Bartenders---Sign on dotted line or................

[djmcleod]

How do you all tip extra to your pool bartenders? Add it to your drink receipt, or just hand them an extra dollar or so in cash?

[f1mauro]

I don't usually carry cash at the pool so the dotted line works for me.

[TDBob]

Hand them the cash. I take a lot of one dollar bills on the cruise for room service and bartenders. If I'm going to be in a bar for a while I give a big tip right away. The barman or waiter will be very attentive for my entire stay.

[KarinaGW]

I do dollar bills always. I have a water safe that i wear around my neck that holds my seapass and some cash when I go to the pools.

[ORANGEinINDY]

IMHO, I think the 15% is adequate, unless they do something special. If there is something special I try to tip in cash, as I think it has a better chance of going where I intend it to.

[djmcleod]

The reason I was asking is because on our last two cruises, our pool bartenders have been great. It seems our drinks have been strong and they usually top us off with a "floater". I want to be sure the tip goes to the bartender that has taken very good care of us, not necessarily to a "pool" of all bartenders. I think cash is best also.

[Trainman-2]

We use the $1 US Presidential Coins.

 

 

They work in vending machines in the crew areas and help them remember us.

 

I drink a lot of diet coke so I show my "coke card" and give them a coin each time. I get better service by doing this. On the pool decks they see me coming and my diet coke is ready when I walk up to the bar.

[Cigar King]

I always tip some additional cash...usually a buck for one drink, more for multiple drinks. You can bring some singles with you or get change at the casino.

[cb at sea]

If all they do is open a beer, 15% is ample! As is pouring a glass of wine, or a basic mixed drink. I don't tip additionally for those things. 15% is more than I'd tip in a bar! I usually give $1 per ORDER...not "per drink" at most bars.

 

There is a line to add more money if you see fit....fill it in or cross it out...up to you!

 

 

I might add, if we frequent one particular bar/bartender then entire cruise, we will generally give their additional tip at the end.. on the last night....if we find a bartender that warrants extra.

[gcvt]

We always have some sort of bag with us for camera, sunscreen, reading materials, etc. and we just carry some singles in there.

[UNV-IT!!!]

To each their own but personally I find a server right away after boarding. When I find my guy or girl I give them a $20 right away and make it clear they are my drink person. I also tip $1 on the card additional with each drink. Everytime I've done this I've ended up getting free drinks. I.e. order one kettle on the rocks they will bring me two and charge for one. Some people may think its overboard but in the end the $20 always makes up for itself in free drinks.

[gcvt]

What do you do if the bartender you had at Sky Bar is working at a different bar the next day, or the next day? They don't all work the same bars every day.

[janetz]

To each their own but personally I find a server right away after boarding. When I find my guy or girl I give them a $20 right away and make it clear they are my drink person. I also tip $1 on the card additional with each drink. Everytime I've done this I've ended up getting free drinks. I.e. order one kettle on the rocks they will bring me two and charge for one. Some people may think its overboard but in the end the $20 always makes up for itself in free drinks.

 

 

We did this also at Bolero's on the Oasis. Same guy every night. Awesome guy and he was very generous with drinks ;)

[cruiseguy1016]

What do you do if the bartender you had at Sky Bar is working at a different bar the next day, or the next day? They don't all work the same bars every day.

 

They might change from week to week but I don't think they change from day to day. We spend a lot of time at either the Pool Bar or the Schooner Bar and we have the same bartender all week at both venues. We find a bartender or two we like on the first day. I usually tip in cash (hand it directly to the bartender) early in the week and they take very good care of us for the rest of the week.

[uksimonusa]

They normally work on a 2 week rotation, the staff behind the bar will change one week, and the staff out in front of the bar, the next week

[temple1]

We've had some great bar waiters in Schooner Bar. We almost always tip extra on the check. But for once, I do like the idea of cash - it is pretty obvious and immediate.

[CFIGuy]

Just back from Freedom, and tipping $1 per drink extra really does wonders. There were definitely some generous pours, which were even mentioned to me, and possibly a free drink or two. Definitely worth the extra $20 or so I spent during the week.

[poncho1973]

I drink a lot of diet coke so I show my "coke card" and give them a coin each time. I get better service by doing this. On the pool decks they see me coming and my diet coke is ready when I walk up to the bar.

 

I am a big fan of tipping, but wow. This is a lot.

 

You bought the card and paid a tip on that AND you give $1 a drink for watered-down fountain drinks?

[mommabean]

I noticed a man tipping a bartender $2.00 every time he asked for a glass of water. Yes, just water, and he got it quickly every time. It wasn't even at the pool. It was inside in Alaska so it wasn't like he was dying for a cold drink to cool off.

[joe6666]

So your $7.00 drink has a 15% gratuity added...Thats $1.05.

And then you add $1.00....

 

A $2.05 gratuity on a $7.00 drink is 29.29% :rolleyes:

[alfaeric]

ignoring the IF question of the extra tips....

 

it's been posted before that the Seapass tip is pooled for the whole staff (which may or may not be a part of the staff at the time...), and it would make sense that extra charged tip goes to the pool of tips.

 

Do the cash tips to the same? I know at restaurants, some of that gets pooled.

 

But if someone goes out of their way to give me something special (IMHO), I would like that person to get the tip. So cash should be a better way to thank them personally, since they get the money.

 

maybe. :)

[CFIGuy]

So your $7.00 drink has a 15% gratuity added...Thats $1.05.

And then you add $1.00....

 

A $2.05 gratuity on a $7.00 drink is 29.29% :rolleyes:

 

That is one way of doing the math on it. I could also calculate it this way...

 

On at least one occasion, my after dinner drink was much closer to a double than a single. I paid $7.90 ($6 for drink, .90 for auto tip, and $1 added tip), instead of $13.80. Later in the week at a restaurant I asked for the same after dinner drink, and the pour was no where near as generous.

[setsail]

Note to the spending police, cruisers get to spend THEIR money in any way they see fit;)

[temple1]

Note to the spending police, cruisers get to spend THEIR money in any way they see fit;)

 

My vote for Post of the Day. Where is the like button? :D

[poncho1973]

Note to the spending police, cruisers get to spend THEIR money in any way they see fit;)

 

Agreed. I was just saying WOW.