Giving Butler gratuity at the start of the cruise

[lilyen311]

Does anyone have any thought about giving the gratuity on the first day? Has anyone done this? We are on a 9 night and are planning to

give $300... wonder if this idea is a wise one? Be honest with your thoughts. We sailed in Haven 3 yrs ago(same ship and cabin,differ itinerary) and tipped at the end....

 

 

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[triptolemus]

This is obviously not the traditional method of giving a gratuity. Tips are typically given as appreciation for good service -- hard to do when you really haven't had any service yet. It comes off looking bad or not exactly as intended... could create an uncomfortable situation, seems pretentious... and a good butler probably wouldn't even accept it at that point.

 

Just tip at the end. No need for you to try and be so creative.

[mdsgu]

Never stayed in the Haven, but we have been to Sandals and Beaches several times and had a butler each time. We always tipped $100 the first day and between $100 and $200 on the last day. Always had impeccable service and never had to ask for anything.

[Minoushka]

Does anyone have any thought about giving the gratuity on the first day? Has anyone done this? We are on a 9 night and are planning to

give $300... wonder if this idea is a wise one? Be honest with your thoughts. We sailed in Haven 3 yrs ago(same ship and cabin,differ itinerary) and tipped at the end....

 

 

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Not wanting to sound cheap but you are paying 30$ a day or more for tips which inlude your butler ...thereis at least 300$ right there ..plus your haven suite is a lot more because you have this extra swrvice ....do you really think you need to add more ?

Most Havensuites are twice to 3 times more than a balcony ....I visited the cabins ..they are nice but IMO not worth paying 3 times as much

I think if the guy treats you right you might slip him 20-50$ tops ...at the end .....not more .....300$ is reallyover the top

 

Michele

[Cruzncutie]

We always tip at the end. Like you, we decide ahead of time what we'll tip. You can't predict the level of service you'll receive though. We had a horrible butler last October and he received nothing! We have also had great service and tipped more than planned.

 

 

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[BirdTravels]

Not wanting to sound cheap but you are paying 30$ a day or more for tips which inlude your butler ...thereis at least 300$ right there ..plus your haven suite is a lot more because you have this extra swrvice ....do you really think you need to add more ?

Most Havensuites are twice to 3 times more than a balcony ....I visited the cabins ..they are nice but IMO not worth paying 3 times as much

I think if the guy treats you right you might slip him 20-50$ tops ...at the end .....not more .....300$ is reallyover the top

 

Michele

 

Yup, you sound really cheap.

 

Butler and concierge is not include do int he daily service charge. You are expected to tip them separately.

 

$10-$15 per person in room per day is a customary butler tip. Can be more. And $5-$10 per person in room per day of cruise is customary for the concierge and extra for your room steward.

[brian99]

The only reason to tip at the beginning of the cruise is if you think you'll loose the money at the casino and not be able to tip at the end. :)

 

We tip based on how much we use their services, one trip we probably had room service 15+ times so we tipped the butler a lot more than when we only had room service a few times. As far as tipping based on the level of service you receive, that's a moot point because you will always get exceptional service in the Haven.

 

Even if you don't think you use their services at all, you should tip the butler and concierge because they get none of the DSC and do things for you that you may not notice.

[roboclam]

We always tip at the end. Like you, we decide ahead of time what we'll tip. You can't predict the level of service you'll receive though. We had a horrible butler last October and he received nothing! We have also had great service and tipped more than planned.

 

 

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Agree 100% with you here, we tipped according to the level of service we received...Last cruise we felt that our butler was average at best so he got $10 per day per person, which we felt was a good starting point...On a 10 day cruise that was still $200.00, it could have been more if the service was better...

Have a great day,

Rob:cool:

[$hip$hape]

Does anyone have any thought about giving the gratuity on the first day?

This is obviously not the traditional method of giving a gratuity. Tips are typically given as appreciation for good service -- hard to do when you really haven't had any service yet.

It comes off looking bad or not exactly as intended... could create an uncomfortable situation, seems pretentious... and a good butler probably wouldn't even accept it at that point.

Just tip at the end. No need for you to try and be so creative.

 

I agree.

If the butler does something extra on the first day, one may feel compelled to give a little.

Do you intend to get better service than the others he/she is serving?

In some circles, first day gratuities may look like a bribe and/or an insult. IMHO

 

However, I also agree with the pax that said, save/give some before the end; before the casino takes it all . :-)

Edited May 18, 2017 by $hip$hape

[ColeThornton]

It's your money, tip how much and when you want. Seems odd that an adult can't figure this out for themselves without seeking advice.

 

Enjoy your cruise.

[garycarla]

We have done suites many times. The levels of service vary widely. You could easily go all week and never see or use the Butler. Same with the concierge. Just depends on our needs and his/her availability and service level.

[roger001]

If you tip at the beginning, you're buying a service. If you tip at the end, you are rewarding for a service. My opinion.

[lilyen311]

Thanks for the thoughts...and no need for sarcasm. It was just a question...

 

 

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[NMLady]

Not wanting to sound cheap but you are paying 30$ a day or more for tips which inlude your butler ... ... ...

Michele

 

The DSC/gratuities billed daily to your account do NOT include the butler.

[ColinIllinois]

Thanks for the thoughts...and no need for sarcasm. It was just a question...

 

 

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On this forum if you say something like "Be honest with your thoughts" in your original post, that's exactly what you are going to get. ;p

[cabincop]

It's an insult to them as it seems a bribe

 

 

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[Peachypooh]

It took me a few cruises to figure out that tipping at the beginning was awkward at best. Now I wait until the end and tip accordingly. The reason I say awkward is that the few times I have tried to do it one butler refused the tip and said wait until the end and the other said it was too early to tip but did take it. However you do what you feel comfortable with.

[gymbomb]

We have offered a tip to our butler early in the cruise and he told us to just wait until the end and then tip him if we were happy with his service.

 

 

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[NLH Arizona]

Does anyone have any thought about giving the gratuity on the first day?

 

I give my gratuity to the Butler the last day. I would not tip the first day, because if the service is not all that it could be, you are stuck giving the Butler the top amount you would give.

 

I budget $10 a day per person for the Butler and I can add to this figure, if the service is exceptional and, even though I've never had to, reduce the amount if the service is not up to par.

[DMH15]

I always tip at the end. I consider the tip at the beginning as a bribe. I feel it is insulting to the butler. It implies that you do not believe you would get good service unless you did so. In fact many butlers would say, "no, please see how I take care of you"....

 

 

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[lul8]

The DSC/gratuities billed daily to your account do NOT include the butler.

 

Most of the comments seem to be related to Haven Butlers. But since we're talking about it, does any portion of the DSC go to regular room stewards? How much do people tip them?

[NLH Arizona]

Most of the comments seem to be related to Haven Butlers. But since we're talking about it, does any portion of the DSC go to regular room stewards? How much do people tip them?

Yes, the Cabin Steward is included in the DSC. Some tip additional and some don't, it is personal preference. If service is really good, I'll give the Cabin Steward $20 to $40, depending on how good the service was.

[swaninwa]

Giving at the end is a gratuity. Giving at the beginning is a bribe. That's my honest opinion.

[Sea saw 56]

Maniac - Yes, tipping is "customary ", and people do wonder what others tip so they can feel they are adequately expressing their appreciation. When we were new to cruising this forum helped me decide how much or little seemed 'average'. How else would a person know. It would be embarrassing to ask fellow passengers while onboard.

[DMH15]

1) The DSC is 100% irrelevant when it comes to tipping. A complete separate issue.

 

2) no tip is expected or required or customary.

 

3) Tip as you please and what suits you.

 

 

Actually, # 1. DSC is irrevelant when it comes to the BUTLER which is what this thread is about. Butler and tips. Not DSC.

 

We know your stance.

 

So, # 2 is mostly incorrect. A tip to the butler IS expected and it is customary. However, tips are never required. They are gifts. Therefore, # 3 is correct.

 

That being said, when someone ventures to unknown Territory, be it another country, or cruising in a suite, people are curious what others do. Then they can make an informed decision based on their particular situation.

 

Did you used to post under the screen name LOVES MY BUTLER? Or something like that? Your posts are eerily similar.

 

 

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