Tipping on Beverage Package?

Was told by a bartender and the beverage director on the Anthem that they like to give Americans a bill to sign even if you prepaid the tips on a package because Americans always add an additional tip because they are not use to service included on their bills. Watched that day and sure enough some people always added an additional tip.

Each to own.

Dumb question here I think. I got the beverage package as part of the 1-2-3 promotion. So were the gratuities included in that? Meaning I never saw a cost for the package--it was free--so I also didn't see an 18% tip included.

Dumb question here I think. I got the beverage package as part of the 1-2-3 promotion. So were the gratuities included in that? Meaning I never saw a cost for the package--it was free--so I also didn't see an 18% tip included.

Gratuities on the package have been included in promos that give the package for "free".

 

Funny though, I can't remember seeing anyone ever hand over a cash as a tip to a Barman and now days most don't sign and tip that way because of the drink packages, how are you people getting the cash to them without me seeing?

I just hand my tip to either the waiter or bartender when I hand over my S&S card. If I use a waiter in the casino as an example, he usually knows my S&S card number, so I just hand him my tip when he brings my drink. I guess you don't sit in the same areas I do or you don't watch what others do. That's ok with me as I don't do it to get attention, just for giving me good service.

Was told by a bartender and the beverage director on the Anthem that they like to give Americans a bill to sign even if you prepaid the tips on a package because Americans always add an additional tip because they are not use to service included on their bills. Watched that day and sure enough some people always added an additional tip.

 

Each to own.

Are you sitting that close to see what they are writing on the slip?

Even when I don't tip extra I still need to put a zero and then the total plus my signature. Might look like I'm tipping to an observer, but I definitely don't always tip when gratuity is already included.

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Bb

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Even though we had the drink package, we made sure to tip our MDR drink guy, and Solarium drink guy, extra well the first few days, to ensure good service, when we were on HOS. Normally we don't do this, but our drink service on our previous cruise (Adventure) was SO AWFUL, and we didn't want that to happen again...

All of this discussion about tipping on drinks is interesting. I would like to hear others thoughts on this. We know that the pre-paid deluxe package includes approx 9 dollars a day in added gratuity, so if you consider 1.00 a drink for tip thats about 9 drinks or if you consider 2 dollars per drink you are closer to 5 drinks. When i go to a pub or craft beer bar here in the US, its typical to tip 1.00 per drink, i still think thats the norm. When Royal Caribbean adds 18% to a 12.00 drink that is a little over 2.15 for that drink. How many of us would tip 2+ dollars a drink at a bar, especially for a beer pour or bottled beer? I am not trying to start a flame war here but if we are tipping 2.00 a drink and adding 1-2 more on top of it, thats a hefty tip for what could be 5 - 30 seconds of work. And yes 27,000 USD in some of these countries where they hire from would be equivalent to over 100K / year if you lived here so yes they are extremely wealthy in their homeland.

I completely agree with you 100%. I go to a pub 1-2 times a month, and always tip $1.00 per beer. I just can't imagine tipping 40% per drink. Honestly believe 18% is too much to pop open a beer, or mix up a simple drink. A good bartender can take care of maybe 25 drinks an hour (or more) at $1.5 to $2.00 a drink. Yikes, that is no small change for pouring some drinks. People make out that the people on the ship are charity cases and need some kind of help. Not to mention how sad it is to be away from family etc. These people are not charity cases. They are happy, or they don't renew. My last cruise, the one bartender stated he worked for 10 years on ships. Doesn't sound like someone that needs charity. It's not even our business to know how much they make.

I tip 18% and am happy with knowing that they are getting a fair tip.

I completely agree with you 100%. I go to a pub 1-2 times a month, and always tip $1.00 per beer. I just can't imagine tipping 40% per drink. Honestly believe 18% is too much to pop open a beer, or mix up a simple drink. A good bartender can take care of maybe 25 drinks an hour (or more) at $1.5 to $2.00 a drink. Yikes, that is no small change for pouring some drinks. People make out that the people on the ship are charity cases and need some kind of help. Not to mention how sad it is to be away from family etc. These people are not charity cases. They are happy, or they don't renew. My last cruise, the one bartender stated he worked for 10 years on ships. Doesn't sound like someone that needs charity. It's not even our business to know how much they make.

 

 

 

I tip 18% and am happy with knowing that they are getting a fair tip.

Charity? Not even close, it's their pay.

I completely agree with you 100%. I go to a pub 1-2 times a month, and always tip $1.00 per beer. I just can't imagine tipping 40% per drink. Honestly believe 18% is too much to pop open a beer, or mix up a simple drink. A good bartender can take care of maybe 25 drinks an hour (or more) at $1.5 to $2.00 a drink. Yikes, that is no small change for pouring some drinks. People make out that the people on the ship are charity cases and need some kind of help. Not to mention how sad it is to be away from family etc. These people are not charity cases. They are happy, or they don't renew. My last cruise, the one bartender stated he worked for 10 years on ships. Doesn't sound like someone that needs charity. It's not even our business to know how much they make.

 

I tip 18% and am happy with knowing that they are getting a fair tip.

I tip 18% too and I think that's a good enough tip to expect good service.

You don't have to tip anything extra, but we do. Not every time. But we get to know our pool bar servers and then tip $1 every time they bring us a drink. Just what we do, but not everyone has to do that.

We do this.

I always tip a least $1.00 per round.

 

More if I need a soda for the kids.

 

I know it's not necessary but I was an industry guy for many years so I can relate.

 

Plus I can almost always walk up to a crowded pool bar and get my drinks faster than the people who have been waiting a while.....

I also agree with this. If I walk up to a crowded bar I almost always get served faster because they recognize me from tipping them a little extra.

We usually tip $1 per round.

I also agree with this. If I walk up to a crowded bar I almost always get served faster because they recognize me from tipping them a little extra.

We were in a suite on our last cruise on Royal so we got 'free' drinks in the suites lounge. I always gave the bartender a dollar for every round for the two of us. Amazing, after doing that twice, he reached for the Black Jack when I walked in. My drink was ready by the time I got to the bar.

We had the package and I tipped $1 extra a drink if someone brought it to me or if the bartender was mixing something. I didn't if it was just cracking open a beer or handing over a bottle of water. I know we've already spent $ on the drink package but $1 a drink particularly if someone delivers it to me, seems okay to me.

I do not tip extra and 99% of the time they do not give you a receipt anyway so the only way you could tip would be in cash.

Personally, I think it's nice to be recognized/rewarded for doing a good job. If a certain bartender or wait staff pays attention to what I'm drinking, brings it how I like it and/or pays extra attention to me, why not tip them extra?

To each their own obviously but then again, I tend to tip the ice cream truck guy because there are just certain jobs in customer service that deserve to be rewarded.

And as said before, those being rewarded tend to remember and appreciate it by looking out for me. (For the same reason I always tip my cabin steward at the beginning of my trip).

We had the package and I tipped $1 extra a drink if someone brought it to me or if the bartender was mixing something. I didn't if it was just cracking open a beer or handing over a bottle of water. I know we've already spent $ on the drink package but $1 a drink particularly if someone delivers it to me, seems okay to me.

To me if they bring it to me that is the service so a dollar seems small change and worth it if it saves me plus they have a tray and less likely to spill drink than if i had to carry our drinks back.

43 cruises and counting.

I tip $1 per round ($1 per drink at an all inclusive resort). Your bartender will remember you and make you a good drink and, if they are serving you on the beach or at the pool, they'll come back to get you another drink before the other people who aren't tipping. It is a win-win situation.

I will usually tip extra if it's someone who serves me a few times. I know some feel 18% is not enough so they will tip on top of that, but I'll tip above the standard if I feel they performed above the standard as well.

There are usually one or two servers/bartenders I end up giving a little extra to towards the end of the cruise. At the same time, out of several I see just once or twice after getting that drink, I don't tip above the standard 18% already included in my drink package.

I just did the math. Last night, I went to my pub. Tipped $1.00 per beer, which is normal because at the end of the night, I can't do the math ;). The tip is within the 15-18% range per drink. Now, if I actually drank that much on the ship, where I passed the 9 beer a night mark, I might be a little on the low side for tips, but since I usually just break even with the drinks, and look at the water and coffee as free perks with it, than I see no reason of doubling that amount of tips. Why is it necessary to tip 30-40% for a bottle of beer, even if it is delivered to your seat? It's like on vacation, people start throwing $1 bills around.

Now, I really don't care what others do, and I'm sure bartenders are happy with 40% tips, so go ahead and continue, but I'm keeping with my prepaid tip, and that's more than enough.

I just did the math. Last night, I went to my pub. Tipped $1.00 per beer, which is normal because at the end of the night, I can't do the math ;). The tip is within the 15-18% range per drink. Now, if I actually drank that much on the ship, where I passed the 9 beer a night mark, I might be a little on the low side for tips, but since I usually just break even with the drinks, and look at the water and coffee as free perks with it, than I see no reason of doubling that amount of tips. Why is it necessary to tip 30-40% for a bottle of beer, even if it is delivered to your seat? It's like on vacation, people start throwing $1 bills around.

 

Now, I really don't care what others do, and I'm sure bartenders are happy with 40% tips, so go ahead and continue, but I'm keeping with my prepaid tip, and that's more than enough.

The only bar staff i give extra to normally are the DL waiters or if we are using our 3 free Diamond drinks in a bar then in both cases i will give $1 per drink.

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I have struggled with this issue. I have not generally tipped above the 18% included in the package. I have also had trouble getting additional drinks if I don't tip extra on the first receipt. I have seen others tip a $1.00 extra in cash and been served more regularly by waiters and also given priority while standing at the bars. As someone else said, "Cash is king". I get that but, it does bother me a bit. I have the same problem in the specialty restaurants. To be honest, I feel the staff expect an additional amount. I asked about it once and the staff member said, "Well yes if you feel you received exceptional service". I was thinking but, I did tip. What to do? What to do? :confused: Sometimes I miss the old days before the packages when every 5 minutes a waiter was asking if you wanted another drink :p.

The only bar staff i give extra to normally are the DL waiters or if we are using our 3 free Diamond drinks in a bar then in both cases i will give $1 per drink.

 

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I Don't look at them as being in the same "class" of tips as other areas, because the drinks in that lounge is separate for everything else so they are tipped appropriately.

I have struggled with this issue. I have not generally tipped above the 18% included in the package. I have also had trouble getting additional drinks if I don't tip extra on the first receipt. I have seen others tip a $1.00 extra in cash and been served more regularly by waiters and also given priority while standing at the bars. As someone else said, "Cash is king". I get that but, it does bother me a bit. I have the same problem in the specialty restaurants. To be honest, I feel the staff expect an additional amount. I asked about it once and the staff member said, "Well yes if you feel you received exceptional service". I was thinking but, I did tip. What to do? What to do? :confused: Sometimes I miss the old days before the packages when every 5 minutes a waiter was asking if you wanted another drink :p.

I know what you mean and sometimes i feel that they expect even more.

On a 7 night cruise i prepay our tips plus an additional $200 in cash and am still sometimes made to feel it wasn't enough.

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