Tipping in Yacht Club

[JazzDrew]

We are happy repeat MSC cruisers, but our July 2015 cruise on the Splendida will be our first Yacht Club experience. Would appreciate any suggestions about tipping our butler, above the standard service charge automatically added to our bill. We are happy to tip well for good service, just need some guidance on what is "right" to do.

 

Apologies if this is already posted somewhere and I didn't find it. Thanks in advance!

[Cruisergal1208]

We have been in the Yacht Club several times and we tipped several butlers that served us in the Top Sail as well as our own butler. We did this at the end of the cruise. The amount depended on the level of service received as some did more than others. Hope this helps.

[DebJ14]

I too plan to tip the Butler(s) in cash over and above the service charge, but I too would like an idea of how much. Are we talking $100 or $500? Just need to know how much extra cash to bring. I would like to find a general consensus about how much is considered reasonable.

[Cruisergal1208]

I too plan to tip the Butler(s) in cash over and above the service charge, but I too would like an idea of how much. Are we talking $100 or $500? Just need to know how much extra cash to bring. I would like to find a general consensus about how much is considered reasonable.

 

Amounts are a personal thing but I will give you an idea of what we did. For our regular stateroom butler, 50-100; his assistant, 20-30; for those in Top Sail that served us on a regular basis, 20-30; in Le Muse, we tipped our table servers 20-30, the Maitre de, 30-50,(last time he took care of some special requests); the wine steward, 20-50 depending on how much we use him for special wines not regularly served. We didn't tip outside of the YC areas where we might have had a drink. These butlers are trained to supply your slightest need and it makes it very special to be greeted by name and they have your "usual" ready for you. Of course, if you use the One Pool/Bar, then you may wish to tip those serving in this area also. Another item, I tipped $2 for room service delivery. Liked to have coffee while getting dressed. Went one morning to the Top Sail to get coffee to carry back to cabin and the butler there would not let me - he carried it for me!!

 

Hope this helps. Would be interesting to see what others say. :)

Edited March 31, 2015 by Cruisergal1208

[parallax]

I will be on the April 4 sailing. We always tip extra but it depends on the service and level of interaction we have with a staff member. In Le Muse, do you tend to have the same waiter and assistant or does it differ from day to day? It is always easier with the former. We also tip the staff at the kids club if they are doing a good job. I will try to remember to share when I get back.

[Cruisergal1208]

I will be on the April 4 sailing. We always tip extra but it depends on the service and level of interaction we have with a staff member. In Le Muse, do you tend to have the same waiter and assistant or does it differ from day to day? It is always easier with the former. We also tip the staff at the kids club if they are doing a good job. I will try to remember to share when I get back.

 

In Le Muse we always had the same table and servers for dinner but it might vary for breakfast and lunch since you don't have a standing time for those meals. If our regular servers were on duty at that time, they would come over to greet us, even if not serving our table.

 

Our tips also were based on the service and level of intereaction with staff members. We are very outgoing and all of the staff enjoyed talking with us, telling us jokes, and sharing about their families. Some passengers seemed to be all "business" and not there to converse with the staff. To each his own, as they say.

[JuneauWhatIMean]

I'm new to MSC and will be on the Divina, in the YC, this December with my husband. (I can't wait!:))

 

Can gratuities be paid through your onboard account or do the stewards/butlers/servers, etc. prefer cash?

 

Thank you!

 

Alison

[Cruisergal1208]

I'm new to MSC and will be on the Divina, in the YC, this December with my husband. (I can't wait!:))

 

Can gratuities be paid through your onboard account or do the stewards/butlers/servers, etc. prefer cash?

 

Thank you!

 

Alison

 

There is a daily house keeping charge per person that is automaticly added to your onboard account. I think this thread has been about the extra tipping above the daily charge.

[JuneauWhatIMean]

Sorry, I knew that but I wasn't clear. I meant the 'additional' gratuities or tips. :o

[Cruisergal1208]

Sorry, I knew that but I wasn't clear. I meant the 'additional' gratuities or tips. :o

 

LOL... Yes, the extra tips were given in cash. :) MSC tries to discourage tipping extra but we do it anyway.

[Mikesa1721]

I'm new to MSC and will be on the Divina, in the YC, this December with my husband. (I can't wait!:))

 

Can gratuities be paid through your onboard account or do the stewards/butlers/servers, etc. prefer cash?

 

Thank you!

 

Alison

 

Welcome Juneau!!! You can pre-pay your gratuities if you like or have the daily service charge added to your onboard account. We prefer the latter so we can earn points towards our rewards membership. If you feel the service you received is above and beyond your expectations,,you can tip extra to that individual.

[Mikesa1721]

LOL... Yes, the extra tips were given in cash. :) MSC tries to discourage tipping extra but we do it anyway.

 

Exactly Cruiser!! We brought our butler and room steward into our stateroom to tip them,,,we have heard that any cash tips must go into a pool to be split.

[Skier52]

When on a 7 night cruise in the Med in the YC of Divina, I gave additional tips to

Butler:- €5 per person per night Total €70

Butler's Assistant :-€2 pppn Total €28 (rounded up to €30)

Waiters (two of them who served us every night) €50 each (covered both guests)

Head waiter: €25

 

Wine waiter we did not use his services

 

Waiters in Topsail lounge, we had no special relationship with any individual waiter

 

Concierges:- We gave remaining turkish lira (worth approx €40) plus all our loose euro coinage (approx. €20). It was well received

 

 

total gratuities above daily service charge approx €285 (approc $300 for two guests for 7 nights)

 

 

Pete

Edited March 31, 2015 by Skier52

[JuneauWhatIMean]

Thanks for the help Cruisergal1208, Mike, and Pete. ~:D~

 

(Sorry I hijacked your thread JazzDrew:cool:).

[Big L]

We are happy repeat MSC cruisers, but our July 2015 cruise on the Splendida will be our first Yacht Club experience. Would appreciate any suggestions about tipping our butler, above the standard service charge automatically added to our bill. We are happy to tip well for good service, just need some guidance on what is "right" to do.

 

Apologies if this is already posted somewhere and I didn't find it. Thanks in advance!

 

Hi,

We will be with you in the Yacht Club on the 29th July. We have done many cruises mainly with NCL and MSC.We always book the YC with MSC and find the service very very good. As already said by others we tip extra at the end of the cruise subject to the service we get.

Judy and I look forward to meeting you.

Regards

Laurence

[Big L]

We are happy repeat MSC cruisers, but our July 2015 cruise on the Splendida will be our first Yacht Club experience. Would appreciate any suggestions about tipping our butler, above the standard service charge automatically added to our bill. We are happy to tip well for good service, just need some guidance on what is "right" to do.

 

Apologies if this is already posted somewhere and I didn't find it. Thanks in advance!

 

Hi,

Through CC we have done many meet and greets but never with MSC. I don't think they get involved with organising anything on board.

Regards

Laurence

Edited April 1, 2015 by Big L

[Crzyfrk62]

When I was on NCL Pride of America we tipped our Butler $100 and gave our favorite bartenders $20-$40. We called the butler in the day before our cruise ended and thanked him and gave him the extra. This is what I plan on doing for my cruise April 11th on Davina. Good service is worth the extra money!! $12 dollars a day split seems so little for what they do.

[JazzDrew]

Thank you to all who were kind enough to share your experiences, this is very helpful. (Cruisergal1208, Parallax, Mikesa1721, Skier52/Pete, Crzyfrk62). We agree completely that good service should be recognized and $12/pp/pd seemed low for the extra service we've heard the Yacht Club offers, which is why we wanted to get an idea up front to be prepared with sufficient cash.

 

JuneauWhatIMean.....LOL and no worries! We obviously had the same questions!

 

Thanks again, and Happy Easter to all!

[JazzDrew]

Hi,

We will be with you in the Yacht Club on the 29th July. We have done many cruises mainly with NCL and MSC.We always book the YC with MSC and find the service very very good. As already said by others we tip extra at the end of the cruise subject to the service we get.

Judy and I look forward to meeting you.

Regards

Laurence

 

Hi Laurence and Judy -- Andy and Arlene look forward to meeting you!. We started a Roll Call (Splendia 29 July from Hamburg) if you'd care to join. It has also been our experience that MSC doesn't organize a M&G. When we were on the Divina in July 2014, several CC members took the initiative to organize our own meeting. With both of us being in Yacht Club, I'd think we should be able to connect.

 

Let's stay in touch. Cheers!

Edited April 3, 2015 by JazzDrew