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Tipping in the Bar


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Ultimately it's your call, but here is my most recent experience. 2nd night of a 7 day we wound up at Alchemy. I tipped $10 on the first drink and then maybe a couple more at the end of the night. We were also polite and made conversation with the staff. We went back every night and added an extra tip to the 18% (maybe $5 or so each night). 3 or 4 nights in we showed up and every seat was taken. The bartender saw us and gave the signal to wait. He walked over to two women sitting at the bar and told them "I need you to move. These are their seats" while pointing at us. They left ut didn't look happy about it. We had a great time. Your mileage may vary. 

Having worked as a bartender in my younger days, I consider tips a part of the cost of my vacation and don't mind at all.

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29 minutes ago, efuzz said:

Ultimately it's your call, but here is my most recent experience. 2nd night of a 7 day we wound up at Alchemy. I tipped $10 on the first drink and then maybe a couple more at the end of the night. We were also polite and made conversation with the staff. We went back every night and added an extra tip to the 18% (maybe $5 or so each night). 3 or 4 nights in we showed up and every seat was taken. The bartender saw us and gave the signal to wait. He walked over to two women sitting at the bar and told them "I need you to move. These are their seats" while pointing at us. They left ut didn't look happy about it. We had a great time. Your mileage may vary. 

Having worked as a bartender in my younger days, I consider tips a part of the cost of my vacation and don't mind at all.

Wow.......not saying it isn't true but my wife and I wouldn't take someone else's chairs. That bartender needs to be fired not congratulated. Different upbringings and sense of right and wrong.

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1 minute ago, gtouch said:

Wow.......not saying it isn't true but my wife and I wouldn't take someone else's chairs. That bartender needs to be fired not congratulated. Different upbringings and sense of right and wrong.

Maybe you're just a better person than me.

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38 minutes ago, efuzz said:

Ultimately it's your call, but here is my most recent experience. 2nd night of a 7 day we wound up at Alchemy. I tipped $10 on the first drink and then maybe a couple more at the end of the night. We were also polite and made conversation with the staff. We went back every night and added an extra tip to the 18% (maybe $5 or so each night). 3 or 4 nights in we showed up and every seat was taken. The bartender saw us and gave the signal to wait. He walked over to two women sitting at the bar and told them "I need you to move. These are their seats" while pointing at us. They left ut didn't look happy about it. We had a great time. Your mileage may vary. 

Having worked as a bartender in my younger days, I consider tips a part of the cost of my vacation and don't mind at all.

 

No way I would have gotten up if I were those two women. If they complained about the way they were treated, the bartender would have been fired. I have heard stories from officers at Diamond parties about bartenders getting fired for far less egregious behavior. 

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14 minutes ago, gtouch said:

Wow.......not saying it isn't true but my wife and I wouldn't take someone else's chairs. That bartender needs to be fired not congratulated. Different upbringings and sense of right and wrong.

Amazing isn’t it that some people think tipping a few $$$ should give them special privileges.

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On 5/22/2019 at 3:33 PM, ricew001 said:

Any of you actual bartenders? Let me tell you from working in the restaurant industry and knowing 100s of bartenders - cash is king and niceness doesn't hurt. TIPPING affects your service. Don't kid yourself. Everyone gets good service but if you tip well, you get better service.

Go to a Bartender group on Facebook and look at what they honestly say.....

yes, I am, And yes, you are right, but being nice and polite and kind goes along way too! We tip $1 per drink, there's NO WAY I can't!  We usually throw a big tip at the bartenders we spend the most time with(usually the sports bar) 

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On 5/21/2019 at 6:52 PM, cruisingnewtoit said:

I pay 20% on the drink package. I maybe get 4 drinks a night and that's spaced out & never at the same bar.

 

I do not tip extra. But on my last cruise I did give $2 on 2 non alcoholic drinks. Bartender made the best raspberry non alcoholic drink.

How do you pay 20%?

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These people work hard so if me tipping them a few bucks on each order gets me better/faster service than the non-tippers, then so be it.  Everyone has the same opportunity to do it or not.  If you don't, you shouldn't complain about it.

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Count me among those that tip an extra $1 a drink.

Makes the bartender happy and makes me happy to be doing something nice.

And when in the casino with the DOU card I always tip $2.

The way I look at it is I'm on vacation having a good time and if I can make someone else happy that's a good thing.

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As a whole I dont tip.  For bar waiters there is one already on the order.  But then there is that one that stands out, one that makes the cruise a bit better.  Even a bartender, waiter, steward can just make an impression.  Money from my hand to theirs is just between us.  There are times were getting a waiter up around  lido isnt easy.  I slide them a tenner and i never have to look for them again.  We can even communicate across the ship with out saying a word.  Those tips on the bills are all pooled.  At the end of the cruise they get their share.  Cash is in the pocket,  It is the difference between being a VIFP, which is good, to being his VIFP, a bit better.   But with that said if you only drink 1 a day then the tip on the check is enough i think.

 

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On 5/20/2019 at 12:33 PM, CruiseFamilyx1215 said:

This might be a silly question but I just want to clarify before my cruise... all alcoholic drinks have an additional 18% gratuity attached... do you tip the bartender on top of that?  I didn't purchase any alcoholic beverages on my last cruise, so I am not sure how this works and I don't want to be stingy but I also don't want to overpay!! 

 

yeah all alcohol drinks have an additional 18% gratuity tax added. When I'm on a cruise I'm a creature of habit usually go to the same bars. The ones I frequent more often or know I'm going to be frequenting often (Alchemy) I usually tip them well on addition to the added tax. The remember this and usually look out for you. I know when I do this I tend to show up to the bar around the same time every night and typically have a drink sitting there waiting for me when I arrive. 

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I do not know how much a bartender or server makes but if the sale 100 $8.00 drinks day that is $144.00 in tips. I know they work at least 10 hours so that is around $14.00 a hour. So I am sure they would be grateful for any additional tips. 

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On 5/20/2019 at 12:33 PM, CruiseFamilyx1215 said:

This might be a silly question but I just want to clarify before my cruise... all alcoholic drinks have an additional 18% gratuity attached... do you tip the bartender on top of that?  I didn't purchase any alcoholic beverages on my last cruise, so I am not sure how this works and I don't want to be stingy but I also don't want to overpay!! 

The bartender already gets part of the 18% of each tip.

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This is really a personal choice, juts like cheers and fttf.  I can afford a little extra cash per drink.  It has come in handy a lot.  On the Sunshine, if I approached the casino bar, the one bartender  I had been tipping would see me coming.  The side of the bar with the casino would have a line.  I would go to the other empty side and he would follow me over there.  A dollar or 2 was well worth it to me to not wait for a drink.  I am on vacation and do not want to be waiting in lines.  This occurred at many bars on many days!!!!  Same thing happens to me at AI resorts.  Most people don't tip but I do.  Server on beach and at bars go out of their way for me.  My drink order is taken last and delivered first.  No watered down pina coladas or margaritas for us!!!

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