Tipping Help

First, this is not a thread about If I should or shouldn't tip extra. We are tippers, just how it is. I have read lots of tipping threads ( including the most recent about room service so I have my answer on that). I am starting to finalize most of my plans for our upcoming Med cruise in Sept (which I have considered doing a "Live From" thread but am slightly intimated by some of the 'so good' ones and being new to this, a little unsure....but I really enjoy reading them so I figure others do too!). I am wanting to go ahead and get some some bills together and am bringing my thank you cards (thanks for that tip, POA). I need a little guidance in order to make sure I being enough and do not overlook people. We are on the 12-day Med and here's some of the ones I need suggestions on amounts and when to give it. Room Stewards, NS concierge, MDR (will probably eat 5-7 times), Specialtly Restaurants (should I do this on the night we eat and how much?), Cabana, Wine Steward (we will purchase a wine pkg). I know I will tip the spa staff as I go and due to the helpful thread today on Room Service have that one covered. Am I missing anyone? Im sure this can add up, hence the desire to be prepared and go ahead and get it covered. Thanks in advance for any and all help!

Tanya

We have always given our tips in envelopes on the last night we will see the people who have given us service. When dining in the specialty restaurants, we tip that night - the amount is up to you. I could tell you amounts but it depends on whether or not the service matched or exceeded your expectations. All tips are given in US dollars as it is the currency on the ship.

Smooth Sailing! :) :) :)

We also pass out extra tips on the last day/night of the cruise.

Specialty restaurants -- we do the night that we are there.

You don't have to try and bring a big wad of bills. We bring hundreds and get change either at the front desk or in the Neptune Lounge.

Since you are asking about the concierges, am assuming you are in a Neptune Suite or over and will be having breakfast in the Pinnacle?

If that is the case, we tend to tip the night of our dinners in the PG and then tip at the end for our service for breakfast. We have also done it all at the end once (forgot the tip money).

It is not required of course, but if your service is anything like we have had on both the Westerdam and the Prinsendam, you will probably find yourself wanting to do it.

This isn't really tipping advice, per se - but we always make it a point to tell our MDR stewards if we won't be be with them the following night because of specialty dining or other plans. This really only applies to fixed dining, where you'd have the same servers each night. We also let our wine steward know, because we use his/her services extensively.

We've had a number of waiters thank us for the heads up over the years, so we're pretty sure it's appreciated.

This isn't really tipping advice, per se - but we always make it a point to tell our MDR stewards if we won't be be with them the following night because of specialty dining or other plans. This really only applies to fixed dining, where you'd have the same servers each night. We also let our wine steward know, because we use his/her services extensively.

 

We've had a number of waiters thank us for the heads up over the years, so we're pretty sure it's appreciated.

POA1 - That is a very thoughtful gesture and one that I will adopt as my own ... with appropriate attribution to you, of course.

Thanks for the suggestion and smooth sailing,

Rod

We have always given our tips in envelopes on the last night we will see the people who have given us service. When dining in the specialty restaurants, we tip that night - the amount is up to you. I could tell you amounts but it depends on whether or not the service matched or exceeded your expectations. All tips are given in US dollars as it is the currency on the ship.

 

Smooth Sailing! :) :) :)

I bolded your last statement, since the poster is taking a Med cruise.. IMO it is not necessary to tip in dollars, the poster could also tip in Euros, which many do..

POA1 - That is a very thoughtful gesture and one that I will adopt as my own ... with appropriate attribution to you, of course.

 

Thanks for the suggestion and smooth sailing,

 

Rod

Thanks, but you certainly don't have to give me credit. I just thought it's a nice thing to do. Doubly so if you are dining with other people besides your own party. You don't want them to sit around waiting for you when you're not going to be there.

I bolded your last statement, since the poster is taking a Med cruise.. IMO it is not necessary to tip in dollars, the poster could also tip in Euros, which many do..

We, more often than not , use Euros to tip. You can use either currency.

This isn't really tipping advice, per se - but we always make it a point to tell our MDR stewards if we won't be be with them the following night because of specialty dining or other plans. This really only applies to fixed dining, where you'd have the same servers each night. We also let our wine steward know, because we use his/her services extensively.

 

We've had a number of waiters thank us for the heads up over the years, so we're pretty sure it's appreciated.

We do the same. It's only polite and common courtesy IMO and that way they aren't waiting and wondering. We do the same with our tablemates if we are sharing a table so they don't wait for us to start.

I think it is really appreciated by the expressions I've seen from the staff :)

Since you are asking about the concierges, am assuming you are in a Neptune Suite or over and will be having breakfast in the Pinnacle?

 

If that is the case, we tend to tip the night of our dinners in the PG and then tip at the end for our service for breakfast. We have also done it all at the end once (forgot the tip money).

 

It is not required of course, but if your service is anything like we have had on both the Westerdam and the Prinsendam, you will probably find yourself wanting to do it.

We are....and thank you for reminding me about the PG breakfast staff.....didn't have that one on my list!

Tipping in euros is a good idea if the ship will be in the Med for a while as the staff can use these on shore. They have the same exchange rates we do either on the ship or on shore. The ship's currency is US dollars which can be obtained at the front desk.