Pre-tipping

[barbface1]

I know it is not necessary to pre-tip...this is not a thread on which to debate the rights and wrongs of pre-tipping....just a ??

 

I have not pre-tipped in the past, however I am cruising with my one year old son and 4 other family members (we have 3 cabins) and I know this time I will have some additional requests pretaining to my son.....

 

I would like to pretip the cabin stewart as well as the m'd so that we can have a standing reservation without waiting (we have anytime dining). I know pretipping does not garantee better or additional service but i would like to pre-tip this time around....

 

I have never done this before....how much would you pre-tip...and how???

[Tannersgramp]

I have done the pre-tip thing, ( more of a bribe really ) and have had great service. I would maybe have had the same great service if I didn't give them $$ up front, Who knows?

 

Just make sure you let them know that you are keeping the auto-tip in place, so they dont think that this tip is instead of auto-tip.

 

If you get great service, or crappy service for that matter, remember to fill out comment cards, as they are very important.

[dforeigner]

If you want a table without waiting, set up a reservation. This does not mean that you will not have to wait.

 

Some staff will consider your pre-tipping an insult. A tip is something you hand out after services are rendered. I consider people who pre-tip sort of handing out a bribe. This of course is my opinion.

[fti]

I believe the pre-paid tip is a set amount. At least that is what I have seen and I haven't seen an option to change it.

 

If it were me, I would just do all the tipping on the ship, but that is me.

 

After reading other posts, I don't think you meant prepay the auto tip but to tip up front while on the ship. If you do this, as was mentioned, keep the auto tip in place or else the staff could run into problems.

[cruiseryyc]

While I've never handed out tips upon embarkation, on some longer cruises (14+days) I've given our room steward a tip halfway through.

[espmass]

I have always had excellent service on every cruise I have been on. One time after reading about pre-tipping, I tried it. I don't think the service was any better than any other time. I find it hard to believe that a M'd would give you a standing table just because of a pre-tip. Last time we tried anytime dining we were able to make a reservation each day for the next day so we never waited.

[sultan_sfo]

We view the "extras" as sort of room service tips. When the cabin steward provides the extra service, we just give some cash and mention that it is an extra tip. From our group, we heard that some couples actually prepare a list -- and hand over the list to the cabin steward with a tip. Remember that the cabin stewards have lots and lots of experience dealing with pax. And they almost have a sixth sense of knowing the "kind" of person one is -- appreciative or arrogant or indifferent, etc. I think that with your sensitivity, no matter how you approach it, you will get good service. Enjoy. /Sultan

 

 

... I know this time I will have some additional requests pretaining to my son.....

 

...

[chasetf]

I have always had excellent service on every cruise I have been on. One time after reading about pre-tipping, I tried it. I don't think the service was any better than any other time. I find it hard to believe that a M'd would give you a standing table just because of a pre-tip. Last time we tried anytime dining we were able to make a reservation each day for the next day so we never waited.

I guess I am confused.... the M'd is not whom we dealt with to set reservations. He is not manning the "desk" at the entrance, some underling is. But I guess if you track him down, grease his palm, maybe he would go give an order to the underling..... Give it a try.... good luck

[coiran]

You can make reservations for anytime dining without pre tipping. Just call the reservation hotline every morning and make it - or - after the first night tell the guy at the door you want a standing reservation every night.

Ron

[cruzinchris]

I have always had excellent service on every cruise I have been on. One time after reading about pre-tipping, I tried it.

 

DH and I also pre-tipped once based on advice that we read on these boards. Never again. Our cabin steward was visibly taken aback when we attempted to hand him a crisp $20 and put his hands out to stop us. Seems he interpreted our gesture as a presumption that he would not do an outstanding job of tending our stateroom without a bribe. We were ashamed and embarrassed and haven't done this since. We ended up spending $20 on a gift for his new baby daughter and gave him a generous tip at the end of the cruise, as well.

Chris

[Murphey]

We used to "pre-tip", but with all the hullabaloo about having to turn in tips, until they are sure the auto tip is left on, it seemed like too much bookkeeping for someone. So now, we are polite, say our please and thank-you's and tip extra at the end if warranted. Now that being said, we often do b2b's.....at the end of the first cruise, if our steward is exceptional, I give him what I would give him at the end of the entire cruise at the end of the first. I agree with the above poster who said, the stewards seem to have a "sense" about what pax are like. Also, I had one steward tell me the comment cards were worth more than $$!!!

[sandinmyshoes]

For a standing reservation in the Anytime Dining room, just pick up your stateroom phone and push the marked dining button. You can simply ask for a standing reservation at any time you want. No pre-tip needed. You should get the same great service on Princess whether you pre-tip or not. I would just tip extra at the end if the service was especially nice. Enjoy!

[cruzinchris]

For a standing reservation in the Anytime Dining room, just pick up your stateroom phone and push the marked dining button. You can simply ask for a standing reservation at any time you want.

 

Not all ships will book "standing reservations" for the duration of a cruise with a single phone call. You may have to call on a daily basis to request a particular section/server/table as each ship seems to handle "anytime" dining a little differently.

 

DH and I found a particular waitress/assistant whom we really liked on the Dawn and wanted to be at one of her tables for two for the remainder of our 1/25/07 cruise. We had to call each morning to book a table in this section but the Head Waiters knew who we were as soon as we arrived at the dining room and seated us at our preferred table for two with the lovely young waitress and her very capable assistant.

Chris

[blackmaxi]

I see you dont know anything about pre tiping. Everybody thing that waiters and cabinstewards are geting the money from the company so you dont have to leave them a tips and here you are wrong.. They get something like 50-100 $ per mounth.. Exactly this "pre tiping" decides how much they will get at the end of cruise. If everybody do like you guys - looking for a reason to cancel the tips - you can be sure that your service will be poor, because professional stuff will quit the job - nobody dont want to work 12 hours per day (8mounths) without day off - earning only what company provides. So if you think about cancel the tips think that next time your waiter can not be as good as he can be because of his past experience with scrimpy passangers. Also if you cancel tips in purserdesk because you prefer to give a tip stright to your waiter - he must to give it to the pool because if somebody see this and raport this to headwaiter your waiter will loose his job. If you pay the pool money you can give money also for your waiter - he will be more than happy because in this case he doesn`t have to give them to pool and he knows that you enjoy the service. For example if you are on the 10 days cruise and you will save 1$ per day and on the last day every passanger will give for their waiter 10$ it will be nice gesture and you will not get poor because of this. Just remember that sometimes crewmembers can be also tired...

[Tannersgramp]

I see you dont know anything about pre tiping. Everybody thing that waiters and cabinstewards are geting the money from the company so you dont have to leave them a tips and here you are wrong.. They get something like 50-100 $ per mounth.. Exactly this "pre tiping" decides how much they will get at the end of cruise. If everybody do like you guys - looking for a reason to cancel the tips - you can be sure that your service will be poor, because professional stuff will quit the job - nobody dont want to work 12 hours per day (8mounths) without day off - earning only what company provides. So if you think about cancel the tips think that next time your waiter can not be as good as he can be because of his past experience with scrimpy passangers. Also if you cancel tips in purserdesk because you prefer to give a tip stright to your waiter - he must to give it to the pool because if somebody see this and raport this to headwaiter your waiter will loose his job. If you pay the pool money you can give money also for your waiter - he will be more than happy because in this case he doesn`t have to give them to pool and he knows that you enjoy the service. For example if you are on the 10 days cruise and you will save 1$ per day and on the last day every passanger will give for their waiter 10$ it will be nice gesture and you will not get poor because of this. Just remember that sometimes crewmembers can be also tired...

Nobody is talking about canceling their tips ( auto-tip ). What we are talking about is tipping (extra) before the end of the cruise. I think you are confusing the term " pre-tip " with auto-tip. I would never remove the auto-tip as I think there is only one reason to do so........the person that does so is a cheapskate

[espmass]

And the one time I did try pre-tipping, i also gave the suggested plus extra at the end of the trip. i always give way more than the suggested amount. I agree that blackmaxi must have misunderstood what we meant by pre-tipping.

[barbface1]

I am the OP and I think I need to clarify what I wa asking about.....Realize that I have been on many cruises and I have always tipped the suggested amount at the end of the cruise....In recent years, when auto-tipping became available I opted to auto-tip....what I am asking about is PRE-TIPPING....this means giving an upfront tip to the cabin steward or M'd at the beginnin gof the cruise IN ADDITION to the auto-tip at the end

[MaryPoppinz]

What is it that you need from the cabin steward that you feel the need to "pre-tip" him for? Why not just ask for what you need and then tip accordingly when it is provided? "Pre-tipping" conveys the impression that you are asking for something out of line. If you are comfortable with the request, make it, and then tip for it.

[barbface1]

What is it that you need from the cabin steward that you feel the need to "pre-tip" him for? Why not just ask for what you need and then tip accordingly when it is provided? "Pre-tipping" conveys the impression that you are asking for something out of line. If you are comfortable with the request, make it, and then tip for it.

 

there are 3 things that i am worried about....

1. I dont want my son disturbed during his naps ( for cleaning of the cabinand such). I know this should not be a problem though.

2. I will have his bottles that I will clean as best I can but I have heard of cabin stewards takin the bottles to have cleaned in the dishwasher (i would be happier with this).

3. There will be lots of dirty diapers so I would prefer to have my garbage changed numerous times a day (again I amnot too worried about this a s itis usually done 2 x a day anyway....

 

It is not that I think that they wont do a good job without it...i have never had a bad cabin steward...some have been better than others but none have been bad and i have always written good comments on the comment cards and i have always tipped accordingly....

[spongerob]

I think you can manage your requests just by asking. Cabin stewards are really good about working around peoples' schedules whenever possible.

[peterv]

there are 3 things that i am worried about....

1. I dont want my son disturbed during his naps ( for cleaning of the cabinand such). I know this should not be a problem though.

 

They have something called a Do Not Disturb sign, hang this on the door, and the room steward will not enter.

 

2. I will have his bottles that I will clean as best I can but I have heard of cabin stewards takin the bottles to have cleaned in the dishwasher (i would be happier with this).

 

Ask them if this is possible, if it is they will do it.

 

3. There will be lots of dirty diapers so I would prefer to have my garbage changed numerous times a day (again I amnot too worried about this a s itis usually done 2 x a day anyway....

 

They service cabins twice a day, how many times do you want them to come in?

 

It is not that I think that they wont do a good job without it...i have never had a bad cabin steward...some have been better than others but none have been bad and i have always written good comments on the comment cards and i have always tipped accordingly....

 

I really do not see anything in your request that would demand a "pre-tip", tell them what you want and tip them if they do it.

 

Really quite simple.

 

Cheers,

Peter

[MiBoater]

We pretipped our waitress and gave her an extra $100 because we have kids, I know that we pay tips for the kids too, but kids can be messy and as a mom, I know that I like a little recongnision for my extra work.

[barbface1]

We pretipped our waitress and gave her an extra $100 because we have kids, I know that we pay tips for the kids too, but kids can be messy and as a mom, I know that I like a little recongnision for my extra work.

 

thank you...this is what i ma talking about...my son will be 1 year old and can be VERY messy duringmeals

when and how did you pretip?

[MiBoater]

thank you...this is what i ma talking about...my son will be 1 year old and can be VERY messy duringmeals

when and how did you pretip?

 

 

They automatically charge your cabin $10 per person, per day and it goes on your shipboard account. Some people opted out, but I found it to be easier.

 

Then at the last dinner we slipped our waitress and assistant to the waitress extra cash. Our waitress almost cried. We did the right thing.

 

I think that these people work SO hard and If we have received good service, I'm very happy to give them extra. Its the right thing to do.