Tips

[sadiwest]

Hopefully days away from our first RCCL suite, knock on wood.  

I was wondering what people tip the concierges for, minimum,  better, or outstanding service. 

 

Thoughts?

[rudeney]

I figure $20 is the minimum.  On one cruise, we took my wife's mother and we were in a GS and she was in a JS.  The concierge welcomed her with us into the lounge and basically treated her as if she were in our suite.  I tipped $100 that time.  

[DCPIV]

I don't figure any minimum for the Concierge.  There has been at least one cruise where we had virtually no contact with the Concierge

 

That said, we usually have a reason to give them something.  When they've been very helpful with arranging reservations (especially reservations before we board or last-minute ones on board), excursions, and perhaps something else or other that is non-standard, then we've usually tipped somewhere around $40-50.  On the rare occassion when they've really gone above and beyond and fixed serious problems, we've tipped as much as $100.  I would gladly give $100 for what the poster above mentioned.

[sadiwest]

13 minutes ago, DCPIV said:

I don't figure any minimum for the Concierge.  There has been at least one cruise where we had virtually no contact with the Concierge

 

That said, we usually have a reason to give them something.  When they've been very helpful with arranging reservations (especially reservations before we board or last-minute ones on board), excursions, and perhaps something else or other that is non-standard, then we've usually tipped somewhere around $40-50.  On the rare occassion when they've really gone above and beyond and fixed serious problems, we've tipped as much as $100.  I would gladly give $100 for what the poster above mentioned.

So you wouldn't,  technically,  know how much to have on hand. I rarely have cash. Is there an atm on board (I'm assuming yes...)?

[DCPIV]

Just now, sadiwest said:

So you wouldn't,  technically,  know how much to have on hand. I rarely have cash. Is there an atm on board (I'm assuming yes...)?

 

There typically is, but you can't always count on it.  I (sort of) prepare to give tips at my maximum, so I bring a good deal of cash just in case, especially if we're sailing in the Caribbean or Gulf.  We add the tips before sailing, so everything is extra. I just take any remaining cash home if I don't use it.  It's not like it goes bad.

[orville99]

Usually in the $50 range for each of the concierges for what we would consider their normal service, and anywhere from an additional $50 to $100 for above and beyond. Had one instance where the suite concierge managed to connect us via their satellite phone to Miami to solve a problem that would have been a $2,000+ additional charge for an existing reservation if we didn’t get it solved while on board.

[orville99]

6 minutes ago, sadiwest said:

So you wouldn't,  technically,  know how much to have on hand. I rarely have cash. Is there an atm on board (I'm assuming yes...)?

Go to GS and cash a check instead. We always carry 1-2 blank checks just for these situations. The ATM has a big service fee.

[DCPIV]

Another option is that you -might- be able to put tips on your shipboard account, but I don't know if you can do that for the Concierge.  Perhaps someone will come along and confirm or refute that.

[Tree_skier]

I get cash through the Casino.  It's easy and free.

[neverbeenhere]

As we've been on a few cruises, we take care of all our reservations ourselves, without issues. Most times we are traveling in suites the Concierge has been a very nice person, but their only service has been to hand us a low numbered water shuttle ticket. So, in general we don't give a gratuity to this individual. But the few times that they have actually done something we needed, $100 was our gratuity.

[Itchy&Scratchy]

47 minutes ago, sadiwest said:

So you wouldn't,  technically,  know how much to have on hand. I rarely have cash.

before every cruise I make a trip to the bank, because I want about $100 per day for each port day and then some extra cash for the extra gratuities.
On our last cruise we tipped $60 extra to the waiter and $25 extra to the asst waiter for the superior service, and $25 extra to the cabin attendant for good service.

Never had a concierge, though.

 Wouldn't want to pay extra to use the ATM onboard or outside the country.

[orville99]

16 minutes ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

Before every cruise I make a trip to the bank, because I want about $100 per day for each port day and then some extra cash for the extra gratuities.

We have an envelope with $200 in various denominations for tips that moves to the folder with our next booked cruise at the end of each cruise. Once we get home from a cruise I make a trip to the local bank and backfill that envelope, and add about $100 extra for port stops. I think I have only had to supplement that combination 2-3 times in more than 100 cruises.

[pcur]

To obtain cash without a fee, transfer money to your room account from a slot machine.  Cash out the ticket at the cashier's cage.  If you don't gamble 10% of the room charge, your casino account will be frozen for 24 hours.  I rarely gamble except for the free play money on day 1 or 2, so this isn't a hardship for me.  I also do this to cash out obc, and then use that cash to give extra tips to the bar staff, room steward, and Concierge.

 

I'm on a more limited budget than the posters above, plus I cruise solo.  If the Concierge has done something special for me, $10 - $20 tip, depending on the length of the cruise.  I give my room steward and dining staff extra tips, too:  $10 - $20 each.

Edited May 25, 2022 by pcur