Tip for room service?

[sjde]

I see that you aren't expected to tip at the specialty restaurants but what about for room service?

 

Also, is a butler the name they give the room attendant when you are in a higher category stateroom and he does extra things for you, or is he in addition to the room attendant?

[LHT28]

Room service ..most people do tip ..it is not required

 

Butler is in addition to the room steward/stewardess

 

They do many extra things ..just ask them

[orchestrapal]

Butlers are a separate category and only for suites. They are not tipped for food deliveries but usually at the end of the cruise.

In non-suites you will want to tip for room service as you use it although not expected or required.

[fairbourne]

Butlers are a separate category and only for suites. They are not tipped for food deliveries but usually at the end of the cruise.

In non-suites you will want to tip for room service as you use it although not expected or required.

 

If it is "not expected nor required", why the advice that "you will want to tip" in non-suites?

 

Additional daily gratuities are added to suites from PH upwards, on top of the standard daily gratuities that everyone pays. It is not a requirement, nor expectation for further butler tipping, but entirely up to each guest if they feel it appropriate or they simply want to.

 

And of course, you are entirely free also to adjust the daily gratuities as you see fit - either way!

Edited November 6, 2013 by fairbourne

[sjde]

if you order room service, isn't it the kitchen staff or runners who deliver it (and are tipped), not your room steward or butler?

[LHT28]

if you order room service, isn't it the kitchen staff or runners who deliver it (and are tipped), not your room steward or butler?

The waiters from some of the restaurants will deliver your orders

They probably have a rotating schedule for when they are on RS duty

 

You do not need to tip if you do not want to ...some people feel they should tip ..it is a personal choice

 

The kitchen staff cook, clean not deliver to the cabins

Edited November 6, 2013 by LHT28

[Wendy The Wanderer]

I'm sorry guys, but if you've got pre-paid gratuities, or even if you're paying for them upfront, why should I tip extra, other than for some kind of extraordinary service. I do not intend to, but then I rarely use room service. If my butler wows me, I'll give him something at the end of the trip.

[JimandStan]

In a Suite, if you order Room Service during the day or early evening, then your particular Butler will deliver it. After hours, a relief Butler will fill in.

Giving gratuities over and above the auto tip is of course a personal matter, but the attitude of the staff and the service that WE receive has always been so uniformly wonderful that we always do (and wish that it could be more!).

[Andee]

We always tip for room service.

[Paulchili]

In a Suite, if you order Room Service during the day or early evening, then your particular Butler will deliver it. After hours, a relief Butler will fill in.

Giving gratuities over and above the auto tip is of course a personal matter, but the attitude of the staff and the service that WE receive has always been so uniformly wonderful that we always do (and wish that it could be more!).

 

..and why exactly can't it be more? :D

(emphasis mine)

[ronrick1943]

We always tip our butler extra, we're in the "O" Suite or Owners Suite. We think we tip well for really good service. Just wondering, (Jim & Stan) or anyone else---what do you think is a good additional gratuity for a 16 day cruise? And we always give extra to the Room Steward.

Rick

[orchestrapal]

We always tip our butler extra, we're in the "O" Suite or Owners Suite. We think we tip well for really good service. Just wondering, (Jim & Stan) or anyone else---what do you think is a good additional gratuity for a 16 day cruise? And we always give extra to the Room Steward.

Rick

 

We are also always in an OS but your question is a very hard one to answer since it really depends on how much you ask of your butler and what he does for you.

We have many dinners in our suite along with some breakfasts and coffee deliveries and also have guests for dinner several times a cruise.

We tend to over tip since we really appreciate the service we get and have gotten same butlers several times.

We tip the room seaward and assistant as well.

[Mjflowers]

I'm sorry guys, but if you've got pre-paid gratuities, or even if you're paying for them upfront, why should I tip extra, other than for some kind of extraordinary service. I do not intend to, but then I rarely use room service. If my butler wows me, I'll give him something at the end of the trip.

 

"Why should I tip extra". Because it is a nice thing to do. A couple of bucks will not break ones budget and will always get a smile in return:) Better for everyone.

[treasure4two]

I see that you aren't expected to tip at the specialty restaurants but what about for room service?

 

Also, is a butler the name they give the room attendant when you are in a higher category stateroom and he does extra things for you, or is he in addition to the room attendant?

 

It has been a few years since we were on Oceania, but I remember tipping in the speciality restaurants. Has that changed? Also, in the MDR, we find a server we like and always try to sit in their station and then tip extra at the end. As far as room service, usually a couple of dollars. It really surprises me about people cruising on Oceania making some of the comments on this thread like it is a big deal to tip extra. I expect it on Carnival or other cruise lines like that, but on Oceania, surprising. We book the inside cabins, G, so the least expensive fare, get free gratitudes, Internet, and OBC like many do, so a few extra dollars to such hard working, kind people as the crew seems good unless you get bad service and then, I would not tip extra. Just down to personal choices and comfort zone.

[JimandStan]

..and why exactly can't it be more? :D

(emphasis mine)

 

Chiefly bad planning, Paul :D

In our regular lives, we can usually count on fishing another twenty for the maid out of yesterdays pants pocket

but with the cashless society on a ship, we are always falling short of bills in the correct denominations.

However, you did get me :rolleyes:

Edited November 7, 2013 by JimandStan

[LHT28]

It has been a few years since we were on Oceania, but I remember tipping in the speciality restaurants. Has that changed?

If you choose to tip that is your option

 

I have never been required to tip in the specialty restaurants & we have started with O in 2004

 

Tipping extra anywhere on the ships it your own personal choice you are never REQUIRED to do so

 

Lyn

[fairbourne]

It has been a few years since we were on Oceania, but I remember tipping in the speciality restaurants. Has that changed? Also, in the MDR, we find a server we like and always try to sit in their station and then tip extra at the end. As far as room service, usually a couple of dollars. It really surprises me about people cruising on Oceania making some of the comments on this thread like it is a big deal to tip extra. I expect it on Carnival or other cruise lines like that, but on Oceania, surprising. We book the inside cabins, G, so the least expensive fare, get free gratitudes, Internet, and OBC like many do, so a few extra dollars to such hard working, kind people as the crew seems good unless you get bad service and then, I would not tip extra. Just down to personal choices and comfort zone.

 

 

I would agree with you if you get "free gratuities", and OBC, and free? Internet, but you should not be surprised to hear that not everyone does enjoy all these "free" items. We do not, so we pay the daily gratuities and tip extra only if we feel someone has gone above and beyond.

 

I fear the problem with all these tipping discussions is that some just do not understand that if you choose not to tip, it's not because you are "cheap", or anything else. We live in the UK, where tipping is not the norm for every little thing someone does for you. In fact, on occasions you can create an embarrassing situation if a tip is offered where none is expected nor required and the intended recipient can be offended.

 

And it's not a US v UK thing either. We were equally surprised to find that some US cruisers on our Regatta cruise, removed some of their daily gratuities. When I asked why, as it is quite clear how much they are before you sail, the answer was "the butler didn't do anything for us, so why should we pay the gratuities". I thought that was poor form.

 

To tip or not really is very much a personal thing, but to suggest to others who have perhaps not sailed on Oceania before that you should tip extra for this, that and the other, is just IMHO wrong.

 

Go with the cruise line suggestions.

[doubledobles]

Of course it's up to your discretion, but we always tip the butler for his excellent service, and our housekeeper and her assistant because we like our room made up early in the day.

[marky63]

I am surprised by all the discussion about tipping. Whether tips are included or not, if I receive good service I tip. If a bar tender provides good service or makes me laugh , I tip. Tipping makes me feel good too, so I do it freely.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

...but to suggest to others who have perhaps not sailed on Oceania before that you should tip extra for this, that and the other, is just IMHO wrong.

 

Go with the cruise line suggestions.

 

Thanks fairbourne.

 

I am surprised by all the discussion about tipping. Whether tips are included or not, if I receive good service I tip. If a bar tender provides good service or makes me laugh , I tip. Tipping makes me feel good too, so I do it freely.

 

I also like to tip well. But if I've already tipped, I don't like to tip again. For example if I'm in a restaurant (this happens in Europe sometimes) where service is included, I don't tip extra, other than rounding the payment up a bit. And of course, if some server on the ship does great things for us, including making us laugh, we would think about giving him something extra.

 

I would also point out that a positive recommendation on your comment card of a particular staff member goes a long way.

[LHT28]

Lots of people make me laugh but do I tip them ....NO

 

Tipping is a personal thing if you like to " flash your cash" do not put down others who may prefer not to

 

If you want to give extra $ to someone then do so but do not suggest others NEED to do the same

 

We give extra because WE choose to do so not because someone tells us we should

 

We always mention excellent crew members by name in the comment cards

JMO

YMMV

[RJB]

Oceania includes quite a hefty daily charge for tipping. Even more for the butler. At times we will tip extra but only for a very good job. We do not feel we have to since enough money is already chatged to our account.:):)

[RJB]

Just took a fast look at our last cruise in June. For 16 days with a butler we were charged $704.00 for tipping. Not chump change. And we also gave a few tips in addition. As I said a pretty hefty amount.

[LHT28]

Oceania includes quite a hefty daily charge for tipping. Even more for the butler.

The current daily charge is $14.50 pp with butler $20.50 pp

it will rise with the winter cruises to $15 pp & with butler to $22 pp

 

We did an American Queen cruise where their daily charge is $16.50 pp no butlers

Some smaller lines we have done were also the same rate or higher than O

 

not sure what main stream lines are charging but everything in life seems to cost more these days ;)

 

Maybe Oceania could just included the tips in the base price of the cruise after they adjust the prices upward of course ;)

Lyn

Edited November 7, 2013 by LHT28

[RJB]

The current daily charge is $14.50 pp with butler $20.50 pp

it will rise with the winter cruises to $15 pp & with butler to $22 pp

 

We did an American Queen cruise where their daily charge is $16.50 pp no butlers

Some smaller lines we have done were also the same rate or higher than O

 

not sure what main stream lines are charging but everything in life seems to cost more these days ;)

 

Maybe Oceania could just included the tips in the base price of the cruise after they adjust the prices upward of course ;)

Lyn

No not a good idea. Then the argument would start again should we get envelopes to tip since we are not really being charged for tips.