Haven butler gratuities ?

[krazy4kruisin]

Haven Butler gratuities question. Do you tip with cash? Do you travel with cash or get it onboard or use the onboard account? This is our first time as Haven guests and have not had to worry about this in the past....I do not like the idea of traveling with a large amount of cash in our pockets...

[Two Wheels Only]

4 minutes ago, krazy4kruisin said:

Do you tip with cash?

 

You can. It's easiest that way.

 

4 minutes ago, krazy4kruisin said:

Do you travel with cash or get it onboard or use the onboard account?

 

Travel with cash is easiest but the other 2 will work. 

 

5 minutes ago, krazy4kruisin said:

I do not like the idea of traveling with a large amount of cash in our pockets...

 

You can use your onboard account for the tips for the butler by going to the customer service desk or to the concierge's desk. You can ask for a receipt and hand it to the butler to show your appreciation. Whether or not the butler will actually get that amount is between the butler and NCL. 

[destar]

44 minutes ago, krazy4kruisin said:

Do you tip with cash?

Cash is king. 

[BirdTravels]

1 hour ago, krazy4kruisin said:

Haven Butler gratuities question. Do you tip with cash? Do you travel with cash or get it onboard or use the onboard account? This is our first time as Haven guests and have not had to worry about this in the past....I do not like the idea of traveling with a large amount of cash in our pockets...

Always cash. Bring it with you. 

 

Don't forget: 

 

NCL: Certain staff positions (e.g., concierge, butler, youth program staff and beverage service) provide service on an individual basis to only some guests and do not benefit from the overall service charge. We encourage those Guests to acknowledge good service from these staff members with appropriate gratuities. 

[krazy4kruisin]

13 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

Always cash. Bring it with you. 

 

Don't forget: 

 

NCL: Certain staff positions (e.g., concierge, butler, youth program staff and beverage service) provide service on an individual basis to only some guests and do not benefit from the overall service charge. We encourage those Guests to acknowledge good service from these staff members with appropriate gratuities. 

Yes, Want top be prepared. just don't like to travel with a wallet full of bills....Wanted to know all of our options

[erisajd]

28 minutes ago, krazy4kruisin said:

Yes, Want top be prepared. just don't like to travel with a wallet full of bills....Wanted to know all of our options

 

bring an envelope in your carryon.  1s, 5s, 10s. Bring $100 and a butler letter in the haven.  

[erisajd]

1 hour ago, Two Wheels Only said:

Whether or not the butler will actually get that amount is between the butler and NCL. 

This would be a pretty dazzling expose if you give a tip to someone on your onboard account to someone who is not compensated as part of the unified tip pool and NCL ( or any other cruise line) takes part of it. 
 

 

[Coastalbreezes]

7 hours ago, erisajd said:

This would be a pretty dazzling expose if you give a tip to someone on your onboard account to someone who is not compensated as part of the unified tip pool and NCL ( or any other cruise line) takes part of it. 
 

 

Crew members do get tips you've added to your onboard account. You go to guest services, provide the name and position of the crew member, the amount of tip and you'll get a confirmation slip which in turn you give to the crew member (I usually write a thank you note to accompany this). The first time I put a tip on my account for my butler, he told me they get the money on payday which, for him, was at the end of the month.

[dexddd]

I don't normally comment on tip threads, but your service level will vary widely ship to ship, trip to trip, room to room.

 

You can easily do vouchers on the ship, just get the right names.

 

They've added 'reminder' letters in the rooms who should get tipped or who doesn't despite highest dsc among most lines.

[RocketMan275]

12 hours ago, krazy4kruisin said:

Haven Butler gratuities question. Do you tip with cash? Do you travel with cash or get it onboard or use the onboard account? 

Always tip with cash.  Really isn't a big deal to travel with several hundred dollars.  To be honest, never leave the house without cash.

 

You can get change from guest services so it's not necessary to carry a large number of bills.  Several $100's, enought to cover gratuities and other expenses.

Edited April 25 by RocketMan275

[bluefish17]

I've always known that Haven butlers and concierges are not included in the DSC. But I'm confused about the references to beverage servers. Do they mean bartenders and bar backs? I always give them something extra but thought they were covered by drink package gratuities.

[Sailing12Away]

13 minutes ago, bluefish17 said:

I've always known that Haven butlers and concierges are not included in the DSC. But I'm confused about the references to beverage servers. Do they mean bartenders and bar backs? I always give them something extra but thought they were covered by drink package gratuities.

This is always widely debated as everyone interprets the letter different, and I honestly don't have a clear answer myself. But the fact that NCL charges you upfront gratuities when you add on the drink package tells me that the bartenders ARE covered already. I think the reason they put it in the letter is because not everyone chooses to get the package, but even then it's silly because I thought they added an automatic 20% for every drink order at the time of purchase (if you don't have the package). So again, not sure why they would include that verbiage if they're already covered either way.

 

We tip extra, because we're heavy drinkers with eclectic requests, but feel that staff have already been tipped when we bought the package.

 

As for the original question, we always bring cash. Sort it out ahead of time what we estimate we'll tip to each team and put it into envelopes that I keep in a zippered part of my carryon backpack. When we get on the ship, those envelopes are kept in the safe until it's time to hand them out. So long as you know where it is and always keep it on you or in the safe, it's not as scary to walk around with cash. Common sense rules of travel always apply anyway - don't pull out that wad in the middle of the street in a foreign country and proclaim to everyone nearby that you're a dumb tourist with a lot of cash on you. Be discrete, go to the restroom if you need to check it/count it/transfer some of it... 

[9tee2Sea]

before I left on the cruise, I put my Haven tips in three different labeled envelopes ( concierge, butler, and cabin steward).  Much better than having a wallet full of $$$.  It also gave me a chance to adjust my tips before I handed them the envelopes ( I gave my cabin strewed more than I  had originally planned).

[PartyPlannerLady]

IMHO cash is always best, but as has been said there are other options.  You can have a tip added to your on board account and you can go to the casino and get cash for a 3% fee.  Whatever you are most comfortable with is OK.  Just remember that there is no right. wrong, of usual amount to tip anyone.  Give whoever you tip whatever amount you deem appropriate for the service provided.  They won't turn it down! 🙂  Hope you have a great cruise.  The Haven is amazing...

[MoCruiseFan]

19 hours ago, erisajd said:

This would be a pretty dazzling expose if you give a tip to someone on your onboard account to someone who is not compensated as part of the unified tip pool and NCL ( or any other cruise line) takes part of it. 
 

 

 

What unified tip pool?

[MoCruiseFan]

10 hours ago, dexddd said:

I don't normally comment on tip threads, but your service level will vary widely ship to ship, trip to trip, room to room.

 

You can easily do vouchers on the ship, just get the right names.

 

They've added 'reminder' letters in the rooms who should get tipped or who doesn't despite highest dsc among most lines.

 

Well since the DSC is not a tip that is irrelevant.

[MoCruiseFan]

7 hours ago, bluefish17 said:

I've always known that Haven butlers and concierges are not included in the DSC. But I'm confused about the references to beverage servers. Do they mean bartenders and bar backs? I always give them something extra but thought they were covered by drink package gratuities.

 

They are tipped that way.  The decision as to whether to tip at time of service is a personal matter and there is no right or wrong answer.  For what it is worth, I normaly tip $1 per drink when I am served, even in the casino where my drinks and those for anyone sailing with me are comped.  I only drink sift drinks but I still tip for them.  That is what works for me, others will have a wdie varieyu of tipping choices.  It all boils down to tip however you are comfortable doing so.  Your server will apprecite any tip you give.  Have a great time on your cruise.  I hope you and all of your fellow cruise members have an absolutely fantastic time.