Boudicca - tipping and other advice please

[mrsaligee]

Hi, we're on the Baltic cruise on 1st June. As this is our first time with Fred Olsen, I'd like some advice, please.

 

Firstly, when to tip? I know how much and to whom, but should we tip on a daily basis or at the end of the cruise?

 

Secondly, we received our tickets last night and note that there is a country&western night, which we both loathe. We're not going to get confined to our cabins unless we dress appropriately, are we?

 

Thirdly, we see that there is a British night, where it is required to dress in red, white and blue. Is this an informal night or formal?

 

Finally, any advice about the price of beer, gin plus mixer, bottle of wine would be gratefully received.

 

Mrsaligee

[STEPHEN LARKIN]

Hi ,

 

I do kind of agree with you on the Country and western theme , not my cup of tea either . I was on Braemar in 2007 and the country and western night is basically only adhered to when people are entering the theatre , as the crew give everyone a large scarf to put round your neck to help you look like a cowboy / cowgirl . I have to say it did get veryone into a good mood and the show wasn`t all that bad ! However in my experience very few people actually make the effort on these themed nights , if your not into it just relax after diner in one of the many lounges and have your normal night . By no means feel that you have to stay in your cabin , get out there... your on holiday !

 

Hope this helps ... :cool:

[petergoesrock]

Firstly, when to tip? I know how much and to whom, but should we tip on a daily basis or at the end of the cruise?

 

Secondly, we received our tickets last night and note that there is a country&western night, which we both loathe. We're not going to get confined to our cabins unless we dress appropriately, are we?

 

Thirdly, we see that there is a British night, where it is required to dress in red, white and blue. Is this an informal night or formal?

 

Mrsaligee

 

We tipped on the last night, as I remember envelopes were available from reception.

 

As prev. stated, C&W night is very relaxed. We took a few suitable bits to join in, the waiters were all dressed to match as were many passengers. But there was clearly no pressure to join in.

 

I'm sure all 'theme' nights were casual, the shows in the lounge were very 'Blitz spirit' but much enjoyed by all who went (including this 30 something & family).

 

Enjoy your cruise

[sagalout1954]

Tipping is at the end and envelopes available on reception desk, we tipped in sterling. Recommendation from FO is £2 per person, per day, for cabin steward and same for your waiter. Anything else you choose to hand out is at your discretion.

 

I asked a 'uniformed' person to explain it to me properly and apparently the cabin stewards don't pool it, whoever cleans your cabin keeps all his/her own. Your waiter must share his with his assistant (don't know what their agreed 'split' is though) but not with anyone else in the dining room.

 

For our 2 week cruise on Braemar we decided to do this:

Cabin Steward £30 (because we had a different girl for the first 4 or 5 days, then she disappeared, hope she didn't fall overboard). We also keep our cabin very tidy, no choice - no space for mess!

 

Waiter £50 (to share), didn't feel obliged to tip the Maitre D and the wine waiter started out OK but almost completely ignored us the last few days, too busy 'working' a large group travelling together where he thought the pickings might be better - so he got nothing.

 

2 bar staff £15 each, because they were always friendly, knew what we drank and we liked them.

 

I felt that was more than enough, (prefer 'tipping' to be within the cost of the cruise like Thomsons is). Usually over-tip on holiday and have finally got fed up with feeling like I'm being asked to practically pay an employee's salary! Not that I'm suggesting FO do that, I've always put myself under that obligation...................

 

Had British night, Caribbean night, Country & Western night. Didn't participate in any, too 'Butlins' for me. Not so many dressing up on the first and last but many fella's bought the snazzy Caribbean shirts so 'next time' we'd probably buy one of the shirts for a tenner in BHS at the moment. Brit night gave out Union flags on sticks, Carib night gave Lei's and Country & W little scarves to tie round your necks.

 

I brought it all home with me and frequently ask my self "what on earth for" - just a sad cow I guess!!!***

[merecat]

Dressing for theme nights ,really depends on which ship you go on and the mind set of the cruise director and passengers.

 

You don,t need to join in any of them ,just do your own thing, lots of people do participate and on my last Balmoral cruise we had a group from Holland on board ,who gave us a brillant tulips from Amsterdam on R,W and blue night.

 

Country & Western night is not as good as it used to be probably because the gun slingers have difficulty bringing their 6 shooters on board with all this heightened security thats about.

 

Anyhow whatever you join in or don,t join in I can assure you they won,t lock you up in your cabin.

 

Have a great time.:)

[mrsaligee]

Dear all

 

Thanks so much for your helpful advice. Hubby would rather stick pins in his eyes than do C&W, but we might do the red, white and blue thing.

 

Sagalout thanks for your advice on tipping - it does feel a little as though we're being asked to subsidise salaries! May tip the cabin steward daily if there's a chance they might not be the same person at the end of the cruise and save it all up to tip the waiter at the end.

 

Not long to go now and looking forward to it!

 

Mrsaligee

[mrsaligee]

Was only joking about being locked up in the cabin!

 

:)

[Parsman]

The company recommend £2 per night per passenger per night for the cabin stewardess and your waiter (he shares with his assistant). The tradition is that this is given on the last night of the cruise in envelopes provided at reception. Any other tipping is optional.

I find some of these "theme" nights acutely embarassing. C&W is bad enough but "British" nights can be a little over the top. I have just come off the "Balmoral" and there was a very significant number of non-British passengers who were somewhat alienated by this. Why this cannot be called "Red, white and blue" night which would cover French, Dutch, Americans etc I cannot understand. In any case there is no compulsion to participate, many do not. Go ahead and enjoy your holiday.

I am sure you will have a great cruise on this lovely ship.

[mrsaligee]

Thanks Parsman, I'm really looking forward to it.

 

Mrsaligee