When to tip in Diamond Lounge

[katiel53]

6 hours ago, Colorado Babe said:

I was told on the Adventure two weeks ago that if you get change at the casino, it needs to be used in there.

Did the casino not have any bill changing machines?  All the cruises I have been on seem to have them.  I tip $1 per drink per person and if I ended up having a server most of the week I end up giving another $10.

[Retired LEO]

12 minutes ago, katiel53 said:

Did the casino not have any bill changing machines?  All the cruises I have been on seem to have them.  I tip $1 per drink per person and if I ended up having a server most of the week I end up giving another $10.

I've only seen the bill changing machines on the Oasis class. Smaller ships don't have them. I don't know about the Quantum class but I would assume they would. 

[bonsai3s]

1 hour ago, Retired LEO said:

I've only seen the bill changing machines on the Oasis class. Smaller ships don't have them. I don't know about the Quantum class but I would assume they would. 

 

The Ovation has a bill changing machine in the casino...really nice and convenient...and not having to go to guest services for change.

[frank808]

6 hours ago, bonsai3s said:

 

The Ovation has a bill changing machine in the casino...really nice and convenient...and not having to go to guest services for change.

Thanks as I was just wondering.  I have only seen them on oasis class so far.  Have not seen them on our last 3 cruises but those were on smaller ships. I will be using them in about 5 weeks to make change for the cl and dl tips.

[papaflamingo]

20 hours ago, brillohead said:

No need to carry "a lot of cash around" -- if you're going to be having five drinks that night, take five bucks with you. 

If you're going to be having ten drinks that night, take ten bucks with you and ask your doctor to check your liver levels and for suggestions for rehab/AA.

Gee really?  So if I plan 5 drinks I carry $5 for 5 $1 tips?  WOW (slap my head) thanks for clearing that up. 

Maybe I should be more specific.   I prefer to not carry a bunch of cash around on vacation, whether they're $1 bills or not.  By tipping a few times during the cruise, I can use $20's.   Less number of bills to haul on vacation.  But heck, I sure do understand your method of tipping and if that's what you want to do, then great.  It's just not how I choose to tip.  Pretty much personal choice, wouldn't you say?

Edited May 29, 2019 by papaflamingo

[brillohead]

5 hours ago, papaflamingo said:

Gee really?  So if I plan 5 drinks I carry $5 for 5 $1 tips?  WOW (slap my head) thanks for clearing that up. 

Maybe I should be more specific.   I prefer to not carry a bunch of cash around on vacation, whether they're $1 bills or not.  By tipping a few times during the cruise, I can use $20's.   Less number of bills to haul on vacation.  But heck, I sure do understand your method of tipping and if that's what you want to do, then great.  It's just not how I choose to tip.  Pretty much personal choice, wouldn't you say?

So just bring $20 bills on your trip and get change from Guest Services, the casino, a waiter/bartender (who has a stack of ones and fives from the people who already tipped in cash).  You're still bringing the same amount of cash from home either way, so what's your beef?

[island lady]

On 5/28/2019 at 1:18 PM, Retired LEO said:

I do the exact same thing. So at the end of the cruise I can count how many bills I have left (if any) and decide whether AA might be in my future.  

 

LOL....Yeah, I sometimes think the same thing when I realize how many 1.00 bills I am handing out over the cruise.  😲😬

[island lady]

23 hours ago, Snit13 said:

November cruise on Harmony will be my first to enjoy CK.  How do you determine how much to tip per person?  There are 8 of us in GS's and 2 in JS.  Do you also tip for breakfast and lunch?  Always gave tip in Specialty Dining so I know how that works.

Have always tipped $1 pp per drink in Diamond Lounge and when sailing Celebrity.

 

We followed example of friends who were tipping 5.00 a night to dinner waiter in CK.  Then on last night, we got more generous spreading it around.  

[island lady]

21 hours ago, maddycat said:

We've never had a problem getting $1 bills at guest services.

 

I have...several times.  Find it much easier to simply plan ahead and bring a pack of 1.00 bills before each cruise.  

[island lady]

21 hours ago, cruisegirl1 said:

We usually  tipped $5 or $10 per night for dinner for the two of us. ( more often $5)   I hope that was enough - do they share in the general daily gratuity  amount that we pay?    We are not high maintenance and often just had  a  salad and entrée.   Not sure how many tip in CK  but we had  two servers ask us to request them.     Of course, a large table of 8 or 10 requires a bit more work.  

 

M

 

We prepay our tips (which includes dinner waiters), the extra cash we hand out each night is gravy on top.  

[island lady]

20 hours ago, Retired LEO said:

I've only seen the bill changing machines on the Oasis class. Smaller ships don't have them. I don't know about the Quantum class but I would assume they would. 

 

Anytime I have seen them....they are broken.  Just as reliable as begging for limited amount of 1.00 bills at GS desk.  😉   I like the easy way you and I do it.....just bring them from the bank before you leave on the cruise.  🙂 

[Retired LEO]

19 minutes ago, island lady said:

 

We followed example of friends who were tipping 5.00 a night to dinner waiter in CK.  Then on last night, we got more generous spreading it around.  

Hmmmm...that's the booze kicking in.  

[island lady]

1 minute ago, Retired LEO said:

Hmmmm...that's the booze kicking in.  

 

LOL...most likely yes....they probably love it when we drink.  😄 😄 

[grapau27]

1 hour ago, island lady said:

 

I have...several times.  Find it much easier to simply plan ahead and bring a pack of 1.00 bills before each cruise.  

Just thought it might be worth asking the wine waiters if they could exchange larger dollar bills as they get a lot of single dollars off most of us.

[steveru621]

4 minutes ago, grapau27 said:

Just thought it might be worth asking the wine waiters if they could exchange larger dollar bills as they get a lot of single dollars off most of us.

 

You would think that could happen.  The two times we asked for change, we were rebuffed by bar service.  Not sure why, but we stopped asking.

 

Not really a big deal unless you are out of small bills.

[cruisegirl1]

1 hour ago, island lady said:

 

We prepay our tips (which includes dinner waiters), the extra cash we hand out each night is gravy on top.  

We use auto gratuities and are charged daily, so basically the same thing.   When we tip the server in CK, or any other specialty restaurant it is over what we are already paying.  

 

So, back to my question do the CK servers receive any portion of the pre paid/charged daily gratuities? 

 

M

[grapau27]

1 minute ago, steveru621 said:

 

You would think that could happen.  The two times we asked for change, we were rebuffed by bar service.  Not sure why, but we stopped asking.

 

Not really a big deal unless you are out of small bills.

My UK TA got me 200 brand new single dollar bills no problem although it made my wallet a bit fat.

[cruisegirl1]

11 minutes ago, grapau27 said:

Just thought it might be worth asking the wine waiters if they could exchange larger dollar bills as they get a lot of single dollars off most of us.

Not sure why,  but I am not comfortable asking  bar  staff to change out money.  I would not be surprised of they are advised not to handle money with passengers. 

 

M

[cruisegirl1]

Regarding machines in the casino, on the recent  Harmony cruise the machine only cashed slot machine tickets, and generally used the highest denomination  possible.  The machine would not break bills, that process  had to be done at the cage.

 

M

[grapau27]

1 minute ago, cruisegirl1 said:

Not sure why,  but I am not comfortable asking  bar  staff to change out money.  I would not be surprised of they are advised not to handle money with passengers. 

 

M

Your probably right it was just a thought when I was reading how many of us tip $1 per drink.

My UK TA supplies my single dollar tipping requirements by the next day.

[papaflamingo]

On 5/29/2019 at 1:38 PM, brillohead said:

So just bring $20 bills on your trip and get change from Guest Services, the casino, a waiter/bartender (who has a stack of ones and fives from the people who already tipped in cash).  You're still bringing the same amount of cash from home either way, so what's your beef?

Dude....you tip how you want, I'll tip how I want.  I don't like carrying cash around every time I go to the lounge, etc.  I find it weird to hand a guy $1 everytime he brings me a drink.  I'd rather just give out some decent tips throughout the week.  That's all, that's me and my desires.  You do whatever it is that makes you happy.  Don't worry so much about me.  I'll get along fine. 

[brillohead]

30 minutes ago, papaflamingo said:

Dude....you tip how you want, I'll tip how I want.  I don't like carrying cash around every time I go to the lounge, etc.  I find it weird to hand a guy $1 everytime he brings me a drink.  I'd rather just give out some decent tips throughout the week.  That's all, that's me and my desires.  You do whatever it is that makes you happy.  Don't worry so much about me.  I'll get along fine. 

You're more than welcome to tip however you want (heck, I'm just happy that you tip the staff, which many people don't even bother to do!).

I'm just pointing out that your argument for how you want to tip wasn't valid for the way you were wording it, which, as it turns out, was different than what you were intending to convey.

If you don't want to carry cash around the ship with you every single day, that's totally fine.  Keep on keeping on.  

[Wine-O]

It all depends on how much attention you want to get from the servers.  My cup always seems to overflowith.  🍷

 

[LMaxwell]

I like to tip with each order; and something more substantial at end of week.  I've noticed in the DL everything gets pooled anyways.  

[cruisegirl1]

3 hours ago, papaflamingo said:

Dude....you tip how you want, I'll tip how I want.  I don't like carrying cash around every time I go to the lounge, etc.  I find it weird to hand a guy $1 everytime he brings me a drink.  I'd rather just give out some decent tips throughout the week.  That's all, that's me and my desires.  You do whatever it is that makes you happy.  Don't worry so much about me.  I'll get along fine. 

We have drinks all over the ship. We might go to a different bar every night. Some nights we might not even have a drink at HH so tipping as we go along works best for us. 

 

Agreed-folks should do what ever they want!  

 

M