Is there a guideline for tipping the concierge in the suite lounge??

I have been in a few suites on the Oasis class ships, and wondered how much to tip them. Lets say they booked us the comedy club and 2 dinner reservations? I know tipping is suggestive and a volatile subject, but since this is the way I like to travel, and may meet up with the same ones again, I would not like to be thought of as the cheap skate. Last cruise I gave them each $40.00. What do you think?

That hits the number we use!

I think that's fine. You're not asking them to do a lot.

We tip from 0 to 100 depending what they do, I agree 40 sounds fair .

Great!! Next cruise Oasis 9/2/18 for 2 weeks in a suite, can't wait!

Great!! Next cruise Oasis 9/2/18 for 2 weeks in a suite, can't wait!

Awesome, enjoy!

We are staying in a suite for the first time on the Brilliance. We have prepaid gratuities on our account to make sure everyone is covered but will be adding more to those we have more contact with. I hadn't thought about concierge service, I'm an idiot...

Our past cruises, we had tipped our stateroom attendant and dining room servers additional money since they all had gone above and beyond for us.

So this cruise, we will be adding tips to

our concierge team

stateroom attendant

and of course any bartending

We have My Time Dining, how would tipping work? And have I forgotten anyone?

Sorry if this post isn't very clear or if I'm rambling on, recovering from surgery and brain is still a little foggy lol! Thanks all!

We tip from 0 to 100 depending what they do, I agree 40 sounds fair .

They said $40 each. I think $40 total would be fine for the services provided.

Our past cruises, we had tipped our stateroom attendant and dining room servers additional money since they all had gone above and beyond for us.

 

So this cruise, we will be adding tips to

our concierge team

stateroom attendant

and of course any bartending

 

We have My Time Dining, how would tipping work? And have I forgotten anyone?

Concierge lounge bartenders: average $1 per drink. Tip nightly or at the end. Concierge: tip based on personal service.

Stateroom attendant: I add $20 if I request daily ice.

Bartending: as you see fit.

My time dining: I have never tipped extra as the servers varied, and the time we had regular servers, they stunk. I suppose that if you have the same team nightly and they are amazing, you could add extra at the end, but it's not necessary. One night we did had an amazing server/assistant and we did tip them extra that night as they really worked hard. Other nights, with meh servers, we left nothing.

I’m just trying to figure this out since I’ll be in a GS for the first time next month. You tip $40 to each concierge for making a comedy club reservation and a couple of dinner ressies? I get that’s how they make a living, but that just seems like a lot of $ for what takes 5 mins at the most. Am I missing something? If that’s the standard, do I even need to interact with the concierge? I already have my comedy club ressie. I don’t tip the person I call to make a dinner reservation so I don’t get it.

If I want to go to CK for dinner, I have to make a reservation. It’s not available to book online for Allure, so I have to tip money to get me a reservation for CK??? This just doesn’t make sense to me. I could do this is 2 minutes if it was online.

Concierge lounge bartenders: average $1 per drink. Tip nightly or at the end. Concierge: tip based on personal service.

 

Stateroom attendant: I add $20 if I request daily ice.

 

Bartending: as you see fit.

 

My time dining: I have never tipped extra as the servers varied, and the time we had regular servers, they stunk. I suppose that if you have the same team nightly and they are amazing, you could add extra at the end, but it's not necessary. One night we did had an amazing server/assistant and we did tip them extra that night as they really worked hard. Other nights, with meh servers, we left nothing.

Thanks for the info!! This is very helpful!! :D

I’m just trying to figure this out since I’ll be in a GS for the first time next month. You tip $40 to each concierge for making a comedy club reservation and a couple of dinner ressies? I get that’s how they make a living, but that just seems like a lot of $ for what takes 5 mins at the most. Am I missing something? If that’s the standard, do I even need to interact with the concierge? I already have my comedy club ressie. I don’t tip the person I call to make a dinner reservation so I don’t get it.

If I want to go to CK for dinner, I have to make a reservation. It’s not available to book online for Allure, so I have to tip money to get me a reservation for CK??? This just doesn’t make sense to me. I could do this is 2 minutes if it was online.

I agree with you. I typically don't use the ship's concierge when cruising in a suite but $40 seems high for a few minutes (seconds??) of work. On land, I would tip a hotel concierge if I used one to get me into a NYC performance of Hamilton at the last minute or reservations to the hot new restaurant that's been booked solid for months - but on a cruise they hold back a number of reservations for suite passengers to make when they get on the ship, so I doubt any mountains need to be moved, or strings pulled for suite passenger reservations in the ships' comedy club.

The tiping advice on this site has gotten a little out of hand. Someone sets the bar high and implies that anything below the bar is "cheap" and that cruise ship workers aren't able to feed their families unless everyone tips that high amount. Tip how you want to tip - it's your business. There's no tipping "leader board" on cruise ships - you don't have to answer to anyone.

They said $40 each. I think $40 total would be fine for the services provided.

I agree, but if they want to give extra it’s up to them, as we all know some people never tip and some over tip

Back to the issue of concierge tipping, specifically.

Momofmab and 1992cruiser:

You are not tipping just for the "dinner reservations" or "comedy club reservations". That's part of it - particularly comedy club, because when you don't make pre-cruise reservations, they can be full.

The concierge is in charge of the Concierge or Suite Lounge (depending on which ship you are on). S/He oversees and supervises everyone and everything that goes on there. S/He often is part of setting up, breaking down and serving some of the food there. S/He makes sure that the Lounge is a place that you want to be. So if you enjoy what the Lounge offers, thank the concierge.

:)

I’m just trying to figure this out since I’ll be in a GS for the first time next month. You tip $40 to each concierge for making a comedy club reservation and a couple of dinner ressies? I get that’s how they make a living, but that just seems like a lot of $ for what takes 5 mins at the most. Am I missing something? If that’s the standard, do I even need to interact with the concierge? I already have my comedy club ressie. I don’t tip the person I call to make a dinner reservation so I don’t get it.

If I want to go to CK for dinner, I have to make a reservation. It’s not available to book online for Allure, so I have to tip money to get me a reservation for CK??? This just doesn’t make sense to me. I could do this is 2 minutes if it was online.

I agree that seems excessive and we are generous tippers. You could make your own CK reservations when you get onboard. Unless you have an issue on the ship or want her help with something else, no need to use the concierge except for walk off the ship. For that, I would tip $5 pp.

I agree with you.

 

The tiping advice on this site has gotten a little out of hand. Someone sets the bar high and implies that anything below the bar is "cheap" and that cruise ship workers aren't able to feed their families unless everyone tips that high amount. Tip how you want to tip - it's your business. There's no tipping "leader board" on cruise ships - you don't have to answer to anyone.

Too true. Royal sets the tipping standard and most of us follow that. Then we add a dollar for most drinks, on top of the Royal imposed SC. Then we tip a little more to our waiters and cabin steward. Then the concierge if you are Diamond or in a suite with lounge access. Finally, those in Star Class are expected to tip their Genies and from what I have read here on CC, the going rate is $100 per night, though some say per person per night.

My philosophy is we always leave SC in place and give extra as we want to those who make our cruise more enjoyable.

Back to the issue of concierge tipping, specifically.

 

Momofmab and 1992cruiser:

 

You are not tipping just for the "dinner reservations" or "comedy club reservations". That's part of it - particularly comedy club, because when you don't make pre-cruise reservations, they can be full.

 

The concierge is in charge of the Concierge or Suite Lounge (depending on which ship you are on). S/He oversees and supervises everyone and everything that goes on there. S/He often is part of setting up, breaking down and serving some of the food there. S/He makes sure that the Lounge is a place that you want to be. So if you enjoy what the Lounge offers, thank the concierge.

 

:)

I completely agree. We too don't ask much of the Concierge at all, but boy do they come through on the few things we do ask (OK, not on Moscato in the CL). We factor this in before departure as part of the cost of the trip.

We're not in the buck-a-drink group, but we will make sure the servers in the lounge are taken care of. Also, a little up front on the first night also reap dividends if, say, your server also runs the Casino bar when the CL's not open.... yeah, who says the drinks in the Casino aren't free ;) ?

We usually stay in suites. We tip the concierge any where from $20 - $100. We tipped $20 when we really didn't ask them to do anything, but as stated above they do help with set up etc. in the suite lounge and make our cruise enjoyable. The times I have tipped $100 is when they arranged cocktail parties and appetizers in our suite.

We usually tip the bartenders each day about $1 per drink. Sometimes the bartenders will be different each night that is why we tip nightly.

We usually tip the bartenders each day about $1 per drink. Sometimes the bartenders will be different each night that is why we tip nightly.

I'm pretty sure the CL/DL bartenders pool their tips. I've asked on the last few cruises because I usually tip nightly and sometimes one bartender makes you 1 drink and the other one makes you 3. I didn't want to tip the wrong server all of the money.

Back to the issue of concierge tipping, specifically.

 

Momofmab and 1992cruiser:

 

You are not tipping just for the "dinner reservations" or "comedy club reservations". That's part of it - particularly comedy club, because when you don't make pre-cruise reservations, they can be full.

 

The concierge is in charge of the Concierge or Suite Lounge (depending on which ship you are on). S/He oversees and supervises everyone and everything that goes on there. S/He often is part of setting up, breaking down and serving some of the food there. S/He makes sure that the Lounge is a place that you want to be. So if you enjoy what the Lounge offers, thank the concierge.

 

:)

I agree and will usually tip at least $20 even if the concierge has not 'done' anything for me specifically. I have found that they, usually, at least offer to help with things and sometimes they will send an extra bottle of wine or something to the room so it warrants some amount of tip. I rarely tip nothing but I have done when the concierge has not even been friendly.

I have been tipping $25 each for the DL and CL concierge. I usually ask nothing of them. The CL always makes sure I have my luggage tags ahead of time. I tip one $ per drink wherever on the ship I get my drinks — usually Sprite Zero or water. Unless there is VERY bad service in the dining room, I tip $20 - $25 each for the servers. I can only think of two times that I didn’t do that and just left the automatic gratuities in place. Stateroom attendant usually gets $25.

There are those who would say that I under tip, those who would say that I over tip. But these are the amounts that are good for me at this time. Katherine

We are staying in a suite for the first time on the Brilliance. We have prepaid gratuities on our account to make sure everyone is covered but will be adding more to those we have more contact with. I hadn't thought about concierge service, I'm an idiot...

 

 

Our past cruises, we had tipped our stateroom attendant and dining room servers additional money since they all had gone above and beyond for us.

 

 

So this cruise, we will be adding tips to

our concierge team

stateroom attendant

and of course any bartending

 

 

We have My Time Dining, how would tipping work? And have I forgotten anyone?

 

 

Sorry if this post isn't very clear or if I'm rambling on, recovering from surgery and brain is still a little foggy lol! Thanks all!

Not an idiot, just not familiar with a concierge yet.

I’m just trying to figure this out since I’ll be in a GS for the first time next month. You tip $40 to each concierge for making a comedy club reservation and a couple of dinner ressies? I get that’s how they make a living, but that just seems like a lot of $ for what takes 5 mins at the most. Am I missing something? If that’s the standard, do I even need to interact with the concierge? I already have my comedy club ressie. I don’t tip the person I call to make a dinner reservation so I don’t get it.

If I want to go to CK for dinner, I have to make a reservation. It’s not available to book online for Allure, so I have to tip money to get me a reservation for CK??? This just doesn’t make sense to me. I could do this is 2 minutes if it was online.

I also agree 40.00 is a lot for 3 reservations. I would probably tip 20.00 to 25.00 for that. The are included in the tip pool. If you don't interact with them then I wouldn't tip at all. Some people are big spenders and others aren't. Just go with what you feel the service was worth. If they did more than just make a phone call then I would tip more for their work.

I agree with you. I typically don't use the ship's concierge when cruising in a suite but $40 seems high for a few minutes (seconds??) of work. On land, I would tip a hotel concierge if I used one to get me into a NYC performance of Hamilton at the last minute or reservations to the hot new restaurant that's been booked solid for months - but on a cruise they hold back a number of reservations for suite passengers to make when they get on the ship, so I doubt any mountains need to be moved, or strings pulled for suite passenger reservations in the ships' comedy club.

 

The tiping advice on this site has gotten a little out of hand. Someone sets the bar high and implies that anything below the bar is "cheap" and that cruise ship workers aren't able to feed their families unless everyone tips that high amount. Tip how you want to tip - it's your business. There's no tipping "leader board" on cruise ships - you don't have to answer to anyone.

(y) (y) (y)

I have been tipping $25 each for the DL and CL concierge. I usually ask nothing of them. The CL always makes sure I have my luggage tags ahead of time. I tip one $ per drink wherever on the ship I get my drinks — usually Sprite Zero or water. Unless there is VERY bad service in the dining room, I tip $20 - $25 each for the servers. I can only think of two times that I didn’t do that and just left the automatic gratuities in place. Stateroom attendant usually gets $25.

 

There are those who would say that I under tip, those who would say that I over tip. But these are the amounts that are good for me at this time. Katherine

You bring up a good point. I, too, float between the CL and DL so I tip in both lounges as I usually split my time each night

in both. Also, I tip the Chops team for serving me breakfast each morning.

I usually budget $10 A day for bar and concierge tips. I tip $1 each drink and whatever is left from the $10 goes for the concierge. I tip the concierge on the last night the accumulation of each days remainder of the $10s. If I spend time in both lounges I try to distribute proportionately.

I also believe they are hosting me and managing the lounge and supervising the bar staff. So, whether or not they make reservations for me they get tipped.