Room service tipping

[Jayneykul]

What do people generally do about tipping on room service? We would like room service breakfast on a port intensive day. Would you suggest tipping our butler on service as well as at the beginning/end of our holiday. Advice appreciated

[zider]

If the Auto Tip is left in place there really is no need to Tip for Room Service as for the Butler if they come up to expectations I always Tip them extra at the end of the cruise

[pepperrn]

What do people generally do about tipping on room service? ...

They will not expect a tip, indeed many people have said that occasionally the steward will vanish before you can say "Thank you".

 

I've not often ordered room service (and didn't at all during my early trips). However recently I have used this service, and therefore ensure I've 2 or 3 $ ready and waiting for the steward if the tray arrives close to the requested/booked time (or arrives quickly after ordering). Plus appears to have all I ordered on it (and the steward deserves a little extra for good service of course).

 

However, as zider correctly points out, there is already a daily "auto-tip" charge, so don't feel obligated to tip extra on top of this.

The choice to do so (or not) is yours.

 

Hope this helps.

Edited September 7, 2015 by pepperrn

[Jayneykul]

Thank you for your help! Must admit not looking forward to the butler thing we only booked QG for the restaurant only had a butler 1x before on Celebrity and it was a disaster

[jimmybean]

From observing waiters carrying heavy room service trays in the hallways, I believe the kindest thing you can do is answer your door in a timely manner.

 

A small tip would also be appreciated, i'm sure, but is not necessary or expected.

[Dcoy]

I did not have a butler but I always tiped $1 for my room service breakfast on shore days. It always seemed appreciated.

 

Don

[robbie_3]

I have always tipped the steward $2, those food trays they carry look awfully heavy, but I don't think they expect it.

[JuniorCruisers]

We also tipped $1 each time given previous advice. Again, it did not appear expected but was received with much gratitude. The stewards were lovely to my other half when bringing the trays in, so why not?

[pris993]

We order room service for breakfast daily, always tip extra generally $2.

 

Some days, if we decide to pick up something at the buffet and bring back to the cabin, we call room service for coffee afterwards and ask the staff to collect our lunch tray. Always tip extra for this service too.

 

We go on vacation to relax, like to have good service and are more than happy to reward it.

 

Find staff does appreciate and remember us when call room service, a few dollars does not hurt.

[Bell Boy]

Getting back to the original question " would you suggest tipping our Butler"

 

NO ! this is why you are paying a huge premium to travel in the Grills.

Butler service on Cunard line is 'all part of the Product and Brand'. During your cruise your Butler no doubt will be in and out of your suite several times a day, delivering all sorts of amenities e.g. topping up ice, preparing the bar top, delivering canapés ,probably the occasional pot of tea/coffee and the list goes on and on ;)

 

If the auto gratuities ( for a couple) are left in place and a small additional tip at the end of the trip there is no need for all this tipping each time ...Unlike your Celebrity experience you won't need to tip each time your butler visits you ...On Cunard it's not needed to improve the service .

[transatlantic fan]

The idea of auto tipping is you longer need to deal with any other tipping

[Victoria2]

Thank you for your help! Must admit not looking forward to the butler thing we only booked QG for the restaurant only had a butler 1x before on Celebrity and it was a disaster

 

Bell Boy and Zider are correct. The Butler is there to help you in any way he or she can. It's part of the job description and you don't tip after service offered. However, a small gratuity [in addition to the auto gratuities left on the account], personally given at the end of the cruise would be very welcome and has always been part of our departure procedures.

As for Butler duties, don't be dismayed. He or she will do as much or as little as you require. Personally, unless we page him or her for something specific or ring for room service, we see more of the under butler, another to whom we give an extra gratuity and which is very discretionary and not at all obligatory.

Have fun.

[Alibobs]

We have tipped a dollar, euro or pound for room service but definitely there seemed to be no expectation .

[fantasy51]

After reading a long thread last year about tipping for room service, I actually went and spoke to Reception on my next cruise. As you can imagine, when I first said I had a query about the auto-gratuities, their first response was to ask if I wanted to remove them. :D I had to quickly explain that I did not; I just wanted to know if room service was covered by them. I was assured that the auto-gratuities did, indeed, cover room service.

 

After that, it's up to you if you tip or not. ;)

[pris993]

After reading a long thread last year about tipping for room service, I actually went and spoke to Reception on my next cruise. As you can imagine, when I first said I had a query about the auto-gratuities, their first response was to ask if I wanted to remove them. :D I had to quickly explain that I did not; I just wanted to know if room service was covered by them. I was assured that the auto-gratuities did, indeed, cover room service.

 

After that, it's up to you if you tip or not. ;)

 

While may be included... those who tip extra will remember when they place an order.

[fantasy51]

While may be included... those who tip extra will remember when they place an order.

 

I know that's the theory, but I don't feel that I've ever suffered from relying on my auto-tips. I feel that room service is prompt and friendly.

 

Years ago on Princess ships I learnt to go to a nearby bar for boiling water, rather than wait ... and wait ... and wait for room service. (Luckily I always had rooms that were only about 1 floor away from a bar, so it was quick.) On Cunard I have never felt that need.

[Bell Boy]

While may be included... those who tip extra will remember when they place an order.

 

 

I don't know about other cruise lines, but that's certainly not the case on Cunard.

 

Waiters on Cunard who deliver room service, rotate daily. Room Service is not a permanent position , it's not unusual to find one's own evening waiter( Britannia) on the morning room service rota.

 

Providing that the breakfast card is filled in correctly not forgetting preferred time of delivery ,one can be confident that the tray will arrive promptly within a few minutes either side.

[Olliesmum]

Why all this tipping of room service? Is the waiter bringing the tray the same person who loads the tray?

 

The person knocks on my door, I answer it. They hand me a tray and I take it over to the table, it takes about 30 seconds. There have been occasions when the waiter/ress has walked off, leaving my door wide open!!

[Underwatr]

I allow them to enter and put the tray on the table by the balcony. Presumably they carried the tray from some other region of the ship.

[Olliesmum]

No one has ever put the tray on the table for me, they just hand it to me!

[fantasy51]

No one has ever put the tray on the table for me, they just hand it to me!

 

I have found that if I stand back, the waiter walks in and puts the tray on the table for me. It depends on my expectations and the signals I give. Sometimes I take it myself. That only works if the waiter holds the door open for me so it does not crash shut on the tray.

[robbie_3]

That is interesting as I have never been handed a tray by room service, I usually do tip $2 though I get no indication a tip is expect.

Edited September 12, 2015 by robbie_3

[Host Hattie]

That is interesting as I have never been handed a tray by room service,

 

Same here, I hold the door open and they put it on the table.

[pepperrn]

" ... leaving my door wide open ... "

 

:confused:

None of my cabin doors has ever stayed "wide open" (without a small piece of wood jammed in the frame such as the stewards use when cleaning).

 

Every one of my cabin doors have closed immediately, usually with a thud.

 

I've yet to find one that could be left "wide open" by anyone, whether they be a steward retreating sans tray, or a passenger.

:confused:

Edited September 12, 2015 by pepperrn

[fantasy51]

None of my cabin doors has ever stayed "wide open" (without a small piece of wood jammed in the frame such as the stewards use when cleaning).

 

In August we were given one of the accessible staterooms and the door was designed to stay open when pushed. It took me a few days to get used to pulling it closed behind me when I left the room. I guess that's a necessity for people going in or out in wheelchairs.