Tipping: Amercan style

[Dark Knight]

As we are of on Celebrity next year, I have joined a facebook group to get the lay of the land and one of the topics was Pre-tipping and tipping in general
Our colonial cousins do take tipping very seriously indeed, even with tips included ,they tip the waiter a small amount for each round every time, tip cabin stewards first and last day, tip waiters, bar staff etc etc etc
you can spot the Brits in the group as out attitude to tipping seems broadly the same
One lady asked how much she should take to tip onboard and was told a couple of hundred dollars should cover it.....WHAT !!
I fear I will be branded the resident skinflint on board as we tip the cabin steward and a nominal amount for room service but not much else, maybe the odd member of the bar or serving staff
the American philosophy seems to be if it is a member of staff and it moves give it a tip

[GillD46]

We tend to tip quite a bit on top of the auto tips, but only if service has been good - and it normally - though not always - is. Maybe because we have had a lot of US holidays, we have become used to their tipping customs. Whatever, we budget accordingly.

[Dancing Queen]

Like Gill we have been to the US a lot and also when we first started cruising it was on American ships so tipping isn't a shock to us now and we accept it as 'the norm'

We do tip extra when we have had good service or someone has gone the extra mile and by this I don't mean someone just doing their job, I expect my cabin to be cleaned, I expect my meals to be served and I expect to be served drinks at the bar .. after all that is what I've paid for.

I would never tip for each round of drinks or even at the end of each evening and I don't really go along with tipping on the first day, a lot of people tend to think they will get better service, not true because at that stage the stewards have no idea if any more will be forthcoming .. yes they want their tips and will treat everyone equally to achieve this.

When we went on Celebrity it was the first time we had prepaid gratuities ( now my preferred way ) I did wonder if the service would be less than what we had previously been used to but all I will say the service and crew attitude on Celebrity is second to none and nothing seems to be too much trouble for them so maybe you will change your mind when you are on board.

[Dark Knight]

DQ
we have the prepaid gratuities ,as do a lot of people, the tipping I mention is over and above the "suggested amount"
the $200 dollars suggested was on top

[GillD46]

That Figure wouldn't seem to be very OTT to us DK. But it does depend on someone going that extra mile - and they often do. We never, ever tip up front.

The only time we tipped before the end of the cruise, was when doing Hong Kong to Southampton, when a lot of the crew were meeting up with families in Mumbai - we gave some cash and a few gifts for children then - AND made our own beds that day!

[towny44]

DK, don't forget that you have pre paid the gratuities so you only need a little extra if you feel you have received above standard service. Also since you are in anytime dining you are unlikely to have the same wait staff each night, and you have the drinks package so tips are incuded in this.
We do tip a bit extra above the auto tip if we feel someone has gone out of their way, and we tip the odd dollar or two when we have room service. So I would not worry it will break your bank, or even prevent your generous gestures to Blod,

[Dark Knight]

Towny
no problem tipping room service.same with cabin stewards but tipping bar staff and waiters for every drink.....Never going to happen
Exceptional service has to be by the very description, exceptional, not somebody doing their job.

[towny44]

Towny
no problem tipping room service.same with cabin stewards but tipping bar staff and waiters for every drink.....Never going to happen
Exceptional service has to be by the very description, exceptional, not somebody doing their job.

Agree DK, however on our family cruie last May, we tended to use the same bar to meet for pre dinner drinks, and we had excellent service from the waiters, probably because we totalled 9 and the built in tips would certainly have added up over the cruise. So on our last night I did give them something extra, as they had kept the grandchildren happy with all sorts of cheapish non alco cocktails.

[Manoverboard]

Best you keep well away from Toronto restaurants and bars ... tips around 20% are the norm, took some adjusting to I can tell you.

: gulp :

[daib GC]

So they tip for every round of drinks, is that on top of the 18% that is added anyway to Celebrity drinks. It's just gone up by the way.

[Mervyn and Trish]

Doesn't this discussion make a nonsense of the gratuities included or prepaid policies? If they're included / prepaid surely that should be the end of it? If on the other hand it's part of the fare why not say that and go back to the idea that any tips are voluntary and dependent on exceptional service?

I'm afraid it all links to the absurd US culture. When we went there last year the guidance we were given was that a tip of only 10% meant you were seriously disappointed with the service!!!

[Stephen]

I'd give them a big tip.....'Do the job you're employed and paid to do'.

[Dancing Queen]

DQ
we have the prepaid gratuities ,as do a lot of people, the tipping I mention is over and above the "suggested amount"
the $200 dollars suggested was on top

Yes I knew that was what you meant DK, just do what you feel comfortable with for the service you receive .. we do

[barney]

I was discussing this very subject this morning with my brother who has just come back from an AI holiday in the Caribbean.

He said that many Americans tipped per round of drinks where the Europeans tipped at the end of the holiday.

He said that the Yanks seemed to be under the impression that they would get better & quicker bar service as the staff would remember them and give them priority. My brother said that it didn't really seem to make a difference

[Dark Knight]

I saw some of this in New York and it does taking your breath away at how the US are geared to this, I feel that prepaid tips covers me and I do not need to be tipping here there and everywhere, it is prepaid...job done
our cabin steward will get extra, if we think it was earned, but not for just doing what they are paid for, same yardstick applies to the rest of the staff
Room service will of course get a small tip for delivery
18% gratuities are quite enough of a levy in the first place

[Mervyn and Trish]

It may seem mean Batty, but I wouldn't tip for room service in those circumstances. The cruise companies claim the prepaid tips are shared between all the staff who work for you and surely that includes the person who delivers your room service food. Why should they deserve an additional tip if the waiter who does the same for you in the dining room doesn't? Either the tips are included or they're not. For me it's the same in a shore based restaurant. If they add a service charge to the bill then that's it. No second tip.

[Ray B]

Top man DK, let us know how you get on . I did to the the baskets down the hill in Maderia and refused to tip having paid top knotch at the top, they were none to HP. The Yanks, wow, do let us know how you got on.

Ray

[Ray Scully]

Talking with some American guests on Eclipse it appeared that they paid less for their cruises and understand that tipping is part of the deal.
Many Brits can ind the tipping regime on cruise ships challenging, particularly having paid top dollar for their cruises, We were fortunate to have a drinks deal included and paid the regular tips through our account. However paying 18% on our booze bill would have brought tears to my eyes particularly as the drinks appeared quite expensive in comparison to our local or P&O. As we mostly frequented the same bar we did tip the staff in there, as we do on P&O.

[david63]

our cabin steward will get extra, if we think it was earned

Based no doubt on the number of towel creatures you receive

I think that prepaid/included tips should be renamed as "Tips not required but expected"

[Manoverboard]

I'm with Merv on this one ...

If we opt for ' prepaid ' tipping then that is that and not a penny more, if it isn't enough ... tough titty .

[Gill W]

I'm with Merv on this one ...

If we opt for ' prepaid ' tipping then that is that and not a penny more. .

That's the same as us. I pay the going rate for tipping, and the prepaid tip is the going rate. Job done.

However, on our last cruise I did give the head waiter a small extra tip. It was my first cruise on a special diet, and I felt that he went the extra mile for me.

But I'm not going to be tipping people, in the hope of getting better service..... The service is good anyway

[ItsmeAnnC]

Yes - all the more reason to get a free drinks package now. The tips are included, too. One reason why Celebrity is enjoying more advanced bookings - free drinks and free gratuities go a long way in the budget.

[Silver_Shiney]

We're spending a week in New York hotel in October (it was going to be a holiday apartment with our son and his family but they're not coming now) and wonder what the tipping regime is. If we get a taxi from JFK to our "digs" and then one to the Brooklyn cruise terminal, what sort of tip do drivers expect? I see from above that 10% is considered a sign of dissatisfaction - surely 0% is the appropriate rate if you're not happy?

[GillD46]

If Brits don't tip in the US they think it's because we don't tip or are mean. To give a reduced tip indicates you are aware you should tip, but have given less for poor service. 15% is generally the bare minimum. In a restaurant nearer 20% is more usual.

[Silver_Shiney]

Thanks, Gill. Last time we went, for just a couple of nights, the meal came to $15 and I handed over $20 and still thought it was cheap evening!