Bartenders & Tips

[dual]

Just a question on tipping the bar staff.

 

Do the same staff work the same bars each day/night? and if you tip extra.....do the bar staff ever give you any "free" drinks or "lovely" portions?? :)

 

Also - do you tip extra with every drink you order? Is that the done thing?

 

Many thanks

[geojobes]

I give the bartender cash (a buck or two) & tell him/her that I drink Rum & Coke....not Coke & Rum. They get the hint, I get a good drink (easily a double) & they get a buck or two. Works great.

[cruiserbryce]

free drinks...not su much...lovely portions we have had if we have tipped well in the past

[msjaxson]

also nice when you tip a barserver a little extra up front.. you can be in a crowded show...or captains party and they will get your drink first...

[cb at sea]

We've NEVER tipped "upfront", and our drinks are strong enough to walk home on their own. The 15% they add to the bill is ample, but if we frequent a particular bar/bartender, on the last night, we will give them a little "sumpin'" extra.... If they put anymore alcohol in the drink, they'd need a bigger glass.....they are VERY generous with the portions!

 

We've never waited to be served or had bad service due to NOT tipping in advance...it's just not necessary.

[msjaxson]

no i've never had bad service or a weak drink either .. but it has been nice to walk into the captains nite and have "my" waiter bring me my drink of choice without asking :D...

[FreewayFortune]

I've never had a lot of drinks on my cruises but every so often I'll get the drink of the day or a mojito. Really I find just being friendly gets me a good drink. On a cruise a few years ago I went to the juice bar everyday for a smoothie and on the last day I got a free smoothie.

 

I agree that bartenders will often look after you for extra tips but they are often quite friendly and just saying hi and being friendly help too. On one cruise I met a great bartender on the first day and chatted with him everyday for the rest of the cruise. He didn't care that I rarely ordered anything and I know this because everyday he would make it a point to come and talk to me for a few minutes. Maybe it's just a Trinidad thing though because the other people I know from there are super friendly too:):)

[nolimits]

We had a pool server who was tipped well he brought us buckets of beer 4/5 couples at one point he didnt ask for cards We had thougt they were comps tipped more naturaly .when leaving pool ran into another couple who had sent the 2 buckets over.Buy backs are not policy.Tipping is for good service.