Gratuity & Tip

[JW9DVC]

So you don’t tip servers when you go out to dinner? And yes if you don’t believe in tipping for good service you shouldn’t use the service. Right or wrong our society in America has created an expectation that servers be tipped when they do a good job. Their base pay is so far below a living wage it’s laughable. The expectation is they will be tipped. You absolutely can have included tips reduced if you have a legit gripe, but if not you should expect to pay it for this kind of travel. Period. It’s what our society created. Deal with it

I deal with society in a different way that the status quo. We usually tip well. It’s not a requirement to tip on anything. It’s when people expect it and do just a job, then that’s where I have a problem. You may deal with. I don’t deal with it.

 

[JW9DVC]

What country do you live in? That could explain the confusion?

USA! No confusion.

 

[Spork24]

I deal with society in a different way that the status quo. We usually tip well. It’s not a requirement to tip on anything. It’s when people expect it and do just a job, then that’s where I have a problem. You may deal with. I don’t deal with it.

so imo the included gratuity here which can be removed is a protection against inconsiderate folks who forget or just don’t give a crap about people other than themselves.

If you don’t want to pay it you still have that option.

Our service staff certainly earned every penny and never acted as if they were entitled. I have no issue with their employer protecting them, by including it.

Would I prefer them to bake the cost into the cruise, sure but then they would probably want to make 25% margin on that markup too . That’s how businesses work

 

[JW9DVC]

so imo the included gratuity here which can be removed is a protection against inconsiderate folks who forget or just don’t give a crap about people other than themselves.

If you don’t want to pay it you still have that option.

Our service staff certainly earned every penny and never acted as if they were entitled. I have no issue with their employer protecting them, by including it.

Would I prefer them to bake the cost into the cruise, sure but then they would probably want to make 25% margin on that markup too . That’s how businesses work

I’m not arguing your point on doing business. We know Disney Is more. Many don’t know they can adjust gratuity as necessary, up or down. While we have always tipped more. It’s not a requirement.

 

[Spork24]

I’m not arguing your point on doing business. We know Disney Is more. Many don’t know they can adjust gratuity as necessary, up or down. While we have always tipped more. It’s not a requirement.

Wait so we spent this whole time agreeing?

 

[Anchors Away 2016]

Wait so we spent this whole time agreeing?

I love the Internet. LOL.

I'm glad you guys worked it out.

For a while I thought they were going to have to close this thread.

 

[diznymom]

Not all gratuities can be adjusted down. The 18% in the spa can be adjusted up, but not down.

 

[BartmanLA]

I think the person complaining about the cost of the cruise, plus airfare, plus hotel etc... and then getting "sick" over a final gratuity bill has neglected to realize that a lot of that money is for the Stateroom Attendant, The Dining Room Server and Assistant Server as well as the Head Server. Those are people who get no pooled tips or extra added tips except what is expected at the end of the cruise. That can account for a lot of that money he was complaining about. That aside, if you are looking to vacation on a budget then sailing with DCL is definitely NOT the way to go. Disney Cruise Line has never made any bones about being anything other than a "Premium Cruise Line Experience" and it's priced as such. Sure, there are going to be times you might encounter a bar server or spa attendant having a bad day and you might feel slighted on the service at that particular time. But overall, for the most part Disney scores high in all the surveys for tops in quality of experience, service, food and cleanliness across the board. And so far we're novices only having sailed 4 times with DCL and having an amazing and wonderful time each and every time. Sure it's expensive, but I feel I more than get my monies worth when we get home and sorely wished we were back on board the ship for weeks!

 

[JW9DVC]

Not all gratuities can be adjusted down. The 18% in the spa can be adjusted up, but not down.

That’s an optional service.

 

[kiford]

Heavy pours? What does this help to accomplish? If it’s these little extras. Sure!

Sometimes heavy pours (although not everyone likes this so it's not always necessarily considered a benefit). It's more that they remember you and are quick(er) to respond and remember what you like. For example, we used to go to the Meridian lounge on the Dream every day and I very quickly developed a fondness for the Moet & Chandon Ice Imperial champagne which is served over ice. We got the same server every time and she mentioned after about the second time I ordered it that sometimes it can be served with a twist of lemon peel. So she went and got it for me to try. After that, every time we entered the bar, as soon as she saw me she got a glass of the champagne ready for me, with lemon peel, without even having to order. She handed DH the martini menu as he was working his way through it and suggested what one he might want to try next (she remembered better than he did which ones he had already had). Sometimes she brought us some chocolate covered strawberries or chocolate covered caramels.

One of our assistant servers at dinner recognized on the second day that I always order the wine pairing with my entree rather than picking something myself and would automatically bring me the pairing. If I ordered something from the lighter menu which typically doesn't have a pairing, he'd go and find something that would pair with it. I always added an extra tip when signing the chit at end of dinner.

We go to the Cove Cafe nearly every day unless it's a long day at port and I always order the mint mocha latte. They knew exactly how I liked it - with chocolate and cinnamon on top. DH orders something different nearly every time but the good ones come to know very quickly that he doesn't like whip cream so they don't put it on top and don't need to ask him. This is part of the advantage of going to the same servers each time. We've had servers who have remembered us on different cruises. So they don't even need to learn what you like - they already know.

It just really enhances my vacation experience and my feeling of being taken care of when someone remembers me and knows my preferences and who is prompt to respond by a simple look or raise of the eyebrows. I feel that's worth a few extra dollars both to encourage that and to acknowledge it.

 

[Trera]

Our service is almost always top notch so we dont even think twice about tipping on the cruises....................put the slips in the envelopes and hand them to our servers and stewards with a smile. They are always very appreciative.

 

[JW9DVC]

Sometimes heavy pours (although not everyone likes this so it's not always necessarily considered a benefit). It's more that they remember you and are quick(er) to respond and remember what you like. For example, we used to go to the Meridian lounge on the Dream every day and I very quickly developed a fondness for the Moet & Chandon Ice Imperial champagne which is served over ice. We got the same server every time and she mentioned after about the second time I ordered it that sometimes it can be served with a twist of lemon peel. So she went and got it for me to try. After that, every time we entered the bar, as soon as she saw me she got a glass of the champagne ready for me, with lemon peel, without even having to order. She handed DH the martini menu as he was working his way through it and suggested what one he might want to try next (she remembered better than he did which ones he had already had). Sometimes she brought us some chocolate covered strawberries or chocolate covered caramels.

One of our assistant servers at dinner recognized on the second day that I always order the wine pairing with my entree rather than picking something myself and would automatically bring me the pairing. If I ordered something from the lighter menu which typically doesn't have a pairing, he'd go and find something that would pair with it. I always added an extra tip when signing the chit at end of dinner.

We go to the Cove Cafe nearly every day unless it's a long day at port and I always order the mint mocha latte. They knew exactly how I liked it - with chocolate and cinnamon on top. DH orders something different nearly every time but the good ones come to know very quickly that he doesn't like whip cream so they don't put it on top and don't need to ask him. This is part of the advantage of going to the same servers each time. We've had servers who have remembered us on different cruises. So they don't even need to learn what you like - they already know.

It just really enhances my vacation experience and my feeling of being taken care of when someone remembers me and knows my preferences and who is prompt to respond by a simple look or raise of the eyebrows. I feel that's worth a few extra dollars both to encourage that and to acknowledge it.

Yes. Well worth it. I agreee! What do you usually give per drink on top of? You did it every time or just the first few and dwindle down?

 

[Lesverts]

When tipping is used as a stop gap for wages that people performing a job don't get, that is a problem. And it is epidemic in the cruise industry. That is why you never see cruise ships flagged in countries like Canada, the USA and Britain that have strong worker protection laws and minimum wages. Some staff on board a ship can make as little as 600 to 800 a month. The cruise industry takes advantage of developing countries for cheap labour and than expects guests to make up for the wages they aren't willing to pay.

So do I take issue with the employment structure of the cruise industry? Oh yes, but I am never going to take it out on the individual servers, bartenders, room attendants etc. On my last cruise I got super lucky on the last night at the casino. Instead of my usual 20 to 30 dollar extra tip to the special people that made my vacation great, it was 100 to 150. And I happily paid it.

 

[kiford]

Yes. Well worth it. I agreee! What do you usually give per drink on top of? You did it every time or just the first few and dwindle down?

We do it for every drink; for those who are particularly good and/or attentive, it may increase over the cruise. Anything around 5-15% on the total bill (after the auto gratuity) depending on whether we went to the bar ourselves, got the pre-made drink of the day brought around (not too common for us), got a more complicated drink like some of the speciality coffees, asked them to hunt down something specific, were in a nice lounge, or they went out of their way to do something for us. I'm far too lazy to make cocktails at home even if I have the ingredients, let alone a speciality coffee - I can barely make espresso - so I appreciate someone doing it for me and that gets rewarded a little more. If it's more complicated than a glass and a bottle, I pretty much just don't do it. So I like to indulge on vacation.

It's not a lot per drink (sometimes as little as $0.75 or less or as high as $2/drink for something expensive/complicated) but we often have a speciality coffee early in the day, a drink in the afternoon and a pre-dinner cocktail plus at least one glass of wine at dinner times two people. For us, it's only about $100-200 per cruise depending on the length of the cruise. That's also why it's useful to try to get the same servers. If you use several different servers, each one might only get a dollar or two from you but if you frequent the same person, they might get $20-30. Not enough to send their kids to college but enough that it's remembered especially if not everyone does it.

 

[JW9DVC]

We do it for every drink; for those who are particularly good and/or attentive, it may increase over the cruise. Anything around 5-15% on the total bill (after the auto gratuity) depending on whether we went to the bar ourselves, got the pre-made drink of the day brought around (not too common for us), got a more complicated drink like some of the speciality coffees, asked them to hunt down something specific, were in a nice lounge, or they went out of their way to do something for us. I'm far too lazy to make cocktails at home even if I have the ingredients, let alone a speciality coffee - I can barely make espresso - so I appreciate someone doing it for me and that gets rewarded a little more. If it's more complicated than a glass and a bottle, I pretty much just don't do it. So I like to indulge on vacation.

It's not a lot per drink (sometimes as little as $0.75 or less or as high as $2/drink for something expensive/complicated) but we often have a speciality coffee early in the day, a drink in the afternoon and a pre-dinner cocktail plus at least one glass of wine at dinner times two people. For us, it's only about $100-200 per cruise depending on the length of the cruise. That's also why it's useful to try to get the same servers. If you use several different servers, each one might only get a dollar or two from you but if you frequent the same person, they might get $20-30. Not enough to send their kids to college but enough that it's remembered especially if not everyone does it.

This is a perfect example of what tipping is designed for. Providing the service. Thank you.