Butler question

While I don't want to start a "discussion" about tipping and butlers, I haven't been able to find the answer to this question. I am hoping someone can help.

We are on the Mariner and our butler has been wonderful. I know he is tipped with the fare we pay, but we would like to me to tip him more. So I have two questions:

1. If you have tipped the butler, how much did you give him. We are on an 18 day cruise

2. Do you know if th staff HAS to pool their tips?

Thanks so much

Well, since Regent's policy is not to tip, there is obviously no "pooled tips" nor is there a "suggested amount". Most people do not tip butlers unless they have gone above and beyond their job duties. If they have done so, it is up to you to determine the amount. Unfortunately, this question is likely to start another "tipping war". We have tipped a butler before, however, suggesting an amount would go against the "suggested" policy. If one wants to go against the "suggested policy", IMO, it is not something to be posted on a public board (although someone likely will answer your question).

Sorry to sound harsh, however, if people reading the Regent board believes that you need to tip on top of the tens of thousands of dollars you pay for the cruise, it could put people off and they may not cruise on Regent.

Good to hear that your butler is so good. Our butlers have been wonderful -- we have wished that we could adopt them.

Wow, I was actually looking for sincere information. And yes I know I Posted this on an "public forum" since that is the only place I could find the information I am searching. I don't know any one else who sails with Regent, shameful I know.

My response was sincere. You have no idea how angry people get over this topic. For that reason, I always recommend following Regent's guidelines. There truly is no formula for tipping anyone on board and, as I mentioned, "pooling tips" is a foreign concept on all-inclusive luxury cruise lines.

I know someone that tips their butler $100 the moment they meet them with the expectation that they will get superior service and will tip again at the end of the cruise. There are people that do not tip and some that tip everyone. IMO, tipping on an all-inclusive luxury cruise line only serves to create an expectation by the crew. Others will disagree with me. It may help to know that the crew on luxury cruise lines make more than on other cruise lines (and the butler is quite highly paid). Many crew members put their children through college with the money made on the ship (without tipping). Regent crew members happily give the highest level of service -- with a smile and with no further expectations.

I am being as honest as I can be on this topic. All I can say is do what you think is best as there are no tipping guidelines. Also in my opinion, making a donation to the Crew Welfare Fund is the best thing you can do for all crew members.

Regent's policy (from their website) is: "Should I tip onboard?

Gratuities are included in the cruise fare for all Regent employees. If guests feel strongly about expressing their gratitude to the crew, they should be encouraged to make a donation to the Crew Welfare Fund at the Purser Office. This money is utilized for crew parties and events."

We are from the UK where tipping now barely exists. I do not get this at all , one of the delights of Regent is the lack of need to think money, as everything is paid up front, including tips, so if you want another drink or you talk to a new friend at a bar and say what are you drinking its not a cost. Yes I know it's included and you have paid mega bucks but it is much more relaxing not to think do I slip the barman $5 or not- for their job! Our last butler was great, but he never looked for a tip and we did not think along those lines. I hate this hovering around which occurs in the US on this. The tipping culture has now got out of hand in the states where15-20% is not unusual and expected even for poor service.

It's one our reasons for loving Regent, we have heard horror stories of others lines where bottled water plus tip is added, cocktails at sail aways, plus drinks at the shows, even coffee or tea at lectures this nickel and dime approach can then add a vast end of cruise a/c, which makes Regent an even better deal. You get rid of the grovel factor. Americans in London are almost laughed at , offering the tips they do. I feel its so lard century!!

Should be last century!! Nothing to do with lard.

Eliza3,

IMO whether to tip, and how much, is a personal decision for you

GrJ Berks,

I am not sure that I agree with your statement that tipping now barely exists in the UK. IMO, it is still the norm to tip in restaurants, when taking a cab and when a hotel porter carries your bags to the room.

Many restaurants have replaced traditional tips with a fixed service charge and as you are aware there has been much discussion over multi-national restaurant chains abusing the system by 'absorbing' some or all of the service charges and tips that customers thought were destined for the kitchen & wait staff

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-36181319

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/government-to-tackle-unfair-tipping-practices-to-ensure-workers-keep-their-tips-a7009161.html

Eliza3, We tipped our butler $100 for a 25-day cruise because he was so helpful and made our cruise experience on Regent so much better. That was our first cruise on Regent, so we were new to the ship and the cruise line.

I asked at the front desk if I could use onboard credit to tip him and was told that it would go into a "crew fund" and not to him directly.

brigid-

Eliza3, We tipped our butler $100 for a 25-day cruise because he was so helpful and made our cruise experience on Regent so much better. That was our first cruise on Regent, so we were new to the ship and the cruise line.

 

I asked at the front desk if I could use onboard credit to tip him and was told that it would go into a "crew fund" and not to him directly.

brigid-

Thank you so much for responding to my question. That is exactly what I was looking for.

At the risk of throwing fuel on the fire, we've had butler cabins on three of our Regent cruises and we've never tipped our butlers. Never mind the fact that we didn't really utilize any of them to the extent that we could have, we just *gasp* followed Regent's recommended policy.

In fact, we've never tipped anyone directly on board. We always tip our tour drivers and guides, and we contribute to the crew fund, but personally I just feel better following the recommended guidelines.

Greetings from South Beach, Eliza 3. We have had only great butlers, and we keep them busy. Our usual tip is $100 for a 14 day cruise. No butler has suggested we tip, and we have had them on NCL, Seabourn, Cunard, Oceania and Regent. We also tip room stewards. Last time on Navigator, one of our room stewards had also been ours on Seabourn. She had retired for a while, returning to the sea when family members had terrible problems. In the end, tipping or not is a personal matter and that we do so is directly tied to the service we get. Our next cruise is on Explorer.

Mary

Greetings from South Beach, Eliza 3. We have had only great butlers, and we keep them busy. Our usual tip is $100 for a 14 day cruise. No butler has suggested we tip, and we have had them on NCL, Seabourn, Cunard, Oceania and Regent. We also tip room stewards. Last time on Navigator, one of our room stewards had also been ours on Seabourn. She had retired for a while, returning to the sea when family members had terrible problems. In the end, tipping or not is a personal matter and that we do so is directly tied to the service we get. Our next cruise is on Explorer.

 

Mary

All i will say is good luck with that comment! :eek:

At the risk of throwing fuel on the fire, we've had butler cabins on three of our Regent cruises and we've never tipped our butlers. Never mind the fact that we didn't really utilize any of them to the extent that we could have, we just *gasp* followed Regent's recommended policy.

 

In fact, we've never tipped anyone directly on board. We always tip our tour drivers and guides, and we contribute to the crew fund, but personally I just feel better following the recommended guidelines.

With two "tipping" threads in a row and posters feeling the need to post how they go against Regent's guidelines and now posting how much they tip, I think I'll back off of this thread. This thread is akin to dress code threads where some posters share how they get around Regent's Dress Code - probably in the hopes that more people will do the same.

Being respectful of other people and guidelines put forth by companies is simply the way I was raised. It is sometimes hard to swallow that there are people that either do not understand the reasons behind Regent's guidelines or could care less about them.

In any case, it is refreshing to know that many people are like we are. Hope to meet you on a Regent cruise someday!

I've never tipped on a Regent cruise, although we have contributed to the Crew Welfare Fund on occasion.

We have had a butler a couple of times, but don't find them particularly useful and on one Oceania cruise, he was distinctly unhelpful and we wished we didn't have to deal with him. But, if we had a butler who went 'above and beyond', we'd probably give him something.

Oh, and I see nothing wrong with warburg mentioning how much he tipped. What is this, Downtown Abbey, where it's gauche to talk about money?

(And in fact, I'll have to find out what the deal on Azamara is, since we'll be sailing them this fall--we have a butler suite; the gratuities are included in the fare, and I have no idea what the subculture says about this, so I will now ask.)

Yikes!

We are Aussies and in the non-tipping camp. I agree with the poster who says this is one of the reasons we like Regent, Seaborne etc.

We went on Oceania last year, our first non-inclusive cruise, and while it was fine, it WAS annoying to have to produce our room card every time we bought a drink in the bar, or wine at dinner etc. We just want to get on board and forget about it all.

In Sydney tipping is very haphazard - usually nothing in a cafe, but 10% in good restaurant. Usually nothing, or rounding up, to a taxi driver. We pay a decent minimum wage: the customer is not expected to pay "wages" as is the system in the US, which I agree is more and more out of control. On our trip last Nov we found that over the year the tipping expectation is now up to 20%, and more in an upmarket restaurant.

We pay a decent minimum wage: the customer is not expected to pay "wages" as is the system in the US, which I agree is more and more out of control. On our trip last Nov we found that over the year the tipping expectation is now up to 20%, and more in an upmarket restaurant.

It's not just the restaurants, either. Everyone expects tips now - EVERYONE - every place you go. I was used to it in Vegas where everyone had a hand out and I just walked around handing out fivers to random people...but it's everywhere now. Postman, newspaper guy, any delivery guy, bar, grocery baggers, etc. And on a somewhat related note, I'm noticing a huge uptick in the amount of panhandlers, too - usually outside of gas stations, shopping centers, convenience stores. Always with the "I need bus fare/gas money to get home to see my kids" - but it's the same people every day.

Or maybe I'm just getting grumpier in my old age. My wife calls me GOM for Grumpy Old Man. I told her I've earned that moniker, so I'll wear it with pride.

It's not just the restaurants, either. Everyone expects tips now - EVERYONE - every place you go. I was used to it in Vegas where everyone had a hand out and I just walked around handing out fivers to random people...but it's everywhere now. Postman, newspaper guy, any delivery guy, bar, grocery baggers, etc. ...

I spend half the year in Florida, Bill, and we tip "heavy" when we're south of the border because the minimum wage is so low for service workers. But I've never seen any evidence of tipping or desire for tips from grocery baggers or delivery guys, except for the pizza delivery guy, for instance.

Here in Toronto it used to be 10% was the norm, then 15%, now it's getting close to 20%, for restaurant service. In Florida we try to tip at least 20%. And I admit when we're in "foreign climes" it's tough to get used to *not* tipping. Love that about Regent cruises.

I'll have to read up on tipping in Italy, since we'll be there this fall.

I know when I lived in Germany many years ago, the custom was to round to the nearest DM or 5DM, mostly to avoid counting out change. I got so used to the "Das stimmt" that it was tough getting used to tipping back in the states.

I need to look up the current tipping customs, too - we're off to Spain in July then sailing to Israel - I have no idea what the customs are there, tip-wise.

Personally I'd be happy if we just quit tipping altogether. Drives me nuts... :p

As far as tipping, I will ask when they are going ashore, on that day give them $50 and tell them lunch and drinks are on me. Get the biggest smiles back

I don't know if things have changed but in the past staff were not allowed to keep tips (they could either not take them or turn them in). If extra cash was found during a room inspection that was a bad thing for the crew member. That tip could potentially get the crew member in trouble. I suppose Ill find out next month.

Why are we tipping? Read the regent info

You read it for day of departure/ sailing time , why not no tipping.

This just then adds to this discomfort of those who follow the advice and those who boast about what they give. I'f you must give ,keep it quiet!!

Anyway in a £5000+ cruise the included gratuity must be way above this!!

Another example of the totally different approach to this on both sides of the pond. Tipping is on its way out in Europe, but still seems embedded in the DNA of Americans and seems to be much more intrusive and at a higher level than when we first travelled to the states more than 25 years ago.

Why are we tipping? Read the regent info

You read it for day of departure/ sailing time , why not no tipping.

This just then adds to this discomfort of those who follow the advice and those who boast about what they give. I'f you must give ,keep it quiet!!

Anyway in a £5000+ cruise the included gratuity must be way above this!!

 

Another example of the totally different approach to this on both sides of the pond. Tipping is on its way out in Europe, but still seems embedded in the DNA of Americans and seems to be much more intrusive and at a higher level than when we first travelled to the states more than 25 years ago.

You are quite right. Tipping in the U.S. is at an all time high in my opinion. Everyone wants/expects a tip. The percentages on meal tips continues to go up. Used to be a 10-15% now it is 18-20%.

In Europe and most of the world tipping seems to be going out and the service is included in the price.

I much prefer the service in the price. Pay the staff a fair wage and put it in the price of the product.

Disclosure: We do give to the Crew Fund.

We always tip our butler and housekeepers. We enjoy the smiles and gratitude we receive for the tips, and I am certain they do not get in trouble for taking the money. We give a butler about $10 a day, and the same divided between the two housekeepers.

I agree, we plan to use are Butler. I enjoy breakfast in the cabin, sometimes a movie and lunch in the cabin and a dinner or two. A cocktail party----dinner plans and a few other things that need to be done.

So if you want to tip go ahead, if you don't then don't it's that simple. I tip on "O" and SilverSeas-this will be the first cruise on Regent, you may not like it - but yes I'll be tipping the room person(s) and the butler. It's just what I want to do, besides enjoying the cruise.

We get a nice size suite and plan to use it, that's part of by fun.