How Much to Tip Piano Bar Players?

[CTMak]

I like hanging out in the Piano Bar on Carnival. And every one I've been to the Piano Bar singer plays requests, talk/schmooze with the crowd, etc.

 

How do you guys tip him/her? Per song if they play a request? An amount per night ($5-$10?).

 

I've seen people sitting there all night requesting song after song and leaving without any tip. I've also seen a few (actually 2) people throw $100 on the piano.

 

What do you guys do?

 

Thanks

 

CTMak

[iluvdoxies]

We like the piano bars too!

 

We throw money in their jar all night long--esp right after a request,

prob a total of 15-20 bucks if the place is jumping.

[runner15km]

We really enjoyed Kevin at the Irish Sea Bar on the Victory just this past February and we tipped him $5 when we left. Going back on the Victory in March 2006 and we hope he is still playing.

[Hebejeebe]

You should definitely tip if you request a song. Otherwise, it really is optional. Depends upon whether the playing is just background noise to you or whether you really like the music.

[Cotton]

I enjoy a nightcap in one of the piano bars, and discreetly slip a dollar into the tip jar prior to leaving the lounge. If I've requested a number, I leave $2.

[4yanx]

I'm not sure there is a standardized amount, but I like the $5 for a request suggestion.

[CTMak]

I guess the amount of the tip can vary, but I have seen people request song after song then leave without any tip. At first I thought well maybe the deal is kinda the same as the cocktail piano player playing, say, on the Promenade deck as background -- tips there would generally not be expected.

 

But the piano bar entertainers clearly have tip jars, they clearly take requests, and, actually, it seems kinda natural to tip them. I was just surprised that some people, obviuously, felt otherwise and I just wanted to get some CC thoughts.

 

CTMak

[TidePrideGA]

I'm not sure how one would know if these requesters tipped or not? Unless you had your eye on them every minute, the entire time they were there? Isn't it entirely possible those people slipped a tip, even a heavy one, into the jar when you weren't looking? I'm sure some of them didn't, but, still, I personally wouldn't want to assume that....

[Lucysapphire]

I typically tip $3-$5 per hour that I am in the bar. I tip a bit more if I make a request. I also tend to tip more if I drink too much :)

[CTMak]

Lucy:

 

I hear ya about tipping when one drinks!

 

TidePride:

 

Of course they could have tipped and I didn't see, or at the end of the week and not every night, etc., -- frankly, while I would hope they would/did, it's none of my business and actually I don't really care. My only point of the thread was to hear if/what/how/how much about the topic from fellow CCers is all.

 

CTMak

[LHP]

I buy them a drink every night. This goes for karaoke hosts as well.

 

If I request a song, I tip $1 per song.

[Cuizer2]

I guess the amount of the tip can vary, but I have seen people request song after song then leave without any tip. At first I thought well maybe the deal is kinda the same as the cocktail piano player playing, say, on the Promenade deck as background -- tips there would generally not be expected. CTMak

 

Why don't you think the people on the Promenade deck would enjoy a tip? I bet they would, and I bet they would be thrilled if you gave them one.

[CTMak]

Cuizer 2:

 

Actually I have and do tip the cocktail piano player on the Promenade -- and always if I request a song -- which has always been graciously accepted and genuinely appreciated. My only point is that it doesn't seem generally expected, e.g. there's no tip jar in contrast to the Piano Bars where I have always seen a tip jar.

 

CTMak

 

PS> This thread is ancient. How did it get revived?

[zqvol]

Seems to me that if you are just listening then a gratuity might not be necessary, but I am sure that it would be appreciated, but if you are making requests then certainly a couple of dollars per song is reasonable. If you come up with an unusual request (something that he has to dig through his music to find) you need to be coming up with a bigger tip.

[CTMak]

zqvol:

 

Sounds reasonable to me.

 

CTMak

[Snow Bunnies]

I'm a piano player that worked six months aboard NCL SS Norway in the lounge. My advice would be to tip as much as possible. :) (just kidding). A standing joke in the music business is to say, "We'll do any tune you want, just write your request on the back of a $20 bill." (or $100 if you're feeling particularly put upon). Seriously, tips are not expected by most musicians (even sing along piano players), and if you do tip, it should be received graciously.

[GoinCruisin]

PS> This thread is ancient. How did it get revived?

 

Our resident tipping novelist must have been bored with the other tipping thread, so went digging :p

[ASONGULOVE]

hola all...wow, never thought i'd see a thread like this one!

 

as an ACTUAL piano bar player, let me say that yes, ALL tips are greatly appreciated, and, if i may be so bold, here is a lil primer on piano bar tipping:

 

certainly, for a request, it is customary to leave something in the jar, as the piano player is performing a special service for you. if you are simply sitting back and enjoying the show, then any gratuity you leave is up to you, and greatly appreciated. if you feel the performer has gone above and beyond, and really made your experience special, or made your night fun, then act accordingly.

 

the only comment i would disagree with is that piano bar players do differ from other shipboard musicians, in that we DO work for tips primarily, and in our particular milieu, tips are par for the course for requests, and "expected".

 

Hope my 2 cent tip helps you all!

(and i'll be seein you in the bar!)