-10% if the cost and what you get is not out of whack with what other excursions of the same type cost. For example when we go on Capt. Marvin’s @ Stingray city we may tip a little due to the fact that it is the same cost or a little more but you get much more, so we tip what that is worth.

 

….if that makes any sense.