Tipping Questions??

Hello All,

Might you be able to assist me with some tipping questions??? This is my first cruise and I feel silly with some of the questions.

1. If they automatically add a 15% tip for alcohol drinks, do you still give a tip to the person that takes the order and brings the drink?

2. I hear you can ask them not to automatically put the 10.00 per day per person to your account and instead ask for envelopes to tip on your own?? Can you do that?

4. Now if you do that (? no. 2), do you tip each day to the waiters (per meal) and room stewart, etc. or at the end end of the trip give one amount to each?

3. Aside from the waiters and room stewart, who else should get tips?

Appreciate any guidance, just want to do the right thing my way >

Thanks Much!

Ecstasy in 15 days!

[jleq]

(No need to "feel silly". We we all had to start somewhere)

No need to tip extra for drinks. Now, if a member of the bar staff has been extra nice, you can tip him/her. But it isn't expected.

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Yes, you can go to the purser's desk and have the tips removed.

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You give tips in a "lump sum" at the end of the cruise [wait staff/steward].

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You also tip baggage porters at the pier[$1/bag]/guides & drivers on any shore excursions you take[$1-2]/spa personnel for services/room service[$1-2]/the maitre'd if he/she provides service to you.

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You don't tip Captain/Cruise Director staff



Post Edited (08-22-04 01:39)

[David W]

Yes, no need to feel silly, or think your asking dumm questions. You can not have more questions than I did on my first cruise.Feel free to ask any question here that you feel thats important to you.

Automatic tipping- You can have the automatic deduction removed from your S & S card. They will give out your envelopes usually on your last day at sea. Usually in the morning, when they come around to clean your room, and give out your last day at sea caper . Alot of people do this, because it feels more personal to them. You'll also recieve a quetionaire to fill out. If you've recieved good service, and/or someone has given you outstanding service, write it on there.Tell Carnival about it.

Who gets it- Room stewards/ stewardess, waiters, head maitre'd,(dining room), and head chief ( I think ) If I'm wrong guy's, please correct me. Its been a couple years since I've done the envelope system.

Myself, I leave mine on automatic and tip alittle extra to the ones that really gave me outstanding service. On our last cruise, it was my room steward'es and 2 bar waitress'es.
Hope you have a wonderful cruise, and don't forget to give us a review when you return.

Happy sailing;
david

Tipping is the hardest part to get straight when new to cruising. They make it more confusing then it realy is. Also I jsut wanted to add.... We tip $2 per bag of luggage to the porters taking our bags to the ship for us. I want to make sure our bags get there safe and sound with me on the ship. hahahaha I stick a wd of singles in my purse before we go just for tips for the cabs or porters or the shuttles and excursions. this saves from having to get smaller bills all the time when going somewhere. Happy cruising...

Who brings the luggage to the rooms? Those are the people who deserve tipping. Hauling it away at 2:00 a.m. can't be fun either.


sls

[jleq]

I'm not sure, but I believe you cabin steward is responsible for your luggage once it's upon the ship.

Let's say you are sitting on the Lido deck and it is very hot. Your server makes sure to come around frequently and sees that you have cold drinks, what ever kind. I tip her to make sure he or she comes back, don't like to be hot or thirsty. Its all up to you. Somebody may say it is pitiful they might come by to see me more than the person who doesn't give that extra dollar, but that is probably how life is.

Thank you all so much for weighing in.

So, if I do my own tipping it is all done at the end of the trip, not on a daily , as see you, basis right?

[OLD MAN]

Palua D. Just leave the tips on the automatic system and don't worry about it. Have a nice cruise..OM

[Dorothy]

Yes, tips are done at the end of the cruise.

dorothy

The pursers' desk is actually the 'Information Desk' !

In my experience, don't have the 'tips' removed the 1st day. Wait til almost the last day, then adjust it then.

Room Stewards, waiters, etc are included in the automatic tip at the end of cruise, just go to the "Info Desk" at end of cruise to verify all charges and put the automatic tips on your credit card.

So the only ones you tip are those automatic ones, and the bell-hop.

$40 per person on the 5day cruise.(not quite 5days) $30 per pers. on the 3day.

The folks at the 'Info Desk' and the room steward will "tip-off" the wait staff and they will give you lousy service. (lipstick coffee cups, ignoring other patrons to fill glasses, not attentive, one roll, etc)

It was kind of funny, though, that they thought we we're gonna stiff them, but we weren't.

I just wanted to lower their tips a little, to make up the loss that Carnival cheated me on changing the name on the cruise Docs, with the same person going. I had all the time in world to fix names and birth dates, etc, but they mailed the cruise Docs to soon.

The rep said 2wks prior, but they were mailed out 2mo. before the cruise.

$50. to change a name on a piece of paper. gheesh : (

And the gal on phone @ Carnival said I'm lucky I'm not being charged the full $100.

(If they only knew how hard we work for our $) $50. for paper???


Tips are electronically added to the reciepts, you in turn sign for the drinks with. Keeping one copy. You just show your sign n sail card, and they take your room # off of it, bring back drinks, and paper reciepts, and you just sign.

Same thing at Disco, Casino, lounges, poolside, dinner, etc

Drinks run from $3.75-3.95 + tip ($4.35-4.50) no need to tip cash or extra

You can tip the bell hop one time at the Queen Mary terminal. Its set up like the airport, with drop-off area. You drive-up, drop off luggage and people then preceed to parking structure($10 a day).

No 'double' tipping. Luggage is just left at your room, in hallway. (no bellhop to tip, or show room) Debark is same. Just reverse it. Leave luggage in hallway that night. (no porter to tip).

But you can tip the porter taking your luggage from the Immagration luggage hold area to curbside, drop-off.

[hazelson]

greenphotos - let me get this straight - your TA or Carnival charged you $50 for a mistake that you made - and you lowered your tips for the staff on board to make up for that. WHat did the staff on board have to do with the mistake! I've heard a lot of excuses for being cheap - but I gotta admit - you take the cake (and likely wouldn't tip for that either) you have a great day - glad you had=ve to live with yourself! Jennifer

Final tipping question...if I leave it with automatically tipping, cam I adjust it up or down at the end? Thanks Again!

Jennifer Hazel-

The Carnival Rep. screwed-up. They seem to capitalize on peoples mistakes. My girlfriend gave her sisters' real name wrong over the phone. Same Soc. Sec.#. Carnival is suppose to charge you the 50bucks if its a different person. If the original person couldn't cruise, then they charge you. I just had the wrong name, but same person on Docs.

You would be angry to, I guarantee it!
When you call in, your pressured for all the info on the spot.
Hey it was a mistake, but don't charge me for something a bottle of whiteout can fix.

With all the past cruisers' history and mistakes, you'd think Carnival would get better and better!
Whats the point of the 'Customers Survey' at the end of the cruise, if they never fix whats broken?
They capital on all mistakes. Nickle & dime machine.

Paula-

Yes...just leave it on auto. On the last day (debarkment) morning, adjust it higher or lower.

Don't put it on $0. like I did on the 2nd day out.
The girl at the info desk and/or the room stewart (he slips the sheet every night under your door w/days charges) tipped the waiter staff and thats when service went downhill.

I ended up giving them something, but had to break even with the $50 thing.

P.S If anyone out there has kids, don't sign them up on the SScard at the check-in desk, or they'll go hog wild at the arcade & gift shops. Too bad Carnival Check-in desk doesn't remind you of this. They have a lot of FAULTS!

[Laurie M]

Greenphotos.... Am I missing something here? The Carnival Rep made a mistake and you take it out on the room steward, waiter, asst. waiter? Did you use a credit card to pay for the cruise and the extra charges? Couldn't you have taken it up with the credit card company that you used to pay for the cruise? Why should the room steward, waiter, etc pay for someone else's mistake that they have no control of?

[Dorothy]

Greenphoto you want to blame everyone but yourself for your mistakes.

It's not Carnival's fault that you can't control your kids! It's not the cruiseline's job to parent your children. Lots of kids (including mine) were perfectly responsible with the sign and sail cards. Your kids going wild is YOUR fault and Carnival shouldn't be blamed.

>>The Carnival Rep. screwed-up. They seem to capitalize on peoples mistakes. My girlfriend gave her sisters' real name wrong over the phone>>

And how did Carnival "screw up" if your girlfriend gave the wrong name over the phone? Take a little responsibility for goodness sake.

dorothy

[hazelson]

greenphotos - the mistake was YOURS not Carnivals and most certainly not the staff's. Name changes are not just a case of "white-out" - don't you understand that security measures have been heightened since 9-11. Duh! If I make a mistake I'm prepared to pay for it - not take it from the pocket of someone else. And Carnival should warn people against their own children's behavior - yeah right! Next you'll figure they should put safeguards on the slot machines so you don't spend too much or put locks on the buffet so you don't overeat. If your service went downhill during the cruise it was probably your "winning personality" that caused that. It seems to me you would be better off camping somewhere - get a little class- it goes a long way. TTFN Jennifer

I agree with everyone, you took it out on the wrong people. What is $50 when in the end run you are paying a bunch more for the trip. The kids do need a sign and sail to get on and off the ship, but you can fix it so they can't charge on it if you would like. The arcade takes coing or tokens if I am not mistaken. Do your home work next time before you penalize the wrong folks.

Hey.....Why isn't 'anyone' defending me? ; (
Do u all work for Carnival?
Are u all accountants doing the math....Lets see $50 X 10people screw-ups=
$2.50 X 900 kids drinking at least 1 bottle=
$10 X 25 kids at arcade/gift shop=

Wow......look at all that extra loot (profit sharing) from keeping all of our mouths shut at the check-in booth. Boy- those newbies are suckers.

OK.....OK......the mistake was mine. But, for a person that hasn't cruised for 10yrs, (just my 2nd) some of this stuff was overwhelming. Now that I just cruised recently, and know the precedures, I will definitely change them. But how about all the other 1000's that are just starting out? (1st time cruisers)

And its not a cheap issue, but the principle of it.

I might try HAL line next. (Holland)

[turkeyman]

You might want to consider a "Soda Card" for soft drinks for the whole week. You don't get nickled and dimed that way.
The wait staff of my two previous cruises, went out of the way to make my cruises memorable ones. The zeal and courtesy of those youngsters said a lot for their upbringing and spoke volumes about their parents. Integrity, HARD WORK, and honesty are traits that can be see and observed in their habits and ethics. I envy such, and feel that they are underpaid for their efforts.

I made some friends.



Post Edited (08-24-04 17:16)

[CA Cruiser]

Okay greenphotos, let's say your employer listed YOUR name wrong on his payroll taxes and therefore the Franchise Tax Board is going to penalize him $50. Just so HE breaks even, HE is now going to deduct that $50 from YOUR paycheck. Is that fair? Of course not! Why can't the FTB just use "white out"? duh...These rules are for security. Our nations security as well as yours!!! You took it out on the WRONG people. You DIDN'T take it out on the Carnival Cruise Line Company but on the little man, the employees.

No matter what cruise line you use, they have the same SECURITY RULES.

Have a good day.

I couldn't help but notice that you are going on Glory in September??? If Ronaldo has his dance lesson, I believe it was on Monday or Tuesday, see where to get a copy of that song, or what the name and artist is. Sounds strange, but we enjoyed that and I would love to share it with my 9 yr old daughter at home. Please reply back!! Thanks in advance!!

[hazelson]

greeenphotos - guess who owns HAL - lol? My first cruise - and only cruise to date - I did not make mistakes on my name, I did not have children abusing S&S card privileges - I had a wonderful time and I tipped far over and above the already pre-paid tips on the S&S card. I also did a lot of research and asked a ton of questions. The people on these boards are just great about answering - especially in response to us "newbies". I got so much valuable information. So thank you all. And to elcheapo - good luck to you - you need it. TTFN Jennifer

[hazelson]

Loved the Glory - by the way. TTFN Jennifer

[Jim Bragg]

NObody is defending you because you were wrong. It's that simple. BTW HAL is owned by Carnival Corporation. You are also expected to tip the staff there as well.
Jim

[Thomas]

Some people go through life blaming others for their own mistakes. Try taking that up with a judge when you get slapped with a $100 fine for running through a stop sign and plead that you didn't see it!

Judge: "Sorry, you should have been more observant"

You: "It's the DOT's fault for sticking a sign there and not telling me."

Judge: "The DOT is not responsible for telling every human being with a driver's license a stop sign is placed there."

You: "Well, I'm not donating to the Policeman's fund this year to make up for the $100."

Regards,
Thomas

If enough people stiffed the help, then maybe 'Carnival' would "wise-up"!

Thom- If you got a parking ticket for parking by an area where a tree branch was covering up the 'No Parking' sign, wouldn't you try to dream up a way to get even?

Jenn- what is TTFN or SDM?

Jenn / Jim- just did some research on HAL cruises for next year. Ughhhh........your right, they are under Carnival.

[phoebe]

Yeah Carnival will wise up and just add it into your cruise fare and then you'll b**** and moan that the prices are too high. No one tips off any of the staff that tips have been removed so how you can say that is beyond me. No one serves anyone the way you claim they do. with lipstick covered cups!!
It is YOUR responsibility to give the correct legal names how can anyone at Carnival know that you don't know the correct information. You said you had all the time in the world to correct it but we can see you were too lazy to do anything about it. You get a confirmation in the mail so YOU know YOU made a mistake.
Your comments are pathetic Try the Sea Escape you might like them better *g*
TTFN mean ta ta for now and SDM means single digit midget (I believe).

[hazelson]

Maybe "SDIQ" would suit some people - not naming any names but here's a hint - they make mistakes and then stiff the staff. TTFN Jennifer