Bababooey Land Posted June 12, 2007 #1 Share Posted June 12, 2007 We are back from a 12 night med cruise on the millie and stayed in a Royal Suite. We were 2 adults + a 19 month old. we had breakfast in the room about 7 mornings + dinner once. (Our butler, Savio, was excellent by the way.) I am curious, what has other people tipped their butler staying in the Royal Suite? I gave him $300 or $25/per night. was that too generous or not enough? thanks, Larry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Lois R Posted June 12, 2007 #2 Share Posted June 12, 2007 Hi,:) I have never had a suite but if you go by the "Gratuities" on the X website you were very generous:D :) It says 3.50/per day per person....3.50 x 2 = 7.00 x 12 = 84.00 Now you did say you had a little one with you as well. My equation was for the 2 adults....so add another and that would be 126.00. Sounds to me like you are a generous person and I am sure your Butler appreciated it:D well, I hope he did!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soxfan2013 Posted February 13, 2015 #3 Share Posted February 13, 2015 I tipped $50 for 7 nights and am thinking I should do more...any other insights? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oregon50 Posted February 14, 2015 #4 Share Posted February 14, 2015 Insanity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soxfan2013 Posted February 14, 2015 #5 Share Posted February 14, 2015 I'm seeking advice. We leave tomorrow morning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heidik Posted February 14, 2015 #6 Share Posted February 14, 2015 We are back from a 12 night med cruise on the millie and stayed in a Royal Suite. We were 2 adults + a 19 month old. we had breakfast in the room about 7 mornings + dinner once. (Our butler, Savio, was excellent by the way.) I am curious, what has other people tipped their butler staying in the Royal Suite? I gave him $300 or $25/per night. was that too generous or not enough? thanks, Larry I am a single in a suite. For 7 days, I tip my butler $100 and my 2 attendants $50 each. I think you tipped just right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
britestar Posted February 14, 2015 #7 Share Posted February 14, 2015 If this was in addition to the automatic gratuities, I think it was generous, but as stated earlier, much appreciated. We usually hand a thank you card with cash to our butler or leave it in the room the last evening before supper. Honestly, I don't think you can tip these hardworking folks too much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wine-O Posted February 14, 2015 #8 Share Posted February 14, 2015 I tipped $50 for 7 nights and am thinking I should do more...any other insights? Your butler gets $7.00 per day whether you use him or not. If he brings you breakfast 3-4 times a cruise, that's what he is getting paid for. That's his job, like your stateroom attendant cleaning your cabin. If you use him above and beyond, then you can tip him extra at the end of the cruise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heidik Posted February 14, 2015 #9 Share Posted February 14, 2015 Your butler gets $7.00 per day whether you use him or not. If he brings you breakfast 3-4 times a cruise, that's what he is getting paid for. That's his job, like your stateroom attendant cleaning your cabin. If you use him above and beyond, then you can tip him extra at the end of the cruise. This is true if you are doing the automatic onboard gratuities. Some people prefer to have these removed and pay cash. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drarill Posted February 14, 2015 #10 Share Posted February 14, 2015 We are back from a 12 night med cruise on the millie and stayed in a Royal Suite. We were 2 adults + a 19 month old. we had breakfast in the room about 7 mornings + dinner once. (Our butler, Savio, was excellent by the way.) I am curious, what has other people tipped their butler staying in the Royal Suite? I gave him $300 or $25/per night. was that too generous or not enough? thanks, Larry We gave our butler the same amount for our last 12 night cruise and $150 extra to the room attendant. I also think you can't tip these hardworking folks too much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johhnnyt Posted February 14, 2015 #11 Share Posted February 14, 2015 I travel single, I usually do $20-25/day (in addition to normal prepaid gratuity) for the butler, and usually will only have breakfast once a week in suite, and really dont use him for much of anything else Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fleckle Posted February 14, 2015 #12 Share Posted February 14, 2015 I tipped $50 for 7 nights and am thinking I should do more...any other insights? It would depend on how much you used the butler and whether or not you paid the standard gratuities. The standard butler's gratuity for 2 people for 7 nights is $49. So if you removed the standard gratuities and tipped $50 in cash instead, that would be a standard tip. If you paid the standard gratuities and tipped $50 in cash additional on top of the standard gratuities, that would be a generous tip if you did not receive any special extra services. If your butler provided extra services for you beyond what he/she would otherwise do anyway, such as setting up and serving special parties for you and your guests or decorating the cabin for a special occasion, or putting in extra effort to accommodate a young child or someone in need of additional assistance, then the additional $50 on top of the standard gratuities would certainly be appropriate, although there will always be some who would give more and some who would give less. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davekathy Posted February 14, 2015 #13 Share Posted February 14, 2015 Insanity. Agree. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cynbar Posted February 14, 2015 #14 Share Posted February 14, 2015 We tipped $150 for a 7 night cruise ---- had dinner once in the suite, breakfast probably 5 days, and our butler made us a couple of reservations. Room attendant received $50 extra, we left the regular gratuities on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chazteach1 Posted February 14, 2015 #15 Share Posted February 14, 2015 We are back from a 12 night med cruise on the millie and stayed in a Royal Suite. We were 2 adults + a 19 month old. we had breakfast in the room about 7 mornings + dinner once. (Our butler, Savio, was excellent by the way.) I am curious, what has other people tipped their butler staying in the Royal Suite? I gave him $300 or $25/per night. was that too generous or not enough? thanks, Larry We had Savio as our butler on an EQ! He is very good! That was a very generous tip! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deise17311 Posted February 14, 2015 #16 Share Posted February 14, 2015 On a 14 night trip where we only were served breakfast in the room we tipped an additional $50...$300 extra seems awfully excessive but tipping has become out of control and no matter what you tip it never seems enough in some people's view...each to their own... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithm Posted February 14, 2015 #17 Share Posted February 14, 2015 We are back from a 12 night med cruise on the millie and stayed in a Royal Suite. We were 2 adults + a 19 month old. we had breakfast in the room about 7 mornings + dinner once. (Our butler, Savio, was excellent by the way.) I am curious, what has other people tipped their butler staying in the Royal Suite? I gave him $300 or $25/per night. was that too generous or not enough? thanks, Larry I go by the Berlitz guide to cruise ships & cruising, which states about $6/pp per day. I think you shouild be commended on youir generosity. I see enough pax who don't tip anything above the standard gratuity. There's also those who remove the auto gratuity & "pocket" ther cash. There's a special place reserved for those pax! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MizDemeanor Posted February 14, 2015 #18 Share Posted February 14, 2015 (edited) A butler provides in general terns a food and beverage service. For those in non suites, a cabin steward provides similar services which are tipped predominately on a per service basis. Suite Butlers can and do a bit more and are part of a Gratuity Package for prepaid service that is more than a Steward is provided for on the same prepaid platform for non suites. That's fine. In Suites, a Butler is there specifically for Food and Beverage. If they book Specialty for you that is part of their objective you have already paid for if you agree to accept the daily prepaid amounts. Which I hope you do. I do think Butler Service is a most confused amenity as so many 'feel' they have to tip hundreds for this amenity. Appreciation is taken advantage of. Edited February 14, 2015 by MizDemeanor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cle-guy Posted February 14, 2015 #19 Share Posted February 14, 2015 I basically tip the standard automatic gratuity, and $50 extra. I then tip an extra $50 for each party or gathering I host in the suite during the cruise that the butler sets up and cleans up after. I don't do any real meals in suite, never hosted a dinner or ate myself for dinner, just have them leave a tray of coffee and assorted pastries each day for breakfast. and tend to my drycleaning and pressing of clothes and who shines as needed. I leave an envelope on departure day, usually I remember to bring a "thank you" card for this purpose from home. Lately I have been leaving the envelope with the Michaels' concierge to ensure the butler get's it as I rarely see them on disembarkation day. I have run into some of my former butlers on subsequent ships and they have remembered me by name, never sure if that's a good sign or a bad one :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhblake Posted February 14, 2015 #20 Share Posted February 14, 2015 Your butler gets $7.00 per day whether you use him or not. If he brings you breakfast 3-4 times a cruise, that's what he is getting paid for. That's his job, like your stateroom attendant cleaning your cabin. If you use him above and beyond, then you can tip him extra at the end of the cruise. Unless I missed something Celebrity indicates the tips are for the following positions: "For your convenience, we automatically add gratuities for your restaurant and stateroom services to your onboard SeaPass® account on a daily basis in the following amounts, which may be adjusted at your discretion: • $12 per person per day in staterooms • $12.50 per person per day in Concierge Class and AquaClass® staterooms • $15.50 per person per day in suites This gratuity is shared by your stateroom attendant, dining services staff, and housekeeping staff members who help enhance your vacation experience." The butler is not mentioned anywhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wine-O Posted February 14, 2015 #21 Share Posted February 14, 2015 Unless I missed something Celebrity indicates the tips are for the following positions: "For your convenience, we automatically add gratuities for your restaurant and stateroom services to your onboard SeaPass® account on a daily basis in the following amounts, which may be adjusted at your discretion: • $12 per person per day in staterooms • $12.50 per person per day in Concierge Class and AquaClass® staterooms • $15.50 per person per day in suites This gratuity is shared by your stateroom attendant, dining services staff, and housekeeping staff members who help enhance your vacation experience." The butler is not mentioned anywhere. The Butler is part of the $15.50 Suite gratuity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Project_gal Posted February 14, 2015 #22 Share Posted February 14, 2015 I'm seeking advice. We leave tomorrow morning. We use the basic, pre-paid gratuities as a benchmark for the additional tips we give. We ask ourselves, is x worth 1, 2 or 3 times the basic as an additional gratuity. You need to remember that the butler receives the same basic gratuity if you are in a Sky Suite or a PH suite. It is likely that, in a RS, you have requested and or received more services than someone in a Sky Suite. The same applies to your stateroom attendant and his/her assistant. They receive the same basic gratuity for servicing and inside stateroom and a PH. There is a great deal more work in your RS than the smallest stateroom on board. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhblake Posted February 14, 2015 #23 Share Posted February 14, 2015 The Butler is part of the $15.50 Suite gratuity. I believe the extra money is because the rooms are larger and that the room steward can only take care of half as many rooms as other stewards, which would leave them with half the tips as a normal room steward who has more rooms. There is no mention of the word butler anywhere in Celebrity's own definition of how tips are distributed. If you don't believe me you can check it yourself on Celebrity's website under FAQ. The butler is not included in the distribution list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Project_gal Posted February 14, 2015 #24 Share Posted February 14, 2015 I believe the extra money is because the rooms are larger and that the room steward can only take care of half as many rooms as other stewards, which would leave them with half the tips as a normal room steward who has more rooms. There is no mention of the word butler anywhere in Celebrity's own definition of how tips are distributed. If you don't believe me you can check it yourself on Celebrity's website under FAQ. The butler is not included in the distribution list. With all due respect, you are incorrect. Until a few years ago, Celebrity actually used to break down the daily standard gratuities and the additional paid in a suite was solely made up of the butler's gratuity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhblake Posted February 14, 2015 #25 Share Posted February 14, 2015 With all due respect, you are incorrect. Until a few years ago, Celebrity actually used to break down the daily standard gratuities and the additional paid in a suite was solely made up of the butler's gratuity. Unless the website is wrong there is no mention of the word butler anywhere in Celebrity's own definition of how tips are distributed. If you don't believe me you can check it yourself on Celebrity's website under FAQ. The butler is not included in Celebrity's distribution list. If I am wrong show me where it says the butler is included in tip distribution. I am only saying what the website shows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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