Room Service Tipping question

[cruisejunkiemom2two]

So, it's been 5 LONG years since my last cruise. Going on Glory in 11 days! WOOHOO.. Anyways.. please help me out with this silly question. Since Carnival has gone no cash.. Who brings the room service if you order food? Is it your personal cabin steward? How do you tip them? Cash?!? I plan on eating breakfast in cabin since I got a balcony this time. :p

Thanks! Anyone been on Panoramic deck cat 8E on Glory?

Cruisejunkie

[Caliber1]

We have never been on the Glory, but we did order breakfast every morning to eat on our balcony. We just tipped 1 or 2 dollars, depending on how much we ordered. The room stewards never brought us our food, don't think I ever saw the same person twice. Enjoy your cruise and your balcony!!

 

Jess

[Cotton]

You should take along several one dollar bills for add'l tipping. The cabin steward does not deliver room service. A delivery person will bring your orders, and you should tip him/her $1-2 each time.

 

I guess you know there are no hot foods delivered to cabins. Your breakfast selections will be croissants, Danish, cold cereal and milk, toast w/jelly, fresh fruit, etc. However, if you want a big b'fast on your balcony, you can always go to Lido buffet and bring a tray back.:)

[seashell36]

Another room service tip - don't forget to order everything you need. DH learned this the hard way. If you want cereal - you have to order cereal and order milk. If you want cream and/or sugar with your coffee you have to specify that.

[trvlcrzy]

Our waiter from dinner was delivering room service during breakfast. We passed him in the passageways many times. (Our assistant waiter worked in the Red Sail.) Multitasking folks, those crew members!

 

We did use cash for our room service tips when we had a balcony (Lido deck) on Glory. Some suggest $2 bills, but I have seen a blog from a crew member (crewspot, I believe?) where he discusses the difficulty for crew members in using U.S. $2 bills. It may be legal tender here, but it is not well recognized internationally. (I know you didn't ask this part, but I thought I'd add it for general information of any readers.)

[seamama1]

My own personal "rule of thumb" about tipping is $1.00 per person based on how many are in the cabin. If it is a large order, I will up it to $2.00 per person.

 

And, I agree about the $2 bill. It is so rare to see it in regular circulation that many Americans are leary about it; much less someone who is not familiar at all trying to use it somewhere outside the U.S. Same thing applies with the Susan B $$. Many outside America don't recognize it.:p

[AppleValleyCruisers]

We didn't have any problems or dirty looks with $2.00 bills, but I guess it kind of makes sense. Maybe they changed them into ones onboard:confused:

 

In all but the smallest shops located outside of the tourist areas, the three dollar bills we doaled out were a different story though

[wmsherwood]

$1-2 is what is recommended by Carnival. The waitstaff do double (or more) duty and can be assigned room service or buffet, etc. They work hard. We tip based on how much we order. Breakfast is almost always $2 because of the juice/coffee/cereal/etc.

 

Have a great time.

bill

[Sandgnat]

The first time we used the 2 dollar bills they loved them. The second guy to deliver actually asked for one since his friend had received one the day before, he did it with a little embarassment due to asking but we already had one out for him. My Father and son just went to Costa Rica for a week and the servers were thrilled with them and told them over and over that they would keep them forever and remember them. My Father just came back from Panama on friday and he said many refused to take them there. I have always received big smiles from cruise members by tipping with them. I normally also bring boxes of chocolate and stuff from bath and body to give as gifts along with tipping our stewards, wait staff and others that have gone above and beyond to make our trip wonderful. On our Christmas cruise I'll bring along gifts for those that are away from their family at this time of year. I don't wrap them, bring bags and don't assume all celebrate Christmas but find out if they celebrate anything at this time and give accordingly.

[JustRambling]

Another room service tip - don't forget to order everything you need. DH learned this the hard way. If you want cereal - you have to order cereal and order milk. If you want cream and/or sugar with your coffee you have to specify that.

 

Hmm.....well, we never ordered cereal from room service, but that's a good thought. We did, however, order coffee and bananas (bananas for my kids), every morning. But we didn't have to specify that we wanted sugar or splenda or cream. It just came automatically. We only had one cup of coffee each though.....they brought a whole carafe of coffee and 2 coffee cups, and there was plenty of sugar/sugar substitute for more cups.....but...since I have a little coffee with my cream, there wasn't enough cream for us to have more than one cup. If you like lots of cream in your coffee, I would suggest you ask for extra cream. LOL! I kept forgetting to ask for extra cream when I would order. LOL!

Ok....and something I did not know.....when you call room service....they already know what room you are calling from, so you don't have to tell them. Hope that helps some newbie that might be reading this, because the first morning, I kind of stumbled over my words when I ordered because I couldn't figure out how they knew what room to bring it too. ROTFLMBO! :D

Diana

[Cotton]

If you want cream and/or sugar with your coffee you have to specify that.

 

:D I have the opposite experience - every time ... I drink my coffee black and I always tell them NO sugar, NO cream. The tray is always loaded with both.

[GoinCruisin]

Yup, the $2 bills they WILL keep forever and ever, cuz they can't spend them :p LMAO!!!! Seriously though, I have heard the same thing.... of course they are happy and would never say "sorry, I don't want this" :rolleyes: but they are more difficult to work with at various ports. I'm sure they find a way, but it's not the kind of money they can just stick in their wallet and go... I used gold coins on my first cruise and quickly found out the same thing... whatever you give them will be appreciated, but believe me, I've seen them get JUST as excited over a $1, $5, $10, $20 bills :p They are just happy to get anything you would like to give them.

[Sandgnat]

Yup, the $2 bills they WILL keep forever and ever, cuz they can't spend them :p LMAO!!!! Seriously though, I have heard the same thing.... of course they are happy and would never say "sorry, I don't want this" :rolleyes: but they are more difficult to work with at various ports. I'm sure they find a way, but it's not the kind of money they can just stick in their wallet and go... I used gold coins on my first cruise and quickly found out the same thing... whatever you give them will be appreciated, but believe me, I've seen them get JUST as excited over a $1, $5, $10, $20 bills :p They are just happy to get anything you would like to give them.

There have been several who actually asked for them on the ship and land based trips after others had received them from us. We have singles too and have offered ones for those that look at them funny and very few have wanted to exchange them. I tip very well and would never want to leave someone not happy. The Taxi driver we had in Panama was very happy to see my Father return and remembered my name from 1 1/2 years ago even though I was not there on this trip. I still have original 2 dollar bills with stamps on them from the original release date of April 13, 1976.

[GoinCruisin]

There have been several who actually asked for them on the ship and land based trips after others had received them from us. We have singles too and have offered ones for those that look at them funny and very few have wanted to exchange them. I tip very well and would never want to leave someone not happy. The Taxi driver we had in Panama was very happy to see my Father return and remembered my name from 1 1/2 years ago even though I was not there on this trip. I still have original 2 dollar bills with stamps on them from the original release date of April 13, 1976.

 

Yippeee!! I'm glad you have them, LOL.

 

I never said there was anything wrong with it, I'm telling you what I was told. And MY experience, just as you are telling yours. You said you had people state they would keep them "forever and ever to remember them" and you had one guy request one. That is my point, they are likely using them more as a keepsake, than as money.