Star Class and Royal Genie tipping

Scheduled for Star Class on Oasis in 7/30. In reviewing previous posts, it appears that Genies work for their cabins tips separate from the rest of the staff on boat. I would love to hear thoughts on what an appropriate tip is for the week for the Genie. Any feedback is appreciated.

The only folks included in the tips are, cabin attendant, waiter, ass't waiter and head waiter. Concierge and "genies" are supposed to be tipped separately, if you use their services. Tip according to what you have them do!

I'm glad to see that someone is bringing this up. It's true that the Genies

tips are not included in the prepaid tips. If I am fond of the concierge

we usually give $100 for a week. I'm sure if I had the services of a Genie,

our tip would be significantly higher than that. I'm curious to hear

other responses. Obviously, tipping is a personal matter but you asked

so I answered. :D

We would be very interested in hearing what others have shared as well. I know this can be very subjective so we are looking for what others have done. Thanks.

I'd be willing to guess that the tips which most Genies will receive would fall in the $50-$500 range, with most under $200 for a 7-night cruise. It appears that they're much more guest focused and involved (if you wish) than butlers on other lines - but I'll chime back in after our sailing at the end of this month.

Tom

With regards to this discussion on tipping a genie, are the amounts being suggested based on a per person basis or per cabin? So if the suggested tip is say $100 for a 7 day cruise, should a suite with 4 passengers tip $400 and a suite with 6 passengers $600? I don't envision utilizing the genie much beyond making reservations for dinner/shows and embarkation & debarkation services, but must admit this devoted level of service is something I have never experienced before on a cruise. Obviously the genie may provide services/assistance beyond what I can currently envision. Thus I am finding the first hand experiences and suggestions of other Star Class cruisers very informative. Thanks for taking the time to keep sharing!

This is certainly a new twist on the tipping threads. I wonder if we'll have the same typical arguments for/against tipping: they work hard, they don't get paid much, you are depriving them if you don't tip, RCI should be paying their wages not the customers, etc.

Biker, who wonders if flight attendants get tips.

This is certainly a new twist on the tipping threads.....

I know, like we needed even more reasons for tipping threads.:rolleyes:

Considering Genie's have been only on some ships just a few weeks, and only this week on Oasis Class, a tipping thread is very relevant. There are few suites in the Star Class on a limited number of ships, and of those low occupancy numbers even less of them are CC members who are posing the tip question. The limited number of CC Star Class guests are just trying to figure out what might be the appropriate financial number to say thank-you with, on top of their verbal thank-yous.

I am curious to know what others will be tipping, even though the numbers will vary. Our first Genie experience won't be until March of next year but one of the greatest things about CC is the ability to share knowledge and information. I for one am looking forward to hear what others will and have done. No judging from me. I just want to gather information to compare what fellow cruisers expected and requested from their Genie's, to compare to how much they tipped. For me, it is all about the base line comparative to use in the future.

Andrew - Couldn't have said it better myself. Just trying to get a handle on what people have done. Clearly if they do a great job, they should be rewarded.

Can you refuse the services of a "Genie?" I'm serious. I guess it's my upbringing and personal belief, but I would find it uncomfortable to have either a personal "Genie" or "Butler." Yes, I understand that others have no problem with this, but I would simply not want a personal servant.

Can you refuse the services of a "Genie?" I'm serious. I guess it's my upbringing and personal belief, but I would find it uncomfortable to have either a personal "Genie" or "Butler." Yes, I understand that others have no problem with this, but I would simply not want a personal servant.

It's funny -- I don't think I would use "servant" to talk about a Genie (or a butler, for that matter). From everything that I have read this far, I would characterize a Genie as a "wing-man" or "wing-woman" -- a cool, well informed guide who can get you into the best places with as little friction as possible. An ultra concierge, perhaps?

There are a lot of perks for Star class guests -- your Genie just helps connect you with those perks...and maybe a few others that you didn't even know about.

As more people experience this new service, I am sure that we will get a better sense of what Genies are all about.

But, to your question -- yes, I am sure that you can politely decline to use your Genie, just like some people never utilize the Concierge. You may find that you will still get pampered (I imagine that afternoon snacks would still show up and your minibar will still be replenished), even if you do not make any specific requests.

Can you refuse the services of a "Genie?" I'm serious. I guess it's my upbringing and personal belief, but I would find it uncomfortable to have either a personal "Genie" or "Butler." Yes, I understand that others have no problem with this, but I would simply not want a personal servant.

My wife asked me the same question. She would be uncomfortable having someone tending to her with such attention.

I think the answer is that the Genie will/should make the appropriate accommodations. I doubt that they are going to be standing on your balcony pouring champagne if you don't want them to. It seems like a personal concierge service. Use them as much or as little as you like. The benefit is that if you need anything (dinner, spa, show, excursion), you now have one person who can handle it all for you instead of having to visit/call different people around the ship. It is their job to make your cruise as enjoyable as possible - an included service - and I wouldn't think of it as imposing on them to ask for anything (with reason of course).

Practically speaking I would think of the Genie just like an attentive concierge.

Interesting that in the description of Star Class it states gratuities are complimentary.

I go Star Class in June so really interested in feedback. I will probably tip some on day one and some at end of cruise based on how much I have used the services of the Genie.

Interesting that in the description of Star Class it states gratuities are complimentary.

That would be the room steward, waiters, etc. The Genie is

not part of the included gratuities.

I was a bellman and then a concierge in luxury hotels in my first 2 years out of college. I was doing a job and doing it well. I never thought of myself as a "servant." I doubt the Genies feel that way either. They are professionals acting as an uber concierge.

Oh. Forgot to say I asked this question on our "roll out" thread sometime back. My favorite answer was from Klepton. Which was based on $5pp per service they performed. I can't copy it on tapatalk so here's a picture of Klepton's response:

This is how I plan to do it. Sort of keep a daily tally of what they're doing and see how it adds up at the end. I'm sure I will hand him or her $50 the first day as a starter. For the two of us I anticipate $200-400 for the week. But I'm a generous tipper.

Considering Genie's have been only on some ships just a few weeks, and only this week on Oasis Class, a tipping thread is very relevant. There are few suites in the Star Class on a limited number of ships, and of those low occupancy numbers even less of them are CC members who are posing the tip question. The limited number of CC Star Class guests are just trying to figure out what might be the appropriate financial number to say thank-you with, on top of their verbal thank-yous.

 

I am curious to know what others will be tipping, even though the numbers will vary. Our first Genie experience won't be until March of next year but one of the greatest things about CC is the ability to share knowledge and information. I for one am looking forward to hear what others will and have done. No judging from me. I just want to gather information to compare what fellow cruisers expected and requested from their Genie's, to compare to how much they tipped. For me, it is all about the base line comparative to use in the future.

Very well said.

I am awaiting insight on this topic.

Thanks for you thoughts.

Safe travels.

I won't tip in the beginning. We never have done that at Sandals with the Butler Suites and have received stellar service. We have typically had two of them helping us and we have given them between $100 each to $140 each for the two of us.

Using the same formula of approx $14 a day, per person may be a bit high for the Genie. However, we will need to see how they compare to the service we have received at Sandals. On top of that, we will still continue to tip over and above to the cabin Steward. The concierge, on the other hand, will be getting nothing.

Yes, definitely have to plan for the cabin stewards but not expecting to tip the "regular" concierge since I suspect anything they would do is now in the hands of the Genie.

Yes, definitely have to plan for the cabin stewards but not expecting to tip the "regular" concierge since I suspect anything they would do is now in the hands of the Genie.

To be honest, I have yet to talk to the concierge 3 days into the cruise. You're exactly right in that Daniel has been taking complete care of us.

The genie so far has been a concierge on steroids. He's done the standard stuff such as making reservations, but also made sure we had whatever we wanted. He's locked down specific seats for us (either himself standing next to them or having another genie do it). He's made sure each of us have have our favorite snacks and drinks available in cabin. The entire embarkation process itself justified the genie by itself (as attested by a couple others in my group).

My recommendation for now to help people budget would to do whatever you would do for normal concierge and add another 50-75 pct depending on how much actually you think your genie did beyond a standard concierge.

How many of you that have no wish to use the genie will ever book Star class?

Not meaning to bash, but I can't imagine having the Genie and NOT utilizing the Perks. We will be traveling with 82 year old mother and her 92 year old husband. We are so looking forward to the Genie helping us with EVERYTHING. I hope that the those that don't use their Genie are traveling on the same dates as we are. More for us. :)