Room Service Tipping

[cmajor]

Are both Euros and dollars acceptable for room service tipping ? What is the general accepted amount for breakfast delivery for example ? ( This is our first Oceania cruise ):rolleyes:

[Sbecker604]

You are charged a certain amount each day to cover tips for everything (except alcohol which is at 18%). You are not expected to tip additionally for room service.

 

Simon

[tak2]

We have generally tipped $2-3 for breakfast delivery.( depending on amount of our order)

Ship's currency is USD, way better than using euro.

[Jana]

You are charged a certain amount each day to cover tips for everything (except alcohol which is at 18%). You are not expected to tip additionally for room service.

 

Simon

 

I disagree. "Expected?" Maybe not, but not to would be terribly boorish.

 

In Europe, you should tip in euros, 2-3 depending on the load. I keep some in a drawer and when the breakfast call comes, I just grab a couple of coins and have them ready.

 

The servers appreciate it, I promise you.

 

Jana

[Leonid]

Jana: Boorish? to whom? That's what your daily gratuity covers. Remember

that you're not in a hotel where tipping is expected for room service regardless of how good or poor the service.

If, at the end of your cruise, you want to leave something extra, then by all means.

[cathi]

Jana: Boorish? to whom? That's what your daily gratuity covers. Remember

that you're not in a hotel where tipping is expected for room service regardless of how good or poor the service.

If, at the end of your cruise, you want to leave something extra, then by all means.

 

Got to agree with Jana. I know that room service is included but since I, personally, only occasionally use room service and it is not the same person every time, I would normally give the server a buck or two.

IMHO, the daily gratuity covers your room steward, the dining room staff, etc. not special services such as room service.

[digby]

"IMHO, the daily gratuity covers your room steward, the dining room staff, etc. not special services such as room service."

 

Opinion has little to do with FACT. They are included in the daily service charge which you pay. Either do away with the auto tipping and tip as you go, or enjoy the fact that you don't have to worry about it. Do you tip the bartenders after each order even though a 18% service charge is added to the cost already? The only extra tipping we do is to the butler and the person who does the cabin each day. We usually give them an extra tip at the end of the trip.

[Ask4Jay]

cmajor -

Regardless of whether one does or should, any tip will be more appreciated if it is offered in a currency that can be spent at the next port without the need to convert it first. Therefore we take either USD or EUR, both in coins.

[cmajor]

Thanks to you all for your input.

We have always tipped for room service on other cruise lines, & really just wanted to know what currency would be most appreciated on our upcoming Med cruise with Oceania. Euros seem to be the best currency, as they can be used at all the ports we will be visiting

by any of the crew that are lucky enough to have time off on shore.

[ChatKat in Ca.]

We think that if you are on a line where there is tipping charged at the end of the cruise, it's divided among all the personnel which have contact with guests - housekeeping and dining waitstaff. Alcohol is covered by the 18% as is the spa add in.

 

That said, we feel that Room service is an extra and a few dollars to the staff means a lot more to them than it does to us - and particularly when we have been taken care of by the server - like them bringing breakfast on time.

 

When you are spending a few thousand dollars - maybe more than they make in a few months time, why not give them the respect of earning a fair wage?

[RJB]

Our room service in taken care of by our butler who is included with our ships tipping.The ship tacks on extra for him also. We will also give him tips at the end of the cruise. No need to do this on a daily basis.:)

[Jana]

Jana: Boorish? to whom?

 

Does it matter to whom? To me, at any rate. I think it's boorish not to tip for room service... UNLESS you have a butler, then you can add tips at the end of the cruise.

 

 

... we feel that Room service is an extra and a few dollars to the staff means a lot more to them than it does to us - and particularly when we have been taken care of by the server - like them bringing breakfast on time.

 

 

That's my point. Room service might be covered with the auto tipping but I see it as an extra service.

 

Our room service in taken care of by our butler who is included with our ships tipping.The ship tacks on extra for him also. We will also give him tips at the end of the cruise. No need to do this on a daily basis.:)

 

I agree, butlers in suite service don't need to be tipped each time. For us regular types, we don't get the same server each time. What the heck, it's just two bucks or euros; I count it as part of my expenses.

 

Jana

[nparmelee]

Wait a sec now, "ugly American"? I'm sorry but the "ugly American" is one of the reasons you can't go anywhere anymore without a dumb tip jar and people expecting a tip even if they barely do the job. Tipping has gotten out of hand. If somebody goes out of their way or above and beyond, I am happy to give a tip, if somebody barely does the job, then no. I do not mean to imply that the O staff have ever just done their job for us, we have always had excellent service, but I'm really tired of being made to feel as if a tip is necessary for any service received. I used to feel obligated and always tip, not anymore, if somebody does a good job and gives good service I will, if they barely do their job forget it. If you feel inclined to tip the room service person, by all means do, and if you don't feel like tipping, don't. There is nothing wrong with either option.

 

Sorry, off my rant now.

[StanandJim]

If you feel inclined to tip the room service person, by all means do, and if you don't feel like tipping, don't. There is nothing wrong with either option

 

It's odd that you had to bring in the notion of poor service to salve what we shall laughingly refer to as your conscience.......

 

The quality of service was never even mentioned in this thread.

 

And yes, it is ugly, boorish behavior for a well to do Tourist (American or otherwise) to make use of a non fee service and not tip.

 

Do you have any idea how little these people make, or how hard they work to please us? Or what percentage of the passengers put a stop on every tip penny for the slightest infraction because they feel empowered by statements like yours? Ask the purser, someday, you'll be horrified.

[nparmelee]

StanandJim, my rant was a reaction from your implication that if you don't tip you are automatically boorish. I'm sorry, but tipping is an American cultural thing, many other cultures do not tip at all and there are times when a tip is inappropriate. Room service is indeed a service listed by the ship as included in the cruise experience. Many of those on O who deliver a room service order will not even accept a tip. If someone decides to tip or not is a personal decision and I will not condemn anyone for which way they decide to go.

 

To the OP, if you decide to tip the person who delivers, by all means a buck or two or euro or two would be nice, if they don't accept it and you feel the person did something special for you, consider mentioning them by name on the cruise comment forms.

[brian_uk]

StanandJim, my rant was a reaction from your implication that if you don't tip you are automatically boorish. I'm sorry, but tipping is an American cultural thing, many other cultures do not tip at all and there are times when a tip is inappropriate. Room service is indeed a service listed by the ship as included in the cruise experience. Many of those on O who deliver a room service order will not even accept a tip. If someone decides to tip or not is a personal decision and I will not condemn anyone for which way they decide to go.

 

To the OP, if you decide to tip the person who delivers, by all means a buck or two or euro or two would be nice, if they don't accept it and you feel the person did something special for you, consider mentioning them by name on the cruise comment forms.

 

Actually tipping is a British Invention and was started at Barber Shops in the 1800's. One tipped the Barber if he did not cut you with his open-razor. The first real incentive.

 

Brian

[DaveFr]

Actually tipping is a British Invention and was started at Barber Shops in the 1800's. One tipped the Barber if he did not cut you with his open-razor. The first real incentive.

 

Brian

Brian,

 

I thought that earlier than the 1800's, condemned prisoners used to tip the executioner to try to ensure that he took their heads off with one swing of his axe. :eek:

 

Dave

[Leonid]

Brian_UK: Regardless of whoever "invented" tipping, Americans have taken it to the extreme.It part of what I call "not wanting to offend", which is quite the rage these days here in the colonies. And American service workers are the ones who are forever looking for that tip, regardless of the service provided.

For those of you who have had the experience of dining out in the Miami Bayside Mall, you might remember that a 15% gratuity is added to the bill in some of the restaurants to compensate for those non-Americans who do not tip. When a "service charge" is included in the bill, one tends not to tip. Can't blame them!

[brian_uk]

I must confess all........I made it up but it seemed like a good idea at the time.

 

Non-Americans who do not tip at all.....the cheek of it......we Brits are more than generous and on average in the UK 10% is happily accepted.

 

In France, Spain and Italy for example Service is included and I would normally round the bill upwards by a few Euros.

 

We were once at a Fish Restaurant on the Wharf at San Fran and the service was so bad that we told the waiter we were dissatisfied and only left 5%. His response was that he purposely served the Brits poorly because he knew we were bad tippers.

 

Work that one out.

 

Generally in the UK 10% is the norm and 12.5% if you are really happy.

 

Brian

[meow!]

What is even sadder is that those "bottom of the ladder" people who are not included are the very ones who need the money most.

On our Panama Canal voyage aboard the Silver Shadow, we were lucky enough to have a laundry room tour (on the special request of another passenger). The laundry was staffed by a team of eight mainland Chinese, so we were told, none of them spoke any English except their team leader who could get by. They never came above deck 2, where the laudry rooms were, and presumably they never received any tips. Also, we had a galley tour (on all voyages aboard Silversea ships). I would think that the bottom kitchen staff received no tips either (on that ship, presumably tipping was included, but not on Oceania ships). So should people tip these staff too (the crew fund)?

[debsjc]

In France, Spain and Italy for example Service is included and I would normally round the bill upwards by a few Euros.

 

 

That's what I do as well, and is the correct local custom in most of the Med. What I find sad, is that in areas where there are a lot of cruise ship visitors, this is changing.

People visit restaurants and leave 15-20%, overtip taxi drivers, and then they begin to expect it and feel disappointed with amounts they used to be content with.

 

I think it's really important people read up on the customs of the country they are visiting, and don't overtip or undertip. I know it's done with good intentions, but eventually you end up changing another countries culture.

 

Back to the some of the previous posts about tipping on the ship....

- You can't assume that just because someone is on an Oceania cruise they can easily afford to be generous tippers

- The staff on the ships are already paid fairly, that's what our $5000 goes towards

 

I like to tip for good service, but I don't feel it should be expected that I give 3 Euros if I order a coffee in the cabin - thats more than the cost of buying one at the local coffee shop!

Cabin service isn't a ''free service'' it's part of what you pay for in the initial cost of the cruise.

[meow!]

- You can't assume that just because someone is on an Oceania cruise they can easily afford to be generous tippers

This is so true too, many of us have to stretch to climb aboard any ship (for those who would say then don't go, then the cruise industry will do worse and start mass lay offs). This is particularly true with the economy being so bad, and our few remaining dollars are heavily devalued!

[oregon50]

It's always fun to read the spiel of the BIG tippers and their misunderstanding of the financial state of crew members. Having been in the home(s) of three crew members, I am can happily report that none live as poorly as me.

[haymish]

I think this is a useless topic. We pay 1000's for the cruise. In my opinion it is proper to tip for room service but if you don't want to, this whole conversation is useless. The ones that want to tip will tip and the ones that don't want to, won't. I have learned a long time ago that the only way to be happy is to make other people happy. If a tip can give me satisfaction sobeit. Two dollars is not going to break us. I grew up in NY and there it is a custom to tip everyone, if you want to. The UPS driver, Federal Express. Now, that I feel is a little overboard. In freestyle cruising I tip the hostess in the dining room and every night the table that I like is waiting for me. it's just whatever your preference is but not worth arguing over.

[Rickey 88]

:) Haymish - Well said!!!