How much extra to tip?

[gemduncan]

We are going on our very first cruise ever! We'll be on the Dream 4 night to Bahamas on Feb 29. I already pre-paid our gratuity. Assuming everyone is amazing, how much extra should I tip at the very end of the cruise? It's only me, DH, and DD (age 6).

 

[PrincessShmoo]

We are going on our very first cruise ever! We'll be on the Dream 4 night to Bahamas on Feb 29. I already pre-paid our gratuity. Assuming everyone is amazing, how much extra should I tip at the very end of the cruise? It's only me, DH, and DD (age 6).

Not to be snippy, but that's really up to you. What one person may feel is a good tip for extraordinary service might be $50, while for another it's $10. That's what tipping is all about. How much (if anything) you feel the experience was worth to you.

 

[krisinparis]

If I feel like the service is amazing- I'll tip an extra $10 per day to the cabin steward(ess) and the server and asst. server. I usually don't tip the head server any extra, but this past cruise on the Wonder we really loved Paolo, so I tipped him and extra $5 per day.

 

[KingRichard]

1 MILLION DOLLARS!

The extra is up to you. We had stateroom host that made one of our cruises extra special for DD. He asked us a time that was good for us and showed her how to make tons of towel animals. Must have been 5-6!

He got a extra tip.

 

[Seamama]

Everyone's answer will be different but here's what we do...

We use the standard tipping info as a starting point (http://disneycruiselineblog.com/cruise-planning/tip-calculator/). So, basically, our "baseline" is to give what's recommended. A CM would have to be really (and repeatedly) horrible for us to to bother to go to Guest Services and ask to lower the recommended amount. (This is never happened, so far). A person who goes far "above and beyond" gets the equivalent to what they'd get if we'd had an addt'l person in our party. (We have also adjusted down- or would consider even adjusting up- from that addt'l amount, if it seems appropriate).

Finally, it's been said on these boards that notes to management make a HUGE difference. So for really stellar service, I have stated (specially and by name) my appreciation on the comment form AND in a separate handwritten note that I have delivered to Guest Services.

Hope that helps!