For Garden Villa folks - yet another tipping question....yeah, I know...

First, let me say please no lectures! I am an experienced cruiser who is not trying to get out of tipping! That said....

We (cruisin' buddy daughter, son, daughter-in-law, the smartest most beautiful 2&4 year old girls in the world, and old me) are sailing soon to Bermuda on the Dawn again. Amazingly, we had a 2 bedroom family suite and when I upbid to a Garden Villa it was accepted ([emoji322][emoji122][emoji322])! My question is this - what do you folks in Garden Villas think is good for baseline tips?

We usually travel suites and don't really use the services of the butler (and in the lesser suites on the Bermuda runs they can be VERY busy). To answer the question, usually: no we don't eat ensuite (although we will this time), only ask that the coffee machine be refilled occasionally, and we've often requested no afternoon treats. For a 7 day cruise, I use $100 as a baseline for the butler and slide up or down accordingly and $75 for the steward as there's usually only two of us although that will be at least doubled this time. For this cruise, it will be different for the butler, of course. I've read that they just have the two villas and are much more attentive, so thinking $250-$300 as baseline. I'm figuring $100 for the concierge who's services we really won't ask anything of, but would be interested to see what others think for the butler.

Thanks!

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Is the assurance of a bunch of internet forum strangers important?

Tip whatever YOU feel comfortable giving. Nobody on this forum can make you tip more or tip less.

Is the assurance of a bunch of internet forum strangers important?

 

Tip whatever YOU feel comfortable giving. Nobody on this forum can make you tip more or tip less.

The OP is trying to help thing through what is "reasonable". Not looking for anyone to TELL him what to do. Valid questions and difficult to determine.

We have done 2 BR suite a couple of times and always wrestle with this stuff. We rarely do dining in the suite. We tend to pick up after ourselves. We usually take care of any reservations on our own.

Again, I always wrestle with this and open to a discussion.

I think you're a little light on the butler. You're gonna find the butler to be pretty attentive up in the GV. Just keep an open mind about it; don't set out thinking you're not going to use the butler. Also, the butler being "busy" or not is just not your problem. If you wanted to manage people's time, you could stay home and go to work.

As for the concierge, I think you're heavy, but that's because I don't use them, and in the past have tipped them exactly $0 -- one was utterly useless when I did try to use them. I hear these days he's grown up and become rather respected. I had him on one of his first posts as concierge. I think though, you'll probably find that the concierge will be all up in your s\\\ for most of the week trying to be useful.

The steward? Meh... maybe a tad heavy. They're in the DSC pool (according to lore). $40 - $50 maybe?

Is the assurance of a bunch of internet forum strangers important?

 

Tip whatever YOU feel comfortable giving. Nobody on this forum can make you tip more or tip less.

Actually, this is no different for me than doing research for cabins or excursions. I've been a suite pax before so I'm not looking for validation - I'm looking for ideas from people with experience.

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Thanks,triptolemus! From what I've read this will be a somewhat different experience than in the other suites. We weren't being nice to the butler - they were just pretty non-existent in our suite experiences. In fact, I dropped one butler's tip way down because she was quite touchy the only time we asked for something. We added it to the steward's tip because he was delightful. We stopped the snacks because there was just too much food! (Who says that on a cruise? [emoji38]). Otherwise, we're just happy loners so we don't want much of anything.

I don't use the concierge either, as I make my own reservations and am not particularly interested in being escorted anywhere, but she's already reached out to me, which clued me in to how different an experience this will be.

I totally understand garycarla. Like you, we keep the room neat - in fact, DD & I live out of our suitcases so there's usually not much for the steward to do.

Appreciate your input - it gives me a good place to start from. This will be an interesting cruise!

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Congratulations on your upsell. I treat the room steward and concierge about the same as I would in a regular suite. Room steward is part of dsc and so the same extra I normally give seems adequate. Concierge we had was excellent and got a good tip but again no more than I would give if in a regular suite. Butler is the guy who really made our vacation. I would leave it open depending on service, but the biggest difference we found was that the GV was like having a ship within the Haven. Pretty much anything we wanted was delivered ensuite and butler took care of. At first I was thinking $10 pp pd for him but i doubled it. I think that was an amount that he knew was a genuine, "I appreciate you VERY much." I know it's personal and different for everyone depending on needs, who party consists of... but that's where I ended up on a comfort level.

We tip $15 per person per day to the Butler and $10 per person per day to the Concierge and to the Room Steward for average levels of service. We adjust the amounts up or down depending on the received level of service. I know the Room Steward is covered by the DSC but we like to tip them extra.

To minimize the amount of cash we bring, we put their tips on Vouchers that are charged to our onboard account. If we are on B2B2B cruises, we tip them at the end of each segment for services received during the segment. We do the because especially for the butlers at the end of each segment they may be assigned to different rooms or night duty on the next segment.

Another way we like to reward the Butler and/or Concierge if we get chummy with them is to take them out to dinner at the Speciality Restaurant of their choice on the date and time that works for them. The Concierge needs the permission of the Hotel Director and the Butler needs the permission of the Concierge.

I would treat it as 3 cabins. However it is not quite 3 times the work. The concierge doesn't work any harder escorting 6 people rather than 2. The butler has to come to your room but the difference is the amount of food he drops off. In this equation the room steward is cleaning 4 bathrooms instead of 1 and changing 3 sets of towels rather than 1. Something to think about.

I would treat it as 3 cabins. However it is not quite 3 times the work. The concierge doesn't work any harder escorting 6 people rather than 2. The butler has to come to your room but the difference is the amount of food he drops off. In this equation the room steward is cleaning 4 bathrooms instead of 1 and changing 3 sets of towels rather than 1. Something to think about.

Peachypooh - That is where tipping according to a per person formula as I suggested comes in. It tends to care of the factors you suggest.

Another way we like to reward the Butler and/or Concierge if we get chummy with them is to take them out to dinner at the Speciality Restaurant of their choice on the date and time that works for them. The Concierge needs the permission of the Hotel Director and the Butler needs the permission of the Concierge.

It's hard to imagine anything more awkward...wow.

We have been fortunate enough to cruise 2 times in a garden villa. The service is second to none in the villa. It is not like cruising in a normal suite. We tipped $800 the first cruise (5 adults), and $500 the second cruise (2 adults, but holiday cruise). I think the tipping in the villa should be whatever you would normally tip times 3 at least, because you essentially are in 3 suites.

You will most likely spend a LOT more time in the villa than in other suites. It's huge and it feels like private yachting but on a mega ship.

Great information - thank you all! I have to admit, maja651, that after the first excitement calmed down and the family saw the videos of the suite, they all said "Wow! It'll be too hard to leave the suite!" Since there's a 4 year old who's determined to go on the glass bottom boat and see the fishes they have another thing coming! [emoji38]. It will definitely be wonderful and I appreciate the all advice!

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We have done a few GV cruises and always play it by ear. You will find the Butler very attentive and just might love eating some breakfasts at the great big table. I think you should use your baseline and do what's comfortable fit you. The Room Steward also is cleaning a lot more than a regular suite. If the Dawn is the same as the Jewel Class ships there is also a wonderful young man who comes every day and puts out ten outdoor pillows and umbrellas and then takes them dowm at night. Keep in mind you're in a room that's usually well in the $12-15,000 range for one week so expectations are high but doing what is appropriate is a personal choice only you can make.

Your base numbers are fair enough adjust accordingly.

Thanks! The Dawn GV usually goes for about $21,000 a week (which is not what I paid), and that sizeable jump from PH suites is why I was looking for some info. I didn't know about that young man - adding another envelope!

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OK... I'm confused on here. Are these IN ADDITION to the standard gratuities? I do understand that the butler and concierge are *in addition*... but, $800 for 7 days between these 2?

It's my first time in the Haven. We will have 5 people in a 2br villa (Escape). I guess I thought customary was $50 for the butler and $100 for concierge.

As the original poster said... I'm not trying to be skimpy or disrespectful of Haven service. I'm just trying to understand reasonable and customary.

OK... I'm confused on here. Are these IN ADDITION to the standard gratuities? I do understand that the butler and concierge are *in addition*... but, $800 for 7 days between these 2?

 

It's my first time in the Haven. We will have 5 people in a 2br villa (Escape). I guess I thought customary was $50 for the butler and $100 for concierge.

 

As the original poster said... I'm not trying to be skimpy or disrespectful of Haven service. I'm just trying to understand reasonable and customary.

From my experience, and from what I have read on CC most people give a larger tip to the butler than the Concierge. Butlers have usually about 10 to 12 suites where the Concierge assists all of the suite passengers.

My rule of thumb, which I've read a lot of people have said is $10 per person per day for the Butler and $5 to $10 per day for the Concierge. For three or more passengers I would add $5 a day per person for the butler and $3-$5 a day more for the concierge. And I would definitely adjust up if the service was great, or I had a lot of extra things I asked for. Or I would adjust down if the service was lacking especially after I made notice of it to be corrected, (this happened on my first cruise.)

After several cruises that were not megaships I cruised on the Epic and for the first time we had assistant concierges and I gave them each extra as well. I'm not sure if the concierge tips them out or not but we gave them extra. We also found the service in the Epic club to be stellar and we tipped the maître d' and servers a little extra because they were so good.

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Hi kittykitty576! These are in addition to the DSC as the butler and the Concierge aren't part of those. The reason I was looking for some information is that there are only two Garden Villas on the Dawn and there is one butler between the two. Given the normal cost of the GV, it will mean a different level of service as well as a different type of trip (we'll be in the suite more and I'm sure we'll dine ensuite), so the normal tip I usually leave wouldn't be appropriate. By getting some information from others who have been there, I can get a good idea of how much more to hit my "kids" up for. Bah-hahaha! [emoji57]

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The kid setting up the outside areas and steam room can be great and deserve an extra tip but your mileage may vary. We gave ours extra and he seemed quite shocked to receive. He also set up common areas of Haven so not sure he is typically a tipped position.

If you set up times that you want steam room on, chairs set up and he gets it done that probably worth something in my mind.

The GV requires a little extra maintenance and as a result can tend to be almost a public space at times. There's no make up room or privacy dial on the outside of the villa, just on the specific bedrooms. The door bell won't even be heard if outside because the suite is just too big. We were not too keen on Having room steward making up beds after we returned from being gone all day in port. The butler can make sure maint done when you are out of the room. He however will be around more often but isn't intrusive or creepy. It's not like a regular suite where he comes and fills coffee, checks on you and delivery of afternoon treats. He's in making sure you have the berries for smoothies, bringing platters of food quite different from what you typically receive, restocking bars, making sure your laundry is sent off and returned right away, taking notice and ensuring you have everything you want inside the room.

Not sure about the Dawn but On the jewel class each of the two Haven butlers have one side of the Haven. So each GV has a different butler. Judging from past Haven jewel class sailings the butler spends a lot more time on the GV but still has the Haven suites on that side of the Haven so best to let him know in advance what time you want breakfast or anything special delivered. They alternate rotation every two weeks with night shift butler rotation being their easiest two week rotation and GV/Haven rotation being probably the busiest rotation. There is only one butler for all suites on nights. We never used this person but they are on call if say you have jet lag and wanted some food in the middle of the night. I assume if you used them it would be appropriate to tip upon delivery because you probably won't see them daily.

Thank you, littlelulu01! This is why I started this thread - so much good information. On the Dawn to the best of my knowledge (we sailed her several times before the latest refurb) there isn't a Haven. And the level of service you describe deserves a larger gratuity...thanks for the warning about others being in the area! We won't be surprised by them [emoji38].

My DIL was thrilled to hear about the steam room and plans to use it, so the kid will have more duties than the towels. We're also bringing a little inflatable toddler pool for our 2 year old since we have so much room. I am planning to fill and drain it every day, but I have a feeling I'll be losing that chore from what was said on my thread on the Family board....

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Thank you, littlelulu01! This is why I started this thread - so much good information. On the Dawn to the best of my knowledge (we sailed her several times before the latest refurb) there isn't a Haven. And the level of service you describe deserves a larger gratuity...thanks for the warning about others being in the area! We won't be surprised by them [emoji38].

 

My DIL was thrilled to hear about the steam room and plans to use it, so the kid will have more duties than the towels. We're also bringing a little inflatable toddler pool for our 2 year old since we have so much room. I am planning to fill and drain it every day, but I have a feeling I'll be losing that chore from what was said on my thread on the Family board....

 

 

 

 

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The steam room is great. I think it takes about 1/2 hour to heat and has an automatic turn off an hour or so after turn on so you'll want to ask in advance for set up. We knew we wanted to take a steam every morning so had the deck steward turn on at set times every day. You can also have them set temperature on hot tub for instance it was very hot outside on our first week. When outside temperatures cooled down second week we had them turn up and our hot tub was much warmer than public area hot tubs. In your case with little ones you can have temp turned down to make it safer for them. tub empties itself on the last night of the cruise, but not till the middle of the night so on debarkation morning there isn't any water in it. They clean in out weekly and it takes a few hours to warm back up.

Good to know. I like the automatic turn off so now I know I don't have to check on DIL in the steam room...OK...maybe once! I suspect the hot tub will be used by DIL and DS and DD would like to use it but wants to find out if it's cleaned well (little OCD there) first. Looking forward to this!

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We were in the GV on the Dawn last year to Bermuda. There were six of us and we tipped the butler around $6-700 (I don't recall exactly). The concierge we only used twice. Once the wait for the main dining room was very long and he took us through a back door and straight to a table and the other he got us into Cagney's immediately when their first availability was 9:30pm. So we tipped him $200.

I will say that we've had butlers on our past five cruises and the butler in the GV was the most attentive. BTW, if you are going in summer then have him bring you a blender and frozen drink mixes. :)

And, as has already been said, you will find that you will not want to leave the room. There were six of us and we rarely left the room. No need. It was very private and the courtyard was spectacular.

Have Fun!

This is great information! We are in the GV next May to Bermuda for my daughter's college graduation cruise! I was thinking about tripling my usual tips for suites, but since I also think we will be spending more time in the GV, the higher amounts are probably worthwhile.

Can anyone tell me if we should consider the Thermal Suite passes? We usually get them, and since this cruise will have lots of sea days, I was thinking about it. However, the GV has a hot tub and sauna, so though it might be superfluous. I could save the $$ for the tips!

This is great information! We are in the GV next May to Bermuda for my daughter's college graduation cruise! I was thinking about tripling my usual tips for suites, but since I also think we will be spending more time in the GV, the higher amounts are probably worthwhile.

Can anyone tell me if we should consider the Thermal Suite passes? We usually get them, and since this cruise will have lots of sea days, I was thinking about it. However, the GV has a hot tub and sauna, so though it might be superfluous. I could save the $$ for the tips!

We typically get spa passes but had no need for them in the GV. The hot tub is right there on your deck and is full size. Its pretty nice to just have all that available on deck along with whatever music you want.