How much do you tip Room Service on DCL?

[segpm08060]

How do you compute how much to give to room service since there is no cost for the food? I have not been able to find any guidelines on how much to give. I normally do not use room service since there is so much food on deck, but this time I think we may take advantage of room service. We (Me and 3 grandchildren) will be sailing Aug 8, 2009 on the Magic.

 

[Eeyore'sthebest]

I usually tip $2 or $3. There are only 3 of us but we usually only order 1 meal at a time and then snacks such as cookies, mickey bars or cake. We have never gotten 3 entrees. If we had then I would probably bump it up to $4.

 

[Momof4girls]

I read that a good rule of thumb is about $1 per person.

I'm sure you can use your own discretion as far as whether to include all parties ordering or all parties in the room or whether or not to include infants, etc.

If we were ordering sandwiches for the whole family, I'd tip more. If we were just getting cookies and milk, $1 per person sounds good, kwim?

 

[rkwier]

I read somewhere where someone ordered $2 bills from their bank before they left and then used them to tip room service. They said that the staff really enjoyed them and that there seemed to be a competition as to who would deliver to their room. I thought that it sounded kind of neat to do something a little out of the ordinary.

 

[momto2inKC]

We tipped $2-$4 depending on how much stuff we ordered.

 

[sftnslky]

As all the PP's said..it really depends on how much you order..but what we found helpful [advise from these wonderful boards] was to get $50 in one dollar bills..then keep them in the drawer by your cabin door..that way you always have singles on hand..and if your gone and your grandkids order something they can also tip

 

[got2travel]

I usually tip $2-3 but then I also add in a piece of candy. I bring along an assortment of See's lollipops. Just a little something extra to say thanks.

 

[iceamazing]

Our tips are included in the price we paid through the tavel agency. So we don't have to tip room service right?

 

[Momof4girls]

Our tips are included in the price we paid through the tavel agency. So we don't have to tip room service right?

That's probably just your cruise tips - the standard ones for your room attendant and dinner staff. I imagine the tips for individual services (ie. bar, specialty coffees, etc.) are up to your discretion based on whether or not you utilize those services

 

[Cruise]

Our tips are included in the price we paid through the tavel agency. So we don't have to tip room service right?

As the previous poster said, the tips you can pre-pay through your travel agency are for the people specifically assigned to you and your party. Your dining servers (all of them) and stateroom host/ess are pre-assigned to you and will remain the same throughout your cruise.

The people who deliver room service are in a different department and work different schedules - so if you order room service 3 times, you may have 3 different people deliver the trays. We tip each time someone brings something to us.

 

[sftnslky]

Our tips are included in the price we paid through the tavel agency. So we don't have to tip room service right?

The tips they pre-paid for you are for your dinning room server's and your stateroom host. Room service is provided by folks other then the ones that you have already tipped. So a few dollars here or there is appreciated...Also keep in mind any items you order from a bar/coffee shop/person walking around with the drink of the day will automatically add a 15% tip to your bill.

 

[mmackeymouse]

Just out of curiosity, if I tip a quarter the very first time I get room service, will I ever get my orders within 5 hours the rest of the trip? Hehehe.

Passporter recommends $1-2 and I think that sounds pretty fair. As for us, I do not expect that we will have any really big orders, as in a meal for the whole entire family. We will probably utilize it to have one or two items at a time. So, I think the $1-2 is good. I am sure if you wanted to give more, it would be more than welcome.

 

[dznyacct]

I read somewhere where someone ordered $2 bills from their bank before they left and then used them to tip room service. They said that the staff really enjoyed them and that there seemed to be a competition as to who would deliver to their room. I thought that it sounded kind of neat to do something a little out of the ordinary.

Thanks for the idea . I just put "get $2 bills for DCL tips" on my vacation "to do" list. We are on the 5/16/09 western, anxiously waiting to see if we go to Cozumel or some other port . Either way, I don't care....I'll be on a Disney cruise with some of the most incredible DIS friends !

 

[IrishCowboy]

Anywhere from $2-5, depending upon size of order

 

[rkwier]

Thanks for the idea . I just put "get $2 bills for DCL tips" on my vacation "to do" list. We are on the 5/16/09 western, anxiously waiting to see if we go to Cozumel or some other port . Either way, I don't care....I'll be on a Disney cruise with some of the most incredible DIS friends !

I am glad that I could help! I know that you will be enjoying your cruise no matter which port you are in. We do not leave until July 2, which seems like an eternity away! Maybe I should go ahead and order those $2 bills now so that it feels closer.

 

[inkkognito]

Just don't use the $1 coins! We used to get some of those along with $2 bills just to have something different, and I swear no one knew that the dollar coins were. They looked at us like we were only tipping a quarter! That was a few years back, and I learned my lesson and just bring good old folding green.

 

[rkwier]

Just don't use the $1 coins! We used to get some of those along with $2 bills just to have something different, and I swear no one knew that the dollar coins were. They looked at us like we were only tipping a quarter! That was a few years back, and I learned my lesson and just bring good old folding green.

Oh that is a great point. I can definitely see where that could be confusing!

 

[RedSox68]

I always bring 50 one dollar bills. I keep them in an envelope behind some items above the safe. But I not only use them for room service, I also use them in the airports to get those luggage carts (which are usually $2 or $3).

A couple of times we have ordered soup to nuts for dinner and ate in our room while we watched a movie on TV. It was great fun -- no dressing up needed (confused the heck out of our room steward though ). We usually do that on the longer cruises though (when we are finally sick of the dining room menus).

One morning we ordered room service for breakfast and when we answered the door, lo and behold it was our assistant server from dinner! She was our favorite, too -- so it was nice to see her twice in one day. I swear those people never sleep!

 

[Granny Hawkins]

I just called my bank and they have $2.00 bills.

 

[kcashner]

Hey gang....the $1 coins and $2 bills are cute and fun. However, we are dealing with crew members who are used to a different currency. While they are legal tender, etc., have you ever had a store clerk look at you strangely when you present a $2 bill. Maybe we should think about just making their lives easier and using standard $1 and $5 bills.