Another tipping question.....

[LiserAnn]

I know it's been discussed before but I got too many results when I searched and after 10 minutes I couldn't find my answer , so....

Does anyone know...for the CMs tips on the last day, do they prefer cash or are they OK with it being charged to your room? I prefer not to have cash around but at the same time I don't want it to be 2 weeks before these hard working folks get their money.

Thanks in advance!
Lisa

 

[missmulan]

i brought all cash for tips because i also didn't want them to wait for their tip money.

 

[tvguy]

This is a great question that I have never seen an answer to. I tipped in cash, but I wondered if charging the tips might actually be easier for the staff.
This is the first cruise out of 8 I have been on where you could charge tips.
On other cruises our servers said they electronically transfer most or all of their paychecks back home. So if you charged your tips, and IF Disney has direct deposit set up for employees, they could just get on the Internet and transfer the money home. With cash, they have to take it to the bank somewhere........or maybe Disney will take the cash and electronically deposit for them?
Any cast members on the board to offer insight?

 

[musicgirl]

I think when you charge the tips, your ship account is charged first. You are given receipts with their names on each one to put in the envelope.

Now I think because the ship account is charged, they are not waiting for your cc to clear.

Personally, we used a debit card and when ever the ship account got to a certain point it was charged in a lump sum. It appears that the money was transferred the same day.

Also, you can charge your tips early. On the 7 night, we charged on Thursday to avoid crowds. I can not imagine that the funds would not have transferred by Sat.

Also, as crazy as it gets in the restaurants and even as good a system as they might have, what if an envelope gets misplaced. It's no big deal if receipts get thrown away.

 

[webray]

We bring cash, because we like them to have it to spend in the ports.

A dcl castmember told us, there money is put on account and they use a card for shipboard purchases just like our kttw cards..so we would prefer to give them cash so they have it to use if they get time off in the ports.

 

[American Scrapper]

We too have always given cash. I just put what I brought to tip in an envelope and leave it in our in room safe until tipping day comes.

Kathy

 

[alexandrew]

we always gave cash for tips, simply because I didnt want to wait in line at guest services....Also, as stated above, if it helps out the CMs I'm all for continuing to give cash....

 

[LiserAnn]

Also, as crazy as it gets in the restaurants and even as good a system as they might have, what if an envelope gets misplaced. It's no big deal if receipts get thrown away.

I would hope they wouldn't lose it, but you're right, with all the chaos it could get misplaced...and unless they open the envelope immediately, the CM doesn't know if there's cash in there or if there's a paper receipt. I also liked your Thursday night advice!

Thanks everyone for the input...I really appreciate it!

 

[lbgraves]

I would worry about them losing so much money so have always charged it to the room. We have done this Thursday morning. It's a sea day & GS wasn't very busy after breakfast. I did add WM GCs to the envies for our servers before giving them our envies.

 

[LiserAnn]

I would worry about them losing so much money so have always charged it to the room. We have done this Thursday morning. It's a sea day & GS wasn't very busy after breakfast. I did add WM GCs to the envies for our servers before giving them our envies.

That's what I'm thinking. If you don't mind me asking...did you just tip the recommended amount and add the WM GCs, or did you tip above the recommended amount in addition to the WM GCs. What denomination of WM GCs did you get? I'm just trying to figure all this out! TIA

 

[lbgraves]

We had our favorite server & knew that we would be tipping more in the long run. I planned to just charge the total amount and had taken 5 $10 GC to give to the OC counselors that the kids chose to say a special thank you to. However, DS didn't go to the club nearly as much as he did the first cruise when he had a couple favorite CMs and DD only went once so that we could go to Palo for brunch. (This wasn't due to anything in the club for DS, he simply wanted to spend time with our friend's DD who was cruising with us. The three of them were inseperable and were in different age groups.) Instead I just put those GCs in our server's envies. BTW, before our first cruise I saw someone post that they took note cards with them to write a special note when leaving the tip. I also have the kids draw a picture on the inside of the card & the back.

 

[Kevin&Randall]

We have always charged our gratuities to our stateroom account, and none of the crew seemed to mind. We knew about the on-board spending card they have, but I also had the impression they could take some cash out of their shipboard account like an ATM. Not sure where I got that impression from.

On top of the gratuities we have attached a cool trading pin to the envelope, just for fun. And from reading the boards, on our next cruise we are going to obtain international calling cards to hand out to those crew members we think are providing superior service.

Randall

 

[leewrobe]

I'm just wondering, Seeing we are leaving in the am..Would it be ok to use any Disney Dollars?,or should we transfer them at guest services to charge slips.

 

[princess Snow]

If you mean putting Disney Dollars in the servers' envelopes, I say no. It's an inconvenience for the crewmembers to try to exchange them. They prefer cash.

 

[kcashner]

Several cruises ago, I asked our server whether it made any difference to him whether he got cash or we charged the tips--what I really wanted to know was whether he got the whole amount charged or did DCL keep any sort of handling charge.

He felt that it was easier to get the tips thru the charge system since that way he got a check every couple of weeks and it was easier to keep track of. DCL doesn't keep any sort of handling fee--any amount you charge, your server gets. As to taxes and stuff, that is up to their home country. Since the ship is registered in the Bahamas, there is no tax withheld. All that said, I usually charge the recommended tips, then add some cash to the envelope.

Disney Dollars are really not appropriate as the CM will then have to go thru the effort to exchange them. Gift cards should be in addition to (not in place of) the recommended cash tips or are frequently given to people in "non-tipping" positions.

My server also felt that the CMs fall into 2 groups--those who are saving and supporting families "back home" (they sleep while they are off duty), and those who are young and party while the ships is in port and they are off.

 

[krdisneybound]

In the past my family has always paid for it as Guest Services and they give us a "ticket" type slip in an envelope and that way we don't have to carry cash around. The individual can get their money right away from Guest Services. I have a receipt for it at that point also. And also the individua has a paper copy of what he has made for that cruise.

I think it is just what your preference is.