Yes, we established that room service is free, or included in the cruise fare. But we may have left Mysalian with the impression that no tip was necessary since it was included in the $10.00 a day auto-tip. While the room service steward may get a a portion of that $10.00, although I don't believe he does, it is right and customary to tip the room service steward when he brings the order to your cabin. Your cabin steward does not bring room service orders. The $10.00 auto-tip is PRIMARILY for your cabin steward and dining room wait staff. A portion goes to those that do not normally receive tips for their services.

Well then they have a problem with their tipping structure, don't they? Here's precisely what Princess says about tipping:

quote:

To save you the worry of who to tip and how much, Princess makes it easier for you to reward excellent service by automatically adding a discretionary Hotel and Dining charge of $11 USD for suites and mini-suites and $10.50 USD for all other staterooms per person per day (including children) to your shipboard account on a daily basis. This charge will be shared amongst those staff who help provide and support your cruise experience, including the wait staff, stateroom stewards, buffet stewards, galley staff, laundry staff and others.

Casino dealers and Lotus Spa personnel do not share in the Hotel and Dining charge as not all passengers utilize these services.

A 15% charge is automatically added to your bar charges and dining room wine account. This is shared amongst the beverage staff and their support staff, including cleaners and utility staff.

That doesn't leave much wiggle room. The auto tip pays in full your tipping responsibilities for everyone except Casino Dealers and Lotus Spa Personnel. They've even added an automatic 15% tip to cover everyone down below who doesn't share in the auto-tip policy.

So, no ... you don't have to tip, ever, if you don't wish to on a cruise line that carries an Auto Tip feature. The only motivation for doing so is personal preference and/or peer pressure to pay again. I don't feel motivated at all based on that, and will tip extra if I wish, or turn the feature off all together if I wish - and for me that will be that.

D-Mark-

I and most other seasoned cruise travelers here will disagree with you on this. I don't remember the original cruise line in question but your quote from the Princess website is accurate. I checked Carnivalsite and was surprised to see that they as well have now seperated "other kitchen and wait staff" out into getting part of the auto gratuity. Royal Caribbean still considers the auto tip only to be for the Stewards, Dinning room staff and head waiter. So it truly depends on the cruise line you are going to travel on as to who shares in the auto tipping budget.


However, to say that since they get a share of the auto tip does not mean that you are absolved from any further gratuity is, well I have no other term, "cheap". If someone goes above and beyond you should give them a little extra (as service warrants) And if you were to use the room service many times, you should add a little extra. Even if the single room service waiter got the whole $1 portion, its not enough in my book. If you were in a hotel and ordered room service, would you give a single $1 bill to the waiter?

The auto gratuity concept was put in place by the cruiselines because people were leaving the ship without ever tipping for services. Adding it to your account also allows for the tips to be cahrged instead of everyone having to hold back cash for the last day for tips. The policy also helped create a formal tip amount guidline for those who didn't know how much to tip.

So I stand by F-Mattox on this one. Yes, the room service delivery waiter should get a couple of bucks, even if this is "additional" money.

I agree with F-Mattox too.

Sonny

I think the auto-tip is a very necessary "evil" since there are still people who don't understand the need to tip in the first place. Even floral delivery people that I have encountered are shocked when I give them a tip. Having been a waitress, I suppose it is engrained in me that all service people who give good service should receive extra appreciation. The nice kickback from it is I always receive a little extra special service in the future because of it. And personally I plan to give my cabin steward a little extra at the beginning of the cruise to let him/her know that I appreciate good service.

Auto-tipping works for robots but real people with real personalities and humand decensy...TIP from the haert.

Room Service food is included with the cruise fare on most cruise lines. The auto-tip does not cover the customary tip for Room Service.

Dwayne

Dave has already closed one thread regarding this turning into something else. Just a hint to the wise.

Dwayne

Hi we did our first princess cruise in November we did tip every time we used room service and we also gave our room steward,favourite bar waiter and dining waiters tips as well once in the middle of the cruise and again before we got off has we thought they had really looked after us and they work reallylong hours but must admit we are not keen on the auto tips has we are quite good tippers anyway and would not dream of going anywhere and not leaving a tip unless the service was really bad and can anyone tell us if it is true what one member of staff told us and that was the cruise liners take a percentage of the auto tips if they do we will be cancelling them in future
Julie

Can anyone tell us if it is true what one member of staff told us and that was the cruise liners take a percentage of the auto tips if they do we will be cancelling them in future


I will be watching for a reply to that question too. How unfair that would be. If that is the case we would opt out as well.

I don't think we will ever know the answer to that question because only the pursers department would know how much money in auto-tips was taken in and how it was distributed; and any employee who discussed that information would be putting his/her job in jeopardy. I think we have to take it on faith the the money goes where they say it does.

tekdiva, you are absolutely right; the auto-tip is the result of the thoughtless passengers who's tips are mere tokens, or who don't tip at all. I know it happens because I have had several people over the years brag about stiffing the crew, like it was something to be proud of.

You are also right about spreading a little good cheer when you first board; it says to them, "I expect good service but I also show my appreciation".

I solved this question for myself:
Give the person delivering your room service a tip-it's generally quick and a nice extra.
But, my only wish in the room service department is the dirty dishes in the hall would go away quicker. I wish they weren't always sitting there---last cruise there were always dishes in the hall. Gross.

quote:

the auto-tip is the result of the thoughtless passengers who's tips are mere tokens, or who don't tip at all.

I'd say most of us who have been cruising for a while have seen it - the people who run the dining room staff ragged all week and then they magically vanish on the last night of the cruise when the tips are handed out. These are the same people who would keep the extra money if the cashier at a store gave them too much in change.

I always give the room service person at least $2 per order, and if it is a larger order the tip goes up to $5.

That is exactly how I tip for Room Service.

Nothing like a Carnival BLT with cheddar, or a Roast Beef and Brie!

I don't have to walk to get my food. Another human being has to walk those halls to bring it to me. I am happy to tip them for this service.

Dwayne

Are you supposed to leave dirty dishes in the hall? We have just left them in our room and they are always gone very quickly.

Our stewart on Princess last year was almost always standing outside our door. Even if we were only gone for 10 minutes our room was always tidied while we were gone.

Did this have something to do with the fact that on top of auto tipping my husband tipped above the suggested amount before cruise and again at the end, effictively given the staff approximated 4 times what they would normally get?

jmcs-

Of course the extra tips help! We also introduce ourselves to the Steward the first day. Slip them something then, let them know your likes and dislikes (you want ice all the time, maybe the mini fridge emptied so you can us it to store your stuff, how you want the beds set up if you have kids in your cabin, etc) It still depends on the steward as to the service you will receive but I have found doing this normally gets you get great service going forward. They know which side their bread is buttered on...

Les and Wes,
What cruise line are you refering to? On Celebrity, we have never seen dishes sitting in the hallway (from room service). We always leave them in the room on the table they were served on, and they magically disappear.

I have seen them on Carnival many times. Maybe they just didn't know to leave them in the cabin until the steward comes to service it? They always take them away for me with few exceptions. One time we did have a sandwich left for 2 days. I figured it out though. Between shifts they each thought it was a new sandwhich under the cover. I asked them and they apologized profusely. At least I know they don't touch my food.

Dwayne

I think many people leave dirty dishes in the hallway because that is what is done in hotels. But I would much rather have the steward come get the tray from my room to keep the hall looking more tidy.

Yes, normally we leave the dishes/tray in the cabin and it is gone when we get back. If for some reaosn you have to get it out of the cabin, you can call the room steward to pick it up. But leaving the emtpy tray in the hallway just clutters up the hallway and is most likely a practice from hotels carried over to the cruise ships.