Additional Tipping Question - Suites - Room Service

[CruiseNYC]

We're new to Celebrity (Elite on Princess), new to suites and we've never requested room service on any of our previous cruises. 

When ordering room service, is it customary to give your retreat host an additional gratuity for each delivery?  We're a bit lost on this.

Thank you very much for steering us in the right direction.

[PSU]

We just take that into account at the end of the week when we give an additional tip.

[Alakegirl]

The retreat host doesn’t do the delivery.

 

we always give a dollar or two to the young man or woman who actually brings us the tray.  Always happily accepted, never required.

 

 

[goofysmom99]

I've been in a suite on Summit for 19 days recently and Retreat Hosts have brought every order.  Sometimes a different host if mine is on break but always a host.  He brought my late lunch a couple of hours ago.  I always factor those deliveries into additional tips at end of cruise.

[jcpc]

22 minutes ago, Alakegirl said:

The retreat host doesn’t do the delivery.

 

we always give a dollar or two to the young man or woman who actually brings us the tray.  Always happily accepted, never required.

 

 

I’ve never been in any suite (from Sky Suite to Penthouse) where the Retreat Host (former title:  butler) does NOT do room service delivery.  If your Retreat Host is on his/her break during your delivery time another Retreat Host will deliver.

I give my Retreat Host an additional gratuity on the last day of the cruise —. Not each time he/she delivers room service.

[Alakegirl]

I stand corrected…..

[cruzzzinma]

If someone other than a retreat host (formerly called the butler) does the room service delivery, we tip the room service person. As others have stated, it is almost always delivered by a retreat host for the suites.

[Jim_Iain]

We have almost exclusively sailed in Suites in our 20 years of sailing.    We do not tip anyone incrementally during the cruise.    At the end of each cruise or segment of a B2B we hand out and envelope with a Thank You card and an additional gratuity to those that have provided more than what we consider service above what would be considered standard. 

 

When in CS and above with 2 rooms we always eat breakfast in our room, delivered by the Butler (I can't get use to Personal Retreat whatever).   We also leave him a nice additional gratuity.     If he provided additional services like setting up parties etc than the tip is increased.   

 

Tipping is a personal decision and we take into consideration that we are already paying $38 a day in tips for all included staff under the tipping program.  We like to strike a even balance of fairness and over tipping. 

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

3 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

We have almost exclusively sailed in Suites in our 20 years of sailing.    We do not tip anyone incrementally during the cruise.    At the end of each cruise or segment of a B2B we hand out and envelope with a Thank You card and an additional gratuity to those that have provided more than what we consider service above what would be considered standard. 

 

When in CS and above with 2 rooms we always eat breakfast in our room, delivered by the Butler (I can't get use to Personal Retreat whatever).   We also leave him a nice additional gratuity.     If he provided additional services like setting up parties etc than the tip is increased.   

 

Tipping is a personal decision and we take into consideration that we are already paying $38 a day in tips for all included staff under the tipping program.  We like to strike a even balance of fairness and over tipping. 

 

I'm with you on the nomenclature change.  As far as I'm concerned, it's the butler.  Celebrity can call them whatever it wants to.  I will continue to refer to them as butlers.  

 

And, yes, the butler has always delivered the room service offers.

[cruzzzinma]

3 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

the Butler (I can't get use to Personal Retreat whatever). 

Agree, it is stupid!!!!!

[jelayne]

We felt really bad today, we are on a B2B and our Covid test was scheduled for 7am😳.  We ordered room service for 6-6 30 and apologized to our Retreat Host/Butler as we knew he would be up to bring it.  As usual it showed up precisely at 6am. What a long day for him.

[crazyman3]

On 10/22/2021 at 11:31 PM, Jim_Iain said:

We have almost exclusively sailed in Suites in our 20 years of sailing.    We do not tip anyone incrementally during the cruise.    At the end of each cruise or segment of a B2B we hand out and envelope with a Thank You card and an additional gratuity to those that have provided more than what we consider service above what would be considered standard. 

 

When in CS and above with 2 rooms we always eat breakfast in our room, delivered by the Butler (I can't get use to Personal Retreat whatever).   We also leave him a nice additional gratuity.     If he provided additional services like setting up parties etc than the tip is increased.   

 

Tipping is a personal decision and we take into consideration that we are already paying $38 a day in tips for all included staff under the tipping program.  We like to strike a even balance of fairness and over tipping. 

 

With you 100% on this.

 

During the cruise, I try to find out what the butler and Michael's Club/Retreat concierge are into. At the end of the cruise we usually give them preferred alcohol, perfume etc.