Gratuity for Concierge

[iambrink]

I have used the suggested tips for the other positions as a guide. If i needed them for many additional requests besides just small talk, i may have upped a bit.

 

[Uncleromulus]

Hmmm, I guess I haven't cruised in Concierge in the past year or two. I don't recall at that time that that we got a separate envelope for them. Perhaps I'm just disremembering.

When we sailed in November they (a concierge host) hand you a sheet with a short paragraph about tipping Concierge if you were pleased etc etc and then you WRITE in an amount on a bottom line. They then print out a tipping ticket that you get for the other tipped positions, which then goes in an envelope marked "concierge".

This means of course that concierge knows immediately how much--or how little--you are tipping them.

 

[Uncleromulus]

I have used the suggested tips for the other positions as a guide. If i needed them for many additional requests besides just small talk, i may have upped a bit.

Good way to do it.

Their actual job seems (to me anyway) to be a higher end Guest Services position.

Which isn't tipped at all

 

[iambrink]

When we sailed in November they (a concierge host) hand you a sheet with a short paragraph about tipping Concierge if you were pleased etc etc and then you WRITE in an amount on a bottom line. They then print out a tipping ticket that you get for the other tipped positions, which then goes in an envelope marked "concierge".

This means of course that concierge knows immediately how much--or how little--you are tipping them.

We don't get our envelopes till the last night, so i just put the cash in the envelope and handed to one of the hosts in the morning. so they would not have known the amount until we left.

 

[G.Tyler]

As one poster has already stated; until recently; within the last year or two, there was no envelope provided for Concierge tips. I mostly agree with all that has been said in regards to tipping the onboard Concierge staff. We have completed quite a few cruises with DCL, all concierge. It is still a mystery as to what we should tip. This is what we have been told (by them). They are serving in a dual status. Yes, they are there for our needs, however, they are Officers and hold that designation. I know this to be factual since in the early days, during formal nights and other times our Concierge staff wore dress whites; with appropriate insignia. All this said, we were told that it was awkward for them as well in regards to receiving a tip since an Officer is considered a professional; thus not in a tip status. We still like to tip since they do try so hard to resolve any issue before them as well as bringing a smile to there client's faces. Please remember this, though. Remember who it is that has your ice waiting for you in the stateroom, who makes-up the room and makes everything look and smell just right, and the person you can ask anything of in regards to your stateroom and they will get it done. This of course is in addition to everyone else including all that is done by the Concierge.

 

[phinz]

They give you one envelop and one sheet to write down an amount for "concierge"--meaning to me they share the tips among the 3 of them.

I guess in the end each would receive a "pooled" tip from a guest for whom they did almost nothing--would probably even out.

There are additional envelopes available at the Concierge desk, at least on the Dream class ships. We grab three of them and put each host's name on their specific one. It's been my experience that two out of three will be very helpful, but the third one will be pretty much in the background for the entire voyage.

 

[TestingH2O]

There are additional envelopes available at the Concierge desk, at least on the Dream class ships. We grab three of them and put each host's name on their specific one. It's been my experience that two out of three will be very helpful, but the third one will be pretty much in the background for the entire voyage.

Interesting. This was our experience last time too. I assumed it was for to scheduling and us not using the lounge when host 3 was "on duty." I'll be interested to see what happens in May.

 

[phinz]

Interesting. This was our experience last time too. I assumed it was for to scheduling and us not using the lounge when host 3 was "on duty." I'll be interested to see what happens in May.

I think it's more that one handles all the administrative duties that week while the other two mingle more with the guests and help with anything that they need or desire. At least this was what I took away from the experience.

 

[Uncleromulus]

As one poster has already stated; until recently; within the last year or two, there was no envelope provided for Concierge tips. I mostly agree with all that has been said in regards to tipping the onboard Concierge staff. We have completed quite a few cruises with DCL, all concierge. It is still a mystery as to what we should tip. This is what we have been told (by them). They are serving in a dual status. Yes, they are there for our needs, however, they are Officers and hold that designation. I know this to be factual since in the early days, during formal nights and other times our Concierge staff wore dress whites; with appropriate insignia. All this said, we were told that it was awkward for them as well in regards to receiving a tip since an Officer is considered a professional; thus not in a tip status. We still like to tip since they do try so hard to resolve any issue before them as well as bringing a smile to there client's faces. Please remember this, though. Remember who it is that has your ice waiting for you in the stateroom, who makes-up the room and makes everything look and smell just right, and the person you can ask anything of in regards to your stateroom and they will get it done. This of course is in addition to everyone else including all that is done by the Concierge.

And yet others have reported that Concierge told them they agreed to work exclusively for-- tips!!! IF so, they make it awkward for themselves.

As for being Officers--maybe a different definition than one I am used to where an Officer is in a position of command or authority.

And of course as has been said--we are paying a good deal of $$$ FOR Concierge services to begin with.

 

[G.Tyler]

When I post a reply it is usually to state what my wife and I have learned thru our experiences with Concierge as it relates to DCL. As for the previous poster, I am familiar with the definition of an" Officer" as I have served in two different branches of the military; US Navy and the US Army, both during wartime. I was merely passing on what I had learned during the course of our cruises. I

 

[drnp]

I'll tell you what I did just as an example of my thought process. As others have said, go with what you feel comfortable with.
We just got off the Wonder a few weeks ago and were in a cat T. I used $6 pp/day as a guide, based on the head waiter and room host being at $4 pp/day, I figured our concierge gave us a level of service about 50% above the other 2 positions because we probably had at least 1-2 requests per day and our pre-arrival requests were all met and he was our cabana host at CC as well. On the Wonder, unlike the Dream, there isn't a team of 3 concierges. There are 2 on board and each cabin is assigned a "main" concierge, though we found either will help with any request. So, we just tipped Rodrigo who was our concierge.

 

[drnp]

Also, on the Wonder there are extra concierge envelopes at the guest services desk if only get the letter and not an envelope in the room.

 

[phinz]

As a note, we usually pack a few envelopes in our bags just for other tips if we deem them to be justified. They don't take up any room, and we just leave them in the bags we use specifically for cruises so we don't forget them the next time.

 

[budamacdvcr]

Go with your own wallet in mind, your kind heart guiding you, and your actual experience onboard.

This is a great approach. Everyone is different but what I did, FWIW, considering Fantasy 7 night sailings, 38 concierge Family & 1 Bedroom suites. If average is $150 per suite at a 38 suites that's $5,700 / 3 staff = $1,900 per for 1 week. 52 weeks a year at $1,900 would produce an annual income of $98,800.

Again, depends on your own wallet and experience but I found looking at it as an annual income to gauge amount helpful