Cruise secrets that DCL doesn't tell you

[honeymo78]

Yes, I'm sure. I've read the same things you have. I have no idea why so many people talk about the need for bringing cash for room service tips. I suspect that some people just like the notion of having some problem that they can make a big production over. "How many $1's and $5's do I need????" and "I guess I'll make a special trip to the bank!" and so on. Just sign the room service tip to your room (even if it's a $0 ticket plus tip) and be done with it. You don't need cash for ANYTHING on board. And yes that's a period at the end of that sentence.

Thank you so much for this info. I always want to order room service but I never remember to bring ones with me. A couple 5s if I'm lucky. So glad I can just charge a tip to the room.

 

[valbob89]

Yes, I'm sure. I've read the same things you have. I have no idea why so many people talk about the need for bringing cash for room service tips. I suspect that some people just like the notion of having some problem that they can make a big production over. "How many $1's and $5's do I need????" and "I guess I'll make a special trip to the bank!" and so on. Just sign the room service tip to your room (even if it's a $0 ticket plus tip) and be done with it. You don't need cash for ANYTHING on board. And yes that's a period at the end of that sentence.

How rude!! You don't need to do ANYTHING that is written here. These are but shared ideas that people have found to work for them. To then belittle and criticize ideas made by people who are responding to requests for suggestions is unacceptable and unnecessary. If you wanted to just say you find something unnecessary, fine -- but you didn't have to do so in this manner. Shame on you.

 

[jahber]

Yes, I'm sure. I've read the same things you have. I have no idea why so many people talk about the need for bringing cash for room service tips. I suspect that some people just like the notion of having some problem that they can make a big production over. "How many $1's and $5's do I need????" and "I guess I'll make a special trip to the bank!" and so on. Just sign the room service tip to your room (even if it's a $0 ticket plus tip) and be done with it. You don't need cash for ANYTHING on board. And yes that's a period at the end of that sentence.

Fwiw, we pay room service tips in cash because it makes it easier to check our bill at the end of the cruise. We tend to order at least once a day, so for a 7-day cruise it can add a lot of charges to sort through on the last night. It just makes it easier for us

 

[EPCOTatNight]

How rude!! You don't need to do ANYTHING that is written here. These are but shared ideas that people have found to work for them. To then belittle and criticize ideas made by people who are responding to requests for suggestions is unacceptable and unnecessary. If you wanted to just say you find something unnecessary, fine -- but you didn't have to do so in this manner. Shame on you.

Aren't you doing the same thing with this post? Belittling and criticizing?

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[BCV23]

We bring ones and fives to tip room service. If you add the tip to the receipt it is pooled amongst the room service team including the CMs who answer the phone. Cash tips go to the CM who puts together your tray and delivers it.

 

[llqool]

We bring ones and fives to tip room service. If you add the tip to the receipt it is pooled amongst the room service team including the CMs who answer the phone. Cash tips go to the CM who puts together your tray and delivers it.

Hmmm....a valid point. Although, we order at least once or twice per day. I don't want to deal with having that many singles around. It's easier for me to put it on the receipt.

It's also worth noting for first timers that there is no ATM on board. While you don't need cash on the ship, we have used American dollars to pay for tours, taxis, etc in Mexico, Cayman, Canada and elsewhere. Last cruise, out of Galveston, I completely forgot to get cash before getting on the ship. Luckily, I had my checkbook and was able to write a personal check for $200 and guest services cashed it. But that is the limit and they will only do it once per cruise.

 

[Mum from oz]

I just wanted to post a picture of what I had signed at guest services. It was a plate I got from WDW for $12.95. Guest services asked who I wanted to sign and I said as many as possible. She said usually they only do fab 5 or princesses but she would see what she could do. This is what came back to our stateroom. Admittedly it had Princess Tiana twice but I still love it.

Here is the LINK to the plate.

 

[Hook326]

I just wanted to post a picture of what I had signed at guest services. It was a plate I got from WDW for $12.95. Guest services asked who I wanted to sign and I said as many as possible. She said usually they only do fab 5 or princesses but she would see what she could do. This is what came back to our stateroom. Admittedly it had Princess Tiana twice but I still love it.

Here is the LINK to the plate.

That is an awesome idea! Did you supply markers or did their markers work on the glass? I guess I'd be worried about smearing but yours obviously didn't.

 

[Victoria Samson]

Many or all of these ideas may have all ready been mentioned in this long but very helpful thread but we find them helpful:
rubber door stop to hold the door open when moving luggage in and out
magnetic clip to keep current navigator on the back of door (we always seem to misplace it otherwise)
high lighter to mark activities in the navigator
bathroom air freshener
printed address labels for our disembarking tags
one dollar bills to tip room service etc.
thank you cards to write a note with our tip cards and for our table mates
suction cup hooks to hang in the bathrooms and closet doors
candy/treats to give our room host each day
disposable shower cap, tooth brush and razor
pre-written address labels for postcards and postcard stamps
travel mugs and large zip lock bags for those trips to the beverage and goofy fast food in the morning

We order room service the first night, getting a coffee carafe, container of sugar packages, carton of milk, salt and pepper and wine glasses. We keep all in the cabinet for use during the entire cruise. We usually get a bowl of fruit too and use the empty bowl to dump our pocket stuff in one place when we come in the room.. Husband seems to misplace items, i.e. pins, lip balm, sun glasses if we don't have a designated place I can move them to.

Great tips thanks!!

 

[ksloane]

I just wanted to post a picture of what I had signed at guest services. It was a plate I got from WDW for $12.95. Guest services asked who I wanted to sign and I said as many as possible. She said usually they only do fab 5 or princesses but she would see what she could do. This is what came back to our stateroom. Admittedly it had Princess Tiana twice but I still love it.

Here is the LINK to the plate.

That is so amazing. I love it. I love the plate too. I kind of want to order a couple a month and replace my plates as well.

 

[Mum from oz]

I supplied the markers. I just got a pack of different coloured sharpies.

 

[aan1701]

On the room service front. I ordered room service almost 14 straight nights on the Wonder and not once did I ever get a slip to sign, so that meant that to leave my gratuity i would need to have small bills. Glad I did or those poor room service runners would not have gotten a tip from me if I did not have my stash of 1's. so have a stash of small bills is a great tip in my book.

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[Susiesark]

On the room service front. I ordered room service almost 14 straight nights on the Wonder and not once did I ever get a slip to sign, so that meant that to leave my gratuity i would need to have small bills. Glad I did or those poor room service runners would not have gotten a tip from me if I did not have my stash of 1's. so have a stash of small bills is a great tip in my book.

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I thought I was the only one that never got a slip to sign. No problem for me to give out $1 bills for tips, keep them in the safe next to the door.

 

[PizzieDuster]

I thought I was the only one that never got a slip to sign. No problem for me to give out $1 bills for tips, keep them in the safe next to the door.

Same here. Never got a slip to sign. But I haven't been on the Dream or the Fantasy. My last cruise, I sailed with my mom, her first cruise. We just had a spot where I put our $1s in an envelope and I just told her how to tip. Worked out great.

 

[PizzieDuster]

Yes, I'm sure. I've read the same things you have. I have no idea why so many people talk about the need for bringing cash for room service tips. I suspect that some people just like the notion of having some problem that they can make a big production over. "How many $1's and $5's do I need????" and "I guess I'll make a special trip to the bank!" and so on. Just sign the room service tip to your room (even if it's a $0 ticket plus tip) and be done with it. You don't need cash for ANYTHING on board. And yes that's a period at the end of that sentence.

I never got a slip to sign from room service on any of my 6 DCL cruises. Trust me. I keep EVERY slip and even the DCL bag from the gift shop. (I just can not throw those out! But I've never been on the Fantasy or the Dream.

Now the bar is a different story. I'll never forget my husband telling me they already added gratuity. No wonder those cast members always found me on deck.

Mum from Oz, that plate is awesome! Did they draw the middle Mickey? Or did it come like that with the Mickey in the middle? Love it!

 

[disneydork3]

I just wanted to post a picture of what I had signed at guest services. It was a plate I got from WDW for $12.95. Guest services asked who I wanted to sign and I said as many as possible. She said usually they only do fab 5 or princesses but she would see what she could do. This is what came back to our stateroom. Admittedly it had Princess Tiana twice but I still love it.

Here is the LINK to the plate.

It looks great, but Princess Tiana should've let someone else sign it instead of signing twice. At least she used two different colors. I love the plate idea!

 

[Robin"D"]

VERY COOL We are Sooooooooo doing this, thank you for the link...Just ordered it!!!

Robin & Angel "D"

I just wanted to post a picture of what I had signed at guest services. It was a plate I got from WDW for $12.95. Guest services asked who I wanted to sign and I said as many as possible. She said usually they only do fab 5 or princesses but she would see what she could do. This is what came back to our stateroom. Admittedly it had Princess Tiana twice but I still love it.

Here is the LINK to the plate.

 

[HeddyRuth]

Are you sure about the tips for room service? Everything, literally, that I have rad about tipping room service said you needed dollar bills. It would be so much easier if I didn't need to bring a ton of ones!

http://www.myvacationcountdown.com/

We were on the dream and asked for a slip and were provided one. I don't know if the slips are a ship specific thing or if you have to ask. We didn't know about the small bills tip before our last cruise so were unprepared. I would think that they would absolutely provide a slip if asked but would certainly prefer the cash.

 

[day1]

We were just on the 4 day Bahamian cruise Mar 31 - Apr 4th and they allowed us to give 2 photo mats for signatures (we had two kids in our room). I asked for 2 big photo mats (I had the sandwiched between cardboard for protection).

Can you specify "nicely" to sign for a horizontal picture?

 

[swimfly]

Can you specify "nicely" to sign for a horizontal picture?

Absolutely! When you drop it off to GS you complete a form that accompanies your item. There is a comment sections available and you can write in portrait/landscape easily.