When to tip? - Gem trip in June

[Bizylizy1123]

Our first cruise and I have a question on tipping: I've read posts that suggest a wad of $1 bills is a good thing to have on hand to use for tips. I know the baggage handlers at the dock are not NCL employees and should be tipped if you like your luggage and want to see it again soon.

 

We have a suite so we will be bringing tips for the butler and concierge, but also from what I've read $1 bills aren't going to cut it for them, even if you have a wad. Plus there are the mandatory gratuities which I thought covered everyone else.

 

So who gets the $1 bills? :confused:

[willysgrandma]

Your tips will be added to your onboard account on the cruise. If you think the service wa above and beyond on the ship, you can tip more, but you won't need to be carrying around all those bills.

 

Tipping at the dock is customary and tipping on excursions is usual a well. But for the ship itself, unless service is above and beyond, you will be charged the service fee to your onboard account and don't need to bring that cash.

[Justsyd]

Tipping is a personal decision. If you feel that someone has gone above and beyond you can tip, but it's not a problem if you don't.

[turning40withMickey]

Room service? If you order food delivered to your room you will want to tip them!

[Frick_&_Frack]

Another person to remember is the night butler (if you have after-hours requests).

 

Also, if you have access to The Haven, there's a butler in there too.

 

If you have Cagneys for breakfast & lunch, you may find you would like to tip the servers there at the end of the week as well (we had two great guys who waited on us each day at lunch and then at dinner when we ate there and we felt they went above and beyond for us, so we gave them each something on the last day).

 

Most other tips onboard you can add to the bill at the time (other specialty restaurants, bar, etc.).

 

For port stops, it's definitely handy to have smaller bills for tips for tours or using taxis or buying smaller souveniers.

 

Have a super cruise!

[NMLady]

Our first cruise and I have a question on tipping: I've read posts that suggest a wad of $1 bills is a good thing to have on hand to use for tips. I know the baggage handlers at the dock are not NCL employees and should be tipped if you like your luggage and want to see it again soon.

 

We have a suite so we will be bringing tips for the butler and concierge, but also from what I've read $1 bills aren't going to cut it for them, even if you have a wad. Plus there are the mandatory gratuities which I thought covered everyone else.

 

So who gets the $1 bills? :confused:

 

We usually order coffee & pastry for our cabin in the morning and I give $1 or two to whomever brings the tray.

If we eat in one of the specialty restaurants and the service is excellent we often tip the servers a couple extra dollars.

We also often use the $$ in port if we're buying small souvenirs and the vendors accept US money.

Hubby collects foreign coins so will often trade a dollar or two for its equivalent in coins.

[Sauer-kraut]

Since the OP has a suite, isn't the Butler in charge of bringing up room service orders to the suites? Then the dollars won't cut it.

[bonvoyagie]

Yes, in a suite any room service will be handled by the butler and he/she will expect a tip at the end of the cruise - more than singles :). The servers and room stewards are all part of the DSC pool (the 12.00/person/day charge). You can tip on excursions - esp for service above and beyond the normal.

[clean1owner]

Your tips will be added to your onboard account on the cruise. If you think the service wa above and beyond on the ship, you can tip more, but you won't need to be carrying around all those bills.

 

Tipping at the dock is customary and tipping on excursions is usual a well. But for the ship itself, unless service is above and beyond, you will be charged the service fee to your onboard account and don't need to bring that cash.

 

 

Do you have the option of not having tips added to your account and giving them in cash?

[sdmike]

Do you have the option of not having tips added to your account and giving them in cash?

 

Tips are not added to your account. The daily service charge is. If you want to tip above and beyond the $12 per day DSC you can certainly do that in cash. There is a 15% mandatory tip added to all drink orders, and that will show up on your bill. Personally, I don't see a need to tip above the DSC unless I get room service or someone goes out of their way for a special request. Remember, if you're in a suite, the butler and concierge are not included in the DSC pool, nor are the kids club staff.

[WaldosPepper]

Do you have the option of not having tips added to your account and giving them in cash?

 

There are literally dozens of threads on this topic, ALL of which are extremely heated discussions. You may want to use the search feature and put in "tipping." By the time you're done reading those threads, your head will be spinning, and very likely your hair will be on fire. Hopefully your question here will not cause the OP's original question to get lost in the flames... :eek:

[che5904]

Our first cruise and I have a question on tipping: I've read posts that suggest a wad of $1 bills is a good thing to have on hand to use for tips. I know the baggage handlers at the dock are not NCL employees and should be tipped if you like your luggage and want to see it again soon.

 

We have a suite so we will be bringing tips for the butler and concierge, but also from what I've read $1 bills aren't going to cut it for them, even if you have a wad. Plus there are the mandatory gratuities which I thought covered everyone else.

 

So who gets the $1 bills? :confused:

 

Sorry I had to giggle at your post as I am picturing someone walking around with a "wad" of $1 bills.

 

I agree with most of what has already been said. It is customary not mandatory that you tip the baggage handlers and even if you didn't you would see your luggage. But they do work hard and it is nice to appreciate them with a little something.

 

You DSC covers most crew except butler, consierge, kids crew. Your drinks will have a 15% gratuity added and spa service will have an 18% gratuity added.

 

Most extra tip room service and some give extra to their room steward. Anything else you choose to give any other crew member is completely up to you.

 

NCL used to have a "style card" program that they appeared to be phasing out for something else. But if they still have it, you should find style cards in your suite, if not at the front desk. That is another nice way to reward exceptional service of certain crew members.

[ndabunka]

Your tips will be added to your onboard account on the cruise.

 

Huh? What if you don't WANT the tips on that account? In all my prior cruises, we always tipped in cash directly with the cruise employee. It's always nice to have someone CASH. The last thing I wan to do is to tip in cash and then have ANOTHER charge for tips on my closing account. How do I prevent NCL from applying this charge?

 

We typically don't use any $1 bills and simply round up to a $5 or $10.

 

Any drinks purchased onboard ALREADY have the tip included in the sales price so $1's aren't needed there.

 

Most recommend tipping $1/bag for handlers so if you have 7 bags, you may need a few $1s for that

[willysgrandma]

If you don't want the mandatory service fee added to your onboard account you need to go the Guest Service deck when you get on the ship and tell them. However, one thing to remember if you remove it is that many people behind the scene share in those fees, such as the people working in the buffet, etc that do not wait on you personally every single day. Removing it takes gratuities out of their hands. I find the people in the buffet areas sometimes work harder for me than the waiters and waitresses when I am dining in a dining room.

 

This is what NCL says about service charges:

 

http://www2.ncl.com/faq#service-charge

 

Huh? What if you don't WANT the tips on that account? In all my prior cruises, we always tipped in cash directly with the cruise employee. It's always nice to have someone CASH. The last thing I wan to do is to tip in cash and then have ANOTHER charge for tips on my closing account. How do I prevent NCL from applying this charge?

 

We typically don't use any $1 bills and simply round up to a $5 or $10.

 

Any drinks purchased onboard ALREADY have the tip included in the sales price so $1's aren't needed there.

 

Most recommend tipping $1/bag for handlers so if you have 7 bags, you may need a few $1s for that

[Sauer-kraut]

Do you have the option of not having tips added to your account and giving them in cash?

 

Why do you have 6 Titanic memorial tickers on your signature? Surely only one is needed since they all say the same thing.

[Sauer-kraut]

Huh? What if you don't WANT the tips on that account? In all my prior cruises, we always tipped in cash directly with the cruise employee. It's always nice to have someone CASH. The last thing I wan to do is to tip in cash and then have ANOTHER charge for tips on my closing account. How do I prevent NCL from applying this charge?

 

You only have a Daily Service Charge added to your account, $12 per day for all the employees that do work for you. Buffet staff, laundry, stewards, waitstaff, etc. You don't have to tip on top of that if you don't wish to--very SIMPLE!!

 

If you want to hand out cash to servers who have gone above and beyond for you, the stewards kept the ice stocked in the bucket, you had a great couple of servers in any dining venue, well then you are more than welcome to leave 'extra' for them.

[palmyrafan]

Our first cruise and I have a question on tipping: I've read posts that suggest a wad of $1 bills is a good thing to have on hand to use for tips. I know the baggage handlers at the dock are not NCL employees and should be tipped if you like your luggage and want to see it again soon.

 

We have a suite so we will be bringing tips for the butler and concierge, but also from what I've read $1 bills aren't going to cut it for them, even if you have a wad. Plus there are the mandatory gratuities which I thought covered everyone else.

 

So who gets the $1 bills? :confused:

 

DH and I bring some ones to tip the baggage guys at curbside. Usually $3-$5 per person handling the bag. Then if we take a bus shuttle service to the ship pier, etc., they get another $3-$5. Just the fact that you have remembered them will go a long way.

 

As for the butler and concierge? Many threads on here about that tipping. But DH and I usually tip our Concierge $250 for the week, our butler $150-$200 depending on how much we have used their services and the room steward gets $150-$200 depending on how well they performed their duties. We always stay in a Haven class suite and our service has always been impeccable so we tip accordingly. However, not everyone tips as we do and that is okay too. Do what makes sense for you and makes you comfortable.

[Fishbait17]

I go through a good wad of singles for drink tips in the casino during the week. As a casino guest, my drinks are free so I tip a dollar or two per drink. The singles are also very handy for small purchases in port and straw markets etc. I would guess we generally go through maybe 50-75 singles per week for the two of us.

 

Robin

[cruzsnooze]

You have tipped all that is required when you leave the daily amount on your bill PERIOD! No one will turn down the extra money but's not expected nor required. In addition many porters are long shoremen who earn in excess of $30 per hour so it depends which port you leave from if you wish to add to their wealth. Florida has signs stating they are long shoremen and tipping is optional or not required, i forget the exact verbage. In answer to the second part of your question YES you can go to the customer service desk and they will eliminate the auto tip or reduce it to any amount you request. You are free to choose the option that works best for you.

[cruzsnooze]

 

DH and I usually tip our Concierge $250 for the week, our butler $150-$200 depending on how much we have used their services and the room steward gets $150-$200 depending on how well they performed their duties. We always stay in a Haven class suite and our service has always been impeccable so we tip accordingly. .

And that was just a 3 night cruise! :confused:

[clean1owner]

Tips are not added to your account. The daily service charge is. If you want to tip above and beyond the $12 per day DSC you can certainly do that in cash. There is a 15% mandatory tip added to all drink orders, and that will show up on your bill. Personally, I don't see a need to tip above the DSC unless I get room service or someone goes out of their way for a special request. Remember, if you're in a suite, the butler and concierge are not included in the DSC pool, nor are the kids club staff.

 

 

So on NCL the DSC is what would be considered the tips on other lines.

 

Correct?

[clean1owner]

Why do you have 6 Titanic memorial tickers on your signature? Surely only one is needed since they all say the same thing.

 

 

I didn't do that. I think All Nautical Cities tickers were changed. Please read the caption

[cruzsnooze]

So on NCL the DSC is what would be considered the tips on other lines.

 

Correct?

Yes however other lines do the same thing but some call it gratuities.

[clean1owner]

So on NCL the DSC is what would be considered the tips on other lines.

 

Correct?

 

Yes however other lines do the same thing but some call it gratuities.

 

 

Then the charge is neither a gratuity or a tip. It is simply a hidden fee that should be reported in the booking price, same as Port Taxes and Government Fees.

 

A tip is a bonus given to show appreciation for good service. The better the service, the better the tip.

[cruzsnooze]

Then the charge is neither a gratuity or a tip. It is simply a hidden fee that should be reported in the booking price, same as Port Taxes and Government Fees.

 

A tip is a bonus given to show appreciation for good service. The better the service, the better the tip.

That is correct and it's up to you to increase, decrease or eliminate the tips. They hope for apathy in this regard and it seems to work for them.