CFD062 Posted February 22, 2006 #1 Share Posted February 22, 2006 Hi all... Crusing next month, first one with a butler, not really sure what guidelines we should use for tipping. Please help... Thanks:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrinaLC Posted February 22, 2006 #2 Share Posted February 22, 2006 Do a search with tip + butler, lots of good threads bottom line, depends on how much you use him/her. Many tip in the 150-200 range for doing breakfasts, a few special small cocktail parties (by that I mean maybe 2-3 couples), a few other special deliveries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frick_&_Frack Posted February 22, 2006 #3 Share Posted February 22, 2006 We used our Butler for breakfasts and a few snacks (just ourselves). She also brought up a few items for the Concierge and Lattitudes. We gave $150. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingpirate Posted February 22, 2006 #4 Share Posted February 22, 2006 I usually go by $10 per day per person then throw an extra $50-$100 on top if he/she's been exceptional. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UKDeb Posted February 22, 2006 #5 Share Posted February 22, 2006 When do you tip? I read on another thread about pre-tipping (Shoreguy, I think). Is this common practice? How much and when? I worry about getting the tipping wrong. Dh says I worry too much. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrinaLC Posted February 23, 2006 #6 Share Posted February 23, 2006 Tip the butler and the concierge at the end of the trip. They don't expect anything upfront and some will refuse it. You'll know how much you've used them and can tip accordingly at the end. Note concierge can be hard to find last morning - consider tipping night before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robbie I Posted February 23, 2006 #7 Share Posted February 23, 2006 I always tip up front. It started when I was parking my car and a friend with me gave the attendent a tip when we got out of the car.When we came back to get the car it was right up front no wait. After that I always tip 1/2 up front and 1/2 after. As far as the buttler I gave him $100 the first day and told him thats for starters. Then another $100 two days in and so on. I found the service TOP SHELF I don't know if tipping up front had anything to do with it . I followed the 10 pd pp we had 6 people for 10 days so at the end Denny recieved $600 Well worth it . He took very good care of us. Many of partys and gusts at all hours and he was always there treating eveyone like he was there personal buttle. Great Job Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
awatt Posted February 24, 2006 #8 Share Posted February 24, 2006 What is a reasonable tip for the butler if you only have coffee delivered in the morning, -no meals, insuite dining or other services? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoreguy Posted February 24, 2006 #9 Share Posted February 24, 2006 When do you tip? I read on another thread about pre-tipping (Shoreguy, I think). Is this common practice? How much and when? I worry about getting the tipping wrong. Dh says I worry too much. :D I think you will find most of the butlers will not accept a pre tip. That has been my experience the last 3 times. I did provide a tip mid cruise for a party. You can not get tipping wrong - What ever is right for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoreguy Posted February 24, 2006 #10 Share Posted February 24, 2006 What is a reasonable tip for the butler if you only have coffee delivered in the morning, -no meals, insuite dining or other services? Funny you should ask - last cruise I only had breakfast 2 days. Now the Butler did deliver treats twice each day and make sure the fruit was always fresh. I tried to tip the second to last day and he refused to take a tip since he felt he had not done enough. Answer - I made him bring lunch then still had to follow him down the hall and put the $100 in his pocket - go figure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WHOCARES Posted February 24, 2006 #11 Share Posted February 24, 2006 I was kinda doing the math here, if a Butler has 10 suites to look after. And the average tip is lets say is $100.00 per suite per week. 52 X $1000.00 is 52,000.per year plus there wage (I sure thats almost nothing). Now they don't work 52 weeks a year, and its 7 days a week 24/7. Its a hard job, but I sure in their country of orgin that goes a long way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
awatt Posted February 24, 2006 #12 Share Posted February 24, 2006 Funny you should ask - last cruise I only had breakfast 2 days. Now the Butler did deliver treats twice each day and make sure the fruit was always fresh. I tried to tip the second to last day and he refused to take a tip since he felt he had not done enough. Answer - I made him bring lunch then still had to follow him down the hall and put the $100 in his pocket - go figure Thanks Jim. That was what we tipped last year for AM coffee only, and after reading the anove posts was thinking we had been too cheap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaisyL Posted February 24, 2006 #13 Share Posted February 24, 2006 Since NCL does not give an estimate for tips, I looked up suggested tipping for Celebrity and they recommend $3.50p/day-p/person. So for a 10 day cruise that would be $70 so I would round that up to $100. I will probably only get some breakfasts served. Sorry, I need guidelines... what do I know how much their service is worth? What do they do for small parties? Do you purchase food? I would definitely purchase bottles of wine but what about the non wine drinkers? Can I purchase beer? mixed drinks? And if I do decide to have a small party, I will tip extra; from what I've read here. Thanks, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markf Posted February 25, 2006 #14 Share Posted February 25, 2006 I recently came back from the Jewel-and I feel differently--I called the butler 3 times during the week-and only gave him 20 dollars--I would have given him more if he gave us meals--he only brought snacks on a tray--like cake and sandwiches --I wasnt trying to be cheap but felt 5 dollars a visit would be reasonable--but maybe I was wrong--I gave the concierge 20 as well and she only made dinner reservations for me -- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jame_g Posted February 25, 2006 #15 Share Posted February 25, 2006 We only tipped our butler $10 for the week for both of us, and we were hesitant to give him that much. Of course he ignored our requests and his routine duties for our cabin. We ended up having to contact the concierge in order to get our butler to do anything or to have him send another butler instead. (We also found out that when he should have been working he was sometimes partying and drinking in other suites.) We did give the concierge and our cabin steward a nice tip for their attentiveness. I think the tip should depend on how much you utilize their services, what you use them for, and the level of service received. And I'd like to see people's opinions based more on frequency of use. Giving the butler or concierge $100 for the week when you've only utilized their services a couple times seems a bit excessive to me, especially when I have to save my $$$ to cruise. I have worked in the service industry and depended on tips, so I think I have some understanding of a reasonable tip, but I like to stay in touch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CFD062 Posted February 25, 2006 Author #16 Share Posted February 25, 2006 Jame, what cabin were you in?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CFD062 Posted February 25, 2006 Author #17 Share Posted February 25, 2006 correction...what stateroom were you in Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRUTKO1226 Posted February 25, 2006 #18 Share Posted February 25, 2006 On our recent Dawn trip, our delighful butler, Carmen, refused a pre tip. She asked that we tip her at the end of the trip. She brought us two dinners in our room. One from Cagneys and one from La Trotteria. She served them course by course and it was wonderful. She brought us breakfast 3 times and lunch once. She brought us a movie to watch one afternoon. She lugged our liquor from the gift shop on the last night:rolleyes: She brought food from the butler's menu and extra glasses and mixers for an informal party we had. I thought about what that would have cost in a regular and fine dining restaurant at home and calculated a tip accordingly. She also brought her lovely personality with her every time she entered our cabin. That was priceless. She has great plans for returning to her country and starting a business. We wish her the best of luck and good fortune. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jame_g Posted February 25, 2006 #19 Share Posted February 25, 2006 correction...what stateroom were you in 11506 (PoAm, 1/7/06) Nice room, wonderful location. Terrific steward. (Bernadette) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaisyL Posted February 25, 2006 #20 Share Posted February 25, 2006 She brought us two dinners in our room. She brought us breakfast 3 times and lunch once. She brought us a movie to watch one afternoon. She lugged our liquor from the gift shop on the last night:rolleyes: She brought food from the butler's menu and extra glasses and mixers for an informal party we had. I thought about what that would have cost in a regular and fine dining restaurant at home and calculated a tip accordingly. OK? The service you received seems like responses to reasonable and typical requests. So what did you tip? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lastingtouch Posted February 25, 2006 #21 Share Posted February 25, 2006 I know we're discussing tipping but I want to give BIG kudos to Carmen too. We had her twice and she was the greatest. She brought us nice big plastic glasses everyday, popcorn and potato chips, had meals, snacks and a dinner party for 6 delivered, to order, on time. We gave her $200+ The crew works real hard and deserve it. When we're on vacation we want it to be memorable and Carmen made us feel special. :) di Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingpirate Posted February 25, 2006 #22 Share Posted February 25, 2006 I was kinda doing the math here, if a Butler has 10 suites to look after. And the average tip is lets say is $100.00 per suite per week. 52 X $1000.00 is 52,000.per year plus there wage (I sure thats almost nothing). Now they don't work 52 weeks a year, and its 7 days a week 24/7. Its a hard job, but I sure in their country of orgin that goes a long way. For example, if he/she were to work two full contracts, with the customary thre months off, that would be forty weeks a year, divide the months, weeks, days, hours, and those "extravagant tips" work out to a whopping $6.18 an hour. Add that to the probably less than minimum wage already being received, ah, yes, certainly a fortune............ Did you know that the butlers not only serve, but they have to collect and wash all the dishes and they have to keep the pantry and serving area spotless and ready, sort the linen for the laundry. No buspersons, no help. That butler is doing everything but cooking! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markf Posted February 26, 2006 #23 Share Posted February 26, 2006 I read in the celebrity cruise line brochure that 3.50 per day per person is the recommended tip for a butler-If they really expect 100 a week then the cruise line has to do a better job of explaining what is expected of them etc--In reality using a butler is not something most people are used to-especialy me--and I consider myself to be somewhat worldy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Al B. Posted March 10, 2006 #24 Share Posted March 10, 2006 I have a question concerning the concierge. In our case, we probably won't be worrying about dining reservations nor priority tendering. I really can't foresee using the services of the concierge much if at all. If we don't use them, is it proper not to tip? Or is there a minimum if we just use his services a minimum of times? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.