Tips

[Dave Nevins]

When purchasing a drink package does it include gratuities?

[AshleyDillo]

The price you will see quoted is the price without gratuities, but they will add 18% when you purchase a package and that is what you end up being charged.

Same happens if you pay per drink -- menu price shows X but you will be charged for X + 18% per drink.

[RWDW1204]

22 minutes ago, AshleyDillo said:

Same happens if you pay per drink -- menu price shows X but you will be charged for X + 18% per drink.

So don't do like a friend did and added a tip with each drink he bought, unless you're very generous.  He didn't find out until day 4 that he was basically double or triple tipping. And he wondered why he got such good service from the bartenders.

[AshleyDillo]

1 minute ago, RWDW1204 said:

So don't do like a friend did and added a tip with each drink he bought, unless you're very generous.  He didn't find out until day 4 that he was basically double or triple tipping. And he wondered why he got such good service from the bartenders.

 I just consider anything extra a bribe for future good service..even that can be hit or miss.  

[cruisinghawg]

8 minutes ago, RWDW1204 said:

So don't do like a friend did and added a tip with each drink he bought, unless you're very generous.  He didn't find out until day 4 that he was basically double or triple tipping. And he wondered why he got such good service from the bartenders.

If I find a bar tender that we like I will tip them, particularly if we they wait on us the entire cruise. If I stop at a bar a pick up a drink and will probably not go back to that bar then no.

[RWDW1204]

37 minutes ago, cruisinghawg said:

If I find a bar tender that we like I will tip them, particularly if we they wait on us the entire cruise. If I stop at a bar a pick up a drink and will probably not go back to that bar then no.

Don't get us wrong. We do the same. If we can find a bartender we like, we will use him/them the entire cruise and give them a generous extra tip on the last night.

[MikeSD]

Short answer is yes, purchasing a drink package from the Cruise Planner will add both a line item for the total per day drink package and another for the total 18% gratuity. Once purchased you just order your drinks and enjoy as everything is taken care of. The only exception is for drinks that exceed the $12 or $13 max (varies ship to ship) where the overage amount will be charged to your sea pass account.

Here's a handy drink calculator app to help you decide if you will consume enough to benefit from the package https://connect.calcapp.net/?app=9tts3#/ (it does not include gratuity, so you should add that on your own, we asked the app owner to consider adding ;-) )

 

[Momof4crazytocruise]

I find an extra buck or 2 thrown at the bartender or the pool servers gets me exceptional and expedited service. Shoot, last cruise I didn't even have to get out of the pool, they came to me! We simply look at it like this: that $1 extra a drink makes a way bigger difference to these guys than it does to us. We had nothing but exceptional service from our bar servers. They took care of us, we took care of them. And we did it fully realizing that we had already paid 18% gratuity into the pot. 

 

[Matt]

23 hours ago, Dave Nevins said:

When purchasing a drink package does it include gratuities?

Yes. The drink package price includes something called a "service charge", which covers the gratuity on any drink you order.

[MO & LO on the go!]

We usually only get alcohol drinks during the Diamond happy hour.  If we find a good bartender during that we will tip well after a day or two ($20 or more).  Then the service was OUTSTANDING, had drinks waiting for us when they got low for the rest of the cruise.  Oh and made them stronger for us too  This might apply for people using the drink package at their favorite spot also.