Let's talk about Tipping!

[joyfull]

I had never seen anyone talk about some tipping issues that came up on my cruise. My husband and I had two spa treatments and I had a pedicure. Each time we were asked to sign the receipt and that the gratuity was left to our discretion. We had no clue as to what a good tip would be for such services since this was our first time using such services. We also ran into the same problem at palo's. We thought that the waiter recieved the 5.00 per person but found out that all the money was split between the wait staff. So we gave our waiter a tip. Of course because we didn't have a bill for the dinner we couldn't just give our usual 15%, so there we were left to wonder. Has anyone else ran into this problem? What is a good tip for these folks? Also if you don't eat in your asigned restaurant the last night do you adjust the tip accordingly? Also watch out when buying drinks at the bar the gratuity is added but there are also a place to put extra gratuity on the reciept. My husband found this out the second night! LOL....

 

[alexandrew]

I can't comment on spa tipping, since we've never used those services

As for Palo, the service is so good that we usually tip an amount that would equate to dinner at a nice restaurant - usually an additional $25.00 over and above the $5.00 pp cover charge

We tip waiter, asst waiter, and head waiter as if we'd eaten at rotation restaurants every night. we also tip recommended amount at least, and usually more, for my family of 4, even though DS, 2 is in Flounders during our dinners, and DS7 is in Oceaneers....These guys really deserve it!!!

 

[eye R.N.]

Is our servers have a set number of tables. It's not like if I don't show up, they can put someone else in my place. Therefore we tip at least the recommended amount even if we don't eat dinner there every night.

I figure it makes up for the breakfast and lunch service that is tip free.

 

[ducklite]

For spa treatments other than the Surial I tip 20%...and if the service is extraordinary and they do'nt puch products that can rise to 25% or more. The Surial I only tipped 10%.

My dining room servers I would tip at least the minimum, even if I ate every meal room service and Palo.

The Palo servers I left an extra $25 for dinner (I think that's what it was--it might have been $5 more or less) and extra $20 (?) for brunch--pretty sure it was that much, and $5 for tea. Sorry, I do'nt have my notes handy.

I never tipped the bar staff anything extra, as they never did anything above and beond pouring a drink for me, and I never really sat at a bar for more than a few minutes.

Anne

 

[trishy]

Spa - 15 - 20% depending on the way they treated us (i.e. hard-selling tactics into account).

Palo - At least $25 - Zita (gosh we miss her) always got more because she was just so wonderful. Brunch - $20 and never did Tea so don't know.

Servers - minimum at the very least - Asst always got at least $10-$20 more if he remembered our drink orders or if he was helpful in picking wine. Even if YOU choose to not eat in the dining room, please don't take it out on your server. After all, he/she is still there to serve you. Don't forget also, your servers are working breakfast, lunch and buffet during the cruise. They work about 12 hours per day during the cruise. Consider this, when you have lunch in Lumiere's, you do not leave a tip for the server - same as with Breakfast or even at Topsiders. However, YOUR server is still working these areas and serving other passengers. If everyone tips accordingly, then all the servers will get what is properly due them for their neverending service.

Bar tip - included on the receipt - nothing extra. Instead of figuring out 15%, I'd round up to the next buck - always giving them more than 15%, but they took away my decision to do it by including it in the tab so I decided to just leave it at the 15%. It takes too much time to figure it out - and harder still after 3 Long Island Ice Teas...