Would you tip this concierge?

[Sonora5]

This is from a recent 20 day cruise on the Sun.

 

1) When we first met, we asked for his extension number so we could call if e needed anything, like a dinner reservation. He told us to just call guest services.

 

2) We saw him at breakfast and asked him to make a reservation for that night in Cagney's for our anniversary. We got to Cagney's and he had forgotten to make the reservation. Needless to say there was no special little something for our anniversary.

 

3) We asked him when we would be crossing the equator and he gave us completely wrong information. Very disappointing-I was a little excited about crossing the equator.

 

4) He recommended a show to us. We asked him if the show used that fake smoke/fog, which is very bothersome to my husband who has a long condition. He said no. We went to the show and sure enough first thing smoke started billowing up. We fled.

 

5) He gave very vague instruction on where Suite seating was for shows. No one was there to assist and there was nothing roped off and no signage. We gave up on shows.

 

6) At this point we were just making our own dinner reservations.

 

7) For the clearing customs stop in LA he promised a wheelchair would be brought to our cabin when we were supposed to go off the ship. Did not happen. I managed to find a wheelchair on my own and handled getting my husband and his oxygen off and on with no help from anyone on the ship.

 

8) He did nothing for us all cruise. When we ate in the suite restaurant for breakfast or lunch, he could often be found there schmoozing with certain customers. He would give us a pleasant hello and breeze by our table.

 

For the record, we loved our butler and steward and tipped them both fairly substantial amounts. We have had excellent concierges on other sailings and have always shown our financial appreciation.

 

Would you tip this concierge?

[Vacationlover2]

Heck no.

 

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

[LMaxwell]

No. Provided no value added services and even screwed up plenty along the way.

[cruisnpat]

I would never tip someone for doing nothing for me.

[triptolemus]

I stopped reading at #1. At that point the answer is already "no".

[Tinyturtle22]

No, and you need to call post cruise guest relations @ 1-866-625-1164 and tell them everything you just posted here.

Edited May 5, 2016 by Tinyturtle22

[Diane123boys]

No, and you need to call post cruise guest relations @ 1-866-625-1164 and tell them everything you just posted here.

 

I agree with everyone saying no.. I am bothered by the no smoke thing ! Obviously your hisband is on oxygen . that could have ended up very bad for him!

[armwinder]

We were on the Sun a month ago and our Concierge was Carlos. He was very attentive and always very helpful, we tipped him well. He greeted us at breakfast and made fast work of any restaurant reservations we needed to change. The theater was explained to us in detail and the roped off area was very evident. As expected he delivered our passport to our table one morning. We thought he did a good job. He did say more than once that if we needed something he could make it happen. Carlos must have moved on i guess.

 

To answer your question. No I would not tip if I had experienced problems you had to endure.

Edited May 5, 2016 by armwinder

[GUT2407]

I've read here on CC that there is no excuse not to tip, you must report it to management and let them have the chance to correct it.

 

And as I read that in a CC tipping thread it must be the rules.

[OceanDreaming2]

Who was your concierge? I'd avoid him in the future.

 

And no, I would not tip him. I would've reported him to the Hotel Director on the ship. If you decide to call Guest Services at the 866 number, be prepared to be on hold for an extended length of time. They only have 10 people in the entire department. (I just called them this morning and my wait was close to 1/2 hour.)

[JimAOk1945]

No. He certainly did nothing to merit a tip.

[NLH Arizona]

He would get no tip from me.

[pieshops]

After number one possibly but certainly after number 2, I would have had a long conversation with his boss

[triptolemus]

I've read here on CC that there is no excuse not to tip, you must report it to management and let them have the chance to correct it.

 

And as I read that in a CC tipping thread it must be the rules.

 

That line of thinking typically applies to reducing the DSC as opposed to individual cash tips handed to a single crew member.

[GeezerCouple]

We ordinarily tip quite generously for good service.

And we tip "okay" for "okay service".

 

But for this? NO WAY would we tip.

... and as others have said, after a couple of these "misses", we'd have been speaking to someone on board about him.

 

Our experience thus far is that some of the Butlers are AMAZING, but the Concierges have been "okay" to "okay plus".

We haven't been impressed by any of those services.

The expedited exit from the ship on port stops was good, but on disembarkation, it was a *LONG* delay in a lounge without enough seating for everyone, and then a smaller zoo getting off... not pleasant at all.

 

After that, we've just waited to be close to last off, as we never arrange a tight connection so there's just no rush.

 

We also tip extra to our Stewards, who thus far have always helped to make our cruise extra nice.

(Yes, we realize they are in the "gratuity pool", but if they go above and beyond, we tip. But the Butlers have been the people who made our trips truly special, so we like to say a "nice" thanks :))

[cb at sea]

There is no need to tip for no service...period!

[Talus731]

Not a penny.

[DMH15]

The Sun is my favorite ship. I have sailed on it twice in the same aft PH. There are only 20 suites on the Sun and no Haven. Besides the two Owner's suites, the other 18 are pretty even.

 

My two Sun concierges were Karin and Monica. Both excellent. It was our butler on the first Sun cruise that was not good at all. I tend to be a very understanding and forgiving person. But sometimes that is not enough. So I understand your frustration. We did reach out to the Concierge and Hotel Director during the cruise but what is someone to do when the butler bails on the cruise. Yes. It happened. I left a small tip for the butler with the concierge telling her if she never saw him again to consider it hers.

 

We decided after the cruise to let it go and move on. All future butlers and concierges were wonderful.

 

But right now, while it is fresh, I understand. Give it some time.

[herdingdogmom]

Yikes, what an unpleasant experience. And from other posts about your sailing it sounds like the cruise itself was also full of issues with sewer smells and contractors working on board.

 

I'm with all the previous posts that he did not deserve (nor want) a tip. I have never had a concierge not provide his phone number. His number should have been on the cards and letters in your cabin.

 

We were on the Sun in February with a concierge mentioned by DMH. She is now on vacation and we thought she was just excellent. But, I just read a comment by a fellow cruiser on our cruise who said she was not pleasant - so I guess service can vary, but not to the extent you listed. On our cruise there was a man on oxygen and I saw our concierge spend a great deal of time with them on excursions, etc.

 

Definitely write to NCL to let them know of your experience. Don't waste your time waiting on the phone - in writing is all that seems to work.

Edited May 5, 2016 by herdingdogmom

[sweetpea143]

This is from a recent 20 day cruise on the Sun.

 

1) When we first met, we asked for his extension number so we could call if e needed anything, like a dinner reservation. He told us to just call guest services.

 

2) We saw him at breakfast and asked him to make a reservation for that night in Cagney's for our anniversary. We got to Cagney's and he had forgotten to make the reservation. Needless to say there was no special little something for our anniversary.

 

3) We asked him when we would be crossing the equator and he gave us completely wrong information. Very disappointing-I was a little excited about crossing the equator.

 

4) He recommended a show to us. We asked him if the show used that fake smoke/fog, which is very bothersome to my husband who has a long condition. He said no. We went to the show and sure enough first thing smoke started billowing up. We fled.

 

5) He gave very vague instruction on where Suite seating was for shows. No one was there to assist and there was nothing roped off and no signage. We gave up on shows.

 

6) At this point we were just making our own dinner reservations.

 

7) For the clearing customs stop in LA he promised a wheelchair would be brought to our cabin when we were supposed to go off the ship. Did not happen. I managed to find a wheelchair on my own and handled getting my husband and his oxygen off and on with no help from anyone on the ship.

 

8) He did nothing for us all cruise. When we ate in the suite restaurant for breakfast or lunch, he could often be found there schmoozing with certain customers. He would give us a pleasant hello and breeze by our table.

 

For the record, we loved our butler and steward and tipped them both fairly substantial amounts. We have had excellent concierges on other sailings and have always shown our financial appreciation.

 

Would you tip this concierge?

 

 

No. Sadly, having the concierge service is part of the suite experience that you paid for within your fare, and you did not enjoy that experience. For a lengthy cruise, I would have complained within the first week. A concierge is an employee, just like a room steward and he has a job to do.

[asubaru]

I always tip, no matter how bad the service.

 

In this case, I would hand him a dollar (or put it in an envelope). I don't stiff people because I don't want them to think I forgot to leave a tip. :-)

[bonvoyagie]

or even worse a penney - which is worse than no tip

[JohnIreland]

Forget the tip , I would have been asking for the hotel director to make a complaint.

[Laszlo]

Nothing....No tip at all, we had one just like him on our first cruise in a suite. He was a joke and I told him that. We ask for two simple things during the first 3 days. Nothing was done.

[cruisemainiac]

You should of asked him for a tip for the cr## he put you through. It's unfortunate because those are very coveted positions and only the best of the best usually make it. Please next time let the hotel director know and do it well before the end of the cruise.