Tipping

I think they usually advise you dont they?

Possibly, whitewave. Not been on a cruise before. I will ask at the travel agents but just wondered if anyone here might have a rough idea.

I thought this thread was going to be about rubbish.

. Yes, I can see the confusion in my title!

Don't worry Mapleleaf. They will make it abundantly clear, usually with the blurb they send you. I've known envelopes on the last day, amounts already suggested, but recently have found that we paid in advance. With that method you can apparently withdraw any particular gratuities that you find unjustified. Enjoy the river cruise.

Thank you Belladonna

A river cruise sounds absolutely idyllic I'm not jealous .
I have seen recent adverts on TV for River Cruises saying "it is not as expensive as you may think" or words to that effect. I know one persons idea of expensive is very different to another's though.

Hope you have an amazing trip Mapleleaf

My sister and BIL love river cruises. Recently they have been finding its 'all in' which is exactly how it should be. Good service should be the norm and decent pay should reflect that expectation.I used to stay at a hotel that banned all tipping for everything, paid, trained and treated its staff well and I've never had better, more friendly and professional service

Thoroughly agree Rigsby46

Rigby (getting confused with Leonard Rossiter's alter ego) !

Thank you for your replies, everyone. Yes, gillybob I am looking forward to the trip. Never been on a cruise before, but DH and I wanted to do something a bit special for our 30th wedding anniversary, and this one we saw sounded really nice so decided to go for it.

Mapleleaf The river cruises we have gone on end, last day, with an envelope. Included is a list of what to tip and to whom. DH brings cash with for tips. I think 8-10 percent is his tip range? At any rate, it's well addressed in the literature as well.

Thank you, Norah

Mapleleaf I think maybe, depending on the length of the river(s), DH leaves extra (above what is listed for the envelope), on the bed as we depart, if we have been pleased with the room cleaners.

I think he also tips quite generously at the bar because they have no envelope.

Do enjoy. We love river cruising, quite relaxing for a few weeks spring and fall.

As a note of interest, there is absolutely NO security on a river cruise. ANY person, terrorist or not, could enter the boat whilst docked up during day tours. There is NO checking of persons entering the boat, none at all. That bit is scary, makes the boats sitting targets for bad acts. Most of the passengers, being Americans, really don't give three cares.

We've been on several river cruises. Most seem to be run by American companies and adopt the American attitude to tipping. However, Aussies on board found tipping ridiculous especially at the rates 'suggested' by the company. As Brits we don't mind rewarding good service up to a point. These cruises are expensive to cover, among other things, staff wages. Unlike America we don't have staff working only for tips so we found the whole tipping system on board ridiculous. Apart from anything else, 15% tip is automatically added to every drinks order. We tend to give something to any member of staff who we felt had gone above and beyond the call of duty for us.

I found my journal entry to our last Viking cruise, dh only gave £453 in tips, fair enough to me.

"Only"? Sounds quite a lot to me. Are you in the US Norah, as I think the tipping culture is different from here?

No, the ship gives an envelope with the scheme written out, we did the maths, added for tipping drinks, gave the total. We did not think it was a dear sum for 2 weeks service.

Norah! At Viking's prices you jolly well should have good service!!!

It works out as £32 per day so £16 each person. Still seems a lot of money to me.

I agree, that seems a lot of money when you consider what the cruise itself costs. Assuming other passengers gave a similar amount, that's a huge amount of tips overall.

I think its a racket. I don't expect to pay all that money and then subsidise staff wages. The company must be more than happy that passengers cough up their 'recommended' amount!