Recommended tipping

[CheapMom]

CRUISING:
- Baggage Porters (at terminal): $1-2/bag
- Dining Room Server: $3.75/night
- Dining Room Assistant Server: $2.75/night
- Dining Room Head Server: $1/night
- Stateroom Host/Hostess: $3.60/night
- Palo Server: The per-person charge ($5 for dinner) is intended to cover your meal gratuity, but a 15% tip for wine and beverage service, and an additional tip for exceptional service are very much in order.
- Room Service: $2/person
- Bartender/Lounge Server: Check your bill to see if a tip was automatically added to your bill. If not, $10-15% of bill
- Shore Excursion Tour Guide: $1-2/person
- Kids Counselors and Other Crew Members: Not necessary, but a thank-you for special service is always appreciated.

 

[Nick@ VB+OKW]

Originally posted by CheapMom
CRUISING:
Palo Server: The per-person charge ($5 for dinner) is intended to cover your meal gratuity, but a 15% tip for wine and beverage service, and an additional tip for exceptional service are very much in order.

Palo charge per person is $10 now for dinner. We were just on the Wonder last week and ate at Palo.

 

[Little Twin Stars]

Originally posted by Nick@ VB+OKW
We were just on the Wonder last week and ate at Palo.

Hey Nick@ VB+OKW, I caught you here. How's your trip? How's the weather? I want to know everything.

 

[Annie12345]

We just returned from back to back cruises... We had excellent service from our server, asst server, head server and stateroom host. (We had requested the same server as last year and we also had the same head server and stateroom host - they are just like family to us and I just wish I could afford to give them more.) This is what we did: There were three of us and we tipped what the recommended amount would be if there were five people in our party- each week for each of them. On the second week, in addition to the tips, we gave our assistant server and our server a bottle of champagne.

We also brought cards with a picture of the city we live in and wrote personalized thank you's to each of our servers, etc.

Throughout the two weeks, we gave out phone cards to everyone who made a lasting impression. We gave a handful of phone cards to our DD who handed them out to the counsellors that she wanted to appreciate.

We also put some money in an envelope for Bosco at the coffee station. After day 1, he knew the names of my DH, DD and myself even though only DH went there regularly and no matter where we saw him, he called us by name.

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

Why would you tip the recommended amount if you were unhappy (ie: not atleast minimal satisfactory service) with the stateroom host's performance on the cruise? How are they going to learn they aren't doing a good job if they still get the recommended tip amount? And you see he didn't learn a thing... taking the tip without even turning down the beds on the last night...

but a 15% tip for wine and beverage service,

That is added automatically if you have wine/beverage service at Palo- right? I mean it will be added on your ticket just like having wine/beverages anywhere else does?

 

[The4OfUs]

Originally posted by Annie12345

We also brought cards with a picture of the city we live in and wrote personalized thank you's to each of our servers, etc.
.

We did the same - not with the forethought that Annie showed, as we didn't have cards, but we found paper and DH and I wrote thank yous, and the kids drew them stuff and wrote them notes. That made us feel really good, and we had fun as Jean and David read my son's out loud the last night.

 

[Nick@ VB+OKW]

Originally posted by Little Twin Stars
Hey Nick@ VB+OKW, I caught you here. How's your trip? How's the weather? I want to know everything.

Here is my report on the DVC board below.............

http://130.94.75.33/showthread.php?s=&threadid=515845

 

[Little Twin Stars]

Thanks Nick@ VB+OKW. Great to know that you had a wonderful seasickness free cruise. I am really looking forward to mine.

 

[rae519]

Annie12345
Truly one of the most generous and thoughtful things that I have ever read anywhere on tipping!! I am exceptionally impressed, but after realizing you are also part of the Fidelio Fan Club, I should have known better!!!!!! Good taste!!!

You set the "high bar" for rewarding CM's!!!!

Rae

 

[CheapMom]

Originally posted by Nick@ VB+OKW
Palo charge per person is $10 now for dinner. We were just on the Wonder last week and ate at Palo.

Sorry I posted a little outdated info but I think the rest is good- Also I think most people add an axtra tip at Palo's because the service is so exceptional.
When I go to a restaurant I almost always tip 20%. If the server is not excellent but is nice I usually just go ahead and do 20%.

 

[Annie12345]

Thanks Rae - but they truly deserve it!!! Speaking of Fidelio, we boycotted Diversions for the entire two weeks we were on board with the exception of watching the British Pub Act on the final night.

 

[bhawks9]

Are you suppose to tip the counselors in the kids clubs??

 

[makaylee]

Originally posted by bhawks9
Are you suppose to tip the counselors in the kids clubs??

Not traditionaly, but if you or your child connected with a certain CM, some people do give them phone cards. I personaly did not, my DD didnt spend alot of time in the kids club and she never mentioned any of the cms or gave any of them hugs or anything like that.

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

Originally posted by BibbidyBobbidyBoo
quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
but a 15% tip for wine and beverage service,
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------






That is added automatically if you have wine/beverage service at Palo- right? I mean it will be added on your ticket just like having wine/beverages anywhere else does?

This was a question... not a statement. LOL

 

[DVC4US]

BibbidyBobbidyBoo - yes, the 15% is automatically added to the bill at Palo if you have wine/beverages. And then there is a place for you to add more if you choose.

bhawks9 - some of the CM's on board can not accept cash tips and the kids counselors are included in this group. Several cruisers (us included) have chosen to take things like phone cards or Wal-Mart cards to tip CM's that make a difference. We also use these as an added extra bonus for our CM's that are tipped.

On our last cruise I made thank you post cards with a picture of the girls to give out with our tips. I will also do this for our cruise in April.


LeiLani

 

[mamo-4-wdw]

I worship anyone who makes up my bed or brings me food!!!!
I always tip very well at hotels and resturants and will do so on my first cruise. I guess there is a jerk in every crowd but it won't be me.

 

[rae519]

Originally posted by mamo-4-wdw
I worship anyone who makes up my bed or brings me food!!!!

You definitely got that right!!!!!

Rae

 

[Rock'n Robin]

On our Wonder cruise last year I put the tip money in envelopes before we left home (my garage sale money--didn't make much but it paid for tips). On the cruise I ended up putting more money in for our servers so we were over the recommended amounts--they were Alun from Scotland (LOVED the accent) and Gavin from South Africa. On the last morning they were very nice and esp. hugged DD#2, who had eaten in the club the last night. We left the regular recommended amount for the stateroom guy and the head server.
Robin M.

 

[HLFDZN]

Thanks to everyone for the insight on tipping. I need to sit down when it is quiet and figure out how much I am going to bring....plus extra. I may go and get some of those phone cards. Is there a particular brand that works well for them? A T&T? I don't know a thing about them.

With teenagers, I know now that I need to let my stateroom host know it is not necessary to wait for them to arise....they like to sleep late... I know that I can tip the kids club cast members with phone cards....I would plan on extra for exceptional service, but I also got insight on the fact that the kids will be eating SOMEWHERE all day.....The servers will be tipped whether they are there or not. If it were not for this board, I would not have all this wonderful information. Also thanks for not flaming me for asking! We leave in 12 days!!!!! Sail in 14!!!! whaaahoooo!!!!

Melissa

 

[DVC4US]

Melissa,

The important thing to remember about the phone cards is to make sure they are international. This should be stated somewhere on the card. You can buy packages of them at places like Sam's Club or Costco.

You are so right. These boards are great for getting information. Even though we had cruised 2 times before, I learned a lot of new tips from reading these boards before our last cruise. And I am still learning things.

LeiLani