Tipping for Room Service

Hi, I wanted to get some feedback/guidance from regular cruisers. We often order room service (especially for breakfast, sometimes for lunch/dinner, and sometimes for afternoon cheese plates, etc.). How much do you usually give the food delivery person each time? I'm trying to figure out how much cash to pack for all kinds of tips for our upcoming cruise (I know that we pay tips at the end through our onboard account, but when someone specifically serves me, especially room service, I like to give a little cash in the moment). Thanks for your help! :)

In the morning when it is only coffee & tea - $2.00

On the rare occasion that we order in something for dinner off regular room service menu normally $5.00

For us we like tipping. Breakfast will be anywhere between 2.00-4.00. Dinner we order off of MDR menu and always 5.00.

But that is us.

Thank you for even considering tipping. They do so much for us and they genuinely so appreciate it!

Denise😄

When you tip, it's a good idea to place the tip in the slot on the door that holds the Privacy Please / We Are Disturbed sign. That way, you're not rooting around for your tip when your order arrives.*

"This only works for paper bills. If you're tipping with coins, they'll get stuck in the slot.

... put us in the $2-$4 for breakfast and $5 for dinner tipping crowd.

Rod

One of the great pleasures on a cruise is seeing their eyes light up when you tip with room service! I have a feeling many don't tip so they are so pleased.

Unless it is a large order, a $1/person gratutity is sufficient, in my opinion.

There is no need, unless one wishes to do so, to take large sums of cash with you. The Front Office will cash Traveler's Checks as well as large bills when one needs more cash. Cash advances on one's credit cards are also available, I think. But, I never would do that unless it was an emergency.

I'm ashamed to say we never tipped the room service guys before. I had thought it was all part of the hotel service charge.

We plan on correcting this for our upcoming cruise, ~$5 per order

... put us in the $2-$4 for breakfast and $5 for dinner tipping crowd.

 

Rod

Include us in that as well!

LuLu

When you tip, it's a good idea to place the tip in the slot on the door that holds the Privacy Please / We Are Disturbed sign. That way, you're not rooting around for your tip when your order arrives.*

 

"This only works for paper bills. If you're tipping with coins, they'll get stuck in the slot.

The servers are pretty good; if they see you are rooting around, looking for cash, they make a point of deliberately going over the tray, comparing it with the request card until the rooter is finished. Also, if one of the two in the room are rather ill prepared for company - discretion at it's finest.

Smooth Sailing! :) :) :)

A few bucks in normal for breakfast.

A larger meal such as dinner deserves a minimum of $5.00.

I had thought it was all part of the hotel service charge...

We almost always order room service breakfast. I come on board with a stack of $1s, and I always put the tip on the desk the night before so I can give it promptly. On our last cruise we had the same waiter almost every morning and one day there was a beautiful origami butterfly on the tray, he said to brighten my day! (I still have it) I do think they appreciate a little extra in addition to the autotip.

Karen

We almost always order room service breakfast. I come on board with a stack of $1s, and I always put the tip on the desk the night before so I can give it promptly. On our last cruise we had the same waiter almost every morning and one day there was a beautiful origami butterfly on the tray, he said to brighten my day! (I still have it) I do think they appreciate a little extra in addition to the autotip.

 

Karen

Thank kind of attention/service would warrant an extra amount if one had the same Steward each morning, particularly on the last day of service.

... put us in the $2-$4 for breakfast and $5 for dinner tipping crowd.

 

Rod

Us also - plus we also tip about $2-4 for laundry delivery.

We keep a stash of $1 bills in the closet closest to the door so it is easy to grab.

We almost always order room service breakfast. I come on board with a stack of $1s, and I always put the tip on the desk the night before so I can give it promptly. On our last cruise we had the same waiter almost every morning and one day there was a beautiful origami butterfly on the tray, he said to brighten my day! (I still have it) I do think they appreciate a little extra in addition to the autotip.

 

Karen

That really sweet :).

We almost always order room service breakfast. I come on board with a stack of $1s, and I always put the tip on the desk the night before so I can give it promptly.

 

I do think they appreciate a little extra in addition to the autotip.

 

Karen

When I go to the bank the week before we leave for my stack of "tip $1's, $5's, and $10's", the regular tellers all want to know where we're cruising to this time. :)

I do the same thing with the $$ before we go to bed the night before.

For Coffee and juice I do $2

For a full breakfast I do $3-4

For afternoon cheese tray $2

we don't do lunch or dinner in the cabin - but I think I'd feel $5 would work for me.

For early AM coffee /tea or late afternoon cheese platter / late night snack : $1.00

Full breakfast / Full lunch (heavier trays): $2.00

We've never done 3-4 course dinners. I'd imagine $3-4 would be appropriate.

Be aware that your paying a daily service charge per person dependent on your category of accommodation.

Bottom line: take $50-100 (dependent on your cruise length) in singles to cover room service delivery folks, foreign tour drivers & baggage handlers, etc.

A buck or two still comes in handy.

Bon Voyage & Good Health!

Bob:)

I never mind tipping for room service on HAL's ships as I feel that it is a service that HAL does really well and I never want it to change or end. Being able to enjoy a full meal on our balcony whilst sailing is part of the cruise experience for us and I hope it never changes.

Be forewarned though: those room service attendants are in and out so quickly that you have to stop them to provide them with a tip. I always have my tip in my hand when I answer the door so I can give them the tip when they are on their way out of the cabin.

if you do not carry small bills with you when you start the cruise just go to the casino cashier. much faster than waiting at the pursers desk. since I am a casino rat I make sure I have 10 dollars in one dollar chips and 25 in five dollar chips for tips. I agree, two for coffee service and five for breakfast.

Us also - plus we also tip about $2-4 for laundry delivery.

 

We keep a stash of $1 bills in the closet closest to the door so it is easy to grab.

Oh My I've never tipped for laundry delivery, as it's normally there when we get back from a day out of the cabin & nor4mally it's our Cabin Steward, who delivers it..

For A.M. coffee & juice we tip $2.00 & for a lunch in the cabin will also tip $5.00..

When we were both ill & confined to quarters on the Prinsendam, we tipped at the end, since they delivered all of our meals to us for three days.. That was the only time we had dinner in the cabin.. They always came into the cabin with masks on, even to clean it & we stayed away from them as much as we could..

For me it is usually a $1-2 for smaller orders and $3-5 for a larger order.

It is such a nice thing to see that genuine appreciation of the tip.

Oh My I've never tipped for laundry delivery, as it's normally there when we get back from a day out of the cabin & nor4mally it's our Cabin Steward, who delivers it..

..

Ditto. We are never in the cabin when the laundry is delivered.

We order a lot of room service breakfasts, $3 tip for that. Sometimes afternoon shrimp cocktail -- $1, and on the rare occasion we get room service dinner, $5.

Of course, people are just making THIER suggestions and it's your own discretion. No tipping is required for room services or anything else as the standard daily fee charged to your account per person per day covers it ALL.

I often like to sit in a lounge and only want to drink ice water which is free...but i always make sure to tip the server...not sure if she/he puts the cash in their pocket or somehow shares it but it sure seems to be appreciated.

also always tip room service at least a couple of bucks.....