How and when to tip?

[SeaCBear]

We will be on our first cruise, on the NOS, in March. We have been to about 15 all-inclusive resorts over the past 20 years, and have always tipped everyone including the bar staff, maids, and wait staff in buffets. So, we're happy to tip - we understand that in the resorts, and also on cruise ships, the staff work very hard and really depend on the tips received.

 

But on a cruise ship I don't quite understand how and when we tip. I think there are set, or at least suggested amounts for certain staff (like our cabin attendant) and we can pay those people at the end, on our account? But for other staff - like bartenders, or wait staff in the Windjammer, do we leave a cash tip? Can we charge tips in bars, etc. to our account?

 

Sorry to sound dense about this, but it's all very new for us. Any detailed tips would be great! Thanks.

[megr1125]

OK...let's see...

 

RC will give you the option of adding tips to your seapass card or paying in cash. the total amount is 9.75 Per person/per day, divided among your cabin attendant, waiter, asst waiter and head waiter.

 

you will get a form to fill out if you wish to do this....

 

in either case (seapass or cash) you will get envelopes to hand out the last night....(vouchers too if you do the tips on your seapass...)

 

a 15% tip wil be added to bar tabs...you can tip more on the check, or in cash as you wish.

 

we generally tip a few bucks in Windjammer as well....sometimes a few more, sometimes not so much....if we SEE a server who makes an attempt at clearing dishes, getting drinks,etc we will leave a couple bucks.This past cruise, i forgot to bring money with me and our server at lunch was delightful..i ran down to the cabin and back up! she was very happy!

 

if you order room service, a few dollars tip is appropriate...i usually give 3-4 bucks at breakfast.

 

Hmm..you'll need tip money for the porters...1-2 bucks per bag (more if you leave from Jersey!!!:D:D don't want the bags in the Hudson River!!)

 

that's all i can think of....HTH

[cruisePRN]

RCL will give you printed guidelines half way through your cruise. You can put it on your seapass card or use the envelopes they provide for cash. A tip is automatically put on your bill for all bar service regardless of whether it's alcohol or soft drinks. I order room service in the morning and tip $1. I have never seen a tip on a table in the windjammer, it's included in the service fee of $9.75 pp per day.

[bluegirlum]

There's some discussion going on right now about tipping if you just eat in the Windjammer instead of the Main Dining Room. This might be of interest, but don't let it overwhelm you.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=934969

[downunder1]

On the last day you will get envelopes with the expected staff to be tipped listed on them (Head Waiter, Waiter, Assistant Waiter, Cabin Attendant) with the suggested cost per day person. You can put in whatever you like. You seal it and hand the envelopes to these people at your last dinner. If you prefer, a 2 days before debarking you can have the tips auto charged to your credit card for the full amount suggested by the cruise lines and they will print vouchers to put in the envelopes instead of cash. The crew then cashes them in later. Its convenient to charge, but I personally like going with cash because I can give what I think the service was worth (more or less than suggested).

 

Your room key is tied to your credit card and used just like such for noninclusive things on the ship. When you buy a drink (or the soda package) you will see at the bottom of your tab that you sign for each drink that 15% tip has already been included in the bill, but there is a line if you wish to tip more than 15% to the bartender.

 

You will be able to check your charges by the minute on the tv in your room. If you choose, you can go down periodically or on the last night and pay cash towards the bill, but if you dont, the full amount is charged to your credit card when you disembark, if you havent settled any discrepancies (which are not uncommon)

[amybeth4]

Last week a bartender told me that if I were to add more of a tip (on top of the 15% added to each drink) HE WOULDN'T BE THE ONE TO GET IT. So if you're really enjoying chatting with a friendly bartender, as is often the case, he won't see the extra tip, unfortunately. This came right from his mouth.

[cruiseguy1016]

Last week a bartender told me that if I were to add more of a tip (on top of the 15% added to each drink) HE WOULDN'T BE THE ONE TO GET IT. So if you're really enjoying chatting with a friendly bartender, as is often the case, he won't see the extra tip, unfortunately. This came right from his mouth.

 

Unless you hand him cash.

[mom2NnB]

Hmm..you'll need tip money for the porters...1-2 bucks per bag (more if you leave from Jersey!!!:D:D don't want the bags in the Hudson River!!)/quote]

 

 

Oooh, I was so upset on Sunday when we left.....since I broke my foot and had the opportunity of sitting and watching the porters...I was so pissed to see one porter actually take money out of a guys wallet (a $10.00)

 

4 foreigners (Germans I think - they didnt speak English) showed up with 2 bags each. He was yelling at them "how many bags are yours" to each man. The wives kept showing him some papers with their cabin number. After about 2 minutes of yelling at them, he put the cabin numbers on the bags then took out a dollar from his poscket and said "give me some" holding the dollar up. One man took out his wallet and handed him $2. The porter then said "there's 4 of you - more money" so the man opened his wallet again and the porter actually put his hand in the wallet and pulled out a $10. I was yelling at him "what a jerk you are", but he just gave me a dirty look and walked away. What a total jerk!!:mad: He's lucky I had the broken foot or I would have found his supervisor.

[mom2NnB]

Last week a bartender told me that if I were to add more of a tip (on top of the 15% added to each drink) HE WOULDN'T BE THE ONE TO GET IT. So if you're really enjoying chatting with a friendly bartender, as is often the case, he won't see the extra tip, unfortunately. This came right from his mouth.

 

 

I hope this isnt true, because DH tipped his fav bartenders alot on the receipt. Who gets it then if not the bartender?

[Grandiva]

4 foreigners (Germans I think - they didnt speak English) showed up with 2 bags each. He was yelling at them "how many bags are yours" to each man. The wives kept showing him some papers with their cabin number. After about 2 minutes of yelling at them, he put the cabin numbers on the bags then took out a dollar from his poscket and said "give me some" holding the dollar up. One man took out his wallet and handed him $2. The porter then said "there's 4 of you - more money" so the man opened his wallet again and the porter actually put his hand in the wallet and pulled out a $10. I was yelling at him "what a jerk you are", but he just gave me a dirty look and walked away. What a total jerk!!:mad: He's lucky I had the broken foot or I would have found his supervisor.

 

:eek: Are you serious ?! That is horrible.

I know they do not work for the cruiseline.

[mom2NnB]

100% true. Thought DH ws going to kill me I was in the terminal yelling at this jerk. This is beyond rude.

[nosmothj]

Just got back from EOS February 13 and for some reason people at our table liked to talk about the tipping and ask the staff a lot of questions.

 

Bar staff, the 15% tip is pooled and split among all staff. If you tip extra that goes to the person them self.

 

The people they recommend tipping he suggested asking which they would prefer cash or auto tip. I figured they would like cash but as it turned out both waiter and assistant wanted auto. They said that money is like savings for them which they draw on at the end of the cruise.

 

These are comments as I said from the head waiter.

 

As for the Windjammer and room service, our waiter advised that room service 15% is split amoung the staff on room service that week. If you tip more it goes to the server.

In the Windjammer they do not make anything that trip unless someone gives them cash. The wait staff move from dinning room to room service to Windjammer on a rotating bases.

He did say they all work the Windjammer during every cruise but the ones that work the supper sift are there for the full trip and only make what someone may give them as a tipin the evening.