Concierge service??

[3mmm]

bumping this up to get more input on tipping the concierge team. We gave cash last month, but others say that is not permissible. We're cruising again in 2010 in a suite, so I want to know what the scoop is. What does everyone do?

Thank you

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

bumping this up to get more input on tipping the concierge team. We gave cash last month, but others say that is not permissible. We're cruising again in 2010 in a suite, so I want to know what the scoop is. What does everyone do?

Thank you

It would be nice to know more! Doing my budgets!

 

[samily]

In January, we tried to tip them, but they refused. Also, when I went to guest services to do the regular tips, I asked if we could also add a tip for the concierge team and was told we could not do so as they are not a tipped position. I ended up just making sure I named them on the survey cards at the end of the cruise.

 

[adnil530]

We had Patty and Richard 2 weeks ago. We did not pre-book concierge, but upgraded at port so we did no research on concierge tipping prior to sailing. We were told tips were not expected or accepted for concierge and left it at that.

We are booked concierge for our Tansatlantic cruise, so I would like to know what the "policy" "rules" are also.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

In January, we tried to tip them, but they refused. Also, when I went to guest services to do the regular tips, I asked if we could also add a tip for the concierge team and was told we could not do so as they are not a tipped position. I ended up just making sure I named them on the survey cards at the end of the cruise.

We had Patty and Richard 2 weeks ago. We did not pre-book concierge, but upgraded at port so we did no research on concierge tipping prior to sailing. We were told tips were not expected or accepted for concierge and left it at that.

We are booked concierge for our Tansatlantic cruise, so I would like to know what the "policy" "rules" are also.

 

[Subi WRX]

This always baffled me too re: tipping concierge.

Perhaps we should get the official policy from DCL directly?

Anyone have an address to write to them?

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

This always baffled me too re: tipping concierge.

Perhaps we should get the official policy from DCL directly?

Anyone have an address to write to them?

Not to much point in contacting them when it comes to tips they deliberately 'fudge' any answer, they will always leave it to you to be in control, the only place they give recommendations is the daily amounts for server, asst server and head server and stateroom host, when it comes to Palo they put one thing on the website and then say another thing and give you the place to sign for an additional tip.

 

[AlexandNessa]

Not to much point in contacting them when it comes to tips they deliberately 'fudge' any answer, they will always leave it to you to be in control, the only place they give recommendations is the daily amounts for server, asst server and head server and stateroom host, when it comes to Palo they put one thing on the website and then say another thing and give you the place to sign for an additional tip.

re: Palo. We are just off the Wonder, and for the first time when our server gave us the bill, he said, "My service is at your discretion."

We have always tipped extra at Palo. Wonder if they got tired of folks not tipping or thinking the service charge includes their tip? We have eaten several times at Palo, and this was the first time they said that.

Off topic, sorry.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

re: Palo. We are just off the Wonder, and for the first time when our server gave us the bill, he said, "My service is at your discretion."

We have always tipped extra at Palo. Wonder if they got tired of folks not tipping or thinking the service charge includes their tip? We have eaten several times at Palo, and this was the first time they said that.

Off topic, sorry.

Always a hot topic here and DCL do themselves no favors on this one with conflicting information from their website etc.

They do hide behind behind the discretionary thing, its up to you and avoid guidance, its seemed impolite, so they are deliberately vague.

But the fact you get a bill with a bit for additional gratuity implies you should consider it, and maybe the vocal posters here saying it is included and a small part of the fee goes to them is having an effect on tips for the servers on ship and they feel they have to prompt more now.

This is a hot issue I am sure someone will chime in, but if you book the private room at Palo they are clear on that, you should tip, its excluded. They need to tidy this up, I tend to tip around the Palo fee mark so if brunch is $30pp I tip $30pp.

 

[AlexandNessa]

Bottom line is that I think everyone should do what he or she is comfortable doing.

These boards can sway you in one direction or the other.

Tip if you want. They may take it and they may not, but you did what was comfortable for you.

Give a gift card if you want. Don't if don't want to.

These boards can easily create fervor and give their own guidance.

I swear, if I judged my first cruise by these boards, I would have sworn I would be the only one without a fish extender, without door magnets, door signs, matching T-shirts, special lanyards, pillow cases and sharpies, fish extender gifts, etc.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

Bottom line is that I think everyone should do what he or she is comfortable doing.

These boards can sway you in one direction or the other.

Tip if you want. They may take it and they may not, but you did what was comfortable for you.

Give a gift card if you want. Don't if don't want to.

These boards can easily create fervor and give their own guidance.

I swear, if I judged my first cruise by these boards, I would have sworn I would be the only one without a fish extender, without door magnets, door signs, matching T-shirts, special lanyards, pillow cases and sharpies, fish extender gifts, etc.

Very good advice, use these boards as a reference point, consider what people say, maybe take an average of what everyone says, but then make your own decision,

There is a lot of very good advice posted, but people will see if from their own perspective, or belief, sometimes I 'put my head in my hands' on some myths posted, -and sometimes when there has been a number of posts all in one direction, its hard to then post and say ''well actually.....''- It takes a brave person!

 

[grlzmom]

Interesting...

Our concierge team last month took our cash - no hesitation - said thank you very much

Each time we sailed in a suite, we tipped concierge in cash and it was also accepted without hesitation. Different concierge teams each time.

Previously I had read on the boards about "offering it twice" before they accepted, but we didn't have any hesitation with tipping them in cash.

 

[Queenie16]

Bottom line is that I think everyone should do what he or she is comfortable doing.

These boards can sway you in one direction or the other.

Tip if you want. They may take it and they may not, but you did what was comfortable for you.

Give a gift card if you want. Don't if don't want to.

These boards can easily create fervor and give their own guidance.

I swear, if I judged my first cruise by these boards, I would have sworn I would be the only one without a fish extender, without door magnets, door signs, matching T-shirts, special lanyards, pillow cases and sharpies, fish extender gifts, etc.

In my opinion, PERFECTLY PUT!!! Do what makes YOU and YOUR FAMILY feel comfortable and what YOU believe in. I can't believe how much there is to take in before our FIRST Disney Cruise. Will I ever be ready????

 

[ppony]

I'm not sure how many have seen this on the DIS WDW Resort forum but I read this in the club/concierge level thread for the resorts. I have to wonder if the DCL is probably about the same? But I don't know.

"Tipping Guideline: Thank you to TheRustyScupper, for the following information (9/22/08)

"1) Concierge (and Front Desk) CM's can be fired for taking cash tips.
2) They are supposed to refuse up to three times.
. . . if you ask a fourth time, they take it
. . . but, they must immediately turn it over to a manager
3) The tip goes into a fund, and the manager buys donuts or coffee for all.
4) If they do not turn in the cash, it can be immediate termination.

NOTE: They can accept gifts of up to $75 value (like candy, doll, etc)."

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

Each time we sailed in a suite, we tipped concierge in cash and it was also accepted without hesitation. Different concierge teams each time.

Previously I had read on the boards about "offering it twice" before they accepted, but we didn't have any hesitation with tipping them in cash.

I'm not sure how many have seen this on the DIS WDW Resort forum but I read this in the club/concierge level thread for the resorts. I have to wonder if the DCL is probably about the same? But I don't know.

"Tipping Guideline: Thank you to TheRustyScupper, for the following information (9/22/08)

"1) Concierge (and Front Desk) CM's can be fired for taking cash tips.
2) They are supposed to refuse up to three times.
. . . if you ask a fourth time, they take it
. . . but, they must immediately turn it over to a manager
3) The tip goes into a fund, and the manager buys donuts or coffee for all.
4) If they do not turn in the cash, it can be immediate termination.

NOTE: They can accept gifts of up to $75 value (like candy, doll, etc)."

 

[LisaTex]

Just got off the wonder. Handed concierge cash in an envelope (he didn't know how much) and he took it without hesitation. They were excellent this trip. Last trip - I never saw them. Palo service also excellent - no hint for a tip at all. we double the service charge. ONe other thing - a nice e-mail to the "supervisor" for the the concierge team that helps you BEFORE the trip is very much appreciated.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

Just got off the wonder. Handed concierge cash in an envelope (he didn't know how much) and he took it without hesitation. They were excellent this trip. Last trip - I never saw them. Palo service also excellent - no hint for a tip at all. we double the service charge. ONe other thing - a nice e-mail to the "supervisor" for the the concierge team that helps you BEFORE the trip is very much appreciated.

Thank you for the update...

 

[kcashner]

I'm not sure how many have seen this on the DIS WDW Resort forum but I read this in the club/concierge level thread for the resorts. I have to wonder if the DCL is probably about the same? But I don't know.

"Tipping Guideline: Thank you to TheRustyScupper, for the following information (9/22/08)

"1) Concierge (and Front Desk) CM's can be fired for taking cash tips.
2) They are supposed to refuse up to three times.
. . . if you ask a fourth time, they take it
. . . but, they must immediately turn it over to a manager
3) The tip goes into a fund, and the manager buys donuts or coffee for all.
4) If they do not turn in the cash, it can be immediate termination.

NOTE: They can accept gifts of up to $75 value (like candy, doll, etc)."

This is the kind of stuff that circulates and no one knows whether it is true or not. I strongly suspect that refusing 3 times is not actually fact, but has been repeated so often that everyone believes it. Since #1 and #3 conflict, they cannot both be true. Many "non-tipped" jobs (outside of WDW) have policies that tips cannot be kept--that they are turned in for a charity or for a staff event, and in most of those places, failure to turn in the tip is cause for termination. Thus, IF this is WDW policy, it is certainly not unique to Disney.

Andrew, I don't disagree with you often, but I can't support your statement that just because you are handed a charge slip with a line for tip means that an additional tip is expected/appropriate. Obviously, this is correct in most cases, but there are exceptions. For instances, if a teen orders a smoothie in the Stack, it is made by one of the kid counselors. The teen signs a slip that includes the 15% automatic gratuity and has a line for additional gratuity. We checked and found out that both the 15% and any additional added goes to the bar personnel--the logic being that if the teen hadn't gotten the smoothie in The Stack, they would have purchased one elsewhere and in order to not short the bar CMs, the gratuity line is there. Sorry, but after confirming with the kid counselors that this is the case, I instructed DD to NOT add any additional gratuity--my logic is that none of the bar personnel had anything to do with that purchase and they're already getting 15%. If it went to the CM who prepared it, I wouldn't have given this instruction. However....this is really a minor issue. We're probably talking about one or 2 smoothies on a 7 day cruise for my DD. And just to avoid any mis-understanding, smoothies served during the "Smoothie Hour" or "smoothie party" in The Stack are free.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

This is the kind of stuff that circulates and no one knows whether it is true or not. I strongly suspect that refusing 3 times is not actually fact, but has been repeated so often that everyone believes it. Since #1 and #3 conflict, they cannot both be true. Many "non-tipped" jobs (outside of WDW) have policies that tips cannot be kept--that they are turned in for a charity or for a staff event, and in most of those places, failure to turn in the tip is cause for termination. Thus, IF this is WDW policy, it is certainly not unique to Disney.

Andrew, I don't disagree with you often, but I can't support your statement that just because you are handed a charge slip with a line for tip means that an additional tip is expected/appropriate. Obviously, this is correct in most cases, but there are exceptions. For instances, if a teen orders a smoothie in the Stack, it is made by one of the kid counselors. The teen signs a slip that includes the 15% automatic gratuity and has a line for additional gratuity. We checked and found out that both the 15% and any additional added goes to the bar personnel--the logic being that if the teen hadn't gotten the smoothie in The Stack, they would have purchased one elsewhere and in order to not short the bar CMs, the gratuity line is there. Sorry, but after confirming with the kid counselors that this is the case, I instructed DD to NOT add any additional gratuity--my logic is that none of the bar personnel had anything to do with that purchase and they're already getting 15%. If it went to the CM who prepared it, I wouldn't have given this instruction. However....this is really a minor issue. We're probably talking about one or 2 smoothies on a 7 day cruise for my DD. And just to avoid any mis-understanding, smoothies served during the "Smoothie Hour" or "smoothie party" in The Stack are free.

I understand your point of view, if you look overall at bills on the ship, shutters and shops do not have a line for additional tip, bars and Palo do,

I feel that is a 'hint' to you, you can of course strike through it, like with a bar there is a 15% autograituty and an additional tip line, most would not add extra on a small order.

I would say the example of the stack is slightly different, the smoothies are most likely made up at the bar and the computer is programmed that way,

Back to Palo , my view and I know from talking to lots of CM's I know, they would applicate an extra tip, I suppose we all would, on the wages they are on, which is on the normal restaurant wage scale for a tipping position, DCL expects them to pick up tips. And as said the average seems to be in the region of the service fee amount for each meal.

 

[grlzmom]

For instances, if a teen orders a smoothie in the Stack, it is made by one of the kid counselors. The teen signs a slip that includes the 15% automatic gratuity and has a line for additional gratuity. We checked and found out that both the 15% and any additional added goes to the bar personnel--the logic being that if the teen hadn't gotten the smoothie in The Stack, they would have purchased one elsewhere and in order to not short the bar CMs, the gratuity line is there. Sorry, but after confirming with the kid counselors that this is the case, I instructed DD to NOT add any additional gratuity--my logic is that none of the bar personnel had anything to do with that purchase and they're already getting 15%. If it went to the CM who prepared it, I wouldn't have given this instruction. However....this is really a minor issue. We're probably talking about one or 2 smoothies on a 7 day cruise for my DD. And just to avoid any mis-understanding, smoothies served during the "Smoothie Hour" or "smoothie party" in The Stack are free.

Thanks for the info, never thought about the smoothies they order in the Stack and where the gratuity goes! Always learning something new.