Tipping with the unlimited beverage package

[CruiseGal999]

We usually try to book our cruises with a promotion that includes the drink package and thus gratuities as well.

 

For the last couple cruises I usually tip $1 about every 2 drinks with the same bartender. We drink plenty. (We tip more for our favorites at the end)

 

I'm curious if such a small amount would ever be considered "offensive" or even laughable? In the states it very well could be. Some seem to honestly appreciate the tip and I would say service has even better.

 

What are your tip amounts? Do you drink close to 10+ on a sea day? Thank you.

 

Do you mean tipping additional $$ to the gratuity paid with the drink package? WHY would anyone tip additional money when the tip is already PAID? SMH :rolleyes: Unbelievable mentality on this tipping nonsense.

[L1211]

Do you mean tipping additional $$ to the gratuity paid with the drink package? WHY would anyone tip additional money when the tip is already PAID? SMH :rolleyes: Unbelievable mentality on this tipping nonsense.

 

 

 

Because you can. Because it goes to people who make so little and work so hard to SERVE you. Because it makes you feel good to do something for someone working on your behalf. Should I go on??? We even arm our teens with $1s and $5s to show their gratitude for good service. SMH too.

 

 

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[flip8683]

Very well said 2oldpeopleinlove

 

[cb at sea]

The price of the drinks are GREATLY inflated. A $1 tip is common on any drink, no matter the price, especially if YOU go to the bar and get your own drink.

[psac]

It’s a bit of an aside, but TIP and/or TIPS are not acronyms.

 

http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2012/09/what-is-the-origin-of-the-word-tip-as-in-leaving-a-tip/

[smithop]

The price of the drinks are GREATLY inflated. A $1 tip is common on any drink, no matter the price, especially if YOU go to the bar and get your own drink.

 

 

 

Not following your logic, if I go to the bar I’m LESS likely to tip. If someone brings me a drink I am MORE likely to tip.

 

 

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[phoenix1181]

We also carry ones with us & tip $1 a drink. I know the cash is appreciated and it feels right to us so we do it. Do we get better or faster service? YES! I've watched servers in the casino trip over each other trying to get to us & others that also tip.

 

We don't tip for faster or better service, we do it because my mother supported us waiting tables and we know how tough the job is. On a ship, it's even worse because their days are so long & days off are few & far between.

 

And, for the record, we don't waive the cash around. It's folded & passed to the server as we're accepting our drink from them..............

[tallnthensome]

Do you mean tipping additional $$ to the gratuity paid with the drink package? WHY would anyone tip additional money when the tip is already PAID? SMH :rolleyes: Unbelievable mentality on this tipping nonsense.

Do you know how much of that goes directly into the bartenders pockets versus NCL's? ..... I doubt it. I can spare some extra dollar bills. Feel guilty much?

[ColonieCruiser]

I was on a cruise last year, found a great bartender named Chona…ran in to her in St Thomas to go shopping. She is so exited to see us and gives us hugs. This year I found her on the Getaway. She remembers us from our previous cruise and can't do more to make us happy. $1 tip goes a long way, but she was also a special person and hopefully we will run into her again

[Maniacal Cruiser]

Do you mean tipping additional $$ to the gratuity paid with the drink package? WHY would anyone tip additional money when the tip is already PAID? SMH :rolleyes: Unbelievable mentality on this tipping nonsense.

 

Because what other people do with their own money is none of your business.

[GRAYTech]

...If I get rid of 100 one dollar bills over the length of a cruise, its been an enjoyable way for me to spend that money. Personal choices.

 

Yes personal choices. There is no right or wrong here. You spend how much on a cruise? What's another $100 if it makes you feel good and hopefully, the servers feel appreciated.

 

I'm always surprised how tipping turns into such a back-n-forth. I'm not tipping YOUR money, what possible difference could it make to you?

 

Disclaimer - yes I leave the auto-tip on, I don't wave the cash around and I don't care if my $1 or $5 for that matter made my tip 22% instead of 20% on a round of drinks.

[Whimsy]

I almost did not put that part in their about the TIPS because I knew someone would would pick it apart. I was right. I just know that those few dollars we share make a difference.

 

I truly believe it should be a part of everyone's high school education to work summers with the public. I think the world would be a gentler place.

[dh1drill]

Wife and i totally enjoy cruising and we totally enjoy taking that stack of 1 dollar bills for extra tips for the bar tenders room steward been on many cruises and theirs been a whole lot a stacks of 1 dollar bills handed out why because we are happy having a great time and it just feels good that's just what we do we are going on the breakaway Oct 27 2018 15 day cruise looks like i'm going to get a double stack of 1 dollar bills for this cruise:cool:

[CruiseGal999]

I tip $1.00 cash per drink ....... When I was on the Escape back in 2016 the bartenders on the second level by the pool made it very clear that no one was tipping at all until I did. It was about 12:30, the bar was busy, and I ordered a drink for my wife and I. I laid down my typical $2 tip. The two bartenders started laughing and loudly stated for all to hear standing and sitting around the bar that this was the first cash tip they got all day so far ..... The looks or look-aways by the other passengers who had probably been sitting there all day was obvious ..... Don't kid yourself. The bartenders really appreciate cash and know who is and who isn't tipping. There could be 6 people in line including myself and many times I somehow quietly had my order taken before others. The bartenders probably see very little of that service charge you pay on the UBP ......

 

But EVERY person in the bar DID tip. It was added automatically to the receipt on each drink. So no shaming and THAT was incredibly poor taste for the bartenders to pull that crap.

[CruisingNole]

On other cruise lines, envelopes are left in the staterooms on the last day and you can place cash inside and give them to your favorite staff. Does NCL not do that? Having to walk around with a wad of one dollar bills in my pocket for a week would make me feel like I'm at a strip club.

 

I don't recall seeing it on the Sun in June, although I don't see that type of clientele tipping anything at all.

[newmexicoNita]

We usually try to book our cruises with a promotion that includes the drink package and thus gratuities as well.

 

For the last couple cruises I usually tip $1 about every 2 drinks with the same bartender. We drink plenty. (We tip more for our favorites at the end)

 

I'm curious if such a small amount would ever be considered "offensive" or even laughable? In the states it very well could be. Some seem to honestly appreciate the tip and I would say service has even better.

 

What are your tip amounts? Do you drink close to 10+ on a sea day? Thank you.

We do just about the same as you. To us, when we have already paid the gratuities a $1 or so ever few drinks should be just fine. Most do not even do that it seems. I have paid some attention and not often have I seen someone tip for individual drinks.

[david_sobe]

Everyone has different experiences. We normally always add more to the auto drink gratuity or leave cash. I have never noticed better service because of it. Usually they are so busy they don't really know who is leaving cash on the bar but scoop up all the bills at once. Never had bad service either if we did not tip extra.

I find it funny that some comment leaving a dollar on the counter makes the bartender already have their drinks made before walking up to the bar. That made me laugh.

This upcoming cruise will be the first time with the drink package. Since gratuities are already pre-paid at 20% I don't know if I will be adding more money. I just have to convince myself to not feel guilty about it because there is no reason to.

I just realize that the bartenders and staff don't see these auto gratuities NCL is charging us for which is why I tend to feel guilty. Our next cruise the room service daily service charge for room cleaning is over $600 (5 in suite). Can you imagine if the worker got all $600 for the week? Just think if you cleaned 7 cabins a day at that rate. That would be over $4000 for one week. We all would be applying for jobs cleaning rooms at NCL. :o

[BaWBarmy]

I cannot understand the logic of this constant tipping for everything which Americans do but no one else in the world. You have already paid 20% which is excessive why give more? I have been on several NCL cruises and pother lines and never tipped extra and the service is no different too so one waving $ bills around

 

This

[beerman2]

I tip $1.00 cash per drink ....... When I was on the Escape back in 2016 the bartenders on the second level by the pool made it very clear that no one was tipping at all until I did. It was about 12:30, the bar was busy, and I ordered a drink for my wife and I. I laid down my typical $2 tip. The two bartenders started laughing and loudly stated for all to hear standing and sitting around the bar that this was the first cash tip they got all day so far ..... The looks or look-aways by the other passengers who had probably been sitting there all day was obvious ..... Don't kid yourself. The bartenders really appreciate cash and know who is and who isn't tipping. There could be 6 people in line including myself and many times I somehow quietly had my order taken before others. The bartenders probably see very little of that service charge you pay on the UBP ......

 

One thing I can't be sure of or agree is your last sentence.

 

It was our experience on the Escape also in 2016 that the pool bar bartenders DID notice us tipping extra. Whether right or wrong they did get us drinks before others .

 

They would look our way. So yes they do pay attention and appreciate the extra 💰.

[Gampy1967]

But EVERY person in the bar DID tip. It was added automatically to the receipt on each drink. So no shaming and THAT was incredibly poor taste for the bartenders to pull that crap.

 

In 2016 I do not believe the 20% auto gratuity was in place.

[4774Papa]

it is not "small tips", you have already paid twenty percent gratuity. Anything above that is a major bonus. The service you receive will be just fine.

well said

[Fogfog]

We usually try to book our cruises with a promotion that includes the drink package and thus gratuities as well.

 

For the last couple cruises I usually tip $1 about every 2 drinks with the same bartender. We drink plenty. (We tip more for our favorites at the end)

 

I'm curious if such a small amount would ever be considered "offensive" or even laughable? In the states it very well could be. Some seem to honestly appreciate the tip and I would say service has even better.

 

What are your tip amounts? Do you drink close to 10+ on a sea day? Thank you.

 

I was wondering about this because we just sailed NCL for the first time and it was inclusive.

How do you tip? Carry cash? There is nothing to sign which makes service quick...

The daily grat rate of $19.99 per person per day is added, plus aren't we charged like 18% on the service somewhere inside the inclusive rate?

Is the Bell ringing at the pool bar a signal for tips? We didn't know as we haven't sailed a ship with a tips bell. We are guessing that is what it is

[fabnfortysomething]

In 2016 I do not believe the 20% auto gratuity was in place.

 

the auto grauity has been in place on bar drinks since we started cruising in 2009

it used to be 18% and was added to slip of paper you used to sign with each drink before they introduced the UBP

[CruiseGal999]

Everyone has different experiences. We normally always add more to the auto drink gratuity or leave cash. I have never noticed better service because of it. Usually they are so busy they don't really know who is leaving cash on the bar but scoop up all the bills at once. Never had bad service either if we did not tip extra.

I find it funny that some comment leaving a dollar on the counter makes the bartender already have their drinks made before walking up to the bar. That made me laugh.

This upcoming cruise will be the first time with the drink package. Since gratuities are already pre-paid at 20% I don't know if I will be adding more money. I just have to convince myself to not feel guilty about it because there is no reason to.

I just realize that the bartenders and staff don't see these auto gratuities NCL is charging us for which is why I tend to feel guilty. Our next cruise the room service daily service charge for room cleaning is over $600 (5 in suite). Can you imagine if the worker got all $600 for the week? Just think if you cleaned 7 cabins a day at that rate. That would be over $4000 for one week. We all would be applying for jobs cleaning rooms at NCL. :o

 

Your math is off. The steward does not get the whole tip/DSC/etc. It is doled out, so it has been said and outlined here on CC, to many people ... steward, head waiter, waiter, assistant wait staff, laundry staff, etc.

[CruiseGal999]

I was wondering about this because we just sailed NCL for the first time and it was inclusive.

How do you tip? Carry cash? There is nothing to sign which makes service quick...

The daily grat rate of $19.99 per person per day is added, plus aren't we charged like 18% on the service somewhere inside the inclusive rate?

Is the Bell ringing at the pool bar a signal for tips? We didn't know as we haven't sailed a ship with a tips bell. We are guessing that is what it is

 

Typically in a bar, a ringing bell means someone gave a generous tip.