Tipping--All Cash??

[greenie]

In what form do you/can you tip the concierge and butler? Is it customary to do it in cash? I need to know in case I have to plan on having several hundred in cash on the cruise ...

[shoreguy]

In what form do you/can you tip the concierge and butler? Is it customary to do it in cash? I need to know in case I have to plan on having several hundred in cash on the cruise ...

 

Cash is the normal tipping method.

[UKAllan]

We are going on the Sun so will not need to tip - unless it is extraordinary service and above and beyond the call of duty. How much should you tip?

[newmexicoNita]

Tipping is a very personal matter and no one can decide for you, but I will give you our guidelines: If we have reason to use the conceirge we tip according to what he/she has done for us. On the Sea a few months ago Carlos was at our beckin call: we gave him $50 as did the other 2 couples we were cruising with. In the past we have given $20 if all they did was make reservations for us a couple of times. As for anything above the usually $10 a day, we usually give our cabin steward about $20 extra for the week. Of course if you have kids don't forget the camp counselors. We also leave about $10 when dining in the alternative dining rooms. Always this is in cash, but some like to give phone cards as well. I think this is a great idea, I just never think of buying them before we leave home.

 

NMNita

[artistsj]

How many 120 minute phone cards should I but for a 7 day cruise? Who likes to recieve these. I do realize these people may be away from home for months at a time. ATT phone cards would be thoughful.

[smeyer418]

see this thread

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=127599

 

In my opinion use cash.

 

Also remember that you can always get cash in the casino charged to your credit card as a purchase not a cash advance....

[hotspur]

Would you leave a phone-card as a tip at a restaurant? Or give one to the maitre d' at a nice restaurant for giving you a prized table? Or to the concierge at a first-class hotel for getting sold-out concert tickets?

 

Why give anything but cash?

[greenie]

I think cash is better, too. My only concern was having to have that much extra cash with me--and I was thinking maybe there was a card you could mark the amount on and they would add it to your bill by way of your final bill/credit card. Now that I think about it more, though, that wouldn't be ideal--I'd want to be sure the tips were really going to who I wanted them to go to!

[newmexicoNita]

I think cash is better, too. My only concern was having to have that much extra cash with me--and I was thinking maybe there was a card you could mark the amount on and they would add it to your bill by way of your final bill/credit card. Now that I think about it more, though, that wouldn't be ideal--I'd want to be sure the tips were really going to who I wanted them to go to!

 

 

yes, you do need to do whatever directly to the individual. Any other way will result in the money going to the pool. As for phone cards i have heard the crew loves them; I don't mean only phone cards or course, but in addition to cash. Whatever you decide, I am sure the staff will be happy. NMNita

[soozee]

I was wondering....does NCL still add $10.00 per person to your account for tips? Is it still possible to adjust this amount? I prefer to tip in cash and to tip as I go.

Waiting for August 7th, 2005 on the Dawn. Just booked so the count down begins.

[shoreguy]

I was wondering....does NCL still add $10.00 per person to your account for tips? Is it still possible to adjust this amount? I prefer to tip in cash and to tip as I go.

Waiting for August 7th, 2005 on the Dawn. Just booked so the count down begins.

 

Yes you can still adjust it. Keep in mind two things if you remove the charge then the crew that gets cash from you is required under their contract to turn it into the pool. It would not be fair for them to keep the cash and get a full share of the pool.

 

Second - you will have to carry cash all the time. You may only see the same wait staff once on your cruise. A better answer leave the charge in place which is very reasonable and drop a few dollars cash on those that make your trip special. I assume you want to remve it so you can be more generous not like most who remove it and don't tip at all or tip at far lower level.

[smeyer418]

you can adjust it until May after that it is mandatory.

[UKAllan]

We are on the Sun sailing 22nd May, is it mandatory then?

[A Sixth?]

I can not think of a worse tip than a phone card.

 

Having put my myself through University in the hospitality business in the 1970's, I can tell you that gift certificates, Mc Donalds meal coupons or free ice cream are no substitute for cash.

 

Nuff said

[wannacruisealot]

I agree, I think CASH is what they would rather have. Then they could decide what they want to buy or not to buy.:rolleyes:

[Tomct]

I can not think of a worse tip than a phone card.

 

Having put my myself through University in the hospitality business in the 1970's, I can tell you that gift certificates, Mc Donalds meal coupons or free ice cream are no substitute for cash.

 

Nuff said

 

How about zero!!!

 

We like to give phone cards as an ADDITIONAL gift to some folks who have served us well, we got to know (ie their family back home, etc), and where we have researched which cards can be used on their itinerary.

 

You sound like an appreciative person!

[Tomct]

Would you leave a phone-card as a tip at a restaurant? Or give one to the maitre d' at a nice restaurant for giving you a prized table? Or to the concierge at a first-class hotel for getting sold-out concert tickets?

 

Why give anything but cash?

 

We are generous with our tipping, as we can not believe how hard these folks work so we can enjoy ourselves. That said, we also have given phone cards to cabin stewards and waitstaff that we have gotten to know a little bit. We have not given them to other personnel, as we feel the lower levels of the chain would be more appreciative and actually more deserving of a little extra reward.

 

I generally pick up a package of cards at Sam's Club, not very expensive, and usually provide 120 min. before penalties and surcharges. Since we tend to revisit restaurants we like, we often get to know a little about the waitpersons, and of course our cabin steward. If we sense the individulal would be appreciative of a card or two, it's a done deal. We've gotten some warm responses from our little extra gift, and do not sense any "expected" expression of appreciation. More than a few times they have told us they had called home and were able to talk to their family and specifically their children. Before we hand any out, we make sure they will be able to use them on that particular itinerary. Both our stewards used them on our most recent cruise, and those responses led to a couple more cars upon our debarkation. One of them also left us a small gift, so I guess we did OK in her book.

 

Another factor I like about the cards, is that no matter what the staff must do with their tips, like pooling, it's difficult to pool a phone card!!

 

I've heard and read all the comments about how they would prefer cash over a card or anything else, but in my case, it's purely extra, and a cheap, relatively worthless, inconsiderate gift of a phone cards beats zero the last time I checked.