Xtra Gratuities

[FigmentSpark]

Awesome. I'm glad to know it, because I was feeling bad.

 

[ludari]

Along with the standard gratuity that DCL charges to your account for your stateroom host ,server ,assistant server and God knows why head server what amount have you given extra? The amount DCL withholds actually seems kind of small (except the head server). Just wondering what others do.

I'm a solo cruiser and personally I feel they all go above and beyond so I always add cash to the envelope, yes the head server as well. It varies depending on the service I have received during the cruise but it's at least an additional $25 each.

 

[Vicki106]

On the last morning as we were eating breakfast, our Head Server chatted with us for a brief second, before he had to run (literally) off to fix something. My son was the one handing out the envelopes with extra tips in them. When we finished Faisal, our head server, had not yet returned to our table. Son walked a quick turn through the MDR and couldn't find him. Our Assistant Server came running to see what we needed that son was looking around and then he explained that Faisal was tied up addressing a problem in the galley. We just gave his envelope to our assistant server to pass on to him with our thanks.

 

[bumbershoot]

I'm not saying a good head server should not be seen. But, if a head server is doing a good job, it's quite possible for his time to be taken up with assisting elsewhere than your table (especially if your table has no special requests). Remember, unlike your serving team, which only handles 3 tables, he's got at least 1/3 to 1/2 of the dining room he's overseeing. Yes, it's nice if they "stop by for a quick hello", but it's not always possible.

And there are many tables these days requiring special handling, it seems.

Agreed.

If you're an easy going table, or have needs that the normal staff can handle, it's easy to not see the head server. And the amount that person gets as a tip is so so low

Question - if you don't see the head server on the last day to give the envelope, they still get their tip, right?

Absolutely. You don't actually need to give the envelopes unless you've literally added cash to them. Handing over the envelopes is just a throwback to when you actually gave cash. But it's all I n their system if you did it without adding extra or if you added money at guest services.

 

[lizabu]

So on a 7 day cruise you tip an extra 280.00 dollars? .

That sounds right

 

[diznymom]

I agree their tips are low. Especially comparing them to the tips for bartenders and the spa.

We always add extra to their tips. We have it added at guest services. Some of them have their checks (w/the tips) sent home to family.

 

[Dug720]

It truly is up to you.

My general things...keeping in mind that I travel solo and other than being gluten-free am very low-maintenance and keep things super picked up in the stateroom.

*usually about $20 extra to my stateroom host - if they have done something super special or nice (like when my stateroom host on the Fantasy went to her friends working in Concierge and got me some after sun gel when I was sunburned without my asking her to (in fact, I simply told her I was going to be right back after running to the gift shop because I needed to get something - not even saying what it was, she guessed because of my face and what other skin she could see) - she got a little more)

*usually about $15-20 extra each for my server and assistant server - and I have given my assistant server more before because I had more interaction with them or felt they went the extra mile

*usually $5-10 more for my head server, especially now that I'm gluten-free

*usually $15-20 each meal in Palo

When I changed tables and it got done in the system, the system automatically allotted the tips for the nights I was assigned to each team. I added to both teams to make up the difference so both got the 7-night gratuities. (Also when I was able to eat with my sister (officer on board) and we got the same table but for some reason mine was never changed in the system, I tipped the servers we had in cash and left the grats on the other servers I was assigned to. Even though my sister said I didn't need to do that.) I don't feel like I should punish the other team when it was not their fault that I moved, but rather me being extremely uncomfortable at the table I was assigned that time (what I call the solo dump). If I *did* move because of a server issue, I probably wouldn't do that.

 

[mhconley]

On our first cruise I gave our room steward an additional $100 (he was fantastic), and our two servers each an additional $50. On our second I gave our main server an additional $100. It all depends upon the level of service. Our first steward was almost clairvoyant, we rarely saw him, we never once caught him in our room, the room was always immaculate and fully restocked. Our server on the second cruise was amazing and had the absolute worst assistant server, she was inattentive and absent most of the time.

Martin