Tipping for room service?

Are we expected to tip the server when we have room service?

If so how much?

Thanks

No need.

Depends on the service. We have had both really good and really bad. As a general rule, we tend to tip especially when ordering from room service late at night when there are fewer options. Yes it's true that we may be a little more generous late at night due to being tipsy, but the end result is the same: by the end of a cruise when the night staff knows us, we have received hot fresh food orders within 15-20 minutes of ordering instead of having to wait 30-60 minutes due to short staffing. Same thing goes for bars. Tip a little extra up front at the beginning of the cruise and you will find yourself never waiting in a crowd for a drink!

So you are tipping to get a better service rather than to reward one.

David.

Are we expected to tip the server when we have room service?

 

If so how much?

Thanks

I always bring an envelope of one dollar bills for tipping cabin service. I tip $2 for the normal smaller items or $4 when I feel that I've ordered above and beyond the normal. :)

I always bring an envelope of one dollar bills for tipping cabin service. I tip $2 for the normal smaller items or $4 when I feel that I've ordered above and beyond the normal. :)

I do something very similar; $2 if something I've asked for appears reasonably quickly, $4-5 if exceptionally fast!

Having said that, many times the room-service steward has vanished before I've had time to reach for the notes; they really do not expect to be tipped, in my experience.

Sincere best wishes to you :)

As another Cunard newbie, I am happy to hear that we will be right in line with our envelope of ones and fives.:)

On other lines, we usually tip $1 or $2 for coffee early AM or more if we get a meal or late-night snack.

Cheers!

Flash back to one of my earlier QM2 voyages (2008, or maybe 2007):

Hubby filled out the breakfast room service card and hung it on the door. Breakfast delivery time requested between 6:30 and 7 am.

6:35 - knock on the door. Breakfast delivered. The very efficent person who delivered it was gone in seconds. I didn't even have time to open my purse.

So I learned that a tip was not expected.

HOWEVER, in my opinion a gratuity is well deserved for room service.

Have a couple of dollars ready, and say thank you to the hard working person who lugs those trays around the ship.

For goodness sake, if you can't spare a Pound or two, what are you doing spending money on a cruise :eek:

"No need" someone wrote...sounds like a quote from Dickens.

Salacia

It's worth remembering that tipping is not such a cultural norm on the Eastern banks of the Atlantic. And bribing staff for better service is almost a moral sin here.

Hi brigittetom,

 

I do something very similar; $2 if something I've asked for appears reasonably quickly, $4-5 if exceptionally fast!

Having said that, many times the room-service steward has vanished before I've had time to reach for the notes; they really do not expect to be tipped, in my experience.

 

Sincere best wishes to you :)

I have found the same thing.

So you are tipping to get a better service rather than to reward one.

 

David.

Yes, it's bribery and corruption wherever you go :D

I am tipping before as well to get the service staff's attention, on a ship and more often on a hotel holiday.

I think it is the most normal thing in the world to tip for an extra service, and it is better to have some Dollars ready before the steward arrives and has had a chance to disappear quickly.

Yes, it's bribery and corruption wherever you go :D

 

 

 

I am tipping before as well to get the service staff's attention, on a ship and more often on a hotel holiday.

 

 

 

I think it is the most normal thing in the world to tip for an extra service, and it is better to have some Dollars ready before the steward arrives and has had a chance to disappear quickly.

Do you get a refund if the service turns out lousy?

David.

Do you get a refund if the service turns out lousy?

 

 

David.

I never had lousy service on a Cunard ship. Should this be the case, I would present it to the purser's desk.

We gave a tip as has been recommended and you could tell it was very much appreciated.

Keith

It's worth remembering that tipping is not such a cultural norm on the Eastern banks of the Atlantic. And bribing staff for better service is almost a moral sin here.

I understand that tipping customs differ, but I think what we all need to focus on is not what our "norms" are when we are at home, but rather what the custom is on board cruise ships - and in particular, what the custom is (and has been) on Cunard ships.

I understand that tipping customs differ, but I think what we all need to focus on is not what our "norms" are when we are at home, but rather what the custom is on board cruise ships - and in particular, what the custom is (and has been) on Cunard ships.

Agreed.

We typically have room service for breakfast, it always comes on time and the service has been great. I bring lots of singles and generally tip $2 or $3 depending....

Flash back to one of my earlier QM2 voyages (2008, or maybe 2007):

Hubby filled out the breakfast room service card and hung it on the door. Breakfast delivery time requested between 6:30 and 7 am.

6:35 - knock on the door. Breakfast delivered. The very efficent person who delivered it was gone in seconds. I didn't even have time to open my purse.

 

So I learned that a tip was not expected.

 

HOWEVER, in my opinion a gratuity is well deserved for room service.

 

Have a couple of dollars ready, and say thank you to the hard working person who lugs those trays around the ship.

For goodness sake, if you can't spare a Pound or two, what are you doing spending money on a cruise :eek:

 

"No need" someone wrote...sounds like a quote from Dickens.

 

Salacia

Yes, we always had a few $ to give to room service. On the first Celebrity trip, they screwed up everything! On Celebrity they do have "extra cost" items. Similar to ordering from the Grills room service card. Celebrity room service called us asking how everything was. Well I told them. The charges were removed & afterwards every future order went without a hitch.

We gave a tip as has been recommended and you could tell it was very much appreciated.

 

Keith

We agree here....we tip each time we ask for room service....The look of appreciation is worth it alone....

Flash back to one of my earlier QM2 voyages (2008, or maybe 2007):

Hubby filled out the breakfast room service card and hung it on the door. Breakfast delivery time requested between 6:30 and 7 am.

6:35 - knock on the door. Breakfast delivered. The very efficent person who delivered it was gone in seconds. I didn't even have time to open my purse.

 

So I learned that a tip was not expected.

 

HOWEVER, in my opinion a gratuity is well deserved for room service.

 

Have a couple of dollars ready, and say thank you to the hard working person who lugs those trays around the ship.

For goodness sake, if you can't spare a Pound or two, what are you doing spending money on a cruise :eek:

 

"No need" someone wrote...sounds like a quote from Dickens.

 

Salacia

Totally agree! If u order room service..u expect someone to come...so have a dollar or two ready! There are times when milk or something missing..but I never expect a refund!!

If we decide to tip extra (in addition to the standard gratuities) is $1 appreciated or is that so little that it doesn't matter/is an insult? Perhaps "insult" is not the correct word. I guess I'm wondering if I had some singles to hand out to drink stewards, bartenders, room service servers; would that be a nice thing to do or is it better to do $2-$5+ or nothing? Even though it isn't necessary, I get embarrassed when I tip too little.

(Sorry if this makes no sense... I'm still working on my first cup of coffee)

Years ago in Australia tipping was definitely not the thing. It was the same in Japan where to offer a tip was regarded as an insult. I've not been back to either place for some years now so I expect they are the same as everywhere else.

MM

Tipping is definitely not expected although I'm sure it is welcome. Personally, and I appreciate this is probably more of a British thing, I don't tip for room service and have never had a problem. The staff are always pleasant and don't wait for a tip.

You're free to do as you wish :)

I have to admit I wouldn't dream of tipping for my early morning tea/coffee on a Cunard ship. I believe this service is covered under my Hotel/dining service charge which I never remove. However, I do offer a small tip if I order something like a light meal or something very late in the evening ( when I've staggered out of the G2) ;)

The reason I don't often tip for a room service tray on 'Cunard' is that the service staff also work in the main dining rooms, occasionally they are on rotation for a few hours ( particularly early mornings) for room service duties. It's not uncommon to find your own table waiter ( evenings Britannia) delivering your wake up tea.

I've just returned from a trip on Holland & America were I did tip room service. In conversation with the crew member who delivered the early morning tea, I understand those guys are always on room service duties throughout the entire day and evenings. These guys are junior crew members who do not work in the main dinning rooms, so they only receive a 'small percentage' of the Hotel & dining gratuities.

Our first ever crossing is in 9 days.

We will leave auto gratuities on and we will tip for services.

We are on holiday and I can't be bothered to overthink this subject.

Smile people , smile 😉😉