Tipping - Why not make it part of the basic cruise price?

[crzy4magic]

Having been on a NCL cruise where the tip is automatically put on your bill and split among the crew - and not having been happy with the service - I gladly take the opportunity to reward excellance. With the exception of our second cruise, where we were not happy with our servers we have always exceeded the recommended amount. Even on the NCL cruise, we found that we could get a table in the section of a server staff we liked ( I personally hate the "Freestyle Cruising" idea) and gave them extra tips on the last night. Knowing how little these folks are paid, I would never stiff them, but would hold back on the extra.

 

[jillane88]

Many of the higher end cruise lines like Crystal, SilverSea, and Radisson Seven Seas (which recently was bought out) do not allow tipping. The service is some of the best in the industry and all those lines are 6 star - but you are paying for it. We cruise Radisson in Tahiti and paid more for just DH and I than we are paying for 5 of us on Disney. Still I loved the fact that tipping was already included (so was the alcohol).

 

[Echo queen]

For starters on my past 4 cruises I have away tip at least the suggested tip evan with run of the mill service.

The first statement made here sounds like a JOB that any EMPLOYER should pay an EMPLOYEE to do. I realize this is part of there job but I don't think it's a part that my tip needs to cover.

There are alot of things to consider when you tip on a cruise. Most of the waitstaff does not merely work the two dinner shifts....you'll find them folding napkins in the morning and working around the buffet area helping passengers. Your tip goes towards all of that behind the scenes work they do that you never even think about. They work far longer than a 6 or 8 hour stint in the dining room every evening.

As far as including it in the price, cruise lines would be publishing far higher prices than they currently do. Alot of people wouldn't cruise as a result. The cruise line would rather fill the cabins....they get their profits from filling cabins, not from passenger tips. And their waitstaff takes the chance that you and I will compensate them for a job well done.

I'd rather be in control of tipping. We've had some fabulous waitstaff personnel and some rather obnoxious waitstaff and have adjusted the tip accordingly. We've always tipped above the recommended amount for great service. I wouldn't want to put in all the hours or hard work these people do for all the tea in China. I'll tip them and say, "Thank you for making my trip special", instead.

 

[kimszath]

My 2 cents worth... and echoing another poster... I'm not so sure making the tips part of the cruise price is a good idea. Maybe it's blackmail in some way, but if my servers give me 110%, because they know that their efforts will make or break their paycheck, then that's GOOD, right? If it's already a sure thing for them, will they necessarily go out of their way to give me that MAGICal service? It'd take many years to sort out the good from the bad. One or two bad servers, and I might take my business elsewhere--I'd bet that's DCL's view. Leave it like it is--I like being in control. (I also get irritated when a restaurant adds on 18% to my check if my party is a certain size... when that happens to me, I don't tip extra--I'm insulted.)
For those who got bad service on the last day, after just tipping the minimum, is it possible to "adjust the tip" with Guest Services??? Just a thought.

 

[Kycha]

For starters on my past 4 cruises I have away tip at least the suggested tip evan with run of the mill service.

The first statement made here sounds like a JOB that any EMPLOYER should pay an EMPLOYEE to do. I realize this is part of there job but I don't think it's a part that my tip needs to cover.

I agree. When I tip the waitstaff at a regular restaurant, I am tipping on the service I have received during my meal. Not on the fact that they folded napkins or filled the salt and pepper shakers earlier in the day.

 

[GritsGirl]

deleted

 

[eeyoregon]

Oh bother...I know I need to tip and I will, but as a single Mom who has exhausted every possible resource to experience our first (and probalby only) DC together, I am getting sick to my stomach thinking about how much it's all going to add up to $$ wise.

Because I am new to this, what are the guidelines if we only dine in the dining rooms 3 or 4 nights? Do we tip based on per person in our party, just for those nights that we attended? I can't imagine that we, me and DS 10 and DS 13, will eat in the dining rooms for all 7 nights.

Thank you in advance for any input.

 

[lbgraves]

You are expected to tip for the entire cruise. The servers will not have the chance to wait on anyone else if you decide to not go to the dining rooms so will lose that income for the week. It isn't like working on land when the tables are rotated so that the servers all have equal number of guests, so the same opportunity to receive a tip. The tips cover service that you receive everywhere on the ship for breakfast, lunch, & dinner. The system is set up so that you don't have to tip for every meal. By tipping your assigned servers at the end of the week, you are covering tips for all the other meals as well.