Tipping Coupons & Tipping Palo

[pmurph]

If we choose to pre-pay for gratuities, will the coupons in the room show that? In other words, if we end up tipping a little bit extra and handing out the coupons will it be evident when they open the envelope that the money enclosed is extra (and not the only tip that we gave)?

Also, what are your suggestions for tipping for dinner for 2 at Palo? Do you just leave cash or add it to the bill, like at a normal restaurant?

Thanks

 

[PrincessShmoo]

If we choose to pre-pay for gratuities, will the coupons in the room show that? In other words, if we end up tipping a little bit extra and handing out the coupons will it be evident when they open the envelope that the money enclosed is extra (and not the only tip that we gave)?

Also, what are your suggestions for tipping for dinner for 2 at Palo? Do you just leave cash or add it to the bill, like at a normal restaurant?

Thanks

If you prepay the gratuities you get a coupon sheet in your room the night the envelopes are distributed.

The coupons indicate the name, position, and amount of tip already paid. You separate the coupons and place them in the appropriate envelope. If you put additional cash in there, they know that's above the amount shown on the coupon. You keep the upper portion as a record of the gratuities and names of those who served you.

At Palo, you can either add the tip to the charge slip you sign, or you can tip in cash. Whichever you wish.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

If we choose to pre-pay for gratuities, will the coupons in the room show that? In other words, if we end up tipping a little bit extra and handing out the coupons will it be evident when they open the envelope that the money enclosed is extra (and not the only tip that we gave)?

Also, what are your suggestions for tipping for dinner for 2 at Palo? Do you just leave cash or add it to the bill, like at a normal restaurant?

Thanks

Even if you pre psy tips, - we do each cruise, - you can as well as putting in extra cash, go to guest services and adjust them up and down.

I have in 13 cruises pre paid, and on all increased thrm, - bar one, when I reduced one and put that to the others due to bad service.

So you gave the options, change at guest services or put cash in.

Palo you add it to the charge slip to debit your stateroom account.

 

[Quellman]

@DISNEY FANTASY is right about the adjustments up or down at Guest Services. The services desk will print new gratuities sheets for you with the adjusted amounts on there, this way the servers know that you did it and you have a record as well. If you think you will be adjusting the gratuities, try and do it earlier in the cruise, this way you don't have to stand in line the last night!

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

@DISNEY FANTASY is right about the adjustments up or down at Guest Services. The services desk will print new gratuities sheets for you with the adjusted amounts on there, this way the servers know that you did it and you have a record as well. If you think you will be adjusting the gratuities, try and do it earlier in the cruise, this way you don't have to stand in line the last night!

Yes, and a further tip, on tipping,

Check the full names on the vouchers are correct. I have twice had the wrong names printed on at least one person. - if you personally hand the voucher over this is less of an issue as the receiver can get it adjusted. If you do not hand the voucher over, it goes to the wrong person.

 

[pmurph]

OK all of the above is helpful, so thank you. I'm glad to see that the coupons reflect the amount already given.

I would rather not take time out on vacation to go to guest services if I could avoid it (it's no biggie if I need to though). So maybe I'll just bring extra cash to add to the tipping envelopes, if I feel so inclined to provide more tip.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

OK all of the above is helpful, so thank you. I'm glad to see that the coupons reflect the amount already given.

I would rather not take time out on vacation to go to guest services if I could avoid it (it's no biggie if I need to though). So maybe I'll just bring extra cash to add to the tipping envelopes, if I feel so inclined to provide more tip.

Yes an option, I try to avoid GS but I find you have to at some point, normally I seek a stateroom printout if my bill, and do it at the same time, so doing a few things at once.

 

[pmurph]

Yes an option, I try to avoid GS but I find you have to at some point, normally I seek a stateroom printout if my bill, and do it at the same time, so doing a few things at once.

If you don't go to guest services, when would you see a printout of your bill?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

If you don't go to guest services, when would you see a printout of your bill?

Not until the last morning. We usually stop by Guest Services a couple of days before the end of the cruise to do a check of charges up to that point.

It's supposed to also be available on the TV on the Dream class ships, but when we cruised both the Dream & Fantasy, it never showed up.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

If you don't go to guest services, when would you see a printout of your bill?

New ships on the TV screen in room, or delivered first thing on disembarkation morning.

I always check mine through the cruise as I have found other charges debited to my account.

One cruiser seemed to go to a bar without their cruise card, and were able to order drinks without it, and as we had similar names debited to my account. GS got copies of it and clearly could see it wasn't me straight away.

 

[kiford]

BTW - it doesn't matter whether you pre-pay your gratuities or wait for your account to be charged on the last night. You'll get the vouchers regardless; you can also change them up or down whether you've prepaid or not. Prepayment is essentially just a credit on your onboard account earmarked for gratuities. Nothing happens until that last night. We never add cash because we're never sure if we'll get a chance to see them on the last night or morning, as has happened a couple of times when the individual was reassigned or went on leave. If we change the amount at Guest Services, I know that they'll get it. I've never found that we had to stand in line for very long when changing the amounts.

 

[MickeyEarrings]

If I want to prepay my gratuities, and know I want to add "x" amount to all of them, can I do that in advance? Because if I have to stand in that long line at guest services to increase my tips, I'd rather just add cash.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

If I want to prepay my gratuities, and know I want to add "x" amount to all of them, can I do that in advance? Because if I have to stand in that long line at guest services to increase my tips, I'd rather just add cash.

Don't know for sure, but, since you have to call DCL to pre-pay, why not ask them?

Then let us know the answer.

BTW, there's not always a long line at Guest Services.

 

[Bambi D.]

Are the CM's allowed to accept gifts? Things that are not cash? We tip through guest services but I thought of bringing other items that we could give them as gifts as well. I'd like to make sure they are allowed to accept them.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Are the CM's allowed to accept gifts? Things that are not cash? We tip through guest services but I thought of bringing other items that we could give them as gifts as well. I'd like to make sure they are allowed to accept them.

Generally, yes. But, I'll just point out that their rooms onboard are small and shared. They don't have a lot of room for "little things" That would be the tip-able positions - servers, room host, bar servers/tenders. Kid's club CMs are not tip-able, nor are the officers.

 

[shelbell77]

Are the CM's allowed to accept gifts? Things that are not cash? We tip through guest services but I thought of bringing other items that we could give them as gifts as well. I'd like to make sure they are allowed to accept them.

We got out favorite server a bottle of her favorite perfume and she was so happy she cried and started hugging us like crazy.

 

[anricat]

When we were on our Halloween cruise we brought along candy for our stateroom to stateroom trick or treat we were participating in. Afterwards, we had a bunch left over and I gave a big bag to our stateroom host and he was over the moon. The next day in the hall as I was walking by, I saw him jam a mini hershey bar into his mouth upon exiting a room a few doors down from us. He gave me a sheepish grin like I wasn't supposed to see him do that, but I smiled back at him and told him I was glad he was enjoying the candy. He said it was a real treat. I was thinking of bringing some treats for our stateroom host on the next cruise.