How much extra do you tip if you are in a Penthouse Suite?

[islandgirlejfan]

The tipping in suites is very confusing and it would really be nice if a *suggested* amount would be in place like it is on other lines such as Celebrity. There are no guidelines in place and then when you read CC you start to feel like you either tipped too much or not enough because the tipping is all over the place. It would be nice if cruisers were given an idea of expectations. On this last cruise, I used Celebrity's suggested amount as a guideline and adjusted from there. The butler brings your snacks and stocks your coffeemaker everyday. That deserves the minimum and from there I adjust for things I ask him to do, or not to do such as he decorated the room and brought a cake for my hubby's birthday while we were snorkeling in Tortola....I felt that was just over and above. We used the concierge very little and from what I see here, we tipped way more than we probably should have. As I told our PCC, we mainly book the suite because we enjoy breakfast and lunch in Cagneys. I'm in a very busy atmosphere day in and day out and I enjoy the peace that I get on a cruise and sitting on my aft balcony and dining in Cagneys add to my relaxation.

 

As for the butler...he is never going to unpack my clothing!:eek:

[mafig]

 

 

What happened?

[Ericktina]

I just can't imagine doing 2 or 3 meals a day (I also wouldn't have them unpack -- I want to know where everything is) and only tip $100 for the week. They also will be doing the daily snacks in the late afternoon, early evening, various other things and checking with you if you need anything else, etc. The butlers and concierges are for quite a few suites, not just one. You are paying for the suite and the availability of the butler and concierge. NCL states that the butlers and concierges are not in the tipping pool.

We agree with Bobbye--one of the most difficult things you can ask of a butler is to bring meals from different restaurants every night--which is what the poster is suggesting. That is worthy of a VERY generous tip..it is a request seldom made, and requires a LOT of work...and running--to get everything to you while still hot!! How much?? We think 10.00 per person per day is the starting point--no matter how little you ask of them...they are always available to do whatever you ask, so that is worth something...to have dinner from two different restaurants is at least double the usual duties, so the tip should reflect that. When we see these butler tipping questions, we think it will all become clear once the people see how wonderful they are, and WANT to give them a generous tip!!

[Ericktina]

You could be correct. We were in an AC on the Jewel when we had the phone and were inan AD on the Dawn in January when we didn't get one.:confused::confused:

The Dawn has phones only in the forward suites, not in the aft.

[erdoran]

We agree with Bobbye--one of the most difficult things you can ask of a butler is to bring meals from different restaurants every night--which is what the poster is suggesting. That is worthy of a VERY generous tip..it is a request seldom made, and requires a LOT of work...and running--to get everything to you while still hot!! How much?? We think 10.00 per person per day is the starting point--no matter how little you ask of them...they are always available to do whatever you ask, so that is worth something...to have dinner from two different restaurants is at least double the usual duties, so the tip should reflect that. When we see these butler tipping questions, we think it will all become clear once the people see how wonderful they are, and WANT to give them a generous tip!!

 

I get your point about the meals-but I still wonder about tipping for "they are always available to do whatever you ask, so that is worth something" - isn't at least that portion of the service PAID FOR in the much higher price of the suite?

[sunshine nana]

To explain our disappointment with our concierge on embarkation and disembarkation. We paid quite a bit more to upsell from our aft balcony to an AE for 2 reasons: eating at Cagney's which was the BEST food we had and a great way to start the day. We knew we would be able to eat there for breakfast and lunch on all but 2 days. It was great!

The 2nd reason was to have escorted embarkation BEFORE the general crowd. We were the first people in the suite embarkation area (about 11 am). When the suite passengers were allowed to embark, the concierge did it by price of suite. Since we were in an AE, we and another couple were the last to go. The others were escorted by the concierge or their butler. We went with a young woman who didn't really know how to get us special service. We went in the general line with the huge crowd.It was no better than we would have had getting there at 11 and checking in with the non-suite cruisers.

The concierge told us late in the week that it was "not allowed" for us to embark early and pull our own bags with us as we have done on 4 other cruises. We therefore put our bag outside the door the night before. We watched from our aft balcony as many people embarked early pulling all of their bags. We are capable of carrying our bags down the stairs in the terminal and we told her that. When we went to where she told us to meet, she had gone on and we and others just walked off ourselves with the non-suite crowd and picked up our bag from the terminal. We got no extra help finding the bus to P. Roma. We made all of our own reservations for specialties and excursions because I prefer to do that.

As to the butler, I agree that if we had asked him to run around the ship to different restaurants to get food to eat in our cabin, he does deserve a larger tip. We had him bring only coffee on 5 mornings and nothing more. We tipped generously for that-more than if it had been brought by room service because he did check on us each late afternoon.

All in all, if we took a port intensive cruise with early excursions, I would not get a suite. But with our having most breakfasts and lunches in Cagney's, it was worth it to us to pay for a suite. I would however, be more assertive on getting the priority embarkation and disembarkation we paid for next time.

[GirlWriter]

I get your point about the meals-but I still wonder about tipping for "they are always available to do whatever you ask, so that is worth something" - isn't at least that portion of the service PAID FOR in the much higher price of the suite?

 

That's the same thought that came to my mind ... if the general feeling is that a tip is required or expected or deserved even if you never even use the person's services, then that's a pretty sweet job, one I should look into...

 

:confused:

 

If nothing else, one's salary ought to at least cover the "availability" aspect of the job. After all, if he wasn't getting a salary, would he even be there to be "available"? I don't think so.

 

And, again, I do plan to tip. But it makes me very, very uncomfortable reading about these expectations, as I do not have enough in my budget to do all the tipping that it appears one should do on these cruises, especially traveling with a family of 4 when everything, including the tips, has to be multiplied by 4 ... if I had known about all these hidden expenses, I would have just opted for a land vacation. We actually chose a cruise because we "thought" it was a more economical option for our family -- boy, were we wrong.

[mafig]

Thanks for getting back to me Sunshinenana. We're in an AE also (on Pearl) and hope we get better service from our Conceirge. I've been telling DH about all the "extras" maybe I'd better shut up and not get his hopes up too high.

[watchdiva]

WOW - I've never heard of prioritizing the embarkation of suite pax by suite category:eek:. We tend to arrive early (no later than 11 AM) and have always been escorted onto the ship promptly. We tend to sail in AD, A4 or A3 suites but again, this is the first I've heard about "lower level suites" embarking last. Could this be something specific to that particular concierge because I know that's not how it works on the Dawn or Pearl??

[peanut21]

I've always had exactly that issue regarding how cruise ship staff are compensated! For my trip when I'm in a suite I fully intend to make use of the butler, and tip accordingly. As for the concierge, I don't know that I am going to need much, if anything, from him....and if I never use the concierge, I don't believe I should have to tip.

 

But overall I don't like being in a position to directly affect someone's livelihood...I absolutely believe in paying for what I buy--but when cruising, you don't have the option NOT to buy, which I don't like! If I think the drinks are overpriced, or I just don't feel like having a drink, or I'd rather spend my $$ on excursions & specialty restaurants than booze (or for that matter, NOT spend any more) I do have that choice. When it comes to services that I believe should be included in the fare, I don't have the choice! I've often felt like I have a dollar sign on my back, and when someone does their job I'm expected to pay them for it, either through a direct tip or the DSC (which I do because there is no option not to)--but I really hate that way of doing business. In my job, I get paid a salary and when I do my job I don't look to my "customers" with my hand out, expecting compensation from them--I expect to see my paycheck every month instead. This way there is a lot of pressure on the passengers, especially in the case of undefined tipping situations like in suites!

 

I agree 100% with you and sometimes I don't believe in tipping for service that was ok but not great. The staff on these ships CHOOSE to be working on the ships so if the salary was not good they would not be working there. I don't feel bad for them and it does not affect the way I tip. You provided a good service you get a tip final. That is my view... You shouldn't expect a tip but earn it.

[GirlWriter]

We agree with Bobbye--one of the most difficult things you can ask of a butler is to bring meals from different restaurants every night

 

I'm not sure why the butler would be bringing me meals anyway ... if I call down for room service, wouldn't the normal room service person bring it up? Is it cruise ship policy that the butler has to be the only one servicing the suites?

[2inTul]

I'm not sure why the butler would be bringing me meals anyway ... if I call down for room service, wouldn't the normal room service person bring it up? Is it cruise ship policy that the butler has to be the only one servicing the suites?

 

Yes the butler will bring your room service orders.

[RichNY]

That's the same thought that came to my mind ... if the general feeling is that a tip is required or expected or deserved even if you never even use the person's services, then that's a pretty sweet job, one I should look into...

 

:confused:

 

If nothing else, one's salary ought to at least cover the "availability" aspect of the job. After all, if he wasn't getting a salary, would he even be there to be "available"? I don't think so.

 

And, again, I do plan to tip. But it makes me very, very uncomfortable reading about these expectations, as I do not have enough in my budget to do all the tipping that it appears one should do on these cruises, especially traveling with a family of 4 when everything, including the tips, has to be multiplied by 4 ... if I had known about all these hidden expenses, I would have just opted for a land vacation. We actually chose a cruise because we "thought" it was a more economical option for our family -- boy, were we wrong.

 

 

You are not wrong...You should only tip for the use of the services....NOT just because they are available..Its the job of the concierge and the butler to be available and tipping just because they are available goes beyond common sense..you are already paying for this.

 

Do yourself a BIG favor and stop stressing over what other people do...as far as the staff goes there are no suggested or expected tips...just tip as YOU see fit..The concierge and butler are paid a nice salary and tipping is an added bonus not expected.

[RichNY]

WOW - I've never heard of prioritizing the embarkation of suite pax by suite category:eek:. We tend to arrive early (no later than 11 AM) and have always been escorted onto the ship promptly. We tend to sail in AD, A4 or A3 suites but again, this is the first I've heard about "lower level suites" embarking last. Could this be something specific to that particular concierge because I know that's not how it works on the Dawn or Pearl??

 

 

The priority check in is a nice perk but being escourted you our cabin is very overated....On one of our cruises our butler was busy with other pax so another crew menber "escourted" us . I had give her directions to our cabins...;) and our non suite friends were on board before we were....:rolleyes:

 

I do suspect BtoB cruisers might get a priority..but that's all we have experienced...

[GirlWriter]

Do yourself a BIG favor and stop stressing over what other people do...

 

You're absolutely right, and I thank you for saying that. I will do the best I can do in my tipping, which is what I had planned to do anyway, and just hope that neither the butler nor the concierge is disappointed.

 

Thanks again!

[dumpnchase]

Do what makes you happy! That's the easiest thing. I stayed in an owners suite on my last cruise and couldn't be happier with my butler, Putu, my concierge, Adrian and the room steward, Alfonso. And I tipped them accordingly. I already booked my next cruise and booked an owners suite. I hope whomever is my concierge and butler can meet the bar these guys set.

[peanut21]

We just got back from sailing on the GEM and did not use our Concierge at all. We made all our spa reservation and restaurant reservation on our own. She did introduce herself at check in and that is really the only time we saw her apart from the 2 cocktail receptions. She did offer to escort us off the ship at the end but when we arrived at the meeting point we noticed it was just faster to go off the ship on our own instead of waiting for her to show up. A couple of other guests did the same.

 

I don't feel bad for saying that we did not leave her a tip. We did not use the service and don't feel the need to tip for something we did not get.

[jaja]

WOW - I've never heard of prioritizing the embarkation of suite pax by suite category:eek:. We tend to arrive early (no later than 11 AM) and have always been escorted onto the ship promptly. We tend to sail in AD, A4 or A3 suites but again, this is the first I've heard about "lower level suites" embarking last. Could this be something specific to that particular concierge because I know that's not how it works on the Dawn or Pearl??

 

good question..

(and sorry if I missed it..but am curious..which ship did this happen on?)

[mafig]

looks like it was the Gem. Two out of two were underimpressed.

[sunshine nana]

It was the Gem. The reason I was disappointed is that I loved getting on a almost empty quiet ship on our last Gem cruise in 08. I looked forward to it and was therefore disppointed that we had to fight for an elevator and have crew try to tell us we couldn't go to our room, but had to wait with everyone else.If we hadn't paid so much extra, I would not have expected it. I would not have brought it up if someone hadn't said concierge should be given a big tip if they didn't do anything.We still had a great cruise. We went mostly for the itinerary and eating b and l at Cagneys and that was everything we expected.

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

... We went mostly for the itinerary and eating b and l at Cagneys and that was everything we expected.

 

One of the reasons I bumped our balcony to a suite (Penthouse) on the Epic was due to all the positive things I have read about Cagney's. I have a Courtyard Villa on hold (to perhaps upgrade later) for that date as well - they look very nice -- in computer generated form at least!

 

Tom

[jaja]

looks like it was the Gem. Two out of two were underimpressed.

 

Ouch!..:(.We have booked our first suite (AE) on Gem for December...

Hoping these reports are not the norm...:confused:

[mike@sea]

Just returned from the Gem TA and stayed in an AC Penthouse Suite. The extra service you receive in a suite is well worth the money. Everything was perfectly organized, from start to finish! The convierge, Ruth , was always available when needed and extremely helpful and quick in her actions. The butler Maxi was very nice and helpful and always so cheerful. Embarkation went smoothly and I got escorted to my cabin way before everyone else was allowed on the ship. I was able to leave my handluggage in the cabin which is great because all others were not allowed to their cabins befor 2:00 p.m . Loved it !

The Suite was nice, about the size of a Junior Suite on RCL but with much nicer furniture and a great Lavazza coffee machine. Excellent! The front balcony with it´s fantastic furniture was the best I ever had! Used it every day even on the Atlantic.

 

Disembarkation was also painless thank´s to Ruth who escorted me and two friends (non suite guests) to our luggage. Very well done in every aspect. Don´t think I want to travel in a regular stateroom again... ;-)

Suite life on NCL is great !!!!