Suite tipping!

[vacationlover_mn]

5 hours ago, Bailey & Sophie said:

 

Yup. Totally agree.

Oh, and don't fly first class.

We didn't land in time from Sydney to LA. The next flight only had seats available in first class. We sat down, I looked at John and said "you just created a monster."

Happy wife happy life.

Work used to fly us business class, and it did spoil me, but alas, I just can’t bring myself to pay the $$$$ when I fly for pleasure.

[smokeybandit]

I've tipped $20 and $40, depending on what they did for me. I'm not out there asking for trivial things, but my wife has to eat gluten free, and when the concierge brings gluten-free apps into the happy hour, that scores him points.

[molly361]

18 minutes ago, vacationlover_mn said:

Yes, I am 100% sure I’ll never go back to a normal balcony again 🙂. We know we’re going to use the concierge for a few things, but not like 100 picky things...  do you think $20 would be too cheapy?

No I don't think that is too cheap

[florida eagle]

On 1/7/2021 at 8:41 AM, TheMastodon said:

 

Woohoo.  Tip what you think is appropriate ! I don't tip the bots behind the computers in the Suite Lounge unless they have a direct impact on my experience.  Coming up to me and telling me I have a nice watch, kissing my a$$,  or asking how my day has been doesn't deserve a tip - sorry.  If they pull some strings and make something happen, sure.  But saying hello and goodbye as we leave doesn't cut it for me. 

 

The cabin attendant, the servers - those folks get my $ and it makes me feel good to over tip them.  I can't imagine the folks they have to deal with!!!  

So after pre paying gratuities, giving the cabin attendant an extra tip as at the end of the cruise there is an envelope given on the last day for that option and the servers is acceptable and done by most people? If resource are limited, tipping and tipping some more can reduce amount of things you can do. Extra tipping for drinks as an example. If done all the time it can be expensive. So there can be times to do so or not. 

[vacationlover_mn]

4 minutes ago, florida eagle said:

So after pre paying gratuities, giving the cabin attendant an extra tip as at the end of the cruise there is an envelope given on the last day for that option and the servers is acceptable and done by most people? If resource are limited, tipping and tipping some more can reduce amount of things you can do. Extra tipping for drinks as an example. If done all the time it can be expensive. So there can be times to do so or not. 

So, in normal, non covid years...  We normally do the auto-grats, maybe $5 extra to the cabin attendant (since he gets us distilled water for the cpap), $1 a drink, like $5-$20 on an excursion (depending on how good the guide was).  Back when there were attentive drink people in the MDR, we'd tip like $5-$10 the first night, and $1 a drink.

 

I'm trying not to think about sad things like covid, while on CC.  So, I guess the whole "these people haven't worked in almost a year" thing slipped my mind.  So, while onboard this next time, I'm going to do my best to tip more than we normally would, especially if we get great service 🙂

[smokeybandit]

I've very rarely tipped the cabin attendant extra. There's only so much above and beyond they can really do, just the nature of the job.

 

I do tip the waiters due to family dietary issues and the fact we like to get in and out of the dining room pretty quick. We're not social diners who enjoy a 2 hour meal.   When the waiters handle both of those w/o us asking after the first night (and they usually do), that scores points with us.

[TheMastodon]

2 hours ago, florida eagle said:

So after pre paying gratuities, giving the cabin attendant an extra tip as at the end of the cruise there is an envelope given on the last day for that option and the servers is acceptable and done by most people? If resource are limited, tipping and tipping some more can reduce amount of things you can do. Extra tipping for drinks as an example. If done all the time it can be expensive. So there can be times to do so or not. 

Yep you are right.  The way I look at it is - I can afford to stay up top on the ship so I’ll spend a little more on top to help out folks that have made my experience a good one!  Bartenders/servers/room attendants are usually the ones who get it.  

[BillOh]

On 1/6/2021 at 6:33 PM, Ourusualbeach said:

Depends on what kind of service you get.  To me it’s not something that can be decided in advance. 

That is what I'm thinking, we have our first GS booked, though its looking likely I won't see it! 😞   Thought I may tip a good tip up front hoping for extra good service since this will be a big anniversary for us.

[ownedbypets]

22 hours ago, sandebeach said:

Our first STAR class cruise has now been moved to November. I have been reading about “genie tipping” on the FB STAR page. Not sure that I agree with everything written there. 

 

I had read so much about Star class before cruising so I took $100 in singles for tips and put in in a drawer by the door so we could quickly grab it when something was delivered. For us it was too much. We told the Genie not to have any food or drinks delivered unless we asked. As for the Genie we tipped what we thought was fair, he didn't do much for us, but we did tip our stateroom attendant extra because she was fantastic!

[shopper77]

20 hours ago, George C said:

We also tip a dollar a drink at any bar or lounge, I bring a hundred in singles , plus lots of fives.

I was at the bank yesterday and they had $2.00 bills, so I got a few to keep when we can cruise again. They seem to like getting the $2.00 because it is different and they remember you.

[neverbeenhere]

5 minutes ago, shopper77 said:

I was at the bank yesterday and they had $2.00 bills, so I got a few to keep when we can cruise again. They seem to like getting the $2.00 because it is different and they remember you.

 

Try $3 bills, they'll never forget you.

[George C]

On 1/8/2021 at 6:30 AM, vacationlover_mn said:

Yes, I am 100% sure I’ll never go back to a normal balcony again 🙂. We know we’re going to use the concierge for a few things, but not like 100 picky things...  do you think $20 would be too cheapy?

No , again depends on what he or she does, I do not always tip concierge, 20 is fine , had one that did lots for us and we tipped a hundred but that was just once . 

[DrivesLikeMario]

On 1/8/2021 at 10:42 AM, shopper77 said:

I was at the bank yesterday and they had $2.00 bills, so I got a few to keep when we can cruise again. They seem to like getting the $2.00 because it is different and they remember you.

Actually there's been quite a few posts on other boards over the years about how much trouble the $2 bills give the crew when they try to use them.  They are unusual (especially to Millennials) in the Caribbean and even at banks, crew members were having trouble getting them exchanged.  

[Hogbay]

On 1/9/2021 at 5:42 AM, shopper77 said:

I was at the bank yesterday and they had $2.00 bills, so I got a few to keep when we can cruise again. They seem to like getting the $2.00 because it is different and they remember you.

If you want them to remember you try $5 

[George C]

3 hours ago, Hogbay said:

If you want them to remember you try $5 

Or multiples of fives 

[AF-1]

So what is the daily gratuity for a GS?  

[RFerrington]

53 minutes ago, AF-1 said:

So what is the daily gratuity for a GS?  

$17.50 PD

Edited January 26, 2021 by RFerrington

[cruise_co]

On 1/7/2021 at 12:14 PM, John&LaLa said:

 

With a few exceptions,  they're a cult over there.🤣🤣

phew. We just booked our first star class for 2022 and I was reading about the tipping the genie over there. I was having heart palpitations. While we are generous tippers, with what some of them are suggesting, we could book a couple more cabins. $100 a day per person/7 day cruise/8 people = $5,600. Tipping more than a couple of balcony cabins seemed a bit excessive. 

 

 

[AF-1]

On 1/26/2021 at 3:40 PM, RFerrington said:

$17.50 PD

Thank you 

[AF-1]

11 minutes ago, cruise_co said:

phew. We just booked our first star class for 2022 and I was reading about the tipping the genie over there. I was having heart palpitations. While we are generous tippers, with what some of them are suggesting, we could book a couple more cabins. $100 a day per person/7 day cruise/8 people = $5,600. Tipping more than a couple of balcony cabins seemed a bit excessive. 

 

 

whoa,  that is a shock

[sandebeach]

17 minutes ago, cruise_co said:

phew. We just booked our first star class for 2022 and I was reading about the tipping the genie over there. I was having heart palpitations. While we are generous tippers, with what some of them are suggesting, we could book a couple more cabins. $100 a day per person/7 day cruise/8 people = $5,600. Tipping more than a couple of balcony cabins seemed a bit excessive. 

 

 

I agree, that is a Lot of money to tip a genie. 

[ATG]

We had 4 people and tipped our genie $400 for the week.  And afterwards I decided we had over tipped.  Our genie was not very helpful.  It basically made me decide we weren’t star people.  I’ve read lots of star class reviews, and our genie didn’t do much compared to others.

[sandebeach]

1 hour ago, ATG said:

We had 4 people and tipped our genie $400 for the week.  And afterwards I decided we had over tipped.  Our genie was not very helpful.  It basically made me decide we weren’t star people.  I’ve read lots of star class reviews, and our genie didn’t do much compared to others.

Good info to know, thanks. 

[smokeybandit]

I've been in plenty of suites, but not with a Genie. What can a Genie really do of any additional benefit?

[lovescats5]

Some genies are good and some not so good.  I think it also depends on the ship.  I know I am probably one of the few who feel the Quantum class has more to do and the genie comes in handy.  He sets up the iFly times, gets you on the bumper cars when ever you want and then the typical meals, shows, gets you in front to leave for excursions.  I found in Oasis class there was not as much for the genie to do so we tipped less but I think the going rate is about $400 for the time you are on board, unless it would be over 8 days.