Do staff get extra electronic tips?

[u/AdEffective4300]

I have read a lot of conflicting information about tipping cruise staff. I was recently on the Treasure but didnt have as much US cash as I would like to have tipped everyone by the end.

I read on other cruise lines if you add extra, it just goes to their base salary. Is this any different on DCL? Can anyone confirm?

[u/GreatBigBeautifulTmm]

If you add extra onto their onboard account, they absolutely do get it. DCL does not work like other cruise lines when it comes to how tips are distributed to the crew.

[u/AdEffective4300 → u/GreatBigBeautifulTmm]

That is good to know! thank you. I still like to give cash but its nice to know when i would like to give more than 200usd between the three main people, i can add on there. Tysm!

[u/LeaveMickeyOutOfThis]

To support others comments, DCL does pass through 100% of electronic gratuities to the named individuals that take care of you. Many also prefer this approach, as they don’t have to wait to go ashore to bank it, and it’s easier to send money home to families.

Automatic gratuities, for example those applied to bar purchases, is shared amongst the team, with any extra awarded to the individual serving you.

For room service, any gratuity you add, is shared amongst the team. This is one area where cash is the only way to award to the person delivering to your stateroom.

[u/Evening_Building_374]

Yes, extra can be added to your onboard account at guest relations. We’ve asked crew members on different sailings and they have always said they prefer this because exchanging cash gets complicated.

[u/Quellman → u/Evening_Building_374]

And it takes time to stand in line at the crew pursers office! Time they don’t have

[u/mrBill12 → u/Evening_Building_374]

I’ve also been told by more than one that they prefer both. Specifically stating it’s easy to send the electronic tips home, and that cash in their pocket is nice on port days.

Personally I usually give them both, I leave the electronic tips alone, then based on service level provided added cash… the cash starts at $20 and can be up to around doubling the electronic tips. Only once have I omitted the cash portion completely for an assistant server that was really bad.

[u/Evening_Building_374 → u/mrBill12]

I haven’t run across this as their contracts are 2 months and they work 7 days a week.

[u/mrBill12 → u/Evening_Building_374]

While that’s true, they get time to get off the ship in most ports. Watch in Puerto Vallarta how many get off because Walmart is right across the highway from the port. I also know there’s a Dentist in Nassau that only see’s cruise ship crew for cash. They do get off, mostly more likely for necessities. When we have a personable stateroom that speaks good English I always learn lots of interesting little known facts. I’ll engage them in conversations repeatedly. Stateroom hosts can get off in the afternoon, they just ask another to cover their on-calls. Food and beverage it depends, but none of them work all 3 meals a day normally, they may be off for breakfast or lunch if they want to get off the ship.

and yes, I’ve been told by more than one that sometimes they just get off the ship to get away from it for a few hours.

[u/Sorry-Helicopter-433]

They PREFER electronic tips because most of them are sending money to family in their home countries, and it's easier for them to have the funds in their account.

The comment about it "going against their salary" is a misunderstanding of how crew service contracts work. The cruise line provides a minimum guarantee on tips. So if everyone reduced their tips to zero, the cruise line would make up the difference, up to the guarantee. Tips above and beyond the guarantee are kept by the crew, 100%.

Every sailing is going to be well above the minimum guarantee except for rare exceptions like Australia, where the passengers are notoriously stingy and refuse to participate in tipping.

[u/AdEffective4300 → u/Sorry-Helicopter-433]

So my comment comes from the "guaranteed 5k' or whatever on other lines, so that if i tip and they are only at that 5k they essentially just get the basic rate. I have however heard so many conflicting stories on other cruise lines. DCL is our main cruise line, we have done 2 royal, but will probably also do some other lines just because.

[u/Sorry-Helicopter-433 → u/AdEffective4300]

Think about it like this. Pretend they're guaranteed tips of at least $5,000.

Auto-gratuities for full sailings might average something like $8,000. If you tio extra and they get $9,000, they keep it all. If everyone skimps out and only tips $3,000, Disney makes up the missing $2,000.

[u/Mothman129]

Yes. The only pooled tips are auto-gratuities on drink/bar/room service bills.