Tipping the Bar Staff

[Firephotog51]

Just curious. Your thoughts on tipping the bar staff. Does the staff pay attention to who is tipping them and does it result in better service throughout the cruise? [I like to leave a tip periodically.]

[ScottD]

I'm sure others may have opinions on this, BUT yes, bartenders will notice if you are leaving them a few dollars cash here and there, and will almost always give a little extra attention to those who do-especially if you leave them a little more early in the week. We tend to give a 5 or 10 the first night if we know we will be back regularly- then a few bucks here and there through out the week, and that bartender definitely appreciates it and shows us a little more attention. 

[smokeybandit]

I don't know how they don't notice. Not just on cruise ships but any bar land side, too.

[LTR]

Like anywhere, money talks. You won't get bad service if you do not tip, bartenders seem to come around in regular rotations timing wise so you will never really be empty. However, as I am sure many of us experience on land, giving a little money upfront does not hurt your chances of getting a more tailored experience, or if you have a unique request (thinking of the canned pop conversation in another thread). 

[WesKinetic]

Where tipping does make a difference, in my experience, is when you become a regular at one bar and the bartenders/servers get to remember you. When they know you're a regular and you tip occasionally, the pours get a little stronger, the servers check on you a little more often and, oftentimes, they'll know your drink of choice and start on it as soon as you walk in. It's just like back home where you are more likely to tip better at a place where you visit regularly and know the staff personally. 

That said, I've never had bad service when I haven't tipped so definitely don't feel obligated. Generally, just being courteous and polite with the staff goes just as far. 

[Geezer Of The Seas]

Can't speak to the whole fleet, but one bartender on Jewel at the Solarium bar, 2 bartenders at the Solarium bar on Wonder, and one bartender at the Trellis Bar on Wonder.......... YES!!!

I never ordered from a roving server, ALWAYS walked to the bar and would wave off other bartenders and waited for my favorites to place my orders. 

It paid off handsomely.  I just added a tip to each order, never cash.

As I learned (drinking a' la carte anyway) the Bartender of record on the receipt gets the additional gratuity. A little work, but was worth the effort.

[tonyfsu21]

2 hours ago, Firephotog51 said:

Just curious. Your thoughts on tipping the bar staff. Does the staff pay attention to who is tipping them and does it result in better service throughout the cruise? [I like to leave a tip periodically.]

100% yes. 

[dustfsu]

Always try to tip cash if you can if there is a bartender you like if you know you are going to keep going to the same bar. If you tip cash, they directly get to keep that. If you add a tip on the slip, then all the bartenders split it across the whole ship.  I've had if I give them a $20 the first day they will remember me and take care of you for the rest of the cruise. If they are doing that after a few days I will throw them another $20 to keep it going.  We had one on the Wonder, wish I remembered his name, but we had a bunch of people sitting there for a good part of a afternoon. Some people had the drink package and some didn't, I'm a diamond member. But one of the people with the drink package wanted shots for and he went around and ask the ones that were sitting there who all wanted one, myself included. He would do it about every 30 minutes and would make up his own shot and spread it around the bar.

[Traveling Mike]

You will get good service without a tip.  If you leave a tip with the same bar crew they will often go out of their way for you.  My last cruise I was on the ship for 27 days and I gave the late night bar tender $40 at the start of the cruise.   After that all I had to do is walk up to the bar and he would bring me my sodas that I picked up every night.  Some nights that would save me from waiting in a long line.

[CruiseGus]

My experiance, it really depend on the bartender, some will do better pours some won't, some will priorize you when the bars slammed, some will not.

For info their share of the tip pool (drink gratuities, package or individual,  as on slip) is dependent on the number of drinks they ring up.

Normally most bars the regular bartenders share the cash tips,  bar waiters are almost always on their own.

So as regular you will still be there after the slammed crowd leaves, almost like a guaranteed ring up.

Cash TIPs generally do not seem to factor in a lot

 

 

 

[Tammy LR]

So adding to the OP’s question, we’re going on a European cruise, so do we tip in U.S. currency or euros?

[DoomSlayer]

7 minutes ago, Tammy LR said:

So adding to the OP’s question, we’re going on a European cruise, so do we tip in U.S. currency or euros?

US Dollars are the universal currency and well received by staff onboard the ship and is what they use onboard for their personal purchases.  I would not go out of the way to convert to Euros for tips.  However, if you happen to have some extra Euros, they will still be appreciated as they can use them while on shore.

[Tammy LR]

35 minutes ago, DoomSlayer said:

US Dollars are the universal currency and well received by staff onboard the ship and is what they use onboard for their personal purchases.  I would not go out of the way to convert to Euros for tips.  However, if you happen to have some extra Euros, they will still be appreciated as they can use them while on shore.

Perfect! Thank you so much. 

[Traveling Mike]

1 hour ago, Tammy LR said:

So adding to the OP’s question, we’re going on a European cruise, so do we tip in U.S. currency or euros?

On many of my oversees cruises I use my left over foreign currency for extra tips.  If I don't have any I use US Dollars.  They are happy with anything.

[Matt]

The staff definitely pays attention to who tips them, especially if you do it more than once. 

They'll learn your name quicker and when the bar is busy, they'll usually look to you first to get an order.

[Reigert2008]

On 10/28/2024 at 9:03 PM, CruiseGus said:

For info their share of the tip pool (drink gratuities, package or individual,  as on slip) is dependent on the number of drinks they ring up.

I've always wondered about this.  If this is truly the case, why to they sometimes not swipe my card when getting a drink that is included in the soda/refreshment package? We still paid a gratuity when making the purchase, so I've always thought it was odd when they just look at my card and then give me the drink.  

My biggest irk with them not swiping is that it doesn't show up in my account, so I lose track of the "purchases" and then cannot ever tell if my package was "worth it".  Not a big deal, but as we've moved to Diamond and dropped down to the soda package, I'd like to have real proof of how many sodas from the bar that we really get.  We are getting really close to dropping the soda package on a future cruise, but  we've been able to get the package a a good enough price that we've not ventured down that path, yet.

[JasonOasis]

15 hours ago, Reigert2008 said:

I've always wondered about this.  If this is truly the case, why to they sometimes not swipe my card when getting a drink that is included in the soda/refreshment package? We still paid a gratuity when making the purchase, so I've always thought it was odd when they just look at my card and then give me the drink.  

My biggest irk with them not swiping is that it doesn't show up in my account, so I lose track of the "purchases" and then cannot ever tell if my package was "worth it".  Not a big deal, but as we've moved to Diamond and dropped down to the soda package, I'd like to have real proof of how many sodas from the bar that we really get.  We are getting really close to dropping the soda package on a future cruise, but  we've been able to get the package a a good enough price that we've not ventured down that path, yet.

If you're loosing track of how many drinks you've had then the drink package was probably worth it. 

Let's say you order the DBP before the cruise and paid $85 dollars per day,  if you are drinking liquor that $14 dollars per drink that equates to 6 drinks per day.  If beer is more your drinks I think Royal charges $9 dollars a beer (I'm not a beer drinker) but that would equate to 9 beers per day. 

Getting back to leaving the bar tenders a tip I always get the DBP which has gratuities included but I always will leave a tip at the bar or bars I know I'll frequent throughout the cruise on the first day of the cruise.  Another thing that will get you fast service is just being nice to the bar staff. 

[Army guy]

I tip cash every drink I order. They work very hard and appreciate it. They also take very good care of you!

[12thman]

One time on embarkation day I stopped at a bar to use my refreshment package to get a soda. Gave the bartender my card and a $5 he asked how much ice. Then he gave me a can to go also. So, now I give a $5. 

[FOB]

On 10/29/2024 at 2:52 PM, DoomSlayer said:

US Dollars are the universal currency and well received by staff onboard the ship and is what they use onboard for their personal purchases.  I would not go out of the way to convert to Euros for tips.  However, if you happen to have some extra Euros, they will still be appreciated as they can use them while on shore.

@Tammy LR - just a quick point if you want to tip in Euros. They don’t have any notes smaller than a 5 so if you were thinking of maybe tipping for a free diamond drink then you would either need lots of coins or it becomes a pretty expensive trip

[ScottD]

On 10/30/2024 at 10:25 PM, Reigert2008 said:

I've always wondered about this.  If this is truly the case, why to they sometimes not swipe my card when getting a drink that is included in the soda/refreshment package? We still paid a gratuity when making the purchase, so I've always thought it was odd when they just look at my card and then give me the drink.  

My biggest irk with them not swiping is that it doesn't show up in my account, so I lose track of the "purchases" and then cannot ever tell if my package was "worth it".  Not a big deal, but as we've moved to Diamond and dropped down to the soda package, I'd like to have real proof of how many sodas from the bar that we really get.  We are getting really close to dropping the soda package on a future cruise, but  we've been able to get the package a a good enough price that we've not ventured down that path, yet.

They told me before that they try to get people with a package to at least grab a soda or beer to go when they come and ask for a water, because bottled water doesn't go toward the sales, and the more they ring up, the more of the cut that get. 

[Tammy LR]

On 10/31/2024 at 10:27 PM, FOB said:

@Tammy LR - just a quick point if you want to tip in Euros. They don’t have any notes smaller than a 5 so if you were thinking of maybe tipping for a free diamond drink then you would either need lots of coins or it becomes a pretty expensive trip

Ohhh...good to know. Thank you!