Advice on tipping please

[Ellay]

Hi there,

I hope you can help me. I've already booked my trip to WDW for next year, but am hoping to fit in a 4 day cruise and have been researching prices.

On discussing this on the UK DIS I was told that I should add approximately $100 per person onto the Dreams Unlimited quote for mandatory tips. Is this correct, and can you please tell me which tips it includes? It seems that you guys tipped your cabin staff separately.

Apparently tips are included in Virgin Holiday prices, but I'm not sure whether it includes the cabin staff or not.

On the European cruises I have been on all tipping is at the guest's discretion. If you get bad service, you don't tip, simple as that, but you do find the staff falling over themselves to be extra friendly and helpful in anticipation of the tip.

Thank you in anticipation.

Lynn

 

[Lloyd Dobler]

The tips are not mandatory, but you'll likely find that the service warrants it. This is from the DCL website:

Of course, you should never feel that a reward is automatically expected from you. But it is customary to give gratuities in recognition of service, which you will most likely be treated to in abundance aboard the ship. As a guideline, may we suggest the following:

(I edited out chart which doesn't format well. The basic guideline works out to about $11/day, per person, which covers tips for the Head Server, Server, Assistant Server, and Room Host/Hostess)

For your convenience, a 15% gratuity is automatically added to bar, beverage, wine, and deck service tabs. All gratuities can be charged to your room charge.
At the Walt Disney World® Resort, 15% is the customary gratuity at restaurants and bars.

You can charge the tips to your room account, or use cash. They are not automatically added to your account, as on some lines.

We usually tip a bit more than the guideline, except in the case of the Head Server. Sometimes, we never see this person except for the last night, when he/she is there expecting a tip. Others are very helpful, and we tip accordingly. We've always had great service from our Server, Assistant Server, and room steward.

Hope this helps.

 

[SeaSpray]

Here is a link to a Cruise Tip Calculator. It has the "requested" tip amounts for each of the major cruise lines, including Disney. You simply type in how many adults, children, etc, then click on the appropriate cruise line and it calculated the suggested amounts for each person on the staff, such as cabin steward, waiter, ***'t waiter, etc.

http://www.members.aol.com/cruisetip/

 

[Ellay]

Thanks to you both for your responses. This is our first trip to Florida and your advice is appreciated - it adds another piece to the ever-growing jigsaw.

I really don't know how I would cope without the DIS boards, everyone is so friendly and helpful.

Thanks again

Lynn

 

[Penny12]

Doh! Lynn, it was me that fed you duff information. I said the tips were round about $100 per person - but I just realised I was thinking back to how much it was that appeared on my stateroom account...and there were <b>2</b> of us cruising

Sorry about that!

 

[sdptalk]

Seaspray,
Thanks, great website!

Sandy

 

[Ellay]

No problems Penny,

I was a bit confused - after reading about tipping on this site, I thought maybe they add an amount to the bill, and then the staff expect cash in envelopes too . Glad it's sorted.

Thanks all.


Lynn