We've been on 4 Radisson cruises and so far have never tipped. Do you think the "no tipping" policy will still apply when you've had the same room steward, for example....for 108 days?? I know some of you have suggested buying them something instead, such as calling cards etc. Maybe this will be addressed when we receive our cruise docs....?

We tipped our stewardess and her assistant in April because they really went out of their way for us!

Claudia

Nothing should really change Marcie. They are making the same amount of money everyday whether it is you all the way through or changing people.

That being said you will develop more of a relationship over that period of time so whether you wish to buy a gift or tip is entirely up to you.

There will be no guidelines in your tickets because the policy is "tips included" so as far as RSSC is concerned you paid for your tips in the fare and they take that and pay the staff more than the other lines.

Thanks Ngaire!!

If I could hijack this thread for a momemt...

...we really want to tip our Stewardess this trip; she has gone far out of her way to make this an enjoyable trip.

Some questions:

1. Would it be improper to tip her but not her assistant?

2. How much should we leave her? him? For two weeks, is $20 or $30 ok or is it a slap in the face?

3. How do we go about tipping? Just hand them cash in the corridor? A note and the money left behind when we check out?

Any help (soon) would be appreciated.

Marc,
I always buy a cute card with a note of thanks and appreciation. They are always so sweet and keep our many prs. of shoes and assorted junk neat and tidy. I imagine they shudder when they enter our cabin every morning so I think they deserve something extra....usually $20 from each of us.

The amount is up to you of course. When we tipped in April, we gave the stewardess and the assistant 50.00 each-believe me, they earned it! We just handed them the cash and expressed our thanks for the wonderful service. Putting it in a card would be nicer, but we did not have one.......Both of them said that it was not necessary, but we insisted.......

Claudia

Yikes, I didn't realize you guys were tipping your room stewards. We have had outstanding room stewards on all our Radisson cruises. They really did such an excellent job each day, BUT we still never tipped because I had heard not to as Radisson did not want to start a precedent.

Now, I'm feeling like a cheapskate!

Marcie - Don't you dare feel like that! We probably wouldn't have tipped them except they truly went out of their way for us and we wanted to do something to thank them.........Radisson says gratuities are included and I think most people probably don't do a lot of additional tipping.

Claudia

Marcie: We tipped on our very first cruise as it was all new to us and the kids were so adorable and helpful...then on DDD I gave them calling cards and it was sort of no big deal (to them I mean) - I think you have to do what you are comfortable doing -- Joanna

Marcie, we haven't ever tipped, either. So, if you are a cheapskate, so are we.

Marcie I dont tip and I go back again and again and see the same people. This is really supposed to be "no tipping" so do not feel uncomfortable about it at all.

The only times we have tipped was our butler when we had a huge amount of parties in our cabin.

Then once a waiter who worked three big groups three weeks in a row and was outstanding. He has now been promoted and is on the Diamond as a head waiter.

We also tipped Felipe on MINT but that was as a thank you for taking such good care of our group that was a little different.

That is all in all those trips so dont worry about it. I do feel if we all start tipping it really messes with the no tipping policy. Some want to and that is their decision but personally I think it is best to follow the guidelines. "tips are included in the cruise fare".

Marcie:

Everytime we cruise a "no tipping" line I feel so uncomfortable, but on this trip we decided in lieu of tipping to make a contribution to the Crew Welfare Fund.

The money is used for parties for the crew and for financial aid to a crew member if they need help with an emergency while onboard.

Our Butler and Cabin Stewards did a good job, but nothing extraordinary so this seemed like a good way to say thank you to all of the crew.

I do agree with that sentiment Margo if you like to tip. You do something for the "whole" crew that way and you really dont mess with the "no tipping" policy either. That or gifts for those you appreciate are both good options.

Once a passenger(s)starts to tip, the crew start to expect it. RSSC's wage scale is higher than most lines. Tipping in general is getting out of hand. Many people use it, before the fact, to get extra services. Some restaurants even suggest the amounts !! We are told that tips are included on RSSC and Silversea. There are very little "extras" that are necessary on cruises, so why tip ?

Well, now I do feel better. I like your idea Margo. I think this is what we will do on BAIL. At the end of 3 1/2 months we will contribute to the Crew Welfare Fund. Thanks! one less thing to worry about.

Margo's idea about contributing to the crew welfare fund is a very good one.

As for other tips, here is what I've been told by RSSC Hotel Directors. Consider the stewardess' job description. If what she does for you is within that job description, your tip is included in the fare. If however, she does something extra for you (running an errand, etc.) a tip would be in order. Were general tipping to "get started" on Radisson and become known to the cruising public, this would place Radisson in a delima. It would make their statements about "tips included" false. It would put them in a competitive disadvantage with Silversea and Seabourn. And it would raise the question which has no good answer about what to do with stewardess' salaries.

On our first Radisson cruise (moving up from mass market) I naturally found the idea of not tipping for such good service very unnatural, so I specifically asked the Hotel Director for advice, due to my desire to go with the program. The above is what I was told.

Thanks,
Richard :) :) :)

I believe this is what happened to HAL. Their "tipping not mandatory" policy wasn't taken seriously (we always tipped on HAL)...now HAL has joined the ranks of the other mass marketed lines.

We have always had excellent service with our Radisson room stewards...but have never asked for anything outside their job description such as running errands. I actually try to take a few minutes before they come in to tidy up a bit so they don't think we're total slobs!

Marcie:

The HAL situation is pretty close, except HAL said "tipping not mandatory or required" and CAREFULLY never said "tips included" as Radisson does. They weren't. IMO, HAL's former policy statment was meant to be misleading from the beginning. Of course, tipping is never mandatory. Did anybody ever hear of a customer being sued or jailed for not tipping?

But Radisson's "tips included" statement has a different meaning, both in language and in practice. Several Radisson stewardesses have told me that their salary on Radisson is actually equal to what their total pay would be on a "tipping" ship if all guests tipped just a little more than the suggested amount. Of course, they went on to say that they had worked on such ships before, and the tips never amounted to that much, so the Radisson deal was a good raise for them. Also reported is a rather long waiting list of applicants for this position on Radisson from those who are working in it on lines where tips are relied upon. And of course, we all know we pay a higher fare on Radisson for this, and many other things.

As always, Ngaire knows what she is doing. Best for all concerned if we follow her advice and practice.

Thanks,
Richard :) :) :)

Thanks all!

I have always been in the "tips included so no additional tipping required" camp. I still am. Therefore, we will pass along a small monetary "gift" to our stewardess for duties above and beyond.

thanks,

No tipping, please!

We talked with Muriel, the Mariner Social Hostess on this on this on our recent Mint tour. We indicated we wanted to contribute to the employee fund. Since we have a bit of rapport with her, I asked how does the fund get used. And she gave an example: recently, they decided to give each employee a personal DVD player, and it was funded by the employee fund.


I said, WOW, every employee on the Mariner got one? And she said YES

So, if you feel compelled, do the employee fund...they get good things!!

Part 2:

I am a big believer in personal, handwritten thank you notes. I also have made it a habit of naming names in the comment card and dropping a note to RSSC headquarters. I just have to believe these folks are rewarded if a customer mentions them by name!!

What about tipping at the spa? I've always followed the same approach as ship-wide there (particularly as the spa checks don't have a space to add a tip), but I wonder if I'm correct that the tips included policy includes the spa?

Anna Luisa, I'm with you as to mentioning names whenever possible for individual recognition!!

I've never tipped at the spa for any service.

Hi Crys,

The spa is the only place I tipped. I asked and was told that it was acceptable there (since it is run by Carita, not RSSC). Therefore, the employees are contracted to RSSC, not RSSC employees (sames applies to the gift store people, but we obviously don't tip there, LOL)

My 2 cents:

We were told on a recent cruise that the single best thing you can do for a RSSC employee that you thought was really great is to say something good about him/her BY NAME on the comment card. they are read and they do count.

The only place on board where I have tipped is the spa. Same reason as above.

Doug

I just assumed that the "no tipping" applied to the spa as well. With the prices charged :eek: , I believe they are also on above average pay scale...right? Don't get me wrong, at home I ALWAYS tip for spa/nail/hair services.

The spa prices in the Carita Spa are in line with spa prices that I have seen on other mainstream cruise lines (Princess, Carnival, Celebrity). And obviously, these lines expect tipping. So we have always tipped for spa services (and yes, it does add up quick) :) I ended up doing 3 massages on MINT - that's a nice sized deposit for another cruise right there with the tips.

Masaki

Marcie: I agree the spa services are outrageously expensive - I have only had a total of four services - 2 facials and 2 massages - two were good and two were fair..and I did not tip but like you do locally for all spa services which are half of what I paid on Radisson and all excellent - Joanna

Masaki,at least on MINT we were using our $150 p.p. shipboard credit. (Actually I kind of zipped through Tom's too!) :D

Adding...at least on Radisson they haven't tried to sell me all the products. I've had that happen on other lines and it makes my blood boil! It's enough to get a real inferiority complex when they imply that your body is such a wreck....I already know THAT and don't need them trying to sell me "wonder products"

I've wondered about the tipping Spa question myself. Yes, I am sure that tips are accepted, but are they expected? I always think...if I am not going to tip my cabin attendants or the waiter who brings my dinner, drink, or room service, (who do an excellent job) should I tip the spa people? It does not feel right!

Betty

Good point Betty - joanna

To tip or not to tip…

I am curious about way this should even be a topic of discussion. It seems to me a very personal decision.

I Tip……. Everyone… regardless of cruise line, regardless of the ship…if the service warrants it…

I would suggest to those who have questions about it. Make a conscious decision based on your judgment of the quality of the service.

If I were on a cruise that tips were incuraged, and received I bad service, I would not tip… If I find myself on a cruise that discourages tipping, but am overwhelmed by the service… I tip …..Travel agents advice notwithstanding .

To justify not tipping by saying that Radisson employees are paid more then those on other cruise lines. Is totally irrelevant. I know of many fine restaurants that pay their employees much more than the competition. They may not blantly solicit tips, but they accept them, as do the Radisson crew…. They love them; I have seen it by personal experience.

No matter how some may try…. It’s hard to give tipping a bad name……

Paul

I asked several employees on the Navigator about the Crew Welfare fund, and they said they have never received any benefit from the fund. Some did not know it existed. It is supposed to be used if someone's contract is not over and they have an emergency and need to go home. Some long time crew told me this. Officers said otherwise - that the fund is used for things like crew parties and the emergency as noted above. Letters to the Captain are special and highly regarded and put on the crew bulletin board.

I personally have chosen not to contribute to the fund on Navigator. We did have a waitress that went over and above to make our cruise special; We had a party of 8 nightly in her area and we were going to collect for a tip and then decided that we would not as a group because of tipping included on RSSC. I gave her a token amount because I thought she made the trip extra special - Just a $20. as a minor thank you. I rarely have tipped on RSSC because of the policy.
On the Mariner, it was as you were told - they did get personal DVD players.

The spa employees are not paid as the regular staff. They actually get commission as do spa employees on land, so a tip is appropriate there.

I provide payroll services so this is of interest to me as many of my client businesses are spa and beauty and other tipped employees.

Paul: It is a topic of discussion as some people are unsure what to do regarding the issue - you are secure in what you do and that is fine - you tip everyone - some do not and that is fine - why are are discussing the issue????- different opinions and all worthwhile!! Joanna

Every time this discussion comes up, particularly over the years on cc, the opinions are widely variable, and often emotional. Some do, some don't and everyone gives their opinions about it, whether they do or don't. So good it comes up now and then for new participants so everyone can make their own decision. Like joannapv said, different opinions and all worthwhile. I have quit giving my opinion!

I have to agree that the comment card citations are probably more meaningful for exceptional service than a tip that really is not a meaningful amount of money. I know of several cases where positive comment card citations played critical roles in promoting crew members and extending contracts.

jhp:

It is not inappropriate that this subject come up from time to time. On an industry wide basis, cruise line policies seem to be subject to so much change, that it helps to check on a subject from time to time. Fortunately, Radisson hasn't changed much and (IMO) does not need to do so! But updating info occasionally doesn't hurt. Also, new people come on the board who haven't read past posts.

Ngaire:

One tipping subject I hadn't seen mentioned before came up above, and that is the custom of tipping (or not) at the spa on Radisson ships. Do you know what the custom is on this?

Thanks all
Richard :) :) :)

To complement what Doug and Lawrence said..

The good comments and who said them are printed out and sent to the crew member. A note is often sent from senior management along with it. This is important to help get folks promotions and more money. We talked with the crew about this and they said PLEASE DON"T FORGET the comments cards. Many folks only submit them when there are negative comments.

I look at it as a chance to make more money long-term as opposed to a few dollars from us and starting a precedent like on the mass market lines. I have brought token gifts (chocolate candy from Switzerland) for the crew and have handed it out in bulk when I have been happy with service.

On the PG, Doug and I brought new rafts. We shared it with our stewardess on the moto and when she mentioned she liked using it, we made a point of leaving them for her with a note of thanks. I know it was "used" but she really liked it and wanted a raft.

Funny, I just read this post over on CC that epitomizes what *can* happen on a cruise line that expects tipping. Here's the relevant part:

" have never been so appalled at the service anywhere. For those people who ordered from the bar, a 15% gratuity was automatically added--fine. But, these servers held their hands out for more tips after delivering the drinks! On the day of departure, the cabin steward rolled up the tabs of those who had left him a gratuity, and placed them in the door handle, and slid the others under the door--letting him know exactly who had done what. If you did not leave him a tip that he liked, he went after you and demanded his tip. Excuse me?????? We actually heard him say "I want my gratuity" to one family. They obviously did not think that he deserved one and did not leave one, but they should not have been hunted down and talked to like that. How rude. "

This was on an RCI ship. Anyway, there is so much controversy about tipping on cruises -- I've read so many varying opinions and experiences. I personally commend RSSC for their tips-included policy, as I think it's the best of both worlds. The crew doesn't expect tips, so there isn't any incentive to provide varying degrees of service (there seem to be many on CC that believe that the crew treats passengers differently based on pre-tipping, or what they expect to get, etc.) Those that wish to tip may do so in a variety of ways, and those who don't aren't penalized or made to feel bad for not doing so.

I don't really know how tipping impacts the behavior of a crew -- I'll leave that question to the sociologists and psychologists. But I do know that I am truly looking forward cruising where I don't have to think about it! :)