Elite Status: What is the big deal?

[awhfy]

Don't know why you got strange looks when tipping the drinks waiter. I always do and most of the people I know do as well. I also tip the people in Bacio when I get my free coffee there and the waiters at the breakfast when I go.

 

 

 

I could give a rip about the "status," but I sure do enjoy the perks.

 

 

 

Linda

 

 

 

 

 

Agree, don't care about the "status", but really enjoy the perks. We always tip at social hour & breakfast & coffee bar. Never had a strange look. Melody

 

 

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[ATLfuzzy]

Free internet time, some laundry/drycleaning perks.....many other things..but the espresso and cocktails do it for me.

 

I love the program.

[parallax]

I agree that most people do not take issue with tipping. However, there are a minority that do not like the extra cash gratuity for one reason or another. I think the great majority of us would agree that the service on Celebrity greatly exceeds what we find onshore. The difference between service at the Cheesecake Factory and on the ship can be quite significant. Accordingly, to appreciate the higher quality of service, we tend to tip somewhat frequently. We also give an extra tip to those at the end of the cruise that have provided exceptional service.

 

Of course, there are some perks from tipping. During our last cruise, my daughter and I would go down to the Passport Bar for a drink while my wife was getting ready from dinner. My daughter bonded with the bartender Solomon on the first day of the trip. They went out of there way to make inventive mocktails for here. They would start preparing my drink the moment they saw me. We ended up getting to know the bartenders very well and in part it was because of the tipping. I discovered during the course of conversing with one of the bartenders that he used to live in Brazil. I would have never guessed that because he was from Romania. He proceeded to make the best Caipirinha I have had outside of Sao Paulo. I never order the drink outside of Brazil because it is hard drink to get right.

 

On one cruise, I did have one passenger interrupt me as I was pulling out a tip for the server. She mentioned that it was not necessary as the tip was included. I informed her that I was aware of it but I was providing an extra tip. She seemed annoyed and said to her husband, thinking it was out of earshot, that we already tip too much and that I was "rocking" the boat. I think there is a small extremely cost conscious group out there that want to spend as little as possible as extracting as much as they can. Within that group is a miserly subset that extends saving money by not tipping or reducing the mandatory tips. I think that the miserly subset is not happy when others are active tippers.

[4774Papa]

I agree that most people do not take issue with tipping. However, there are a minority that do not like the extra cash gratuity for one reason or another. I think the great majority of us would agree that the service on Celebrity greatly exceeds what we find onshore. The difference between service at the Cheesecake Factory and on the ship can be quite significant. Accordingly, to appreciate the higher quality of service, we tend to tip somewhat frequently. We also give an extra tip to those at the end of the cruise that have provided exceptional service.

 

Of course, there are some perks from tipping. During our last cruise, my daughter and I would go down to the Passport Bar for a drink while my wife was getting ready from dinner. My daughter bonded with the bartender Solomon on the first day of the trip. They went out of there way to make inventive mocktails for here. They would start preparing my drink the moment they saw me. We ended up getting to know the bartenders very well and in part it was because of the tipping. I discovered during the course of conversing with one of the bartenders that he used to live in Brazil. I would have never guessed that because he was from Romania. He proceeded to make the best Caipirinha I have had outside of Sao Paulo. I never order the drink outside of Brazil because it is hard drink to get right.

 

On one cruise, I did have one passenger interrupt me as I was pulling out a tip for the server. She mentioned that it was not necessary as the tip was included. I informed her that I was aware of it but I was providing an extra tip. She seemed annoyed and said to her husband, thinking it was out of earshot, that we already tip too much and that I was "rocking" the boat. I think there is a small extremely cost conscious group out there that want to spend as little as possible as extracting as much as they can. Within that group is a miserly subset that extends saving money by not tipping or reducing the mandatory tips. I think that the miserly subset is not happy when others are active tippers.

I agree with you about tipping extra for great service. I take a wag of $1 bills and with great service leave a couple of dollars extra.

Also, at the elite happy hour, I tip a dollar here and there.

[jsf]

It's only a BIG deal to people that want it to be.

J.

[Onessa]

We very occassionally may use the laundry and a few minutes of internet access. Convenient, but I can live without. Fortunately the itineraries we pick have few tender ports -- we've done one X cruise with a stop in Santorini where everyone tenders - so while priority tender is a perk I appreciate, I hve had little experience enjoying it :)

 

We typically cruise for the ports, not the ship experience. We will research and stop at a great local spot for lunch on-shore and if we are enjoying our "fine dining" at lunch, pair a great local wine or beer with that meal. The elite cocktail hour typically is not all that lively so we tend not to go or spend little time.

 

The affinity program as now set up really does not incent me to cruise X or RCCI. Personally, I would prefer that they cut those perks rather than continue to cut corners elsewhere -- less pay-per-visit dining options, better food, swap out the linens on a more frequent basis, more live music, . . . those types of things.

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

 

On one cruise, I did have one passenger interrupt me as I was pulling out a tip for the server. She mentioned that it was not necessary as the tip was included. I informed her that I was aware of it but I was providing an extra tip. She seemed annoyed and said to her husband, thinking it was out of earshot, that we already tip too much and that I was "rocking" the boat. I think there is a small extremely cost conscious group out there that want to spend as little as possible as extracting as much as they can. Within that group is a miserly subset that extends saving money by not tipping or reducing the mandatory tips. I think that the miserly subset is not happy when others are active tippers.

 

You could have smiled sweetly at her and said, "Madam, you may choose to be a cheapskate. I choose to be generous." Bet that would have shut her up.

[A Sixth?]

Elite status: What is the big deal? :eek:

 

Hours of wintertime pre and post cruise chat board entertainment... that's a pretty big deal. :p:p

Edited October 28, 2014 by A Sixth?

[fleckle]

No big deal, but some nice extra perks.

 

If you don't care for them, that's fine and certainly your prerogative, but nothing to be concerned about in the slightest as nobody ever forces you to use any of them. ;)

 

[just_looking]

Agree 100%, but I'm curious what type of underwear do you have that is so heavy? Chain mail????

 

This totally cracked me up, mostly because last year I read a packing article that instructed me to buy panties at Victoria's Secret. So I did, and you know what? VS panties take up a lot less room in the suitcase than my previous brand! :o

[Cruise Raider]

Nope, sorry.

 

We love the Elite Cocktail time, the free internet, free laundry, free dry cleaning, priority tendering, etc. While we don't use all of the perks we use many and they have greatly added to our cruising experience.

 

I agree...love the benefits!!

[BosoxI]

Don't know why you got strange looks when tipping the drinks waiter. I always do and most of the people I know do as well. I also tip the people in Bacio when I get my free coffee there and the waiters at the breakfast when I go.

 

I could give a rip about the "status," but I sure do enjoy the perks.

 

Linda

 

 

Yup, I always tip a few dollars at the Elite breakfast/cocktail hour, and it's not totally altruistic, as the next time i see that waiter/bartender, he'll generally remember me and that can't be bad.

[stones902]

My custom in the past has been to tip the concierge & bar staff all at once at the conclusion of the cruise. This is of course assuming that the room is staffed by the same people the entire voyage. I would just prefer to take care of everything at once at the end rather than carrying small bills.

 

The amount I tip is proportional to the amount of time we use the lounge and the services requested and received. The amount we give is in cash and always on top of the standard gratuity mentioned in the cruise materials.

 

 

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[Happy Cruiser 6143]

My custom in the past has been to tip the concierge & bar staff all at once at the conclusion of the cruise. This is of course assuming that the room is staffed by the same people the entire voyage. I would just prefer to take care of everything at once at the end rather than carrying small bills.

 

The amount I tip is proportional to the amount of time we use the lounge and the services requested and received. The amount we give is in cash and always on top of the standard gratuity mentioned in the cruise materials.

 

Hi Kurt,

 

That generally works for the concierge and bars. However, the waiters at the Elite events are not always the same. Particularly at the morning breakfast. So I stick some singles in the case along with my seapass before I leave the room.

 

[stones902]

Hi Kurt,

 

That generally works for the concierge and bars. However, the waiters at the Elite events are not always the same. Particularly at the morning breakfast. So I stick some singles in the case along with my seapass before I leave the room.

 

 

Thanks for that info Linda. I was thinking more of Michael's Club which seems to be the Celebrity equivalent of the Concierge Lounge on RCI. Those servers are assigned on a weekly rotating basis. In other words, you definitely develop a rapport with them as the week progresses.

 

Agreed that if the servers change during the trip the proper thing would be to see that everyone is tipped appropriately for the service that they perform.

 

Kurt

[Cruise Raider]

I had no idea about the tipping for the elite breakfast / lounge. I have never seen anyone do this ever and have also not done so myself. Is this expected? Have I had my head in the clouds and been stiffing these hard working staff without realizing it? :confused:

[CruisinCindy]

I had no idea about the tipping for the elite breakfast / lounge. I have never seen anyone do this ever and have also not done so myself. Is this expected? Have I had my head in the clouds and been stiffing these hard working staff without realizing it? :confused:

 

Of course it's totally voluntary. We learned of this from veteran Elites when we became Elite and we felt it was a good idea. We tip our servers in both the Elite Breakfast and the Cocktail Social Hour. We usually have the same servers most of the time and develop a nice rapport, so we like to tip as we go rather than wait til the end.

[BosoxI]

I had no idea about the tipping for the elite breakfast / lounge. I have never seen anyone do this ever and have also not done so myself. Is this expected? Have I had my head in the clouds and been stiffing these hard working staff without realizing it? :confused:

 

No, it's not expected but, surely, it's appreciated. I suspect most people tip discreetly, a handshake with the tip in it, so you wouldn't notice it.

[Can'tstopcruising]

I had no idea about the tipping for the elite breakfast / lounge. I have never seen anyone do this ever and have also not done so myself. Is this expected? Have I had my head in the clouds and been stiffing these hard working staff without realizing it? :confused:

 

 

It's totally up to you.

 

If you don't, you are not "stiffing" and you are not a "cheapskate"

 

Don't let the posters here bully you.

 

I don't know how this morphed into a tipping issue. The OP mentioned nothing about that.

 

There are some posters who have a tipping agenda. I don't know why. But it seems like they are campaigning.

[Muushka]

OP, if you aren't enthralled with X Elite status, try taking a peak at what DCL gives for benefits.

 

http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/cruise-new/castawayclub.htm

 

Talk about lame. We became "Gold" on our last DCL cruise so I thought maybe the perks would be better.

I was in Fantasyland indeed!

 

I'll take our Elite perks and be very grateful for them.

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

It's totally up to you.

 

If you don't' date=' you are not "stiffing" and you are not a "cheapskate"

 

Don't let the posters here bully you.

 

I don't know how this morphed into a tipping issue. The OP mentioned nothing about that.

 

There are some posters who have a tipping agenda. I don't know why. But it seems like they are campaigning.[/quote']

 

There are also posters who are vehemently anti tipping, so I think both sides deserve to be heard.

 

When you are served a drink in a bar, the server gets a 15% tip. Same with a specialty coffee. When you are served these items in an Elite event, the server gets no tip, as you are not paying for the drink. So draw your own conclusion.

[caladezi]

There are also posters who are vehemently anti tipping, so I think both sides deserve to be heard.

 

When you are served a drink in a bar, the server gets a 15% tip. Same with a specialty coffee. When you are served these items in an Elite event, the server gets no tip, as you are not paying for the drink. So draw your own conclusion.

 

However, just for what it's worth, the server is being paid extra by the cruise line for working the event.

[tserface]

We typically tip (alliteration intended) $1 per drink. Like others, I carry around a few singles in my pocket. We figure the drink would cost us around $6.50 if we had to pay for it and that times 15% is around 97 cents so it's an easy thing to justify. Even if they were making something extra for working the event we figure the servers won't be offended if we appreciate them. Actually, at these events, we've had time to talk to many of them and hear stories about where they are from and their families, etc. It's an added cruise joy for us to have these conversations. Plus, we get the drinks for free so we look at it as a $5.50 savings and a really great deal.

 

The servers must like this because we never have any trouble getting help and they always smile and gladly accept our "token". We were recently on a Princess cruise where we don't have "status" and had to pay for all of our own drinks and we really missed this benefit. The tip costs us way less than our Princess bar bill :rolleyes:

 

Tom

 

There are also posters who are vehemently anti tipping, so I think both sides deserve to be heard.

 

When you are served a drink in a bar, the server gets a 15% tip. Same with a specialty coffee. When you are served these items in an Elite event, the server gets no tip, as you are not paying for the drink. So draw your own conclusion.

[tserface]

Yeah, that is likely try. In this case, which isn't the case for many cruise tips these days, any gratuity is really optional and really given out of appreciation for the extra service. I know it's weird, but to me it's kind of nice to be able to occasionally appreciate someone without it being (or at least feeling) obligatory.

 

:o

 

Tom

 

However, just for what it's worth, the server is being paid extra by the cruise line for working the event.

[stones902]

It's totally up to you.

 

If you don't' date=' you are not "stiffing" and you are not a "cheapskate"

 

Don't let the posters here bully you.

 

I don't know how this morphed into a tipping issue. The OP mentioned nothing about that.

 

There are some posters who have a tipping agenda. I don't know why. But it seems like they are campaigning.[/quote']

 

 

Respectfully, I think the thread evolved from the OP as a discussion of Elite benefits.

 

I don't think there is an campaigning or bullying going on - just an intelligent discussion on how cruisers feel about tipping for services.

 

 

 

 

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