Need a little help with tips!

[Amunet]

Literally, like ... the tips for help

So on ANOTHER site, I asked a question and people really started to tear me apart, so I'm going to word this carefully ...

I finally figured out the suggested rate for tipping for our cruise, however, it is more then I planned and am not sure I have enough funds to make it (though, we're still working on it).

If it turns out that, in the end, we do not have the full recommended amount, will I run into issues on the cruise?

... please, don't hurt me ...

 

[kcashner]

OK, the tips are $12 per day for each person in your group. For one person on a 3 night cruise, that is $36. For 2 people on a 4 night cruise, it is $96.

If you don't have enough money for the "suggested" tips, I would suggest that you eliminate an excursion, a spa visit, professional photos, shopping, or something in order to appropriately pay the people who will be serving you. Alternatively, can you move to a less expensive cabin? You can have a totally wonderful cruise and not spend a penny more than your cruise ticket and tips.

Let's start with being sure you have the tips figures right--how many people are in your group and how many nights are you cruising?

 

[Amunet]

If you don't have enough money for the "suggested" tips, I would suggest that you eliminate an excursion, a spa visit, professional photos, shopping, or something in order to appropriately pay the people who will be serving you. Alternatively, can you move to a less expensive cabin? You can have a totally wonderful cruise and not spend a penny more than your cruise ticket and tips.

Let's start with being sure you have the tips figures right--how many people are in your group and how many nights are you cruising?

Thank you for your kindness

There is me and DH: 2 people. Nights: 7 (MR).

We don't have any excursions or dinner and we don't go to the spa (dh is a massage therapist! ). We weren't planning on photos, perhaps 1 professional one.
Shopping wise, for our booking, we got $25 credit and were going to use that for our shopping onboard.
As for the cabin, we got a GTY and cannot change our reservation (in fact, that is how we were able to afford the cruise at all, the cheapest price I have ever SEEN for Disney! ).
I completely agree with not spending a penny more That's what we're doing because we don't really care for the ports.

 

[sissy_ib]

For your cruise the total would be $168. Are you planing on tipping in cash? Can you cut out a little from your budget at home for the next few weeks?

 

[Amunet]

For your cruise the total would be $168. Are you planing on tipping in cash? Can you cut out a little from your budget at home for the next few weeks?

I was planning on pre-paying. We do have $100 budgeted for tips, but I forgot about the above and beyond Disney does (I know I know, shame on me) and began to worry that we didn't have enough.

Our cruise is in April ... I THINK we can come up with the extra $68, I don't have all the money yet for our 'fun money'. I believe we can come up with it, but in the unfortunate event that we might come up short, what would happen?

I think I might be beaten by a mob of cruisers ...

 

[kcashner]

Thank you for your kindness

There is me and DH: 2 people. Nights: 7 (MR).

We don't have any excursions or dinner and we don't go to the spa (dh is a massage therapist! ). We weren't planning on photos, perhaps 1 professional one.
Shopping wise, for our booking, we got $25 credit and were going to use that for our shopping onboard.
As for the cabin, we got a GTY and cannot change our reservation (in fact, that is how we were able to afford the cruise at all, the cheapest price I have ever SEEN for Disney! ).
I completely agree with not spending a penny more That's what we're doing because we don't really care for the ports.

OK, 2 people, 7 nights suggested tips are $168 ($84 per person X2). Your $25 onboard credit can be the first $25 toward your tips! With 2 adults, you can roll your own suitcases and not use a porter. That saves a little.

I see that you are trying to go as cheaply as you can--avoiding spa, etc. I'm totally serious that you can have a GREAT cruise without buying extras (or you can spend literally thousands on extras). But seriously, you need to figure out a way to come up with the $168 for the suggested tips. It's fine to reduce them IF the service is somehow sub-standard, but these people depend on the tips for their wages. If they are doing a good job, they deserve to be paid.

Other thoughts on saving--alcohol is free at Captain's Gala, and you can bring your own on board if you wish...or you can not drink "adult" beverages. Fitness center/locker room/sauna are free. There is a fee for rainforest room and other places within the spa. The CMs are happy to take family photos with your camera rather than purchasing photos. You can have a great beach day at Castaway without spending a penny; if you bring your own equipment you can snorkel for free too.

With only 2 of you, you won't save much with a rental car...it generally costs us $30-50 +tolls+gas while transfers would be $70 each way (for the two of you. That's pretty close and the DCL transfers are easier.

You seem to have thought things thru pretty well....just pinch a little more. No eating out from now till cruise????or wherever else you can pinch a few pennies. Brown bag lunches for work instead of buying lunch?

 

[clten]

In the end, the only people who will know how much you tipped will be you and the person receiving the tip. This is often a hot button topic because when you get onboard, you will see that the folks you tip do work hard for the money and put in long hours. They basically work only for tips. If it were me, I'd even plan to use the $25 OBC toward the tips if I couldn't put together enough money any other way.

 

[sissy_ib]

I was planning on pre-paying. We do have $100 budgeted for tips, but I forgot about the above and beyond Disney does (I know I know, shame on me) and began to worry that we didn't have enough.

Our cruise is in April ... I THINK we can come up with the extra $68, I don't have all the money yet for our 'fun money'. I believe we can come up with it, but in the unfortunate event that we might come up short, what would happen?

I think I might be beaten by a mob of cruisers ...

No one will know.
Please keep trying to come up with it. Those folks will really deserve it. $68 divided by 6 weeks is $11.33. Can you cut coupons? Car pool a few days a week? Cut out extras from groceries? Trust me it will be worth it once you are on-board!

You can have a great beach day at Castaway without spending a penny; if you bring your own equipment you can snorkel for free too.

With only 2 of you, you won't save much with a rental car...it generally costs us $30-50 +tolls+gas while transfers would be $70 each way (for the two of you. That's pretty close and the DCL transfers are easier.

You seem to have thought things thru pretty well....just pinch a little more. No eating out from now till cruise????or wherever else you can pinch a few pennies. Brown bag lunches for work instead of buying lunch?

They are doing the Mexican Riviera so no CC.

But how are you getting to the port? Can you cut that down? If you are flying can you manage on only carry-ons so you wont have to pay baggage fees? You can leave the shampoo, conditioner etc. at home. You will be provided H2O products and they are awesome!

 

[extechie rbd/wdt]

I was planning on pre-paying. We do have $100 budgeted for tips, but I forgot about the above and beyond Disney does (I know I know, shame on me) and began to worry that we didn't have enough.

Our cruise is in April ... I THINK we can come up with the extra $68, I don't have all the money yet for our 'fun money'. I believe we can come up with it, but in the unfortunate event that we might come up short, what would happen?

I think I might be beaten by a mob of cruisers ...

The $25 credit could go towards tip's.
It really wouldn't be fair to the CM's because you only budgeted $100 when the suggested is $168 and I'm sure they would appreciate it if you could stretch to $168 at least as they are working for a living.

Ex Techie

 

[EGHopeful]

This was the VERY reason I had to really think about taking a DCL cruise because you would think that with the high cost of the cruise versus other cruiselines theyd be paying their staff well. But that doesn't seem to be the case. So for us (just me &DD) this will be the ONLY vacation all year!

Yep I'll have to sacrifice a few things!

 

[MND]

If it turns out that, in the end, we do not have the full recommended amount, will I run into issues on the cruise?

... please, don't hurt me ...

No, you will not run into issues. No one on this site will hurt you, because the topic of tipping is a non-emotional topic.

Mike

 

[kcashner]

OK, MR cruise...there is a private shuttle company (I'm blanking on the name at the moment) that will get you from LAX to the cruise terminal for $17 per person...that's another chunk cheaper than DCL transfers (every bit counts, right?)

Can you book an airline that doesn't charge luggage fees? Or stick to carry on luggage?

 

[BeeTeacher]

I would never consider NOT tipping and we even tipped extra because we had excellent service.

But as we did it we wondered how many people DON'T tip. We have family members going on a carnival cruise in May who are not planning to tip--the cruise is a school trip. Believe me, I went round and round with them... grrr!

But it made me wonder how often this happens and if people assume the tips are paid as part of their cruise fare (not everyone reads) or just don't tip enough?

 

[juareaa]

We prepaid our tips and jusg returned fro the mr. next time just assume the tips are part of the price. We were also on a budget and didnt do extras. However, we were so impressed with how hard the crew worked to make our experience wonderful that we found a wah to tip extra. I even felt bad we couldnt tip even more. These men and women work long days, seven days a week, away from their kids, watching everyone having a blast, and manage to do a truly fantastic job. If your trip is far away you need to cut other areas and save for it. If theres a bday, ask for cash. Nobody will know how much you tip. I wouldnt be able to sleep or enjoy my cruise if I knew I was gonna stiff the people bringing my food and cleaning up after me.

 

[Amunet]

Wow, thank you ALL for the tips! Bwaha, see what I did there?

Really though, thank you, you've helped a lot ^_^

Lessee if I can answer most of these ...

* We are flying. Unfortunately, we have to fly Delta. I fly A LOT and yes, we are only planning on carry-on. We will be shipping a small package to our hotel (containing our sunblock).

* We are flying into LGB, not LAX, it was only $400 round trip for the 2 of us Yeah, we were excited. It would be about $33 from the airport to our hotel. The hotel provides a shuttle to (possibly from) the port. Though, on the way back we have to use a taxi since our flight leaves at 7am!
SO I did figure out a way to cut down our spending for transport: use the bus. It's about $5 for both of us to just take public transit from the airport to hotel. Though, it takes an extra 2 hours.

* I don't drink alcoholic beverages

* I had NO idea the $25 OBC could be used for tips o.o That is awesome! Thank you guys so much for that

* I never said I was planning on NOT paying the tips. I said I didn't plan ENOUGH.

* No need to worry about lunches for work as I am unemployed (dang temporary job!). Oh no, it's okay, DH still works! Let's just say that tax refunds are awesome ...

As for the under-tipping, I'm not trying to. I just forgot about the average tipping policies for cruising. I've only cruised once before and that was RCI, at that time we weren't penny pinching and had enough, so it didn't bother me at all.
I agree with all of you, most of the servers work crazy hard and deserve AT LEAST the minimum suggested tips. Expecially Disney.

When booking this trip, I COMPLETELY forgot about tips and once I remembered, I budgeted. But then I forgot that Disney is a bit better. Hence, this thread.

BUT thanks to all of your advice (and maybe more to come?), we'll be able to at least make the suggested minimum

 

[sissy_ib]

Wow, thank you ALL for the tips! Bwaha, see what I did there?

Really though, thank you, you've helped a lot ^_^

Lessee if I can answer most of these ...

* We are flying. Unfortunately, we have to fly Delta. I fly A LOT and yes, we are only planning on carry-on. We will be shipping a small package to our hotel (containing our sunblock).

* We are flying into LGB, not LAX, it was only $400 round trip for the 2 of us Yeah, we were excited. It would be about $33 from the airport to our hotel. The hotel provides a shuttle to (possibly from) the port. Though, on the way back we have to use a taxi since our flight leaves at 7am!
SO I did figure out a way to cut down our spending for transport: use the bus. It's about $5 for both of us to just take public transit from the airport to hotel. Though, it takes an extra 2 hours.

* I don't drink alcoholic beverages

* I had NO idea the $25 OBC could be used for tips o.o That is awesome! Thank you guys so much for that

* I never said I was planning on NOT paying the tips. I said I didn't plan ENOUGH.

* No need to worry about lunches for work as I am unemployed (dang temporary job!). Oh no, it's okay, DH still works! Let's just say that tax refunds are awesome ...

As for the under-tipping, I'm not trying to. I just forgot about the average tipping policies for cruising. I've only cruised once before and that was RCI, at that time we weren't penny pinching and had enough, so it didn't bother me at all.
I agree with all of you, most of the servers work crazy hard and deserve AT LEAST the minimum suggested tips. Expecially Disney.

When booking this trip, I COMPLETELY forgot about tips and once I remembered, I budgeted. But then I forgot that Disney is a bit better. Hence, this thread.

BUT thanks to all of your advice (and maybe more to come?), we'll be able to at least make the suggested minimum

I saw your post on the other board. You got jumped on pretty bad. I think everyone here understands you want to give at least the minimum.

 

[Amunet]

I saw your post on the other board. You got jumped on pretty bad. I think everyone here understands you want to give at least the minimum.

Haha yeah ... I just hope I handled it okay.

Yeah and I'm very grateful for that, not just that but I got some really good tips rotfl on how to save/pinch to be able to do it

That's only if my end sum of 'fun money' is not as much as I expect it to be. Because if it is enough, I will have no problem taking the $68 from there.

 

[PrincessTrisha]

Haha yeah ... I just hope I handled it okay.

Yeah and I'm very grateful for that, not just that but I got some really good tips rotfl on how to save/pinch to be able to do it

That's only if my end sum of 'fun money' is not as much as I expect it to be. Because if it is enough, I will have no problem taking the $68 from there.

In Utah you can be paid to donate Plasma (blood).

Save a life and earn enough money to pay your tips.

 

[Raspberry Beret]

The $25 credit could go towards tip's.
It really wouldn't be fair to the CM's because you only budgeted $100 when the suggested is $168 and I'm sure they would appreciate it if you could stretch to $168 at least as they are working for a living.

Ex Techie

I agree with this, use the $25 credit towards tips. Another thing, I notice you are participating in your Dis groups FE exchange. Maybe that is something you can skip this cruise and use the money saved to add to your tip fund. Extra baggage charges or shipping a box of FE stuff can cost between $25-$50 and that's not counting the money spent on FE gifts. Just a thought.

 

[faithtrustpixie]

I'd be the most worried that something could go wrong on your trip and you won't have a little cushion of cash to take care of it. It seems pretty risky to budget right down to the penny because, as we all know, things can happen when you travel even if you plan carefully.

Travel safely and have a great cruise.