Appropriate Excess Tipping in Neptune Suite

[garydm]

What is an appropriate beyond the basic tip amount and to whom for exemplary service?  How is the basic divided up?  Thanks.

 

Gary

[CruiserBruce]

This would depend on the length of cruise, the extend of the excellent extra service and a couple of other variables. There is no "rule" or requirement. Tipping is, and always has been, a personal choice.

[Lido deck main]

43 minutes ago, garydm said:

What is an appropriate beyond the basic tip amount and to whom for exemplary service?  How is the basic divided up?  Thanks.

 

Gary

I maybe mistaken but I think the daily hotel service charge is broken up, 50% room stewards and the other 50% is all the other HAL staff onboard, cooks, dining room staff, lido staff, etc.

[Jammu2]

I believe the daily auto gratuity for Neptune is higher than standard, so already they will get a little more. If you leave the auto gratuity intact, then anything you give to an individual will go to the individual. If you remove auto grats, anything you give must by the employment contract be handed over and go into the pool. 

 

So the way we do it is keep the auto grats on, and in the event we receive exemplary service, tip extra. But we dont just run around tipping extra for meeting expectations.

[garydm]

16 day cruise.

[catl331]

Give whatever you think that extra service was worth to you. We typically give our two-man room steward team about $8 to $10 per day, but we aren't usually in a Neptune suite.

 

I haven't heard a CD quote any numbers recently, but IIRC they used to say the HSC went 35% to room stewards, 35% to dining staff, and 30% to the back-of-house.

 

In Neptune suites it's common to give extra to the N.L. concierges, but the amount varies widely depending on how much you've used them and what they done beyond expected services.

Edited January 18, 2020 by catl331

[kevingastreich]

We give $10 extra per day and we always stay in Signature Suites.

[Tampa Girl]

On 1/18/2020 at 8:02 PM, kevingastreich said:

We give $10 extra per day and we always stay in Signature Suites.

 

Is that to each?  And what about longer cruises - 25 day up?  That amount would really add up.  Now, I am really feeling cheap!

[boom_boom]

Maybe I'm cheap,but I usually give about $5 a day extra to the room steward and $20-40 to the Neptune Lounge folks depending on what they did for me.

[nickel-and-dime-me]

As others have said, we tip extra for exemplary service, but dont feel obligated to give more to everyone just for doing their normal jobs. Thats what the dsc is for.  On our last cruise(with ncl) we gave a little extra to our butler, who did a very nice job, and that was it.

[kazu]

2 hours ago, Tampa Girl said:

 

Is that to each?  And what about longer cruises - 25 day up?  That amount would really add up.  Now, I am really feeling cheap!

 

 

Don’t feel cheap at all.  A very big difference between doing a 7 - 10 day cruise and a 25+ day cruise for sure.

 

All you have to do is the HSC. that’s it.  Anything over and above is very appreciated by the staff.  

How much you tip really depends on what the people do for you.  I can assure you that an unexpected tip is really appreciated.  And believe me, not everyone does that amount a day.  
 

Put this in perspective.  You are NOT one of those removing the HSC and you are giving them extra. 🙂 

[kevingastreich]

2 hours ago, Tampa Girl said:

 

Is that to each?  And what about longer cruises - 25 day up?  That amount would really add up.  Now, I am really feeling cheap!

It is intended for both stewards but I guess they are on their honor to split it with each other because most of the time only one person comes in and they take the money.

[kazu]

5 minutes ago, kevingastreich said:

It is intended for both stewards but I guess they are on their honor to split it with each other because most of the time only one person comes in and they take the money.

 

I learned my lesson the hard way when I put the money in an envelope for both the stewards.  I did it on turn around day as I knew one was leaving.  The one that was good and making our cruise special and the reason we tipped was staying on.

I found out his partner never gave him any of the money.  He took it all.  Frankly without the other, I wouldn’t have tipped.  Lesson learned after I had to re tip the one who made our stay special.  

Now I do 2 envelopes.  One for each steward and they may not be equal.  Neither may the dining room stewards be equal.  

Tipping is additional and if one person has made the trip more special than another then they will receive more.  Simple.

[kevingastreich]

16 hours ago, kazu said:

 

I learned my lesson the hard way when I put the money in an envelope for both the stewards.  I did it on turn around day as I knew one was leaving.  The one that was good and making our cruise special and the reason we tipped was staying on.

I found out his partner never gave him any of the money.  He took it all.  Frankly without the other, I wouldn’t have tipped.  Lesson learned after I had to re tip the one who made our stay special.  

Now I do 2 envelopes.  One for each steward and they may not be equal.  Neither may the dining room stewards be equal.  

Tipping is additional and if one person has made the trip more special than another then they will receive more.  Simple.

Two envelopes sounds like a good idea.