2 questions - milk and room service tips

So we are on Rhapsody of the Seas in Aug for a Greek Island cruise. Do we tip room service in Euros or dollars?

Also, is there anywhere on board I can get fresh milk or should I buy it in Venice before boarding? We are bringing our own kettle as I need my tea!

Thanks all:)

Any cash is appreciated. Currency is your choice. Make it convenient for you. :)

There is fresh milk available in little cartons in both the main dining room and in the Windjammer buffet.

If you want to keep it fresh in your cabin, you will need a bucket of ice from your cabin steward. You will not even have a refrigerator in an oceanview or interior cabin, and in a balcony cabin or suite, it won't keep things very cold or fresh.

You can tip in whatever you want. No one in their right mind who is receiving a tip (e.g. extra free money) would turn it down because it wasn't in the "right" currency. Also I think every cruise line in the world serves milk.

So we are on Rhapsody of the Seas in Aug for a Greek Island cruise. Do we tip room service in Euros or dollars?

 

Also, is there anywhere on board I can get fresh milk or should I buy it in Venice before boarding? We are bringing our own kettle as I need my tea!

 

Thanks all:)

I thought kettles were on the prohibited list:confused:

I thought kettles were on the prohibited list:confused:

They are. Hopefully the OP is in a JS or better category so they will automatically get a kettle.

Do all European cruises have a kettle in the cabin?

Do all European cruises have a kettle in the cabin?

No, only when going out of Southampton.

I thought kettles were on the prohibited list:confused:

OP appears to be new to CC, so may also be new to cruising and not realise kettles aren't allowed, especially if they are British, because for us Brits it is a very common practice to take a travel kettle with you when you go on holiday to the continent, where kettles are often lacking in holiday accommodation.

I managed to live off the tea that is served in the Cafe Promenade and the WJ. I brought my own tea bags and used the hot water and milk that was available. I'm British too and struggle if I don't have my tea!

Milk is available in the buffet and EVERY eating venue. Just head to the buffet, and take a couple cartons (they are 1/2 pints, I think) and put them in your fridge. It will be cold enough for a day or so. The fridge cools better if you can leave the cabinet door ajar (the fridge is in a cabinet...which restricts air flow...put a hand towel between the cabinet door, and the cabinet, to keep it from closing all the way) and it will get cold enough to keep the milk fine for a day or so.

So you like tea and milk? I'm American, so I don't see the issue. There are teabags and hot water and milk at every eating venue and in the free side area of the coffee shop. I generally cup-brew tea and pour it over ice because the iced tea made from a mix is really bad. I found our room refrigerator very cold. We put champagne in it, not milk, but it would have kept milk cold. There should be afternoon tea available in the buffet area with all the little edibles one has with that event.

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Milk is available in the buffet and EVERY eating venue. Just head to the buffet, and take a couple cartons (they are 1/2 pints, I think) and put them in your fridge. It will be cold enough for a day or so. The fridge cools better if you can leave the cabinet door ajar (the fridge is in a cabinet...which restricts air flow...put a hand towel between the cabinet door, and the cabinet, to keep it from closing all the way) and it will get cold enough to keep the milk fine for a day or so.

Except for the fact not all ships have the cooler/fridge in their rooms.

Everything on the ship is US dollars, so that would probably most useful for tipping bartenders and others not covered by your automatic tips. However if you aren't getting US$ for anything else, Euros will be fine.

I assume the milk is for the tea? Anyway, here are my tips:

1. Milk is readily available as others have said, but you might want to check about your specific room to ensure it has a fridge. Otherwise you'll just have to grab some milk when you go for hot water (see below).

2. You might want to bring your own tea bags (It is allowed). The reason I say this is most of the staff seem to think of tea as "herbal tea" and in my own experience, they don't always have regular tea in the little box that they bring you in the MDR. What you are probably thinking of as tea they call "black tea". It is a little harder to find, but if don't bring your own, check at the buffet or other cafes and find some, grab a few and keep them for later. (They do have English Breakfast tea if you are okay with that)

3. First day order tea from room service and ask them to give you a new carafe. Ask for new because all the old ones smell like coffee and will taint your tea water. Keep the carafe for the cruise. (Hide it if you have to so that your room steward doesn't return it for you.) Whenever you want tea, just go to the cafe, buffet or whatever is closest and get it filled with hot water.

I generally cup-brew tea and pour it over ice because the iced tea made from a mix is really bad.

 

 

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Good idea. I will remember this tip!

So you like tea and milk? I'm American, so I don't see the issue. There are teabags and hot water and milk at every eating venue and in the free side area of the coffee shop. I generally cup-brew tea and pour it over ice because the iced tea made from a mix is really bad. I found our room refrigerator very cold. We put champagne in it, not milk, but it would have kept milk cold. There should be afternoon tea available in the buffet area with all the little edibles one has with that event.

 

 

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I have yet to be on a Royal Carib. ship that has "afternoon tea" which I love...not so much the actual tea, but all the little sandwiches and scones and clotted cream, etc.. Royal does have what they call afternoon snacks and you could sort of put together a facsimile of afternoon tea from what is offered, maybe, sort of.;) I have sailed from Harwich twice, but perhaps the Rhapsody is different and does offer afternoon tea. :)

I googled it. I guess I'm remembering former cruises. I used to really enjoy it. The cruises do what appeals to the majority.

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Certain ships on Royal have an afternoon tea in the windjammer which includes scones, with jam and cream to add, sandwiches, little cakes etc. Its not a proper afternoon tea where you are served by white gloved waiters or anything like that but I do enjoy a few scones and some cake with a cuppa during that time. I've experienced it on ships out of Southampton and surprisingly, out of Puerto Rico, but not on ships out of Rome or Barcelona (on those cruises it's basically an extended lunch -probably due to them being more port intensive).