Onboard musician tipping

[PATRLR]

On 6/17/2024 at 12:45 PM, Thrak said:

 

I die a little bit every time I hear Sweet Caroline. I truly hate hearing people yell out "So Good, So Good, So Good" and "Bom, Bom, Bom" (or however one would spell that noise)). It is not part of the damn song! Whoever started the Princess Pop Choir tradition of using that song and adding in those stupid words that don't belong should be keelhauled.

Don't say that in Boston or they'll likely run you out of town.  Don't say it inside Fenway Park or YOU will be the one keelhauled.  

The problem I have with Sweet Caroline is the fact that Caroline Kennedy, age 11 at the time, was the inspiration for using the name "Caroline".  The song is supposed NOT about her but about Diamond's wife.  It's just that Diamond heard her name while writing it and decided to use it because it fit better than his wife's name.  "Touching me, touching you..." still creeps me out when I think of the inspiration.

Edited June 20 by PATRLR

[PATRLR]

On 6/17/2024 at 12:45 PM, Thrak said:

It is not part of the damn song!

This guy seems to think it's part of the song: 🙂

 

[Thrak]

I notice he doesn't sing those parts nor are they included in the recorded versions. It's an unfortunate bastardization of the song and he's going along with it.

[BamaVol]

On 6/17/2024 at 12:04 AM, HappilyEverAft-ers said:

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. 

There was a tip jar on the piano in Crooners two nights ago on Enchanted. 

Edited June 21 by BamaVol

[HappilyEverAft-ers]

On 6/20/2024 at 8:32 PM, BamaVol said:

There was a tip jar on the piano in Crooners two nights ago on Enchanted. 

Interesting!  Personally, I don't have anything against tip jars.  You either feel they deserve a tip or they don't.  🤷‍♀️

[galensgrl]

13 hours ago, HappilyEverAft-ers said:

Interesting!  Personally, I don't have anything against tip jars.  You either feel they deserve a tip or they don't.  🤷‍♀️

During the pandemic tip jars were seen more often, at least where I live in New England, just North of Portsmouth NH. I've even seen tip jars at gas stations and convenience stores, where I didn't see them before the pandemic. On a cruise I usually bring a little extra cash for incidentals, and I do tip cash to employees who I feel go out of their way to help, those who give excellent service. I do pay the auto gratuities before we sail so it's not an either/or situation. Years ago when I first started cruising I would read reviews where people would suggest bringing things like candy or some small treat to give to staff who go above and beyond. But I don't know if someone is diabetic or has other allergies or restrictions so I've never given candy or other food. I just want to thank people for excellent service and an attitude of caring. Just my perspective, your mmv. 

[wcook]

On 6/17/2024 at 1:22 PM, DCThunder said:

Just another reason to hate the Red Sox and their fans.😀

 

As a passionate Red Sox fan, that’s fair. Don’t know if any of you follow the ParoDeeJay YouTube channel, but Jay from that channel hates Sweet Caroline as much as anyone. They keep a counter of how many times in a year he is subjected to it. 

[cr8tiv1]

2 hours ago, galensgrl said:

During the pandemic tip jars were seen more often, at least where I live in New England, just North of Portsmouth NH. I've even seen tip jars at gas stations and convenience stores, where I didn't see them before the pandemic. On a cruise I usually bring a little extra cash for incidentals, and I do tip cash to employees who I feel go out of their way to help, those who give excellent service. I do pay the auto gratuities before we sail so it's not an either/or situation. Years ago when I first started cruising I would read reviews where people would suggest bringing things like candy or some small treat to give to staff who go above and beyond. But I don't know if someone is diabetic or has other allergies or restrictions so I've never given candy or other food. I just want to thank people for excellent service and an attitude of caring. Just my perspective, your mmv. 

 

Crew work on a barter system below deck.  I have asked if a particular person (usually my steward/wait staff) would like such and such.  Sometimes I just offer, they take....and what they do with it (barter), I don't care.  I have asked my steward/wait staff if there is anything I can pick up for them when I am on shore.  Now that is an interesting list/mystery hunt.  And yes, I still leave them cash at the end.  

 

That's just the way I was brought up.  

[loge23]

Never heard of tipping entertainers on a cruise ship before and besides that, who carries cash around on a cruise?

But while we're on the topic of entertainers and musicians - and Princess, is there any other line that offers the variety and quality of musicians on Princess? None that I know of.

We're on the Emerald now, there's the obligatory party band - not bad but I hate the loud music in the Piazza so we pass on that. But there's also a wonderful saloon pianist/singer (Clarolyn Maier) in Crooners (when the din in the Piazza subsides), a fantastic guitarist/singer (Luis Ramos) from Brazil in the Wheelhouse and Crooners, and tonight we walked into the Wheelhouse after a very good show in the theatre from Nina Skyy backed by the always excellent Princess band and found the Silver Duo from Argentina - a terrific guitarist and female vocalist that played Bossa Nova and Samba tunes.

No, no tip jars but top flight musicians that we would pay to see on land.

[HappilyEverAft-ers]

40 minutes ago, loge23 said:

Never heard of tipping entertainers on a cruise ship before and besides that, who carries cash around on a cruise?

But while we're on the topic of entertainers and musicians - and Princess, is there any other line that offers the variety and quality of musicians on Princess? None that I know of.

We're on the Emerald now, there's the obligatory party band - not bad but I hate the loud music in the Piazza so we pass on that. But there's also a wonderful saloon pianist/singer (Clarolyn Maier) in Crooners (when the din in the Piazza subsides), a fantastic guitarist/singer (Luis Ramos) from Brazil in the Wheelhouse and Crooners, and tonight we walked into the Wheelhouse after a very good show in the theatre from Nina Skyy backed by the always excellent Princess band and found the Silver Duo from Argentina - a terrific guitarist and female vocalist that played Bossa Nova and Samba tunes.

No, no tip jars but top flight musicians that we would pay to see on land.

🙋‍♀️🙋‍♀️🙋‍♀️

 

I carry plenty of cash on vacation.  We do curbside check in at the airport, so they get a tip.  Cabbies, porters, room steward, casino, ports, excursions always require extra cash.  Sometimes entertainers, bartenders, pool deck attendant (admittedly, this was a first last cruise but he was outstanding).  Cash is readily available, and while it made not be carried around every night, it's always there.  I can't imagine taking a cashless cruise to be honest. 

[TRLD]

16 hours ago, cr8tiv1 said:

 

Crew work on a barter system below deck.  I have asked if a particular person (usually my steward/wait staff) would like such and such.  Sometimes I just offer, they take....and what they do with it (barter), I don't care.  I have asked my steward/wait staff if there is anything I can pick up for them when I am on shore.  Now that is an interesting list/mystery hunt.  And yes, I still leave them cash at the end.  

 

That's just the way I was brought up.  

Especially during the restart, when crew could not leave the ship, we would ask if they needed anything from shore. It was often things like instant coffee and creamer, certain snacks, etc that they could not buy on the ship.

[loge23]

10 hours ago, HappilyEverAft-ers said:

🙋‍♀️🙋‍♀️🙋‍♀️

 

I carry plenty of cash on vacation.  We do curbside check in at the airport, so they get a tip.  Cabbies, porters, room steward, casino, ports, excursions always require extra cash.  Sometimes entertainers, bartenders, pool deck attendant (admittedly, this was a first last cruise but he was outstanding).  Cash is readily available, and while it made not be carried around every night, it's always there.  I can't imagine taking a cashless cruise to be honest. 

Of course you would have cash on hand off of the ship. When I tip on the ship, it's planned.

[MacMadame]

19 hours ago, loge23 said:

who carries cash around on a cruise?

Whoever does this, I bet 99% of them are from the US. 🤣

[suzyed]

On 6/17/2024 at 1:22 PM, DCThunder said:

According to the Internet (so it has to be true) the Sweet Caroline abomination began with the Boston Red Sox, and a Fenway Park employee who first played the song at a game to celebrate the birth of a friends baby, whose name was Caroline.  It was all downhill from there.  Just another reason to hate the Red Sox and their fans.😀

 

Red Sox's Sweet Caroline history at Fenway Park (mlb.com)

I hear those extra words whenever I hear them play Sweet Caroline!  Everywhere!
I never really liked the song even before that, but it seems the "young people" picked up on it and gave it new life!

Yes, I do hate the Red Sox but not all of their fans!  LOL!

 

[Thrak]

I try to always have some cash as I tend to tip my cabin steward. On our last cruise the tip consisted of Canadian Dollars, Mexican Pesos, and Euros. The steward can just stick it all in their onboard account and money is money. Depending on how much OBC we have I have sometimes come home with a fair amount more cash than I started out with.