Tipping for Room Service

[Pincus]

While I know this has been addressed in the past, I find that the search function is not working on this board.

 

Does the assigned gratuity cover those who deliver room service?

 

Thanks for your help.

 

Pincus

[songanddance]

It does not. Therefore a $1.00 - $2.00 tip is recommended for each room service delivery made.

[Kindlychap]

It does not. Therefore a $1.00 - $2.00 tip is recommended for each room service delivery made.

 

Recommended by whom?

 

Certainly not Cunard.

 

Everything we've ever had has been brought by our butlers - so why tip extra per service?

 

Matthew

[pnhmrk]

It does not.

 

Where does it say it isn't?:confused: In the brochure (not always that reliable I know;) ) it says "The Hotel and Dining charge will be shared amongst those staff that helped provide and support your voyage experience, including the waiter staff, stateroom stewards and accommodations staff, buffet stewards and others". If that doesn't include the cabin service what does?

[deck chair]

Hi:

 

Let me put in my two cents. I have done ten TAs on QE2, two TAs on Queen Mary 2 as well as long cruises on both. Of course, one never has to tip. One can always go to the pursers desk and withdraw the daily gratutiy from your account. Given the low pay the service staff receives for working very long hours, I see fit to tip extra for room service and elsewhere. Since you are usually dealing with the same crew members, it usually means much better service such as crew offering to go to Kings Court to fetch items not on the breakfast room service menu for you. In the Commodore Club or Chart Room or Golden Lion, it means the servers don't overlook you in a crowd. All in all, it makes for a more enjoyable voyage. Others may see it differently. Thats fine, too.

 

Deck Chair

[songanddance]

I should have known better than to veer into the realm of tipping. Seems that each side of the pond has their own culture when it comes to tipping. Do you also have the sport of "cow tipping" over there?

[Terrence Richards]

I feel very strongly about this issue, here's why.

 

I have sailed with Cunard twelve times since 1993: 7 times on QE2; twice on the Vistafjord/Caronia; and 3 times on the QM2. I realize things may change, but not this tipping issue.

 

Your gratuity with Cunard is billed to your account once you board. Before the end of the cruise, you can go to the Pursar's Office and increase or decrease your gratuity on your account.

 

The extra tipping is for liquor service in the restaurants and on the decks, and for personal service in the spa and beauty shops. A gratuity of 15% is added to your on board account.

 

On my second cruise on the QM2 in 2005, after the third day of room service for breakfast in my cabin, the steward handed me a slip to sign. This was a first for me. I asked him about it. He said it was to indicate that I received the room service for their records. At the bottom of the slip was a space for a gratuity. I asked him about this, and he could only give me a vague answer. By the way, I had a different cabin steward each time, not the steward who made up your cabin.

 

Think about it, would you tip your waiters after each meal in addition to your already charged gratuity on your account. That is what you are doing with those who bring you the same meal in your cabin.

 

I went to the Pursar's Office to ask about this, and no one there could give me a direct answer. In fact one representative told me she was not aware of it. I think this was a Princess thing being used on the QM2.

 

The gratuity that you wil pay on your account, according to Cunard (not Princess) goes to all those who serve you in your cabin and restaurant. After all, if you do not dine in your restaurant or Kings Court and order room service, you are not being served twice for the same meal.

 

Gratuities are placed in a pool and distributed to the staff by their formula. If you feel someone from the staff has done something extra for you, then you can give an additional tip.

 

Belive me, I feel that staff members that serve the passengers work very hard and depend on the tips. I have never decreased the gratuity charged to my account at the end of a cruise.

Wouldn't be better if the cruise line paid their staff more instead of making you the passenger feel you have to toss your money around for tipping everytime a staff member does their expected service to you. I am sure you are aware there are a few cruise lines that do not have a tipping policy. It is in your cabin rate.......Amen.

 

Terrence

[colwill]

Do you also have the sport of "cow tipping" over there?

 

No; please enlighten us.

[songanddance]

Never have engaged in it myself but it is my understanding that cows sleep standing up. So in our more rural areas it is sport to sneak up on the cows and "tip" them over as they are sleeping.

 

Nothing to do with this thread or other tipping threads but I think about it every time I see a tipping thread.

[cunardqueen]

Does the assigned gratuity cover those who deliver room service?

On the occasions that l happen to get an attack of the munchies in the wee small hours I for one am only to pleased to slip something into the Night Stewards hands as he leaves my cabin, and have never had any complaints, . Indeed on the last cruise on my 100th night l called room service at 2am and low and behold my gentle request for caviar was provided for!! l was surprised, the night steward was ever smilling and the guests astounded. And l was in Mauretania grade.

Though during that cruise l needed only call room service and the Night steward would reply " Your usual Mr Devin"

And sure enough the BLT(with warm bacon!!) ,fries and pot of Earl grey would appear.

Of course l was only to pleased to give a tip..

As for the rest of the tips, l leave them on my account and will give something extra to some people.

cheers

 

As for cow tipping....:eek:

[pnhmrk]

No; please enlighten us.

 

You have never heard of the popular sport of "Cow Tipping":eek: Are you honestly saying that you haven't indulged in that pastime:eek:

 

(LOL)

 

On the occasions that l happen to get an attack of the munchies in the wee small hours I for one am only to pleased to slip something into the Night Stewards hands as he leaves my cabin

 

Myles, how could you :o (LOL :D )

[Kindlychap]

So, those of you who tip the night steward wouldn't regard that person as part of the normal team deserving of tips?

 

Perhaps that's where Myles and I disagree. I don't tip until the end - at all.

 

I only tip those who have made a difference - which has, on occasions, included Queens Grill Lounge bar staff.

 

Matthew

[mufi]

Hi:

 

Given the low pay the service staff receives for working very long hours,

 

Do we know the pay scale they are on? Do we know they are on low pay? Is it anything to do with us anyway? The problem is that there are a lot of assumptions made about pay, tips and working conditions of service staff that we do not know anything about and Cunard are not about to tell us. Why should they, they would say we have no need or right to know and this is true. Cunard tells us how much to pay in tips with the daily addition to the final account, and they do not mention any need to tip extra for room service.

 

Nothing causes so much anguish than the subject of tipping. Except possibly the butler, who turns out to be not a butler at all in the usual sense of the word.

 

But that's for another thread.

 

David.

[cunardqueen]

Nothing causes so much anguish than the subject of tipping. Except possibly the butler, who turns out to be not a butler at all in the usual sense of the word.

 

But that's for another thread.

 

 

Yes quite indeed!!! is the butler a real one or just a glorified steward with tails

 

Indeed it might be said that a tip at the start of the cruise is a bribe?? l tend to give my cabin stewart a small tip at the start, and l would never dream of thinking it was a bribe:eek:

Working in the hotel industry you can provide outstanding service to a group of people and be left nothing and normal service to a couple and be left a £20. In my job if a person gave me a tip at the start, l would of course ensure that they were look after, and would never see it as a bribe.

[pnhmrk]

Do we know the pay scale they are on? Do we know they are on low pay? Is it anything to do with us anyway?

 

Do we care? (I think the answer is yes, but only in an after dinner chat kind of way)

[berry22192]

Does the assigned gratuity cover those who deliver room service?

Pincus

 

Yes, no and it depends.

Your gratuity payment added to your on board account should, by rights, take care of matters.

 

By practise and custom I would say that most American passengers will tip their bedroom steward(ess) extra at the end of the voyage if he/she has been even mildly pleasant and competent or has brought breakfast to the cabin on occasion.

 

Europeans tip at a different scale and for fewer services, which may be one reason why Cunard charges higher prices to passengers living outside North America. (It's not that Americans are by nature more generous, its because Americans are used to tipping 15%-20% to service providers --whose salary is largely contingent on gratuities of satisfied customers.)

 

I complimented the QE2 bookstore assistant because the purchase charge slip she presented to me for signature didn't have any space for an added gratuity. "Don't I wish!" she said with a laugh.

 

 

Chris

[PRINSENDAM]

And sure enough the BLT(with warm bacon!!) ,fries and pot of Earl grey would appear.

 

:eek:

 

 

 

Damn! I thought I was the only one would would kill someone in order to get the BLT... home made bread, country cut... with warm bacon... and fries (real potatoes)... but I usually opt for the coffee. Why? Beacuse to me Cunard's coffee (100% Columbian) is the best in the world! Don't forget the mayo on the BLT.

 

They are the best!

 

I remember one night coming back to the cabin.... after a long night up in the old Lido bar....;) .... calling room service for the BLT and then desperately trying to stay awake to eat it!

 

Stephen

[travel-to-go]

Recommended by whom?

 

Certainly not Cunard.

 

Everything we've ever had has been brought by our butlers - so why tip extra per service?

 

Matthew

 

Because you want to show your appreciation for their exemplary service, which is much greater than one might expect on other lines.

 

Or are you saying they aren't worth it and don't deserve it, Matthew?

That they should get the same portion of your pre-paid tips whether they give you extra service or not?

 

Karie,

who cannot conceive of being in the top tier of passenger accomodations, yet being too chintzy to offer an extra gratuity to those who serve her well.

[pnhmrk]

and fries (real potatoes)

 

Stephen - are you sure that you're talking about the QE2? How did you manage to get proper chips? I've never got anything but frozen!:( (Maybe I should have offered a tip/bribe as soon as I'd boarded:p :D )

[mufi]

Because you want to show your appreciation for their exemplary service, which is much greater than one might expect on other lines.

 

QUOTE]

 

Is it? Not in my experience.

 

David.

[travel-to-go]

Because you want to show your appreciation for their exemplary service, which is much greater than one might expect on other lines.

 

QUOTE]

 

Is it? Not in my experience.

 

David.

 

Gee, David, maybe they knew you to be a non-tipper! :D

 

Just kidding. I really don't know. And I've certainly never had Butler service.

It's just that certain people rant and rave so much about the perks of Grill Class. I would think the Butlers must come in and wash their backs for them nightly!

 

Karie,

who doesn't know what she'd do with a Butler...or a bidet! (See other thread)

[pnhmrk]

who doesn't know what she'd do with a Butler...or a bidet! (See other thread)

 

Karie if you're lucky (and the butler's cute;) ) you can get him to help you with the bidet - explain how to use it, wash you, etc!:D

[travel-to-go]

Karie if you're lucky (and the butler's cute;) ) you can get him to help you with the bidet - explain how to use it, wash you, etc!:D

 

You mean, wash my feet, of course...in the bidet. which is French for "foot washing thingamajig!":rolleyes:

 

Karie,

who is really leaving for home and beddy-bye!

[pnhmrk]

You mean, wash my feet, of course

 

If you're really lucky he'll wash where you like - even between your toes:D

[mufi]

Karie if you're lucky (and the butler's cute;) ) you can get him to help you with the bidet - explain how to use it, wash you, etc!:D

 

Do they have femail ones?

 

David.