Neptune Concierge Tipping

[OceanLiner]

This is a follow up to a great series of questions about tipping the Neptune Lounge concierge staff, which was started by fann1sh. Unfortunately the thread has been locked, so my follow up cannot be directly attached, but the link is referenced below. I would urge you to read the original thread first so that my response might make more sense when held in the original thread context:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=431098

 

and now, the follow up.......

 

My apologies for taking so long to respond, but I felt some research into this matter was needed to address these questions. That being said, the concierges of the ships and the hotels of which I surveyed found it humorous that any discussion of tips would veer in the direction of amount or timing. All of them, particularly those at sea, thought that the main issue was that of not getting tipped at all!

 

From an objective standpoint, our tipping of $150 to just the concierge divides out to slightly over $21.00 per day on a 7 night cruise. We travel with our two sons, so this would work out to around $5.00 per person per day. Various internet references, and personal contacts within the hotel industry, benchmark $20 as a very acceptable amount for help with a request from a concierge. Our tip of $150 therefore covers a request per day, and should each of our party make a request, the economies of scale quickly tip in our favor. We pay more and get less from the shore excursions, and they last only 4 hours.

 

 

Subjectively, I have never taken into account as to how the staff is paid. It is none of my business. The Neptune Staff is highly trained and very professional, and regardless of how they are paid they need to be recognized for the outstanding services that they provide. I do not ask to see anyone’s pay stub before I issue a tip because the amount of the tip is based on the value of the experience that they provide.

 

 

Perhaps this is more of an issue of the expectations of services to be provided by the staff. We look towards the staff as being our gateway to experiences, not just a booking department. Through the staff we have been able to spend extra time with the crew and dine with them in their mess, tour the engine and control rooms, watch the preparation of the meals (the “cold room” is amazing), and have some experiences that are beyond description. (Our personal favorite was sitting with the Disney engineers and going through their wish book of ideas for the next class of Disney ship.) On one 10 night HAL cruise I had a business emergency that meant that I needed to leave the cruise and fly home. The concierge staff arranged for the proper documents to leave the ship, provided the necessary papers to allow me through the port, and got me off the ship and into a waiting car so that I could catch the plane home. While I was gone my family was adopted by the staff and they wanted for nothing. It took me only one day to fix the emergency and I signaled the staff that I could return to the cruise at the next port. They again took care of all the arrangements and secretly brought me back on board to the surprise of my wife and children.

 

Some mention has been made of Americans traveling abroad and foreign cultures. Having traveled extensively throughout Northern Europe it is rare that we are taken for anything but locals. Though not very attractive, I am not really an ugly American. While I am respectful of local customs and cultures, it is elusive to me as to which culture I need to be sensitive too on a ship of American ownership, under a Netherlands flag, with Dutch officers, and an Indonesian staff.

 

 

As a final note, do not think that our actions on any one ship go unnoticed on any other ships or other cruise lines. We really were not sure of what to do for the outstanding children’s staff on our first Disney Cruise, when the concierge mentioned the idea of international phone cards. So we purchased some cards while at a port and our children gave them to the staff as a thank you. Fast forward four years to the Volendam. We go to Club HAL on the first night and one of the counselors comes up to us and asks if we had been on the Disney Wonder. We said yes, and she apologized for not remembering the name of my oldest son, but she immediately remembered the name of my youngest son and she thanked us for what we had done for her and all the staff.

 

 

In summary, the amount of the tip and its timing should be what feels most correct to YOU. All of us have an opinion but the matter should best be left to your needs and discretion.

 

 

[elmorejj]

Thank you for taking the time to research and post this. I couldn`t agree with you more. Well said..........jean:cool:

[SnorkelBear]

Everyone is entitled to tip any amount they are comfortable with. It is probably also a good idea to not discuss it on these boards. It will always lead to confrontation. Cruising is supposed to be fun and that should not be influenced by what anyone else thinks they should or should not tip. In the end, people will do what they feel is appropriate anyway. Keep in mind that kindness is contagious.

 

As a point of reference though; $150 (7 day cruise) X 58 S suites (Noordam) = $8700 week X 4 comes to $34,800 a month X 12 = $417,600.

[sail7seas]

Thank you, OceanLiner.

 

I am very sure you know there is no need to explain yourself to any of us. Your choice to tip whatever amount or to not tip at all is entirely your option. Same applies to all of us.

 

That being said, I appreciate you made this excellent post.

 

[twinkletoes4445]

Thank you for taking the time to research and post this. I couldn`t agree with you more. Well said..........jean:cool:

 

Ditto! :)

[stray]

Thank you for such a gracious and well presented response

[bruce-r]

I can certainly see why the original thread was closed; it got fairly ugly.

 

I am glad that you took the time to write up a thoughtful response. It certainly make things more understandable, at least to me.

 

A one time tip of $150 does indeed sound like quite a bit, but when you break it down as you did, it seems much more reasonable. I guess what some people had the most problem with was the timing of the tip. Pre-tipping, at least to some, does sound a bit like a bribe.

 

Again, thanks for the clarification.

[hammybee]

Thanks for the well balanced perspective. I agree with the OP that what someone makes or where the tip goes afterwards is none of my business.

 

I have read on other CC boards of crew with vast collections of calling cards received from passengers that are, for whatever reason, unusable. So I stick with cash.

[fann1sh]

As OP on the original thread, I felt very badly about you being pilloried for my sake. I'd hoped to tip - with cash of course - but also with other items for a more personal touch. Glad to hear phone cards would be acceptable (but am mindful of the above post, that not all cards are created equal). Thanks again.

[OceanLiner]

As OP on the original thread, I felt very badly about you being pilloried for my sake. I'd hoped to tip - with cash of course - but also with other items for a more personal touch. Glad to hear phone cards would be acceptable (but am mindful of the above post, that not all cards are created equal). Thanks again.

 

Glad you found my follow up thread and thanks for your comments. Your orginal questions about using the Neptune Lounge and its staff were superb! I'm sorry the follow up took so long but I really wanted to get the research done correctly. Have a great time and btw, our second most favorite thing about the Neptune Lounge, is the really cool remote controled food island. It has this canopy like lid that raises and lowers with an electric motor. My kids and I always have fun with this thing, while my wife just shakes her head and goes back to the state of the are coffee machine......have fun

[hawgwildterry]

Along with cash, would the Costco International calling cards work for tipping of the staff? I believe I read that others purchase the calling cards while in a foreign port. I noticed today that Costco was carrying $30 International calling cards and was hoping they would work.

[hawgwildterry]

As a follow-up to my recent post, are the Costco $30 Calling Cards a good idea for gifts to the staff that warrant a little extra thank you?

[OceanLiner]

I'm not sure about Costco, or any other card. What I think is really the key issue is that they are an international phone card.

[hawgwildterry]

The Costco card that I observed today while there was an International calling card. On the reverse side of the card it listed the countries that you could call from the U.S. with the card. If we gave the calling cards out I'd want to be sure that the crew would be able to use them. I guess my real concern is wheter the crew has much/any time to get off the ship while they are in the U.S. port given that it's usually a turn around day.

[fann1sh]

The calling cards which will work are ones you buy in the ports you visit. There are HUGE lineups at the phones at Havensight in St Thomas (and presumably San Juan) because of crew members who want to use the otherwise worthless calling cards. Those cards are for people who want to call from inside the US to other countries.

[sail7seas]

Most crew make the majority of their calls (while in the Caribbean) from U.S. ports as their cards give them more minutes when calling from U.S. vs non-U.S. Caribbean locations. It's too expensive for them to call from most of the Caribbean ports.

 

[dakrewser]

You do know that if you simply tip in cash the crew member can be sure to purchase the phone card that would work best for them (or whatever else they need at that time)...

[bdcbbq]

You do know that if you simply tip in cash the crew member can be sure to purchase the phone card that would work best for them (or whatever else they need at that time)...

 

I agree. Tipping with cash, mention on the comments card, and a personal thank you note are the best ways to go about rewarding the crew. Everyone wins in this scenario. Crew gets a personal reward without taking up any extra space and is free to spend the cash the way they want and not the way I think they should. Plus I don't have to evaluate calling cards, clothing size, etc.

 

For those who want to give "gifts" put your self in their place. When I do that, all I want is cash and a verbal compliment to my employer. I'm not fond of the "stupid" gifts my employer usually tries to give at Christmas or other times (t-shirts, umbrellas, and other marketing logos). Frankly I don't want anything but cash and acknowlegement of a job well done.

[sail7seas]

Cash, cash, cash......That is what they want.

 

Why start with guessing if one telephone card works and another doesn't? What is the point?

 

Maybe they have all the phone cards they want. If a certain number of folks on every cruise think they're coming up with a great 'originial' idea and gives out phone cards. At some point, they have way more than they want or need.

 

I don't know anyone who has way more cash than they want or need. :D

 

They don't want t-shirts from our home cities or baseball caps or key chains or trinkets. They are very gracious people and will enthusiastically thank you for the latest t-shirt and it will be discarded. They don't have lots of storage space in their cabin and they certainly have the same weight limits on their luggage that we do with the airlines.

 

 

They want cash.

 

[fann1sh]

Of course cash is a "one size fits all" tip - and a favorable comment card is the most important non monetary gratuity. Careers are made on comment cards.

 

I do believe what I've been told by former cabin stewards and waiters: time off is always at a premium, and having a working phone card in hand can save time for those precious calls home. I figure I've got more time to waste in port :D than the hardworking people who make my cruise enjoyable.

 

I'm not advocating a phone card over other gratuities - just advocating that, if you chose to give one, make sure it will work :) And I personally would never give only a phone card.

 

Like all tips, it's a very personal choice.

[sail7seas]

fann1ish......

 

I am definitely not trying to be argumentative but am confused. :confused:

 

Why a phone card vs. cash? What makes it preferable to cash that the steward can use for whatever he wishes vs. adding to what may already be a large pile of phone cards he will never use up? I truly 'don't get it'.

 

It isn't as though they are difficult to come by or would demonstrate a lot of thought and effort on someone's part. We all know they are available everywhere.

 

[O2cruise]

On our last cruise our cabin steward told us that they can purchase discounted crew phone cards on the ship.

[hawgwildterry]

In a previous post by another CC member it was mentioned that an International calling card might come in handy for the crew members.

Somewhere along the way my question about which type of card to give ALONG with an EXTRA cash tip was a chance to flame me.

So flame me if you must but I was just trying to find a way to thank the staff for their hard work. I fully understand that cash is always acceptable but wanted to add just a little bonus to that.

Enough said.

[bookworm0911]

I'm not sure who you thought flamed you. I saw nothing but good advice as to the pros and cons of giving calling cards to complete strangers whose needs you don't know. That's not flaming.

[dakrewser]

In a previous post by another CC member it was mentioned that an International calling card might come in handy for the crew members.

Somewhere along the way my question about which type of card to give ALONG with an EXTRA cash tip was a chance to flame me.

So flame me if you must but I was just trying to find a way to thank the staff for their hard work. I fully understand that cash is always acceptable but wanted to add just a little bonus to that.

Enough said.

 

Please point out the flames. I mean besides the accusation you've thrown out...

 

You received much helpful advice on ways to thank the staff. You can, of course, choose to ignore it.