lilli Posted September 18, 2013 #1 Share Posted September 18, 2013 We are new to ncl and sailing the ncl jade from rome in November and are in a suite. Would prefer not to carry a large sum of cash so just verifying that it is appropriate to add gratuity to our ship account or is it expected to use cash? Also we have been "upgraded" to the haven and wondering about courtyard butlers, etc...anyone with tipping guidelines for them? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mooder Posted September 18, 2013 #2 Share Posted September 18, 2013 We are new to ncl and sailing the ncl jade from rome in November and are in a suite. Would prefer not to carry a large sum of cash so just verifying that it is appropriate to add gratuity to our ship account or is it expected to use cash?Also we have been "upgraded" to the haven and wondering about courtyard butlers, etc...anyone with tipping guidelines for them? Thanks! You can go the guest relations and have it charged to your account, no problem. Just tell them the amount and recipient. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruisin&Relaxin Posted September 18, 2013 #3 Share Posted September 18, 2013 We are new to ncl and sailing the ncl jade from rome in November and are in a suite. Would prefer not to carry a large sum of cash so just verifying that it is appropriate to add gratuity to our ship account or is it expected to use cash?Also we have been "upgraded" to the haven and wondering about courtyard butlers, etc...anyone with tipping guidelines for them? Thanks! In the Haven, you may want to tip your Butler, the Courtyard Valet, the Courtyard Attendant, the Concierge and your Room Steward as you feel appropriate for services rendered. I believe the Room Steward is covered by the DSC, but I always tip the Haven Steward extra. There are 1000s of threads that discuss tipping so I will leave it to you to research it. I always put my tips on my account and avoid using cash. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJ2002 Posted September 18, 2013 #4 Share Posted September 18, 2013 You can go the guest relations and have it charged to your account, no problem. Just tell them the amount and recipient. Yes, totally recommend this! It is very easy, and you can avoid having to pull and carry cash. When you go to guest relations, be sure to have the correct name of the person you want to tip. They will pull up their information on their computer, and sometimes they will show you the screen to see if the picture matches the person you want to tip. They will give you a copy of the receipt which you can present to the person being tipped, as a personal thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdvmd Posted September 18, 2013 #5 Share Posted September 18, 2013 Yes, totally recommend this! It is very easy, and you can avoid having to pull and carry cash. When you go to guest relations, be sure to have the correct name of the person you want to tip. They will pull up their information on their computer, and sometimes they will show you the screen to see if the picture matches the person you want to tip. They will give you a copy of the receipt which you can present to the person being tipped, as a personal thank you. Good to know! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SissasMomE Posted September 18, 2013 #6 Share Posted September 18, 2013 You can go the guest relations and have it charged to your account, no problem. Just tell them the amount and recipient. Really? I never knew you could do this. Cool! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alny5810 Posted September 18, 2013 #7 Share Posted September 18, 2013 Yes, totally recommend this! It is very easy, and you can avoid having to pull and carry cash. When you go to guest relations, be sure to have the correct name of the person you want to tip. They will pull up their information on their computer, and sometimes they will show you the screen to see if the picture matches the person you want to tip. They will give you a copy of the receipt which you can present to the person being tipped, as a personal thank you. Thanks for the info. Was going to use cash but the way you describe it you can assure the tip goes to appropriate person. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare GPPhilly Posted September 18, 2013 #8 Share Posted September 18, 2013 I actually read a good tip on this board and used it on our Breakaway cruise. We brought Thank-you cards and wrote a nice short note of thanks and included the cash tip inside and gave them out the last night/morning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samiam0403 Posted September 18, 2013 #9 Share Posted September 18, 2013 Great info here! Very happy to see that I can add butler/concierge tips to my on-board account instead of scrambling for cash the last night. :) And putting the receipt from guest services in a little card is a great idea. Thanks all - I learned something new today! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ValRober Posted September 18, 2013 #10 Share Posted September 18, 2013 Can you use OBC to help cover the cost of the tips for your butler and concierge? I am a little confused as to what OBC can be used for! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnql Posted September 18, 2013 #11 Share Posted September 18, 2013 Can you use OBC to help cover the cost of the tips for your butler and concierge? I am a little confused as to what OBC can be used for! Yes, OBC can be used for all gratuities, just NOT the Daily Service Charge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ValRober Posted September 18, 2013 #12 Share Posted September 18, 2013 Thanks for your quick response! This thread has been really helpful! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nyc2tropics Posted September 19, 2013 #13 Share Posted September 19, 2013 Cash is king Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MizDemeanor Posted September 19, 2013 #14 Share Posted September 19, 2013 My first time...what do the Courtyard Valet and the Courtyard Assistant do (for me)....So I am up with the program...Thx. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruisin&Relaxin Posted September 19, 2013 #15 Share Posted September 19, 2013 My first time...what do the Courtyard Valet and the Courtyard Assistant do (for me)....So I am up with the program...Thx. The Courtyard Valet handles all the food and drink related activity in the Courtyard. You can have your breakfast and lunch their if you prefer. My wife and I do. The Courtyard Attendant handles setting up the chairs, loungers and the upper sun deck. He was especially helpful when my wife used the exercise machinery and got her towels and water. He found out her sunning preference on the upper sun deck and made sure to set up the lounger and umbrellas every day as she liked it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peg013 Posted September 19, 2013 #16 Share Posted September 19, 2013 Great info here! Very happy to see that I can add butler/concierge tips to my on-board account instead of scrambling for cash the last night. :) And putting the receipt from guest services in a little card is a great idea. Thanks all - I learned something new today! I always bring thank you cards to write a short note and enclose the receipt for their tip. Works well to use OBC too! :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MizDemeanor Posted September 19, 2013 #17 Share Posted September 19, 2013 The Courtyard Valet handles all the food and drink related activity in the Courtyard. You can have your breakfast and lunch their if you prefer. My wife and I do. The Courtyard Attendant handles setting up the chairs, loungers and the upper sun deck. He was especially helpful when my wife used the exercise machinery and got her towels and water. He found out her sunning preference on the upper sun deck and made sure to set up the lounger and umbrellas every day as she liked it. Thank you. I've read that with this phone that I am given that I can ring someone up for a cocktail...are these the ones that I am conencted to while in the Haven? Thanks so much in advance for your expertise. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruisin&Relaxin Posted September 19, 2013 #18 Share Posted September 19, 2013 Thank you. I've read that with this phone that I am given that I can ring someone up for a cocktail...are these the ones that I am conencted to while in the Haven? Thanks so much in advance for your expertise. :) The phones will connect you with anyone on the ship. You just need their phone number. The Butler and Concierge will likely give you their phone number on the first day. The butler handles all things in your cabin - drinks, meals, coffee machine interaction, glass wear, etc. The Courtyard Valet will handle drinks and food outside your room in the Courtyard. He/She will be in the Courtyard throughout the day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MizDemeanor Posted September 19, 2013 #19 Share Posted September 19, 2013 The phones will connect you with anyone on the ship. You just need their phone number. The Butler and Concierge will likely give you their phone number on the first day. The butler handles all things in your cabin - drinks, meals, coffee machine interaction, glass wear, etc. The Courtyard Valet will handle drinks and food outside your room in the Courtyard. He/She will be in the Courtyard throughout the day. Wow. Sounds like there are enough staff to pamper me! Much appreciated. Very much appreciated. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maja651 Posted September 19, 2013 #20 Share Posted September 19, 2013 My personal opinion, tip in cash. All service personal prefer cash. As someone mentioned earlier, cash is king. Bring the thank you cards if you want to, but tip in cash. Btw, the concierge will have NCL envelopes to put tips in if you prefer to tip more discretely and forget or don't bring thank you cards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cabincop Posted September 19, 2013 #21 Share Posted September 19, 2013 You can pay your dsc thru you ncl account before you go on your cruise. Also you can put money into your ncl account and use it towards your tips, that way you don't have to carry as much cash. Enjoy your suite it will spoil you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lilli Posted September 19, 2013 Author #22 Share Posted September 19, 2013 In the Haven, you may want to tip your Butler, the Courtyard Valet, the Courtyard Attendant, the Concierge and your Room Steward as you feel appropriate for services rendered. I believe the Room Steward is covered by the DSC, but I always tip the Haven Steward extra. There are 1000s of threads that discuss tipping so I will leave it to you to research it. I always put my tips on my account and avoid using cash. Ok --so how many people are there to tip?!?! Butler, concierge, courtyard valet, courtyard attendant, haven steward, room steward?? Our cruise is in the Mediterranean and will be a 2 week trip--not wanting to travel with a large amount of US $$--we will be getting euros via atm. Is it appropriate to tip in euros as well? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJ2002 Posted September 19, 2013 #23 Share Posted September 19, 2013 My personal opinion, tip in cash. All service personal prefer cash. As someone mentioned earlier, cash is king. Bring the thank you cards if you want to, but tip in cash. Btw, the concierge will have NCL envelopes to put tips in if you prefer to tip more discretely and forget or don't bring thank you cards. I am not so sure the above statement is true, as least insofar as the cruise ship employees are concerned. The daily service charge is probably credited to the employee's onboard account each cruise, and any extra trips from passengers can be as well, as has been discussed here. This saves the employees, who are from foreign countries and thousands of miles away from their homes (and possibly their banks as well, if they even have one), the hassle of having to deal with large amounts of cash. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maja651 Posted September 19, 2013 #24 Share Posted September 19, 2013 I am not so sure the above statement is true, as least insofar as the cruise ship employees are concerned. The daily service charge is probably credited to the employee's onboard account each cruise, and any extra trips from passengers can be as well, as has been discussed here. This saves the employees, who are from foreign countries and thousands of miles away from their homes (and possibly their banks as well, if they even have one), the hassle of having to deal with large amounts of cash. Right, but if you don't give cash, how can you be 100% sure they really get the entire tip? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SissasMomE Posted September 19, 2013 #25 Share Posted September 19, 2013 Right, but if you don't give cash, how can you be 100% sure they really get the entire tip? Yeah, that would be my concern as well with having it charged to my room. I want to know for sure they are getting it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.