Tipping the dining staff

[LittleJoefromKokomo]

23 hours ago, yogimax said:

Sorry, but why would you "tip" $5 or $10 for a beer?

Because I feel that 1$ a drink in tips isn't very motivating for the bartender to give me a free drink or for the waitress to be bringing me another round as often as I prefer.. I dont tip this much on every round, but usually once every visit and it has payed off for me. I am not prime or have the drink package so I pay for my drinks.

[SeattleAl]

Perhaps one last question here: Let's say I get to the end of the cruise and I would like to give additional cash tips, but am low on cash. Is there a way to access one of my bank accounts to withdraw cash on board - an ATM?

[Tree_skier]

4 minutes ago, SeattleAl said:

Perhaps one last question here: Let's say I get to the end of the cruise and I would like to give additional cash tips, but am low on cash. Is there a way to access one of my bank accounts to withdraw cash on board - an ATM?

There's an ATM in the casino but it has a high fee.  I think it was like 6 or 8 dollars per transaction. A better way to do it is to charge your onboard account at one of the slot machines and then immediately cash out the ticket.

[brillohead]

1 minute ago, Tree_skier said:

There's an ATM in the casino but it has a high fee.  I think it was like 6 or 8 dollars per transaction. A better way to do it is to charge your onboard account at one of the slot machines and then immediately cash out the ticket.

Agreed.  This is how to do it:

 

 

[njkruzer]

1 minute ago, Tree_skier said:

There's an ATM in the casino but it has a high fee.  I think it was like 6 or 8 dollars per transaction. A better way to do it is to charge your onboard account at one of the slot machines and then immediately cash out the ticket.

I think there's an ATM at GS.  Pre covid they would cash a check but apparently no more.

[Tree_skier]

Just now, brillohead said:

Agreed.  This is how to do it:

 

 

thank you for posting this... it is like getting a cash advance on CC without the usual fees associated with CC cash advances

[Tree_skier]

Just now, njkruzer said:

I think there's an ATM at GS. 

Do you remember the fee attached?

[Tree_skier]

Now that I'm a casino player...( still a noob, but learning ) the last three cruises got me hooked.  I'm planning on brining a lot more cash. 

Edited August 3, 2022 by Tree_skier

[njkruzer]

4 minutes ago, Tree_skier said:

Do you remember the fee attached?

Don't know.  Never used it.

[topnole]

4 hours ago, brillohead said:

I've never heard that before. 

One would assume (you know what they say about that word!) that the specialty servers get paid from the specialty charges.  

I thought that the idea behind the Daily Service Charge is that it compensates the food staff in the "public/common" areas (Cafe Promenade, Windjammer, MDR, etc.) so people don't need to individually tip those personnel.  Those places that are open to all passengers for "free" would make sense to give some of the DSC money from all passengers to the servers there, because they are available to serve all of the passengers so the tip should come from all the passengers.

But with the specialty restaurants, those servers are only available to the few who reserved and paid for a spot, so it would make sense that they are tipped from the money generated from the people that patronize that restaurant.  

Then again, those same servers often also end up working in the Windjammer, etc., for some meals, so it might be a situation where the source of their gratuities is linked to which venue they worked at each shift.  In other words, they may get a small bit of money from the DSC for working breakfast in the 'Jammer and another small bit for working lunch in Park Cafe, but then at dinner they get their money from the Chops gratuity.  

Interesting to think about.  I might ask someone on one of my upcoming cruises if they have enough downtime to chit-chat.  I'm hopeful that staffing will be better this fall than it was this spring.
 

Yeah.  I don’t really know and have no idea if what I heard was right.  Either way I tip with each dinner at the specialty restaurants.  I never have in the mdr.   I just tip extra at the end due to having the same server all trip.  Let us know what you find out.   

[brillohead]

11 minutes ago, Tree_skier said:

thank you for posting this... it is like getting a cash advance on CC without the usual fees associated with CC cash advances

I've stopped bringing much cash with me -- just do a "slot machine cash advance" the first or second day!

 

[Tree_skier]

21 minutes ago, brillohead said:

I've stopped bringing much cash with me -- just do a "slot machine cash advance" the first or second day!

 

I guess since it is my Royal Caribbean branded Visa I'd get the advantage of the extra points as well. I should have thought of that before.

[brillohead]

59 minutes ago, Tree_skier said:

I guess since it is my Royal Caribbean branded Visa I'd get the advantage of the extra points as well. I should have thought of that before.

 

I taught a friend the trick... she took out an extra $500 before going home, took the money home, deposited it, and paid her bill.  Free points!

 

[Seville2Cabo]

5 minutes ago, brillohead said:

 

I taught a friend the trick... she took out an extra $500 before going home, took the money home, deposited it, and paid her bill.  Free points!

 

Worth about $10 in points?

[brillohead]

6 minutes ago, Seville2Cabo said:

Worth about $10 in points?

Probably, in addition to what she'd taken out earlier in the cruise to use as actual cash, plus her onboard account charges.

Free money is free money!

[Joseph2017China]

This tipping  thread is still alive?  I always say, the more others tip, the less I need to.