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Tipping on drinks from the bar?


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This is my first cruise, it's a bit exhausting figuring it all out, lol! We pre paid for our gratuity, but decided against the drink packages.  From my understanding if we purchase drinks from the bar, the tip is built into the price?  I understand we can tip extra, but just want to confirm.  Thanks

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12 minutes ago, merissa123 said:

This is my first cruise, it's a bit exhausting figuring it all out, lol! We pre paid for our gratuity, but decided against the drink packages.  From my understanding if we purchase drinks from the bar, the tip is built into the price?  I understand we can tip extra, but just want to confirm.  Thanks

Yes, when you pay for a drink, on the receipt you will notice that 18% gratuity is automatically added. Then there a separate tip line for extra if you want. Or you can tip cash as @Lindsay said.

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By the way, this website is great for a first time cruiser.  And Royal Caribbean is THE BEST cruise line!  Here are some other websites you may want to check out:

And of course, make sure you go to the Royal Caribbean My Cruise page and enter your reservation #.  You will have a dashboard there too.  Lots more info there too!

ENJOY!  One of my favorite parts of a cruise vacation is the planning and anticipation leading up to the cruise!

 

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16 minutes ago, merissa123 said:

This is my first cruise, it's a bit exhausting figuring it all out, lol! We pre paid for our gratuity, but decided against the drink packages.  From my understanding if we purchase drinks from the bar, the tip is built into the price?  I understand we can tip extra, but just want to confirm.  Thanks

I have found that if you frequent one bar (I like the Schooner) and tip a buck a drink, they tend to get a little heavy handed as time goes by and I usually get better service.  They also remember what you drink and your name, which is nice.

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17 minutes ago, arebee said:

I have found that if you frequent one bar (I like the Schooner) and tip a buck a drink, they tend to get a little heavy handed as time goes by and I usually get better service.  They also remember what you drink and your name, which is nice.

Oh boy, I better be careful in Sabor or I'll by day 3 I'll pick up my daily lunch Margarita, take two sips, and be wondering why it's dinner time all of a sudden! :3_grin:

"I believe there are only two kinds of people in this world. Those who can drink tequila, and those who can never hear that word again!!" -- Steve McGrew

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  • 2 weeks later...

I treat the automatic 18% gratuity as a baseline.  I almost always tip pretty well in addition to that -- and (besides going to some folks who work really hard... 6 months without a day off), it never fails to get some really good service.  Massive backlog at Schooner's?  No problem.  Want a double instead of a measured pour?  No problem.  Want your favorite beverage dropped off to you at the blackjack table without even having to ask?  No problem.  Wait staff, dealers, room attendants all appreciate being shown a little extra gratitude.  I definitely feel like I get it back in being treated very well.

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I can see the argument for not tipping additional if you don't have a drink package, since you are paying the gratuity already and you likely are not looking for a lot of repeat service, otherwise you would have a drink package.  I always buy one though, and I always bring $100 in ones on a week long cruise.  Throw them in the safe, and take as needed throughout the week.  Heading to sit by the pool for a few hours on a sea day, I will grab some ones and go.  $2 on the first drink and a buck on the rest and you will never wait for a drink server to come by.  After dinner and heading out to the shows and bars for the night, I will grab more and do the same.  Bartenders pick up on the cash tippers real fast.  Give them your card with the cash right when you are ordering, your drinks will be on point!  Rented a bungalow at Labadee, the group of us pooled and gave the two attendants $10 each as soon as we arrived, as soon as the bar opened they brought us a cooler full of beer, and it was never empty.  Took care of them both on the way out as well, and they couldn't have thanked us enough.  To each their own, but if you have a drink package, I don't see how after spending thousands on a cruise, why an extra hundred makes any difference, especially when it will make your experience so much better.       

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  • 1 year later...
1 hour ago, sch said:

Sooo to be clear, let's say you order a $14 drink at the bar. Then after that cost is an addition $2.52 on the check for 18% gratuity?

Yes, but the drink is somewhat unlikely to be $14 pre tip.  Depending on the ship they tend to generally top off at $12 or $13. Some drinks are less. 

So that $14 drink is likely a $12 drink with 18% added making it $14.16.

Or you are sailing in Europe and then they just charge you $14, and then they hide the tip in the price  

 

 

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I find that if 2.00+ has been added to a price of a drink as automatic gratuity thats quite a tip for a single drink.  Especially a beer where they pop the cap off and you pay 1.60 gratuity for it.  Yes yes yes you can say but it goes to the stock folks and the cleaners etc....

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4 hours ago, marti314 said:

I find that if 2.00+ has been added to a price of a drink as automatic gratuity thats quite a tip for a single drink.  Especially a beer where they pop the cap off and you pay 1.60 gratuity for it.  Yes yes yes you can say but it goes to the stock folks and the cleaners etc....

I have to agree, if I roll up to the little cart outside the theater for a heineken, I have a hard time justifying a >18% tip.  Not to be that person, but theres no chance for a tip to benefit me in this situation.  he cant overfill my beer, he cant follow up with me for the next one.

If I order a daquiri in the solarium from a person walking around, that is a bit different.

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