Fodor's Travel Talk Forums - Carnivals new tipping policy

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Let's get with the program people if it is Mandatory it is NOT a Tip it is an Employee Subsidy that the employee should be paying out of the cost of the cruise. Wake up and stop fighting over people being cheap, it's not our fault that these people are under paid. Even if the cruise lines all raised their rates $100.00/person/cruise and passed it along to each of the hard working employees, as they should, people would still if the services warrante, compensate for good or exemplary services. This is my opinion and I am sticking to it. Happy Cruising!

Who's being cheap? We tipped 200% of the "recommended" tip amount on our last Princess Cruise because we had GREAT service. It's not a tip anymore when it is forced on you. What the cruise lines are doing is trying to "back door" service charges on you rather than pay their employees more and raise ticket prices $100. Actually, I'm sure that there are a lot of "cheap" bozos out there that completely stiff the staff and stewards, so this deal may work great for them. I suppose I wouldn't have a problem with it as long as I could "take back" my tip if the service was less than satisfactory. But then again, I don't like being forced to tip. Most cruise lines already tack on a tip for beverages of 15% HERE IS WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE: Tipping daily for the Steward and the Waitstaff. At the end of the meal, you either leave a cash tip, or sign a sales card much like when you buy a beer. I bet that you would have fewer people stiffing the staff if they are going to see them for the next 6 nights.

In response to Texasriders. Princess DOES NOT autotip. They off the opportunity for you to put it on your cruise card, by setting yp a special station or getting a tip receipt from a bartender but it is strictly your choice

Bob wrote: "In response to Texasriders. Princess DOES NOT autotip." Bob: The policy you are familiar with is going out of business as the Princess ships convert to "personal choice" dining. The Grand Princess is first changed. There is an automatic tip of $6.50 to cover all dining staff and it applies to ALL passengers on that ship. You will still have to tip the cabin steward separately. The next ship to get the auto tip policy is the Golden Princess when she debuts in Europe this summer. As the other ships convert to "personal choice" dining, the auto tip will go into effect. To get it adjusted, you will have to go to the purser's desk, just like on Carnival. There is a sheep mentallity in the cruise industry, just like with the airlines. Continental raised the fee to change a ticket from $75 to $100 about 10 days ago. American and Delta followed a few days later.

Paul, you're the travel agent from hell!! You mindlessly promote what pays you, and tear down anything that doesn't. You conducted a one-person vendetta against Renaissance in the winter and spring because they weren't using travel agents. For example, you posted the following 3/04/2000: "Hi all,I can not understand why Ren's [voluntary] tipping policy is so high. Apparently Ren does not pay their employees at all and they probably charge them for room and board. Most employees of other lines (except those that work for the lines that do not have a policy) get paid approx. $60 per month ... free room and board." Now that Carnival, which seems to account for a significant part of your pathetic clientele, mandates tipping, you try to excuse it. Your stupid diatribes against Rennaissance had me worried through the summer because I had booked our first cruise on Ren VII. It turned out to be a great introduction to cruises,in part because of the gracious service. We followed the voluntary guidelines because we liked all of the crew who looked after us. By promotaing your commercial self-interest, you're badly abusing this Web site. How about dropping the public service bit and pay for your own advertising.

o..u..c..h !!!! And they say us women have claws. Come on guys play nice after all this is suppose to be an informative friendly board after all.

Ciberbabe, you're right. I apologize to Paul and to the readers of the Forum for my rude remarks. Flaming detracts from the fun of this site. Sorry, Art

Art, you have nothing to apologize for. Go back and read how Paul told us all that we don't know what we are talking about. That's right Paul, the purser's office hung the phone up on you during my cruise, not on me. geez!

This "tipping" thing has gotten way out of hand, but is was fun. And Scott, where did you come from? I thought you left the country? I hope you don't show up in my cabin on my next cruise. And how did Renaissance get into this Carnival forum? And FYI Ren. has apologized to all us travel agents ony because they couldn't live without us. Now am I going to get rich selling Ren. Whoopee! Paul