Additional tips?

[SinbadThePorter]

Princess goes out of their way to create a system where passengers no longer have to worry over tipping and the first thing some passengers do is start worrying about extra tipping. 🤨

 

If your money is a burden to you, spread it around. 😁

[SargassoPirate]

14 hours ago, Thrak said:

 

Not really a good idea. Crew may well have difficulty using the $2 bills as they aren't a common item and may well be rejected in other countries.

 

I take a stack of legal tender $2 bills also and have found that the bar staff soon recognize me, they remember my preferred drink (scotch), and before long I'm getting a better pour from a higher shelf.  The $2 bill is unusual and stands out from the two $1 tippers.  I've even had the evening bar waiters who work the buffet in the morning drop off a mimosa as they pass my table, and/or a bottle of water if it's apparent that I'm going ashore.

 

It also helps that I make an effort to learn their name and a greeting in their language.  My most recent bar waiter back in late September was from Russia so I learned how to say good evening and thank you in Russian.

[wowzz]

27 minutes ago, SargassoPirate said:

  I've even had the evening bar waiters who work the buffet in the morning drop off a mimosa as they pass my table, and/or a bottle of water if it's apparent that I'm going ashore.

Surely all that is irrelevant with Princess Plus - why tip when the drinks you get are "free" anyway. 

[SargassoPirate]

3 minutes ago, wowzz said:

Surely all that is irrelevant with Princess Plus - why tip when the drinks you get are "free" anyway. 

 

 

You must've missed the part where I said:

 

"the bar staff soon recognize me, they remember my preferred drink (scotch), and before long I'm getting a better pour from a higher shelf.....I've even had the evening bar waiters who work the buffet in the morning drop off a mimosa as they pass my table, and/or a bottle of water if it's apparent that I'm going ashore"

 

The "free" scotch is not nearly as good as the $2 bill upgrade.

[wowzz]

1 minute ago, SargassoPirate said:

 

 

You must've missed the part where I said:

 

"the bar staff soon recognize me, they remember my preferred drink (scotch), and before long I'm getting a better pour from a higher shelf.....I've even had the evening bar waiters who work the buffet in the morning drop off a mimosa as they pass my table, and/or a bottle of water if it's apparent that I'm going ashore"

 

The "free" scotch is not nearly as good as the $2 bill upgrade.

I suppose it depends how much more than $12 your higher shelf scotch is . 

[Steelers36]

6 hours ago, trbarton said:

How to you find the DORO once on the ship?  I was on the 1st cruise on the Ruby, October 31 & didn’t see anything listed with a place & time. 
 

I never sat at the same table each night so I want to resolve this on my December 17th cruise. 
 

Tom😀

In normal times I would say go to Deck 6 Aft DR just ahead of start of dining time.  If you cannot spot him, ask a HW or someone looks in charge at any DR that is open.  I am aware they took this meeting off the Patter for Day 1.  IDK why folks aren't asking for it to come back.  To think that DMW has solved all the dining issues and it is no longer needed is quite laughable.

 

[SargassoPirate]

29 minutes ago, wowzz said:

I suppose it depends how much more than $12 your higher shelf scotch is . 

 

There is scotch and there is good scotch.  I enjoy a good peaty scotch from Islay when I can find it.  My $2 upgrade serves me well and is one of my few indulgences on a cruise.  I don't do spa treatments or specialty dining, so I am quite happy with a wee dram or three in the evening.

[Baystate]

3 hours ago, SargassoPirate said:

 

I take a stack of legal tender $2 bills also and have found that the bar staff soon recognize me, they remember my preferred drink (scotch), and before long I'm getting a better pour from a higher shelf.  The $2 bill is unusual and stands out from the two $1 tippers.  I've even had the evening bar waiters who work the buffet in the morning drop off a mimosa as they pass my table, and/or a bottle of water if it's apparent that I'm going ashore.

 

It also helps that I make an effort to learn their name and a greeting in their language.  My most recent bar waiter back in late September was from Russia so I learned how to say good evening and thank you in Russian.

I agree with what Thrak said $2.00 bills may pose a problem in their home country.

 

Also, I don't carry $2.00 bills with me yet most servers remember exactly what I drink along with remembering my name

 

[ontheweb]

14 hours ago, Thrak said:

 

I have had a number of staff tell me that, if I was happy with their service, the very best thing I could do to show my appreciation was to mention them by name and state why I was so pleased with their service.

I agree. I once had a server in the buffet who seemed to be always refilling my glass of lemonade. I waved her over and said I wanted to give her one of those recommendations as someone who made my cruise exceptional but need to know her name. I told her I did not want to stare at her nameplate on her chest as I thought that would be rather rude. She told me her name, and kept quizzing me on whether I still knew it even after I told her that I had turned in the recommendation. And my lemonade glass was always full after that.😁

 

Another time my wife needed a new lens for her camera (after she dropped her camera in Edinburg.) The person working in the photo department gave her a lot of attention as to the features of her new lens even though he was very busy selling photos. He too was appreciative when I told him I gave him one of those recommendations.

[Guardsy]

5 hours ago, SargassoPirate said:

 

I take a stack of legal tender $2 bills also and have found that the bar staff soon recognize me, they remember my preferred drink (scotch), and before long I'm getting a better pour from a higher shelf.  The $2 bill is unusual and stands out from the two $1 tippers.  I've even had the evening bar waiters who work the buffet in the morning drop off a mimosa as they pass my table, and/or a bottle of water if it's apparent that I'm going ashore.

 

It also helps that I make an effort to learn their name and a greeting in their language.  My most recent bar waiter back in late September was from Russia so I learned how to say good evening and thank you in Russian.

Agreed 1,000%.  The waiters / servers know what a U.S. $2 bill looks like and they are happy to get them.  While I do not tip on every drink, I do for every 2nd or 3rd.  It does keep them coming back.  Yes, recognizing names and the rest is also just plain good manners.  We love to enjoy our cruises and we have rarely, if ever, heard the word "no".

[Guardsy]

1 hour ago, Baystate said:

I agree with what Thrak said $2.00 bills may pose a problem in their home country.

 

Also, I don't carry $2.00 bills with me yet most servers remember exactly what I drink along with remembering my name

 

Most don't take or send them to their home country.  They exchange them on the ship or use them in port.  Trust me, I have never had anything except good service using $2 bills.

[lodinayr]

4 hours ago, SargassoPirate said:

 

...a wee dram or three...

Love it 🙂

[Bgwest]

9 hours ago, LynnForestgate said:

 

I just did.

Its about writing names on a napkin.

 

It appears CC removed an earlier post causing all posts to bump up one. It’s now #17. 

Now there’s someone who knows how to do it up right!!

[wowzz]

4 hours ago, Guardsy said:

Most don't take or send them to their home country.  They exchange them on the ship or use them in port.  Trust me, I have never had anything except good service using $2 bills.

I  have always had good service by being polite, without the need to buy it !

[SargassoPirate]

13 hours ago, wowzz said:

I  have always had good service by being polite, without the need to buy it !

 

I guess you are still missing my point.  The extra $2 goes a long way for the extras that I mentioned:

 

"the bar staff soon recognize me, they remember my preferred drink (scotch), and before long I'm getting a better pour from a higher shelf.....I've even had the evening bar waiters who work the buffet in the morning drop off a mimosa as they pass my table, and/or a bottle of water if it's apparent that I'm going ashore"

 

The "free" scotch is not nearly as good as the $2 bill upgrade.

[Justin_Case]

I absolutely tip extra for these hard working employees. For one, pre-paid gratuities are included in Princess Perks, so that's not out of my pocket. Also, they are trying to financially recover from the very long pause of operations.

 

On my 10/31/21 Ruby Princess sailing, it showed the amount paid Princess paid for crew incentives was something like $118 for a 7 day cruise. For my 10 day in December, it's $155 and January's 10 day is $145. None of these amounts seem like a lot to be spread out to employees who are providing a stress-free respite away from the real world.

 

I make sure to take a stack of $1's and $5's, as well as twenties for the cabin steward. I tip(ped) my room steward at the start and end of the cruise; for every beverage delivered to me whether it's in the casino, poolside or to my cabin; for every room service delivery; and for the table servers in the buffet. If I dined in the dining rooms or ordered at a bar, I'd tip the staff there as well.

 

Of course, it's up to every individual cruiser if they want to or not, just adding my $1 to $20 (two cents goes nowhere) since the question was asked.

 

Happy cruising!

[brovol]

Just got back from the sky, which had great service.  We didnt tip extra for our drinks, but at the end of the cruise we did ask for envelopes and gave cash tips the last night to certain individuals, in addition to the prepaid gratuities which were covered under our princess plus plan.  They seemed to be appreciated.

[Thrak]

During the course of my employment I had a number of folks try to pay me or tip me for addressing issues on their personal laptops. If I had time at work I would help them out. Each time I told them I was already getting paid by my employer and there was no need to tip me or pay me anything. I also had someone try to pay me for driving around 100 miles to the office where she worked as the issue that needed to be addressed was all her fault and she felt bad about my 200 mile round trip. I gave her the same answer - that I was already being paid to do my job (which included driving there) and there was no reason to give me any sort of payment. I would be embarrassed to get a "tip" for doing the job I was already being paid to do

Edited December 1, 2021 by Thrak

[wowzz]

2 hours ago, Justin_Case said:

For one, pre-paid gratuities are included in Princess Perks, so that's not out of my pocket.

No, you have paid extra for Princess Plus ( I presume that is what you are talking about) so your pocket is already lighter.

If you want to pay again,  fine by me, but you need to know the details of your fare. 

[Thrak]

11 hours ago, SargassoPirate said:

The "free" scotch is not nearly as good as the $2 bill upgrade.

 

So... Are you saying they give you a better scotch and charge you $2 or are you saying you tip them $2 and then they give you a better, more expensive brand of scotch and just charge it to the package? I'm not real sure most of the bartenders are willing to jeopardize their jobs by charging the package and then giving you a more expensive brand of scotch. The levels of the bottles are measured regularly...

[donaldsc]

On 11/29/2021 at 11:46 PM, LynnForestgate said:

 

If you don't mind me mentioning it, but $2 sounds pretty mean for such excellent service. 

 

I would be embarrassed to tip this amount.

 

 

A $2 tip in addition to the forced 18% tip is in my opinion way too much.  I won't make any more comments in this thread on tipping.

 

DON

 

 

[mcrcruiser]

On 11/29/2021 at 11:46 PM, LynnForestgate said:

 

If you don't mind me mentioning it, but $2 sounds pretty mean for such excellent service. 

 

I would be embarrassed to tip this amount.

 

Don't forget that there is a tip of 18% already added to the cost of that drink .Thus ,imo ,a pretty decent xtra service tip 

[wowzz]

8 hours ago, Thrak said:

 

So... Are you saying they give you a better scotch and charge you $2 or are you saying you tip them $2 and then they give you a better, more expensive brand of scotch and just charge it to the package? I'm not real sure most of the bartenders are willing to jeopardize their jobs by charging the package and then giving you a more expensive brand of scotch. The levels of the bottles are measured regularly...

He us ssying that by tipping $2 he gets a bigger pour from a better bottle. 

Like you,  I would think inventory is checked to try and counter this - however you want to dress it up, the server is stealing from the cruise line.

[wowzz]

7 minutes ago, LynnForestgate said:

I have never looked at it in this regard.

But it is quite clearly stealing. The cruise line expects to sell 40 (say) measures at $20 each, so will generate $800 from  the bottle. If bar staff give bigger measures at a lower price, the revenue may be only $600. The bar staff have therefore stolen $200.

[SargassoPirate]

12 hours ago, Thrak said:

 

So... Are you saying they give you a better scotch and charge you $2 or are you saying you tip them $2 and then they give you a better, more expensive brand of scotch and just charge it to the package? I'm not real sure most of the bartenders are willing to jeopardize their jobs by charging the package and then giving you a more expensive brand of scotch. The levels of the bottles are measured regularly...

 

What I am saying is that I give the server a $2 bill when I place my first order.  The server recognizes the $2 bill and associates it with me.  In a night or two of this, the server knows me, knows I tip an extra $2 per drink, and I often find that my drink and my butt hit the table at about the same time.  By watching the bartender and by the taste, I can tell that pretty soon I'm often getting a better pour.  Sometimes I'll see the server working the buffet in the morning and sometimes they will drop off a mimosa as they pass by or a bottle of water if I'm going ashore.

 

That's been my experience.  Too bad if it upsets some here, but I'm simply sharing my experience.