MeaganA Posted January 23, 2019 Report Share Posted January 23, 2019 Hi everyone! I was wondering if I were to buy the deluxe drink package is the tip/ gratuity included in the pre bought package price? Im sure this question has been asked a million times, I just couldn't seem to find a direct answer. Thank you in advance! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted January 23, 2019 Report Share Posted January 23, 2019 When you buy a drink package, a service charge will be added to the cost of your package and that does include gratuity for all drinks you order subsequently with the drink package. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeaganA Posted January 23, 2019 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2019 Just now, Matt said: When you buy a drink package, a service charge will be added to the cost of your package and that does include gratuity for all drinks you order subsequently with the drink package. Perfect! This is exactly what I was hoping you would say. I don't know if we will use it enough to cover every penny, however, the paying ahead in case we do and not having a large bill on the last night of the cruise certainly is appealing. WAAAYTOOO and SpeedNoodles 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAAAYTOOO Posted January 23, 2019 Report Share Posted January 23, 2019 1 hour ago, MeaganA said: the paying ahead in case we do and not having a large bill on the last night of the cruise certainly is appealing. This, along with the comfort of knowing that I don't have to worry about how much (or little) I drink, is why we always buy the package now. I just don't want to have to worry about it. SpeedNoodles and MeaganA 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billebuoy Posted January 26, 2019 Report Share Posted January 26, 2019 Keep in mind, gratuities billed do not necessarily go where you think they do. Cruise lines, not just RC, will put a portion towards staff uniforms for example... My point is, if you get good service from staff, give them a cash tip, I do it at the end of the cruise. And remember their names or location, and mention them when you get your after-cruise survey, that's what pays the bills for them... NJCruisers, Lovetocruise2002, Fuzzywuzzy and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovetocruise2002 Posted January 26, 2019 Report Share Posted January 26, 2019 6 hours ago, billebuoy said: And remember their names or location, and mention them when you get your after-cruise survey, that's what pays the bills for them... ^^^This is the general consensus from the last few cruises that I have taken. I have made more of an effort to ask in the last year and this is consistently mentioned from all the crew members that I have spoken to regardless of their position. We always note specific names now on our post cruise survey. spiralqueen, MeaganA and Matt 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spiralqueen Posted January 26, 2019 Report Share Posted January 26, 2019 5 hours ago, Lovetocruise2002 said: ^^^This is the general consensus from the last few cruises that I have taken. I have made more of an effort to ask in the last year and this is consistently mentioned from all the crew members that I have spoken to regardless of their position. We always note specific names now on our post cruise survey. I did this back in November and plan to do it for all my future cruises after reading how important calling out great service by name is on the survey. I found that keeping a running list in the notes section of my phone worked beautifully to help me remember names and what I wanted to say throughout the cruise. I ended up just copy and pasting that into the “comments” section of the survey when it came in. NJCruisers and MeaganA 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThyriC Posted January 26, 2019 Report Share Posted January 26, 2019 I know for me, I like tipping additionally for exceptional service in addition to the built in gratuities. I like bringing cash with me to tip exceptional cabin stewards on the spot, or an exceptional waiter or bartender. I like recognizing exceptional service when I see it. I believe it encourages continuing the exceptional service that I see. I never feel obligated to tip additionally though because I do pay my gratuities in advance. But I like knowing that my additional gratuity is going directly into the hands of the person I intend it to rather than under the generic "staff" and being split among people who I dont know if their service is exceptional or not. Also I make a point of writing on a sticky note or on my smartphone notes the names of people who performed exceptionally for that after cruise survey so that they can be recognized and get selected for their next contract if they choose another one. Another thing I like doing for the staff, just because I'm strange like that. But I think they appreciate it. I like bringing a small trinket from my home town for them. I especially like doing this for my cabin steward. Usually its something small like a tshirt, or a unique body wash or lotion, or a pin. Usually I give the pin to waitstaff or bartender and the lotion to a cabin steward. I know if I was working for months and months straight at sea with limited access to interesting new items that I'd like these things, so I just bring some small things for them and I attach a note that this gift is for them. MeaganA, SpeedNoodles, NJCruisers and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJCruisers Posted January 28, 2019 Report Share Posted January 28, 2019 On 1/26/2019 at 6:30 PM, ThyriC said: Another thing I like doing for the staff, just because I'm strange like that. But I think they appreciate it. I like bringing a small trinket from my home town for them. I especially like doing this for my cabin steward. Usually its something small like a tshirt, or a unique body wash or lotion, or a pin. Usually I give the pin to waitstaff or bartender and the lotion to a cabin steward. I know if I was working for months and months straight at sea with limited access to interesting new items that I'd like these things, so I just bring some small things for them and I attach a note that this gift is for them. I agree with pretty much everything else you wrote. I'm a bartender myself (2nd job) and will almost always tip generously. I have to say I love this idea too - I live in NJ, the Jersey Shore to be specific (no, nothing like that awful show), I guess I can bring some salt water taffy on the ship to give to our cabin steward. Thank you for suggesting it! SpeedNoodles 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAAAYTOOO Posted January 28, 2019 Report Share Posted January 28, 2019 I enjoy bringing SMALL gifts for my room attendant and for the Genie, when I have one. I posted a response to a similar thread over on that "other" site and got so. much. grief ! Of course the crew do not have unlimited space to store gifts...I am well aware of that, so I don't bring a waffle iron. Just something small that can be easily stored or regifted, for God's sake ! I also tip well...it's not as if I am bringing a cheap trinket and then failing to tip. I do both ! I just believe that a gift, to which you have given SOME small amount of thought, is a nice touch. For those who think it's insulting or demeaning to do it....don't. For example, I will usually bring a ball cap for the Redskins, Capitols or Nationals (even though I am not a sports fan myself) and a pashmina or similar wrap for the ladies. If they don't want the gift, they can toss it overboard or give it to someone else. ThyriC, SpeedNoodles and mom2mybugs 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThyriC Posted January 29, 2019 Report Share Posted January 29, 2019 Oh definitely, I dont give them crazy large gifts or anything. I've done a small snack basket before for my room attendant. Because I always found when working jobs where you are in tight quarters and have the same crew food every day watching the tourists dine on steak and lobster, sometimes you just want a snickers and those snickers and snacks become kind of currency among the staff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpeedNoodles Posted January 29, 2019 Report Share Posted January 29, 2019 12 hours ago, WAAAYTOOO said: I enjoy bringing SMALL gifts for my room attendant and for the Genie, when I have one. I posted a response to a similar thread over on that "other" site and got so. much. grief ! Of course the crew do not have unlimited space to store gifts...I am well aware of that, so I don't bring a waffle iron. Just something small that can be easily stored or regifted, for God's sake ! I also tip well...it's not as if I am bringing a cheap trinket and then failing to tip. I do both ! I just believe that a gift, to which you have given SOME small amount of thought, is a nice touch. For those who think it's insulting or demeaning to do it....don't. For example, I will usually bring a ball cap for the Redskins, Capitols or Nationals (even though I am not a sports fan myself) and a pashmina or similar wrap for the ladies. If they don't want the gift, they can toss it overboard or give it to someone else. ummm... there are other sites?? WAAAYTOOO, Lovetocruise2002 and JLMoran 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJCruisers Posted January 29, 2019 Report Share Posted January 29, 2019 On 1/28/2019 at 12:23 PM, WAAAYTOOO said: I enjoy bringing SMALL gifts for my room attendant and for the Genie, when I have one. I posted a response to a similar thread over on that "other" site and got so. much. grief ! Of course the crew do not have unlimited space to store gifts...I am well aware of that, so I don't bring a waffle iron. Just something small that can be easily stored or regifted, for God's sake ! I also tip well...it's not as if I am bringing a cheap trinket and then failing to tip. I do both ! I just believe that a gift, to which you have given SOME small amount of thought, is a nice touch. For those who think it's insulting or demeaning to do it....don't. For example, I will usually bring a ball cap for the Redskins, Capitols or Nationals (even though I am not a sports fan myself) and a pashmina or similar wrap for the ladies. If they don't want the gift, they can toss it overboard or give it to someone else. I'm a newbie so I'm not aware of the "other site". My area of NJ is famous for Pork roll egg and cheese sandwiches & since they don't travel well I think the taffy is a good idea. They usually sell boxes that say "greetings from NJ" or something like that. I'm also an Avon Rep, so usually before a trip I will order some perfume/cologne/moisturizer samples and use them in addition to a daily tip & leave on the nightstand. They are on small cards and I just attach the money to it with a little note. Like you said, it's the thought that counts! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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