How much do you tip generally?

[TiggerBouncy]

Do you give the "suggested" amount that Disney gives you prepaid cards for?

I almost always bump it up by a little, Sometimes if someone has been fantastic, by more. I am more generous to people I interact with more often (Server / Assistant and Room Host).

There are times I have seen the Head Server and have no problem with their tip. However on our last cruise, I didn't even know we had one. That person never stopped by once and introduced themselves. Do they still deserve a tip and if so how much?

As for the other 3, do you find the "suggested" tip is enough or do you increase it and if you do, by how much? Add a few dollars? Double? How about someone who has been really terrific?

Also, does it make any difference if you go to guest services and increase it on the stickers or if you put cash in the envelope?

 

[DynamicDisneyDuo]

We are like you, we normally do a little more and bump it up further for really good service.

Given the pittance the head server gets, we don't make a fuss about it if they are absentee. But then it is just 2 of us so it's almost nothing.

 

[mammacaryn]

Anytime we’ve added extra it’s been $20. Can’t say i remember giving more than that. I prefer not adding tips on to our account (all the tips not just bonuses) and doing cash in the envelopes. So All our tips end up being rounded up to the closest $5.

 

[dclpluto]

its been a long time since they had a raise in the suggested tips so I give a little more if they deserve it.

 

[DCL_Wonder]

We give the suggested amount. I think that is plenty.

 

[DynamicDisneyDuo]

So All our tips end up being rounded up to the closest $5.

We don't always round to the nearest $5 unless we're short on $1's. Depending on how much room service we do, we sometimes run out. If we do, we round up as well.

 

[MomOTwins]

We stuck an extra $10 in each envelope for our server and assistant server for our 3-day cruise (just $5 for the head server thought), and we were also tipping about $5-10 on the coffee/alcohol tab as well at dinner each night as well. The standard tips just did not seem very adequate to me. $4 per person per day? I would pay way more than that tip at a comparable meal at any restaurant on land. When we were our disney world, the tip amounts were about $40 per meal for our family of five at a nice table service.

The stateroom host tip seemed fairer, although they had a lot of work for us because our kids are messy and they had to set up and take down the beds each day, so we added another $10 for him as well.

 

[aboveH20]

Tipping is something that will forever drive me crazy -- like you and a lot of other posters. I don't mind tipping, just not always sure who and how much.

One of the very best things about Tokyo Disney is that tipping is not done in Japan. It made life SO much easier.

 

[smiths02]

We stuck an extra $10 in each envelope for our server and assistant server for our 3-day cruise (just $5 for the head server thought), and we were also tipping about $5-10 on the coffee/alcohol tab as well at dinner each night as well. The standard tips just did not seem very adequate to me. $4 per person per day? I would pay way more than that tip at a comparable meal at any restaurant on land. When we were our disney world, the tip amounts were about $40 per meal for our family of five at a nice table service.

The stateroom host tip seemed fairer, although they had a lot of work for us because our kids are messy and they had to set up and take down the beds each day, so we added another $10 for him as well.

We did about that (for both staterooms) and left it for the servers on our last night. (This was a 4 night) We went to MDR the next morning, and DH thought that the servers seemed insulted? (I thought they were probably just tired from the night before and breakfast so early and trying to move things along)

 

[dakotix]

We round up the total and then give 20%. So if the bill was $48.50 we round up to $50 and tip $10.

 

[kiford]

There are times I have seen the Head Server and have no problem with their tip. However on our last cruise, I didn't even know we had one. That person never stopped by once and introduced themselves. Do they still deserve a tip and if so how much?

Part of the job of the Head Server is to make sure you have no issues with your dining. If you have problems, you can go to the Head Server and thus see that the problems are taken care of. What you often don't see is that the Head Server may have intervened before there was a problem, or is good enough to make sure that there are no problems and thus you don't see what they do, only the outcome but are unaware of their impact on that outcome. I recall once having breakfast at one of the MDRs and watching a Head Server making sure that servers were going around and refilling coffee cups, clearing tables quickly, etc. This is also part of their job. For $1/day/person, even if you don't see them, I'd say it's worth the price since your good/neutral experience with dining may well be due to their work behind the scenes.

Also, does it make any difference if you go to guest services and increase it on the stickers or if you put cash in the envelope?

No, it doesn't. However, I prefer to increase it at Guest Services rather than putting cash into the envelope on the off-chance that I don't get to give them their envelope or it gets lost or goes astray for some reason. At Guest Services, I know that they'll get their money.

As for tipping in general: we always give at least the minimum and have added additional for better service. I also make sure to add a generous tip to the drink chit at dinner, especially if I've had a particularly good assistant server, since I believe that they'll get all or most of that additional tip. I also add an additional tip to bar service in general since it goes to the server rather than the auto-gratuity of 15% which is shared amongst bar staff. Helps them to remember me too which leads to even better service and recollection of my preferences. We also add a tip to Palo/Remy which we typically base on what we would tip at a similar restaurant on land rather than based on the amount we're paying for the upcharge.

 

[lklgoodman]

We usually give the MDR servers and room host an extra $75, and the head server an extra $50. Don't really feel like the stated amount is enough for the amount of work they do. This is for 7 night cruises. We've always had wonderful service.

 

[Carrie in AZ]

On our first cruise, a 7nt, we tipped our room steward close to $50 extra. I spoke with him personally to say how much we appreciated his amazing service to us throughout the week and that we were leaving more for him. (We totally bonded with him, LOVED him!) We also did the same for our serving team, they were outstanding. On our second cruise, we also tipped our room steward an extra $50 because she, too, was AMAZING!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Do you give the "suggested" amount that Disney gives you prepaid cards for?

I almost always bump it up by a little, Sometimes if someone has been fantastic, by more. I am more generous to people I interact with more often (Server / Assistant and Room Host).

There are times I have seen the Head Server and have no problem with their tip. However on our last cruise, I didn't even know we had one. That person never stopped by once and introduced themselves. Do they still deserve a tip and if so how much?

As for the other 3, do you find the "suggested" tip is enough or do you increase it and if you do, by how much? Add a few dollars? Double? How about someone who has been really terrific?

Also, does it make any difference if you go to guest services and increase it on the stickers or if you put cash in the envelope?

We always leave the suggested gratuity in place.

Most of the time we tip additionally in cash.

Typically, you DON'T want to see the head server. His job is to make sure things are running smoothly. If you have to interact with him, there's a problem. It's nice if they stop by at least once, but it's not really necessary. It's quite possible that he had many other people who he was dealing with every night. Yes, we leave that tip in place.

It makes no difference if you change the amount on the onboard account (that you'll get the coupons for) or if you just add the cash to the same envelope you place the coupon in.

 

[DIS_MIKE]

Add me to the list of people asking why we should be tipping the head servers as he or she is an apparition for the duration of the cruise.


My first cruise we saw the guy once for about 5 seconds and the cruise after that we saw our head server a little more, but it's no where near the amount of time the server and assistant server spend with you. I still give the suggested tip and after reading on here that they do all the behind the scenes preparations to ensure you have a pleasant dining experience, I don't feel as bad about it anymore.

This is my mindset now.

Given the pittance the head server gets, we don't make a fuss about it if they are absentee. But then it is just 2 of us so it's almost nothing.

I hardly ever see the stateroom attendant so it's difficult to have that same relationship you get with the MDR servers, but they always do a great job maintaining the room. We had an amazing assistant server on our last cruise so we included $15 extra in his tip envelope.

We’re really excited to try Palo brunch for the first time so I’m figuring $20-30 tip will be sufficient based on the level of service and attentiveness.
Going back to the head server...I couldn't even find him on the final night of our cruise to give him his tip envelope. The servers told me that they would make sure he gets it but it doesn't matter because it's already sent to his account since we pre-paid. The envelopes are just there to have that courteous thank you factor for the most part.

 

[bumbershoot]

There are times I have seen the Head Server and have no problem with their tip. However on our last cruise, I didn't even know we had one. That person never stopped by once and introduced themselves. Do they still deserve a tip and if so how much?

As others have said, if you don’t see him and have a good experience, he’s done his job.

The standard tips just did not seem very adequate to me. $4 per person per day? I would pay way more than that tip at a comparable meal at any restaurant on land.

Remember that the pay structure for cruising is different. And the places where people are from makes a difference. I’m not saying I lower my tips because of this, but $4 will mean more to the server from a very low COL country than it will leaving your wallet. A woman we met in our first cruise told us that she was sending money home to support her mother and children, and saving to BUILD a house, thanks to her bartending job.

We did about that (for both staterooms) and left it for the servers on our last night. (This was a 4 night) We went to MDR the next morning, and DH thought that the servers seemed insulted? (I thought they were probably just tired from the night before and breakfast so early and trying to move things along)

There’s no chance they were insulted. The last morning is crazy busy just trying to get you fed and OUT so they can set up for the next group.

We usually give the MDR servers and room host an extra $75, and the head server an extra $50. Don't really feel like the stated amount is enough for the amount of work they do. This is for 7 night cruises. We've always had wonderful service.

Wowzers!

I still give the suggested tip and after reading on here that they do all the behind the scenes preparations to ensure you have a pleasant dining experience, I don't feel as bad about it anymore.

Yep.

The servers told me that they would make sure he gets it but it doesn't matter because it's already sent to his account since we pre-paid. The envelopes are just there to have that courteous thank you factor for the most part.

Yep yep.
The envelopes with slips of paper are a homage to the old days. They mean nothing in reality.

 

[ladyofthetramp]

Always the suggested, something would have to go really awry, that could not be fixed, for us to remove the base tip. More- in cash- in the envelope, if service has been taken to the next level. Not usually double, but $20 or so more. This past trip the Palo service was just outstanding and we tipped him generously.

 

[Jess_S]

We give everyone the amount DCL suggests and then put a little extra in for each person depending on how much they went above what we expected for their role. (On our last trip, everyone got extra -- some more than others. We find that Disney cast members generally exceed our expectations).

 

[clten]

We typically tip extra - how much depends on how great the service was. We figure "did their job but was nothing special" is what the recommended tips represent so we scale up from there. We do take the extra time to put the extra tip on our onboard account so it goes directly to the paycheck of the individual we are tipping. Since most direct their paychecks home, they don't have to do anything else to get that extra tip money home too. (We know that they don't need much extra cash on hand and it's extra work for them to have to find/go to Western Union when they have extra cash. So we figure it is a little thing we can do to make their lives easier.)

The envelopes with slips of paper are a homage to the old days. They mean nothing in reality.

Several years ago, we had pre-paid tips and when we got the slips for the tips, the names on them were all wrong (and some times it is difficult to tell because some of the crew don't actually go by their real names or anything resembling their real names). Guest Services told us, it was okay, they knew there was an issue but the money was going to the right place. We gave the slips to the serving team and explained the names and what we were told - think we even made a note on each who it was really for. The next morning, our server told us that he was really glad that we did because unlike what Guest Services said, the tip was going to the wrong crew member. Since then I like to make sure we give the slips to the individuals so they know what they can expect and have proof if there is ever an issue with what they are getting in their pay check. So yes, they don't mean much but again, the following week if the server that was great to me is having an accounting issue with DCL (everyone makes mistakes), I want to make sure I've done all I could to make their life easier.

 

[Carrie in AZ]

Our experience with the head server was a bit different. Same gentlemen on our first two cruises. On our first, we met him maybe once, and I wondered "why am I tipping this guy?". Second cruise, still not much interaction. Both times, tipped him the stated amount.

On our third cruise, the head server stopped by our table every single night and chatted with us for a few minutes. There were no issues or service problems, he just did it and we enjoyed talking with him.