Two questions, if you please.

[whynotnow50]

Hi, we are going on Star Princess in August to Alaska, and I have two questions, among many, to ask.

 

The first is the average cost for a cocktail, such as a martini. Just wondering what kind of drink budget I should plan for.

 

The second question is do most of you experienced cruisers tip when eating in the dining room, specialty or otherwise, in addition to the mandatory prepaid tip? And, if you do, since we don't have a bill to go by, what is a reasonable amount to give? Also, do we put that in an envelope with the waiter's name, or just leave it on the table as in a restaurant?

 

Thanks for your help.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

You will get better answers if you ask your questions on the Princess board here:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=197

In the main dining room, we always have fixed dining thus we have the same wait staff and tip them extra at the end of the cruise. A hand shake works well to pass the money to them.

In the speciality restaurants, we leave a tip on the table at the end of dinner.

[CruiserBruce]

Usually the only time tipping is done at the time of service is at a bar, at an additional charge restaurant, or for a shore excursion driver or guide. Otherwise, additional tips are usually given at the end of a cruise.

 

For cruise line specific things like drink costs, the best place for your research is the Princess board, here:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=197

[mikewrit]

Don't tip, please. Makes the rest of us look cheaper than we are. A tip is added to the price of a drink. Total approaches $8.

[Hlitner]

Princess adds an "autotip" amount to each passenger account every day. Hence, there is no need to tip extra in the restaurants or to your cabin stewards unless you feel they are worthy of additional compensation. As to drinks, the average cocktail will cost you about $8.00 although you can certainly spend more on specialty drinks or large special Martinis.

 

Hank

[Keith1010]

You have gotten great advice.

 

Keith

[Fredr]

I agree that the responders have given you excellent advice.

 

I would add though that drinks on cruise ships are higher on average than on land but not unreasonably so.

 

In actual numbers, unless you are heavy drinkers, 4 drinks per day at $8.00 each, is $32.00 per day for two people. There are specials, however, which average about $6.00 each. And beer is considerably less per bottle or can.

[sail7seas]

We always tip in the specialty restaurants when we feel we got outstanding service, which is most of the time.

 

It is not required but many of us choose to leave something extra when we've had a fine meal served the way we like. :)

 

DH either passes the tip to the steward or if we have a bill folio, he leaves the cash inside with the signed tab.

 

[navybankerteacher]

Because a fairly generous "tip" of 15% is added to the price of each drink, there really is no need to tip bartenders. Of course, if you have hung out at one particular spot and gotten to know one or two in particular, an extra cash tip at the last night might be an idea. Because your $11 or so per day auto-tip is divided among many, the amount going to your MDR waiter from the auto-tip really is not that much as a percentage - especially if you are at an assigned table - so if you feel you have gotten really good service an extra $10 to $50, depending, might be given the last evening -- with perhaps the same thought for the cabin steward - but this would really depend upon your feeling you have received superior service.

[Cruisin' Chick]

Princess, as stated above, has the autotip added each night to your account. Makes it so easy so that you don't have to carry around money on you during the cruise. If you have traditional dining and you want to reward your waitstaff for exceptional service above the autotip, you can give them an envelope (available at the passenger services desk) with cash in it. write down your cabin number so your account can be checked against the list of those who cheapen out and remove their autotip. This way, you guarantee that they will get the extra money (else it goes into the tipping pool and they get less).

 

If you have anytime, and you don't want to carry extra money, but you find you enjoyed the service, you can make sure to get the staff's name. Put any extra tip in an envelop with cabin number on it and either track them down (you can see if you can request their table again), or write down their name and ask the head waiter to make sure they get it.

 

One thing you can do for any crew member is to get a "consummate host" card (used to be called "made a difference" card), and fill it in for the crew member. Goes into their personnel file and may help them get a raise or promotion.

 

Again, please don't remove the auto-tip. If you find service lacking, let the passenger services desk know immediately. Perhaps the issue can get resolved.

[paul929207]

I usually tip extra if we have Traditional Dining, while I don't if we have Anytime Dining.

[Treven]

In eating in any of the speciality restaurants I leave a $20 cash tip. Cash because I want that particular wait person to pocket the entire amount. If you just write a tip amount on the charge slip, that amount is shared by the tip pool. As I have anytime dining, I don't leave a tip beyond the amount covered by the auto-tip coverage.

[OCruisers]

We almost always leave a $20 Ca$h tip in $pecilty restaurants!

 

LuLu

~~~~

[Hlitner]

Lots of generous folks here. So lets put this in perspective. Lets take an example of dining the Pinnacle Grill on a Holland America ship. That dinner is going to cost you $40 per person. In addition, the wine list is a bit more expensive then the normal wine list so lets assume you buy one of the cheaper wines at $40. So now we have a couple who has spent $120 for dinner, plus the amount they have already paid the cruise line for a normal dinner plus the daily auto tips that assessed on most cruise lines and distributed among the crew (including those in the alternative restaurant). And now you leave a $20 tip which makes your dinner $140 plus the auto tips plus the fact that your normal dinner was included in your cruise fare. I think not! Why would you tip the waiter $20 in an alternative restaurant, and not leave a similar $20 tip every other night in the MDR?

 

And here is another interesting tidbit. The waiters in the alternative restaurants actually have a much easier job then the waiters in the MDR. Not only do they have fewer diners to deal with, but they do not have to walk far to the galley at the specialty restaurant or deal with madness in the main galley.

 

Hank

[jwm51]

IF you tip @ the bar, tip a dollar or 2 to the server, NOT THE BARTENDER...:rolleyes:

 

That 15% gratuity goes to the bartender, who may OR may not tip out to servers or barhops...:D

[Hlitner]

IF you tip @ the bar, tip a dollar or 2 to the server, NOT THE BARTENDER...:rolleyes:

 

That 15% gratuity goes to the bartender, who may OR may not tip out to servers or barhops...:D

 

Not true at all! The 15% goes into a shipwide pool and is distributed according to a formula. So in the end, all the bar staff (servers, bar tenders. ie) share in the revenue. On the other hand, if you feel better leaving more tips then the staff will be grateful.

 

Hank

[navybankerteacher]

Not true at all! The 15% goes into a shipwide pool and is distributed according to a formula. So in the end, all the bar staff (servers, bar tenders. ie) share in the revenue. On the other hand, if you feel better leaving more tips then the staff will be grateful.

 

Hank

 

I was not aware of this, believing that the 15% bar tip just went to the bar staff. Too bad this is not made clear by the lines - at least they give fairly good description of how the daily service charge is allocated.

[RunnerGirl26.2]

We purchase a bottle of Vodka and a bottle of Bourbon once on board (from room service or you can pre-purchase as a bon voyage gift to yourself-you still end up calling room service).

 

We bring on board mixers--olives (dirty martini); limes; tonic water. Your steward will fill your ice bucket daily and provide glasses. With Princess you can also bring bottles of wine on board.

[Peachie100]

Lots of generous folks here. So lets put this in perspective. Lets take an example of dining the Pinnacle Grill on a Holland America ship. That dinner is going to cost you $40 per person. In addition, the wine list is a bit more expensive then the normal wine list so lets assume you buy one of the cheaper wines at $40. So now we have a couple who has spent $120 for dinner, plus the amount they have already paid the cruise line for a normal dinner plus the daily auto tips that assessed on most cruise lines and distributed among the crew (including those in the alternative restaurant). And now you leave a $20 tip which makes your dinner $140 plus the auto tips plus the fact that your normal dinner was included in your cruise fare. I think not! Why would you tip the waiter $20 in an alternative restaurant, and not leave a similar $20 tip every other night in the MDR?

 

And here is another interesting tidbit. The waiters in the alternative restaurants actually have a much easier job then the waiters in the MDR. Not only do they have fewer diners to deal with, but they do not have to walk far to the galley at the specialty restaurant or deal with madness in the main galley.

 

Hank

 

Thank you!