Tips

[kcep02]

How much do you tip the wait staff for drinks?

[ComeSailWithME]

There is an automatic 15% gratuity on the bill. You can always write in more on the receipt you sign.

[H82seaUgo]

they will include 15% on your bill. you have the option to increase or decrease that, but most don't.

 

you can also just add on if you like, or give them cash.

[VTHokie7]

For the most part I just stick with the 15%. I will add to the pre paid gratuities if somebody deserves it. But at 15% with the cost of alcohol that is about a buck tip per beer. Seems pretty fair to me.

[taragl]

For a one-off drink at a ship bar that I don't frequent, I simply leave the automatic 15% gratuity.

 

For an extra-friendly bartender, or someone who I see frequently at a specific spot, I'll leave an extra dollar or two.

 

For my regular bartender in the MDR, I give $20 at the end of the week.

[gfy012]

So when you see that $5.75 beer just know they will actually be charging you $6.61.

[coachpete]

If they are quick, they naturally get more! The bar staff on the Valor was excellent.

[YubaSutter]

they will include 15% on your bill. you have the option to increase or decrease that, but most don't.

 

you can also just add on if you like, or give them cash.

 

You can't decrease the drink tip. It's not like the service charge.

[kcep02]

So if you give extra does the waiter or bartender actually get it or does it all go into a pool and they split it?

[MrPete]

So if you give extra does the waiter or bartender actually get it or does it all go into a pool and they split it?

 

Pool.

[MommaOf3Princesses]

This isnt about tipping bar staff...but i am wondering....if we dont use the mdr are we still expected to add that tip to our total at the end of the cruise? We use the buffets 90% of the time and i usually tip our servers at each meal there. Just kind of curious if i have been doing a fopa (sp) this entire time.

[truchattycathy]

Usually the added 15%, but when someone is there every time my glass is empty, I add a buck fifty. If it is true, all these tips just go in the pool, maybe I should carry cash for these guys.

[cruisealot]

I will usually find a bartender I like on the first or second day of the cruise and give them an upfront tip to make sure they come by my area frequently. Then at the end of the cruise, if they continued to provide good service I will tip a little more. At events with free drinks I will give someone a $5 to make sure they always come by my table with a try full of drinks! Works every time for me. If my normal pool person is there passing drinks I'm really set!

[H82seaUgo]

This isnt about tipping bar staff...but i am wondering....if we dont use the mdr are we still expected to add that tip to our total at the end of the cruise? We use the buffets 90% of the time and i usually tip our servers at each meal there. Just kind of curious if i have been doing a fopa (sp) this entire time.

 

took me a second to realize what a "fopa" was. LOL.

 

if you don't plan on using the mdr, see the md and let him know. this way your table is released, and your wait staff is released.

 

then have your autotip reduced by $5.80 per person per day, or altogether, and then just tip who you like. tip recommendation for your room steward is $3.70 per person per day.

[ready2cruzagain]

You can't decrease the drink tip. It's not like the service charge.

 

That's what I thought also.

[H82seaUgo]

You can't decrease the drink tip. It's not like the service charge.

 

you certainly can.

 

there are two ways.

 

when you sign your slip, you cross out the tip amount, enter what you want, and retotal. save your receipt to match to your statement.

 

the other and longer way is to bring your slip to guest services, and they can do it there.

 

they no longer have any of this in print that i can see, but was clearly there when they launched this.

 

and it still works.

[MommaOf3Princesses]

took me a second to realize what a "fopa" was. LOL.

 

if you don't plan on using the mdr, see the md and let him know. this way your table is released, and your wait staff is released.

 

then have your autotip reduced by $5.80 per person per day, or altogether, and then just tip who you like. tip recommendation for your room steward is $3.70 per person per day.

 

Thanks! If we end up getting a chance to use the mdr after we release our table would we havu that option? Then we could just tip the table that night?

Also...we just got off a RCI cruise and room tip was $5 per person per day...which i thought was a bit high...why do are they as different from each other?

[H82seaUgo]

Thanks! If we end up getting a chance to use the mdr after we release our table would we havu that option? Then we could just tip the table that night?

Also...we just got off a RCI cruise and room tip was $5 per person per day...which i thought was a bit high...why do are they as different from each other?

 

once you give up your table, your table is gone. but it wouldn't hurt to discuss that with the md when you do that.

[cb at sea]

We feel 15% is ample for opening a beer or making an easy mixed drink....if we order something really complicated, we add to the tip. If we frequent 1 bar almost exclusively during the cruise, we do tip the bartender in cash on the last evening...usually $20-30.

[SadieN]

So if you give extra does the waiter or bartender actually get it or does it all go into a pool and they split it?

 

Asked a bartender on the Splendor how the tips get split because her bar was sloooooooooooow.

 

This is how she explained it to us--

 

-The soda sticker tips are shared by everyone. Any extra is kept by the individual.

-Tips on drinks bought at any bar, served by the bartender, are shared by the bartenders. Any extra is kept by the individual. Bartenders are rotated because some bars are slower than others.

-Tips on drinks served by waiters are kept by the waiters.

[bshow]

Just kind of curious if i have been doing a fopa (sp) this entire time.

 

It's "faux pas", French for "false step".

[cathyoo]

I usually add a dollar cash. If I am sailing with a drink card I always tip a dollar in two even though the gratituty is included in the cost of the drink card. Part of the fun for me is saving my dollar bills for my drink tips.

[MommaOf3Princesses]

It's "faux pas", French for "false step".

 

Lol...thanks! ;)

[Pinkfloydfan]

I buy a soda card on the first day of the cruise. For a 5 day cruise it cost $30.00 plus 15% tip to be split by all of the bartenders/servers, I like ginger ale & diet coke mixed with a slice of lemon,lime, & orange added. I always give the servers or bartender a $1.00 tip each time I'm served one. Also my wife will have the "on us" drink card in the casino. She gets small bottle of water most of the time and always gives server $1.00 tip when she signs the receipt.

[kayhold]

Thanks! If we end up getting a chance to use the mdr after we release our table would we havu that option? Then we could just tip the table that night?

Also...we just got off a RCI cruise and room tip was $5 per person per day...which i thought was a bit high...why do are they as different from each other?

 

Why not just do ATD and eat there, or not depending on mood?