Cash Tips for better service at Bars

[cb at sea]

We carry NO cash around the ship..that's the point of a "cashless" system! If we find a bartender that we frequent a lot, we will give an additional tip on the last evening, as is customary on cruises.

 

18% is more than ample for a drink...

 

I think folks forget how much they've already paid in tips! And, service is not reliant upon pre-tipping!

[Havingfun2010]

I always tip. It is 18%. On a $9.00 mixed drink, that is $1.62. On a can of beer, that is nearly $1.00. On a $12.00 glass of wine that is $2.16.

 

I see no reason to tip more.

 

I might add that getting better service is only perceived as better. I'm always happy with mine. For example, I sit next to a big tipper on the pool deck. When the roaming server comes around and takes their order, I piggy back on their tip, and get mine fast!!!!!!

 

Honestly, I always get good service and never had an issue, even with the drink package.

Edited March 16, 2016 by Havingfun2010

[Oscarsgrandad]

We never carry cash on board either but we find that excellent service is usually achieved by being polite, engaging with our servers and treating them with respect. After the first encounter we normally find that we get noticed and served so quickly and efficiently sometimes we have to tell them that there were people ahead of us in the queue.

 

Both my wife and I had stints of working behind a bar in our younger days as second jobs when we had a young family to support. We have to agree that 'tipping' in advance is a little crass, bordering on offensive and isn't any guarantee of better service. We noticed that many of those waving cash used that as an excuse for a definite lack of 'please, thank you' and patience in general.

 

As for getting a 'better pour', we recently had the benefit of a 'free' premium drinks package and noticed how the staff tended to pour constantly whilst tipping the measure into our glass, rarely leaving any space for a mixer, we found it better to ask for less ice!

Edited March 16, 2016 by Oscarsgrandad

[royalfan1]

On our last cruise I prepurchased the drink package as a gift for my husband. He felt like he wanted to tip the bartenders additional for service and gave a dollar extra tip (in cash). They really appreciated it as it gave them extra cash to spend. He didn't tip before getting his drink, but after.

[Clarea]

Another thing we noticed is that when we gave cash with the SeaPass card, we never had to sign a receipt. This was on Vision and may vary ship to ship.

Edited March 16, 2016 by clarea

[Mom.to.2]

Another thing we noticed is that when we gave cash with the SeaPass card, we never had to sign a receipt. This was on Vision and may vary ship to ship.

 

 

Does this mean they didn't swipe your card when tipping up front?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Thoie]

Don't shoot the messenger:D

 

*pew pew*

 

Dammit, I brought the laser pointer again.

[Clarea]

Does this mean they didn't swipe your card when tipping up front?

They took the card for every drink, and those times when I was near the bar, I saw them swipe it. They just never printed out a receipt we had to sign, which was convenient.

[Retired LEO]

Cash up front works wonders. Just ignore the comments from those that are waiting as you take your drink and walk away. :)

[Big_G]

Another thing we noticed is that when we gave cash with the SeaPass card, we never had to sign a receipt. This was on Vision and may vary ship to ship.

 

That's worth the cost of a cash tip in itself.

[Clarea]

That's worth the cost of a cash tip in itself.

Same way I felt.

[Paul65]

Doesn't 18% automatically get added, so with a $1 a drink that brings the tip to almost 30% . Coming from a country where the norm is 15-% this seems pretty high and surely you shouldn't have to tip extra to get good service

 

You don't have to tip extra to get good service, at least in most cases. We always seem to have good service. We are not big drinkers, so we don't tend to "develop a relationship" with any particular bar tenders are bar servers. Of course, the servers like getting extra tips, but it's certainly not required to get good service. :cool:

[cruisegalfl]

Another thing we noticed is that when we gave cash with the SeaPass card, we never had to sign a receipt. This was on Vision and may vary ship to ship.

 

That's why we usually give a cash tip then I don't have to sigh anything.

[Oscarsgrandad]

Cash up front works wonders. Just ignore the comments from those that are waiting as you take your drink and walk away. :)

 

Umm, like I said, cash up front and crass behaviour....do you barge into elevators too?

 

 

I reckon if you're on a drinks package you very rarely need to sign, the first couple of times we did but after that no. Plus we never needed to present all of our seapass cards to cover rounds of drinks for the three of us.

[TiiiSailor]

I'm not against tipping extra for great service, but from what I'm reading on this thread it seems like if you don't tip extra you may not even get adequate service.

[champagne123]

I'm not against tipping extra for great service, but from what I'm reading on this thread it seems like if you don't tip extra you may not even get adequate service.

 

Nothing could be further from the truth. You will almost always receive wonderful service. There is absolutely no reason to tip extra unless you want to. I would guess most people don't and just say they do. :eek: An 18 percent gratuity to hand you a drink, I think is more than fair. I have never received poor service on ANY cruise line and have only tipped extra a few times. For example...every night we would stop at Bolero's for a cocktail before dinner. We always had the same bartender and he was wonderful. On the last night, we gave him cash for his wonderful service.

Edited March 16, 2016 by champagne123
vvvvv

[WisconsinFan]

For those of you that tip in cash at the time you hand over the sea pass and not have a receipt to sign, that is because the receipt has a place to give an extra tip (if you note the 18% is always added to the bill) and they already have your extra tip.

[Clarea]

For those of you that tip in cash at the time you hand over the sea pass and not have a receipt to sign, that is because the receipt has a place to give an extra tip (if you note the 18% is always added to the bill) and they already have your extra tip.

Exactly.

[Oscarsgrandad]

Please don't be misled by some of the posts on here, we did two Caribbean cruises fairly recently, one Dec'15 and again in Jan'16. Both with RCCL. We never tipped up front and the food and drinks service was excellent at all times, admittedly our cabin steward was a bit of slowpoke but hey we're on holiday.

 

Pool side there were plenty of lads and lassies taking orders so we never had to go to the bar unless we needed to stretch our legs!

Pool bar service was sometimes busy but we never needed to buy quicker service and generally used the short wait time to chat to fellow cruisers.

The schooner and R bar staff were always quick to serve in the evenings, once again, cash never changed hands but pleasantries did.

 

Noticing the servers name on their badge and using it works wonders to build up a rapport, speak to them first and they'll always remember you.

[Cruisin' Again 86]

The BAR STAFF work their asses off all around the ship ! If you feel the need to tip a little more, we personally do for great service, then do so, if not don't. It's not required at all.

[Paul65]

I'm not against tipping extra for great service, but from what I'm reading on this thread it seems like if you don't tip extra you may not even get adequate service.

 

Not in my experience. We always get good service, and typically don't add additional gratuity for drinks. (We do add extra gratuity at times, but I can't say that I've seen any distinct difference in service following adding an extra tip.)

[Retired LEO]

....do you barge into elevators too?

 

There are no bars in the elevators. :rolleyes:

[UFLaw]

Cash up front works wonders. Just ignore the comments from those that are waiting as you take your drink and walk away. :)

 

:D:D

 

That's the plan.

 

I know these guys and gals don't get all of that 18% tip or even 50% (I'm sure the crusie ships skim off their portion and I know it is shared and I know they make $50-100 a month). The extra $50-100 I spend on a cruise isn't going to make much difference to me, but IMHO it will mean a lot to them. Goes right in their pocket vs pooled.

 

Same will go if I get great service from the room attendants or servers or the staff in the Kids Club.

 

To me, the workers in the Kids Clubs definitely deserve some extra as the last time I was on board the Indy, they were awesome.

 

I may be in the minority, and I understand that every culture is different and us Americans tend to over tip (especially when travelling).

[FSUNole]

The bartenders told us ....cash is king!

 

I agree. I wonder if it would be as effective to tell the bartender to "bring a receipt for tip" when you hand them your cruise card so they know you will tip additional.

[tserface]

There is on Oasis class ships (Rising Tide). :)

 

Tom

 

There are no bars in the elevators. :rolleyes: