New Diamond Status Question

[JTBCruiser]

DW and I will be Diamonds on our next cruise on the Rhapsody in March.  I'm not sure i they have a lounge but question is, what do you normally tip for the free drinks?  I know tipping is a wide open subject but would at least like to hear from the experts.  Thx!

[gerif]

We do. 

[spookwife]

there are two schools of thought.

 

 some people tip a buck a drink every time they get one

 

some people tip a flat rate at the end of the week.   how much will depend on   the level of attention you get and how much you drink.

 

we do prefer  doing the latter as I hate carrying around so many ones and we also make sure the same  servers will be there the entire time.  

[Clarea]

12 minutes ago, JTBCruiser said:

DW and I will be Diamonds on our next cruise on the Rhapsody in March.  I'm not sure i they have a lounge but question is, what do you normally tip for the free drinks?  I know tipping is a wide open subject but would at least like to hear from the experts.  Thx!

 

One dollar per drink.

[twangster]

Dollar per drink.  I want the servers to know I'm not going to smile all week and stiff them at the end of the cruise.  

 

Unlike paid drinks or drink packages where every swipe of the card nets them a small amount, they get zero for serving diamond drinks. 

 

The seem to respond to a buck per drink.  

 

It's easy to get singles from GS or in the casino on some ships. 

Edited November 26, 2019 by twangster

[JTBCruiser]

Great responses, this answers my question, much appreciated. 

[cruiseguy1016]

We too tip $1 per drink.

[dplusd]

We tip $1 per drink in the Diamond Lounge.  We always tip as we go because the wait staff in the lounge does occasionally change during the week.  We tip the same in the ship bars when using one our the three daily Diamond drink coupons.

[cruisegirl1]

We tip per drink regardless if we use the Diamond lounge a random bar or  in the casino.  Usually $1 per drink.  

 

M

[h20skibum]

$1 per drink, but don't wait till the end of the week.  If you tip as you go, they will make a point to be right there with your next drink.  They always see us when we walk in, and have have our drinks almost as soon as we sit down.

[island lady]

Yet another vote for tipping a buck a drink each time.  We tend to get different servers on different night, so it gets spread around.  And yes, they do recognize you a bit faster when they know you are the "tipping" type.  😉 

 

To the OP...we love the DL on Rhapsody (on board again 2/15 and 2/22).  We prefer the DL to the CL for the open airy feel of the lounge with overflow into the aft lounge.  Great sweeping view off the aft with all that floor to ceiling glass.  And the best thing...Alan is the concierge in that lounge (or at least he was last I checked).  He is one of the best!!  🙂 

[DaniDanielle]

$1per drink goes a long way.  The  servers appreciate the tip and will show you during the cruise.  I had one who remembered my drink a year later!!!!!

[clochette]

there is 4 of us generally and give the bartender $5 for every round.  or $1 per drink if not together.

[judatt]

I usually tip $5 the first evening in the diamond lounge and then $1 per drink after that. Always have a waiter looking out for us. 

[bonsai3s]

Yes, $1 per drink at the Diamond Lounge, or Concierge Lounge, or any bar, in the theater...during the Diamond happy hour.

[WeighAnchor]

I am with the dollar per drink crowd as well. Figuring it takes the bartender less than a minute to make a drink, that works out to a potential of $60 per hour per employee. I have been told the tips are pooled, so it really doesn't matter when you tip as far as fairness. However, if you tip per drink then the person knows you are a tipper and will usually make sure you are taken care of and they are not going to be stiffed at the end. Dollars are no problem because you can go to the Casino Cashier or Guest Relations for more, as needed, during the cruise.

[Tulsacoker]

I tip at the end in the SL and typically $25 per each waitress and bartender   

[Tulsacoker]

41 minutes ago, judatt said:

I usually tip $5 the first evening in the diamond lounge and then $1 per drink after that. Always have a waiter looking out for us. 

That because they think another 5 is coming out each evening  😄

[JTBCruiser]

2 hours ago, island lady said:

To the OP...we love the DL on Rhapsody (on board again 2/15 and 2/22).  We prefer the DL to the CL for the open airy feel of the lounge with overflow into the aft lounge.  Great sweeping view off the aft with all that floor to ceiling glass.  And the best thing...Alan is the concierge in that lounge (or at least he was last I checked).  He is one of the best!!  🙂 

 

Much appreciated for the info on DL, looking forward to it.

[cruisegirl1]

16 minutes ago, Tulsacoker said:

I tip at the end in the SL and typically $25 per each waitress and bartender   

Last cruise, a week on brilliance, we only visited the lounge two evenings. That is why we prefer to tip as we go.  Your system  works well if you visit the lounge often

 

m

 

 

 

 

[rusty nut]

We were tipping a dollar a drink and the servers really appreciate it. We had one DL server that accommodated Wife to the extent that when she wanted something not being served in the DL, the server stepped into the VCL and got her what she wanted. She got a little extra tip at the end of the cruise. 

[tserface]

We tip a $1 per drink. It's still a ton cheaper than even the tip on purchasing the drink so we're way ahead.

If we get really fun service we often tip extra at the end of the cruise as an extra thank you.

 

We've found that tipping right away tends to make the servers latch on to you and find you the next time you come to the club (or anywhere on the ship).  You might think it's only $1, but with 3 drinks each it adds up to $6/night and on 7 day cruise that's an extra $42.  Also, they know you are tippers so there is a chance you would tip for other services.  If they got an extra $42 from 10 people it would increase their pay $1,600 per month not counting any extra tips.

Also, there's a debate and lots of discussion around this, but many people believe they to keep the cash tips.

[John&LaLa]

46 minutes ago, tserface said:

We tip a $1 per drink. It's still a ton cheaper than even the tip on purchasing the drink so we're way ahead.

If we get really fun service we often tip extra at the end of the cruise as an extra thank you.

 

We've found that tipping right away tends to make the servers latch on to you and find you the next time you come to the club (or anywhere on the ship).  You might think it's only $1, but with 3 drinks each it adds up to $6/night and on 7 day cruise that's an extra $42.  Also, they know you are tippers so there is a chance you would tip for other services.  If they got an extra $42 from 10 people it would increase their pay $1,600 per month not counting any extra tips.

Also, there's a debate and lots of discussion around this, but many people believe they to keep the cash tips.

 

Most of the ships we've been on lately seem to pool the lounge tips

[grapau27]

11 hours ago, JTBCruiser said:

DW and I will be Diamonds on our next cruise on the Rhapsody in March.  I'm not sure i they have a lounge but question is, what do you normally tip for the free drinks?  I know tipping is a wide open subject but would at least like to hear from the experts.  Thx!

I always tip $1 per drink for Pauline and I.

This is in the DL/CL or in any bar we are getting our free drinks.

This means that if we don't go into the DL or CL lounge on the last night we are comfortable that we have paid our way.

Often if there is a server who really goes out of the way for us we will give an additional tip on our last visit.

Sailing predominantly in the Mediterranean I rarely see anyone near us tipping at any time including the last night.

[Milwaukee Eight]

22 hours ago, Host Clarea said:

 

One dollar per drink.

This ^