Info on Tipping

[Kwami]

The auto-gratuity will appear on your account. You do have the option to remove or reduce it at Guest Services. Just keep in mind that the tips to your assigned dinner serving team also account for their work at throughout the day at both QS and MDR locations when you aren't charged a gratuity.

And Cabanas, and Castaway Cay if the ship stops there. And they'll have other odd jobs to complete if it doesn't.

The serving team really depends on their tips as their primary source of income. Actual pay from DCL is quite low. Even if you don't go to the MDRs for dinner, if you can, please leave the automatic gratuities in place.

 

[Flynn's Gal]

Here's how mine were listed. This was on a 3-night cruise.
Stateroom Attendant: $13.50
Head Server: $3.00
Server: $13.50
Assistant server: $10.50

I'll be traveling with my daughter. Will those amounts be doubled since there are two of us (also a 3 night)? And then any more I want to add, I go to Guest Services? Our first ever cruise is next month and I want to make sure I know what to do. I've already been setting aside $1s and $5s for room service, luggage porters, bar staff, etc.

 

[Geomom]

@Flynn's Gal
Yes, you would pay twice that amount. (Total of $81 for 3nts, 2 passengers) The auto tips are $13.50/night/passenger. The $13.50 breaks down to $4.50 stateroom host, $4.50 server, $3.50 assistant server, $1 head server. If you want to add more you can either add cash to the envelopes or go to guest services.

 

[mullysisters]

@Flynn's Gal
Yes, you would pay twice that amount. (Total of $81 for 3nts, 2 passengers) The auto tips are $13.50/night/passenger. The $13.50 breaks down to $4.50 stateroom host, $4.50 server, $3.50 assistant server, $1 head server. If you want to add more you can either add cash to the envelopes or go to guest services.

Sorry, so much has been explained very well but I still have a question: the auto tips are per guest? I'm assuming only adults?
When I worked at a hotel in Toronto we often debated pooling vs. individual tipping. The reason to pool is obviously that additional income for the cast members shouldn't be earned randomly based on whether you have generous or more frugal guest to serve. Regardless of service some cast members might "take away" double what another might get through no fault of their own. I always believed pooling was a better system, especially as it is part of their income.

 

[Calantha]

the auto tips are per guest? I'm assuming only adults?

Per guest and everyone in the room. Paid the same tips for DS (6) as I did for me. And considering everything the waiters did for him - they earned it!!

 

[lanejudy]

Sorry, so much has been explained very well but I still have a question: the auto tips are per guest? I'm assuming only adults?

Auto-gratuities are per guest -- ALL guests (including children). To my knowledge, the auto-gratuities (plus any extra you add) for stateroom host and dining team go directly to the people named, they are not pooled. It's my understanding that tips you write-in on a bar tab (for example) are pooled.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

The reason to pool is obviously that additional income for the cast members shouldn't be earned randomly based on whether you have generous or more frugal guest to serve.

That all evens itself out in the long term. Sure, on one sailing you might have a cheap guest, but on the next sailing you might have a particularly generous guest. After a month or two, it all evens out to some kind of average and you land with a situation in which the best servers who consistently go above and beyond making more than mediocre servers who just do the bare minimum.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

It's my understanding that tips you write-in on a bar tab (for example) are pooled.

I think the app shows those tips going directly to the named individual as well. I didn't do much drink-buying outside of dinner, but when I bought one of the coolers of water at Castaway Cay, the transaction showed up in my Explorer app naming that cast member in particular.

 

[Calantha]

I think the app shows those tips going directly to the named individual as well. I didn't do much drink-buying outside of dinner, but when I bought one of the coolers of water at Castaway Cay, the transaction showed up in my Explorer app naming that cast member in particular.

I'll have to look for that next time. I hope my waiter at CC got the tips I left - best drink delivery service ever. But, I can also see where the cast members who weren't assigned to that position don't get a chance to earn extra tips? Food for thought. Or is it a different person every time - so maybe I'm a wondering server on CC who gets extra tips this trip and next trip I'm in the back somewhere but someone else is the wondering server?

 

[CaptainAmerica]

I'll have to look for that next time. I hope my waiter at CC got the tips I left - best drink delivery service ever. But, I can also see where the cast members who weren't assigned to that position don't get a chance to earn extra tips? Food for thought. Or is it a different person every time - so maybe I'm a wondering server on CC who gets extra tips this trip and next trip I'm in the back somewhere but someone else is the wondering server?

My limited understanding is that it's sort of a hierarchy thing. They know what the most desirable positions are and the crew work their way up. The wait staff in Cabanas, for example, are often in training for wait staff positions in the main dining rooms. That's how it works on the ships, and I'm assuming it's similar on the island as well.

 

[Kwami]

My limited understanding is that it's sort of a hierarchy thing. They know what the most desirable positions are and the crew work their way up. The wait staff in Cabanas, for example, are often in training for wait staff positions in the main dining rooms. That's how it works on the ships, and I'm assuming it's similar on the island as well.

The staff in Cabanas are usually already working in the dining rooms. Every server, assistant server, and head server that I've ever had on a cruise has also appeared in Cabanas at least once.

 

[Calantha]

The staff in Cabanas are usually already working in the dining rooms. Every server, assistant server, and head server that I've ever had on a cruise has also appeared in Cabanas at least once.

In January, our servers told us when they were in Cabanas and when they were in the MDRs for breakfast so we could follow them. Our main server was actually a section lead (or some type of supervisor) during the day, so he wasn't serving, but the Assistant Server helped us at Cabanas and then we were seated in his section in the MDR (he was paired with another main server).

 

[Kwami]

In January, our servers told us when they were in Cabanas and when they were in the MDRs for breakfast so we could follow them. Our main server was actually a section lead (or some type of supervisor) during the day, so he wasn't serving, but the Assistant Server helped us at Cabanas and then we were seated in his section in the MDR (he was paired with another main server).

Yup, our servers usually let us know where they'll be, too. They work in the MDRs for breakfast and lunch, or in Cabanas, or at Cookies & the others. Always working!

 

[lanejudy]

the wait staff in Cabanas, for example, are often in training for wait staff positions in the main dining rooms.

In evenings when Cabanas was open for dinner, yes the wait staff were "in training." But during the day I believe you'll find your MDR staff in various locations -- Cabanas, the quick service by the pool, MDRs for breakfast or lunch, etc.

 

[CarolynU]

The tip is per person for every person in the stateroom and not only includes children of any age but babies too, and in our case our baby probably caused the most work of all of us. We had lots of baby toys which despite our best efforts ended up scattered everywhere. We needed a diaper genie, which was emptied twice a day. Sometimes if he sat on the floor and ate a rice cake crumbs were everywhere. The same situation happened in the dining room where food missed his mouth and ended up on the floor, and everywhere we went we were met with nothing but smiles and happy engagement! So of everyone anyone who mopped up after him deserved their tips!

 

[TNewman1024]

Ok I want to get a gauge for Concierge Host Gratuities.
We did our first Concierge as the 5night 2nd leg of a B2B in January on the Magic. There were like 4 main hosts, then you had the lounge bar tenders and food servers. We felt so blessed to be in Concierge and it was really a outstanding above and beyond service, the Cabana on Castaway Cay, the extra help with little things here and there.

I know this is a little taboo to talk about amounts but I want to make sure that we are being generous for the outstanding service provided but its tough to guage what is considered a generous gratuity vs. what is considered. If I had an idea of the base suggested for the Concierge or what others have done that would help me decide.

We always add extra to the recommend base as we always feel the service was beyond our hopes. We have friends made with many servers and hosts that we have had over the years. Our Sateroom host in January on Magic was the same lady (Maricris from Philippines) as our East Bound Panama Canal trip in 2015 on the Wonder. She was wonderful again 5 years later. Back in 2013 and 2014 we had the same host back to back on the Wonder(Dorothy from Jamaica). She was great with our son he was 5 and 6 on those cruises. We have had the same server on the Wonder a couple times. Jose from Puerto Rico is the man! We really make friends with them its so nice to see a familiar face. And we are not usually cruising multiple times a year.

What do some of you consider to be Concierge base levels. Really based on the step up in service on Concierge I would say the base would be about double the other combined and go up from there...but I don't know if this is considered good or well so so. They earn it in Concierge, its like a personal guest services. The bar tenders in the lounge and then the guys with the cart that hit your state room at 5pm and again at 7pm with cocktail before dinner or the show.

Anybody willing to fess up on what they consider to be a good Concierge gratuity? We did a Concierge gratuity at Guest Services charged to our room in January, and they took the amount i chose and then did a default split for the various hosts. We actually did our base gratuity for the standard base CMs. We then added our normal increase on that number above the base. Then based Concierge on close to that total amount again for the base 4 CMs.

So if we did say the base $13.50 and added an extra $10 per guest per day split to the 4 main CMs. We then did about $18 per day per guest for the Concierge group of 4.


This seemed generous to us, but then again my dad always says I'm a cheap SOB in my old age

Thanks for the input and anyone that wants to speak up. You could private msg me if you want to keep it private.

 

[happycamper47]

It's my understanding that tips you write-in on a bar tab (for example) are pooled.

I just clarified that this week.. The 18% auto gratuity is pooled. The additional gratuity you add goes directly to the individual bar server. Also this past week on the FANTASY we had paper receipts or we added the additional and signed on their hand held tablet. We did not have any receipts show up on the app.

 

[Kwami]

I just clarified that this week.. The 18% auto gratuity is pooled. The additional gratuity you add goes directly to the individual bar server. Also this past week on the FANTASY we had paper receipts or we added the additional and signed on their hand held tablet. We did not have any receipts show up on the app.

Same thing on the Dream in February. Everything was back to paper receipts instead of using the app. I bet they weren't getting as many tips with the app because people wouldn't think to check for it. Plus, there's less social pressure with the app vs. signing the receipt in front of the person that's getting the tip.

 

[happycamper47]

Same thing on the Dream in February. Everything was back to paper receipts instead of using the app. I bet they weren't getting as many tips with the app because people wouldn't think to check for it. Plus, there's less social pressure with the app vs. signing the receipt in front of the person that's getting the tip.

The other problem with the app was it automatically closed the ticket after a specific time, so unless you did check right away it was gone. I know I missed a couple because of that and just made up for them on future purchases.

 

[Calantha]

The other problem with the app was it automatically closed the ticket after a specific time, so unless you did check right away it was gone. I know I missed a couple because of that and just made up for them on future purchases.

Agree. While I generally thought the app was okay, I had a terrible time with this. Happy to sign a paper tip!!