Is it considered disrespectful not adding additional tip to bar purchases

[bhopal21]

this month on the Coral, one of the waiters in Crooners poured our martini while balancing the glass on his forehead - quite a feat when the ship is rolling.

 

Was he a small Indian guy named Muni?

 

Mike:)

[donaldsc]

Just my opinion but I feel that tipping a bartender 15% to give me a can of beer, to pour a well drink out of a spigot or to pour some wine into a glass is outrageously high. I am certainly never going to add anything more to that.

 

DON

[RLK33853]

Was he a small Indian guy named Muni?

 

Mike:)

 

His name was Mickey.

[ONT-CA]

Just my opinion but I feel that tipping a bartender 15% to give me a can of beer, to pour a well drink out of a spigot or to pour some wine into a glass is outrageously high. I am certainly never going to add anything more to that. DON

 

I don't think anyone is suggesting that you should tip additional. What we are saying is that we feel that there are advantages for us when we do. I am told by some that a specific drink's composition is standard and no one is stronger than the last, but then they have never tasted the Manhattans made for me in the course of the duration of a cruise once extra tipping had begun.

[riclop]

What is the norm for bar purchases? I have the automatic per day gratuity set up and I know they add 15% gratuity to all bar purchases. Does that 15% stand in as the normal tip youd leave at any bar? And the additional tip is left for situations of great service?

No it is not youre already paying 15%.

[HoosierDude]

I will add that my experience with putting a tip on the check, at the beginning of the cruise, paid off for us. In a crowded Ocean Terrace or Crooners our favorite waiters spotted us from across the room and brought us our usual drinks quickly.

I'd like to know for certain if the tips are shared or not, and does cash versus account matter. I don't usually carry cash when I'm on board.

[Av8tor]

guess i'm willing to let mgmt and labor work out their issues. Just trying to get handle on true costs to me:). If i get it right, i should expect to be charged (beyond cruise fee) for the drink and the 15% they automatically apply; any + 15% is optional for me. Sound right? Thanks!

 

correct

[bhopal21]

I will add that my experience with putting a tip on the check, at the beginning of the cruise, paid off for us. In a crowded Ocean Terrace or Crooners our favorite waiters spotted us from across the room and brought us our usual drinks quickly.

I'd like to know for certain if the tips are shared or not, and does cash versus account matter. I don't usually carry cash when I'm on board.

 

Your service is definitely different, no argument there.

 

The tips are definitely shared when added to your cruise account, and it has been my experience (according to the bartenders) that they get to keep any cash tips. Just ask them, they won't mind telling you. That's what I did. When I saw Muni (on my last cruise) pull out a plastic cup from under the bar and put my $ tip into it I asked him, "Do you get to keep that or do you have to share?" and he told me.

 

Mike

[ONT-CA]

I guess we could debate the tip sharing point forever but here is my take on the subject. I never sit at the bar, always at a table. The floor waiter is the one who receives the tip. But as I have indicated, and in addition to the points raised here that our service is preferential, the drinks being prepared by the bartender are substantially improved. If tips gained by the floor waiters are not shared, would it be in the bartender's interest to make me a better drink?

[bhopal21]

Since I always sit at the bar most of my experience has been with the bartender him/herself and that is who I questioned about the tipping situation.

 

We are boarding the Ruby Saturday for a B2B and I will ask both the bartender and the waiters at Crooner's and report back.

 

Will that work?;)

 

Mike:)

[ONT-CA]

Since I always sit at the bar most of my experience has been with the bartender him/herself and that is who I questioned about the tipping situation.

We are boarding the Ruby Saturday for a B2B and I will ask both the bartender and the waiters at Crooner's and report back.

Will that work?;)

Mike:)

 

There are as many answers to this question as there are bar waiters, barmen, room stewards, dining room waiters, and room service deliveries. So the reasoning for me is; benefits are received in direct relation to the person receiving the gratuity and the degree to which is in direct relation to those amounts.

.

. . Better service + Better drinks = Shared Tipping

[bhopal21]

So you had rather speculate than know the answer. No problem.

 

Why have the discussion if that is the case?:confused:

 

Mike:)

[dchip]

We are currently on the Grand. I saw this thread yesterday and wanted to make sure the servers and bartender could keep any extra tips. I spoke to the bar manager and the purser's desk. Any extra tips may be kept my the server/bartender you give them to.

 

We have had amazing servers in Crooner's. They will be receiving extra tips along with comment cards. They have added an additional layer of enjoyment to our cruise.

 

Cheers, Denise

[Loreley990]

I find a 15% tip totally adequate. $0.86cts on a $5.70 beverage. Sell 10/hour and you got $8.60 tax-free....

[donaldsc]

I will add that my experience with putting a tip on the check, at the beginning of the cruise, paid off for us. In a crowded Ocean Terrace or Crooners our favorite waiters spotted us from across the room and brought us our usual drinks quickly.

I'd like to know for certain if the tips are shared or not, and does cash versus account matter. I don't usually carry cash when I'm on board.

 

How do you know that the reason for the good service was because you tipped. The only way to find out would be to do 2 cruises on the same ship with the same group of waiters and tip on the first cruise and not tip on the second. This is clearly impossible.

 

It is just possible that the waiters are just very good at their jobs and recognize regulars really quickly. It is also possible that your physical appearance in some way makes you easily recognizable.

 

Tip extra if it makes you comfortable but don't assume that it gets you special service.

 

DON

[marazad16]

We are recently off a b2b on the ruby and found a bartender in crooners that we really enjoyed and also one by the pool bar during the day and we tipped cash in the beginning. Made us both happy for the duration of the cruises! :D

[momof3cruisers]

So you had rather speculate than know the answer. No problem.

 

Why have the discussion if that is the case?:confused:

 

Mike:)

 

Well, I am curious to know, Mike, so please report back. I never go to the actual bar to order, just order from the roaming servers. Sometimes I tip extra and sometimes not.

 

My son (who was only 11) got to be buddies with a couple of bartenders. One by the pool and one in a smaller lounge. He had the soda card and he drank his weight in Fanta that week! Each of them would greet him by name when they saw him around the ship. At the end of the week, we gave him money to go and tip his buddies. But he got the personal service before they had been tipped.)

 

OTOH my sister pretty much only drinks water. We were in a club onboard and she asked for several glasses of water. So did the rest of us a couple f times. She never asked unless someone else was getting a charged drink. One night she gave this same guy $20 since he wasn't getting any tips from her. Wow! We got a lot of water after that!

[Av8tor]

I find a 15% tip totally adequate. $0.86cts on a $5.70 beverage. Sell 10/hour and you got $8.60 tax-free....

 

As it has been stated before, the 15% that is added to drink tabs is SHARED among all the bartenders and servers. Therefore, selling 10 drinks an hour does not net them $8.60. Even if they sold 10 in 10 minutes, it wouldn't be $8.60. As for it being "tax free," I have no idea how or if Princess or the crew management company each employee signs on with handles taxes (if any) and other mandatory charges and deductions...

 

Suffice it to say that it might be more than they can make in their home country, but to me, it's NOT a high-pay job for all the hours they have to work.

 

I'll not grumble about the 15% and will continue to add extra as I see fit!

[Loreley990]

As it has been stated before, the 15% that is added to drink tabs is SHARED among all the bartenders and servers. Therefore, selling 10 drinks an hour does not net them $8.60. Even if they sold 10 in 10 minutes, it wouldn't be $8.60. As for it being "tax free," I have no idea how or if Princess or the crew management company each employee signs on with handles taxes (if any) and other mandatory charges and deductions...

 

Suffice it to say that it might be more than they can make in their home country, but to me, it's NOT a high-pay job for all the hours they have to work.

 

I'll not grumble about the 15% and will continue to add extra as I see fit!

 

I'm guessing that if you have 5 bartenders each selling ten drinks an hour, and then sharing the tips after, you would still come out at $8.60 an hour per bartender.

[Loreley990]

Just my opinion but I feel that tipping a bartender 15% to give me a can of beer, to pour a well drink out of a spigot or to pour some wine into a glass is outrageously high. I am certainly never going to add anything more to that.

 

DON

 

couldn't agree more. perfectly fine.

 

If folks start tipping extra left and right, the overall service level will go down over time as extra tipping will be expected.

[bhopal21]

If folks start tipping extra left and right, the overall service level will go down over time as extra tipping will be expected.

 

I would be interested in your source for this data if you don't mind sharing.

 

Mike;)

[timbom]

Guess I am cheap but I usually tip bartenders 10 -15% at home. Why should I tip more on overpriced cruise ship drinks?

[bhopal21]

Guess I am cheap but I usually tip bartenders 10 -15% at home. Why should I tip more on overpriced cruise ship drinks?

 

I don't think anyone is saying that you should.

 

Additional tipping is a personal preference and if you don't think the service warrants it then don't do it.

 

Mike:)

[Colo Cruiser]

I don't think anyone is saying that you should.

 

Additional tipping is a personal preference and if you don't think the service warrants it then don't do it.

 

Mike:)

 

Don't you have some packing to do?

[bhopal21]

Don't you have some packing to do?

 

Are you saying that I need more than 3 tees, 3 shorts and a pair of flip flops?:D

 

Heck, I wait until the night before about 9pm. We don't leave for the airport until 5am;)

 

Thanks for the reminder.

 

Mike:)