Recomended Tipping Amounts...Am I reading them wrong?

[Disney1992]

Our first cruise is fast approaching and I was beginning to tally up how much I should have ready for tips. Maybe I am too generous, but some of the amounts seem awful low to me and others seem kind of high. Since we've never taken a cruise before maybe I just don't understand what some of these people do.

We will be taking the 3 Day cruise. The suggestion for the dining room server for the 3 days for the 2 of us would be $21. To me, that seems low. If DH and I went out to dinner for 3 days we would probably end up tipping in the area of $40 - $50, not $21. By contrast, the tip for the Stateroom Host(ess) for the 3 days would be $21 as well. For Housekeeping for the 2 of us, we usually tip about $5 a day, so that would end up being $15, not $21.

Am I thinking about this too much? Should I just come prepared with the recommended amounts, a little extra just in case, and not worry about it? I just don't want to short change anyone.

Thanks for your help!

 

[SueEllen]

Your stateroom host/hostess does quite a bit (okay, well maybe not all of them but most) It's different than just housekeeping at a hotel. They keep ice in your ice bucket, they turn down your beds, they make cute towel animals, etc.

As for servers, just as everywhere else, some are better than others. For the 3 day cruise, I would probably tip a bit more for the dining room servers than recommended also. We usually end up tipping quite a bit when we eat out at restaurants. Just use that as a guide if you feel like you should tip more.

Sue Ellen

 

[Cruise]

Also, your stateroom host(ess) services your room twice a day, not once like at a hotel. They'll come in during the morning after you've left and service the room. They come back again while you're at dinner to do the same. This is nice if you end up showering once in the morning and then again after a day's activities before dinner. Fresh towels both times.

Julie

 

[disny4ever]

I think you will find that the recommended amounts are low in comparison to the service you receive. My DW and I have always added a generous amount more to the amounts given in the info books. A good server and assistant at dinner will make a very enjoyable meal time, and the room hosts have been superb on our 2 cruises coming in at least twice and sometimes more.
Once on board I think you will see things differently...when you live the magic !!!! Have a great trip.

 

[Denine]

For the 3 day curise, your server would be receiving $22 per day, or $66 dollars for the cruise.
The Head server gets $2.75 per person per day. This person does not actually serve you at dinner, they watch over all the servers and asst. servers. Unless they do a personal service for you, I wouldn't tip more.
The stateroom host is usually very busy, coming in twice a day.

 

[Michelle]

Denine, actually the recommended amount is per person per CRUISE, not per day.

So the recommended amounts for a 3-night cruise would be $21 TOTAL for two people. ($10.50 each). That said, I agree that is too low and we ended up doubling the amounts for the servers and the stateroom host on our 3-night cruise. They all deserved it.

 

[AnnMorin]

oh well they were all worth it. We tipped on the 7 day the recommended amount times it by three (as there are three of us) and then times it by seven since it was a seven day cruise. ooops. no wonder everyone seemed so happy.
they were worth it though

 

[Disney1992]

Thanks Everybody!

I didn't realize the Stateroom Host(ess) did all that stuff. I think the best bet is to come prepared with a little extra cash and distribute as we see fit.

Thanks Again!

 

[peg2001]

Oh my, AnnMorin!! I guess your tips made up for some of the non-tippers!!

Peggy

 

[AnnMorin]

Originally posted by peg2001
Oh my, AnnMorin!! I guess your tips made up for some of the non-tippers!!

Peggy

Hey whenever I can do my part

 

[FOJMO]

AnnMorin -- That must've been about $1600 in tips!!!! With generous people like you, I think I'm working in the wrong field! LOL

Michelle - I believe the rates have also gone up -- the Dining Room Server now is recommended at $11.00, up from $10.50.

You are all right, though -- they deserve it (maybe not as much as AnnMorin spent, but...)

 

[sjm]

Originally posted by Disney1992
Thanks Everybody!

I didn't realize the Stateroom Host(ess) did all that stuff. I think the best bet is to come prepared with a little extra cash and distribute as we see fit.

Thanks Again!

I am new to Disney Cruising, but not to cruising. I need to learn the lingo, I guess what the rest of the cruise industry calls the cabin steward, is called the Stateroom Host in Disney talk.

The Stateroom Host, besides making up your room twice a day, does a lot of extra little things for you. They know that you want a steady supply of water bottles (for me), they know that you want extra towels and remember that everytime they make up your room. They do quite a bit and deserve a good tip. On all of our cruises we have tipped more then suggested, with one exception and then we tipped the recommended amount.

sue

 

[AnnMorin]

I don't recall how much it was, but it was alot, I just charged it. I told Dh about the error and he laughed saying well I guess you will have more money for shopping this time. (he is always in such a good mood when it comes to cruising-if only we could live on the ship!)

 

[Poohtooyou]

Can you just charge all the tipping to your room at the end? or do you need to tip as you go?

 

[AnnMorin]

You only tip room service and the bar as you go along. The big tips are done on the last night.

 

[albiats]

Originally posted by AnnMorin
You only tip room service and the bar as you go along. The big tips are done on the last night.

When you order any type of beverage at a bar, they automatically include a 15% gratuity on the bill. For instance, when I order a Diet Coke in a can, it costs $1.50 plus 15% so it shows up as $1.72 on the bill that I sign for..

hope that helps

 

[DizMare]

How about tipping at sit-down lunch or breakfast at Tritons? If you don't get a special drink, there will be no chit to sign, so no place to charge a tip. Do you leave cash? Nothing?

 

[Dave_from_Marietta]

Originally posted by DizMare

How about tipping at sit-down lunch or breakfast at Tritons? If you don't get a special drink, there will be no chit to sign, so no place to charge a tip. Do you leave cash? Nothing?

Tipping is not expected at breakfast or lunch even though you'll receive the same fine level of service as you would expect at dinner. All of the dining room servers work breakfast and lunch shifts as well as dinner, so you'll see a variety of servers throughout the week.

That's one more reason to tip at least the recommended amount to your servers... they'll be providing fine service to other passengers during breakfast and lunch. You'll hope that the passengers who have dinner with the servers you had for breakfast and lunch will tip their servers well. In theory, things will even out in the end.

 

[Poohtooyou]

Thanks for the info, appreciate it.
Not to sound stupid or anything but I'm a first time cruiser.
At the end of the trip you can just charge everything to your room and then charge it or pay if off?

 

[albiats]

Originally posted by Poohtooyou
Thanks for the info, appreciate it.
Not to sound stupid or anything but I'm a first time cruiser.
At the end of the trip you can just charge everything to your room and then charge it or pay if off?

You are correct, during the cruise, almost everything is done without cash, except for tips to room service which are in cash.

You can add tips for bar service and for spa services to your KTTW account when you sign for it.

You can charge your end of cruise tips to your KTTW account by going to Guest Services and asking them to give you tip vouchers for each of the ones assigned to your cabin or table, and you determine the tip amounts. Then you give them the provided envelope with the tip voucher inside, rather than putting cash in it. Personally, I prefer to use the tip voucher method. It seems much safer if I were to misplace the envelope and it also gives me a chance to learn the names of the people that have made my cruise more enjoyable.

You can settle the account with cash before you leave or you can allow it to go on your credit card and then settle it when you get home. Usually, when your account gets to the $400 range, DCL will process a charge against your credit card. If you don't want any charges against your card, you should visit Guest Services and ask for a statement every couple of days and settle it before it reaches $400.

hope that helps