Tips on drinks at bars

[MomC]

I noticed that Princess says the daily gratuity charge includes all wait staff.  My question is whether that includes drinks ordered in the bar or by the pool?  They used to add a 15% tip to the cost of the cocktail. I haven’t sailed on Princess for a number of years and have no idea if ‘waitstaff’ now includes bar staff.

 

Thank you for your help on this matter.

 

Mom C

[Colo Cruiser]

1 minute ago, MomC said:

I noticed that Princess says the daily gratuity charge includes all wait staff.  My question is whether that includes drinks ordered in the bar or by the pool?  They used to add a 15% tip to the cost of the cocktail. I haven’t sailed on Princess for a number of years and have no idea if ‘waitstaff’ now includes bar staff.

 

Thank you for your help on this matter.

 

Mom C

Yes it does. They still add the 15%.

[MomC]

Let me make I am clear.  Even though their website says the daily gratuity includes ‘wait staff,’ that does NOT include bar staff? You still get the 15% gratuity added to your bar bill.  Am I correct?

 

 In my mind, waitstaff includes all servers.  Guess that is not the way Princess interprets it.  Hmmmmmm, someone who wants to push that might have a legal challenge.  Just sayin’.

 

Mom C

[Grburkart]

Somewhere princess states that the staff at bars and such are not part of the tipping pool because not everyone utilizes them so they are separate. I’ll see if I can find it. 

 

Glenn

[bemis12]

11 minutes ago, MomC said:

Let me make I am clear.  Even though their website says the daily gratuity includes ‘wait staff,’ that does NOT include bar staff? You still get the 15% gratuity added to your bar bill.  Am I correct?

 

 In my mind, waitstaff includes all servers.  Guess that is not the way Princess interprets it.  Hmmmmmm, someone who wants to push that might have a legal challenge.  Just sayin’.

 

Mom C

 

 And in the next sentence they tell you that they will add 15% to your bar bill to be shared among the beverage staff. 

 

Good luck with that lawsuit though.

Edited February 18, 2019 by bemis12

[Grburkart]

25 minutes ago, MomC said:

Let me make I am clear.  Even though their website says the daily gratuity includes ‘wait staff,’ that does NOT include bar staff? You still get the 15% gratuity added to your bar bill.  Am I correct?

 

 In my mind, waitstaff includes all servers.  Guess that is not the way Princess interprets it.  Hmmmmmm, someone who wants to push that might have a legal challenge.  Just sayin’.

 

Mom C

I searched and I found the part where it says bar staff and their support staff, lotus spa staff and casino dealers do not share in the cruise tips, aka the tipping pool. 

From what I understand, Lotus staff and Casino staff are outside contractors and are separate from Princess. And, as stated in a previous post, not everybody utilizes the bar staff so they are separate. 

 

Glenn

[OCruisers]

The "wait staff" is not the "bar staff" so 15% is added to your drink orders.  

[Colo Cruiser]

33 minutes ago, MomC said:

Let me make I am clear.  Even though their website says the daily gratuity includes ‘wait staff,’ that does NOT include bar staff? You still get the 15% gratuity added to your bar bill.  Am I correct?

 

 In my mind, waitstaff includes all servers.  Guess that is not the way Princess interprets it.  Hmmmmmm, someone who wants to push that might have a legal challenge.  Just sayin’.

 

Mom C

To clarify my post I was verifying they still add the 15% to drink purchases.  

[MomC]

I would never sue anyone—not part of my make up—but I do know people who would (former judge).  I guess I didn’t read far enough or in the right place.  I did not see anything about bar staff and spa.  We have been sailing cruise lines which include gratuities and liquor in their cabin price.  They are more expensive outright, but it’s nice not to be signing tabs all the time.  We are going with very good friends who sail Princess exclusively and we will gladly sign tabs and pay gratuities.  I just wondered about the tipping.

[Grburkart]

1 minute ago, MomC said:

I would never sue anyone—not part of my make up—but I do know people who would (former judge).  I guess I didn’t read far enough or in the right place.  I did not see anything about bar staff and spa.  We have been sailing cruise lines which include gratuities and liquor in their cabin price.  They are more expensive outright, but it’s nice not to be signing tabs all the time.  We are going with very good friends who sail Princess exclusively and we will gladly sign tabs and pay gratuities.  I just wondered about the tipping.

If you go with the Premium Beverage Package, the gratuity is included in the price (15%). 

 

Glenn

[MomC]

I looked in the On Board Experience  FAQ section under gratuities which didn’t have the explanation of adding tips to bar bills.  I have no problem doing that. I expect to have a very positive experience on our Princess Cruise—we are platinum status so we have sailed many nights on this line—but it’s been 5 years since our Alaska cruise on Princess.

 

Thank you all for your help!  Cruise Critic is always the best source of information!

[tonit964]

3 hours ago, MomC said:

I noticed that Princess says the daily gratuity charge includes all wait staff.  My question is whether that includes drinks ordered in the bar or by the pool?  They used to add a 15% tip to the cost of the cocktail. I haven’t sailed on Princess for a number of years and have no idea if ‘waitstaff’ now includes bar staff.

 

Thank you for your help on this matter.

 

Mom C

Actually, the daily gratuity charge does NOT include the bar staff because not everyone utilizes them. They add 15% onto any drink you get at the bar, not talking about the drink package. The daily gratuity covers the room steward, all waitstaff, other than bar staff and behind the scenes staff, that everyone utilizes. 

I hope that helps.

 

[rugerdog]

At the risk of inciting rage and fury, I am going to take a chance and ask a question. 

 

This thread made me wonder about that added "gratuity" on bar purchases.  And this question in no way has to do with not tipping, it just made me think a bit.

 

If the auto daily gratuity is able to be reduced or removed altogether, would the same hold true for bar gratuities?  I realize the Princess site states that a gratuity will be added on bar purchases.  But I wonder if anyone has inquired if the bar gratuity can be changed.  I don't see why the other gratuities are adjustable, yet the bar is not.

 

 

[bemis12]

Don't know.  But you'd probably have to do in right in the face of the guy that you are withholding the tip from.  The guy you've got making your drinks for you for the cruise.  Overall, not a great plan.

[Reina del Mar]

As previously stated, gratuity of 15% added to orders from the bar, unless you buy a beverage package when it is included in the price.

 

Some people like to tip over and above this gratuity, in the hope of having 'premier' service.

[Reina del Mar]

6 hours ago, rugerdog said:

At the risk of inciting rage and fury, I am going to take a chance and ask a question. 

 

This thread made me wonder about that added "gratuity" on bar purchases.  And this question in no way has to do with not tipping, it just made me think a bit.

 

If the auto daily gratuity is able to be reduced or removed altogether, would the same hold true for bar gratuities?  I realize the Princess site states that a gratuity will be added on bar purchases.  But I wonder if anyone has inquired if the bar gratuity can be changed.  I don't see why the other gratuities are adjustable, yet the bar is not.

 

 

 

What an interesting thought ! 

 

Not sure I'd like to face the bar staff though.

[SouthLyonCruiser]

I haven't added a tip to my bar bill in years. The 15% to 18% added by the cruise lines, at the high price of their drinks is usually over $1 per drink. That is what I tip at bars at home. My daughter, who was a bar tender, said that that is what an adequate tip would be. So, don't be shamed into thinking that you should add to that.

[jlp20]

Bartenders and drink runners are not included in the auto tip pool. 

[Colo Cruiser]

17 hours ago, rugerdog said:

 

If the auto daily gratuity is able to be reduced or removed altogether, would the same hold true for bar gratuities?  I realize the Princess site states that a gratuity will be added on bar purchases.  But I wonder if anyone has inquired if the bar gratuity can be changed.  I don't see why the other gratuities are adjustable, yet the bar is not.

 

 

The 15% would have nothing to do with the auto gratuities.

The 15% would still be collected on your drink purchases.

[Grburkart]

I love a good pub. I love meeting people that love a good pub.  

Part of what makes a good pub, bar, speakeasy, call it as you may, are the people that work there. If they are good at their craft and make me feel at home, I don’t mind paying up for that service even if it’s over and above the 15% they already charge. 

For some reason it’s a great feeling when a stranger calls you by your first or last name. 

Respect goes a long ways even if it affects my billfold. 

 

Glenn

 

To edit this, I’ve spoken in other threads about excessive tipping and how I thing it’s too much. It probably makes me a hypocrite, however, my motives in a drinking establishment are strictly for selfish reasons. More frequent service and possible generous pours are two of the many reasons. 

Edited February 19, 2019 by Grburkart

[cboyle]

From the Princess web site:

https://www.princess.com/learn/faq_answer/onboard/experience.jsp

 

Gratuities

During your cruise, regardless of which Princess ship you choose, you will meet staff who provide you with excellent service. Crew members often rotate to different vessels within the Princess fleet which helps to maintain our high standards on every ship. These dedicated workers reflect our philosophy that all crew on all ships are but one family who share in our success.

 

To simplify the tipping process for our guests, a discretionary gratuity of $15.50 per guest for suites, $14.50 per guest for mini-suites and club class, and $13.50 per guest for interior, oceanview, and balcony staterooms. This gratuity will be shared amongst those staff who help provide and support your cruise experience, including all waitstaff, stateroom stewards, buffet stewards, and housekeeping staff across the fleet.

 

For your convenience, this gratuity can be pre-paid online via Cruise Personalizer. Alternatively, you may call us at 1-855-500-7690 and reference Special Services item number 0591. Pre-payment is available up to 2 days prior to departure.

 

A 15% gratuity is added to bar charges, dining room wine accounts, and Lotus Spa® services. This is shared amongst the beverage staff, their support staff and Lotus Spa® personnel.

 

Casino dealers and youth staff do not share in these gratuities. We know you will find these services onboard exemplary.

 

Please note gratuities will be deemed undisputed unless a request to modify is received prior to disembarking the ship.

[Brisbane41]

Of course they get commission. Promotion and recognition as well. When you order a bottle of Dom Perignon on a ship expect the waiter to be extremely happy and thankful and more attentive service. Not that it matters, but yes they appreciate the sale and the commission does help them financially as well as with management and performance scores.

[Grburkart]

Here’s a scenario I haven’t thought of... the unused portion of a premium beverage package, if there is one, is charged out with a 15% gratuity. Where would that go? And to expand that thought, water, pop, milkshakes, etc. get charged out with a 15% gratuity. Same question. 

Makes me go hmmm. 

 

Glenn

 

P.S. It’s Monday and I’m bored. 

[southerngoose]

For every purchased drink, isn't there a 15% gratuity always added?  The beverage package cost include 15% gratuity.   There's no such thing as an "unused portion" of an unlimited beverage package - there is only "more profit for Princess" and "less profit for Princess".   The 15% gratuity is always paid.  

 

In my mind, every bartender should be equally as pleased to serve each drink because they all include a gratuity.   I understand a bartender being "happier" if someone slips them a $20 or whatever.   But outside of that, why would they be less happy based on how you paid?   Frankly, I can't see most folks consuming so much drink to justify that Premier Beverage Package.   To me, that means more tip, compared to buying by the drink.