Tipping Retreat Hosts?

[Water709]

DH and I have cruised on Celebrity multiple times.  The last several times we have sailed in a suite, including as recently as earlier this month.  We noticed on our last morning onboard the Summit when waiting to disembark in the Retreat Lounge, that a few passengers were slipping the Retreat Hosts envelopes with tips.  Are we supposed to tip the Retreat Hosts as well?!  I had never seen this before.  I thought the Retreat Hosts were at the same level as the Cruise Director etc., whom we have never considered tipping.  Please share your thoughts.

[WestLakeGirl]

Some do, some don’t,

 

some ask for many extra favors, some hardly interact with the hosts

[CHEZMARYLOU]

We have and we haven't. I don't know what constitutes service above and beyond for the concierge. Printing luggage tags, making or cancelling reservations at the last minute, arranging a consultation with future cruises, what else have suite guests requested?

 

I know this doesn't answer your question but interested in what others have to say.  We've been sailing in suites since 2011 but they have not always had retreat concierges.

 

Edited June 29, 2023 by CHEZMARYLOU

[islabahia]

We leave the retreat concierges $$ thank you for helping us.  The amount varies depending upon how much or little we ask for their help.

[dlh015]

25 minutes ago, Water709 said:

Are we supposed to tip the Retreat Hosts as well?!

You are supposed to tip whomever *you* feel like tipping.

 

Did the host(s) do anything special for you? Make any arrangements? Did you even speak to them?

 

You make the call. Who knows what the hosts(s) might have done for those passing the envelopes?  

Who cares? It's the service that they may or may not have provided to *you* that counts. 

[wrk2cruise]

They are at the same level as the Concierge Team (Captains Club, Concierge, Event Coordinator).  I believe they are all 1 stripe officers.

[cruisestitch]

The Cruise Director is also an Officer.

 

Tipping Officers is somewhat of a faux pas. 

[SusieAV8R]

1 hour ago, WestLakeGirl said:

Some do, some don’t,

 

some ask for many extra favors, some hardly interact with the hosts

 

41 minutes ago, wrk2cruise said:

They are at the same level as the Concierge Team (Captains Club, Concierge, Event Coordinator).  I believe they are all 1 stripe officers.

 

41 minutes ago, wrk2cruise said:

They are at the same level as the Concierge Team (Captains Club, Concierge, Event Coordinator).  I believe they are all 1 stripe officers.

 

1 hour ago, dlh015 said:

You are supposed to tip whomever *you* feel like tipping.

 

Did the host(s) do anything special for you? Make any arrangements? Did you even speak to them?

 

You make the call. Who knows what the hosts(s) might have done for those passing the envelopes?  

Who cares? It's the service that they may or may not have provided to *you* that counts. 

 

1 hour ago, dlh015 said:

You are supposed to tip whomever *you* feel like tipping.

 

Did the host(s) do anything special for you? Make any arrangements? Did you even speak to them?

 

You make the call. Who knows what the hosts(s) might have done for those passing the envelopes?  

Who cares? It's the service that they may or may not have provided to *you* that counts. 

Right on the money, dlh015 🙂

[goofysmom99]

Guess it depends on the Retreat host.  The first time I tried to tip, for way above and beyond the call (I had a serious fall getting out of an M-class CS tub), she seemed genuinely offended and asked me to donate it to the crew fund, which I did.  Second time, different host, same response.  Haven't done it since.  I now think it's not expected due to their rank.

[jelayne]

I thought the Retreat Concierge’s were 1  1/2 or 2 stripe officers.   The Butlers get a share of the daily gratuity so I thought ( maybe mistakenly) they were not officers and we tip them.  

We tip the Retreat Lounge Staff but not the Concierges unless they have truly done something above and beyond.

If we tried to tip all the stripes ( Officers) who have done something to make our cruise better we would be tipping a lot of Bar or Assistant Bar Manager, Housekeeping Supervisor, MaitreD and Guest Relation staff.

Right or wrong we rarely tip Officers.

 

[cruisestitch]

4 hours ago, Water709 said:

DH and I have cruised on Celebrity multiple times.  The last several times we have sailed in a suite, including as recently as earlier this month.  We noticed on our last morning onboard the Summit when waiting to disembark in the Retreat Lounge, that a few passengers were slipping the Retreat Hosts envelopes with tips.  Are we supposed to tip the Retreat Hosts as well?!  I had never seen this before.  I thought the Retreat Hosts were at the same level as the Cruise Director etc., whom we have never considered tipping.  Please share your thoughts.

Are you quite sure that the envelope contained tips and not just thank-you notes?

[CruiseCrew123]

I’m not even sure what the retreat concierge jobs is 😆 .

[chemmo]

8 hours ago, dlh015 said:

You are supposed to tip whomever *you* feel like tipping.

 

Did the host(s) do anything special for you? Make any arrangements? Did you even speak to them?

 

You make the call. Who knows what the hosts(s) might have done for those passing the envelopes?  

Who cares? It's the service that they may or may not have provided to *you* that counts. 

Exactly…

 

Generally we don’t tip the concierge staff as we usually have little to do with them other than say ‘Hello’ as we pass in the Retreat Lounge…Nice to know they are there but usually our butler can sort most things for us.

 

On one occasion, however, my husband mentioned to the concierge that I had ‘missed’ my 60th birthday as I had been very ill and the cruise we were on was to celebrate my return to health…The concierge then helped my husband to create a second birthday for me. I awoke to flowers, cake and balloons! We were already booked in Murano that evening and they were also in on the planning telling me I must be The Queen as I had two birthdays…Definitely worth a special thank you.

 

The second occasion was when I cruised in an orthopaedic boot. The concierge on boarding talked us through every port and excursion and what was viable to do and what was not. She made phone calls for us to check on excursion details and did lots of little things too. When it became evident I wouldn’t be able to get off the ship in Lisbon owing to tidal issues she phoned us offering to arrange a special lunch. We were happy going to the very quiet buffet but so nice to be offered…

 

 

[chemmo]

2 hours ago, CruiseCrew123 said:

I’m not even sure what the retreat concierge jobs is 😆 .

The concierge arranges things like helipad sailaways, behind the scenes tours of the galley, theatre, bridge.

 

The concierge will deal with any service issues you may have anywhere in the ship. For example, a wrong charge to your bill, difficulties getting on excursions (he/she will get you priority waitlisting).

 

The concierge can print off your boarding cards, check or arrange a pick up from the port at the end of your cruise, liaise with your post cruise hotel to see if early check in is possible…

Anything you would normally go to Guest Services for…

[floridatravelersforlife]

I tip when I feel they performed a service worth something tome. 

I feel exactly opposite when the menu shows up shows up on a credit card reader/screen at a retail establishment.  

[CruiseCrew123]

@chemmo so no different to a receptionist then ! I really don’t understand the need for people to constantly share how ‘generous’ they are if they tip someone for doing their job (not saying you are) 

Do people tip the school receptionist when they delivery a forgotten school lunch to your child ? 

[prmssk]

1 hour ago, CruiseCrew123 said:

@chemmo so no different to a receptionist then ! I really don’t understand the need for people to constantly share how ‘generous’ they are if they tip someone for doing their job (not saying you are) 

This is why @dlh015's answer was really the best answer.  I was going to post something similar but they beat me to it.  I don't trust that every person on an online forum is being completely honest how much they actually tip and I don't think it matters.  Tip who you feel warrants it in the amount that feels right to you.

[TeeRick]

The Retreat concierge does accept tips and does appreciate tips.  They sometimes pool them and share them with the Retreat Lounge staff.  We have tipped at the end of the cruise when we have used them or they have taken care of issues for us.  It is not like tipping an officer, sorry.  That is just a poor excuse for not tipping.  That being said, it is totally up to the individual.  Tip if you feel like it or think they deserve it.  Not out of some obligation or rule.

[George C]

We normally tip retreat concierge, the amount would depend what they did for us .

[paularmstrong]

The Americans love tipping , of course you tip them

[chemmo]

4 hours ago, CruiseCrew123 said:

@chemmo so no different to a receptionist then ! I really don’t understand the need for people to constantly share how ‘generous’ they are if they tip someone for doing their job (not saying you are) 

Do people tip the school receptionist when they delivery a forgotten school lunch to your child ? 

 

Some concierges, in our experience, do focus more on the clerical and organisational part of the job but others are far more people centred…They will notice who is celebrating a special event on board, will ask about how your cruise is going and listen to your response, will respond quickly and with genuine concern if you do encounter any difficulties.

 

My point was, if you read both posts, that we would tip for the ‘above and beyond’ not the day to day job. 
 

16 hours ago, dlh015 said:

You are supposed to tip whomever *you* feel like tipping.

 

Did the host(s) do anything special for you? Make any arrangements? Did you even speak to them?

 

You make the call. Who knows what the hosts(s) might have done for those passing the envelopes?  

Who cares? It's the service that they may or may not have provided to *you* that counts. 

The perfect answer!

 

 

 

 

[zitsky]

Are we talking about the person who used to be called a butler or someone else?  If butler I would say yes.  I found ours very helpful for a first time Retreat guest.  And I didn't expect this but ours delivered breakfast every day we asked for it, about 4-5 times.  Plus answered questions and helped us with any arrangements.  I think we tipped him a total of $40, maybe more.  It wasn't a lot.

[Chanbre]

In Blu we have given a tip to the maitre d, but requested that it be shared amoung the whole Blu team. The response was a thank you and being told that they pooled the tips. The tip was put into a drawer of the Blu reception desk. We did not ask for details. Maybe some tips are pooled and some are kept by the person receiving them.

 

Perhaps the envelopes seen passed to the Retreat Concierge were intended (by the giver) to be pooled among the Retreat team.

[wrk2cruise]

This thread I believe is about tipping the Retreat Concierges, not the Suite Manager, not the Retreat bartender or snack attendants.

[Mark_K]

1 hour ago, zitsky said:

Are we talking about the person who used to be called a butler or someone else?  If butler I would say yes.  I found ours very helpful for a first time Retreat guest.  And I didn't expect this but ours delivered breakfast every day we asked for it, about 4-5 times.  Plus answered questions and helped us with any arrangements.  I think we tipped him a total of $40, maybe more.  It wasn't a lot.

Used to be called a butler, and believe is again called that. They should write a book, “The Once and Future Butler”.