$12/person/night is automatically added to your account payable at the end. It is done for convenience and at any time you can go to Guest Services and lower or raise this amount according to the 4 CM who are getting this.
Ours was for 4 of us, 5 nights = $240:
Stateroom Host $80 (does your room)
Head Server $20 (chats with you)
Server $80 (does your food)
Asst Server $60 (does your drinks)
The same CMs follow you throughout your cruise at least through your dinner rotations, sometimes at breakfast and lunch depending on where you eat. The same CM Stateroom Host does your room every day/night.
At the end you get a little envelope for each CM where you can just sign off the cards reflective of the auto tip, and add more if you wish.
It was WAY easier to leave the auto tip alone than to try to tip every session which is why I like this process. At the end, I just signed the cards and put them into their respective envelopes. I then added a bit extra for everyone except the Head Server who was a bit of a clown and didn't really "do" anything for us other than talk to us at each sitting for less than a minute. He seemed drunk all the time, lol, and it wasn't info, just small talk, entertainment I guess.
It's the Server and Asst Server who bust their butts at your whim.
And the Stateroom Host who does an amazing job keeping your room in order and invisibly unless you want him for anything.
The only time we needed cash was as noted, the beginning and end for the porters. Also whenever we got room service, and off the ship when ported of course.
Gratuity is included in your drink cost, and the fee for Palo is basically gratuity as well, you can add to that if you wish.
I also gave token gift bags, nothing fancy, just small things, to the 4 CMs, and Guest Services for signing our 4 items (2 bags, 2 frame matts).
This was our first
DCL and I was apprehensive of the auto tip in case of subpar service but I think that would be very rare from what we experienced and saw.
We got nothing but the exceptional.
They will do anything within reason to make you happy