advice on tipping in advance to consierge and butler?

[purrfect007]

thoughts? thanks!!:) cruising Gem in June!

[GriffinAlexander]

I've only cruised once, on the Epic in a balcony, so I just had a steward. He got a 20 on day one and 3 more times throughout the week for a total of 80 bucks. But he was exceptional.

[Cruisin&Relaxin]

thoughts? thanks!!:) cruising Gem in June!

 

I wouldn't tip the Concierge or Butler in advance. I have cruised a number of times with Concierge and Butler service. My service was exceptional in all cases. At the end of the cruise, I tipped them accordingly.

[sdmike]

I wouldn't tip the Concierge or Butler in advance. I have cruised a number of times with Concierge and Butler service. My service was exceptional in all cases. At the end of the cruise, I tipped them accordingly.

 

I would tip based on the amount and quality of the service provided, not at the beginning of the trip (unless, of course, they do something for you at the beginning of the trip and you want to tip each time instead of at the end)

[jlacy1987]

How much is a good tip for the service? I understand that it's at our discretion, but is there a ballpark figure?

[cabincop]

I would say around 10per person per day for butler I always tip my concierge around 100 or so for a 7day cruise. I use them alot last minute table reservations for a group of people I might meet on the ship, help with getting off the ship at diffferent ports etc. This is just mho if I use my butler alot and they are incredible which they usually are I give more I also usually give my steward extra at the end of a cruise

[dutchess43]

I always tip after service has been rendered at the end of the cruise. On my last 7 day for 3 of us(4 yr GS) I tipped the butler 100.00 & the concierge 100.00.

[VideoTech]

The whole concept of a tip is that it is for services rendered, usually above and beyond what is expected. So how can you tip for something you haven't yet received?

 

If you are asking for something above and beyond the normal service when you first board, then it might be suitable to tip in advance. Otherwise, either tip as service is received, or in total at the end of the cruise.

 

<warning, slightly off-topic rant to follow>IMO, too many people in the service industry now regard a tip as a requirement and expect it regardless of the level of service provided. This isn't helped by the low wages and the trend to include an "auto gratuity" - such as at the airport restaurant in Miami where I ate breakfast the other day...one person (me) and when the bill came it had an 18% auto gratuity on it. Service was airport mediocre, and it irritated me that the tip was automatically included, something that only used to be done in restaurants for parties of 5 or more. Trust me, I probably would have tipped more generously than 18%, but in this case, the waiter got that automatic 18% and nothing more. But I digress....<end of rant>

[rvsullivan]

We are a party of two. If we receive the normal excellent/exceptional suite service that has been the norm. We tip Butler=$150 and Concierge=$100. Seems to make them happy and we are certainly happy. If something happens along the way that is "special" we might tip $5 or 10 on the spot, does not affect the tip at the end. JMHO.

:D

[Babygirl08]

For those who tip at the end, look around you the next time you sail for those who are getting better service than you. Are they seated at dinner after you but served before you? Do the bartenders know their name and skip you to serve them first? Those are the people who tip in advance/during the sailing.

 

I don't agree with it, but it's the way it goes today.

 

That said, on our last sailing, we over-tipped the Butler and Cabin Steward because they were awesome. However, we didn't give the Concierge a dime because every time we asked for help, she was useless.

[Cruisin&Relaxin]

For those who tip at the end, look around you the next time you sail for those who are getting better service than you. Are they seated at dinner after you but served before you? Do the bartenders know their name and skip you to serve them first? Those are the people who tip in advance/during the sailing.

 

I don't agree with it, but it's the way it goes today.

 

That said, on our last sailing, we over-tipped the Butler and Cabin Steward because they were awesome. However, we didn't give the Concierge a dime because every time we asked for help, she was useless.

 

Not sure where you are headed with this. The original poster specifically inquired about the Butler and Concierge. I have always received excellent service from them without having to tip in advance.

 

With respect to your comments about dinner and drinks, I eat primarily at the speciality restaurants and have always received excellent service. The bartenders I frequent get to know me by name and I don't see them skipping over me to serve others.

 

Did you have a bad cruise or something that is causing you to make the comments you did? If so, I hope your future ones are better.

[peg013]

For those who tip at the end, look around you the next time you sail for those who are getting better service than you. Are they seated at dinner after you but served before you? Do the bartenders know their name and skip you to serve them first? Those are the people who tip in advance/during the sailing.

 

I don't agree with it, but it's the way it goes today.

 

That said, on our last sailing, we over-tipped the Butler and Cabin Steward because they were awesome. However, we didn't give the Concierge a dime because every time we asked for help, she was useless.

 

I must not frequent the same places you do because I am not slighted in any way. Those that you think are tipping may just have a better outlook on life and are nice to the servers and bartenders. For the most part you get what you give.

[Pokeraddict]

The whole concept of a tip is that it is for services rendered, usually above and beyond what is expected. So how can you tip for something you haven't yet received?

 

If you are asking for something above and beyond the normal service when you first board, then it might be suitable to tip in advance. Otherwise, either tip as service is received, or in total at the end of the cruise.

 

<warning, slightly off-topic rant to follow>IMO, too many people in the service industry now regard a tip as a requirement and expect it regardless of the level of service provided. This isn't helped by the low wages and the trend to include an "auto gratuity" - such as at the airport restaurant in Miami where I ate breakfast the other day...one person (me) and when the bill came it had an 18% auto gratuity on it. Service was airport mediocre, and it irritated me that the tip was automatically included, something that only used to be done in restaurants for parties of 5 or more. Trust me, I probably would have tipped more generously than 18%, but in this case, the waiter got that automatic 18% and nothing more. But I digress....<end of rant>

 

Re "auto gratuity" we have in the past at the Miami pier marina refused the auto grat at a high end Italian restaurant by just refusing to sign the bill as we were paying with CC.

The reason being was mainly because the food was not only cold but we ordered the same main course and one order was half as big as the other, we didn't receive any bread basket which we saw being served to other tables and a few other issues, while it wasn't entirely the waiters fault he should have picked up on the issues.

They gave a us a new bill minus the grat and then I left $5 cash.

[fergusonvt]

We only tipped our butler $50.00 at the end of the cruise because all he did for us was bring our daily treats and didn't bring us what we requested. I didn't tip the concierge because the only time I saw her was when we boarded and got our key card. I would have tipped the butler at least $100 at the end of the cruise had he cared enough to get our treat request correct.

[valleyvillage]

Tipping is very personal and the amounts vary WILDLY! The only time we ever tipped in advance was when we saw that our concierge was Patrick, we already knew he was great. So in the suite check in we gave him his gratuity. We said "We're so glad you're here!" and he was very happy. Later on he thanked us for his "early gift."

 

Our very first suite cruise was a last minute upgrade, before I was a regular on CC and we had no idea that the butler and concierge were not included in the DSC! :eek:

 

We wanted to give them each a little something extra, but could not find the concierge on disembarkation day. If the butler was disappointed in the amount he certainly did not show it. That's a pro.

 

And when I friended the concierge on Facebook and apologized for our goof she was like , oh please! I'm just happy you had a wonderful honeymoon. Another pro!

 

Of course now we are confirmed butlerconciergetippers! And all the folks we have had the pleasure of meeting in our suites have been terrific. :D

[shark with a laser]

Last time we had a butler in a penthouse, we also bought a bar setup. We tipped him $20 the first day and asked him to make sure we had mixers, ice, and bottled water in the room at all times. When I purchased the bar setup, I was told that we would be charged on the ship for whatever mixers we requested, and I believe there should have been a charge for the bottled water, but we didn't get charged for any of it. Not sure if we got these free because of the upfront tip or if he would have given them free anyway. We also tipped him a couple hundred at the end, because we made full use of his services. We also used the concierge quite extensively and tipped her similarly at the end.

[phillygirl63]

For those who tip at the end, look around you the next time you sail for those who are getting better service than you. Are they seated at dinner after you but served before you? Do the bartenders know their name and skip you to serve them first? Those are the people who tip in advance/during the sailing.

 

I don't agree with it, but it's the way it goes today.

 

That said, on our last sailing, we over-tipped the Butler and Cabin Steward because they were awesome. However, we didn't give the Concierge a dime because every time we asked for help, she was useless.

 

I thought gratuity for bartenders was automatically added to all drink orders, even soda.

 

We are very good tippers when the service is good, but I would never tip anyone prior to receiving that good service. If after a couple of days you feel your butler and concierge have done a good job so far, then give them some but not all of what you expected to tip at the end. The other posters here have given good figures for what is the norm -- $8-10/day/per person to the butler and concierge is what we budget for, but sometimes the concierge does a little more than the butler and vis-versa, so we adjust accordingly. We also leave a little extra for the room stewards when staying in a suite.

[1stTimeCruiser2008]

This is our first NCL cruise and our first time in a suite. Do the butler or concierge get any of the automatic gratuity added to your bill? Or is it completely seperate? I'm confused and want to make sure I know what I'm doing:rolleyes:

[Sauer-kraut]

This is our first NCL cruise and our first time in a suite. Do the butler or concierge get any of the automatic gratuity added to your bill? Or is it completely seperate? I'm confused and want to make sure I know what I'm doing:rolleyes:

 

The butler, concierge and kid's club staff are NOT part of the daily service charge. You can tip them with cash or get credit against your bill and put vouchers in an envelope to give to those crew members.

[1stTimeCruiser2008]

The butler, concierge and kid's club staff are NOT part of the daily service charge. You can tip them with cash or get credit against your bill and put vouchers in an envelope to give to those crew members.

 

Can you get vouchers using your OBC?

[bellebud]

I would say around 10per person per day for butler I always tip my concierge around 100 or so for a 7day cruise. I use them alot last minute table reservations for a group of people I might meet on the ship, help with getting off the ship at diffferent ports etc. This is just mho if I use my butler alot and they are incredible which they usually are I give more I also usually give my steward extra at the end of a cruise

 

so a question... we'll have 6 of us in our suite (myself, dh, dd12, ds10 and my mom and stepdad). We're treating my mom/stepdad to this cruise. Would a normal tip for our butler be $60/day, so a bit over $400 dollars for a week? That doesn't seem right, but I want to do what's fair to the butler. I'll guess we'll decide when we're there, and how much we ask of him, but I like to have a base in my mind.

[purrfect007]

Wow, thanks for the responses...you see, TIP means to "insure" promptness. This to me means that you would invest in advance...I know that when my uncle had his daughter's wedding he tipped all the servers $20 and told them if everything went well, he'd have another $20 at the end of the reception. This back in the 80"s so a twenty was pretty nice.

 

I guess that impressed me, and since I am really hoping to have an outstanding experience on this cruise, I wondered how to best engage the perks of the suite. I know from being in service long ago that you cannot typically provide outstanding service to all, so you choose where to put your best energies.

 

I know what one person said really IS TRUE, you get what you give. I'm always aware that no one is beneath another and value everyone, so I do usually find people are kind in return.

 

Not sure what to do.

I thought of $100 as a good week tip for each, NEVER thought of tipping the kids counselors!

 

Do you tip bartenders as you go like in a regular bar on land?:confused::confused:

[peg013]

Wow, thanks for the responses...you see, TIP means to "insure" promptness. This to me means that you would invest in advance...I know that when my uncle had his daughter's wedding he tipped all the servers $20 and told them if everything went well, he'd have another $20 at the end of the reception. This back in the 80"s so a twenty was pretty nice.

 

I guess that impressed me, and since I am really hoping to have an outstanding experience on this cruise, I wondered how to best engage the perks of the suite. I know from being in service long ago that you cannot typically provide outstanding service to all, so you choose where to put your best energies.

 

I know what one person said really IS TRUE, you get what you give. I'm always aware that no one is beneath another and value everyone, so I do usually find people are kind in return.

 

Not sure what to do.

I thought of $100 as a good week tip for each, NEVER thought of tipping the kids counselors!

 

Do you tip bartenders as you go like in a regular bar on land?:confused::confused:

 

The bartenders are covered with the auto gratuity that is added to each order so no need to tip extra unless you want to reward exceptional service. The register spits out a receipt that has an extra line to add a gratuity but there is already a 15% autogratuity right after the sub-total.

[Sauer-kraut]

Can you get vouchers using your OBC?

 

It all depends on what type of OBC it is. There is a type issued by NCL that is not available for gratuity use. Many threads on this forum about that but you'll need to use the search function.

[leekel619]

The whole concept of a tip is that it is for services rendered, usually above and beyond what is expected. So how can you tip for something you haven't yet received?

 

If you are asking for something above and beyond the normal service when you first board, then it might be suitable to tip in advance. Otherwise, either tip as service is received, or in total at the end of the cruise.

 

<warning, slightly off-topic rant to follow>IMO, too many people in the service industry now regard a tip as a requirement and expect it regardless of the level of service provided. This isn't helped by the low wages and the trend to include an "auto gratuity" - such as at the airport restaurant in Miami where I ate breakfast the other day...one person (me) and when the bill came it had an 18% auto gratuity on it. Service was airport mediocre, and it irritated me that the tip was automatically included, something that only used to be done in restaurants for parties of 5 or more. Trust me, I probably would have tipped more generously than 18%, but in this case, the waiter got that automatic 18% and nothing more. But I digress....<end of rant>

 

I liked your off slightly off topic rant. Mine is too!

Not really the same but its almost like how you stop for a coffee and pay and they keep your change and look around you and ask the person in back of you what they'd like. Hello. You just kept my change. I don't know why you have to tip for a cup of black coffee. I don't tip for a tank of gas and its more work. Whatever.

 

Rants are fun.:)