Tip question

[ladybug9557]

Are you required to tip everyone? What if they don't do a good job. I saw a list of tip suggestions on the RCI website. I think it said that on the last night of the cruise they'll send you a statement and the tips will be added to that. I just wanted to know if I'm required to pay them because on a few of the reviews I read some people didn't see their head waiter until the last night of the cruise. Some people didn't even know who their steward was. I don't usually tip unless the person actually deserve it.

[superjerryw]

You tip for the service that you received. If the service is bad, you don't tip. As for not seeing the cabin steward, they are frequently too busy to engage in conversations with the passengers. If the cabin steward cleans your cabin twice a day as they are supposed to, they should be tipped according to the guidelines. The fact that you never saw them do their job is not really relevant.

 

If you wish, you may tip in cash. If you don't want to tip in cash you can complete a form during the cruise to have the amount of the tips added to your shipboard account. You will then be given a set of vouchers to give to the staff in lieu of cash. A set of envelopes will be delivered to your cabin in which you place your cash or your vouchers. If you purchase the vouchers they are for the recommended amount of the tips. If you want to tip more, you will need to add cash to the envelope. If you want to tip less, you cannot use the vouchers. There is a voucher for your waiter, assistant waiter, cabin steward and the head waiter. If you do not want to tip any of these individuals you cannot use the vouchers.

[Boo Boo]

I agree

 

Not seeing your cabin steward or head waiter much is not necessarily a bad thing... If you room is fantastically clean and your dining experience is excellent, but you see hardly any of either your steward or your head waiter, then it would suggest that they are doing a great job... and you should tip accordingly :)

 

YES it can be nice to exchange regular pleasantaries with your steward or have your headwaiter sreving your lobster and asking how your day was every evening, but it doesn't always happen - doesn't mean they are bad, just that they are busy doing their job behind the scenes...

 

To be honest, it frustrates me when a lot of people say that they didn't see the headwaiter much so they didn't tip him - the majority of his job is supervising (often behind the scenes). To be honest I am more wary of the head waiters who spend all night smoozing the customers and so have less time to do other things...

 

So far, only 7 cruises in total, we have always tipped AT LEAST the recommended amount - sometimes more. Have never experienced bad service on a cruise ship and don't think that people should look for reasons not to tip...

 

It is just the same if I dine in a restaurant on land - I always tip the minimum recommended amount to the serving staff, even if the service was just "ok". I tip more if the service is great. The service would have to be BAD for me not to tip - in which case I would speak to the manager and explain why I felt as though I shouldn't tip: so it is clear that it is because of very bad service and not just me being a mean customer... Haven't had to do it yet.

 

Boo

[cruisePRN]

It's only recently that a tip for the head waiter appeared. Management usually doesn't get tipped. If i don't see the head waiter and i don't ask for anything from him i don't tip him. I have never found a reason to deduct from the recomended amount to my waiter, assitant waiter or room steward. An invisable room steward that is efficient is a plus in my book. I wish there was a no tipping policy instituted and they just charge an extra $100 per cruise and stop all this controvercy.

[whoop913]

I would like to note that on our recent cruise on the Voyager there was one item that we received with the recommended tips, and it listed the headwaiters at your discretion - there was no actual amount listed. Everything else I saw indicated it was somewhere around $0.75 per person per day. Don't know why the one document was different, but I'm pretty sure it was the one that came with the envelopes for the tips/vouchers. I personally didn't tip the headwaiter, and I don't feel particularly guilty about that. The tiny amount of time I saw him/interacted with him, he seemed uncomfortable around us and actually made our dining experience a little less enjoyable. However, everyone else was great, and we took the amount we had set aside for the headwaiter and split it between them in addition to the recommended amount. Because we chose to do things differently than the "recommended" amounts per person, we did choose to pay in cash. I would've done it by seapass if it weren't for the headwaiter.

[Boo Boo]

To be honest, it frustrates me when a lot of people say that they didn't see the headwaiter much so they didn't tip him - the majority of his job is supervising (often behind the scenes). To be honest I am more wary of the head waiters who spend all night smoozing the customers and so have less time to do other things...

 

Guess it is very common then... :(

[superjerryw]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boo Boo

To be honest, it frustrates me when a lot of people say that they didn't see the headwaiter much so they didn't tip him - the majority of his job is supervising (often behind the scenes). To be honest I am more wary of the head waiters who spend all night smoozing the customers and so have less time to do other things...

 

Guess it is very common then... :(

Guess it is very common then... :(

 

Not tipping the headwaiter because they saw him very little is just an excuse. They simply don't want to spend the extra few dollars. They may have gone on a 7 night cruise and spent $3,000 on the cabin, another $500 on gambling, another $300 on booze, another $300 on shore excursions, and another $800 on shopping, but there is no way they are going to spend that extra $5.25 per person to tip the head waiter....:rolleyes:

[BobBeaSea]

It's only recently that a tip for the head waiter appeared. Management usually doesn't get tipped. If i don't see the head waiter and i don't ask for anything from him i don't tip him. I have never found a reason to deduct from the recomended amount to my waiter, assitant waiter or room steward. An invisable room steward that is efficient is a plus in my book. I wish there was a no tipping policy instituted and they just charge an extra $100 per cruise and stop all this controvercy.

 

I know Headwaiters were on the tip schedule for RCI on my first 2 cruises in 1990 & 1993, they were also on the schedule in 2005 & 2007, are you saying that between those years they weren't on the tip program?

 

Headwaiters on RCI are NOT management, Maitre'ds are. "Seeing" or asking something of someone is not the measure of whether to tip the Headwaiter or not. Seems to be a contradiction with your views on the cabin steward, maybe it's because you can "see" the results, that is a clean cabin, while not being able to "see" the results of a well run, efficient portion of the dining room that the Headwaiter is responsible for.

 

An invisible cabin steward is one that has been properly trained, if you see him or her at all it would be the first day and last night. A lot of modern cruisers don't understand this, they prefer more interaction with the stewards.

The tip program is all about understanding cruising, I fault the cruise lines for failing in getting this point properly explained to the passengers.

 

I agree, due to much misunderstanding, they should just add the tips to the cruise fare and leave it at that. It will NOT affect crew performance as they are measured in so many other ways, tipping not included...:)

[Boo Boo]

Not tipping the headwaiter because they saw him very little is just an excuse. They simply don't want to spend the extra few dollars. They may have gone on a 7 night cruise and spent $3,000 on the cabin, another $500 on gambling, another $300 on booze, another $300 on shore excursions, and another $800 on shopping, but there is no way they are going to spend that extra $5.25 per person to tip the head waiter....:rolleyes:

 

It definitely appears that way... people look for excuses not to tip :(

 

Husband and I are British - Brits are normally considered bad tippers by Americans (because our culture is generally less tip oriented). I always make sure that I know what the local tipping customs are and follow them (where ever I travel).

 

Reminds me of being in a Benihana restaurant in Naples a few years ago. Husband and I were seated at a big table (like you are at a tepanyaki restaurant) with a couple of British families who were obviously on holiday together. They were the rudist, most demanding, obnoxious people (letting their kids run riot) that I have had the displeasure of seeing in a LONG time. They spent the whole dinner boasting about their yachts and flash sports cars etc.etc. I felt very sorry for the waitress - these people had NO manners and were quite rude to her. Well after a meal with tablemates that we couldn't get away from fast enough, the cheques arrived. Husband and I added a 20%+ tip and paid (waitress was great, really nice and obviously suffered at the hands of our fellow diners...). The two families on the table were discussing how they could split the bill so they didn't have to pay the "compulsary 15% tip for parties over 6 people" (the obviously didn't want to tip at all). They were obviously loaded (well from all the boasting). They were frequent travellers to florida (they had yachts moored out there and were looking to buy property there too), but were either ignorant or didn't care about the "tipping culture" in the US. They didn't want to tip the Waitress 15% on a meal where she had earnt every cent and then some (and would be taxed for the "privilege" of serving them). I guess I knew that night why some Brits get a bad reputation for tipping :rolleyes: - I promise that we are not all like that!

 

Boo

[TPKeller]

Are you required to tip everyone? What if they don't do a good job. I saw a list of tip suggestions on the RCI website. I think it said that on the last night of the cruise they'll send you a statement and the tips will be added to that. I just wanted to know if I'm required to pay them because on a few of the reviews I read some people didn't see their head waiter until the last night of the cruise. Some people didn't even know who their steward was. I don't usually tip unless the person actually deserve it.

This is a good question, especially for new cruisers.

 

It's very important to toss in some very important background information on threads like this, since there are circumstances in the cruise world that are not generally known, especially to those who are new.

 

The problem is that "tip" or "gratuity" are words that we have assigned particular meanings to, but that do not mean the same thing for those staff members that have recommended guidelines for tipping. The cruise lines know what they recommend for tips, and in negotiating the pay scale for those staff members, the tips are considered to be the majority of the package. Reports vary on how much, but what is important is that the wage structure is based on those recommendations, and when you deny a "tip", you are actually withholding wage or salary.

 

It is definitly up to you whether to tip or not, and for any reason you see fit. It is only fair to know that when you decide to not tip, you aren't holding back an extra reward, but instead, you are denying them their living paycheck.

 

This is the only industry in the world that I know of where the customer has at their sole discretion the option to either pay or not pay the provider for their service.

 

Theron

[Ruggermags06]

This is the only industry in the world that I know of where the customer has at their sole discretion the option to either pay or not pay the provider for their service.

 

Somewhat untrue in that this is no different than any waitress in any restuarant you go to. Most waitresses/ waiter make less than $3/ hour in wages from their employer. Almost all of the "compensation" they receive is from tips from guests that they serve.

 

I'm a former waitress so I'm all about tipping properly, but I have to admit I don't understand the rationale behind tipping the head waiter. What are his/ her duties?

[jwlane]

some people didn't see their head waiter until the last night of the cruise.

Just because they didn't see the head waiter doesn't mean they he/she wasn't doing something. They facilitate delivery of the food for their section and generally oversee their tables to make sure things are taken care of as necessary, or that might be overlooked.

 

Not tip the cabin attendant because they weren't seen? That's just plain stupid. If the beds were made, floors swept, bathroom cleaned, trash removed, etc., the job was done.

[TPKeller]

Somewhat untrue in that this is no different than any waitress in any restuarant you go to. Most waitresses/ waiter make less than $3/ hour in wages from their employer. Almost all of the "compensation" they receive is from tips from guests that they serve.

Actually, it is a lot different, which was sort of my point. Reports generally available here on this site indicate that the base pay for most of the tipped staff is $50 per month. Considering that they work 10 hour days, 6 or 7 days per week, that works out to literally pennies per hour. Tips make up a much higher percentage of the pay package for cruise personnel than they do for land based tipped staff, essentially all of it.

 

Theron

[time4u2go]

If we're expected to tip the head waiter, then why not the head steward? Or head bartender? Just an honest question...what's different about the head waiter than any other next level of supervision?

[critterchick]

Quote:

Not tipping the headwaiter because they saw him very little is just an excuse. They simply don't want to spend the extra few dollars. They may have gone on a 7 night cruise and spent $3,000 on the cabin, another $500 on gambling, another $300 on booze, another $300 on shore excursions, and another $800 on shopping, but there is no way they are going to spend that extra $5.25 per person to tip the head waiter....:rolleyes:

 

Not always. Although we normally tip the HW at least his whopping $.75/day, we've made exceptions when the HW was so busy flirting with the young blondes at the next table that he couldn't be bothered to train the assistant waiter how to serve rolls, get salad dressing, etc. She was new to the company, barely spoke English and was completely overwhelmed, but the HW didn't even notice, never mind helping her out. Our waiter got his tip and then some (and the assistant waiter got her tip just for trying so hard without much help).

 

I don't care if the HW doesn't want to talk to me or cut the tails off my shrimp (I prefer to play with my own food, thanks), but I do expect the service to go smoothly and for him or her to step in if it's not.

 

Also, I think giving the HW all the credit for the meal going smoothly is a bit of a fallacy. The last 2 ships we've been on, Jewel and Monarch, the waitstaff didn't even have their table assignments until an hour before main seating, and they seldom have the same table two cruises in a row. How much training can even the best HW do in that amount of time?

[Boo Boo]

If we're expected to tip the head waiter, then why not the head steward? Or head bartender? Just an honest question...what's different about the head waiter than any other next level of supervision?

 

I don't know exactly, but I would guess that it was how they are employed - i.e. "Housekeeping Managers" and "Bar Managers" are considered management, whereas a "Head Waiter" is considered customer sevice (As someone else posted, the Maitre'D is the "Restaurant Manager").

 

There are lots of people on a cruise ship that you don't tip (Guest Services, the people who wash the sheets/towels, the people who wash-up, the crew etc.etc.) - why those aren't tipped (they are salaried employees or low level employees working their way up) I don't know.

 

I believe that some cruise lines do indeed suggest that you tip the Head Housekeeper (not RCCL though).

 

All I know is the list of "recommended people to tip and recommended amounts" that each cruiseline publishes (often this information is included in your cruise docs, on their website, and given to you in your cabin before the end of the cruise). On RCCL (and HAL, Princess & Disney - the other lines that I have cruise), the Headwaiter is on that list - so I tip him the recommended amount.

 

Boo

[Boo Boo]

Do you also tip the purser and cruise director and bingo guy and let's not forget the Captain. Where does it all end? Sometimes it's about principal and not money, it's obvious most people can afford another few bucks to tip more people but the real issue is WHY? It's none of my business who earns what. why does what they earn get so much attention, do you all discuss your earnings with everybody?:eek:

 

The Captain and the Bingo guy are on decent salaries - the headwaiters are not (probably on a LITTLE more than the waiters, but not much more)

 

Yes I know that sounds crazy, but - in all honesty - the whole tipping thing is crazy - if cruise lines paid ALL their staff a proper wage (i.e. charged higher fares to cover these wages). But they don't... Of course, we could all take a "no tipping" stance, but the only people that would hurt are the people working very hard on some of the lowest wages on the cruise ships where we are having such a good time. I just can't see how people can, with a conscience, selectively discriminate between tipping the cabin steward (who they may rarely see) and the head waiter (who they also rarely see)... :(

 

I find it very odd. If someone on here posted "can I get away with not tipping the cabin steward?", you would all be up in arms. So how come it is so acceptable to not tip the Head Waiter?

 

Boo

[bob c]

I agree

 

Not seeing your cabin steward or head waiter much is not necessarily a bad thing... If you room is fantastically clean and your dining experience is excellent, but you see hardly any of either your steward or your head waiter, then it would suggest that they are doing a great job... and you should tip accordingly :)

 

YES it can be nice to exchange regular pleasantaries with your steward or have your headwaiter sreving your lobster and asking how your day was every evening, but it doesn't always happen - doesn't mean they are bad, just that they are busy doing their job behind the scenes...

 

To be honest, it frustrates me when a lot of people say that they didn't see the headwaiter much so they didn't tip him - the majority of his job is supervising (often behind the scenes). To be honest I am more wary of the head waiters who spend all night smoozing the customers and so have less time to do other things...

 

So far, only 7 cruises in total, we have always tipped AT LEAST the recommended amount - sometimes more. Have never experienced bad service on a cruise ship and don't think that people should look for reasons not to tip...

 

It is just the same if I dine in a restaurant on land - I always tip the minimum recommended amount to the serving staff, even if the service was just "ok". I tip more if the service is great. The service would have to be BAD for me not to tip - in which case I would speak to the manager and explain why I felt as though I shouldn't tip: so it is clear that it is because of very bad service and not just me being a mean customer... Haven't had to do it yet.

 

Boo

I used the vouchers to tip and added extra cash for the waiter and assistant waiter they were so nice. In my opinion they deserve it, thay have a real hard job, let alone being away from home for months at a time.

[TPKeller]

If we're expected to tip the head waiter, then why not the head steward? Or head bartender? Just an honest question...what's different about the head waiter than any other next level of supervision?

Boo Boo answered this earlier, but just to make it a little simpler, it all boils down to "because they recommend that you do so". Every employee on the ship is entitled to make the wage they expect to make for the level of work they perform. The cruise line, for whatever reason they have chosen, has decided to meet that wage through tipping.

 

Each passenger is absolutely entitled to tip whomever they want. If you can't stand to tip the headwaiter, then don't. But it then becomes your responsibility to find a cruise line that doesn't choose to pay their headwaiters with tips. To deny the wages of a hard working individual simply because you happen to disagree with how their employer has chosen to structure the wage scale... well.... fill in your own word.

 

:)

 

I hope these posts have been helpful. I think it is the job of the more experienced cruisers to inform (with kindness) those who are less knowlegable on these kinds of things. Everyone was a new cruiser at some point.

 

Theron

[cruisePRN]

The Captain and the Bingo guy are on decent salaries - the headwaiters are not (probably on a LITTLE more than the waiters, but not much more)

 

 

 

I find it very odd. If someone on here posted "can I get away with not tipping the cabin steward?", you would all be up in arms. So how come it is so acceptable to not tip the Head Waiter?

 

Boo

 

Because the head waiter and head housekeeper and concierge are new guys on the tipping scene. I have been cruising since 1979 and have always tipped the cabin steward, waiter and assit waiter. The cruise lines decided to keep growing their list of who to tip and it's got to stop somewhere. Maybe if people weren't part of the problem they'd the solution IE stop tipping (except the three mentioned of course) and the cruise lines can pay their staff instead of passing the responcibility to us. Charge more and stop the nickel and diming.

[mohavemommy]

Are you required to tip everyone? What if they don't do a good job. I saw a list of tip suggestions on the RCI website. I think it said that on the last night of the cruise they'll send you a statement and the tips will be added to that. I just wanted to know if I'm required to pay them because on a few of the reviews I read some people didn't see their head waiter until the last night of the cruise. Some people didn't even know who their steward was. I don't usually tip unless the person actually deserve it.

 

Tipping is a very personal thing. The guidelines in place by each cruisline are there to help you. You really should not base your tipping or lack of tipping on anybody else's values or opinions but your own. Good luck. :)

[negc]

To answer the OPs original question, on Royal Caribbean at least, you retain the right to tip who you wish in whatever amount you wish. If someone does not provide you with excellent service you can reduce or totally withhold their tip should you so decide. However, in all of our cruises over two and a half decades, I can count on the fingers of one hand, the number of room stewards or dining room personnel, who didn't deserve the minimum suggested tip. Much more frequently we have found the service quality to be deserving of tips in amounts in excess of the suggested amounts. You can tip in cash or pre-pay your tips before you cruise, or choose to have the tips placed on your onboard charge account (if you do either of the latter methods, however, tips will go to all of the personnel for whom tips are suggested. If you have the tips added to your account, you will get vouchers to hand out to the personnel at the end of your cruise. If you are especially pleased with any of them, you are free to add cash to the envelopes containing the vouchers. On other lines, the tips are automatically added to your account but most of those lines provide some way in which you can remove the tips and pay the servers and room stewards individually. On those ships that do not offer traditional dining this can present problems since you will most likely not have the same servers at every meal.

As far as the tip for the headwaiter is concerned, it is definitely not as one poster indicated, a reeent addition to the list of persons recommended to be tipped. We have been sailing since 1980 and a tip has always been suggested for the head waiter for at least that long. As someone else has mentioned, the head waiter is responsible for the quality of service you receive in the dining room, and we have frequently seen him or her actively engaged in assisting the wait staff. When his or her presence hasn't been obvious, but your dining room experience has been excellent (s)he has been doing his or her job. Don't judge the headwaiter on his ability to gladhand or spend lots of time at your table. Let your dining room experience be your measure of how well the headwaiter performs.

Like it or not, tipping is a fact of life in most restaurants on land as well as at sea. Until the system changes, I recommend that you participate in the system and reward those individuals who work so hard to make your cruise a most enjoyable experience.

[cruisinMike]

if there is a suggested guidline for tipping then that's the rule....right. At least that's the argument some make on dress. Oh sorry, just cross polinated the thread. :cool:

[Pumbaamd]

We always put in some cash with the vouchers, if deserved. Would you like to work 24/7? We always talk with our cabin attendants and find out a little about them. And more sooner than later, we are good friends. All the cruise staff work long hours. Remember seeing your dining room waiter working in the Windjammer at breakfast? On our recent Grandeur cruise, Katrina and Gino in the dining room were excellent. On Majesty recently, our cabin attendent, Irvin, went way outta his way to help us. On Brilliance, Danny (aka Fish) was the best bartender on board. RCL, if you are listening, you gotta a bunch good people working their butts off for you . . . we hope you recognize them.

Rick and Deirdra

[Boo Boo]

Because the head waiter and head housekeeper and concierge are new guys on the tipping scene.

 

As negc has said (and at least one other previous poster on this thread) tipping the headwaiter has been around for at least 20/30 years... that isn't really "new to the scene". I have only been cruising since 2000 (so am new to the scene), but the headwaiter has always been on the list of suggested people to tip on all my cruises (RCCL, Disney, HAL and Princess).

 

Each passenger is absolutely entitled to tip whomever they want. If you can't stand to tip the headwaiter, then don't. But it then becomes your responsibility to find a cruise line that doesn't choose to pay their headwaiters with tips. To deny the wages of a hard working individual simply because you happen to disagree with how their employer has chosen to structure the wage scale... well.... fill in your own word.

 

I agree with this completely! I belong to another message board which is aimed at British people who visit Florida. Every so often there is a thread about tipping there and there are always some people who don't believe in tipping wait staff. Their arguments normally include "we don't tip at home, why should we tip in Florida?" (well actually, I always tip in the UK - but it is normally only 10%+, not as high as in the US) and "we already pay enough for our food, what with the prices and the tax - it isn't our job to pay the waiters wages... they are always 'nickle and diming you in the US'...". Are they right? No, I don't think so. Do you think that they should not tip the waiters? My argument to them is that they should factor into their budget for each restaurant a minimum of 15% tip: if they are not prepared to do that, they should eat somewhere cheaper or buy food in a supermarket instead.

 

I hope these posts have been helpful. I think it is the job of the more experienced cruisers to inform (with kindness) those who are less knowlegable on these kinds of things. Everyone was a new cruiser at some point.

 

I wish... also a lot of posters on this thread seem to be experienced cruisers and not new cruisers... :(

 

I am just shocked at how many people think it is completely acceptable not to tip their headwaiter as a matter of course... I urge them all to read the arguments here and, next time they are on a cruise, take a GOOD look around and see what their headwaiter is doing - I think that you will find that he is working very hard, even if he isn't constantly smoozing with the diners...

 

I wish that I could post a poll on this forum - would be very interested to see people vote on whether they tip the headwaiter or not.

 

Boo