Room Service QM2

What is the protocol for tipping the complemenatry room service on the QM2? Is this directly to the steward each time he comes, or is it added to the account each time he comes, or is there none? And if there is, how much should we give him? Thanks. :)

I'm not aware of a protocal as such. So I probably offended room service no end when we were on board.

We had room service for breakfast every morning and decided that we'd tip at the end of the week as opposed to every day. At no time during the days we didn't tip did any of the staff seem offended or 'hang around' for a tip. We made sure on the final day to say that it was intended for the whole week although you are reliant on the staff members honesty in that regard.

Technically though tips are added to your account so there is no requirement to tip anything at all if you don't want to.

We decided not to tip as this is all part of the cunard service.

We had coffee every morning and tipped a minimum amount. Kept $ in bedside table to avaid early morning fuzzies!

B.

We always tip a dollar or two for simple room service at the time of each delivery. It's usually a different person each time, or at least often, and we don't want to leave anyone out.

Your daily service charge covers tips for all the waiters, stewards etc that serve you. So there is no need to tip extra. But feel free to tip extra for very good service. We thought the daily service charge and automatic tips for drinks were adequate do didn't tip nay more. But maybe that's because there is less of a tipping culture in the UK. We certainly wold normally pay no more than 15% (usually 10%) on top of a restaurant bill for good service.

I hope this helps.

Eddie

It is common knowledge that a tip is given for room service!

The kitchen help are the ones who bring the trays, a different one each time, usually.

This is their only chance to get a few more dollars.

This is not your dining room staff, or your room steward!

I am amazed that many of you did not tip at all.

It is common knowledge that a tip is given for room service!

Apparently it isn't or the question wouldn't've been raised and the subsequent comments made.

It is common knowledge that a tip is given for room service!

I would always tip for Room Service in a hotel. But in this case I was genuinely under the impression that the daily service charge covered this service as well. If I had been informed that it didn't cover it I would have tipped. If that is the case then Cunard ought to tell us!

Eddie

I always thought the custom was to tip the room service staff a dollar or two. However on Cunard they always seem surprised to get anything so this left me also with the confusion of what should I do. Now for a small order I give nothing and for a meal, a few bucks. I'm sure it balances out somewhere.

I found NCL staff always happy to take the cash from you!

The brochure says ...

... Additionally many more crew behind the scenes support those who serve you directly. ...

 

The Hotel and Dining charge will be shared amongst those staff that helped provide and support your voyage experience, including the waiter staff, stateroom stewards and accommodations staff, buffet stewards, and others.

So I would have thought room service staff share in the Hotel and Dining charge and do not expect to be tipped further. Isn't that the point of the scheme?:confused:

It is common knowledge that a tip is given for room service!

Is it:confused: I didn't know that. I don't tip extra for room service.

The kitchen help are the ones who bring the trays, a different one each time, usually.

I always thought that room stewards pool,ed their cabins and then did cabin service for the rooms in that pool. "Kitchen Helps" are required to work in the kitchens so why would they be providing cabin service?

I am amazed that many of you did not tip at all.

I'm amazed that so many people pay twice for the same service!

It took 6 seconds to find this article on room service tipping. There are many more, and they are all in agreement that you TIP for room service.

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What about...?

There are exceptions to every rule. Room service is one. There is no additional charge for room service, but it is customary to tip the steward who delivers it. In most cases, this will not be your regular steward. Depending on what you've ordered and whether it was delivered in a timely manner, $1.00 to $3.00 will suffice. If it's just juice and a pot of coffee, the lesser amount will do; a heavy tray with a full dinner would warrant the larger amount.

Lets not forget that tipping is customary or discretionary .... not obligatory.

It took 6 seconds to find this article on room service tipping. There are many more, and they are all in agreement that you TIP for room service.

__________________________________________

What about...?

 

There are exceptions to every rule. Room service is one. There is no additional charge for room service, but it is customary to tip the steward who delivers it. In most cases, this will not be your regular steward. Depending on what you've ordered and whether it was delivered in a timely manner, $1.00 to $3.00 will suffice. If it's just juice and a pot of coffee, the lesser amount will do; a heavy tray with a full dinner would warrant the larger amount.

Was this from a Cunard thread?I for one, I always tip room service on other cruise lines. But there was a specific discussion on the Cunard threads that said that they were told that room service tips were included in the daily per diem tip. If memory serves this is what the chief purser said so since I don't want to spoil it for the Brits...I will probably tip anyway(I know that is a contradiction) or maybe not. If I don't I wont feel guilty about it.

This is not your dining room staff, or your room steward!

Actually our steward often brought our orders to us on the QE2!

Being British we don't carry dollars, but I believe Rachel (our room steward) was more than happy to take the Euros my husband handed her at the end of our cruise. We never tipped at any other time and I believe it's not necessary since tips are added to your account to save you the hassle of trying to work it out for yourself!

Although they NEVER solicited anything, I always tip $ 2 - $ 4 for each room service delivery. Have you ever tried to hoist one of the trays piled two plates high? It's very heavy and unwieldy, even with only two fruit plates in the order. Just think, the person deliverying your food got up probably hours before you did in the morning and is in uniform and is paid a guilt-inducing minimal wage. Tip - it's the right thing to do and you CAN afford it.

What is the protocol for tipping the complemenatry room service on the QM2? Is this directly to the steward each time he comes, or is it added to the account each time he comes, or is there none? And if there is, how much should we give him? Thanks. :)

The protocol on Cunard is that all tips (except for the bars) are covered in the gratuity fee that every passenger is charged. Any extra tips are at the passengers' discretion and generosity. From reading the comments on this board, the staff is evidently well rewarded above and beyond for their services.

Our Room Service on the QE2 and QM2 was always brought by our Room Steward or his/her assistant. We did tip them extra at the end of the cruise

because of the wonderful and pleasant service we were given.

I understand that, under Carnival, their wages are about $50 a month so if you couple that with the number of passengers who decide that they shouldn't have to tip, I hardly believe their compenstion is adequate!

They have no retirement benefits, vacations, sick days and I doubt if they have health benefits except for care on the ships. They are only given work for the terms of their contract 6 months or whatever and are fired for the smallest of complaints.

If you get good service you should reward them.

They have no retirement benefits, vacations, sick days

Is that based on fact, hearsay or just suspicion?

If you get good service you should reward them.

I don't agree - If you get service that is well above what you have paid for then you might think of rewarding extra, but that reward should be the exception rather than the rule.

Gratuities are charged at a flat rate per day for restaurant and cabin stewards. That covers the normal "good" service. The problem is that, when you get bad service, it's impossible to remove that gratuity from just the individual concerned.

..... If you get service that is well above what you have paid for then you might think of rewarding extra, but that reward should be the exception rather than the rule.......

Depends on how cute they are too ...... eh?????

Ken

Must say that I don't go along with all this tipping for every single room delivery. What a faff, having to remember to take all that loose change on what should be a hassle-free holiday! Being onboard a cruise ship is supposed to be as cash-free as possible, is it not?

I always wait until the last day, choose a nice card from the bookshop, write a little thankyou note to the steward in question and enclose anywhere from £20 upwards (depending on the length of the cruise). I don't do this because it's the "done thing" - or because I'm a slave to this ghastly tipping culture, I do it because I've yet to encounter a Cunard room steward who is anything other than polite, friendly and helpful.

Depends on how cute they are too ...... eh?????

 

 

Ken

:eek: Ken - I'm shocked:eek:

:eek: Ken - I'm shocked:eek:

But I bet you agree ????

But I bet you agree ????

I wouldn't tip just because the steward was good looking, however I might be more inclined to drink in a certain bar if a particular steward was working there;)