Tipping Envelope Etiquette

[ntoeman]

What is the most common practice everyone uses for tipping and using the tip envelopes on the cruise? I kinda felt bad giving the envelopes when I was only leaving the standard tip. They'll get their tip even if you don't hand out the envelopes, right? I've seen some people bring their own cards and use cash in addition to the standard tip.

 

[tracyandalex]

My daughter likes to hand out the envelopes. We have occasionally added extra to the envelope, but usually don't. The servers seem very appreciative.

 

[jaklgreen]

We always seem to forget to bring the envelopes to dinner. They still get their tips.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

We always seem to forget to bring the envelopes to dinner. They still get their tips.

This actually is not always the case.

On one cruise they gave me the printed tickets in my room, now I take close note of our servers names they can be difficult and sometimes they go by nicknames.

I noticed the names on our tickets were wrong, when questioning this I was told that they had changed the rotation servers the week before and my tickets showed last weeks names.

Guest services said.

1) you can hand them and they will get it.

2) or we can change them, not sure why they offered (1) as 2) is clearly preferable.

I asked if it's (1) and I forgot to give the tickets what would happen they said the correct person would get it.

I had them changed and spoke to all the people who I tip and said what happened, they all said if they didn't get my ticket the tip would have gone to the I corrected named person.

They were very pleased I changed it.

Lastly always tip last night not breakfast as (1) DCL say this on everything, (2) traditional in cruising do they could feel stiffed if you don't, snd (3) crews change at the end of a cruise servers can go home we have had different servers on our assigned rotation for breakfast as ours were stuck in compliance.

 

[jaklgreen]

I guess I have never had that problem with the wrong name being on our tickets. And our last cruise was automatic prepay of tips, they just charged my card for the tips and said if we wanted to give the server the ticket we could.

 

[Mouse_Trap]

The whole idea of automatic charging for tips seems wrong on so many levels to me.
Surely tipping is supposed to be rewarding someone for excellent, above expected service and not paying them for doing their job.

Don't get me wrong we had some wonderful servers on DCL who fully deserved it, but I just hate this whole expectation of a certain level of tip no matter what level of service you get.

I've also heard people saying that you should still tip in restaurants (not talking DCL now) even if every single meal and course is a disaster? What's that about?

 

[jaklgreen]

The tips are the only money the main servers get so if you do not tip them they get no money. I don't like that practice. If you hire someone you should pay them. I think that is why they went to automatic tips because when left up to people to remember then it is easy for someone to forget or have the mindset of "I spent enough money already" and then the servers who work their butt off do not get paid. We have been on 4 Disney cruises and have always had amazing service. But I do think they should just roll it into the cost of the cruise.

 

[PolynesianPrincess]

The whole idea of automatic charging for tips seems wrong on so many levels to me.
Surely tipping is supposed to be rewarding someone for excellent, above expected service and not paying them for doing their job.

Don't get me wrong we had some wonderful servers on DCL who fully deserved it, but I just hate this whole expectation of a certain level of tip no matter what level of service you get.

I've also heard people saying that you should still tip in restaurants (not talking DCL now) even if every single meal and course is a disaster? What's that about?

You can change the amount of tip you want to leave. Just go to guest services and let them know you want to change the tip amount and you can do it. Honestly, they're not making that much money. You're tipping your server $4 per person, per day. We had a party of 3 on our last cruise so from us, they got a tip of $12 per dinner. That isn't much at all. And many people don't stop and think they also work breakfast and lunch and unless people leave a tip for them at those meals, they're not making any tip money off either of those shifts. And if the cruise isn't full, they make even less. This past weekend, I was speaking with a guy who was one of our servers on the Dream a few weeks back and he said the ship wasn't even close to being full last week so he didn't have as many tables.

Personally, we have always left more in tips. On our last cruise, we rounded up and left $20 each for our server and stateroom host (instead of $16), $15 for our assistant server (instead of $12) and $5 for the head server (instead of $4). And we always leave a little bit if we eat breakfast or lunch at Royal Palace or Enchanted Garden (since those are the 2 places you would have a server) Not much, but maybe like $2-$3 per person. The staff we've had have ALWAYS gone above and beyond so we feel they deserve a little extra

 

[EOD K9]

Threadjack---- My wife and I have always enjoyed breakfast at Cabanas...that being said, what is breakfast like at RP or EG?

 

[Mouse_Trap]

You can change the amount of tip you want to leave. Just go to guest services and let them know you want to change the tip amount and you can do it. Honestly, they're not making that much money.

Oh I know they don't get paid very well, and that you can change what you pay. I just fundamentally disagree with the way its done.

They should be paid by their employer, tips should be over and above their wages to recognise exceptional service.

I had got a little too fed up of servers who literally plonk the food in front of you, have little to no interaction and they expect a 20% tip.

It's always said abroad that Brits are known to be poor tippers, I think that's because we just can't imagine a business that gets away without paying its staff - not to mention that here would also be illegal.

 

[PolynesianPrincess]

Threadjack---- My wife and I have always enjoyed breakfast at Cabanas...that being said, what is breakfast like at RP or EG?

Breakfast at royal palace is my favorite. It's an a la carte of a menu where as enchanted garden is a buffet. Similar to cabanas, only you have a server who gets your drinks for you. RP has an amazing French toast stack and it's delicious!!

 

[PolynesianPrincess]

Oh I know they don't get paid very well, and that you can change what you pay. I just fundamentally disagree with the way its done.

They should be paid by their employer, tips should be over and above their wages to recognise exceptional service.

I had got a little too fed up of servers who literally plonk the food in front of you, have little to no interaction and they expect a 20% tip.

It's always said abroad that Brits are known to be poor tippers, I think that's because we just can't imagine a business that gets away without paying its staff - not to mention that here would also be illegal.

To each his own I guess. At first I didn't really like it but now, I personally like the way it's done. I think it helps prevent people from not paying their servers and stateroom hosts anything at all. So if automatic gratuities help servers get their tips, then I'm fine with it. Disney does pay them. Just not a lot. The servers work 7 days, well over 40 hours a week. I could never do it!!! Lol and every server we have had has been very well above average.

 

[jaklgreen]

It is illegal in America not to pay the servers a minimum salary too, that is why the cruise ships fly under the Bahamian flag.

 

[Mouse_Trap]

It is illegal in America not to pay the servers a minimum salary too, that is why the cruise ships fly under the Bahamian flag.

I thought that a business in America only was required to ensure the employee received at least the minimum wage after all tips are taken into consideration.

e.g. If the minimum wage is $8/hr, but over the course of the shift the employee averaged $8 then the employer would need to make up the difference. However if the average exceeded $8, then they need not pay their employee anything.

My understanding may not be correct.

 

[flynnibus]

I thought that a business in America only was required to ensure the employee received at least the minimum wage after all tips are taken into consideration.

e.g. If the minimum wage is $8/hr, but over the course of the shift the employee averaged $8 then the employer would need to make up the difference. However if the average exceeded $8, then they need not pay their employee anything.

My understanding may not be correct.

Yes/No, the answer lies inbetween.

The employer has to ensure the employee gets at least minimum wage. Some states allow the employer to pay a special wage (below minimum) and the rest of the wage is intended to be made up in tips. Example: employer pays $2.35/hr.. and the employee is expected to get the delta to minimum wage in tips. IF the employee does not get enough tips to make minimum wage, the employer is required to pay the difference.

So either way.. the staff gets at least minimum wage. Some states allow the sub-rate as the hourly, others do not. (yet both expect the customary 15-20% )

 

[flynnibus]

It is illegal in America not to pay the servers a minimum salary too, that is why the cruise ships fly under the Bahamian flag.

The reasons for 'flag of convenience' is well beyond waiter wages and actually impacts commercial trade ships of all types. http://www.cruising.org/regulatory/resources/maritime-industry-background

regulation, taxes, safety requirements, labor laws, etc all kick in...

 

[mammaminnie]

We always use the envelopes and hand them out the last night. Like someone else said, my kids enjoy that task when they are with us. I almost always leave a little extra cash in the envelopes over what was already charged (even if it's just $5 or $10). The nice part about the envelopes is that it gives you a chance to say one last goodbye before the craziness of the final morning. I've also seen many guests place the small envelope and tip slip into larger cards as well.

 

[DrewmanS]

To each his own I guess. At first I didn't really like it but now, I personally like the way it's done. I think it helps prevent people from not paying their servers and stateroom hosts anything at all. So if automatic gratuities help servers get their tips, then I'm fine with it. Disney does pay them. Just not a lot. The servers work 7 days, well over 40 hours a week. I could never do it!!! Lol and every server we have had has been very well above average.

As a comparison, I was on a Norweigen Cruise Line trip to Alaska a few years back. They automatically added the tips to your account. We rotated restaurants, but not staff so you never saw the same server twice. Several nights the service was terrible. Empty drink glasses, order wrong, bad attitude of server, etc. One night we had great service and asked the server how tips were distributed. We were told that random guests received comment cards on their table, and those scores and managers ratings determined tips. So, many of the servers only paid attention to tables that had comment cards at the start of the seating. The only way to reward great service was either to tip the server at the end of the meal (which I think the servers were not supposed to accept) or go to the front desk and request a comment card. Apparently, there was no guarantee the comment card would affect the servers rating. I don't know if the system has changed, but the overall service on the ship was the worst we ever had.

 

[Cindyg35]

I thought that a business in America only was required to ensure the employee received at least the minimum wage after all tips are taken into consideration.

e.g. If the minimum wage is $8/hr, but over the course of the shift the employee averaged $8 then the employer would need to make up the difference. However if the average exceeded $8, then they need not pay their employee anything.

My understanding may not be correct.

In America, restaurant servers get much less than minmum wage around $2 an hour...bartenders get a little ( but not much moe).. Tips make up most of thier salary. Having said that, i agree that restaurant owners should pay thier staff just like any other business and tips should be over and above... Both my children have been servers/bartenders and i can not believe that owners get away with this practice. By the way, dining prices are not low even at chain restaurants, and the mark up is huge so i dont understand this whole practice.

 

[Mouse_Trap]

It's interesting, we British I am sure have a reputation for being very poor tippers.

In fact, a few times I have even had waiters purposely point out a tipping etiquette card which says 15-20% etc, I really don't like it when they do this.

I guess I just really hate the fact that you are expected to tip so that the servers made a wage.

To me it's pretty fundamental that a restaurant requires servers (less so if buffet etc of course), therefore the restaurateur should pay each of their staff an appropriate wage.

It brings a whole different balance to restaurant pricing I find. I often think of eating out in the US as quiet reasonable - usually not thinking about adding in the extra 15-20%. Whereas at home, often prices are a little higher but all the staff get paid.

Unfortunately, the tips culture if starting to become more prevalent here too, some restaurants are now adding gratuity on top of the cheque, and even more restaurants are automatically adding it for parties of 6+.

I have nothing against tipping, but I really find it inappropriate to expect say 20% automatically, just because you served a table. I really would rather see them get paid properly, with staff costs fully reflected in the meal price. Then people tip according to the service they are provided with, thus your rude server gets 0% and the really nice one 10-15%.