First time cruising... need help with gratuities?

[Ram32]

Hi - First time cruiser and we are fast approaching our cruise! I need some help on gratuities, etc. Not how much but who I need to tip.

 

So here's what I'm looking at:

- Cruise fare for family - paid

- Pre-Paid Service Charges - paid

 

We are in the Haven so I know I will have something for the room steward, butler and concierge.

 

Do I need to tip bartenders after I order each drink? Or at lunches? Dinners?

 

Is there anyone else?

 

I want to make sure I have enough cash for everyone and don't want to feel lost on the cruise!

[josephmz]

It is unnecessary to tip bartenders or waiters.

 

You might consider giving bartenders and extra buck. Sometimes get you recognized and swifter service, but not at all necessary.

 

I generally don't tip MDR waiters, but usually give something extra in the for-pay restaurants, especially if they are very personable and take an interest when serving you.

[Two Wheels Only]

Do I need to tip bartenders after I order each drink?

It is up to you. Whether you have the UBP or you order a la carte, a 20% service charge is added. If you want to tip, you can but it is not required.

 

Or at lunches? Dinners?

It is up to you. If you have the SDP, you paid the 20% service charge. If you don't use the SDP in a specialty restaurant, the bill has a 20% service charge added. If the restaurant is complimentary (incl. the Haven restaurant), nothing extra is required but you can tip if you want.

 

Is there anyone else?

Other than the butler, concierge, and some other staff which you may not use (Splash Academy staff, for ex.), you seem to have everyone covered. You can always tip extra if you feel that they deserve something extra.

[boatseller]

If you are a barfly, it's good to take care of you bartenders to have a more personalized experience.

[roger001]

Nothing expected, nothing required additionally. However.....I do tip usually a dollar for each drink served by a bar server. I do it because I want to...but it does also really help get some extra personal attention. If at the bar drinking, when I leave I might leave $2 or $3 for the bar tender. I usually tip $5 to the server in any of the sit down dining restaurants. When having suite breakfast dining privileges, I tip $5 to the server each morning. At the end of the cruise, last morning I give the breakfast restaurant hostess maybe $20. Again....this is all just my personal preference. Others go from no tips at all to some others absolutely extravagant...I think. Just do what you feel good about for both you and them.... The crew are some wonderful hard working persons and will give you excellent service regardless.

[mjkacmom]

You are definitely expected to tip your butler and concierge, use the search function to bring up threads.

[Mustangdrew]

Hi - First time cruiser and we are fast approaching our cruise! I need some help on gratuities, etc. Not how much but who I need to tip.

 

 

 

So here's what I'm looking at:

 

- Cruise fare for family - paid

 

- Pre-Paid Service Charges - paid

 

 

 

We are in the Haven so I know I will have something for the room steward, butler and concierge.

 

 

 

Do I need to tip bartenders after I order each drink? Or at lunches? Dinners?

 

 

 

Is there anyone else?

 

 

 

I want to make sure I have enough cash for everyone and don't want to feel lost on the cruise!

 

 

 

I totally don’t really think the concierge should be really tipped unless your using him or her a lot. They do the same thing you can do ahead of time by booking reservations. I pre book all my specialty restaurants online. I’d rather tip my hard worker bartenders. Especially if your using the same one a lot. Maybe if you find a good waiter I usually request him or her when I go the next time. They totally appreciate that and I throw them an extra tip. Sometimes the dining host says there is a wait if ur specifically asking for a person. I’ll wait too.

 

 

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[dcyonce]

We usually tip our butler and stateroom attendants at the end of the cruise. Nothing is expected, but tips are appreciated. Remember, the crew doesn’t get paid well. Your tips may make a large difference for them. Also, it is quite common for us to have the same Butler on different ships on separate cruises. The crew can sometimes move around a lot.

 

And addition to pre-paid gratuities, we usually tip $100 per crew member at the end of the cruise.

 

 

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[ready2cruzagain]

We usually tip our butler and stateroom attendants at the end of the cruise. Nothing is expected, but tips are appreciated. Remember, the crew doesn’t get paid well. Your tips may make a large difference for them. Also, it is quite common for us to have the same Butler on different ships on separate cruises. The crew can sometimes move around a lot.

 

And addition to pre-paid gratuities, we usually tip $100 per crew member at the end of the cruise.

 

 

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Really? I guess to each their own but I have never had service on NCL from every crew member that would make me give each one of them $100 extra.

[Two Wheels Only]

And addition to pre-paid gratuities, we usually tip $100 per crew member at the end of the cruise.

Maybe you should book the Regent Suite on Seven Seas Explorer. It would be (slightly) less expensive.

[ColinIllinois]

We usually tip our butler and stateroom attendants at the end of the cruise. Nothing is expected, but tips are appreciated. Remember, the crew doesn’t get paid well. Your tips may make a large difference for them. Also, it is quite common for us to have the same Butler on different ships on separate cruises. The crew can sometimes move around a lot.

 

And addition to pre-paid gratuities, we usually tip $100 per crew member at the end of the cruise.

 

 

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The Butler is definitely expecting to be tipped.

[GUT2407]

Hi - First time cruiser and we are fast approaching our cruise! I need some help on gratuities, etc. Not how much but who I need to tip.

 

So here's what I'm looking at:

- Cruise fare for family - paid

- Pre-Paid Service Charges - paid

 

We are in the Haven so I know I will have something for the room steward, butler and concierge.

 

Do I need to tip bartenders after I order each drink? Or at lunches? Dinners?

 

Is there anyone else?

 

I want to make sure I have enough cash for everyone and don't want to feel lost on the cruise!

 

 

Bartenders??? 20% isnt high enough?

[casofilia]

We have only been in a suite once and tipped butler (under protest) and concierge. We always give a little extra to the steward as all we have had have been excellent, very professional but very friendly, all seem to have had the right balance.

[casofilia]

The Butler is definitely expecting to be tipped.

 

On the penultimate day we had 3 visits from him "Has the service I have provided been satisfactory?"

[Ram32]

Thanks for all your help! Sounds like I have the right people, but maybe add some for bartenders, wait staff at specialty restaurants and something for the kids club!

[dcyonce]

The Butler is definitely expecting to be tipped.

 

On the penultimate day we had 3 visits from him "Has the service I have provided been satisfactory?"

 

 

Hmm ... seems maybe he WAS expecting a tip.

 

Never had this happen to us on a Celebrity ship.

 

Just curious ....

Which ship was this?

What did you decide to do?

 

— Don

 

 

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[casofilia]

Just curious ....

Which ship was this?

What did you decide to do?

NCL Star.

Reported him to the Hotel Manager for soliciting.

 

 

He was actually leaving the ship the following day!!

[Zeno]

Whether you tip anyone or not is entirely up to you. In a suite ,if the butler and concierge are providing services that you are using, it's probably a good idea to tip them. Personally we usually end up tipping our cabin steward because they generally do a good job. On our last NCL cruise we had a great steward who went above and beyond the expected - so we tipped accordingly. But really it's your choice.

[cb at sea]

You've paid the tips that are suggested for cabin attendant, waiters, ass't waiters and head waiter. Your drinks include tip, either in the price per drink or per package.

 

If you're in the Haven, then the concierge and butler are up to you and how much you use their services. If you don't use them, no tip is needed. Tip according to your service. You will figure out what the service is worth to you!

[phissy]

We have been in both Suite and non suite cabins. We tip on each individual experience.

We have had terrible Butlers and the room steward did most and received most of Butlers tip. Concierge is also dependent on how much we require from them . We have a baseline amount and it can increase with our experience.

Also, you do not need to use cash. We have gone to guest services desk and asked for charge slip to tip our butler and concierge. You write in their name and then you specify the amount for each. It gets charged to your cabin folio and you can use your non refundable OBC toward this. They give you a copy of it and I put it in envelope and give at end of cruise.

I try to I remember that we have paid additional 20% on our drink and dinner packages.

[roger001]

I think the butler and concierge are just a part of the suite experience, and when you sign up for a suite they are there whether you use them or not. It is known that they are not part of the daily service charge and depend on tips as part of their salary. They fact that they are standing by and available to you, needed or not, does imply that they should be tipped at least a minimum. How much, up to you. But you get their services when you purchase a suite, part of the package. My opinion.

[fshagan]

Thanks for all your help! Sounds like I have the right people, but maybe add some for bartenders, wait staff at specialty restaurants and something for the kids club!

 

Just remember that for bartenders and wait staff at specialty restaurants there is already a 20% tip you have paid. It is either on the price of the package for the UBP and UDP, even if you got those as a promo, or already added into the total if you are paying for the drink or meal on board. When paying on board, look closely at the charge slip you sign you will see the 20% added in. They still leave a blank "tip line" for you to add more, but in my opinion, 20% is a sufficient tip.

 

 

The kid's club counselors are not included in the daily service charge pool and will appreciate tips if you feel like tipping them. For me, I would tip them if I used them. We also tip the suite concierge and butler, but I'm always mildly frustrated that there is no guideline from NCL as to expected tip amounts.