Tipping Maids/Room Service

[Disneytreasure]

As was discussed in a previous thread, my family and I do not plan on tipping on our upcoming cruise. I explained that we are paying so much for the cruise that it's tough to justify that additional cost. However, we did want to tip for our maid/room service. I've been researching and I have seen people say that paying the maid $20 in the beginning is the best way to go. Is that okay or should we tip daily? And is room service okay with just getting a buck or two every time they deliver?

Thank you for all the info!

 

[broncobill]

Generally we do $1 per person staying per cleaning. I say per cleaning because we do not have them come in every day.

 

[Otimon]

You are on the Cruise Line Forum. Sounds as though you're talking about a hotel - correct? If so you will do better to inquire on one of the
the Boards.

Personal opinion here: Everyone else pays a lot for their cruise, too, but should have nothing to do with paying tips in your hotel room or on the cruise.

 

[lanejudy]

As was discussed in a previous thread, my family and I do not plan on tipping on our upcoming cruise. I explained that we are paying so much for the cruise that it's tough to justify that additional cost. However, we did want to tip for our maid/room service. I've been researching and I have seen people say that paying the maid $20 in the beginning is the best way to go. Is that okay or should we tip daily? And is room service okay with just getting a buck or two every time they deliver?

Thank you for all the info!

I haven't read your previous thread so not sure what you understand about gratuities onboard. Gratuities for the stateroom host are automatically charged to your onboard account. I believe the breakdown includes $4 per guest per night for the stateroom host(ess). I honestly have never heard of people just tipping a $20 at the beginning of the cruise as the only tip to the stateroom host. Daily tips are not necessary; unlike a land-based hotel where you may have a different housekeeper each day, you will have the same stateroom host for the duration of your cruise.

Room service should be tipped $1-$2 per item ordered.

The tips sound like a lot, but in reality that's the system and that's the payment. Would you like to work for a week and then be told "sorry, I'm not paying you because I paid your corporation a large amount already and I don't really care if they don't share that with you." My understanding is that these tipped positions received minimal if any other pay, regardless of what your cruise cost. Seriously, try to re-think the budget and fit in the tips. These people work HARD.

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[mevelandry]

Doing an expensive cruise is a choice and a privilege. Punishing the employees of a cruise line because you think the cruise is expensive is not okay. These people work hard (aka 12 to 16 hours a day, back-to-back shifts, 7 days a week, for 8 months far away from their families... If you don't believe me, ask them!) and they deserve the suggested amount of tip that the cruise line recommends.

If the cruise is too expensive for your family to pay tips, I recommend you sail on another cruise line that will be more in your budget and permit you to give suggested gratuity.

 

[Dug720]

Doing an expensive cruise is a choice and a privilege. Punishing the employees of a cruise line because you think the cruise is expensive is not okay. These people work hard and they deserve the suggested amount of tip that the cruise line recommends.

If the cruise is too expensive for your family to pay tips, I recommend you sail on another cruise line that will be more in your budget and permit you to give suggested gratuity.

This!!

You know from your previous post the hornets' nest you're stirring up. I would be surprised if anyone gives you advice besides "Suck it up and pay the daily gratuities, buttercup."

 

[SteveMP]

I explained that we are paying so much for the cruise that it's tough to justify that additional cost.

Thats actually exactly the justification you need, otherwise you can't t really afford it. Kind of like "that guy" driving the high end Mercedes or BMW with bald tires and a big dent because he can't afford new tires or insurance driving a car he can't really afford. Only tires don't depend on tips to feed their families.

 

[DCSWO]

A moderator should just close this thread. People have already expressed plenty of opinions/advice on tipping to the OP in the other thread.

 

[Disneytreasure]

This!!

You know from your previous post the hornets' nest you're stirring up. I would be surprised if anyone gives you advice besides "Suck it up and pay the daily gratuities, buttercup."

On the Disney website it states they are not mandatory. But we do want to leave a little something for room service/maid service because that's what we CAN do.

I don't feel the need to "suck it up", but thank you.

 

[gary in florida]

A moderator should just close this thread. People have already expressed plenty of opinions/advice on tipping to the OP in the other thread.

Agree, this subject has been beaten to death

 

[Disneytreasure]

Agree, this subject has been beaten to death

Okay, I'm sorry. I didn't really search much prior to posting. Link me to the threads please?

 

[TrishaK]

Also, your server and assistant server are with you and your family for every dinner. However, they don't only work at dinner.
Example - we had dinner on our first night with our wonderful servers. My daughter wakes early the next morning and is hungry, so she and I sneak up to Cabanas in our pajamas to grab a few snacks until we're all ready for breakfast. And our server is up there, handing out wipes before you go in to get food. And he recognizes us, too!
Those people are hard working; they're working breakfast, lunch, and two dinner shifts.
If the automatic gratuity is too steep, you always have the option of going to guest services your last full day and adjusting down. But I don't suggest tipping them nothing. They work hard - with a smile on their faces and really get to know your family throughout your cruise.
Our stateroom hostess (Eva) and dinner servers (Kemal and Hugo) were all fantastic and so very friendly to all of us. I know I would have felt wretched if I didn't tip them anything.

 

[Donna3271]

Honestly, I would not be able to look these people in the face KNOWING I was not going to tip them. It is the correct, ethical thing to do. Perhaps DCL is not the line for you?

 

[Geomom]

I agree with others to please rethink not tipping your serving staff. All of the tip positions will be expecting their tip envelopes at the end of the cruise--so paying your stateroom host at the end of the cruise vs the beginning is the way to go. If you give your stateroom host $20 on day 1 they'll think they'll be getting more later as some people give a $20 to start with as they're asking for ice daily or think they'll get even better service with an additional tip up front. I do find it 'funny' that you're willing to tip the room service folks...they're actually the ones that would be easiest not to tip as they drop the food off and very quickly leave--we had to ask them to wait for their tip on the morning we got breakfast--we weren't awake enough to have it ready to give to them. But to answer your question, a couple of dollars for room service would be fine--'they' don't really expect anything.

 

[gary in florida]

On the Disney website it states they are not mandatory. But we do want to leave a little something for room service/maid service because that's what we CAN do.

I don't feel the need to "suck it up", but thank you.

Just make sure you tell the

Okay, I'm sorry. I didn't really search much prior to posting. Link me to the threads please?

https://www.disboards.com/threads/is-tipping-mandatory.3613928/

 

[cruisehopeful]

As was discussed in a previous thread, my family and I do not plan on tipping on our upcoming cruise. I explained that we are paying so much for the cruise that it's tough to justify that additional cost. However, we did want to tip for our maid/room service. I've been researching and I have seen people say that paying the maid $20 in the beginning is the best way to go. Is that okay or should we tip daily? And is room service okay with just getting a buck or two every time they deliver?

Thank you for all the info!

The gratuities are the person's pay. If you put yourself in their position, it is like working without pay. Imagine being told you will get paid for doing something and then at the end, when you expect your pay, you are told, "I don't have enough money to pay you." It's the same thing.

To your questions, the stateroom host/hostess is used to being tipped in full on the last night. Typically, I tip extra at that time. So, they get whatever the cruise line suggests and I give more. There are some cases where I will give extra tips or gifts during the cruise. They clean the room twice per day. How much would you pay for that anywhere else?

For room service, I generally tip based on what I think my charges would be on land. If I believe I ordered $25 worth of food, I'd tip 15-20% of that. Other people pay $1 per item ordered.

Working on a ship is very tough work. They are away from their families for months at a time. They bunk in a tiny room with someone they just met. They often work 11 or more hours/day. They do all that because they expect to earn a certain amount of money. When you don't pay the recommended tips, they do not earn the money they were expecting when they signed the contract.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

A cruise is a luxury. Tips are part of the cost of the cruise. If you cannot afford to tip, you cannot afford to cruise.

 

[phinz]

A cruise is a luxury. Tips are part of the cost of the cruise. If you cannot afford to tip, you cannot afford to cruise.

And if you can afford to do FE, then you *certainly* can afford to tip.

 

[WishUponAStarryNight]

If you're really trying to cut corners (and I get that these cruises aren't cheap), don't participate in Fish Extenders, don't spend a lot of money on excursions (you can enjoy a port for little to no cost), keep your bar tab down, don't buy a ton of souvenirs, don't buy the Shutters photos (the cast members are happy to take photos with your own phone), don't buy popcorn or other for fee snacks (there are plenty of food options to keep you more than satisfied), but please don't cheat your room steward and your waitstaff. They work so hard for you and there are so many other ways to keep your onboard costs to a minimum.

 

[heather913]

If you can't afford to tip, you can't afford to cruise. Maybe book a shorter cruise that is more affordable.

But if you insist on not paying people for their services, I hope you at least have the respect to tell them up front that you do not plan to tip them.