Corkage/Wine Steward Gratuities

[NotLikeBelleRosen,IHope]

Does wine steward get any of the corkage fee as gratuity? I'm bringing my own wine on board and paying corkage. I don't want to stiff the wine steward. Any advice from someone who has brought their own wine aboard would be appreciated. Thanks.

[VennDiagram]

As far as I know, the corkage fee is inclusive of gratuity.  However, our wine stewards always get a "little something" with a thank you note at the end of the cruise, since the service has always warranted it.

[NotLikeBelleRosen,IHope]

Thank you, VennDiagram.  I, too, give a "little something" extra, but was trying to figure out if it should be a' bigger something". You've helped by letting me know that there is a gratuity component to the corkage fee. This is the first time I'm bringing wine to the dining room.

 

 

[kazu]

Ordering wine on board automatically gives the gratuity.

 

I'm not sure who gets what and what they receive when it is corkage.

 

If I bring a corkage bottle into the MDR or elsewhere, I take that into account.  We always tip our wine stewards extra as we usually have very good service after night one.  If I have corkage bottles, I add to the tip. Not necessary, our choice 😉 
 

 

[VennDiagram]

8 minutes ago, kazu said:

I'm not sure who gets what and what they receive when it is corkage.

 

I asked at the Front Desk and was told the corkage fee included gratuity.  Now, that was a few years ago, and it was the Front Desk 😉 (which is second only to the HAL phone reps for inaccurate info....) 😉

[kazu]

24 minutes ago, VennDiagram said:

 

I asked at the Front Desk and was told the corkage fee included gratuity.  Now, that was a few years ago, and it was the Front Desk 😉 (which is second only to the HAL phone reps for inaccurate info....) 😉

 

Thanks.  I asked the front desk too and they assured me they got a nice piece.

We had a good relationship with one wine steward when I brought my corkage bottle down so I asked her/him if they would mind if I asked and if she /he preferred not to answer.  She/he did it in the most polite but obvious in their reply that they got little from that but she/he  was happy to serve us our wine of choice.

 

I don't take corkage a lot to the dining room and I won't get into a little private conversation we had later later,  but when I tip, I add significantly to my extra tip for the wine stewards.  And, if I didn't tip extra or thought it was covered, I would still give extra because of what I was told.

 

I made the gender non specific in case HAL is reading 😉 I don't want anyone who has given me exemplary service and answered me honestly to get in trouble.

[Hawaiidan]

1 hour ago, NotLikeBelleRosen,IHope said:

Does wine steward get any of the corkage fee as gratuity? I'm bringing my own wine on board and paying corkage. I don't want to stiff the wine steward. Any advice from someone who has brought their own wine aboard would be appreciated. Thanks.

Yes, it is considered good manners , if you brought in an outside wine of quality, to offer a half glass to the somlier  who served you and opens the wine.     Such as if you bringing a Cherval Blanc 83  or a any premier cru.  He will do so discretely.

[VennDiagram]

8 minutes ago, Hawaiidan said:

Yes, it is considered good manners , if you brought in an outside wine of quality, to offer a half glass to the somlier  who served you and opens the wine.     Such as if you bringing a Cherval Blanc 83  or a any premier cru.  He will do so discretely.

 

The question was in regard to wine stewards, not sommeliers.

[NotLikeBelleRosen,IHope]

Thanks, all, for your input.

[rkacruiser]

Usually the wine steward does receive a small gratuity at the end of the cruise.  (Normally, I purchase a package and have that wine served in the MDR; they do receive a % of that $$ from what I have been told.)  If his/her service is as expected, my gratuity is $1/day of the cruise; more if it is truly personal, which is very, very rare.

During my b2b NS cruises, the first segment's wine steward received zero.  First MDR dinner:  he had much difficulty understanding that I had already purchased a wine package,  That was followed by an excessive delay in finding and serving the wine that I had pre-ordered from that package when I bought it.  His wine service during other dinners was lacking as well.

 

On my second NS cruise, Edwardo was an excellent Wine Steward.  My seat hit the chair and he was soon there with my bottle of wine.  And, he kept my glass full as I desired.  Edwardo was rewarded with a bit more than my standard $1/day gratuity when I pay for a wine package.

[Hawaiidan]

15 hours ago, VennDiagram said:

 

The question was in regard to wine stewards, not sommeliers.

I was assuming that they were one in the same.... and not an ordinary waiter or  runner

[ottahand7]

We always have tipped them either mid cruise or our last dinner - we always bring our own wine on the ship.  Especially in the PG if they decant.   We have made it a habit the last cruise to leave the last couple of ounces in the decanter for the wine steward .   Rudy our steward in the PG on the Rotterdam sang us a love song as he poured our wine into the long neck decanter.  Quite special.