Tips- $10.00 per day per Guest

[Terry305]

It seems to be an issue with this subject, I do feel that the $10.00 per day per guest is fine, whats your opinion?

[CT Cruiser10]

I was on Royal Caribbean a few months ago, and I believe that I had the option to not participate in the $10 per day per person tips. I didn't opt out, so I don't have much information on it.

[brokenlola]

I think it is very much earned by the staff!

[Rockportgirl]

I think it's more than fair, and I usually end up tipping more than that in the end.

[David-n-Rita]

It seems to be an issue with this subject, I do feel that the $10.00 per day per guest is fine, whats your opinion?

 

We don't mind, those people on the cruise ships work VERY hard, long hours and I don't think they are paid that much so tips are a major source of their income. We feel that it makes sure we don't forget anyone or can't find the right people the last day. We do tip extra the last day to crew that have "gone the extra mile".

Only once we had the room steward from h*ll and we took our graduties off our bill and just went around and did the tips ourselves.

 

Most people do not know that the charge is OPTIONAL. If you wish to tip on your own completely or receive poor service, you can have it taken off the bill. The only thing is they do not divide it when you take it off. You can't say that you don't want to have the waiter included because you never ate in the diningroom. You $10.00 is divided according to their policy of certain percentages for room steward, waiter etc. You can ask for a breakdown, we did when we wanted the room steward excluded.

 

If you wish to do all the tipping yourself and that is your right, you just go down to the pursers office and ask to have it removed and they take it right off.

 

We usually leave it on and just give extra to the people who serve us well.

[Cotton]

Huh? I've been on the boards for quite awhile, and I don't think there's much of an issue about the amount of tips.

 

Most folks seem to be ok w/it, because it's certainly a fair amount, and most also seem to tip extra. So, I don't see many tipping issues discussed here...very seldom.

[TakeMeAway1001]

I love the auto-tipping and have no issue with $10 per day per person.

For what I get during the week it's well worth it to me to not have to make a bed, vacuum a floor, clean a bathroom, prepare food etc. There are way too many things to list here that make it well worth it for us :)

[pa5santillan]

Hi Terry,

 

I think it's great...If anything I don't think its enough. I'm going on my 1st cruise in November and doing the auto tip and tipping extra. That is just how we are. :)

[Captain Jack]

I leave the tips on the bill and give our room steward an extra $3 or $4 per day... leave it on the desk with the instructions - "fill the cooler daily with my smuggled beer and ice it down, extra ice buckets so the smuggled rum drinks are nice and refreshing when they hit the glass, an ice bucket so the smuggled bottles of chardonnay stay nice and cold"!!!

 

..money always well spent.....;)

[hubofhockey]

Hi Terry,

 

I think it's great...If anything I don't think its enough. I'm going on my 1st cruise in November and doing the auto tip and tipping extra. That is just how we are. :)

 

I do find it a bit amazing that they increase costs for everything on a cruise and leave the suggested gratuities at the same rate. They should raise it a $1 and divide it accordingly.

[Terry305]

I do think is fine, we always tip more at the end, specially the waiter and the room stewart, they work long hours and they get paid very little by the cruise line, untill now wa have never received bad service. I think in RCI used to be more when we sailed in the Majesty of the seas.

 

Is well deserved what they make.

[Terry305]

Huh? I've been on the boards for quite awhile, and I don't think there's much of an issue about the amount of tips.

 

Most folks seem to be ok w/it, because it's certainly a fair amount, and most also seem to tip extra. So, I don't see many tipping issues discussed here...very seldom.

 

 

Hopefully most folks tip, that I know, lol and thats the good, but in my short time here I have seem issues, I almost got banned for speaking up couple of days ago on this subject. lol

[cmalibu1]

While I do think it is fine, I know for myself and others that I have cruised or spoken with definitely tip extra at the end. Especially to those who worked closely with you and helped in every way they could.

 

From what I have heard, because they are on international waters, they don't make very much, and really support themselves with the tip money. This makes it hard to ask for a lot from them and then just tip the minimum.

[Traveler353]

The service that has been provided to on my past cruises has been outstanding by all the Carnival staff that I have had dealing with. I leave the auto tips on and hand deliver extra to the staff that always seem to go out of their way to be of service to me. They are paid a very small base wage and depend on the extra tips. I also fill out comment cards and praise the staff that deserve it. Their promotions and extra days off depend on favorable comments made by the guest.

[cruzkitty]

I also think the automatic tipping is fine. We leave it on, and tip extra to those who deserve it.:p

[firefly333]

I dont think anyone is arguing about the tips of $10 a day, with a few notable exceptions, but most are arguing about childrens and infants tips.

[Cotton]

......... but most are arguing about childrens and infants tips.

 

You're right. I think those are the only real issues some folks have. If they haven't cruised before, they have no idea how hard those crewmembers work to keep kids happy.:rolleyes:

[bridget711]

I don't really have a problem with the auto tips, but I do wonder whether or not the entire tip goes where the cruiselines say it's going.

 

I'm a good tipper anyway, especially when I get good service so I have never not tipped on top of the auto tips - I feel better knowing that they were properly compensated for the work they've done for me.

[Ken076]

I think the amount is fair and should be made an irrevocable charge on the S&S such that they can't be removed. Do NOT approve of those who remove the tips 'cause they're too cheap to tip but CAN afford to cruise. ken

[msnyder6706]

Ok I am going to throw the wrench in.... ok, hopefully not but, when traveling with kids why don't they add more per day to compensate the camp staff? We for sure tipped them because our 4 kids were there everyday almost all day and we tipped huge for that. Or does the camp staff get paid more than other staff?

Also, if we tip our steward more, I have once heard he still has to divide that amongst other stewards and staff. Is that correct?

[floridacruiser63]

Ok I am going to throw the wrench in.... ok, hopefully not but, when traveling with kids why don't they add more per day to compensate the camp staff? We for sure tipped them because our 4 kids were there everyday almost all day and we tipped huge for that. Or does the camp staff get paid more than other staff?

Also, if we tip our steward more, I have once heard he still has to divide that amongst other stewards and staff. Is that correct?

We do not have a problem with the auto tipping. It is well deserved.

Regarding Camp Carnival staff, we always tipped the counselors on the last day of the cruise, they do a fantastic job with the kids.

[mattmdv]

We, like most that replied, like the Auto-Tip and leave it in place, and we have always tipped extra to those deserving; dining room staff, ROOM STEWARD, and, sometimes, a favorite bartender.

 

Matt

[GamerMom64]

While I am new to cruising, I am not new to service. This is not directed at anyone in particular. It's just my 2cents. The AutoTips that Carnival places on the S&S card is considerably less than what I would normally tip on land. For example:

 

Carnival suggests $5.50/day for the Dining Room staff. Dinner (including appetizer, entree, dessert) in dining room as described by many members would be worth at least $40 before tip and beverages in a NY restaurant. 20% of $40 = $8 and 15% of $40 = $6

Children's menu in same NY restaurant, maybe $10. 20% of $10 = $2 and 15% = $1.50

Carnival suggests $3.50/day for Room Steward. The land-hotel maids who only vacuum, make beds, clean bathrooms and perform other basic services usually receive $5.00/day, no matter where or which hotel I stay. They do not make me towel animals, do not keep me supplied with ice, etc etc.

 

I feel that it is a fair tips policy, even a bargain! Maybe because I am so used to tipping, I had not even thought about it until I started reading these boards. I can understand how the total amount may seem high to those who are not used to tipping so many people at once, and I sympathize.

 

I hope that by looking at the math, those who question the tips will feel better that they are actually getting a discount.

[SimplyAddicted]

In theory, I am opposed to auto-tipping in general. Not specifically on Carnival. I really do believe that tips are for exceptional service and these days in many places, they are just expected, so service lacks. I always remove my auto-tips.

 

That being said, I have never received less than exceptional service on a cruise and have always hand delivered tips in excess of the suggested amount throughout and at the end of the cruise.

 

On the other hand, it is a shame that some people would not tip the people that deserve it. For this reason, I understand why the auto-tip procedure was implemented. (In addition to the convenience aspect.)

[Terry305]

In theory, I am opposed to auto-tipping in general. Not specifically on Carnival. I really do believe that tips are for exceptional service and these days in many places, they are just expected, so service lacks. I always remove my auto-tips.

 

That being said, I have never received less than exceptional service on a cruise and have always hand delivered tips in excess of the suggested amount throughout and at the end of the cruise.

 

On the other hand, it is a shame that some people would not tip the people that deserve it. For this reason, I understand why the auto-tip procedure was implemented. (In addition to the convenience aspect.)

 

The thing is that believe this or not many passengers do not tip, I like to be very cautious about my words since I do not want to be eaten alive here, some people from another culture do not believe in tipping, I have heard from super nice waiters and stewarts in the ships how some people dont tip, I am not trying to made no one look bad based in nationality I am an Immigrant in this Country but believe it or not a lot of people think that what they paid for the cruise shall cover everything, I do understand clearly what you do and is perfect ,the sad part is that some people do the other thing, I think cause of that they now billed the first day of sailing and I think that non citizens of the U.S also get billed automatically and that is good if it will not be this way imagine this people working for nothing?