Removing gratuities

I find it hard to understand as being from Australia it is not customary to tip...only if you are pleased with a particular person or their effort ..not mandatory ...

Maybe you forget about cruising and go to your boss and demand they cut your salary.

Nope. I leave the tips as they are and will tip individuals if the service is outstanding.

We always leave our auto tips and even tip extra for our room steward, dining staff, and our favorite bartenders. Our cruise on the Conquest in October had an assistant, but we rarely saw him.

Our steward on Vista had an assistant! We hardly ever saw him, though.

Every time we travel to a foreign country I read up on their tipping customs... as an American I am used to taking a couple hundred dollars in small bills to the Caribbean all inclusives and slipping a bartender $5, my bell boy $20... why? Cause they will remember me and give me better service. I only recently started travelling to Europe- and it is great that some European countries pay their wait staff a decent wage where they don't have to rely on tips... but I still tip about 20% if they have been a good waiter- its just what I am used to. Recently we started cruising... I have one under my belt and 4 more booked. The concept of auto gratuities is new to me- but for about $13 a day- it doesn't seem like a bad deal. I think it just boils down to the cost of vacationing. Now, the drink packages... that's what I can't fathom paying, lol. Lucky for me I'm not a big drinker... and I just buy a beverage if I want one.

Have seen an assistant once only on NCL and that was for two days. The steward departed and the assistant became the steward.

I don’t know......we were on the Splendor 4 years ago, and our steward didn’t have one. Not that I saw anyway. Unless.............maybe HE was the assistant ! OMG , who did we tip ! Oh yeah, the guy that made up our cabin.

Now, on NCL, if there are assistants to the stewards, they keep a very, low, profile.

Hey, remember when there was an assistant waiter ?

He cruises often, and is always visible on the ships chatting with crew and guests alike. He also spends a lot of time in meetings with the Management teams when not cruising, so he is definitely on top of all current procedures.

Kergan66 - we’ve been on 5 Carnival cruises and all of our stewards have had at least one assistant.

According to John Heald, if guests leave extra gratuities for their steward, it is up to the individual whether he/she shares with the assistant or not.

a lot do