$$$ for the Butler

[Hei1980]

Are the tips for the Butler added to your Costa account along with the other tips? If not, maybe I could parlay his money at the casino? Kidding.

[Dietcoke]

Costa adds $8.50 per person per day to your account for the cabin steward and wait staff. They also add a surcharge for each drink you buy at the bar. So extra tipping is not needed. Atleast this is what they did on the Med. Have a great time. We did.

[Hei1980]

Costa adds $8.50 per person per day to your account for the cabin steward and wait staff. They also add a surcharge for each drink you buy at the bar. So extra tipping is not needed. Atleast this is what they did on the Med. Have a great time. We did.

 

I have no problem with the $8.50 per person per day, but we will be having a butler (we don't need him, but, we will have him) what I wonder, will his tip be applied to our charge account also?

Thanks.

R

[CruisinMatt]

I last sailed last year and I don't think it was added automatically.....I seem to remember giving him cash.

[rocktheboat]

Butler tips are not added to your account. You will need to tip him/her.

[Guest BeckyThane]

We just returned from the Atlantica yesterday. We went to Guest Services to adjust the tip amount (upward -- great service!) automatically added to our account ($8.50/day) for our suite.

 

We were told that the amount would be divided equally between waiter, waiter's assistant, maitre'd, cabin steward, and butler. (The brochure says $3 to steward, $3 to waiter, $1.50 to waiter's assistant, and $1 to maitre'd.)

 

Perhaps you'll get a different answer depending on who you ask?

 

My recommendation -- take cash and envelopes.

[Makeithappen]

We had a fantastic butler and cabin steward aboard the Fortuna in February, and we tipped them both extra with cash.

[JR Ewing]

You don't think you need a butler, but trust me - you'll love it. We were in a GS on the Atlantica in April. Our butler, Cris, came to the cabin and introduced himself. You'll probably get the gimic where he pulls two damp towels out of the fridge and passes them out to wipe your hands. Kinda like 1st class on an airplane. He immediately explained that he was there to do anything we needed. One of our deck chairs was broken. He immediately fetched two more comfortable chairs from the pool (dressed in his tux). We indicated that we wanted ice replinishment a few times a day, breakfast every morning at 9. It was nice to dine on the verandah each morning. My wife also wanted iced tea and he brought a pitcher each morning with breakfast; along with fresh pool towels for the chairs on the verandah. We like something to snack on before dinner in the cabin. The first day they provide canapes. The remainder he brought us smoked salmon and cream cheese. The list goes on and on. While the tipping is included, we gave an extra $20.00 each to the waiter, maitre d, and waiter's assistant. I also gave $20.00 to our cabin steward and $60.00 to the butler. I would have and should have given him $100.00 but I was out of cash. Next cruise I'm going to give the butler $50.00 up front and tell him that there's another $50.00 waiting for him at the end of the trip.

[Sealuvr]

My husband and I have the grand suite reserved. If I have the connecting cabin in addition to two more cabins on the back of the ship reserved for family, will the butler help them too if money talks??

Or is that a conflict of interest???

 

Thanks for the info!!!

 

Sealuvr

[Sealuvr]

We have the grand suite reserved.... if we also have the connecting cabin in addition to two more, is it proper to ask him/her to help them too? Or will this be a conflict...

 

Appreciate the help!!

 

Sealuvr

[JR Ewing]

These people work their rears off to do work that we wouldn't even consider doing (given the wages). The butlers especially rely upon tips and do very well given the information our butler provided. The person in the suite (assuming you) should just put it point blank during embarkation. Basically - I have this suite and 2 other cabins. I would like all of us to be treated the same. I understand you work on tips. So, pass him a c-note and tell him there is more coming at the end of the cruise. You base this final tip upon service received but I guarantee that $100 bill will go great lengths and you'll match it at the end or more.

 

People might consider this tacky but it's the way the world works. Your butler knows that you're paying top dollar for your suite and are willing to take care of him based upon his efforts for you and your other cabins. It's greasing the old palm so to speak and works every time.

 

As a minor example, I just spent the weekend with my wife at the Grand Hyatt Tampa. We were in a side villa outside the main hotel but had to drive to the main hotel for breakfast. We didn't want to screw around with registering with the valet, paying the fee and having the car taken to the indoor parking deck. We were going to be in and out for a 30 min. breakfast and didn't want to wait another 1/2 hour for the car. I tossed the nearest valet $10.00 and asked him to keep it up top - he took the $10.00 and gave me a wink. In and out in 30 - no wait - car running w/ key in upon exiting the lobby.

 

I'm sorry - but money talks sometimes and the benefits quite often outweight the expenditure.

 

Sorry for the delay in responding. Severe illness with a family member. Haven't been on for a long time. Will try to stay in touch.

[Sealuvr]

Sure sounds exciting! Do you mean that if I tip him/her $100 at beginning and then match it in the end,,,,that might take care of it??? Not bad...

I want to make sure I do this right not undercut it or overdo it!!!

 

Hope everything is well with you and your family now!!

 

Sealuvr

[JR Ewing]

If you want 3 cabins (not 1) taken care of. C-Note initially. Tell him/her that more is coming. If you get 1/2 ass service but OK - $50 at the end. If decent service - another C-Note. If no service - he/she better enjoy their $50.

[BobbyG]

JR - you are right on! We also had Cris (we were in GS #8273) on the Atlantica at the end of March - March 27th sailing. He was excellent and definitely worth the big tip we gave him. "Butler" tips on Costa are not part of the add-ons Costa does for the rest of the wait staff.

 

As for tipping in general, we let the cruise line add whatever amounts they add and then we give additional amounts directly to the individuals that we want to so that 1] they know where it's coming from and 2] we know that they get it. The bartenders can be a little tricky because their additional tips, above the 15% surcharge, go into a "pool' that everyone shares in for the most part.

 

Happy Cruising!

 

BobbyG

[JR Ewing]

Bobby G - you had Cris too - how funny - email me sometime - anch@anch.com