Onboard musician tipping

[cusematt4]

Hi all,

 

We always enjoying listening to live music onboard.  On Royal Caribbean, the guitar player at the pub and piano player at the piano bar have tip jars out.  This is our first princes cruise in awhile and the guitar soloist and piano bar player do not have tip jars out.  
 

Are tips not expected and are these employees hired under different terms rather than on Royal Caribbean where it seems like tips are expected each night?

 

Thank you.

[memoak]

The are entertainers and I don’t think they expect tips. I am frankly shocked that there were tips jars out on a cruise ship

[Waynetor]

I have never seen anyone tip a musical entertainer on Princess.

[galensgrl]

8 minutes ago, cusematt4 said:

Hi all,

 

We always enjoying listening to live music onboard.  On Royal Caribbean, the guitar player at the pub and piano player at the piano bar have tip jars out.  This is our first princes cruise in awhile and the guitar soloist and piano bar player do not have tip jars out.  
 

Are tips not expected and are these employees hired under different terms rather than on Royal Caribbean where it seems like tips are expected each night?

 

Thank you.

I have my first Princess cruise coming up in August so I don't know about her yet. But in the past over the ten cruises I've taken with NCL, HAL and most recently Celebrity I have never seen a tip jar for any employees ever. I've never seen a tip jar on any bar on a cruise ship and never saw a tip jar set up in any lounge where a musician or band was playing. So this seems like a new thing and it's odd to me. Then again this is our first cruise post pandemic so it's been a while.

[memoak]

12 minutes ago, galensgrl said:

I have my first Princess cruise coming up in August so I don't know about her yet. But in the past over the ten cruises I've taken with NCL, HAL and most recently Celebrity I have never seen a tip jar for any employees ever. I've never seen a tip jar on any bar on a cruise ship and never saw a tip jar set up in any lounge where a musician or band was playing. So this seems like a new thing and it's odd to me. Then again this is our first cruise post pandemic so it's been a while.

No you are not wrong 7 cruises after the pandemic and never seen it

[tompeter]

I guess it is just a personal thing. I have discreetly tipped musicians many times as well as bought them alcoholic and non alcoholic beverages.

[cr8tiv1]

3 minutes ago, tompeter said:

I guess it is just a personal thing. I have discreetly tipped musicians many times as well as bought them alcoholic and non alcoholic beverages.

 

I have done the same.  They ask the barista to hold their drinks until they are "off duty".  

 

I've even bought coffee for an officer that was in line behind me (yes, they do have to pay for it).  No one has ever turned down my thoughtfulness.  

 

Glad to read that others find this "normal" behavior.

[cusematt4]

Maybe it’s only on Royal Caribbean, which is surprising.  It’s always been out for the guitar pub and piano bar players on every rcl ship.

[BlerkOne]

20 minutes ago, cusematt4 said:

Maybe it’s only on Royal Caribbean, which is surprising.  It’s always been out for the guitar pub and piano bar players on every rcl ship.

Tip jars in piano bars on Carnival is the standard.

[Thrak]

On Princess I have never seen tip jars. Heck, there have been a couple of "entertainers" (Mark Vallar quickly springs to mind) whom we actively flee from whenever they enter a venue. (We might be tempted to tip if it would make him go away...)

 

There is no need to tip the entertainers on a Princess cruise.

[sultan_sfo]

We have a totally different attitude about showing our appreciation.

For entertainers, we usually get them drinks during their breaks or at the end of their performance. If we have come to know them well, we ask them if they are available to have lunch and or drinks with us at port calls.

[startedwithamouse]

5 minutes ago, sultan_sfo said:

We have a totally different attitude about showing our appreciation.

For entertainers, we usually get them drinks during their breaks or at the end of their performance. If we have come to know them well, we ask them if they are available to have lunch and or drinks with us at port calls.

Are you getting them drinks using the package?

[sultan_sfo]

4 minutes ago, startedwithamouse said:

Are you getting them drinks using the package?

Good question. But we have doing this before Packages were introduced.

 

We specifically request the Bar Steward to charge their drinks to our account and not to our package. But you are correct -- often these extras end up as a part of our package. But to the entertainer it makes no difference.

[HappilyEverAft-ers]

Royal Caribbean allows tip jars.  Princess does not.  That was told to me by an entertainer that performed on both cruise lines.  I tipped him the last night. 

Edited June 17 by HappilyEverAft-ers

[cr8tiv1]

1 hour ago, startedwithamouse said:

Are you getting them drinks using the package?

Not everyone has a drink package nor “breaks the rule”.  It is very simple to request the drink be added to your folio.

[mtnesterz]

12 hours ago, cusematt4 said:

Are tips not expected and are these employees hired under different terms rather than on Royal Caribbean where it seems like tips are expected each night?

Since you wrote that this is your first Princess cruise in, "awhile," know that onboard spending is  done with the Medallion. Sure, some people carry some paper money around, but most leave wallets in their safe. AFAIK, RCI still uses cruise cards so more people would carry around a wallet. I suspect that's part of it.

As you mention and I agree, I find it refreshing to be on vacation and not to have tip jars or software, expecting tips.

[Cruise Raider]

It was years ago but I do remember seeing a tip jar for the piano players.  Now, we used to cruise on other cruise lines much more often than we do now, so I can’t remember if it was actually on a Princess ship.  I don’t see them anymore.  
 

[1025cruise]

I've not necessarily seen tip jars, but I have seen entertainers selling their music if you were so inclined.

[dog]

Nope, not me. I show my appreciation by clapping, saying words of appreciation and filling in compliments on forms I get at Guest Services daily.

 

My CA goes to those Princess chooses.

[voljeep]

Tip jars in O'Malley's?  I'll toss in a $ if they play 'Rocky Top'

[DCThunder]

11 minutes ago, voljeep said:

Tip jars in O'Malley's?  I'll toss in a $ if they play 'Rocky Top'

I'd throw in $x2 if they didn't.  Same with "Sweet Caroline".

[CineGraphic]

I've always tipped musicians when making requests.

[BnDcruisers]

Yes, I know this is the Princess site.

FYI, we have been on the Carnival Horizon 3 times in the last and a half and yes, the piano player in the piano bar has a large tip jar sitting on the corner of the piano.
There seems to be cash in the jar for “requests”, in addition the crowd in the bar pays for the piano guy to enjoy a drink or two while he plays. 😁

 

 

[Ombud]

I have only cruised Princess since restart (11 since 2020) hanging out at Crooners & Wheelhouse Bar and it's not been on my cruises either. Haven't cruised other lines since restart but I'd be surprised if those musicians have tip jars. 

 

FWIW I tip street musicians but not professionals in other settings.

 

 

Edited June 17 by Ombud

[skynight]

To me tip jars on a cruise ship is low class. No matter, I never carry cash around on board. Everything now and in the past is either medallion or cruise card.