first time cruiser question regarding tipping/gratuities

[WINTER]

What tipping is included or automatically added to my bill and what isn't? For those that receive the automatic tipping, do you tip extra?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

What tipping is included or automatically added to my bill and what isn't? For those that receive the automatic tipping, do you tip extra?

DCL will add the gratuities to your onboard account daily. This amount is $13.50 per guest per day. That breaks out to $4.50 per guest per day to your Room Host; $4.50 per guest per day to your dining room server; $3.50 per guest per day to your assistant server; and $1.00 per guest per day to your head server.

You will receive a coupon page at the end of your cruise and envelopes. Each coupon will indicate who the gratuity is for and the amount. You can add additional tips at this time, if you wish. You separate out the coupons and put them in the proper envelope (along with any additional tips) to be handed out the last day/night.

Other gratuities - any beverages ordered (that are paid for), in bars/lounges/theaters/poolside servers have an auto gratuity of 15% added. This gratuity is pooled to be shared by all servers & bartenders. You may, if you wish, tip additionally at the time of service, either to your server or bartender. Those tips may be kept directly by the person you tip.

Spa services - 18% auto gratuity.

 

[bakerworld]

You may, if you wish, tip additionally at the time of service, either to your server or bartender. Those tips may be kept directly by the person you tip.

Is this true with the tip added onto the slip or a cash tip?

 

[kiford]

You may, if you wish, tip additionally at the time of service, either to your server or bartender. Those tips may be kept directly by the person you tip.

We typically do this. It helps the server to remember you, your preferences, maybe give a little bit more attention, a better pour, etc. We especially do this with the assistant server if he/she is any good. I've had ones that learned my preferences practically the first night and a nod across the table was good enough for them to know what I wanted and/or ones that knew almost as soon as I did (or sooner) that I wanted another glass of wine or cocktail. They may also be the ones who will go the extra length to find you just the right kind of wine or cocktail based on your tastes. Those definitely got additional tips. One server in Meridian (Dream) would make eye contact as soon as we entered and start making my drink exactly the way I liked it. It doesn't have to be a huge amount - sometimes just a dollar per drink or the final price rounded up - but it is appreciated and remembered. If you do the extra tip, one additional tip (no pun intended) is to try to get the same bartender each time. We've had servers in the Cove Cafe remember us by sight from prior cruises. I'm sure the tipping helps.

 

[DisneyConvert]

Be generous, please.
An extra $10~$20 is not a lot of money for most of us. Especially when compared to the overall price of our vacation

But those amounts x hundreds of cruise families make the lives of these hard-working people (and their families back home) a little bit better. Presuming they serve you well, showing some extra "appreciation" is very appropriate.

 

[DisneyConvert]

We typically do this. It helps the server to remember you, your preferences, maybe give a little bit more attention, a better pour, etc. . . . We've had servers in the Cove Cafe remember us by sight from prior cruises. I'm sure the tipping helps.

So true. Neither DW nor I drink alcohol, but my wife loves her Cove Cafe coffee's! And tipping is appreciated (and necessary to help folks earn a decent living) and remembered. My wife LOVES her special coffee drinks and the folks at CCafe truly help make hers/our DCL trips magical. We even order her CCafe coffees from the servers at Fathoms and Azure sometimes . . . and yes, extra tipping is required for those.