Tipping for Suite "perks"

[GmaPajama]

I guess I'll add to the "semi-specific" responses here. For a 10 day cruise with access to the Neptune, we bring along $500 for extra tipping. Sometimes we use all of it, other times we do not - all depends on the service. I like to tip the quiet laborers as well - maybe slip $20 to the guy I see polishing brass all day long, day after day. What he does to keep the ship beautiful is important to my overall enjoyment of the cruise, and it's nice to recognize his efforts.

 

As for room service tipping, we often need to be quick with the tip ... the stewards always seem surprised and it's sometimes hard to catch them before they are out the door.

[drcandon]

Sage..you didn't start the firestorm ..I actually did by asking what I knew was going to be a semi-volatile question. I wanted to know if tipping the NL folk and the Pinnacle grill folk (breakfast only) was expected, regardless of the amount - it seems that it is, so I will tip in accordance to my conscience and usage.

 

I certainly appreciate your situation where you use the NL much more then pehaps others would for a variety of things and therefore tip in accordance.

 

I do not anticipate using their services as much as others - but certainly will avail myself of the goodies and decent coffee ( I have heard it is much better then the brown stuff in the Lido ;)).

 

Slightly O/T...Now if you want to join a firestorm on tipping wander over some time to the forums on that big theme park in central florida - recently the tipping was taken off the dining plan - and they expect at least 18% for mediocre service and 20% and beyond for okay service on food that is sometimes questionable in quality....compare that to what you have to fork over on a cruise vacation - especially on HAL and you will see what a bargian cruising is...even with tipping the NL.

 

That aside if anyone else has experiences - please continue...

[DoggyDaddy]

A few people have asked what is proper for a tip for room service, but I have not seen an answer. What should one tip for room service, for breakfast and/or dinner?

 

 

DD

[Krazy Kruizers]

We haven't ordered room service in a long time.

But when we did order breakfast -- we don't order everything in sight -- usually gave $2 - $3.

For lunch we gave $5.

Never did dinner -- can't help you there.

[Copper10-8]

A few people have asked what is proper for a tip for room service, but I have not seen an answer. What should one tip for room service, for breakfast and/or dinner?

 

 

DD

 

We give the guy $3 for breakfast room service - Have never used dinner room service on the ship

[English_in_Spain]

When in Europe, we give 2 Euros (about $3) for breakfast, snacks or drinks which do not need any setting up. They just bring in a tray and put it down.

 

This is the only room service we ever use.

 

It has been a while since we cruised outside Europe so will have to think about that. Probably $3.

[kryos]

Aren't the breakfast servers in the Pinnacle Grill part of the tipping pool that gets a share of the auto-tips?

LOL ... I was gonna ask the same question. If you didn't eat in the Pinnacle, you'd be eating in the dining room or the Lido. Do you tip your servers there?

 

I figure the auto-tip covers their services.

 

But then, of course, tipping is a personal thing and people should do whatever makes them feel best.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[kryos]

There is no way we would tip the concierges $11 per day per each one of them.

LOL ... your reaction seems to be the same one I had. I said "man, am I glad I never book suites!"

 

My feeling, if I did book a suite, however, would be that I am paying for that added bit of service and it shouldn't necessarily accrue an added tip of any significance. Now, of course, as is mentioned in post number 50 ... if the concierge does something above and beyond for you ... such as going into town in one of the ports and picking up medication, or loaning you a pair of their own personal shoes when the heel on yours broke ... that is something entirely different. They don't have to do those things ... those things are not in the job description for a concierge ... and for those services, and others like them, I most certainly would hand them a nice tip at the end of the cruise.

 

But for simply routine matters ... "can I get this traveler's check cashed?" or "I'd like to borrow a couple of DVD's for the cabin tonight," I'd maybe slide them a $20 at the end of the cruise and let that be it. After all, my extra cruise fare for that cabin category entitling me to use the concierges should cover minor services I asked them to perform for me.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[dandro]

Personal preference, and I don't think it really has anything to do with self sufficiency, but that is just my humble opinion. If you sail in a suite, you are welcome to use the concierge's services as much or as little as suits you. The way I see it, whether I ask the concierge to handle something, or I wait in the line at the Front Desk to handle something, it all gets handled just the same.

 

Your post sort of made it sound like suite folk only spend their time going back and forth between their suite and the Neptune, and that visiting the shorex desk is a great excuse to "get out" or exercise. Perhaps you didn't mean it like that, but I take exception to that.

 

No, I didn't mean it that way and I apologize. Sometimes my posts (even to me after I read them) come across as insinuating something I am not. I was saying that handling things on one's own by visiting the various desks if necessary is a good way to see more of the ship and it's ambiance and stretch the legs. I liked having reasons to visit different parts of the ship. Maybe it was because I was a first timer and everything was such a novelty, but if I were a frequent cruiser maybe I would prefer someone else handling everything for me.

 

So, having said that, let's go back to John's question. What has the concierge done for all of you to deserve tips and gifts? How has the concierge on your cruises gone above and beyond their regular job description? (I'm not talking the ordinary stuff the concierge is supposed to do.) Would love to hear your stories about these glorified staff members. They sound like special people to most of you.

[Charliesmom]

Sage - I'll be everybody loves to see you coming. There's nothing like a good tipper.

 

I also have allergies (but not life threatening). In years past, I have had head waiters who would do handstands for me if I asked. They always got tipped heavily. One year, the head waiter was so pleased with his tip, that he arranged to be our head waiter on the return trip even though he was assigned to a different station.

 

It is my supposition (and I might be wrong) that there is a grapevine about who is a good tipper and the servers go out of their way to take care of you. This seems to have changed since the auto tipping. In fact, very few do handstands (or the equivalent) these days.

 

They don't have the latitude they used to have. I have had headwaiters produce caviar at almost every meal. One even came up with smoked tongue for me.

 

We had a superb concierge on the Maasdam in September of 2007. He went the extra mile

and was well rewarded.

 

We love the whole idea of a concierge. They take care of everything. There are no hassles. And that is worth money (to both the cruiseline and to the concierge in the form of a tip.) We also always tip the room steward extra unless he is a real dud. We figure the bigger room takes longer to clean.

[RuthC]

It is my supposition (and I might be wrong) that there is a grapevine about who is a good tipper and the servers go out of their way to take care of you.

I'm certain of it. There was a steward in the Lido when I was on the Maasdam in '05; he recognized me from the previous year, and was johnny on the spot to help me with my tray. He remembered my tipping him. Either he told another steward, or the other one saw, and figured it out, because before I knew it, there were the two of them beating each other out to help me.

My dining table steward was in the Lido for breakfast. He saw what was happening, and, sure enough, all of a sudden there were three of them fighting over helping me.

I don't care if they were motivated by an expected tip, for 35 days I felt like a queen.

[sail7seas]

You know those wonderful memories that we always comment about with the crew? How Hunky Dory, John Wayne, Sly and all the other copycats remember so many names each cruise..... How bar stewards remember your name, drink and cabin number after you go to their bar just once.......

 

Well, it isn't a hard stretch to think that those wonderful memories also recall who tipped and thanked them nicely in the past and who did not.

 

We've been told they remember those who are extremely friendly, nice to them and treat them well and they remember those who are awful to them. Those who fall someplace in the middle aren't as vivid in their memories seeing as they serve tens of thousands of guests.

 

I don't think it unlikely they remember if you failed to tip or thank them in the past.

BUT I also think you would still get excellent service because they take pride in their work and they are not going to risk not getting a new contract because they didn't treat someone well who failed to tip them on a subsequent cruise. But, I'm sure they remember!

 

[twinkletoes4445]

I'm sorry if I started a firestorm of sorts. I'm tired of people dancing around the subject of what they tip when the question of tipping is a sincere one. These people are asking for a guide line, and I think that they deserve an answer. We may tip a bit more, or a lot more, from what some replies are saying, but we do use them frequently and appreciate what they do for us. For example, I mentioned that I have a severe food allergy, and the Concierge arranges for me to eat things I enjoy without making a scene or explaining my allergy to everyone that I meet. I love eating food from the Lido, and I usually know what I will have the day before, just as I do in the dining room, so my order is ready at a certain time, without my having to hold up the line, or speak to several people. I merely tell them my name, and what I ordered, and they serve up my food, and I move along quickly in the line, so that I don't hold the rest of you up.

 

Over the years, we have had Concierge's go ashore and pick up medication for us in town, loan me their personal blow dryer when the one in the suite didn't work, loan me a pair of dress shoes when my heel broke, and then arrange to have my shoe repaired, arrange sail away parties, remember that my DH should only eat the sugar free desserts and make sure that they always have a plate for him with what he likes tucked aside, during suite luncheons make sure that I have only the foods that I could eat and have the Chef walk with us through the line, or they arranged the food to be prepared ahead of time. Also on HMC, the food eaten there was what I could eat as well.

 

These young women and men are gracious, well trained, and a delight. They assist the complaining passenger with the same smile as they do the passenger who come to compliment them. Tipping is a personal matter as Sail says, so decide for yourself. I know this is a long post, but perhaps it will answer a few of the questions that you may have.

 

It's nice to see posters put an actual number to their post. I asked the same questions for our first cruise and some were generous enough to do so. They range varied a bit, but it was nice to have an idea what others were doing. :)

 

We ended up tipping the two NL concierges the same as you did. They were always there for us and were always willing to help us with whatever we asked of them.

 

Happy Cruising! :)

[Krazy Kruizers]

I'm certain of it. There was a steward in the Lido when I was on the Maasdam in '05; he recognized me from the previous year, and was johnny on the spot to help me with my tray. He remembered my tipping him. Either he told another steward, or the other one saw, and figured it out, because before I knew it, there were the two of them beating each other out to help me.

My dining table steward was in the Lido for breakfast. He saw what was happening, and, sure enough, all of a sudden there were three of them fighting over helping me.

 

I don't care if they were motivated by an expected tip, for 35 days I felt like a queen.

 

There may be grapvines -- but it sure wasn't working on one of our back-to-back cruises.

We had excellent service from our waitstaff in the dinning room as well as excellent service from our Bar Server -- all were tipped very well at the end of the first segment.

Second Segment -- everyone new to our section -- waitstaff -- poor -- Bar Server -- couldn't even get his attention!!

[kryos]

Personal preference, and I don't think it really has anything to do with self sufficiency, but that is just my humble opinion. If you sail in a suite, you are welcome to use the concierge's services as much or as little as suits you. The way I see it, whether I ask the concierge to handle something, or I wait in the line at the Front Desk to handle something, it all gets handled just the same.

I agree with you. You pay for the service of not having to stand in line at the ShoreEx desk, or the front office, or wait on hold to make dining reservations. That's what buying concierge class accommodations onboard does for you. You pay for that service, so why on Earth shouldn't you use it? I certainly would.

 

But, by the same token, I don't feel that these "normal" services necessarily are deserving of a super large tip at the end of the week. You're paying for the privilege of using those services when you book your suite. Why should you be "expected" to pay for them again at the end of the cruise with a large tip?

 

Again, and this is only my opinion ... everyone will tip as they see fit ... if I were staying in those accommodations and the concierge did something above and beyond for me ... such as ran to a drug store on shore to get a vital prescription filled for me because perhaps I am too ill to do it myself ... yes, that's deserving of a very nice tip. But just to make my spa appointments, get me some DVDs for in-cabin viewing, cash a traveler's check, etc.? Sorry, but as far as I'm concerned, I'm paying for those services and while I would probably slide the concierge a small tip, it wouldn't be anything even coming close to $11 per day.

 

Just my opinion ...

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[kryos]

A few people have asked what is proper for a tip for room service, but I have not seen an answer. What should one tip for room service, for breakfast and/or dinner?

I've never used room service for dinner, but for breakfast I tip $3.00 for one, and even if the order is not that big for two. If I my order was particularly large ... such as a full breakfast for two, I might go $5.00 between the two of us.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[HWH]

I'm not being dense on purpose, just trying to learn. Please be patient with me.

 

Can't you just call room service to get your hot appetizers?

 

And it seems like it would be a great way to get out of your room area by visiting the shore ex. desk, the front desk, the purser's desk if there are problems. Why not go to the source of the problem instead of using a third party? Not to mention the great experience of seeing more of the artwork on the ship and getting a bit of exercise. A win-win situation, IMO.

 

And can't a passenger call or visit the dining room to make their own reservations?

 

Yes, I have stayed in hotels before that have had concierges but never availed myself of their services.

 

I guess I am more of a DIY type of person. And it's NOT to avoid tipping! I just like being self sufficient.

 

 

Yes, of course one can do all of this on his/her own, and this is why it is tough to suggest a dollar amount that one should tip the concierges. Some suite pax are more DIY while others prefer the expediency of using the concierge. In my one cruise w/NL privileges, we chose to use the concierge occasionally to do the things you mention--booking dinner reservations, rescheduling 2 shore excursions after last minute cancellations, opening our room safe when our credit card magnetic stripe failed, answering random questions, etc. When we made requests of the concierge, they were done cheerfully and well, in a manner that always made us feel special. If you care to know, I gave each of the two concierges $40 at the end of our 7-day cruise, which I felt was fair given the amount of requests I made and the level of kindness with which these requests were carried out. Had I chosen to be more "self-sufficient" I would tip less or not at all, and if I had truly "run them ragged" I would give more.

[scopewest]

We finally booked our first suite so I appreciate the info.

[GmaPajama]

... I don't think it unlikely they remember if you failed to tip or thank them in the past. BUT I also think you would still get excellent service because they take pride in their work and they are not going to risk not getting a new contract because they didn't treat someone well who failed to tip them on a subsequent cruise ...

I totally agree, Sail. On our very first HAL cruise, when no crew had any idea about us, we were treated like royalty. It is absolutely THE CREW that keeps us coming back. And it just keeps getting better and better.

[gebo]

OK, my 2 cents worth. I work for a living, and if I buy a suite it is a real splurge. I always tip extra because I feel generosity is the greatest luxury. When I pay above and beyond for a suite I don't want to feel nickel and dimed. I always tip room service, but admit to resenting the extra tip for breakfast served in the Pinnacle (same menu; same service) I do tip there but can't help but wonder why. I also tip the consierge in the Neptune. Most important is the way I treat all the staff, with respect and dignity, that beats an extra few dollars. Sorry, I don't mean to sound cheap.