Tip question

[lorimay]

If you were on a 7 day vacation, eating at a restaurant every meal and tipping you would be giving way more than what you give to these servers.

 

[hrhdhd]

Personally, I hate that Princess pools the tips to be shared across the fleet. Not just on the ship I've cruised on.

Eh, I can't get exercised about something that the crew agrees to in the contract they sign. They also agree to turn over tips from people who have removed the autotip. If it works for them, it's not my problem.

 

[starvenger]

I am curious as to why Princess went that route though. Did they notice a gratuity imbalance across their fleet and feel that some ships were getting shortchanged? Is this some sort of clause that’s never been addressed?

 

[Pens Fan]

While we in the U.S. are used to tipping, that's not the case in some cultures. It's possible that ships with a higher rate of international customers have a lower tipping rate. I'm not implying that certain nationalities are stingy, but tipping generously just isn't the norm in their world. Service employees are paid a higher wage in a lot of countries and tips are a significantly less percentage of their pay. Adding 18-20% to a bill isn't expected in a lot of areas.
I also think that as more and more cruise lines move away from the set dining times and locations it complicates the tipping process even further, because you have multiple servers throughout the cruise. I certainly don't want to have to carry around enough cash all day to tip our server after each meal.

The auto / shared tip really just simplifies the process and makes it easier for the customer. I try my best to avoid guest services when I cruise (and I'm usually successful!). I'm too busy having fun to worry about going down there and fussing over the auto tip.

I really don't think twice about the tips on any cruise - no matter which cruise line it is. We just accept the fact that the auto tips are a part of the cost of taking a cruise, and then tip with additional cash here and there as we see fit.

 

[bumbershoot]

How do I stop that from happening? I don't want anything auto billed. Certainly not tips which will be according to service.

The actual card charge comes at the end.

It’s broken down per day on the statement.

You can go to guest services and change things.

But you don’t seem to understand the cruise industry as it is.

I think currently it is $12 per day per person in your party. That amount is divided up to those 4 job positions.

Yep. Immensely reasonable given all that employees on cruises do for us.

Because if you remove the tips, they don't get paid.

Yep. And it’s like that throughout the mainstream cruise industry.

And I did make adjustments as my cabin steward was the worse so I want that option.

And you can do that. You don’t have to stop the process at the beginning, though.

But you really ought to communicate before simply not tipping.

If anyone does ask, which I will consider gauche

It’s not gauche to find out what they can do for you to make things better.

After all, a tip is a gratuity not a substidy.

Not in the cruise industry. Someday when you create a cruiseline and increase prices so there are no gratuities, many will cruise with you. But the industry as it stands uses tips AS payment.

It is what it is. If I despised a practice enough that I would shortchange people, I wouldn’t partake in the industry. I’d go on the high end lines that don’t have the tips.

I believe DCL is doing the auto gratuity for convenience.

Agreed.

Our first cruise involved actually giving cash to people at the end and I hated that. I was so glad it had changed once we got back to cruising.

I wanted to tip- after all, that amount is nothing compared to cruising itself, but I hated the process.

Now, if you're fine with the standard tip, you don't have to do anything.

Yep.

I thought it was done at the end of the cruise, but based on a 'suggested' daily amount.

It is.

I'm not implying that certain nationalities are stingy, but tipping generously just isn't the norm in their world.

Right. Because as you said, they pay their service people a proper wage. And that cost is put right into the cost of the service/food/whatever.

 

[southerngirl528]

I really don't think twice about the tips on any cruise - no matter which cruise line it is. We just accept the fact that the auto tips are a part of the cost of taking a cruise, and then tip with additional cash here and there as we see fit.

Well said.

The actual card charge comes at the end.

It’s broken down per day on the statement.

You can go to guest services and change things.

But you don’t seem to understand the cruise industry as it is.



Yep. Immensely reasonable given all that employees on cruises do for us.



Yep. And it’s like that throughout the mainstream cruise industry.



And you can do that. You don’t have to stop the process at the beginning, though.

But you really ought to communicate before simply not tipping.



It’s not gauche to find out what they can do for you to make things better.



Not in the cruise industry. Someday when you create a cruiseline and increase prices so there are no gratuities, many will cruise with you. But the industry as it stands uses tips AS payment.

It is what it is. If I despised a practice enough that I would shortchange people, I wouldn’t partake in the industry. I’d go on the high end lines that don’t have the tips.




Agreed.

Our first cruise involved actually giving cash to people at the end and I hated that. I was so glad it had changed once we got back to cruising.

I wanted to tip- after all, that amount is nothing compared to cruising itself, but I hated the process.



Yep.



It is.



Right. Because as you said, they pay their service people a proper wage. And that cost is put right into the cost of the service/food/whatever.

Excellent answers to those questions, IMHO, Bumbershoot.

 

[starvenger]

Our first cruise involved actually giving cash to people at the end and I hated that. I was so glad it had changed once we got back to cruising.

I wanted to tip- after all, that amount is nothing compared to cruising itself, but I hated the process.

Agreed. My first cruise as an adult - waaaaay back in 2006/07 - we were scrambling to get the "correct" amount of cash as we hadn't put that aside at the beginning (rookie mistake!) and I didn't want to break my travellers cheques (remember those?). We ended up doing that anyway but it was a pain getting it all together.

With the auto-gratuities it's about getting over the fact that you see a daily charge to your account. No one likes seeing charges added but at least I can justify these. That mystery drink where the description is that "it is green"? Not so much.

 

[All about me]

If you were on a 7 day vacation, eating at a restaurant every meal and tipping you would be giving way more than what you give to these servers.

Out of curiosity I decided to put this to the test and, unless things have changed dramatically, this would not be true for us.

Four dollars for the server, $3 for the assistant server and one $1 for the head server per day adds up to $8. Times three people that is $24 a day.

On our last Disney cruise we did the buffet for breakfast and lunch. The only service I remember being provided was table bussing. No table service as it was a buffet and no drink service because there were drink stations. This would only warrant a $2 tip (which is about 7.5% on a $27 bill, not that we calculate it that way) in total at each meal. So $4 there. (I am ignoring the one day we did a sit down lunch as well as the one day we did counter pizza because they would balance out.)

Dinners at a table service restaurant for the three of us before adult beverages and taxes typically costs between $25 and $35. Because Disney has more upscale selections, I will go with $50. Fifteen per cent of this is $7.50. (I am ignoring the dinner we did at Cabanas and the night we did room service.)

$24 - ($6+$7.50) = $12.50

So this would cost me $12.50 a day in tips on other trips, which is just over half what Disney recommends.

I would now like to see how Disney calculates their recommended amount.

 

[jrabbit]

How do I stop that from happening? I don't want anything auto billed. Certainly not tips which will be according to service.

like others have stated, the auto gratuity is per guest per "night" of the cruise. If everyone (yea that's not happening) tips according to the "automatic daily gratuity then all of the staff gets tips for working at breakfast, lunch, dinner and at the bars and fast food places (pool deck) and cabanas - Every Day. Even though you might only be seeing your serving team at dinner time, they are working from before 6am until midnight or later almost every day. So you are not tipping at each meal / interaction, you are tipping (really paying their salary - since the cruise line does not) for all of the work they are doing while you are on your cruise holiday.

 

[southerngirl528]

Dinners at a table service restaurant for the three of us before adult beverages and taxes typically costs between $25 and $35. Because Disney has more upscale selections, I will go with $50. Fifteen per cent of this is $7.50. (I am ignoring the dinner we did at Cabanas and the night we did room service.)

While I respect your right to have your opinion, if you're going to some place nicer than Denney's and certainly a place as nice, with as attentive service as one almost always gets in the MDR's, it would be tough to find a TRULY comparable meal for 3 for $50. Yes, even if one is a child. We eat out a lot, like most folks, and eat at a wide variety of restaurants. It's tough for my DH and I to get a check for less than $50 pre-tip for just the 2 of us if it is a restaurant that is at all "nice". Even if we do not order any beverages.

Fifteen per cent of this is $7.50.

15% is on the low end for food service. A gratuity for good service is 18-20%. More if the service is excellent. If you have a party of 6 or more, restaurants charge an automatic gratuity of 18-20%. I have waited tables, my kids have waited tables. It is hard work, and with some customers, VERY hard work.

DH & I were just in a restaurant, a Logan's steakhouse, so not fancy, but nice enough (they have great baked sweet potatoes!), and as we were chatting with our server, he showed us a check for a group that had just left with a tab for $118. They left a $10 tip because they either do not understand the gratuity system as it is in the U.S., or were just flat cheap. I cannot imagine stiffing a hard working person, whether I agreed with the tipping system or not. When I travel, I try to understand and respect the mores of that country. It just seems respectful to me. JMHO.

 

[Pens Fan]

Out of curiosity I decided to put this to the test and, unless things have changed dramatically, this would not be true for us.

Four dollars for the server, $3 for the assistant server and one $1 for the head server per day adds up to $8. Times three people that is $24 a day.

On our last Disney cruise we did the buffet for breakfast and lunch. The only service I remember being provided was table bussing. No table service as it was a buffet and no drink service because there were drink stations. This would only warrant a $2 tip (which is about 7.5% on a $27 bill, not that we calculate it that way) in total at each meal. So $4 there. (I am ignoring the one day we did a sit down lunch as well as the one day we did counter pizza because they would balance out.)

Dinners at a table service restaurant for the three of us before adult beverages and taxes typically costs between $25 and $35. Because Disney has more upscale selections, I will go with $50. Fifteen per cent of this is $7.50. (I am ignoring the dinner we did at Cabanas and the night we did room service.)

$24 - ($6+$7.50) = $12.50

So this would cost me $12.50 a day in tips on other trips, which is just over half what Disney recommends.

I would now like to see how Disney calculates their recommended amount.

The MDR's are a multi course meal. Where exactly are you finding these meals that include an appetizer course, a soup/salad course, an entree and a dessert for three people (even if one is a child) for $25/$30?? Heck, where are finding them for $50???? Nowhere I'd want to eat. And we don't live in a big city, so we don't pay big city prices. I'm also curious why you appeared to ignore tipping on the adult beverage. Drinks (adult or otherwise) deserve a tip as well. If I misunderstood you on that then I apologize, but that's how it came off to me.

I also agree with the above poster, that 15% for tipping went away years ago. 18-20% is pretty much the standard now. For me 20% makes the math easier, so that's what I always start with. I've never waited tables, but I've had plenty of friends that worked their way through college doing so. The stories they tell about people stiffing them or leaving some minuscule tip is mind boggling. It's a hard job and deserves respect.

 

[MichelleCanada]

To add another perspective - there are three of us in our family (DH and DS7). We have become accustomed to being charged $30-50 / night for resort fees at many of the hotels/condos that we stay at.

So, $36/day is in line with what we spend other places.

I do realize that resort fees are not the same as tipping - but we just don’t think of it for the service/hospitality throughout the day

 

[Maggie'sMom]

Dinners at a table service restaurant for the three of us before adult beverages and taxes typically costs between $25 and $35. Because Disney has more upscale selections, I will go with $50. Fifteen per cent of this is $7.50. (I am ignoring the dinner we did at Cabanas and the night we did room service.)

Where on earth are you eating where you can get a 4 course meal for 3 people for $25-$35 total. I don't live in a high cost of living area and a simple entree runs around $16-$22 at a casual, middle of the road restaurant. Add in the cost of an appetizer, salad, dessert, and drink, and you're easily at $35 per person.

And I agree with the previous posters, 20% is a standard tip now. I might tip 15% for bad service, but I tend to tip 20% for adequate service and a bit more for outstanding service.

 

[cmph]

The MDR's are a multi course meal. Where exactly are you finding these meals that include an appetizer course, a soup/salad course, an entree and a dessert for three people (even if one is a child) for $25/$30?? Heck, where are finding them for $50???? Nowhere I'd want to eat. And we don't live in a big city, so we don't pay big city prices. I'm also curious why you appeared to ignore tipping on the adult beverage. Drinks (adult or otherwise) deserve a tip as well. If I misunderstood you on that then I apologize, but that's how it came off to me.

I also agree with the above poster, that 15% for tipping went away years ago. 18-20% is pretty much the standard now. Heck, 20% makes the math easier, so that's what I always start with. I've never waited tables, but I've had plenty of friends that worked their way through college doing so. The stories they tell about people stiffing them or leaving some minuscule tip is mind boggling. It's a hard job and deserves respect.

Couldn't agree more with the above. I'm baffled about the meal cost. I spent $19 and change at Burger King this afternoon for 1 small size value meal, 1 kids' meal, a double cheeseburger off the value menu, and a milkshake. (Don't judge LOL! got off work early and brought a late lunch treat home to the kids, rarely buy fast food!) And that wasn't a multi-course meal per person, or really even a standard meal per person. I would have spent at least $25 if I got a standard meal per person plus desserts for everyone. And that's fast food... not a sit down restaurant with unlimited 4 courses and non-alcoholic beverages.

We added tips for our server Jojo in June. (Incidentally, my niece wants to know if anyone has his phone number b/c she misses him.) If your server is good, those tips are too low for the service you're getting.

 

[lorimay]

Out of curiosity I decided to put this to the test and, unless things have changed dramatically, this would not be true for us.

Four dollars for the server, $3 for the assistant server and one $1 for the head server per day adds up to $8. Times three people that is $24 a day.

On our last Disney cruise we did the buffet for breakfast and lunch. The only service I remember being provided was table bussing. No table service as it was a buffet and no drink service because there were drink stations. This would only warrant a $2 tip (which is about 7.5% on a $27 bill, not that we calculate it that way) in total at each meal. So $4 there. (I am ignoring the one day we did a sit down lunch as well as the one day we did counter pizza because they would balance out.)

Dinners at a table service restaurant for the three of us before adult beverages and taxes typically costs between $25 and $35. Because Disney has more upscale selections, I will go with $50. Fifteen per cent of this is $7.50. (I am ignoring the dinner we did at Cabanas and the night we did room service.)

$24 - ($6+$7.50) = $12.50

So this would cost me $12.50 a day in tips on other trips, which is just over half what Disney recommends.

I would now like to see how Disney calculates their recommended amount.

I'm sorry, but I just don't agree with you on this at all.
These people work so darn hard to serve us and make our meals pleasurable. Have you ever just watched your server lugging that huge tray? Omg they work their butts off.......
I couldn't imagine anyone taking away their hard earned money.
We went to dinner last night at a nice restaurant. We were 2 people, no apps. each had a piece of fish, ice tea, and we split a pie of key lime pie and brought our son home a piece, the bill was $86.

Also, included in the daily tip is the room host, they also work super hard.

 

[CamColt]

Since tipping can be a touchy subject and often leads to debates, I just want to jump in here to remind you all that everyone is entitled to their opinion. If you don't share the opinion, just move on. Thanks for keeping things friendly so far, let's keep it up.

 

[dvcdisney]

For my family of 4, our tip per day for the server/assistant server/head server would be $32 which equates to $160 (20% tip) or $180 (18% tip) per dinner.

This is about what we spend as a family when we dine out at a moderately priced restaurant. For us, the tip for DCL dining is fair. Based on my experience, although the quality of the food served in the MDR is similar to a moderately priced restaurant, the service (usually) is far better on DCL.

However, others will have different calculation based on their family experience. The DCL amount could be less/more than they normally spend. Everything is relative. Some people may feel the food/service is not up to par to their usual experience, while others may feel food/service at DCL is one of the better (if not best) experience they've had. It's difficult to argue this point.

 

[Anchors Away 2016]

Only thing I would like to point out is that I can't recall the last time I ate a restaurant that had a server, and assistant server and a head server, so it's not at all surprising to have to tip more when you get that extent of service. Basically, these aren't land restaurants, so things are set up differently, and part of the difference is that they anticipate a certain level of tipping. It is part of what you sign up for when you decide to cruise.

Also, as some people have alluded to, but maybe not made clear, your server and your assistant server work breakfast, lunch and dinner, whether you go to those meals or not. Often times they aren't "serving" at those meals, but they still provide a service.

OK. That's two things. Enjoy your cruise.

 

[ScooterScott44]

The tips that are automatically deducted are pretty reasonable. Below is a copy of a receipt for a seven day cruise for one guest. This works out to a dollar a day for your head server, three dollars a day for the assistant server and four dollars a day for the stateroom host and the server. We generally put the copy into the envelope along with some cash depending on the actual service we received.

 

[All about me]

I can easily feed one adult and two children at TGIF for $35, at Applebee's and Ruby Tuesdays for $30 and at Chili's for $25 before adult beverages and taxes. Are they four course meals? No. Are they within the budget I set for such things? Yes. Going out to a table service restaurant is a treat for my grandchildren, not a lifestyle, and is typically restricted to one occasion during out-of-the-area trips. Because Disney's food is higher end, I was willing to go up as high as $50 for the example but, realistically, I would certainly not be paying that, let alone more than that, for one adult and two children for seven dinners straight, and I am not going to pretend I would.

The standard tip amount is a percentage so as food prices go up so do the server's tips. Over twenty years ago at Chili's, a friend and I would pay $26 for an appetizer, two entrees and four drinks and tipping was at 10%, so we tipped $2.60. Fast forward to today at Chili's and an appetizer, two entrees and four drinks cost $55. At 15%, that is $8.25. So we would be paying over triple the amount for the exactly same service. My paycheck hasn't tripled in the last twenty years. It hasn't even doubled. Neither has my friend's. And at 20% we would be tipping five times the amount. So I am sticking to 15%. If I had thought about it back then, I would have stuck to 10% which today would still be more than double.