Butler and Concierge Tips

[GrumpaTom]

What is the gratuity standard for the Butler & Concierge service provided with the Penthouse Suites?

 

We want to make sure we budget for a fair amount that a middle class couple would afford.

[justcake]

Totally up to you. Everyone usually says it depends on the amount of time you use the services. We waited until the end of the cruise and tipped the butler $100 for 7 days and the concierge the same. We used the butler only for room service 2 or 3 times but he was super nice and had a long cruise the one before us so thought he deserved a pick me up. As for the concerige, we didn't use her much but she was always super pleasant and worked hard I'm sure. If you use the services more often I would say to tip a little more but then again, it's entirely up to you.

[GrumpaTom]

We don't expect to use the services much but was looking for a guideline. It's easy when they suggest 3.25 a day for stateroom attendant, etc. But when you get to something where no suggestion was made, you never know.

[downsized]

You're opening a can of worms here...break out the popcorn.

That being said:

 

Our rule of thumb is $10pp per day for the butler and concierge.

$50 for the maitre'd at Cagney's.

$2.00pp per day for the room steward.

 

What we do is make out thank you cards on the second day of the cruise for each of the above, placing the appropriate amount of cash in each envelope (get it overwith, and then enjoy the rest of your cruise.)

Upon arrival, you will find a letter in your suite listing the individual names of the Butler, steward and concierge.

On day 6 we may make "adjustments" either way for each (depending upon the level of service and how much we felt we used their services.)

 

On the morning of the sixth day, we do our best to descretely hand the envelopes personally, as often the last morning is too hectic.

If you cannot find each one, simply hand the envelopes to the concierge. He/she will make sure they find their way to the individuals.

 

We seldom take much from any envelope, and typically offer our room steward a dollar or two each and every morning that we see him/her.

 

Too...don't forget the head waiter at Cagney's, especially if you eat there often.

[GrumpaTom]

You're opening a can of worms here...break out the popcorn.

 

Could be a can of worms, but I feel it is better that I ask. We had an AD before and I was completely clueless and based on your response I way undertipped the Butler. Although, while we saw him almost every day, we never used him.

 

$2.00pp per day for the room steward.

 

This one puzzles me a little, only because the Steward would be part of the Service Charge Pool. I know when we had the AC, we never saw the Steward and that cabin isn't that much larger then a balcony.

[pmcue]

This is why it is a Tip and up to you based on service. If I used the $10pp per day for both I would be tipping $840 for our upcoming cruise in an A3. Not saying that couldnt happen, but I am not planning on that much.

[FLAHAM]

 

Our rule of thumb is $10pp per day for the butler and concierge.

$50 for the maitre'd at Cagney's.

$2.00pp per day for the room steward.

 

 

Now I'm sad. I forgot about the maitre at Cagney's, which we very much enjoyed. Something to remember for next time.

[RichNY]

Could be a can of worms, but I feel it is better that I ask. We had an AD before and I was completely clueless and based on your response I way under tipped the Butler. Although, while we saw him almost every day, we never used him.

 

This one puzzles me a little, only because the Steward would be part of the Service Charge Pool. I know when we had the AC, we never saw the Steward and that cabin isn't that much larger then a balcony.

 

It's part of the butlers job to deliver certain items daily and check in on you, thats part of what you have paid for by having a suite. Don't feel bad about under tipping. There are no rules just tip as you see fit.

 

Some people tip the room steward extra and some dont..you are right they are part of the pool. Again its a matter of use..

 

 

 

Hope this helps..

[rickechambers1@aol.com]

Check this out and use the Celebrity Suite as a guide...

 

http://cruisetip.tpkeller.com/

 

What's interesting about this calculator is that the DSC charged on NCL is LESS than what is even recommended.

[CaptData]

The charge that came up when I tried just now was the $12/day per person. This did no include the Butler on Concierge.

 

I pre-paid for the 14 days and it worked out the same.

[Theresa522]

Not sure but this may be a dumb question :rolleyes: Do you pay for Cagneys or is it free? We have an A5 booked for next year and I keep hearing you can order breakfast and lunch from Cagneys.

 

Aren't the tips posted daily to your account? Or do they do it differently with courtyard villas?

 

We always tip extra but now I am wondering if they no longer include the tips on your bill? This is what happens when you cruise to many cruise lines. lol

[Theresa522]

The charge that came up when I tried just now was the $12/day per person. This did no include the Butler on Concierge.

 

I pre-paid for the 14 days and it worked out the same.

 

Okay forget my tip questions above, as you told me the answers.. :D ;)

 

What about Cagneys?

[RichNY]

Okay forget my tip questions above, as you told me the answers.. :D ;)

 

What about Cagneys?

 

 

If you are talking about the Cagneys Breakfast and Lunch suite perk, yes it is free..:)

[CaptData]

Only Supper at Cagney's cost money $25/person. The breakfast and lunch is a suite perk on all ships except maybe Epic.

[Theresa522]

If you are talking about the Cagneys Breakfast and Lunch suite perk, yes it is free..:)

 

Thank you!

[sunshine nana]

Wait and see what you ask each to do for you that is above what you have paid for by booking the cabin. We never saw or heard from our concierge after we left to get on the ship.

[mafig]

You didn't?

 

He/she didn't ask if you wanted restaurant reservations?

 

Did you see him in Cagney's at breakfast?

 

Priority disembarcation?

 

What ship? What category suite were you in?

 

 

I know it sounds like I'm giving you the third degree.:o However, I'm in my first suite this October (AE on Pearl), and I want to make sure I've made the correct decision. So I'm doing my research.

 

Most people love their Concierge. However, a couple of posts are like yours too.

 

OP: Not to hijack your thread.

What we're planning to do is budget $70 for Butler/$50 for Concierge.....and work up or down from there. This is for a week.

 

:)

[Theresa522]

You didn't?

 

 

OP: Not to hijack your thread.

What we're planning to do is budget $70 for Butler/$50 for Concierge.....and work up or down from there. This is for a week.

 

:)

 

Just wondering if others thought that was a good budget? We will have a courtyard villa and am unsure what to tip.

[RichNY]

You didn't?

 

He/she didn't ask if you wanted restaurant reservations?

 

Did you see him in Cagney's at breakfast?

 

Priority disembarcation?

 

What ship? What category suite were you in?

 

 

I know it sounds like I'm giving you the third degree.:o However, I'm in my first suite this October (AE on Pearl), and I want to make sure I've made the correct decision. So I'm doing my research.

 

Most people love their Concierge. However, a couple of posts are like yours too.

 

OP: Not to hijack your thread.

What we're planning to do is budget $70 for Butler/$50 for Concierge.....and work up or down from there. This is for a week.

 

:)

 

 

Those are pretty good amounts to work from......:) We don't start with any amounts in mind.......at the end of the cruise my wife and I put our heads together and come up with an amount. Its not based on a formula it's a gut thing..we do the same thing for our room steward..

[sunshine nana]

Gem Nov. 08 Med cruise. Met concierge in special embarkation lounge and we saw her two times after that. Once she was in a deep dicussion with a passenger over casino charges in the Star Bar when we went to Cagneys for breakfast and once at the suites cocktail party where she was very attentive to friends of ours who had been upgraded from a mini to a penthouse for free at the pier. Our butler was also terrible. We had been upsold from a mini to an AD a few days before we sailed. I only knew about Cagneys for breakfast and lunch as a perk. No one told us:1. we should have had an escort to our cabin,2. priority tenders,3. ordering room service from the restaurants, not just the quick order that the butler put on our door each day 4. the chocolate buffet if there was one. We did get invitations to the captains cocktail party. The water(ice) from our free bubbly was still in the container when we checked out. We had a great cruise. I had made all of our excursions reservations before we left. I did ask in the MDR if we could have a standing reservation for 6 pm and was told no. I asked if the butler could make it for us and was told no again. I did not know until I read on CC that the concierge could have done that for us. All in all, the concierge dropped the ball when it came to telling us what we had paid for. I know better now. As I said, we had a wonderful cruise. If I had a suite again, I would order a nice room service breakfast on the mornings we had an early excursions and maybe a nice room service dinner when we were late getting back. I definitely would get reservations for dinner. All in all, you may get a good concierge and butler or not.When the toilets on the aft all went down, we told the butler twice. When we finally called the purser, he said he didn't know. I hope we get another chance to sail in a suite and take advantage of what I now know are the perks. Another thing no one mentioned was the phone to call around the ship. No one told us about eating breakfast and lunch at Cagneys. I knew from CC. I really wonder how many people get a suite and never know about any of the perks!!!WE are booked on a May cruise on the Gem, but in the BA aft. Hoping for an upsell to really experience a suite.

[mafig]

thanks for getting back to me SunshineNana. I would be very disappointed if that happened to me. I'm glad you had a good cruise anyway.:)

[Theresa522]

Another thing no one mentioned was the phone to call around the ship.

 

I have never heard of this perk either and have stayed in an AB penthouse suite twice :eek: What exactly is that??

[sunshine nana]

There is a phone by the dressing table. You can use it on the ship to call the room if your DH is there and you are out or to call the butler or concierge from anywhere on the ship. We are low key, not demanding and did have a wonderful time. I do think a list of perks should be handed to each suite guest as they check in.It should be more specific than the list in the brochures. Now that I have a lot of time on CC, I know so much more, but not everyone has done that.

[TPKeller]

Check this out and use the Celebrity Suite as a guide...

 

http://cruisetip.tpkeller.com/

 

What's interesting about this calculator is that the DSC charged on NCL is LESS than what is even recommended.

Hi,

 

Can you explain what you mean by this? NCL's daily service charge is $12, per person, per day, according to the most recent information I have available.

 

Thanks,

 

Theron

[havoc315]

You will get different answers from different people.

We had a family of 4, on a 7 night cruise. We tipped the butler $140, and the concierge $80, plus an extra $40 for the steward.