There is no right or wrong answer! Its what you decide to do. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. It is up to you whether you tip the. Depending on my experience onboard, I pick an amount and multiply it by the amount of people I'm travelling with and go from there. Learn more about this exclusive service only available to Star class suite guests from when it becomes available to how much you should tip. There are many ways they can cut through the red tape of the guest services desk saving you a boat load of time from standing in line. ", As an example, he shared a conversation he had with the Suite Concierge about the number of people onboard, "On Quantum in Alaska during the second Alaska cruise for this year, the suite concierge told me that Diamond Plus numbers were over the threshold all summer long. Your Genie can set up in-suite parties, arrange for specialty restaurant meals to be delivered to your room, and even be your personal shopper onboard. I always battle with how much to tip certain crew members. Thanks for any advice. Logo Store; Find Your Roll Call; Meet & Mingle; Guidelines . But then again I do not use their services that often perhaps only to take care of our internet services so my tip is less. For oceanview rooms, fares under $90 per person per . Did you know Royal Caribbean gives away free drinks to its top tier Crown and Anchor Society members? 18%. Do you tip your bartender after he brings you a cocktail? They're basically a walking and talking Guest Services that you can message anytime. When you sign your sales slip (chit), be careful to skip over the blank line for gratuity you've already paid! It's been observed by other Crown and Anchor guests that Royal Caribbean hadestablished hard counts for Diamond Plus and Pinnacle Club guests, and once a ship has Crown and Anchor members over that predefined threshold, that level is restricted from the Concierge Lounge. Will "buy" you a drink in the CL this weekend :p. Part of my tip to the concierge is like the tip to the head waiter the concierge is responsible for making the place run right and the like even if I don't see him very much. under the guise of not letting them feel lonely.. (he was sailing alone), was on the phone before I finished mentioning that the restrooms on the deck below were not flushing( yes, Virginia, even Royal has loo issues), Provided us with advance looks at the dinner menus for the entire week( not his fault the DR made weird changes to when formal night was as well as replaced a few main entrees). If you use the Concierge Lounge do you usually give the Concierge a tip or is his tip included if you put your tips on you onboard account? Have our travel agency partner get you a free quote for a Royal Caribbean cruise. Moreover, I have witnessed on multiple occasions the concierge "sweet talking" a restaurant manager into squeezing in one more reservation. We discovered this in talking to her. If you are in the mood for steak, hibachi, or lasagna, you could try calling the restaurants directly, or simply let the concierge handle it for you. "While we are excited for the growth of our program, we must remain mindful of our onboard operations to ensure that we continue to deliver the award-winning experience you know and love. I heard one big spender on a cruise say he had given $300 to concierge. Howit works: You have the option ofcharging tips to your shipboard account instead of tipping in cash. Because your Genie can deliver all the food and drinks you want to the cabin, plan on spending more time enjoying the lavish accommodations you have booked. Here's how it saved me a lot of money. When you order drinks from the bar on board, a gratuity is automatically added to your bill. Itcan be pre-paid before departure, and passengers whoopt for theflexible "My Time Dining" must prepay. Appropriate tip for Concierge? This helps reduce the wait time during busy disembarkation, and is extremely helpful in ports where you tender. We will be taking an 11 day cruise in March. tip about the same as you would if you were paying for it in the VCL. But be sure that you haven't already paid for this. I was thinking of tipping them at the end, but if they are different each night, then I would want to tip as I go. She was so good to us, she had a great can-do attitude, and I truly hope we run into her again. all sorts of ideas on what is appropriate, Royal Caribbean announces new Royal Suite Class program, 5 best cruise ship suites on Royal Caribbean. I have not ever and probably will not ever gain access to the Concierge. Your previous content has been restored. Bonus tip: If you plan to spend time in the same places each day (pool bar, casino, music venue) hand the bartender a $20 bill after your first drink. 10 Surprising things you didn't know the Royal Caribbean concierge can The cost of booking one of the cruise cabins that includes a Royal Genie is not cheap, with prices usually starting in the five figures. By Daghis, March 14, 2013 in Royal Caribbean International. royal caribbean cruise. Royal Caribbean (and Carnival) cruises have some clear and some very unclear tipping/gratuity policies. Even though the tip is paid for the concierge, do you give he or her a tip on the first day as an extra, or as a neede basis? A. Tipping on a Cruise: Your Complete Big-Ship Tip Guide Your link has been automatically embedded. FAQs: Gratuity & Tips for Onboard Staff | Celebrity Cruises What this means is some Genie's are better about pre-cruise communication than others, while other Genies prefer to spend more time socializing with their guests than others. Guests who use concierge or butler services are expected to leave an appropriate tip. Extra charges:A 15% gratuity is added to bar, beverage, wine and deck service tabs and an 18% gratuity is added to all spa services. Do you know about when you'd like to sail? Tip amount:On cruises departing Sept. 1, 2016, and later, gratuities amount to $12.95per person per day (including children age 2 and older) in standard rooms and$13.95 per person for suites. But for the concierge, it is not a pre-requisite. Some cruise lines offer the option to pre-pay your gratuities before your cruise, and in a few cases this may be required. What do you tip your royal genie? - Royal Caribbean International Royal Genie Frequently Asked Questions | Royal Caribbean Cruises We only had the concierge schedules our shows and CK dinners before we boarded. I hesitate to ever say one Genie is better or worse than another. I think that is a little much. What is the difference between suite concierge and a Royal Genie? Royal Caribbean International; Celebrity Cruises; Silversea; ALL INCLUDED. Having tried two different Royal Genies so far, my takeaway has been there is a learning curve to being able to fully utilize what Royal Caribbean packs into the experience. It is hard to talk about suite service without mentioning the ultimate suite concierge service: The Royal Genies. Note that anysoft drinks, bottled water or alcohol that you order from room service will have a gratuity automatically added. Do you know about when you'd like to sail? Star Class cabins are large, and offer a ton of living space coupled with beautiful views, so enjoy them as much as you can. sometimes we don't use him for anything but to chit chat and others he takes care of a lot of stuff for us, issues with the cabin, reservations, etc. The first class entertainment on Royal Caribbean is always a must-see for my family, and the concierge can hook you up with seating to ensure you can see it all. As a general rule, you're not expected to leave an additional tip when you dine at a specialty restaurant, even if there's a space for anadditional tip on the charge slip, because you've already paid for this. The amount would vary depending on the services rendered to you. **** VOOM Surf + Stream package. #1 Posted January 27, 2010 We are going a cruise next week and our concierge has already been so helpful arranging reservations. We've tipped between $25 and $100, with the latter being for a concierge who went way above and beyond for us and spent a lot of time solving a very frustrating problem in our suite. Gratuities amount to $12per day for each adult passenger for Caribbean cruises and eastbound grand voyages, and $6 per night for children 3 and older; on westbound grand voyages, the fee isin euros. :(. $1-2 per drink when ordering in a bar (especially if you're in the bar for a while and build a relationship with the waiter). We usually feed our kids dinner before we drop them off at Adventure Ocean, so when we are in Star Class, my kids order steak from Chops Grille and pizza from Giovanni's Kitchen because it's included. Secret password to be ushered to the REAL party? The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached, or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Royal Caribbean Blog. 5 best cruise ship suites on Royal Caribbean, How to maximize the value of a cruise ship suite. In addition to "mandatory" daily gratuities, Royal Caribbean and Carnival also add an 18% gratuity to any beverage or dining package, For drinks, that's a fee assessed to the entire cost of the package not on a per-drink basis. Automatically added cruise gratuities Tip the concierge? - Royal Caribbean International - Cruise Critic An 18% gratuity is added for all beverage purchases, spa services and dinner at La Reserve. Then it depends on what I ask them to do did they make reservations at Chops or Portofino, did they have pull a few strings to get you the time/day you wanted, did they book a number of tours for you, did the internet gobble up your minutes in error and he reapplied the credit for you? Royal Caribbean Star Clippers Windstar Cruises Tipping basics Your cruise bill comes in two parts: Your base cruise fare, which covers the cost of your stateroom, meals (except at specialty restaurants), entertainment (except for special events), etc. The staff in the dining rooms on a Royal Caribbean cruise. Have our travel agency partner get you a free quote for a Royal Caribbean cruise. Please dont get me wrong. News. If you are lucky enough to book a suite on Royal Caribbean, a variety of perks and amenities are waiting for you, but which will you get exactly? While Coastal Kitchen (the complimentary restaurant for suite guests) is included in your cruise fare as well, it seems to me the included specialty dining is far more lucrative to take advantage of for your dining plans. $20? The suite concierge is your express line to getting things sorted out, and a faster alternative than Guest Services. We've heard that tips are sometimes included on your spa treatment bill and sometimes not so ask. All. My standard answer, if they earn it, they get it. In the end it is what you feel comfortable with. Extra charges: An 18% gratuity is added to bar charges, beverage and mini-bar purchases, and spa and salon services. After 23 Royal Caribbean Cruises, What I've Learned About Tipping In my experience, there is no right or wrong answer, as you have to consider all sorts of people book Star Class and there's no specific gratuity recommendation by Royal Caribbean. In the unlikely event that a guest onboard being charged the daily automatic gratuity does not receive satisfactory service, the guest may request to modify the daily amount at their discretion by visiting Guest Services onboard and will be able to do so until the morning of their departure. Suites do. Guests may adjust gratuities while on board at their sole discretion. To adjust the amount, go to the purser's office. It is quite customary. Royal Caribbean also explains that the tips are split between "dining, bar & culinary services staff, stateroom attendants and other hotel services teams who work behind the scenes to enhance the cruise experience.". He basically spent his time at his desk looking at his computer. More? Genies have the ability to cut the line for almost everything, including onboard activities. Our goal has been to provide our readers with expansive coverage of all aspects of the Royal Caribbean experience. I even asked my Genie to reserve seats at the Mason Jar bar because it was busy. If you are in a suite or aboard a luxury cruise, you may have a butler assigned to your room . This cruise however, we have used the concierge quite a bit and we have been so impressed with the service we have received. All rights reserved. It was a 7n cruise and we felt $20 a day was acceptable. As of September 7 th, 2022, the automatic service gratuity of $16.00 USD per person, per day for guests in non-suites staterooms, or $18.50 USD per person, per day for guests in Suites, will be applied to each guest's SeaPass account on a daily basis. The salary is probably decent, but it's half of what it used to be 3-4 years ago. Royal Caribbean has removed one benefit of its customer loyalty program for its top tier members. The amount of the gratuity varies by cruise line, with amounts that range from $10 to $15 per person per day, with higher amounts for luxury accommodations. MSC crew members greeting arriving passengers. Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. Amazing, Funny & Totally Awesome Cruise Photos. The Star Class experience is a splurge of epic proportions, so this is not a question of can you do enough to "break even". In-suite parties are a huge amount of work for the Genie and room attendants. See Carnival'stipping policy,including a chart of how much gratuities will run for 2- to 20-day cruises. $15.50. Sometimes less, sometimes not. Tipping the Concierge - Royal Caribbean International - Cruise Critic Extra charges:An 18% gratuity is added for all beverage purchases, spa services and dinner at La Reserve. Bring your own water if you do not have the refreshment or deluxe beverage packages on Royal Caribbean cruisew. What is the most expensive suite on Royal Caribbean? Usually on a 7 night cruise, we will go every morning for coffee, every evening for drinks. By You can adjust the amount at the guest relationsdesk. Generally no, because the tip is automatically added to your bill. When transfers to and from your ship are included in your package, gratuities are generally included for luggage handling. Each time I've stayed in Star Class I come to the same conclusion: it was a wonderful way to spend my cruise, and it spoiled us. The problem is that restaurants generally consider tips part of wages and don't pay their waiters minimum wage (and that's legal in most places). Royal Caribbean's top suite experience is known as Star Class, and it includes a crew member who is a blend of personal concierge and magic maker. And a very decent salary at that? Then it depends on what I ask them to do did they make reservations at Chops or Portofino, did they have pull a few strings to get you the time/day you wanted, did they book a number of tours for you, did the internet gobble up your minutes in error and he reapplied the credit for you? Tip amount:Gratuities amount to $15per person per day for guests in staterooms and $23 per person for guests inPenthouse, Oceania, Vista or Owner's Suites where butler service is provided. By gathering data they would have a basis to make additional policy updates. For what I use the concierge for on most trips $50 is way high for me. Tips can be adjusted at guest services. and all while battling a fever/flu. About a week before your cruise, the concierge will email you a welcome letter with a list of services and expectations. We're also in sky class (CL suite ) on Symphony in 3 days. after the first night they tend to remember EXACTLY what you like and when you walk in, they catch your eye, cock their head and when you nod, by the time you make your way to a chair, your drink is waiting for you. Star guests may tip their Royal Genie and Concierge separately, at their own discretion.