Tipping room service, how many $1 bills for 13 day cruise?

When ordering room service how much do you tip? $2-3? We are trying to figure out how many singles we should bring for R.S. tipping? We will have 2 cabins? $100?

Any advice/tips on this?

We normally order coffee & muffins as soon as we get up & tip $2. That's about the only room service we order unless one of us might be under the weather at lunch or dinner time and then tip $3 or $4. We ask our bank for enough $2 bills to cover us for room service & occasional help with my wife's wheelchair getting off the ship. We normally get at least 1 $2 bill for each sea day of the cruise and maybe 5 $2 bills for each port day which is always more than we need. Without considering wheelchair assistance, we'd probably get about 15-18 $2 bills for a 13 day cruise. We also make sure to have a few $5 & $10 bills for porters, taxi, etc. Without a need for wheelchair assistance, the $100 you mention should be adequate. :)

It is always good to carry some other small bills if you are going to the Caribbean. You will need them for the taxis, street vendors selling drinks and any other small purchases that don't accept credit cards.

You can alway get some singles from the purser if you run low.

How am I supposed to know how much you are likely to use room service?

I would normally tip 3-5 dollars per room service order (for up to two people).

Thank you everyone!

When ordering room service how much do you tip? $2-3? We are trying to figure out how many singles we should bring for R.S. tipping? We will have 2 cabins? $100?

 

Any advice/tips on this?

Don't forget small euros etc to use public washrooms! We didn't have that last year and alot of the vendors who controlled it then played the "we have no change" game

We normally bring $100 in $2 bills & $100 in $1 bills.

How many times in 13 days do you think you will use room service?

I get change at the service desk.

We normally bring $100 in $2 bills & $100 in $1 bills.

Are you serious? Do you really carry $2 bills? If so, you are quite unusual in that respect.

Are you serious? Do you really carry $2 bills? If so, you are quite unusual in that respect.

Call us unusual too...:p We always take $2 bills on cruises.... = half the space & yes, a little "unusual".:)

Call us unusual too...:p We always take $2 bills on cruises.... = half the space & yes, a little "unusual".:)

I love the idea especially since I didn't know $2.00 bills were even issued any longer :).

I love the idea especially since I didn't know $2.00 bills were even issued any longer :).

Our bank (BofA) usually has some on hand. If we want to be sure of getting 30 or 50 or whatever, we call a week ahead of time so they will have them for us.

Are you serious? Do you really carry $2 bills? If so, you are quite unusual in that respect.

Yup! We get them from the bank when we go on cruises. A lot of the staff think of them as good luck ;)

Yup! We get them from the bank when we go on cruises. A lot of the staff think of them as good luck ;)

Actually, most of the staff think $2 bills are a pain in the neck. Especially in Europe. They are not familiar currency to most of the young staff and they have a very hard time getting them exchanged. Dollar bills or better yet, 1 or 2 euro coins are just fine for tipping and MUCH more appreciated.

Giving a $2 bill will make you memorable as a passenger who made more work for them! :mad:

Yup! We get them from the bank when we go on cruises. A lot of the staff think of them as good luck ;)

They think $5 are even better luck.

Actually, most of the staff think $2 bills are a pain in the neck. Especially in Europe. They are not familiar currency to most of the young staff and they have a very hard time getting them exchanged. Dollar bills or better yet, 1 or 2 euro coins are just fine for tipping and MUCH more appreciated.

 

Giving a $2 bill will make you memorable as a passenger who made more work for them! :mad:

Lol ummm ok whatever.:rolleyes: They had no problem accepting them from us & they are the ones that actually told us they considered them good luck... so we will stick w/ what we prefer and you can tip how you prefer ;)

They think $5 are even better luck.

lmao I am sure they do!

Lol ummm ok whatever.:rolleyes: They had no problem accepting them from us & they are the ones that actually told us they considered them good luck... so we will stick w/ what we prefer and you can tip how you prefer ;)

"They" were being polite. Yet behind the scenes they are grumbling about those who give them. Most on board do not know what they are and neither do many places in Europe where they might exchange them. It is not cute nor memorable in the least.

Really? You were behind the scenes w/ them and heard them grumbling and being upset about receiving a tip. :rolleyes:

You really are too much. Get a life!

Really? You were behind the scenes w/ them and heard them grumbling and being upset about receiving a tip. :rolleyes:

Would a $2.00 bill for a tip be a problem in Alaska? Do the cruise employees spend their money on the economy or exchange it to send home? A $2.00 bill shouldn't be a problem anywhere in the U.S. :)

We plan room service twice a day for the room with boys and once a day for us. I use a $2 tip per delivery guide. If it's a big order they know to double up, but it all evens out in the end. With our room I use a once a day guide. I put the money in a envelope and stick it in a drawer so it's easy to get to.

When my father passed away many years back I found a US $2 bill in his things. Not being from the US I looked it up on the internet to see if they still made them. Yes, they did. I also read that they were most often used in strip clubs as 'stuffers'. :D Price has prob gone up by now...

I wasn't trying to create a problem with my post, I just find it unusual to find people who carry two dollar bills. I'm sure that anyone who receives any kind of tip is grateful for the tip.

When I was growing up, I'd heard that two dollar bills were bad luck. The explanation that I'd heard was that they got intermixed with singles and they often were exchanged as the smaller denomination. Of course, that's the same explanation that I'd heard about why those one dollar coins that were the same size as a quarter, never gained popularity.

I would rather carry 20 $2.00 bills than 40 $1.00 bills. :)

I would rather carry 20 $2.00 bills than 40 $1.00 bills. :)

You don't need to "carry" either!!!!!

Get change on board.....they always have singles.

And sorry to chime in on the $2 perception.....heard the same thing multiple times from people in the "know." Apparently, they are a royal pain in the arse to cash. Tip how you want....but message boards are a great source to get/pass along information and there will be a specific type of person that will take the information to heart and realize the inconvenience of cashing them might outweigh the cuteness and/or memorable aspect and stop using them for tips.

As far as the OP, we just got off 14 day TA. $3 for tea/desert, $5 for dinner items. Seems to be the norm.

Dawn