another question about tips.

[Skallywag]

We have just been advised by our travel agent that we can pay our tips in advance but am unsure if this is a good thing and if in fact they will get to the right people. Also presumaby if the upstairs staff as I will call them are badly paid then surely the downstairs ones are even worse. Do they get any sort of tips does anyone know as feel so guilty about this.

 

[TheWog]

You shouldn't feel guilty for anything. I believe international passengers are offered the choice of prepaying tips and they will ensure the tips get to the appropriate person for you. You can always add additional later.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Also presumaby if the upstairs staff as I will call them are badly paid then surely the downstairs ones are even worse. Do they get any sort of tips does anyone know as feel so guilty about this.

Crew members who work in tipped positions are paid very low base wages because they will receive the vast majority of their pay in the form of tips.

Crew members who work in untipped positions receive their pay entirely from the cruise line. I doubt anyone is getting rich in those positions, but you don't need to worry that those crew members are getting less than the $50 per month that the cruise line pays to those in tipped positions. Untipped crew members receive enough in wages and benefifts so that cruise line is able to attract and retain good people.

 

[Corryn]

We were also offered the option of prepaying tips by our TA. We chose not to. We'll wait until we're on the ship. As I understand it, tipping is not even an option, it is required, which I have no problem with. I understand why they do it.

 

[maleficent1959]

We were also offered the option of prepaying tips by our TA. We chose not to. We'll wait until we're on the ship. As I understand it, tipping is not even an option, it is required, which I have no problem with. I understand why they do it.

The tips do get to the right people. But we don't prepay either. One thing-- they suggest that you tip your room steward the day before disembarkation and that is to your steward's advantage. On one of our trips our steward told us that some guests leave it the morning they depart, thinking that the steward will get it when he cleans the room for the next guests. But the stewards rarely get them because extra help boards to get the ship ready for the next guests and they often walk with the stewards' cash tips.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

As I understand it, tipping is not even an option, it is required, which I have no problem with. I understand why they do it.

Good point.

Tipping is not legally required. If someone fails to tip, they won't be arrested.

But tipping is ethically required. Passengers receive services from their server, asst. server, head server, and stateroom host/hostess, and those crew members deserve to be paid.

DCL could raise the cruise price by $11 per passenger per day, but the current system gives crew members an incentive to provide outstanding service (to achieve bigger tips). The system works well.

 

[Corryn]

On one of our trips our steward told us that some guests leave it the morning they depart, thinking that the steward will get it when he cleans the room for the next guests. But the stewards rarely get them because extra help boards to get the ship ready for the next guests and they often walk with the stewards' cash tips.

GOOD POINT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Everyone should read that! Of course, when you're tipping you want it to go to the right person, but if there's another crew coming aboard and they grab the tip, then the poor purser who's been taking care of you feels gypt and doesn't realize you had,in fact, left a tip.

Thank you for clearing that up