What do you tip your YC butler at the end?

[rattanchair]

Thank goodness we can not teach "old dogs new tricks". There is just so much time in the day for staff to accommodate each and every passenger under their burden of responsibility. Who do they choose to accommodate the most and the least. I am sure that nationality might play a role as Asians tip the least ( reported on these CC boards}. Past repeat passengers with a tipping history are remembered. Our prior butler on Celebrity Equinox, Katarina, who we tipped $150 for her ever present ability in a sky suite, ( we got the impression she would even 'tuck us' into bed at night) remembered us this summer when in a Concierge suite, and "told" our new butler 'something" for his ever present attentiveness. We tipped her $20 just for remembering us. Anand our new butler was able to supply us with an extra lounger on our balcony and he was able to boost the wifi signal to our cabin. To save "face" with Katarina we tipped him $200 at the end of the cruise. (We are booked again next summer in the same CS cabin}. Just think how hard it would be for staff to choose who to accommodate first if everyone tipped as well. This tipping policy is extremely more important on a RCCL CK suite cruises when non-suite Pinnacle passengers demand staff attention over suite paying passengers in suite venues, which we experienced last summer in an OS on the Allure, prompting our cancellation of our suite on the Symphony, losing $500 non refundable deposit (our choice) and switching to MSC Yacht Club. Thank you MSC posters for turning us on to the Yacht Club.

 

[Hlitner]

1 hour ago, rkacruiser said:

 

Your comment concerns me.  What do you mean about "asking him to take care of his staff" and "our favorite YC bartender.

 

What "staff" ought to expect something from a gratuity left for one's Butler?

 

You expect your Butler to share whatever to give additionally to your YC favorite bartender?  Why not do so directly?  And, what about the YC Restaurant Staff?

 

And, then we add to the possible "additional gratuity" list the YC Concierge, the YC Maitre d' , the Wine Steward, and who knows ??.

 

 

 

  

The MSC Butlers head a small team which consists of themselves and usually two cabin attendants (stewardesses).  Those cabin attendants are directly under the supervision of the Butler.  I do not disparage those that enjoy leaving large tips to lots of folks but personally only give extra tips (above the regular auto tips) to those who provide me extraordinary extra service.  In our case, the YC Concierges (plural because there are several) did little except to answer an occasional question.  The Maitre'd in Le Muse did nothing special to earn any tip and the wine steward (who once tried to pour Robert Mondavi Woodbridge....until I told him that stuff was not up to any YC standard) did little to earn any extra tip.  In fact, it was about 8 or 9 days into our 14 day cruise when I finally complained to the Le Muse wine steward that we had never been shown any kind of wine list or even a list of the included wines.  The norm in Le Muse was our waiter asking if we wanted "red or white" and then he would tell us what was available!  We were not pleased with the wine situation (it was a disappointment) or the quality of wines included in the package.  Or course there were some outstanding wines if one wanted to pay another $60+ for a bottle.  Our favorite bar tender (in the YC) was another story as we often talked about various whiskey's and he made several good suggestions.  Lots of fun with that gentleman.  And any bartender that can make a "Cosmo" that pleases DW is deserving or an extra tip :).

 

Hank

[dexddd]

15 hours ago, Nashna said:

I totally appreciate the willingness of some folks on this site to give the actual amount that they have tipped.  It is helpful to know.  While some of the tipping amounts appear excessive to me, I have not experienced the Royal Suite treatment that others have been exposed to.  The level of service one experiences does seem to be in proportion to the amount paid for the stateroom.  Since I am sailing in a regular Yacht Club room, I expect to receive great service.  If the service is as expected, I will give an additional tip.  I'm sure that the heavy tippers and the not-so-much tippers even out for the staff.  I don't believe anyone of the staff is getting rich on tips.

We sailed in a Royal in June.  I'd say barely any difference from regular YC in March on same ship.

[dexddd]

14 hours ago, Nashna said:

We ask for very little extra service.  We always like to have ice in the room, extra towels and our room cleaned before 1:00pm.  We enjoy friendly, prompt service.  Unless the service is poor, we typically tip our room steward, maître de and favorite waiters extra.  I actually preferred the old way of tipping. 

 

I do not like automatic tipping.  However, I recall our very first Home Lines Cruise.  We spent a delightful week with our tablemates and the 8 of us became fast friends, sharing meals, shore excursions and activities together.  The wait staff was outstanding throughout the week. However, the waiters were rather odd at breakfast the last morning.  When we remarked on this coolness to our tablemates,  two young ladies at our table, who were also on their first cruise, confessed that they had run out of money and did not know they had to tip our wonderful waiters.  We went back to the table and increased the amount of our tip.  The head waiter confessed that he thought the table had not enjoyed his service.  When we explained that we were covering the ladies and why.  He brightened up considerably.  After that, we always signed our name on the tip envelope.  Whenever I complain about automatic tipping, I think of those waiters who were stiffed.   Unfortunately, it used to happen frequently which is why automatic tipping will continue. 

There should be no problem with the first paragraph.  

[JAGR]

10 hours ago, Hlitner said:

The MSC Butlers head a small team which consists of themselves and usually two cabin attendants (stewardesses). 

On our Seaside cruises, our experience has been a team of a butler and an assistant butler.  I think it is a bit more than semantics to separate assistant butler from cabin attendant.  Our experience has been that the assistant butlers really are proud of having "butler" attached to their working titles.

[rattanchair]

Well, I went to the source The Butler Bureau, and according to Steven Ferry, Chairman of the International Institute of Modern Butlers, the going rate for a newly trained fresh-faced young butler is in the region of $50-60k, after 2-3 years $80-150k. Let us take the lowest end of $50k / year and divide by 50 weeks = $1000 /week.  My $400 for the week was a bargain!!! For one of finest butlers I have ever come in contact on a cruise ship.. I am sure that these butlers do not come close to the level you all experience back home from your very own domestic service provider. But I in fact never had my shoe laces ironed for me and never once thought to ask any butler on- board to provide me with the same service I read about. I was just happy that our butler escorted us every day and evening to each venue, off the ship ahead of the crowds while in port, on the pool deck providing drinks and appetizers, offering to bring us grilled lobster, making sure we got the table we wanted and even the best table we did not know we wanted. $400 was a bargain now that you all forced me to research what a butler earns.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Gordoncruickshank]

2 hours ago, rattanchair said:

Well, I went to the source The Butler Bureau, and according to Steven Ferry, Chairman of the International Institute of Modern Butlers, the going rate for a newly trained fresh-faced young butler is in the region of $50-60k, after 2-3 years $80-150k. Let us take the lowest end of $50k / year and divide by 50 weeks = $1000 /week.  My $400 for the week was a bargain!!! For one of finest butlers I have ever come in contact on a cruise ship.. I am sure that these butlers do not come close to the level you all experience back home from your very own domestic service provider. But I in fact never had my shoe laces ironed for me and never once thought to ask any butler on- board to provide me with the same service I read about. I was just happy that our butler escorted us every day and evening to each venue, off the ship ahead of the crowds while in port, on the pool deck providing drinks and appetizers, offering to bring us grilled lobster, making sure we got the table we wanted and even the best table we did not know we wanted. $400 was a bargain now that you all forced me to research what a butler earns.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I don't think you are taking into account all the other cabins that the butler deals with. On Celebrity the Butlers have around 10 cabins each to look after and I presume that this is what happens on MSC. I suspect they do not make 10*$400 a week plus their wages from MSC.

[rattanchair]

19 minutes ago, Gordoncruickshank said:

I don't think you are taking into account all the other cabins that the butler deals with. On Celebrity the Butlers have around 10 cabins each to look after and I presume that this is what happens on MSC. I suspect they do not make 10*$400 a week plus their wages from MSC.

Dear Gord,  Your presumption is correct.  My  butler was responsible for 12 other cabins on the Seaside.. I can not fathom how he was able to accommodate all of us with the same level of service he provided us for the entire week, unless he did not provide the others with the same level. I tipped our butler in the Haven $10 bucks each time he delivered something called or not called for which amounted to $60 for the week. Katarina , butler in the Celebrity suite $150 at the end of the week. Anand, butler again in Celebrity suite, $200 for the week. We were blown away by Vishnu on Seaside so the $400 for the week. Do not think we will ever experience the level of service  that he provided, unless we get him again. From what all the other 'big ' tippers are relating, I think he made maybe another $150 total from the other 12 cabins combined. Most cruisers consider themselves low maintenance, self sufficient types, like ourselves., and do not avail themselves of  butler services. But he asked us to relinquish our independent natures and allow him to take care of all our requests, so we did and 'boy' did he.. He was like our own personal 'tour guide' on a ship. On formal night he helped me put on my Tuxedo and straightened my bow tie, things reserved for DW.  Addressing me as 'Sir R' all week spoiled me to no end. We were first off the ship at 7:00 am debarkation day for our waiting driver service, escorting, us only, not a group of us from the YC, to the head of the gangway . Same table in YC restaurant, with the same waiters for breakfast, lunch and dinner ; except on two port lunch occasions . Oh yes, waiter Andrei $200 and assistant Christian $100 for the week. Maitre d' DiPaulo $100, the occasionals $20 each. All in all, it was enchanting, extravagant experience which I hope we can recreate this coming Thanksgiving. I will report to you all in real time on board the Seaside, but with a vacationing Vishnu not due back until January.

[hamrag]

Rattan....we get it, you claim to be a generous tipper and have told us countless times. It has long since become somewhat boring! 😉

[Nymich]

1 hour ago, hamrag said:

Rattan....we get it, you claim to be a generous tipper and have told us countless times. It has long since become somewhat boring! 😉

yes we are aware how great a tipper they are.   

Edited August 19, 2019 by Nymich

[rkacruiser]

19 hours ago, Hlitner said:

The MSC Butlers head a small team which consists of themselves and usually two cabin attendants (stewardesses).  Those cabin attendants are directly under the supervision of the Butler.  I do not disparage those that enjoy leaving large tips to lots of folks but personally only give extra tips (above the regular auto tips) to those who provide me extraordinary extra service. 

 

Hank

 

Thanks so very much, Hank, for your informative response to my question.  My extra gratuity philosophy is the same as mine.

 

      Bob

[rattanchair]

The title of this thread is 'What do you tip your butler at the end.' A few of you do not like the answer.  So you report certain posts as unacceptable when they conflict with your views. I found you all to be very caring people, you have all helped me in the past months to choose wisely, and I thank you for all your expert input. I was only trying to return the favor by posting my 'observations' while on board and the tactics I used to enhance my cruise experience. Some of you traveling in the same venue did not receive the same experience that I received. I laid my cards on the table for all to see. "There are none so blind, as those who will not see". I am sorry I upset some of you and bored some others with my answers to this thread. Thank you for your attention . Very truly yours, RC.

[CGTNORMANDIE]

And thank you Rattan for you honest answers.  I found this thread to be very enlightening and informative.  Anytime tipping is mentioned there is always disgruntled commentary.  Such is the way of CC.

[Amercury]

We are sailing on our first MSC/YC experience in Feb and gather useful pre-cruise info from these boards.  I truly appreciate the thread and the honest responses.  We are frequent RCCL cruisers but have never had the "Butler" experience, Im not sure I'll be able to return to the masses 😉  Again, thank you as always for the information.  

[grandgeezer]

11 hours ago, rattanchair said:

Well, I went to the source The Butler Bureau, and according to Steven Ferry, Chairman of the International Institute of Modern Butlers, the going rate for a newly trained fresh-faced young butler is in the region of $50-60k, after 2-3 years $80-150k. Let us take the lowest end of $50k / year and divide by 50 weeks = $1000 /week.  My $400 for the week was a bargain!!! For one of finest butlers I have ever come in contact on a cruise ship.. I am sure that these butlers do not come close to the level you all experience back home from your very own domestic service provider. But I in fact never had my shoe laces ironed for me and never once thought to ask any butler on- board to provide me with the same service I read about. I was just happy that our butler escorted us every day and evening to each venue, off the ship ahead of the crowds while in port, on the pool deck providing drinks and appetizers, offering to bring us grilled lobster, making sure we got the table we wanted and even the best table we did not know we wanted. $400 was a bargain now that you all forced me to research what a butler earns.

 

I think the wages is based on having a dedicated butler, not one that has many other cabins to take care of. He should be compensated for the services he actually provides not what they could have done.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Nashna]

The YC experience will be new to us.  It is very helpful to know what others experienced in terms of service and how that impacted the tips they gave.  The amount to tip and who to tip is a personal choice.  Thanks to all who shared your thoughts.   Unfortunately, the subject of tipping tends to elicit negative responses on CC.  

[rattanchair]

11 hours ago, grandgeezer said:

I think the wages is based on having a dedicated butler, not one that has many other cabins to take care of. He should be compensated for the services he actually provides not what they could have done.

I agree.  If your butler provides one with no service, no tip. Just looking for some guidelines when you should receive service and what better place to 'start' than the Butler Bureau. A Head Butler (multiple residences) starts 140K to 250K . 140/ .05= 2800/13 cabins= $215/ week of superb treatment.  So I guess I over tipped from my own analysis. So it boils down to what you feel is most appropriate at the time of service and if you intend on returning....

[rkacruiser]

10 hours ago, rattanchair said:

So it boils down to what you feel is most appropriate at the time of service and if you intend on returning....

 

My HAL experiences:  when one meets a crew member with whom you made a "connection" during a previous cruise, they remember.  They remember whether you are a direct responsibility of them as a guest.  They remember you patronized their service as a Wine Steward, a Bartender, or a Lounge Steward.  

 

Most recent example during Sailaway from Vancouver at the Seaview Bar on the Westerdam during the Sailaway Party.  One of the bartenders recognized me.  I ordered a CC-Sprite.  He filled my glass three-fourths full of CC before Sprite was added.  A second was not needed! 

 

Another example:  on the Westerdam, my Cabin Steward on the Nieuw Statendam in January spotted me leaving my stateroom just aft of his bank of staterooms.  I heard a shout of my name.  A reunion took place seconds later. 

Edited August 20, 2019 by rkacruiser

[Beamafar]

We've had similar experiences on MSC.  On Poesia last year, we knew a bartender from a previous cruise.  We saw someone give him a very decent tip in the unspoken message "look after me".  Well, my glass was constantly topped up, despite never seeing him do it and the bar being incredibly busy, and he was working at the other end to where we sat.  Funny thing was that Mr Tipper had to keep clicking his fingers and hailing him to get service - which our bartender took his time to respond to!  😂

 

One server who we got to know really well when on a 28 night cruise and with whom we had attended the staff/guests disco night every Friday night was on another cruise we were on a couple of years later.  Again, despite the place being extremely busy, she was over to us immediately to take our order.  I couldn't think what I wanted and she asked why I wasn't having my "usual" port and brandy.  I'd totally forgotten just at that moment that it was my drink of choice when sailing!  🙄

Edited August 21, 2019 by Beamafar

[rattanchair]

1 hour ago, Beamafar said:

Funny thing was that Mr Tipper had to keep clicking his fingers and hailing him to get service - which our bartender took his time to respond to!  😂

Dear Bea,  This is how frequent cruisers that do tip, 'find' their ship of choice. We gravitate to those ships . Home Lines , Atlantic;Pearl Cruises the Ocean Pearl; Orient Lines, the Marco Polo; today I have found Celebrity Equinox and MSc Divina and Seaside. Perhaps there should be a blog on 'Cruise ships where tipping makes a difference'. I have found this past year that Rccl has a problem for Suite guests like me; the staff in the suite venues are 'intimidated' by a certain class called non-suite Pinnacles. The staff are afraid for their jobs should they not cater to these types before regular paying suite guests in suite venues.  The next was NCL Haven, lovely atmosphere, but does not cater to my type as well in the Haven Restaurant, though that could be because they are so understaffed to begin with. Sometimes what one person thinks is a 'big tip', is really a small insulting tip.

   To get back to intimidation factor. Each cruise line has a loyalty program with perks for frequent passengers. A few of these high level status passengers are 'pixilated' with their status while on board and often complain to staff management of their displeasure at some 'perceived' slight on the part of some lowly staff not catering fast enough to their drink order, etc. These 'status ' cruisers use intimidation rather than cash to get what they want while on board.

[Best Cat Mom]

Regardless of the actual amounts of tips each cruiser provides, the most valuable perspective for me when I first researched tipping was the proportional differences between different roles on the ships. It was helpful to see what people consider generous tips for "their" butler vs. doting and consistent service from other butlers in the Top Sail Lounge vs. their server in the YC restaurant, etc. We still chose our own specific amounts based on our particular situation and experiences, but having other opinions about those proportions made me feel more comfortable overall. These boards are so helpful because of all of the different opinions. Thank you to everyone who shares!

[mafig]

4 hours ago, rattanchair said:

. I have found this past year that Rccl has a problem for Suite guests like me; the staff in the suite venues are 'intimidated' by a certain class called non-suite Pinnacles. The staff are afraid for their jobs should they not cater to these types before regular paying suite guests in suite v.

 

 

Did your ship depart from Port Canaveral, by chance?

I have read that the most Pinnacles reside in the area around Pt. Canaveral vs. Miami or Ft. Lauderdale and you'll be more likely to find them on board there.

We'll be booking a suite on an Oasis class ship in the near future and my  research leads me to this conclusion.

 

 

[jules815]

Butler got $150 and our waiters both got $60.  We've tipped waiters more on other cruises for outstanding service, but from about mid-cruise and on our service really could have been better.  

 

 

 

[rattanchair]

1 minute ago, mafig said:

 

 

Did your ship depart from Port Canaveral, by chance?

I have read that the most Pinnacles reside in the area around Pt. Canaveral vs. Miami or Ft. Lauderdale and you'll be more likely to find them on board there.

We'll be booking a suite on an Oasis class ship in the near future and my  research leads me to this conclusion.

 

 

Dear Ma, Your research is correct. We were on the Allure, out of South Florida, in an OS suite when we experienced the' joy' of some 'pixalated' non-suite paying Pinnacles. I commented to my DW how the Coastal Kitchen staff are fawning all over this couple to the dismay of suite guests trying to gain the wait staffs attention. Every evening someone in the CK would run and get a brick of this Pinnacle's favorite cheese to take back to his cabin. One evening, we had reservations for 6:30 dinner in the CK and were told by the maitre d' that we would have to wait for a table. I was, at that moment,  taken aback and at a loss for words (can you imagine that!), when DW spoke up " that this was unacceptable". We discovered from CC posters, that the CK and its limited staff can adequately handle suite guests but not the added contingent of NSPPs, especially those ' pixalated' as well...

    So when we returned home and gave the situation some thought we agreed to cancel the Symphony RS we had booked and took a loss of $500 on a non-refundable deposit and we booked MSC Seaside Yacht Club instead.  Glad we did and we are not 'looking back'.  RC

[Nashna]

49 minutes ago, mafig said:

 

 

Did your ship depart from Port Canaveral, by chance?

I have read that the most Pinnacles reside in the area around Pt. Canaveral vs. Miami or Ft. Lauderdale and you'll be more likely to find them on board there.

We'll be booking a suite on an Oasis class ship in the near future and my  research leads me to this conclusion.

 

 

We were in a GS on the Allure in June.  On the third night, the maitre d asked why we had not dined in the CK in the evening,  I told him because only  6 of our group of 19 were in GS and eligible to dine there.  The  rest of our group were sailing in balconies.  He said that he felt badly that we were not using the CK, and since our actual 50th anniversary was onboard, he very generously offered to host a dinner in CK for our entire group.  The only stipulation was that we dine after 8:15pm as that would not impact the other passengers in CK.  We declined as we already had reservations in the Chop House for 19 on the night of our anniversary.  We had wonderful service in the MDR and the grandkids loved their waiter so we did not dine in the evening in CK.  We had all of our breakfasts in CK as well as several lunches.   Since we were traveling with our son and his family, they did allow us all to be escorted from CK when we disembarked.  We received outstanding service in CK and we never felt that others were treated differently.    I do believe that RCCL can't continue to allow Pinnacles to use the suite facilities.  Every year, more passengers reach higher status and eventually, there will be way too many to be accommodated.  This cruise was our treat to our children and grandchildren.  Because we spent so much time with our family, we did not use many of the special suite services.  We have no plans to sail on RCCL again as we do enjoy lounging by and in the pool.  The pools on the Allure were so full of people, that you could not move.  The lack of seating in the pool area for suite guests was a big turn off.  I am looking forward to YC on MSC.