Norwegian Dawn - suite tipping question

[JillL]

So we are cruising in January (yes, I'm obsessing already) for the first time in a suite. (We got a family suite no balcony for $2800 for three people... I mean... how could we pass that up??!!) Anyway, having zero experience living the "good life", I am wondering how much people tip the concierge and butler for their services.

 

I will be grateful for any advice you can offer. Thanks!

[Sauer-kraut]

$100 per day split between the two depending on services rendered.

[Poco Easy Honey]

We are in a Suite in November. From what I have seen, it varies quite a bit. Some folks are saying $100 for the butler and $50-75 for the concierge for a 7 day cruise. Others have said $10-14/per day/per person. I think that is probably high. The butler serves 8 to 10 cabins. At 14/ppd for 8 cabins that's over $1500/week. $70+k/year. They don't make that much. I'm thinking the former sound more realistic.

 

ymmv.

[casofilia]

$100 per day split between the two depending on services rendered.

 

What services would you expect for $100 per day?

[jm485]

We gave our butler on Gem (aft penthouse) $150 and $60 to the concierge for a 7 night trip. While we saw and said "hello" to the concierge most days, the only services we used were the priority embark/disembark and one request for reservations (2 dinners and 1 spa), so we thought that was OK. We also left $75 for the room steward.

 

We may have overtipped the butler and undertipped the concierge, but I think we were in the ballpark.

[fiftyguy]

We were on the Dawn last week in a suite. I tend to give the butler more since he/she does more for us. On this cruise we had the best butler ever (Dominic). we did $10 per day, per person, for the concierge and $18 per day, pp, for butler. He did a number of meals, brought us crazy amounts of snacks, chased down bottles of wine and other requests to earn his tip. He really pampered us.

In the end it is how much you feel each is worth when your cruise ends. How much did they add to your enjoyment.

Happy sailing!

[knitlady037]

Can you tell me what cabins Dominick serves?

[fiftyguy]

Can you tell me what cabins Dominick serves?

 

As I understand butlers have different suites each trip. We definitely lucked out. In my conversations with him he's leaving the Dawn sometime in October for the rest of the year. He's not sure he'll be back on the Dawn when he returns.

[easyboy]

We are in a Suite in November. From what I have seen, it varies quite a bit. Some folks are saying $100 for the butler and $50-75 for the concierge for a 7 day cruise. Others have said $10-14/per day/per person. I think that is probably high. The butler serves 8 to 10 cabins. At 14/ppd for 8 cabins that's over $1500/week. $70+k/year. They don't make that much. I'm thinking the former sound more realistic.

 

ymmv.

Makes sense.

[Demonyte]

As I understand butlers have different suites each trip. We definitely lucked out. In my conversations with him he's leaving the Dawn sometime in October for the rest of the year. He's not sure he'll be back on the Dawn when he returns.

 

 

On most ships that is true, on Dawn in 2014 was the first time we heard that at least back then butlers stayed with same assignments until the end of their contract OR when another butler finishes their contract and their assigned block becomes available.

 

Of course, things might have changed since then as HD etc personnel have changed.

[jpcdds6]

$100 per day split between the two depending on services rendered.

 

Where do I apply?

[cb at sea]

If you USE the Concierge and Butler services, tip what you feel that was worth to you. If you NEVER use them, no tip is needed.

[CorvetteLady]

We sailed in our first suite last March. We must be cheap because we gave the concierge $25, we asked her to get us one dinner reservation, that was it. Remember she is the only concierge on the ship, so I'm sure she gets different amounts depending on how much she does for each person.

 

I never thought about so much per day/per person but that is a good idea. We tipped the butler $50, she brought us snacks. I did ask for a different pillow but that was it. Had we asked for food service in our suite we would have given her more. I do think we might switch to so much per day since that is how the daily service charge works. On that basis I think maybe our tip was low.

 

We also gave the room steward an additional tip.

 

I know I read a lot of threads about suite tipping. I think one person said they tipped $1000, I didn't really believe that. Our suite sleeps 6, if you have 6 people of course you will tip more than if it's only 2 people.

 

It's possible the concierge may do nothing for you but the butler will bring you snacks everyday.

Edited September 16, 2016 by CorvetteLady

[pathubia]

We were on the Dawn last week in a suite. I tend to give the butler more since he/she does more for us. On this cruise we had the best butler ever (Dominic). we did $10 per day, per person, for the concierge and $18 per day, pp, for butler. He did a number of meals, brought us crazy amounts of snacks, chased down bottles of wine and other requests to earn his tip. He really pampered us.

In the end it is how much you feel each is worth when your cruise ends. How much did they add to your enjoyment.

Happy sailing!

 

We had Dominic on our cruise, he was the BEST BUTLER EVER!!

[pathubia]

As I understand butlers have different suites each trip. We definitely lucked out. In my conversations with him he's leaving the Dawn sometime in October for the rest of the year. He's not sure he'll be back on the Dawn when he returns.

 

We are cruising on the Dawn again in October, we aren't in a suite this cruise, but are hoping to run into Dominic!!

[roger001]

No correct answer, no wrong answer. In an SF suite, two of us, we tipped the butler $100 and the concierge $75 at the end of a 7 day cruise. We actually didn't use them very much at all, but it wasn't for the lack of them being available or offering. We also tipped the cabin steward $50. In a family suite, with more persons, depending on how you use them, you might want to do more. I think what we did is about average. But just do how you feel it is worth to you.

[bonvoyagie]

I usually tip based on the amount and degree of service I get from them and how much extra I ask them to do.

[NLH Arizona]

OP, you should take into consideration what services are you given and how those servers were carried out, as well as what your personal budget is. Whatever you decide, the Butler and Concierge will be appreciative.

 

I start with $10 per person per day for the Butler and $5 per person per day for the Concierge. I can subtract for sub-par service (which thankfully I've never had to do) and add if I feel the service is above and beyond (which I've done).

[Nolanoel]

$100 per day split between the two depending on services rendered.

 

Are you a butler? LOL I gave the concierge 100 because she got us on an excursion that was sold out. Gave the butler 200 which I regret as he was not that great. Our room steward was awesome so I gave him 200 also.

[BirdTravels]

We sailed on the Dawn last week. They had shuffled the butlers and we ended up with Dominic. Having sailed in a lot of suites, we thought that Dominic was the WORST butler we ever had. Yeah, he kept the gummy bears and M&M bowls full,,,, but didn't meet the mark in many respects.

 

In general

 

Butler $10 per person per day

Concierge $5 per person per day

Steward $5 per person per day

Edited September 17, 2016 by BirdTravels

[Nolanoel]

We sailed on the Dawn last week. They had shuffled the butlers and we ended up with Dominic. Having sailed in a lot of suites, we thought that Dominic was the WORST butler we ever had. Yeah, he kept the gummy bears and M&M bowls full,,,, but didn't meet the mark in many respects.

 

In general

 

Butler $10 per person per day

Concierge $5 per person per day

Steward $5 per person per day

 

Our butler was defiantly worse than Dominic! I didn't even know you could get M&M's or gummy bears! I saw someone else state on another thread that you could also have them have cold beers on ice in the room...would that be something that you pay for if you have the UBP?

[SullytheBFG]

Blimey!!

 

We are in a suite next week, with our poor exchange rate to the USD sounds expensive.

 

British people don't tip like Americans either.

[mafig]

Our butler was defiantly worse than Dominic! I didn't even know you could get M&M's or gummy bears! I saw someone else state on another thread that you could also have them have cold beers on ice in the room...would that be something that you pay for if you have the UBP?

 

The last butler we had on NCL was horrible. We tipped him $35 (we usually tip our butlers more) and I'm still mad at myself for giving him that. His first name started with a J.

 

It has been a few years since we've been on a NCL ship, but at that time we budgeted $75 for the butler and $50 for the concierge and worked up (or down) from there.

[casofilia]

{Snipped} Blimey!!

 

British people don't tip like Americans either.

 

Amen to that; we New Zealanders do not tip in NZ and are loath to do more than a minimum while travelling.

[NLH Arizona]

We sailed on the Dawn last week. They had shuffled the butlers and we ended up with Dominic. Having sailed in a lot of suites, we thought that Dominic was the WORST butler we ever had. Yeah, he kept the gummy bears and M&M bowls full,,,, but didn't meet the mark in many respects.

 

In general

 

Butler $10 per person per day

Concierge $5 per person per day

Steward $5 per person per day

Were the M&Ms real or imitation? Was on the Dawn in December and got imitation M&Ms.