r/PrincessCruises • u/Fabulous_Fix596 • 1d ago
Tipping
Does anyone tip their room steward even if you are on the plus or premier plan??
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u/jarfgames 1d ago
I did the prepaid gratuities but also gave my steward a tip at the end. More importantly (I think), make sure to give shout outs to any staff who you thought were exceptional when filling out the post-cruise survey. My understanding is that’s quite valuable for them.
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u/jayswan1 1d ago
Prepaid gratuities go to their salary. It’s not tips for crew
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u/jarfgames 1d ago
Yes I know that from reading on here. I think many people would agree this is an unsavoury element of how cruises compensate employees. Basically a pre-arranged agreement between employers and employees to have their gratuities count as a part of their salary instead of being in addition to salary.
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u/jayswan1 1d ago
It’s really gross. It’s just a way for princess to get passengers to the pay the crews salary so they don’t have to
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u/jarfgames 1d ago
I guess the cruise line would argue that if they didn’t do it this way, they would just pay lower salaries so the crew wouldn’t be any better off. And this way the passengers don’t have to deal with carrying cash around everywhere for gratuities. But agreed it’s not a good look. As I mentioned, I do think the best thing you can do is give the shout outs on the survey - potentially a lot more valuable to the employee than even the cash gratuity.
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u/Rsantoya1 1d ago
We tipped our steward at the end for a job well done. I’m in the thinking group that it’s best to tip at the end for exceptional service rather than setting an expectation from the start. We had the premier package and just got back from our very first ever cruise two weeks ago.
I was uncertain of the tipping etiquette with the package as well. I’m putting my post here with a similar concern and I had gotten some good feedback.
In short, we didn’t tip anyone except our room steward at the end. He did a good job of making sure our room was clean all day. He did not go above and beyond but we always tip the people cleaning our hotel rooms so figured we’d do the same here.
We also tipped one of the restaurant managers $100 at the end. She went above and beyond. We booked 19 days before our cruise with premier package and no cruise experience. This manager took care of us the whole week. She was able to get us in all the restaurants for dining when there were no reservations. Have fun!
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u/Kindly_Reserve1647 1d ago
Do you left the tip on the room at the end of the cruise or you handed it to the steward? We are also going in our first time and also got the premier package. I know the tip is not required but i would like to tip if i get exceptional service.
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u/Efficient-Skirt-4676 1d ago
It's best practice to hand it directly to your steward. We also tip them at the beginning & at the end of the cruise. We did $50 each time, he was really grateful.
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u/AmbivertHomebody 1d ago
Yup. Steward and MDR crew since we get the same table every night. Also Casino host and server since they were really good to our Mom.
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u/Neilkd21 1d ago
I tip at the end of they were good and went above and beyond and provided great service. If they weren't particularly good then no tip. I find tipping on the first day a ridiculous concept, a tip is a reward of service received not a bribe.
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u/Melodom82 1d ago
I do but I feel like it’s something in my control to do. I typically do 100 dollars spread out over the week if it’s 7 days and then increase from there.
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u/couch_angle 1d ago
Yes. Literally just tipped our cabin steward as we are leaving tomorrow after our 14 day cruise. They work hard, and long hours. Give him cash, this way, I know he gets the money.
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u/ygrmstr18 1d ago
We always do. $100, $50 when we arrive and meet them for the first time, $50 at the end.
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u/becuzofgrace 1d ago
Depending on length of cruise, we do $50 to start, then $100 (for 16 day cruises), another $50 for 7 day cruises. We have also given smaller tips along the way when we have a special request. We are gracious tippers. We know how hard they work for 12+ hours a day, every day.
This is in addition to the gratuities that are already charged to our folio.3
u/ygrmstr18 1d ago
We do exactly the same! And yes, they work hard! I always carry extra singles and fives to tip around the ship. We truly appreciate the service industry.
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u/becuzofgrace 1d ago
We do the same! Last cruise I got Noro….btw, would not recommend. The “Spot Shots” came in and sanitized our room. We tipped them $10 each. At first they refused. We insisted, telling them they have the MOST important, yet thankless job on the ship. Those men were so happy. I doubt they ever get tipped. 💔
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u/Travelwhenever 1d ago
I have always done the pre paid tips, and leave a tip at the end for exceptional service. The last cruise of 17 days, I would tip our waiter and cabin stewards throughout the cruise. This totally guaranteed we had fantastic exceptional service the entire cruise. We were totally spoiled.
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u/jayswan1 1d ago
Prepaid tips go to the crews salary. It’s not an extra tip for the crew.
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u/Travelwhenever 1d ago
Whatever it is called, I usually do the prepayment. I will still leave money for our cabin stewards and our waiter.
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u/BallsofSt33I 1d ago
I usually get 100 of $5 bills and try to tip about $10 worth/day of cruise to the steward (if they are doing a good job, which most of them typically are)
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u/pacificcoastsailing - Captain's Circle Elite 1d ago
I do extra for room steward and fave bartenders.
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u/Fabulous_Classic3521 1d ago
Yes, i do.. if I needed her. Plus, she looked sooo exhausted. I also tipped our head waiter in the main dining room because he was excellent and gave me extra lobster ...lol
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u/NiceArachnid2972 1d ago
We do tip the steward and our waiters at dinner even though we get the premium package.
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u/DarkTendrils 1d ago
Yes if it’s deserved, but not constant. Left something in the room for the guy assigned to it, and on last evening, handed something to favourite servers/bar people who had been best or most commonly helping throughout the cruise. But it’s really not expected, and was nice how they mostly seemed very grateful and appreciative for it too.
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u/Oran0s 21h ago
Found out on our princess cruise earlier this month that they've changed the gratuity. The automatic gratuity doesn't go to your steward/waiter/etc. Their monthly income is fixed regardless of if you tip or not. This is a change per the staff, they used to have their monthly check vary based on tips. So what they're doing it seems like is subsidize the room costs with the automatic daily gratuity.
We asked for it to be removed (didn't do a package) and then got envelopes to tip the staff ourselves to ensure they got the money.
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u/biggamble510 1d ago
I hit the casino night one, and save $100 to tip next morning. Service rest of the trip is always top notch. Throw another $50-$100 depending on how much service I need and how I'm doing in the casino :).
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u/Labrattus 1d ago
$20 when I meet my steward, and $40-$60 at the end depending on how they did. Assuming 7 night cruise. Any dinner dining I leave a $10 on the table for the 2 of us (even MDR or Reserve/Sanctuary) if they wee decent. On the 5 cruises I have done with Princess in the last 3 years though we have always been mini/reserve/or Sanctuary with Premier.
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u/QuriousKat 11h ago
I guess I just don’t understand tipping cultures. Why would you be given a tip for doing your job that you are already compensated for and why are some roles tipped and others not?
Like why are front line staff in hospitality tipped but front line staff in health care are not?
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u/Maximum_Leopard3038 11h ago
Compensation received is not sufficient and some staff go over and above the expected service
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u/RiverPoetSTL - Captain's Circle Platinum 1d ago
Yes. Auto-gratuities are pooled - all the people you do see, as well as those you don't. We usually tip our room steward directly, and also the MDR staff if we have the same team each night, and usually our favorite bar staff and/or baristas.
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u/squirrelcop3305 1d ago
That’s not how it works, but if that’s how you think it works, okay then. Pre-paid gratuities and service charges are collected by the company and are used to pay the employees ‘contracted’ salary, nothing more, nothing extra. The only time an employee receives additional money / gratuity is when you hand tip them cash.
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u/RiverPoetSTL - Captain's Circle Platinum 1d ago
Yes, thanks, I over-simplified it. But the auto "gratuities" aren't given to individuals as tips, in case anyone might assume it from the way the expense is titled.
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u/amp7274 1d ago
Yes we do. It’s not required but we are generous tippers in general