Gratuities for Concierge ?

[billsgal]

robmharper

 

Children are not allowed in the Concierge Lounge during the hours alcohol is being served, usually 5:30 - 8:30. They are allowed in at other times.

 

Rita

[shelby_36]

Answer to two questions. If I am remembering correctly there was an age limit in the lounge once happy hour started. During the morning and afternoon there is no limit.

 

As far as making your own reservations vs the conceriege. He wouldn't help us on the Navigator. We waited in the lounge for him for 45 minutes patiently while he talked to another couple. He walked past us like he wasn't even going to say hi, we asked for a drink and he seemed put out. (there was no bartender and we didn't know if we should help ourselves) And then we asked him for help with our excursions and he told us to go see the exploration desk and he walked away.

[robmharper]

Answer to two questions. If I am remembering correctly there was an age limit in the lounge once happy hour started. During the morning and afternoon there is no limit.

 

As far as making your own reservations vs the conceriege. He wouldn't help us on the Navigator. We waited in the lounge for him for 45 minutes patiently while he talked to another couple. He walked past us like he wasn't even going to say hi, we asked for a drink and he seemed put out. (there was no bartender and we didn't know if we should help ourselves) And then we asked him for help with our excursions and he told us to go see the exploration desk and he walked away.

 

 

As for the help on age minimum, thanks!

 

Shelby - them is fightin' words. I have never heard of such poor service on RCI - especially concierge. I wonder if what some say about the change in pay for concierge has anything to do with it. Did you pass word along via satisfaction survey?

[snausman]

I always tip the concierge and bartender(s). I never really thought about it, just did it. If someone makes me a drink than I tip.

 

Laura

[pcur]

I disagree that most people do NOT tip the concierge: I think most DO tip him/her. This is especially so in the CL where the concierge is the bartender and clean-up. In the overflow lounges you will also see the concierge keeping an eye on the food, cleaning up, answering questions. They work hard!

 

My philosophy has always been if someone is providing me with a service, even if it's not to me personally, but I am benefiting from their efforts, then I tip. We tip anywhere from $10 - $30 depending on what services we use. We are very light drinkers, and also tip the bartender if we are in the overflow lounge.

[p2lockhart]

DH, DS and I tipped Martin on the Voyager $100 for the 3 of us for the week. He arranged and delivered tickets to the ice show, made our reservations for The Pointe and the Murder Mystery Dinner, got us our priority debarkation stuff, made us drinks, called daily to see what we needed, answered my email before the cruise, etc, etc. He was terrific. I would go to the CL late at night to read or get a latte and he would show up and answer emails and do paperwork until very late every night. He always asked me if he could get me something or do something while he was there. He earned every penny of his tip.

[jmraggs]

Over 18 between the hours of 5 - 8 PM (due to the fact alcohol is served). At all other times as long as children are accompanied by the parent/adult then can be in there.

 

robmharper

 

Children are not allowed in the Concierge Lounge during the hours alcohol is being served, usually 5:30 - 8:30. They are allowed in at other times.

 

Rita

 

Well, actually it's 5:00 - 8:30 to be exact, you're both incorrect:D

[cruisePRN]

I disagree that most people do NOT tip the concierge: I think most DO tip him/her.

.

 

How do you know what everybody does?

 

To the OP, just do what you're comfortable with based on your service and usage of the Concierge.

[cruzincurt]

I disagree that most people do NOT tip the concierge: I think most DO tip him/her. This is especially so in the CL where the concierge is the bartender and clean-up. In the overflow lounges you will also see the concierge keeping an eye on the food, cleaning up, answering questions. They work hard!

 

My philosophy has always been if someone is providing me with a service, even if it's not to me personally, but I am benefiting from their efforts, then I tip. We tip anywhere from $10 - $30 depending on what services we use. We are very light drinkers, and also tip the bartender if we are in the overflow lounge.

 

 

On our Mariner trip, the concierge sat at his desk the whole time, a couple of waiters made and served the drinks and cleaned up up after the members.

[Tucker in Texas]

I didn't go the the concierge "room" but did use the lounge in the evenings which was in Cleopatra's to accommodate all the people. There were two or three bartenders working behind the bar plus a couple of other servers going around the lounge picking up "dead soldiers" and getting you a drink if you asked. Therefore, I tipped them out individually when they mixed my drink at the bar or bought a drink to where I was sitting. Usually $2. I found after asking a couple of times for a drink from the servers and tipping accordingly, they would seek me out and ask if I wanted another drink (lol). Since we had early seating, I was never in the lounge more than 45 minutes. The concierge sat at a table at the entryway and never acknowledged my presence nor did I ask him to do anything so I didn't feel I needed to tip him.

 

Tucker in Texas

[curley23]

We tip the concierge depending on our needs and the service provided.

this past Jan on Serenade, the only time I was in the CL was to use the internet a few times. The bar was moved to the hollywood odessy lounge. We met Kenny the concierge on the first night, and then never really saw or spoke to him until the last night, when he came around thanking everyone for sailing, and of course looking for an envelope. Four of us sat at the bar for at least 2-3 hrs each evening, of course we took real good care of the 2 bartenders, $200 between us 4. There were 2 people from the kitchen that took care of the food each night, and cleaned up, we gave them about $20 each, and they did not want to take it.

 

On the Adventure this past Oct. DeDe made our first drink on the first evening. Every night after she just said you know where the bar is, help yourself. Each evening she was always talking with some pax friends that were on the ship, and a couple of vendor big shots. She got very little.

 

Julian on the other hand on the Enchantment remembered us after a year and a half, and remembered the drinks. you never left your chair, as he was always comes around and takes good care of you. We take care of him very well.

[eshop]

On my Radiance cruise of Feb 1, we were given a gratuity sheet on which one could include an amount for the Concierge.

 

If anyone has some guidelines on how much to tip, I would much appreciate it.

andrew

 

Hi Andrew, we were with you on the same cruise (Bob & Doreen) and for what it's worth, I would normally have tipped more than I did for a 14 day cruise. We only gave Ricardo $20 because we felt he should have recognized the overcrowding and opened the secondary lounge. Since we were often in the "outside" sitting area, we gave the nice lady who cleaned that area Ricardo's second $20.

 

The bottom line is we always tip the Concierge but tip more if we feel he's worked hard for us and make us feel special.

 

We'll see him again in August and hope for the best.

[Papa T]

Not all concierge provide the same level of service (or work the same hours). Some are always available and are in the CL well beyond their official hours. Others make no effort to make a personal contact with cruisers. Tipping should be based on the request for and quality of the service. While during the 5 to 8:30 "happy hour" bar personnel may provide the direct service, but the concierge is responsible for their actions. Same with the HW in the dining room - he/she is responsible for the quality of service in your part of the DR.

[negc]

Perhaps we have been extraordinarily lucky but all of our experiences with the concierges on our cruises have been extremely pleasant and all of them have gone out of their way to make sure that we were comfortable and being treated well, not only in the concierge lounge, but everywhere else on the ship. Among those whose service stood out and whose names immediately come to mind were Nedere, Diego, Julian, Giuseppe and Brett. I don't believe that we made any extraordinary demands of them but they were always attentive not only to our needs but the needs of everyone on their sailings. None of them ever exhibited the type of behavior that some have reported on here.:)

[Papa T]

Perhaps we have been extraordinarily lucky but all of our experiences with the concierges on our cruises have been extremely pleasant and all of them have gone out of their way to make sure that we were comfortable and being treated well, not only in the concierge lounge, but everywhere else on the ship. Among those whose service stood out and whose names immediately come to mind were Nedere, Diego, Julian, Giuseppe and Brett. I don't believe that we made any extraordinary demands of them but they were always attentive not only to our needs but the needs of everyone on their sailings. None of them ever exhibited the type of behavior that some have reported on here.:)

 

I think in general you are correct - perhaps the large increase in diamond members means that they play a greater role supervising others and have less personal contact with each suite/diamond cruiser. Last week on Mariner the concierge was efficient but there was no attempt to learn who I was even though we interacted on several occasions and this was a 16 day cruise - but there were 600+ diamonds on board.

[Schplinky]

We tipped a small amount because while we did not use her services explicitly (in terms of arrraning anything special), the concierge hosted us a few nights in the lounge and also went to the trouble of printing our accounts out for us the night before the last one so we could beat the rush to have them corrected if there was not a problem. We did not request the service but appreciated it.

[rubrrick]

Hi all, we are in a suite for the first time on 2/22 and have access to concierge service on Explorer and I was wondering if you all could give me some guidelines on when and how much to tip for this service? Should you tip at the end of the cruise? I know the amount may depend on what you use the service for but any advice would be appreciated. I already sent an Email to Ricardo and he has my ice show tickets and was very nice in asking if there was anything he could do for us before we arrive.

 

 

You have asked a very fair question.......considering (if I get your drift) that the is the first time that you have encountered a concierge.

 

We have tipped our concierge..........as little as $00.00........as on the last voyage.....where he was pretty inept..........to as much as $100.00 where we were helped beyond belief.:)

 

To start with.........you are already having email conversations with your concierge........and he is acknowledging you. That in itself is worth something.

 

I think that RCCL has put the concierges in a very bad position. They have cut the concierge pay in half........saying that they rest will come in the form of tips.:eek:

 

Some of the best concierges said Good bye to RCCL............and are now doing other things in the industry.

 

Rick

[4cruisecampers]

Hi all, we are in a suite for the first time on 2/22 and have access to concierge service on Explorer and I was wondering if you all could give me some guidelines on when and how much to tip for this service? Should you tip at the end of the cruise? I know the amount may depend on what you use the service for but any advice would be appreciated. I already sent an Email to Ricardo and he has my ice show tickets and was very nice in asking if there was anything he could do for us before we arrive.

 

How do you know who to email before leaving? We leave 3/22, and would like to ask about ice show tickets?

 

Thank you so much! Hope your cruise has been amazing!! Can't wait to see her!

[Schplinky]

How do you know who to email before leaving? We leave 3/22, and would like to ask about ice show tickets?

 

Thank you so much! Hope your cruise has been amazing!! Can't wait to see her!

 

On Adventure (Mariner's twin) there were just stacks of them in the lounge and you helped yourself.

[Merion_Mom]

On my Radiance cruise of Feb 1, we were given a gratuity sheet on which one could include an amount for the Concierge. However, I was told that if you include an amount, they do not provide a voucher (as they do for the Cabin and Dining Crew). When the cruise is over, apparently the concierge is given photocopies of our sheets and then receives the total amount due.

I prefer to give an envelope to the Concierge and personally offer my thanks. I withdrew some of my OBC at the Casino (and paid the 3%) and then gave the cash to the Concierge.

 

The amount to tip is a difficult one. On my Voyager cruise, there were 500 Diamond members so even at $20 each, that amounts to $10,000.

 

If anyone has some guidelines on how much to tip, I would much appreciate it. Also does anyone really know if their salary was reduced and by how much.

 

andrew

 

Andrew, I received a voucher for the Concierge's gratuity on the Mariner this month.

[Merion_Mom]

I always tip the concierge and bartender(s). I never really thought about it, just did it. If someone makes me a drink than I tip.

 

Laura

 

Hi, Laura! :)

[Merion_Mom]

DH, DS and I tipped Martin on the Voyager $100 for the 3 of us for the week. He arranged and delivered tickets to the ice show, made our reservations for The Pointe and the Murder Mystery Dinner, got us our priority debarkation stuff, made us drinks, called daily to see what we needed, answered my email before the cruise, etc, etc. He was terrific. I would go to the CL late at night to read or get a latte and he would show up and answer emails and do paperwork until very late every night. He always asked me if he could get me something or do something while he was there. He earned every penny of his tip.

 

The Concierge leaves/goes off duty after the evening cocktail hour, which usually ends at 8:30.

 

I would often be in the CL late at night on the Mariner - on some nights I could get a decent signal, and it's one of very few places where you can both plug in and log on. :)

 

People would have left a mess, sometimes - coffee cups, napkins, etc.

 

I cleaned up! (just couldn't help myself)

 

(by the way, I tip the concierge. Like others, I make the amount match the service I have received from that particular Concierge. I always tip the bartenders. They pour MORE than generously! :eek: ;))

[Merion_Mom]

Well, actually it's 5:00 - 8:30 to be exact, you're both incorrect:D

 

Not every ship or location has the same hours. :)

 

On the Mariner, the CL was open for drinks 5 to 8:30. The overflow lounge was 5 to 8.

 

:)

[Merion_Mom]

How do you know who to email before leaving? We leave 3/22, and would like to ask about ice show tickets?

 

Thank you so much! Hope your cruise has been amazing!! Can't wait to see her!

 

Looking at your signature, I assume that your next cruise is on the Mariner.

 

MA_concierge@rccl.com (there is an underscore between MA and concierge)

[rubrrick]

Not every ship or location has the same hours. :)

 

On the Mariner, the CL was open for drinks 5 to 8:30. The overflow lounge was 5 to 8.

 

:)

 

 

As a side note........the bartenders were well tipped on the Mariner voyage. We contributed almost every night.....and when we didn't, we made up for it on the next evening.

 

I'm talking about the bartenders in the Lotus Lounge......I can only talk about the last leg.........they were fantastic.:D

 

Thanks for bringing that memory back Carol!! When you teach me to post pictures..........I've got a couple of wonderful ones of the bartenders!!:)

 

Rick