How much did you tip your butler?

[Floridamom]

I know it's a personal thing........some people use their butler extensively, and some hardly use them at all........but trying to get a feel for what people have tipped their butler in the past.

[bigsweeps]

We tend to tip in the $200-$300 range for a 7 day cruise if they're good - but we use our butler for breakfast every day, usually dinner 50%, snacks/appetizers for parties, etc. All of the butler's we've had have done extras so I felt they deserved a minimum of $200 for their service. If I didn't use my butler, I would probably just do the standard $3.50pp per day rule just to be fair since they do deliver the canapes and things daily.

[Floridamom]

I know you mentioned on another post that the butler handles 7 suites on the Spirit. If each suite gave him $200.....that would be $1400/week cash. I might sign on for the job myself. :)

 

I was sorta figuring about $100 but I guess if they brought me a lot of meals, and served them $200 wouldn't kill me. I don't want to look cheap.

 

What about some other people? What have you tipped in the past?

 

Thanks.

[bigsweeps]

Actually - each butler handles 9 suites - so that could be $1800/week. Not too shabby! We did notice that about half the people in the suites didn't use the butlers much and probably didn't tip over $50. From what I've read on these boards, most people that do use the butlers frequently tip in the $150-$300 range.

[Bennett'sCruise]

I've got a question ....

 

I'm a little surprised that you have to tip the butler anything ... I mean, don't you have to pay about $12,000 EACH to stay in one of those really high end luxery suites??? I would think the butler would be very well taken care of already ....

 

Just wondering ....:rolleyes:

 

~Dianne

[KarlaC]

We didn't use our Butler frequently and this is how we tipped:

 

Each time he brought food or a movie we tipped him in cash. He seemed VERY appreciative since he could use the cash right away. We typically gave him $5.00 each meal he brought us...more if it was late at night (felt bad for him because we were being lazy). I must add that we did not have him serve us our meal...if that was the case then we probably would have tipped him more. At the end of the week we gave him an extra $100.00.

All summed up he probably got around $150 for the week. If we utilized his services to the full extent then we would have tipped more in the $200+ range.

[bigsweeps]

I've got a question ....

 

I'm a little surprised that you have to tip the butler anything ... I mean' date=' don't you have to pay about $12,000 EACH to stay in one of those really high end luxery suites??? I would think the butler would be very well taken care of already ....

 

Just wondering ....:rolleyes:

 

~Dianne[/quote']

 

Yes, the Garden Villas are in the $12,000-$19,000 range per person - but the butler isn't paid any more by NCL than perhaps a senior room steward. They make all their money on tips. If you can afford $24,000+ for the Garden Villa, I would think a few hundred dollars as a tip for a job well done wouldn't be a concern.

[Floridamom]

they basically work for their tips. The money you pay for the suite goes to NCL!! And yes, those villas do go for a fortune, but I'm in an AD on the Spirit, at a very reasonable price of a little over $2000/pp. I'll actually be on a 9 night cruise, so if he does a good job, I'm going to plan on $200-$300.

 

Thanks everyone for the information. :)

[Floridamom]

We were answering at the same time.