Cruise Talk: Tipping

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Author

Topic: Tipping

CeJay
Just Boarded
Member # 1244

posted 04-18-2000 11:04 AM

All cruise lines should do away with the disgusting and demeaning custom of tipping and charge a fair price that includes gratuities. We have been on cruises where dining room waiters subtly show their displeasure over the size of their tips at the final meal aboard ship by making people wait an inordinate amount of time, ignoring them completely (forgetting to give out menus)and/or deliberatly banging food plates on the table. If passengers want to tip for extra services, fine but it shouldn't be required or expected.

Posts: 2 | From: Napanee, ON Canada | Registered: Apr 2000 | IP: Logged

Green
First Class Passenger
Member # 171

posted 04-18-2000 01:13 PM

Nothing subtle about those waiters!

Which Line were you on?

Posts: 2913 | From: Markham, Ontario, Canada | Registered: Jul 99 | IP: Logged

gizmo
First Class Passenger
Member # 972

posted 04-18-2000 01:43 PM

Gratuities included can mean different things. NCL has gratuities included when you purchase a beverage. This causes cocktail waitress/waiters to pester passangers to death!

Posts: 686 | From: Kennesaw Ga. (origianlly from Philly) | Registered: Dec 1999 | IP: Logged

Green
First Class Passenger
Member # 171

posted 04-18-2000 05:43 PM

Hi gizmo - probably a couple of months before you joined us, we were on the 'gratuity gig' - I said then and repeat now - we tip when warranted in the amount we choose. Never have we left a ship without tipping stewards, waitresses/waiters who served us professionally and well. If you have a moment, check the archives – the posts were many and varied.
All being well, we’ll be on the QE2 in September. We’ve never cruised Cunard before. The brochure states that US$70.00 per person will be added to our shipboard account. We’ll see how that works out.

Posts: 2913 | From: Markham, Ontario, Canada | Registered: Jul 99 | IP: Logged

Terri Lee
First Class Passenger
Member # 942

posted 04-18-2000 08:29 PM

With regards to poor service after tipping...the trick is to tip your Dining Room Steward and bus-boy AFTER dinner on the final evening.That applies to the wine steward also. I always tip my cabin steward either in the morning or afternoon of the day before disembarkation.

Bu doing it this way,I have never had a "down-grading" of service from any of the staff.

Hope this helps.
TL

Posts: 292 | From: Burlington Ontario Canada | Registered: Dec 1999 | IP: Logged

CTrail
First Class Passenger
Member # 64

posted 04-18-2000 08:48 PM

CeJay
On Carnival we were told to tip the Dining room staff after the final dinner and the Cabin steward the morning of disembarkation.
Any other tips that you felt you wanted to distribute should be given out at the last time you would be seeing the person.

Made sense to me. I don't tip a waiter part way through the meal in a restaurant and that is basically what you were directed to do. What cruise line told you to tip at these times.

Tipforservice.

Posts: 332 | From: Kitchener, ON Canada | Registered: Apr 99 | IP: Logged

Mercy
First Class Passenger
Member # 322

posted 04-18-2000 09:17 PM

I always tip the recommended amount. Usually a little more. I have never ran into service so bad, that I would take away a large part of their salary. Now rude is another story. If a waiter was rude to me, I would not tip or move to another table and complain to the Matre D. On Celebrity cruise lines there was an envelope for head housekeeper, as well as the cabin stewerd! I tipped the recommended amount, but it bothered me. I had no complaints, but come on! Do we have to pay everyone on the ship?

Posts: 697 | From: Stanwood, Wa. USA | Registered: Sep 99 | IP: Logged

sympatico
First Class Passenger
Member # 797

posted 04-18-2000 10:10 PM

Mercy - I can't believe that they would give you an envelope for the Head Housekeeper. He is an officer and in no way should you be expected to tip him.
We always put out tips in an envelope and handed them to the waiter and bus-boy on the last evening, after dinner. We gave the cabin steward his when we left in the morning. I would not put up with rude behaviour either and certainly would go to the Maitre'd about it.

Posts: 3305 | From: Toronto, Ont. Canada | Registered: Jul 99 | IP: Logged

Scottylass
First Class Passenger
Member # 420

posted 04-19-2000 03:02 AM

Sympatico, I can confirm what Mercy says about the Head Housekeeper on Celebrity Cruises. The H/H on our cruise left the envelope with our cabin steward, with a note saying he would'nt be around and just to pass the envelope with the tip to her. We did leave him a tip as we had spoken to him a couple of times, but like you say where does it all end!!

Posts: 648 | From: Stirlingshire, Scotland | Registered: Jul 99 | IP: Logged

sympatico
First Class Passenger
Member # 797

posted 04-19-2000 08:08 AM

Mercy & Scottylass. The nerve of that Head Housekeeper. He doesn't do anything for you so why should you tip him. His job is to and make sure the cabin stewards are doing their job - they do all the work. That wouldn't be done on HAL. On HAL there is a Chief Housekeeper and he has assistants who are in charge of a group of cabin stewards. None of the assistants nor the CH would expect a tip. I know one of the Chief Housekeepers very well, and there is no way he would do that, nor would his assistants.
I have a friend going on the Galaxy to Alaska in August and I must warn her about this practice. Also, no one on HAL would give you an envelope and tell you to put your tip in it.

Posts: 3305 | From: Toronto, Ont. Canada | Registered: Jul 99 | IP: Logged

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