I've noticed tipping is everywhere now. Even at Dominos when I got a pizza, that I ordered online and picked up myself, they wanted a tip at the credit card machine.
In early years of cruising you received envelopes and handed the tips to your room steward, waiter, and assistant waiter. You could always add to the tips if they deserved more and thank them for their wonderful service. It was personal and nice on the last evening. Cruising has changed. Now you rarely have a cruise when you get the same waiter and assistant waiter. The room stewards have so many rooms to clean, they introduce themselves the first day and you rarely see them again. Don't get me wrong, they do an excellent job but they don't have time to talk to you. They don't do turndown service at night any more and pillow chocolates are a thing of the past. I would keep all my chocolates and put them on Lexie's pillow at night.
Now the cruise lines are automatically deducting tips on your shipboard account every day. I never mind this, but they go to all the staff, not just the people you formerly gave envelopes to. When people complain about tips on a cruise, my answer is, if you ate out three times a day and stayed in a hotel, would you tip more than $16.00 a day?
On our last cruise, after final payment, I received an email from Royal Caribbean saying the gratuities were increasing to US$16.00 a day per person. Today NCL announced gratuities are now US$20.00 a person.
Why don't we treat all people with a salary they deserve so they aren't depending on tips? It works in Australia!
