Elite Voucher Tips Question

[gowentgone]

Do you know if tips are included in the drink vouchers when used during Captain Club Elite Happy Hour? We were recently on Eclipse and used vouchers but no one knew if tips were included or not. Called Captain Club desk and they did not know either. Thanks.

[cruzsnooze]

Do you know if tips are included in the drink vouchers when used during Captain Club Elite Happy Hour? We were recently on Eclipse and used vouchers but no one knew if tips were included or not. Called Captain Club desk and they did not know either. Thanks.

 

Yes they are.

[upwarduk]

I have seen various threads, where it is suggested that you give the wait staff the unused voucher, so they can claim their tips.

[gowentgone]

I have seen various threads, where it is suggested that you give the wait staff the unused voucher, so they can claim their tips.

 

Yes, I have seen this also, but bar wait staff were not sure if that would continue.

[cruisegirl1]

I have seen various threads, where it is suggested that you give the wait staff the unused voucher, so they can claim their tips.

 

Never heard of this but I will certainly give them any unused vouchers ( we usually just drink one drink a the Elite social anyway) if it helps them out.

 

As for the tipping, we tip the Elite bartender every night and will likely do so if we use voucher about the ship, especially if we frequent the same bar.

m

[Dick in Falls Church]

My understanding is that the waiters are paid something as gratuities based on the number of valid tickets they turn in. According to one waiter, a passenger could probably give him a ticket from a previous day and he wouldn't notice, but he wouldn't get credit for it.

 

At any rate, they didn't seem to be unhappy to get current unused tickets.

[jackdiamond]

Why not simply tip them $1.00, per drink which is what many folks due at the happy hour?

[richsea]

Why not simply tip them $1.00, per drink which is what many folks due at the happy hour?

 

That is easy enough to do, however, the difference is that the servers at the Elite lounge have no way to get tipped other than in cash by us, whereas, if you give them a coupon, they have something to turn in to access their tips. A coupon is the same as $1.00

[CathyCruises]

We gave our waiter $5 every evening, with an occasional $20 thrown in; he took excellent care of us.

[jackdiamond]

That is easy enough to do, however, the difference is that the servers at the Elite lounge have no way to get tipped other than in cash by us, whereas, if you give them a coupon, they have something to turn in to access their tips. A coupon is the same as $1.00

I was not aware that the coupons also included automatic tips. I recall many years ago on the Radiance they gave coupons for free drinks; and, I wrongly assumed that a tip was included. When I discovered that that was not the case, I returned to the bartender who had served me; and, I tipped him additionally toghether with an apology for my apparent cheapness.

[iSailor]

Do you know if tips are included in the drink vouchers when used during Captain Club Elite Happy Hour? We were recently on Eclipse and used vouchers but no one knew if tips were included or not. Called Captain Club desk and they did not know either. Thanks.

 

Did you pay for the vouchers?:D:D:D

[h20cruzer]

I have always given my bar server or bartender the extra vouchers I dont use as well as an extra tip. I think I am easy to deal with as a customer, but some days I just dont know the the bar staff deals with some of the rude and demanding passengers.

My hat is off to the bar staff of all ships.

Norma

[richsea]

I was not aware that the coupons also included automatic tips. I recall many years ago on the Radiance they gave coupons for free drinks; and, I wrongly assumed that a tip was included. When I discovered that that was not the case, I returned to the bartender who had served me; and, I tipped him additionally toghether with an apology for my apparent cheapness.

 

Actually, I wasn't aware either, until I read this thread. I've never been on a sailing with coupons, only the Elite get together. If this is so, then I would guess the coupon is as good as buck.

[WpgCruise]

On our recent Eclipse sailing, the vouchers were issued, and I asked our waiter at the Sunset Bar if we were to give the unused vouchers to him did they have any value, specifically was he paid a tip by the Company for the vouchers he turned in.

 

His answer was no, they had no value to him. He suggested that if we were not going to redeem them for the free drinks, to use them for beer, water or soft drinks to take back to our room.

 

In any event we gave an additional TIP of a $1.00 or 2 per drink, just as we would have done had the Elite event been held in a lounge with service from the waiters there.

 

Were we being played? I don't know, but given he suggested that if we didn't use the vouchers for drinks that we redeem them for other beverages, I don't think so.

Edited March 21, 2014 by WpgCruise

[debshomespun]

We always tip at least $1.00 per drink with our vouchers, sometimes more. Our bartenders were always very happy with us and took good care of us.

[TeaBag]

We tip too, but didn't know about the unused vouchers which we always threw in the garbage can. Will do better next time.

[Northern Aurora]

We've been on one cruise in which vouchers were used instead of the evening social gathering. We always tip $1.00 per drink at the social gatherings, and so tipped $1.00 per drink when using the vouchers. Just because vouchers are issued I don't see any need to change our tipping habits.

[jackdiamond]

We've been on one cruise in which vouchers were used instead of the evening social gathering. We always tip $1.00 per drink at the social gatherings, and so tipped $1.00 per drink when using the vouchers. Just because vouchers are issued I don't see any need to change our tipping habits.

Good move.

[sergeant655]

Some waiters will accept them before 5 and after 7. The timeframe I noticed is 4 to 8

[4774Papa]

I was lead to believe that the waitstaff doesn't receive tips at the happy hour (not with vouchers). I usually tip a dollar for DW and self and get fantastic service.

[welshfamily]

It would be lovely if Celebrity gave guidance on this matter. On our last cruise we went to Michael's Club approx 10 times in 14 days. We asked the CC host about tips etc. he informed us the bar man Jose was paid a different rate for the two hours he spent serving in Michael's club to make up for any loss in earnings re tips. He said the bar staff saw it as an honour. We took this with a pinch of salt as we have always heard that celebrity's staff were not well paid and depended on tips. We certainly made sure Jose received a very generous tip as he looked after the 6 of us exceedingly well. We gave him this in one of the envelopes which we always get from guest relations for our extra tips.

 

Many cruisers, particularly from the UK, need clear guidance re tips as we do not have a tipping culture in this country. The CC hosts comments could have been taken as an indication tips were not necessary. Added to this is the fact we don't have dollar bills, we have pound coins. Our smallest paper note is £5 worth approx. $7.50. A €5 note is worth about $6 so that also makes tipping every evening difficult if you are just a couple and only have one drink which is usually the case with our party.

Additionally it would be a good thing if we knew for definite if the coupons themselves were worth anything to the crew as with many passengers having a beverage package I wonder how many end up in the bin.

A small sensible statement on the CC welcome letter would suffice.

[jackdiamond]

I was lead to believe that the waitstaff doesn't receive tips at the happy hour (not with vouchers). I usually tip a dollar for DW and self and get fantastic service.

I believe that that is correct. We always tip $1.00, per drink, since we feel anything else is cheap.

[Us Two]

So this will be our first time Elite, so have not had any experience, and could use some help please.

 

Does the Equinox have vouchers or not. Is it at any bar we can use these vouchers if we are given them. Can we really use some to get a beer or water to take to our room. We will be with friends who are not Elite yet, so would like to spend some time with them before dinner with a drink, so could we use our coupon and they buy their drink? Thanks for replies.

[Kartgv]

On our last cruise we had both the Elite coupons and the drink package (free - forget whether it was from TA or Celebrity) - much more than we could possibly drink. We elected to use the drink package because generally it gave us more drink choices with no time restrictions. When one of our bar waiters noticed that we were Elite, he became quite insistent that we bring him our unused coupons. He was so pushy about it that it became uncomfortable for us and we changed bars for the rest of the cruise.

 

As others have said, we always tip an extra $1-2 per drink and have excellent service.

[Dick in Falls Church]

So this will be our first time Elite, so have not had any experience, and could use some help please.

 

Does the Equinox have vouchers or not. Is it at any bar we can use these vouchers if we are given them. Can we really use some to get a beer or water to take to our room. We will be with friends who are not Elite yet, so would like to spend some time with them before dinner with a drink, so could we use our coupon and they buy their drink? Thanks for replies.

 

Depends on how many Elites there are, far as I've been able to determine. If there are more than can be comfortably handled in an available space (like the lounge), they will use tickets. On recent TransAtlantics, there were a whole bunch of elites!

 

Tickets can be used in most, but not all (like Martini) bars for the same 5-7 hours. Yes, you can get beer and/or water with the tickets.

 

We almost always tip a buck per drink--unless I've run out of dollars. I doubt the waiters get a buck per coupon.