Tipping

[TestingH2O]

How much should you tip the concierge staff?

Disney gives no guidelines on this, and you will find a wide range of responses. I would say you want to think about a few things: how much did you use their services, did they do anything extra for you that you might not have asked for, what is your budget. I like the thought that you use both your heart and your head. Don't spend more than you can afford, but also don't be one of those people who says "I paid so much for this trip, I shouldn't have to pay a penny more."

Another frequent suggestion is to look at other tipped positions. For instance, your server and room steward get $4 per person per day. You could compare the services you receive from the concierges to the services from those positions and go from there. On all ships but the Wonder, there is a lounge and there will be multiple concierges. It is my understanding that all tips are pooled among the concierges and divided equally. I don't know how it works on the Wonder which does not have a lounge.

 

[LivingforDisney]

I find it so over the top, that you tipped someone "well" for helping out when your child had a meltdown.
I would have just picked up my child and left the dining room.
Sorry but the tipping situation in the states is very hard to take when you are from a country where tipping is not a part of the culture and we still get excellent service no matter where we may be.
On my last visit, it seemed everyman and his dog had their hand out for a tip.
C'mon you expect a tip for telling where the bus stop is ??? Yes this did happen.
I understand wages are low, on DCL someone mentioned you are tipping for the food and to give a extra tip for the service, well excuse me if I am wrong but when I booked my cruise it said food included in the price I paid for the cruise, so why should I tip for food and service?
We didn't leave extra tips for anyone, only what we prepaid. The service was fine, they did what they were there to do.
I didn't tip bartenders extra, I walked up to the bar, they gave me a drink, I only drank beer, not to hard to pull a beer and they didn't have to walk anywhere to give it me.
Each to their own, but I don't throw money at people for smiling at me, serving me or giving me information, as far as I am concerned that's their job and they get paid to do their job, whatever it may involve.
In saying that, we did tip , but only the recommended amounts.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Sorry but the tipping situation in the states is very hard to take when you are from a country where tipping is not a part of the culture and we still get excellent service no matter where we may be.

Come on now. When in Rome...

The same way I pay close attention to customs, etc when traveling abroad, it would be just... well... customary for you to do the same when in the U.S.

And I think more than one person would disagree that one generally receives "excellent service" everywhere where tipping isn't customary!

I thought Americans had a bad name for being inconsiderate travelers.

 

[tvguy]

Disney gives no guidelines on this, and you will find a wide range of responses. I would say you want to think about a few things: how much did you use their services, did they do anything extra for you that you might not have asked for, what is your budget. I like the thought that you use both your heart and your head. Don't spend more than you can afford, but also don't be one of those people who says "I paid so much for this trip, I shouldn't have to pay a penny more."

Another frequent suggestion is to look at other tipped positions. For instance, your server and room steward get $4 per person per day. You could compare the services you receive from the concierges to the services from those positions and go from there. On all ships but the Wonder, there is a lounge and there will be multiple concierges. It is my understanding that all tips are pooled among the concierges and divided equally. I don't know how it works on the Wonder which does not have a lounge.

I thought they weren't allowed to accept tips?

 

[TestingH2O]

I thought they weren't allowed to accept tips?

Definitely allowed. In fact, an envelope is provided, but there is no suggested amount.

 

[Skiton]

There are certainly some here in the States who would agree with you. And actually, I also think the tipping culture has gotten a bit out of control. I've come to dread the holidays because the list of people I'm expected to acknowledge with a cash gift seems to grow longer each year. The real kicker was when we had a guy out to service our furnace last month and the credit card receipt included a place to tip him, complete with options for 15%, 20% or 25%.

I find it so over the top, that you tipped someone "well" for helping out when your child had a meltdown.
I would have just picked up my child and left the dining room.
Sorry but the tipping situation in the states is very hard to take when you are from a country where tipping is not a part of the culture and we still get excellent service no matter where we may be.
On my last visit, it seemed everyman and his dog had their hand out for a tip.
C'mon you expect a tip for telling where the bus stop is ??? Yes this did happen.
I understand wages are low, on DCL someone mentioned you are tipping for the food and to give a extra tip for the service, well excuse me if I am wrong but when I booked my cruise it said food included in the price I paid for the cruise, so why should I tip for food and service?
We didn't leave extra tips for anyone, only what we prepaid. The service was fine, they did what they were there to do.
I didn't tip bartenders extra, I walked up to the bar, they gave me a drink, I only drank beer, not to hard to pull a beer and they didn't have to walk anywhere to give it me.
Each to their own, but I don't throw money at people for smiling at me, serving me or giving me information, as far as I am concerned that's their job and they get paid to do their job, whatever it may involve.
In saying that, we did tip , but only the recommended amounts.

Still though, I agree that tipping for service is a long-standing part of American culture, and if you're traveling to America or cruising on an American line, it's just something you have to be aware of and budget for. When I waited tables in college, we all hated having foreigners seated in our sections because you knew you'd be waiting on them for free.

 

[Shanti]

It is absolutely not insulting to Europeans that americans tip "extra". They love americans because of it. Strange teacher. But it is not required.

Depends on the culture & self-respect level of the server. In Revolutionary America servers were insulted by tipping. You're also not supposed to tip owners of establishments, because it's an insult.

 

[SandyinMonterey]

Just off the Fantasy, 7 day Eastern. I don't mind the tipping, what I did feel a bit uncomfortable about was the amount of pressure from staff. Too many times told very good not good enough, all has to say excellent. To make sure you positive comments about nice towel animals from stateroom host and that server always had food suggestions at dinner. No wonder that the questionaire at end of cruise asks if you felt pressured to give positive reviews.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Just off the Fantasy, 7 day Eastern. I don't mind the tipping, what I did feel a bit uncomfortable about was the amount of pressure from staff. Too many times told very good not good enough, all has to say excellent. To make sure you positive comments about nice towel animals from stateroom host and that server always had food suggestions at dinner. No wonder that the questionaire at end of cruise asks if you felt pressured to give positive reviews.

That's a fairly recent addition to the survey. I usually let the servers know that I only want to hear the "excellent speech" once, the first time they do it. And I point out that repetition will only lower the rating.

 

[over50visits]

Just off the Fantasy, 7 day Eastern. I don't mind the tipping, what I did feel a bit uncomfortable about was the amount of pressure from staff. Too many times told very good not good enough, all has to say excellent. To make sure you positive comments about nice towel animals from stateroom host and that server always had food suggestions at dinner. No wonder that the questionaire at end of cruise asks if you felt pressured to give positive reviews.

That's been on the survey for quite a while, I suppose in response to earlier guest comments.

Unfortunately, Disney places unrealistic pressure on the servers to get excellent ratings. Their mention of providing "excellent" service and using that word several times is a manifestation of this unfair pressure from management. I hold Disney at fault for this, and don't blame the servers one bit for being the public tip of this policy. We are always kind to them, never telling them to not give us that speech, but we listen to it nicely and I am pretty sure they pick up that we understand and won't hurt them on the ratings.

I've even heard of some cruisers threatening them that if they gave them the "excellent" speech they would reduce their tips or their rating...how unkind. These hardworking, great folks are caught in an unfair system, and to add even more pressure isn't right. Let them tell you, then sit back and enjoy their excellent service during your cruise!

 

[millie]

I have no problem with the recommended amount but after reading the boards prior to my first cruise I felt that I had to add extra which we did. In retrospect I regretted doing so. Everyone we encountered was nice but nothing/no one was what I would call extraordinary. Our first cruise was actually for our twentieth anniversary and our server never got around to asKing if we were celebrating anything. We are a well-mannered and polite family who clean up after ourselves and are not demanding in any way. Our third cruise was for my husbands 60th birthday on the magic in the med. Our dining room servers were so bad it was comical. We were on the ship on his actual birthday. It was never acknowledged but I took care to make sure we celebrated In our own way. When I stay in a Disney resort hotel I normally tip $5 a night. On the cruise the room attendant recieves $16 a night (from 4 people) which is fine but I don't know why I feel like I need to leave more. We will be going to Palo brunch for the first time on our upcoming cruise. If I told my husband the recommendation was to tip $10 per person he would do so (there will be 5 of us this trip) but I will most likely tell him to do his normal 20% of the cost of the brunch.

 

[bumbershoot]

I thought Americans had a bad name for being inconsiderate travelers.

From your whole post I get the feeling you didn't read to the end. Where they wrote:

In saying that, we did tip , but only the recommended amounts.

I thought they weren't allowed to accept tips?

Concierge staff? Of course they are. And they do. They even leave a letter talking about tipping (but with NO suggested amounts) and telling you how you can do it if you care to do it.

 

[tvguy]

From your whole post I get the feeling you didn't read to the end. Where they wrote:








Concierge staff? Of course they are. And they do. They even leave a letter talking about tipping (but with NO suggested amounts) and telling you how you can do it if you care to do it.

If I get some extra time I may search the boards, I swear there have been threads on Concierge Staff not being allowed to take tips, as I recall a lot of folks used to buy phone cards and candy as thank yous since they weren't allowed to take tips.

 

[Skiton]

If I get some extra time I may search the boards, I swear there have been threads on Concierge Staff not being allowed to take tips, as I recall a lot of folks used to buy phone cards and candy as thank yous since they weren't allowed to take tips.

When we sailed concierge last January, we were given an envelope for concierge tips along with envelopes for other tipped positions.

 

[Quellman]

What does the head server do? The last cruise he said Hi once and on the last day it was "hope everything was excellent" survey speech

I don't tip a head server at a restaurant on land, so why on a cruise ship?

Someone else said they are responsible for the wait staff. They are also the person that you take complaints or praise to. On our last cruise we had a great relationship with ours. Ensured we had the best table (for our family) at each restaurant. This included MDR dinners where we were seated in front of Crush, in a more quiet alcove, and never near a serving station. This treatment also included any breakfasts or lunches where we went to the MDR. Again, the guy taking your name would assign you a table, but then when our head server saw us, he would switch to another table for us. We most certainly gave him more than the recommendation, same for our other servers. Though to be fair I am sure there were others who saw him little, didn't have a great bond, etc, who tip the normal amount, or not at all.

Again, I have said it before if someone gives you the "give us excellent speech", then let them know you appreciate it, but will not listen to it again. If you still have problems take it to guest services or one of the ships officers. It is deplorable for people on vacation to be repeatedly nagged about perfect ratings.

 

[jahber]

What does the head server do? The last cruise he said Hi once and on the last day it was "hope everything was excellent" survey speech

I don't tip a head server at a restaurant on land, so why on a cruise ship?

We see the head server (and end up talking to him/her quite a bit) on every cruise because my husband orders Indian food every night. Because it's a special request, it goes through the head server and ends up being more work than usual for them. My husband is Indian, so he usually ends up discussing the food with the head server (where do they get their spices, who prepares it, does the crew get to try it?), which leads to other conversation because my husband loves to talk to people...and as a result we always tip them extra for their time and effort

 

[Flossbolna]

Again, I have said it before if someone gives you the "give us excellent speech", then let them know you appreciate it, but will not listen to it again. If you still have problems take it to guest services or one of the ships officers. It is deplorable for people on vacation to be repeatedly nagged about perfect ratings.

One thing I have noticed that helps to keep the excellent speeches down and at the same time makes your servers a bit more relaxed, is to actually use the word "excellent" yourself. So, if I really liked my food and they ask how the dish was, I answer "excellent". Usually I would never say that, just because it is not how I would phrase it. I would say I loved it or that it was delicious. But once they realise that you know that the best praise they can get is to say "excellent" they feel less pressured to teach you that this is the word that matters. Of course, the two truly absolutely excellent servers we had only ever mentioned the survey and the word "excellent" in passing on the last evening and immediately stopped talking about it when we said that we know about the importance of the survey and that we considered the service they had provided as excellent.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

If I get some extra time I may search the boards, I swear there have been threads on Concierge Staff not being allowed to take tips, as I recall a lot of folks used to buy phone cards and candy as thank yous since they weren't allowed to take tips.

I believe there was a time where the concierge staff wasn't tipped. Or, at least, it wasn't suggested to tip them. But they are now.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

I have sailed concierge since 2009 with DCL and had tipping sheets or envelopes from them since 2009, thats seven years minimum, its not recent in any way.

 

[DisneyMom111]

I have never done the chocolate bars, but have read posts from others who have. They made their own wrappers to put on them. Cute idea! We do print off our own envelopes with "Thank you for a Wonderful Cruise!" (or Magical, Dreamy, Fantastic depending on the ship), and put the tips in there. The cast members seem to like them.

What a cute idea. We always make our own Mousekeeping envelopes so maybe we will do this as well. Did you make your own design up or did you find some printable ones online somewhere?