Room service gratuity

[malony33]

I've cruised 15 times, but this will be the 1st time on Oceania. I will be sailing in a veranda stateroom. 

 

For all you Oceania veterans: what do you feel is the average tip for a server who delivers room service?

FYI, on previous cruises, I tipped a higher amount for dinner in the cabin vs a pot of tea and cookies at night.

It seems to me carrying a heavier platter with more dishes and food (plus any preparation of the meal for

which the server was responsible) = a higher amount when giving the gratuity.

 

So, fellow cruisers, share the tipping experience, please, relative to "room service". Thanks for your thoughts

and assistance.

[malony33]

Sorry the format is such a mess!!

 

[PhD-iva]

I don’t recall tipping anything. Last time I was on O I was in a penthouse, and tipped the butler (who delivers the room service) at the end of the cruise. Others will jump in if I’ve forgotten anything….

[Snaefell3]

5 hours ago, PhD-iva said:

I don’t recall tipping anything. Last time I was on O I was in a penthouse, and tipped the butler (who delivers the room service) at the end of the cruise. Others will jump in if I’ve forgotten anything….

Silly question...

Since "your" butler isn't on 24/7, what about when it isn't "your" butler delivering?

[PelicanLvr]

Just returned from a veranda stateroom on Nautica.  We had a continental breakfast of cereal and fruit + coffee delivered to our room each morning.  The attendant knocks, enters the room, places the tray on the table and leaves.  

 

I handed them 2-3 USD as they leave.  

 

Each seemed surprised to be tipped and appreciated it.

[PhD-iva]

There are other butlers who cover while your butler is off duty. You don’t see them much at all. 

[Sthrngary]

Tipping is one of those topics that get kicked around weekly on a cruise board.  Those that ask, generally want to feel good about the decision they will make.  With that as my focus, here are some thoughts. 

 

As @PhD-iva said, when you have a butler, they or a member of the butler team will deliver your room service.  I like @PhD-iva pay the gratuity to the butler in the pre-paid gratuity program and provide extra also in the form of another lump some. The extra is just that, extra. 

 

When the butler is not part of the equation, again, no additional amount is required.  However, if you would like to provide some additional, it is at your judgement.  A few dollars seems appropriate. 

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment. 

[SATaxman]

On our 10 night Marina cruise in October, our Butler was always the one to deliver coffee in the morning, afternoon snacks, pre-dinner snacks, iced tea, lots of refills of ice, and everything else. never saw anyone else. We tipped him at the end of the cruise with a note.

 

[Hambagahle]

11 hours ago, malony33 said:

I've cruised 15 times, but this will be the 1st time on Oceania. I will be sailing in a veranda stateroom. 

 

For all you Oceania veterans: what do you feel is the average tip for a server who delivers room service?

FYI, on previous cruises, I tipped a higher amount for dinner in the cabin vs a pot of tea and cookies at night.

It seems to me carrying a heavier platter with more dishes and food (plus any preparation of the meal for

which the server was responsible) = a higher amount when giving the gratuity.

 

So, fellow cruisers, share the tipping experience, please, relative to "room service". Thanks for your thoughts

and assistance.

Your on board account will be charged $18 pp/per day t cover tips.  As a result only tip for something which is "above and beyond" the norm.  Delivering breakfast or whatever is part of the room service steward's job.    We tip our steward/ess and Butler at the end of the cruise and often leave some additional money for the "Crew Fund" with Reception but that is all the tipping we do.

[Harters]

1 hour ago, Hambagahle said:

Your on board account will be charged $18 pp/per day t cover tips. 

I've not felt the need to do anything more about tipping than just pay this. 

 

And, even there, I would be more than happy to see that incorporated into the fare so that nothing further was expected from the traveller. I understand that how O configures its pricing for the Australian market and I'd certainly welcome its expansion to other/all sectors. Maybe they could call it "Simply a bit More". 

[Snaefell3]

2 hours ago, PhD-iva said:

There are other butlers who cover while your butler is off duty. You don’t see them much at all. 

My point exactly.  My question was do you tip them on the spot since you won't see that butler at end of voyage?

 

Asking because we finally decided to try a cabin with a butler. 

(And, yes, thank you @Sthrngary for your suggestion of a hello letter for your butler)

[Snaefell3]

9 minutes ago, Harters said:

I've not felt the need to do anything more about tipping than just pay this. 

 

And, even there, I would be more than happy to see that incorporated into the fare so that nothing further was expected from the traveller. I understand that how O configures its pricing for the Australian market and I'd certainly welcome its expansion to other/all sectors. Maybe they could call it "Simply a bit More". 

Reasonable attitude.

 

Our thought is that "gratuities" is simply disguised fare rather than being an actual gratuity since it goes to folks not performing personal service.

[basor]

8 minutes ago, Snaefell3 said:

Reasonable attitude.

 

Our thought is that "gratuities" is simply disguised fare rather than being an actual gratuity since it goes to folks not performing personal service.

I am glad that there are the crew gratuities which are shared with so many "behind the scenes" crew who perform personal service for me - laundry (my clean sheets, towels, dining linens, etc.), dishwashers (my clean dishes), public area maintenance, etc.

[PhD-iva]

30 minutes ago, Snaefell3 said:

My point exactly.  My question was do you tip them on the spot since you won't see that butler at end of voyage?

 

Asking because we finally decided to try a cabin with a butler. 

I don’t think it’s expected. I consider myself a generous tipper, and I don’t tip them anything. Many times I’m not in the room when they bring some thing, so I don’t even see them. I guess I don’t use the butler very much, besides breakfast and evening canapés.

[Hambagahle]

It probably comes down to the fact that America has a "tipping culture" and Europe and Australia/NZ do not.   If - in our case - $23 is added to the bill per person and per day that is quite a large sum.  We tip (as I said) in addition to that to our butler and steward but not to others unless they do something exceptional.  We simply do not run around with money that we are handing out!  (On tours of course it is different.  We tip the guide if s/he has been good, more if great.  And the driver, maybe a few EUR or a dollar bill or whatever.  We only give coins if we are in the country of those coins otherwise they are worthless to the person receiving them.

 

And we do see our butler before we disembark.  He brings us breakfast - it is the one time we eat breakfast in the suite as a rule.  Have to get up early that day!!

Edited December 6, 2023 by Hambagahle

[malony33]

Many thanks to you all; I appreciate that you shared your  "to tip or not to tip". I'll take every bit of advice I can get - this is a bucket cruise, so I want EVERYTHING to be good and right. 

 

[PelicanLvr]

On 12/6/2023 at 11:32 AM, Hambagahle said:

It probably comes down to the fact that America has a "tipping culture" and Europe and Australia/NZ do not.   I

To help our international members understand American tipping a bit more.......Yes, America has always been a tipping culture, but now (post COVID) it has even increased.  Anyone who worked through the pandemic in hard-hit areas (like our's) was "handsomely" tipped because they kept food in our homes and the whole society running.  That mentality waned, but some post-covid increased tipping remains.

 

Now, 20% tip in restaurants (here in the New York City area) is the norm.  Used to be 15...but even receipts that show "tipping suggestions" now seem to start at 18% and go up to 22 or 25%.  Now, many credit card machines for simple transactions are programmed to ask "tip amount ?", and you have to affirmatively press "no tip".  

 

It has gotten a bit "out of hand" and there have been news reports about it.  One report claimed that employers are paying "customer facing" employees less and encouraging more tipping to cut labor costs.

 

I know when we travel we are out-of-step with many other countries on tipping amounts....but it just feels wrong to leave so little after good service.  This year we had trips to Germany and also to Spain.  I tried to be tip-restrained.....but it's hard for us.  

 

Is it hard for non-Americans when they travel to the USA to understand our tipping standards?  I'll bet it is. 

  

[Harters]

4 minutes ago, PelicanLvr said:

Is it hard for non-Americans when they travel to the USA to understand our tipping standards? 

Not in the slightest. At least, not for any seasoned traveller. Folk like that will very probably have researched the tipping culture of whatever country they are visiting and act accordingly. 

 

You will, of course, come across tourists who continue tipping in accordance with their own culture, whatever that might be. Folk such as yourself.  And that will include Americans who visit a European country, without understanding its tipping culture and just continue to tip their usual 20%. Which is probably why American tourists are so widely welcomed in restaurants in my country. Especially the Americans who don't understand what a service charge is so, effectively, tip twice. 

[Acrusa]

On 12/6/2023 at 7:58 AM, PelicanLvr said:

Just returned from a veranda stateroom on Nautica.  We had a continental breakfast of cereal and fruit + coffee delivered to our room each morning.  The attendant knocks, enters the room, places the tray on the table and leaves.  

 

I handed them 2-3 USD as they leave.  

 

Each seemed surprised to be tipped and appreciated it.

I have been doing that on every ship we sailed on since before the turn of the century 

[Harters]

1 hour ago, Harters said:

Folk such as yourself

Pelican - apologies. That came out overly direct. I'd intended to write "Folk such as yourself who find it uncomfortable to do otherwise".

[Hambagahle]

We see American tourists in Switzerland all the time who add 15-20% to a meal bill - but here the full service charge is already included in the restaurant price.  So they are tipping twice, and over-tipping at that.   In some countries (Japan I believe for one) it is considered rude to tip someone.  I really do think people from the US need to be a little more aware of local practices...

[Vallesan]

We faced two bad experiences in Miami. 
1. We arrived at the airport. Had assistance . Arrived at baggage retrieval. Assistant called porter. Two cases, He walked 5O yds with the trolley. We are from UK. OH gave him $5 and he said “NO” it’s $10!

2. Stayed at the Intercontinental. Ate in the steak restaurant with 15% + taxes. A server, who hadn’t served us, came to our table and said “the hotel take the service charge can you leave an extra tip”

My ‘tip’ was ‘If they don’t pay you enough find another job’.

Very unimpressed.

Edited December 8, 2023 by Vallesan

[BarbaraM]

Someone told me once years ago  ( a very frequent Oceania cruiser) that room service delivery is by crew who volunteer to do this on their off time.  We always a tip a couple dollars after hearing this— 

[Harters]

1 hour ago, BarbaraM said:

room service delivery is by crew who volunteer to do this on their off time

Seems unlikely that O would rely on chance that someone volunteers their time for a required service to passengers. It would be no way to  run a professional operation. 

[ORV]

I’ve heard the room stewards each have to take a shift shoveling coal in the engines to help reduce costs. 🤡🚢