Carnival Tipping Policy

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jagaf22

Guest
I will be leaving on my first cruise from Galveston aboard the Carnival Conquest on a 7 day cruise. My biggest question is in regard to the tipping policy from Carnival. Here is a link that describes it somewhat perhaps someone can clear up the rest. http://carnival.com/CMS/FAQs/Gratuities_Tips.aspx

Reverse Gratuity Policy - For our guests' convenience, we automatically add the recommended gratuities to the onboard Sail & Sign account on embarkation day. This can be adjusted based on the service I receive however I have to go to the Information Desk to do so. No Problem. When will this amount be paid?

Pre-Paid Gratuity Policy-
The total amount will be $10 per guest, per day, which breaks down as follows:
$5.50 pp/pd for Dining Team Service (Headwaiter and Waiter)
$1 pp/pd for Bistro Service (Waiter/Cooks)
$3.50 pp/pd for Cabin Services (Cabin Steward)

The dollar amount of the gratuities will appear in the Miscellaneous Charge field on the booking
When is this paid?


Thanks for any help.
 
J

jagaf22

Guest
I will be leaving on my first cruise from Galveston aboard the Carnival Conquest on a 7 day cruise. My biggest question is in regard to the tipping policy from Carnival. Here is a link that describes it somewhat perhaps someone can clear up the rest. http://carnival.com/CMS/FAQs/Gratuities_Tips.aspx

Reverse Gratuity Policy - For our guests' convenience, we automatically add the recommended gratuities to the onboard Sail & Sign account on embarkation day. This can be adjusted based on the service I receive however I have to go to the Information Desk to do so. No Problem. When will this amount be paid?

Pre-Paid Gratuity Policy-
The total amount will be $10 per guest, per day, which breaks down as follows:
$5.50 pp/pd for Dining Team Service (Headwaiter and Waiter)
$1 pp/pd for Bistro Service (Waiter/Cooks)
$3.50 pp/pd for Cabin Services (Cabin Steward)

The dollar amount of the gratuities will appear in the Miscellaneous Charge field on the booking
When is this paid?


Thanks for any help.
 
D

Don B

Guest
It is put onto the credit card that you attach to your Sail and Sign card. The charges should show up on your card the day you get off the ship.
 
D

Don B

Guest
It is put onto the credit card that you attach to your Sail and Sign card. The charges should show up on your card the day you get off the ship.
 
C

coffeecups

Guest
You can go to the Pursar's desk and have them taken off. However, before you do so, please consider personal tipping. You can tip who you want.

Personally, I always, always, and always tip. I don't care if the service was not excellent. Sometimes things happen. But, these people work for tips and depend on them. Take the wait staff. They do get tipped in the restuarant, BUT did you know that they also work in the upstairs bistro and do not accept tips. And we do not know except from previous posters here, how many hours these people work, seven days a week for how many months without much time off. Many are foreigners trying to help thier families at home AND do not get to see them for many months or years. Thinks of those domestics cleaning your room all the time. What do you think they earn per hour? So this is why I ask you to consider some personal tipping.

ps some of these people love phone cards so that it is easier to call home.

Please forgive because I don't want to tell you what to do. But just consider some type of tipping.

:wave coffeecups


oops I leapt before I really really looked at your post. Please let me insert foot into my mouth.
 
C

coffeecups

Guest
You can go to the Pursar's desk and have them taken off. However, before you do so, please consider personal tipping. You can tip who you want.

Personally, I always, always, and always tip. I don't care if the service was not excellent. Sometimes things happen. But, these people work for tips and depend on them. Take the wait staff. They do get tipped in the restuarant, BUT did you know that they also work in the upstairs bistro and do not accept tips. And we do not know except from previous posters here, how many hours these people work, seven days a week for how many months without much time off. Many are foreigners trying to help thier families at home AND do not get to see them for many months or years. Thinks of those domestics cleaning your room all the time. What do you think they earn per hour? So this is why I ask you to consider some personal tipping.

ps some of these people love phone cards so that it is easier to call home.

Please forgive because I don't want to tell you what to do. But just consider some type of tipping.

:wave coffeecups


oops I leapt before I really really looked at your post. Please let me insert foot into my mouth.
 
P

PLG

Guest
I also, agree. They are paid poorly, work very long hours and count on tips to make a living. In the US for a night out of fine dining, it would cost way more than 5.50 tip. Then there's lunch and breakfast for no tip. 10 is cheap tip. We always give extra to wait staff included in a thank you card. The hubby loves having a bar waitperson remember his drink choice before dinner and tips extra there too. Also, promotions are given we're told based on good comments. So give praise where praise is deserved., those comment card are the key. i also tip extra to room person if they keep my ice bucket full, I like ice water to drink at night and ice for my water bottle for sun bathing and excursions. We loved our trip on the Conquest, hope you do too. Cruisin' and lovin' it soon, Pat
 
A

AreWeThereYet79

Guest
Great topic! Thanks for posting your question. I am a new cruiser, and hadn't given a tremendous amount of thought to this aspect yet.

I hope you don't mind, but I want to make sure I am clear on this. Your basic tips can/will be charged to your sail&sign card automatically unless you change that, correct?

I would have intended to leave additional tips on the tables at dinner, for instance, and to others along the way for good service, is this acceptable on a cruise?

Also, if someone could give me an idea of what an acceptable tip for a room steward is, I would appreciate it greatly. We will be crusing for 7 days, and although we don't anticipate asking for much, if anything aside from room service possibly, I would like to ensure that we show our gratitude properly :)

Again, great question jagaf22 . I hope you don't mind my jumping in with a few more questions :)

Happy cruising!
 
J

jagaf22

Guest
Yes the pre paid gratuity is charged to your sail and sign card unless other arrangements are made. Now how you put money on your sign and sail card is up to you of course. You can use cash, travelers checks, credit card etc.

I think additonal tips are a common thing for superior service. I'm not sure what an acceptable tip for a room steward is. I imagine it varies greatly based on service and how much you use them. I wasn't trying to be a cheap skate or stiff someone out of a tip just wanted to make sure I understood the process.

P.S. There's also a 15% gratuity added to drinks. For instance a $10.00 drink would cost $11.50. Yes this would be an expensive drink but my math skills are lacking.


Smooth Sailing
 
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coffeecups

Guest
sorry, I don't have the info in front of me, but I am sure that it is on the back of carnival brochures and on thier website.


coffeecups
 
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G8tors2003

Guest
Don't worry, you won't be dissappointed! We have sailed 29 times since 1987. Mostly with Carnival. My favorite is the Inspiration out of Tampa, Fl. It is a 4 or5 night cruise and believe me, if you do as much as we do, that is long enough!
 
M

MeauxMum

Guest
Personally, I love being waited on hand and foot when I am on vacation. So giving an extra tip for making me feel like a queen for a week is easy.

On past cruises, as soon as I'm settled in, I make my way to the information desk and ask for the name/names of those which are assigned to take care of my stateroom. I also make sure I get the correct spelling, too.

Then, each morning I leave a $2 bill paperclipped to a thank you card (which I make on my PC using business cards) for each person that cleans my room for each day! I leave a blank on the cards to personalize the tip, as well. Also, each time I order room service (even if it is just a pot of coffee or a pitcher of juice) I have thank you cards with the $2 bill attached for easy disbursement..

In addition, at the end of the cruise, I do not use the envelopes provided for additional tipping in the dining room. I have envelopes ready for the head waiter and the assistant(s). My experiences have always been exceptional, so an extra $30 and $20, respectively, are not hard to hand out. (There have been three persons taking care of us at dinner on each cruise.) Those amounts are about the same as others seated at our tables, also.

Finally, I thouhgt it a nice gesture to bring some small items from AVON ($1 to $2 range each) for the young ladies, too. I hope to always remember how it touched my heart when Kathia, age 17, hugged me and said that she had not received a personal gift since the start of her job on the Carnival Holiday. Each of those five days, I'd tied the thank you card with the $2 bill to a tube of hand lotion or a lip gloss or shower gel, etc.

Anyway, I agree with Pat. These people work very hard to make me comfortable and happy while vacationing. They deserve anything I am able to give above the $10 per person per day being divided between so many. And, if I understand correctly, they are allowed to keep the personal tips without having to split them with others.
 
K

katsted69

Guest
On my other boards, we have been informed that that information is incorrect. It is said that they must pool the tips and then split it. When asked why someone couldn't claim they dind't get anything, it was stated that they do not know if a room has removed the automatic tip from their S&S and if this happens, they can be asked if they are receiving tips personally. If they are but aren't claiming them, then they are in trouble. They say they are on the "honor" systems for our private tips.

Katrina
Sensation
April 6th
 
S

serene56

Guest
Tips are not pooled with cabin steward, or dining room staff-
Tips are pooled with bar waiters but they have a drink quota to reach.
Staff is aware of who removes tips.

Lot of false information on tips are around.

(It is better to leave the tip on your card= the wait staff then has instant access to their money- tipping in cash the wat staff then needs to see the accounting dept in order to get the cash posted.)

Cabin stewards have helpers that they pay for. so when you tip a cabin steward its for the main guy-- he then pays his asst out of that earned revenue.
 
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StreRan

Guest
I have no problems w/Carnival's tipping policy at all....but I almost always tip extra to the head waiter and the assitant waiter, and the bar waitperson.....Those people remebering your likes or dislikes...., a drink coming to your your table shortly after u sit down.....your personal choice of bread put on your plate... instead of picking one....remembering u don't want certain things on your salad....!!!...just a few little perks...If @ one of your favorite bars the bar person gives u excellant service.....then tip them..., On our first three cruises I never acttually meet our room steward...The last 2 they went out of their way to meet us and to see if we needed anything special!!!!!

A previous poster mentioned phone cards.....We give out phone cards in addition to a tip,....On the Triumph our cabin steward was totally elated w/getting 3 20 minutes phone cards(plus a monetary tip)...he went out of his way to see us on the morning of us getting off the ship....

If u get good service go ahead and tip in addition to whatever the cruiselines policy is....If U want to tip your headwaiter and asst waiter....don't leave the money on the table....give it to them personally..Myself i wait until the last night of the cruise to tip these people.....

Later,

Randy
 
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natrullman

Guest
Sailing April 30 2006 on Conquest . . . First Cruise . . . . I was very concerned that I chose the right cruise line. From what I am reading it definintely sounds like I did!!!
 
C

Cruizer

Guest
I like to have the tips charged to the room so I don't have to carry the extra cash. However, I do carry extra cash so that at the end of the cruise I can tip a little extra to those who I believe when above and beyond and made my cruise extra special. I just make sure that they know the tip is in addition to the standard tip.
 
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Don B

Guest
Hey, coffeecups, I like the idea of phone cards... what type should I buy? Are there special international cards? Or will any card do?
 
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