Is this only on the Crown? Charge for Room Service??

[chrysalis]

Next time you get room service, notice whose bringing it to you! It's usually the person who cleans or sets up your cabin! They work very, very hard.....to ignore them carrying your trays of tidbits or meals to your room....would really be an insult! :mad:

 

Plan on bringing some singles along with you....and, use them for just this reason.;)

 

The people we are making your cruise special for you really appreciate it!:)

 

Roz

 

I have never had my room steward deliver room service to us....never.

 

..and I agree...hand the deliverer some cash

[Pam in CA]

I always tip room service. They now give a receipt where you can add a tip. This tip goes into a tip pool. I prefer to sign the receipt and hand 2 dollars to the delivery person so they keep that for themselves.

Now, this is something I've never heard before. I thought that the tipping pool was only for those participating in the auto-tip, i.e., the dining staff (including buffet area and outdoor eating areas) and room steward. It was my understanding that by signing the receipt and adding the tip, you were putting it on your onboard account rather than having to carry $1s with you.

[nho9504]

of course, if you are being cheap, you can choose not to.

 

My Princess information and the brochures state that room service is included in the cruise price.

[kruzeesuzee]

We can't always trust the passengers to "remember" to tip the crew for the service that they receive - some people are always looking for a loophole. :mad:

 

"The Passengers?" Sounds like one of the crew posting!:D

[wizard-of-roz]

Ladies & Gentlemen: Room service is definitely INCLUDED in the price of your cruise.......tipping, is a personal thing and you may use your descretion.....

DON'T BE SO DAMN CHEAP!

Remember, when you give, you get back!;)



Now, go have some fun!



Roz

[Cruise4ever!]

"The Passengers?" Sounds like one of the crew posting!:D

 

Nope, never worked for a cruise line, but I have worked in the service industry in many forms, for many years. I have seen firsthand how people (not EVERYONE, of course) look for "justification" to keep an extra 3 bucks in their pocket.

 

I guess I could have worded the above passage "the OTHER passengers," but I pride myself in rewarding those who make my vacation run smoothly. These hard working crew members often go unrewarded by the "masses", and I for one think it is very unfair. I think it is MUCH more prevalent to have people notice bad service than good service.

 

That's JMHO, folks, and of course, there are many people that feel as I do, and reward service accordingly.

[wizard-of-roz]

Cruise4ever: You are my kind of gal/guy! It gives me great pleasure to tip someone who has served me well! I appreciate being treated with great care!

 

By the time I've entered my cabin and "plopped" down my bags I'm into the relaxation mode! I can't wait to either "meet and greet" or just plain "veg" in my room, in a lounge chair, on deck or in the casino!:p

 

A silly looking drink, brought to me with a huge smile and a cheery "good day" is all it takes to prompt the bills right out of my pocket! And, I'm thrilled as hell to do it!

By the time my cruise has come to an end.....I've made a few people happy, they've given me superb service and I've made the greatest memories to build on to my next cruise!

Happy Sails to You!:)

Roz

[SilentTraveller]

Wow - I never thought about this before. All these years staying in hotels where they automatically add an 18% service charge in addition to a $3 deliver fee -- I am just conditioned to ignore the extra tip line when signing for room service.

 

On the ship, I have never ordered food from room service. But I have always ordered a bottle of rum and some diet cokes to be delivered to my room. I assumed they were adding the service charge since it was listed on the receipt. I just checked some of my previous statements, while they do not automatically add the 15% service charge for the alcohol, they DO add the service charge for the diet cokes.

 

Thanks for pointing this out -- Now I know to add an additional tip to cover the "larger" portion of the bill...

[English Tim]

of course, if you are being cheap, you can choose not to.

 

We don't do cheap in the UK, we leave that to our friends from across the 'pond'.

 

We don't have cabin service , either, so I guess we'll be unaffected.

[English Tim]

Ladies & Gentlemen: Room service is definitely INCLUDED in the price of your cruise.......tipping, is a personal thing and you may use your descretion.....

DON'T BE SO DAMN CHEAP!

Remember, when you give, you get back!;)



Now, go have some fun!



Roz

 

Can I tip with my credit card, I don't do cash?

[crusdiva]

Can I tip with my credit card, I don't do cash?

No. No credit cards for room service. You'll want to add your tip on to the slip when you sign for your order.

[Joedog]

Before we go on a cruise we go to the bank and get $100 worth of $2 bills and use those to tip room service, sky caps, etc. We also get a roll of gold looking Sackajawea (sp?) dollar coins and use them to tip the people who bring us drinks in the lounges, by the pools etc.

 

We read on here a few years back to do it, as it make people remember you and you get better service. We dont know if that is true but people sure seem happy when they get a $2 bill. Some have remarked that they are lucky (the bills, not the people that get them). We dont know about that but besides making the tippee happy it makes us happy to tip with them.

 

Double bonus.

 

Of course we have often wondered what the "drinks" staff does with those darn Sackajawea dollars, if they are more pain than pleasure and if they wouldnt rather have a real dollar bill instead.

[chrysalis]

Before we go on a cruise we go to the bank and get $100 worth of $2 bills and use those to tip room service, sky caps, etc. We also get a roll of gold looking Sackajawea (sp?) dollar coins and use them to tip the people who bring us drinks in the lounges, by the pools etc.

 

We read on here a few years back to do it, as it make people remember you and you get better service. We dont know if that is true but people sure seem happy when they get a $2 bill. Some have remarked that they are lucky (the bills, not the people that get them). We dont know about that but besides making the tippee happy it makes us happy to tip with them.

 

Double bonus.

 

Of course we have often wondered what the "drinks" staff does with those darn Sackajawea dollars, if they are more pain than pleasure and if they wouldnt rather have a real dollar bill instead.

 

if you think that they are thrilled with those US$2 bills, you should read the May 09 article on tipping here.....

 

http://crewoffice.blogspot.com/2006_05_07_crewoffice_archive.html

[Joedog]

Well, that article is certainly a poke in the eye with a sharp stick and food for thought.

 

Maybe I will bring a bunch of nice crisp $1 bills with me and offer a choice between the $2 bill or 2 $1 bills just to see.

 

I certainly do not want to cause anyone any extra grief by tipping them "bad" money.

 

As an aside, I would never think that the crew is sending money back to the Phillippines to exchange in legitimate exchange houses. I've been there and I would be surprised if that money is exchanged anywhere besides the black market where the exchange rate is much higher. I do suppose that those in the black market could care less about $2 bills though.

[LisaH]

My Princess information and the brochures state that room service is included in the cruise price.

\

Room service is included in the price of the cruise as there is no charge for what you order. Tip is not included. The tips at the end of the cruise do not include room service waiters.

[sultan_sfo]

There is no black market in Filipino currency! One can avoid small conversion costs through private parties -- that is it! Now if you want to talk about Russian Rubles or some Eastern European currency -- that is a different matter. I suggest you stick to your $2 bills and those $1 coins (that the US mint designed a second time and still looks like a quarter)!/Sultan

 

Partial Quote:

...

As an aside, I would never think that the crew is sending money back to the Phillippines to exchange in legitimate exchange houses. I've been there and I would be surprised if that money is exchanged anywhere besides the black market where the exchange rate is much higher. I do suppose that those in the black market could care less about $2 bills though.

[Joedog]

While it has been a few years since I was there, there definitely WAS a black market for exchanging US dollars for Pesos. I dont know the "why" but I do know that you got more pesos for your dollar in the back of the shop than you did at the "official" exchange house / bank.

[wizard-of-roz]

It's so easy.....before you travel, go to the bank; ask the teller for ("newish" 'a jewish term for almost new') one dollar bills, get any series before the year 2000. The teller will get them for you (easily) and you're set. I always get at least $100 worth. I also use them in ports for taxi's, tour guides, etc...

 

Joedog: It was Tom & Mary who suggested the $2.00 bill, years ago. They even suggested folding it in various ways to show the "2" on the bill. It was a clever idea. But, again, it's not economically sound for the crew! Nor are pretty coins (we americans are so easily amused by these things)!

 

Our staff, on board these wonderful ships, come from foreign lands where the almighty american dollar speaks volumns (usually)!

 

Make it easy for them......and, truly it's not difficult to do!;)

 

Roz