Elite Lounge Etiquette

[Cruisin' With The Fam!]

We are sailing on the Summit August 1st and this is my first time cruising as an Elite Member. I read in other posts that there is an Elite Lounge that will serve breakfast with cocktails and an evening happy hour with cocktails and passed bites. I did not know about this until reading posts on cruise critic and I have a few questions.

 

1)Are the alcoholic drinks included in the elite lounge for breakfast and evening happy hour?

 

2)If so, should I bring cash to tip servers since we will not be paying for our drinks and how much should I tip them?

 

My thought is that if we are not paying for our drinks, the servers are not getting gratuities I would hate for them to feel shorted. I have also found that on other cruises if you tip your servers, they are more likely to get you what you want faster. I guess I don’t want to be ignorant.

 

Thanks :)

[Peteymil]

The drinks are included-they are part of your elite perks.

[Texed]

1)Are the alcoholic drinks included in the elite lounge for breakfast and evening happy hour?

Yes!

 

2)If so' date=' should I bring cash to tip servers since we will not be paying for our drinks and how much should I tip them?

Thanks :)[/quote']

It is up to you, but I tipped $1.00 or $2.00 per drink. :)

[cruisestitch]

We considered that the drinks were complimentary, as is the welcome sparkling wine, the toast at the Captain's Welcome, and so forth and as such, did not tip the servers at the time of service. That being said, once we got to know a particular waiter in the Elite lounge, we tipped him toward the end of the cruise. YMMV.

[Snit13]

We have not gone to Michael's Club (which is the Elite lounge) in the morning as we ususally have breakfast in our room. That being said, we do go EVERY evening to meet with fellow Captain's Club elite members and to enjoy the drinks and discuss our days activities. We always tip the servers. As someone said you usually get better service if they know you tip.

 

Go to Captain's Club site and check out the other perks for elite.

 

Grace

[Katie H]

The Captain's Club Hostess told us that the servers in the Elite lounge are paid extra for that duty since they are not gettint tipped on every drink served. But we also tipped them as did the others in our group. We all tipped on the next to last night. The service was excellent for the entire cruise.

[dzcruisers]

We tipped nightly because it seemed we had a different waiter each night we went. We were told by our hostess that the waiters are paid $10. for the 2 hours by X.

Breakfast has bloody mary's, mimosas etc. and a continental breakfast. They also had smoothies.

[jackdiamond]

I always tipped $1.00, per drink, or other service.

[spencerdrivecruiser]

For a seven day cruise the lucky server on the last morning gets $20.

 

At night we tip individually when they bring our drinks over, normally $1.00 per drink and considering they are free its a real bargain.

[goose30]

Complementary or not the servers deserve a tip. $20 on the last day and $1 per is quite nice. $1 per would be sufficient. IMO.

[teajak]

We usually have the same waiter and he remembers our drink preference, we tip every night and add more on the last night. What a bargain, fun also.

[Redtravel]

At the end of the cruise or the end of a night, I tip. Although they gladly take tips, they are usually so busy that to tip when you get each drink is often a nuisance. I also saw many people never tip and they also had good service. Since the tipping is already built in and charged to your cabin and they make an extra $10/night these guys really make out big time. I didn't know about the $10 extra until now. Tip or not is your choice. Don't feel obligated. Have a good time. It's a perk for being a good customer. I belong to a chain hotel elite program that has lounges where drinks, etc are served and they never take tips. They say it is their pleasure to reward you for you continued loyalty. That takes the tipping problem to new places.

[CrabbyHarper]

I tip $1 per drink, when it is served to me. It takes less than a few seconds for the server to pocket the tip. One of the pleasures of having a discretionary income is to tip someone who works so hard to please.

[zoncom]

The kids work hard for under $5 hour. We tipped at end cruise. Be sure to bring nice clothes you will wear to dinner later. Shorts are a nono.

[CRUZBUDS]

I have only taken advantage of the Diamond event on Royal -- I asked our servers if they would be with us for the full cruise and they said they would be.

 

That made it easy -- we tipped them both at the end in an envelope with a thank you note. Our service could not have been better. The good times and people we met there was one of the highlights of our trip.

 

We have a few ones handy in the cabin if we order room service, but otherwise we don't carry any cash aboard the ship. I'm sure a lot of people you observe not tipping, do so at the end -- It seems to me to be much more classy and much easier for all concerned. When I asked if they would be our servers all week they knew we would be taking care of them at the end.

 

If you only use it occasionally and a cash tip at the time of service would be appreciated.

[keela1eva2]

I was on a BTB and I tipped at the end of the first week and again on the 2nd last day. This was in Michaels for breakfast. Our evening was in the Sky lounge and I really didn't like that room so only went along once plus another evening when there was a CC event on.

 

Sue

[gagirl7143]

We always tip every couple of days.

[dzcruisers]

I have only taken advantage of the Diamond event on Royal -- I asked our servers if they would be with us for the full cruise and they said they would be.

 

That made it easy -- we tipped them both at the end in an envelope with a thank you note. Our service could not have been better. The good times and people we met there was one of the highlights of our trip.

 

We have a few ones handy in the cabin if we order room service, but otherwise we don't carry any cash aboard the ship. I'm sure a lot of people you observe not tipping, do so at the end -- It seems to me to be much more classy and much easier for all concerned. When I asked if they would be our servers all week they knew we would be taking care of them at the end.

 

If you only use it occasionally and a cash tip at the time of service would be appreciated.

 

What we found at the Elite lounge was that servers varied so to be sure those who served us got tipped we tipped each day. I don't think class has anything to do with it!

[Cruisin' With The Fam!]

Thank you everyone for the input! I think I will bring some money each night and give a little more at the end of the week for the servers who were always good. :D

[mardon]

True they get $l0 for those 2 hrs. Look what you are saving by not having to pay for those drinks. Tip each night because they wait staff might change. I believe they pool those tips. What a fantastic perk.

 

What is $l tip when you are saving maybe $5-7 per drink.

 

We have been on many cruises and have met many people in the Michaels Club who have told us they DON'T TIP because they feel Celebrity owes them. Shame on them. After we hear that we don't socialize with those people anymore when we see them in the Michaels Club and we make sure not save them a seat.

 

TIP TIP TIP they work very hard

[tompeter]

Mardon, I love your perspective on things! If we ever cross paths at the afternoon cocktail hour, The first TIP is on me.:D

[jackdiamond]

Mardon. I totally agree with your observations. There are certain people in this world who are best ignored; and, those who you describe are at the head of the class

[C 2 C]

 

We have been on many cruises and have met many people in the Michaels Club who have told us they DON'T TIP because they feel Celebrity owes them. Shame on them. After we hear that we don't socialize with those people anymore when we see them in the Michaels Club and we make sure not save them a seat.

 

On one voyage we were joined at our nightly table by one couple because they had noticed how well we were served. When he saw that I tipped the waiter he questioned why I did that when Celebrity owes us this perk... :eek::rolleyes:

There are some very nice people working Michaels' who work hard rushing from table to table, but they remember those who appreciate their efforts and their friendly service.

[atb]

We tip the first night - and our wait person sees us enter the room, we have excellant service. We tip every few days - we do not tip every day - it works for us.

[Blue Lagoon]

I can't say enough about how wonderful and lovely the staff are during the Elite events in the Michael's Club. I have absolutely never seen a grim face no matter how run off their feet they may be.

quote=Xellent;25375403]On one voyage we were joined at our nightly table by one couple because they had noticed how well we were served. When he saw that I tipped the waiter he questioned why I did that when Celebrity owes us this perk... :eek::rolleyes:

There are some very nice people working Michaels' who work hard rushing from table to table, but they remember those who appreciate their efforts and their friendly service.