Never Tipping

[SeattleXman]

Cheapskate. If these ships were registered in countries with labor laws, fair pay and compensation tipping would still say "thanks for wiping my ass, nose, toilet etc.)

While notorious superior acting guests, many who've never served the public, avoid tipping, realize, your cruise indentured, 3rd world servants work 7 days a week 10 to12 hours a day. If they get a couple hours on shore, they head right for the nearest Costco to buy soap, hygiene products and call home to their spouses, children and others at home.

Study up on cruise practices, international travel, how to avoid the UGLY LOUD BLOATED US Citizen stereotype. Where else can you eat your weight in bacon, do everything in excess, because you earned It!

[hillary]

I think tipping is a must. To be honest I don't think the employees see it as an 'insult'... they are making little money as it is, and I think they are more than greatful to receive a little something extra. And I think tipping on cruises is always expected, and if I don't tip I feel like I come across as rude and uneducated. It doesn't have to be a big amount, but I still think the gesture is nice

They work about 18 hours a day..Tipping is there ONLY income..

[mommiedearest]

Tipping is NOT their only income. They do get paid a monthly (ridiculously low) salary, get room and board, medical care, and paid flights to their home country every year for a two-month leave. They also live in pretty cramped quarters and work very long hours, and are often called upon to change "positions". Going from room steward to buffet server to deck server...ad infinitum. They must also share any tips they receive. It's one reason why NCL only has one remaining (out of three) ships doing r/t Hawaii cruises. Has to be American flagged and crewed when not visiting a foreign port. Per Mr. Jones. Foreign-flagged ships are not bound by US minimum wage requirements. It's also why you rarely see Americans doing anything but the higher-paid jobs like Purser, CD, medical staff, etc. Your cabin steward needs shared tips, and is probably bi-lingual (unlike most of us). Too much to go on and on, but, until tipping is included in the cruise fare, please tip those who serve you, as outlined in tipping guidelines! My Filipino and Indonesian servers have been wonderful! I do have a problem, though, with the Eastern Europeans who now seem to be in charge of the ships' stores and spas. Won't name a particular country, but RUDE behavior is what I've gotten. Mainly very young girls who are more concerned about their hair and make-up than my purchase. NO tip for them! I've been on more cruises than I have posts, and know what I'm talking about.

[PumpkinPatches]

Although tipping is mandatory on HAL, I always give the waitstaff and stewards a little extra. After speaking with them, I learned that they spend MONTHS working on the cruises and they don't see their family for 3-4 months at a time. It's sad.. I really take pride in giving them a little extra money to bring home when they finally do get to see their families.

[johnthed0g]

We regard the recommended tips as a service charge & just pay it because we are expected to. I don't begrudge the staff the tips but I don't really understand it either..seems an archaic system to me, in this day & age the staff should be paid a proper wage & that's it for me. I have never really had any service from anyone beyond that of doing their jobs, we seldom ask for anything special either, nor do we see the room steward that often. The dining team take our order & bring the food. It a difference in culture between the US & the rest of the world I think. When I told one confirmed P&O regular that Celebrity charged our account $US 24 a day +15% on all drinks HE WAS HORRIFIED!!

[PumpkinPatches]

It would be nice if the companies would just pay the crew decent wages, but on the other hand, i would imagine that would increase cruise fares for us.

[johnthed0g]

Originally Posted by PumpkinPatches

It would be nice if the companies would just pay the crew decent wages, but on the other hand, i would imagine that would increase cruise fares for us.

So?... we pay the tips anyway & then everyone would have to pay it.

[PumpkinPatches]

I guess so... I personally have no problem tipping the crew. I guess it just all depends on the level of service you recieve. I have always recieved such excellent service on the cruises I've been on.

If I did not recieve such a high level of service, I would definitely oppose the mandatory tipping but so far I have been so lucky to have had such wonderful crew members, and I remember a few individuals who still stand out and made a difference in my vacation, and are part of some wonderful memories.

[johnthed0g]

I don't have a problem with it but it is just another charge to me, don't particularly like it, but we just cough up anyway. Staff are generally pleasant but I don't recall anyone doing any more that I would expect.

[CarolinaGirl]

I just booked our first cruise and paid the tip upfront. Isn't that how you're supposed to do it. I like that so I don't have to worry about how much to tip later.

[johnthed0g]

Originally Posted by CarolinaGirl

I just booked our first cruise and paid the tip upfront. Isn't that how you're supposed to do it. I like that so I don't have to worry about how much to tip later.

Welcome to the site, there are different ways to tip, some pay in cash personally, some pay upfront, some get it charged to the cruise account. Depends on the person & the cruise line. Way I see it, anything that is organised by the company is a service charge anything you give personally is a tip....

[CarolinaGirl]

Originally Posted by crew member

Try to imagine work for 6 months without a day off, embarkation day we start at 6, sometimes even earlier and we finish that day at 10 in the night.
But on the other side the money is better from what I could make in my country...how else I would get to travel around...and how else I would get a chance to meet all of you nice people who understand our hard work and who tipp us at the end of the cruise.
I don't want you think I am only complaining about the job...if I don't like it I wouldn't be doing it 4 years allready...it is just that I want you to see how is to be from the other side...I hope you will realize what your tip means to us...thank you!

You sound like a very nice person, hope I get to meet some nice people like you on our first cruise.

[Ojos]

No, I like to tip, almost as much as I used to like to receive tips when I worked for them.

[sirobin171]

I Do tip but only the faces I actually see, and I tip what I want to tip, not what some ahole bean counter suggests. If I get friendly, good service they get more, if not then less.

Here are a few facts about tipping on cruise ships

The large, greedy corporation pays almost nothing and forces (shames its customers) into subsidizing their greed. I would rather pay more and let these suck hole corporations compete against each other at higher price points than subsidize their labor so Mickey Arinson and Adam Goldstein can get a bigger bonus.

Yes I agree these people deserve to be paid for their work, but the system is a scam. Americans are such good hearted people that they have been trained to tip by big corporate America. Europe is different, we see them as cheap, they expect more from the companies over there and I see nothing wrong with this.

Funny though how the greedy cruise lines get into trouble with their own crew when the ship goes down under and to europe. The crew gets upset because no one tips, the company then forces the tips on the customer, then the customers get upset and it comes full circle.

In sum, I challenge all these greedy sobs at Carnival and RCL to give up their bonuses this year and give their crew a raise....Wont happen...scum...

Happy New Year

[sirobin171]

Carnival Reports Strong Fourth Quarter and Full Year Earnings
Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK) reported net income of $248 million, with earnings per share increasing almost 30 percent to $0.31 diluted EPS, on revenues of $3.5 billion for its fourth quarter ended November 30, 2010. Net income for the fourth quarter of 2009 was $193 million, or $0.24 diluted EPS, on revenues of $3.3 billion.
Earnings per share in the fourth quarter was just $0.01 below the cruise line's September guidance despite the recently announced voyage disruptions, which reduced earnings by $0.07 per share.

Carnival said that it reported net income for the full year ended November 30, 2010 of $2.0 billion, or $2.47 diluted EPS, compared to net income of $1.8 billion, or $2.24 diluted EPS, for the prior year. Revenues for the full year 2010 were $14.5 billion compared to $13.5 billion for the prior year.

Micky Arison, Carnival Corporation & plc Chairman and CEO, commenting on full year results said, "All-in-all, 2010 was an encouraging year with improved business trends from a gradually recovering economy. We achieved an 11 percent increase in net income on 7 percent higher revenues. We recovered almost 3 points of revenue yield (constant dollars) from 2009's levels, while improved processes and efficiencies led to a 3 percent reduction in unit costs excluding fuel."

[Askabry]

Originally Posted by sirobin171

Carnival Reports Strong Fourth Quarter and Full Year Earnings
Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK) reported net income of $248 million, with earnings per share increasing almost 30 percent to $0.31 diluted EPS, on revenues of $3.5 billion for its fourth quarter ended November 30, 2010. Net income for the fourth quarter of 2009 was $193 million, or $0.24 diluted EPS, on revenues of $3.3 billion.
Earnings per share in the fourth quarter was just $0.01 below the cruise line's September guidance despite the recently announced voyage disruptions, which reduced earnings by $0.07 per share.

Carnival said that it reported net income for the full year ended November 30, 2010 of $2.0 billion, or $2.47 diluted EPS, compared to net income of $1.8 billion, or $2.24 diluted EPS, for the prior year. Revenues for the full year 2010 were $14.5 billion compared to $13.5 billion for the prior year.

Micky Arison, Carnival Corporation & plc Chairman and CEO, commenting on full year results said, "All-in-all, 2010 was an encouraging year with improved business trends from a gradually recovering economy. We achieved an 11 percent increase in net income on 7 percent higher revenues. We recovered almost 3 points of revenue yield (constant dollars) from 2009's levels, while improved processes and efficiencies led to a 3 percent reduction in unit costs excluding fuel."

Can we surmise from this that you only want to cruise on ships whose owners lose money? What is your point here?

All of the people involved in servicing you ... mmm ... while you are onboard the ship together ... to compensate them for doing a good job, you are required to leave the astronomical amount of $10 a day. I don't know about you, but for the main meal alone in my city, if you left a $10 tip for the kind of meals we get you'd be harassed onto the street.

Really? Do any of you really have to have this conversation? I go out to dinner here and buy a bucket of wings, a pizza and a bucket of beer. It runs me $50 and I'd leave the waitress at least 8,10 bucks. You get served filet friggin mignon as part of a four course meal within 70 minutes so you can make the main showroom on time ... and you're getting your panties wound up over tipping the WHOLE STAFF all day $10?

Sweet lord. Learn to be a social human being.

[MapMaker53]

Frankly, I find it annoying when a gratuity is automatically included in the bill. That makes it a service charge and not a gratuity. It takes away my ability to tip less or not tip at all if I receive poor service. That said, the last time we were on Explorer of the Seas we tipped the 'correct' total for the week, but divided it up a little differently. While we had received wonderful service by the assistant waiter, the head waiter had been quite lazy night after night and gave us excuse after excuse why we could not have, for example, a shrimp cocktail or a piece of cake. (A waiter on a previous EOS cruise had easily been able to accommodate the meager requests.) So this time when our trip was over we tipped the head waiter significantly less than the recommended amount and added that difference to the assistant waiter's tip - who was sincerely thankful.

I think that's the way gratuities are supposed to work. We never do the automatic gratuity charge.