question about concierge tips....again? I know right?

[Disney maygirl]

First, I would like to say I have really enjoyed researching my upcoming land/sea Disney World and Disney Cruise via the DisBoards. You people have a wealth of information. I cruise in one week. From the DisBoards I have gathered that I will be charged for tips to regular tipped positions 1. Head server 2. server 3. assistant server 4. stateroom host/hostess. My question is....when we get the tip envelopes will I get a set amount for the concierge team as well? I understand that I may tip the concierge bartender and lounge food server as well with cash.... Just wondering if there is an automatic charge for the "concierge team" ? I know amounts are at all ranges, but is it something that is automatically charged/suggested from the cruise line itself. Can't find this info for sure on any of the forums or maybe I just didn't understand. Thanks!

 

[WiscMomof2]

There are no guidelines for concierge tips provided by DCL, it’s up to the guest to decide. I did some research online before we sailed to see what others reported tipping and from there decided on amount I was comfortable with.

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[southerngirl528]

First, I would like to say I have really enjoyed researching my upcoming land/sea Disney World and Disney Cruise via the DisBoards. You people have a wealth of information. I cruise in one week. From the DisBoards I have gathered that I will be charged for tips to regular tipped positions 1. Head server 2. server 3. assistant server 4. stateroom host/hostess. My question is....when we get the tip envelopes will I get a set amount for the concierge team as well? I understand that I may tip the concierge bartender and lounge food server as well with cash.... Just wondering if there is an automatic charge for the "concierge team" ? I know amounts are at all ranges, but is it something that is automatically charged/suggested from the cruise line itself. Can't find this info for sure on any of the forums or maybe I just didn't understand. Thanks!

I'm wondering the same, DisneyMaygirl, even AFTER reading a lot of threads on this topic as we have our first concierge cruise (but surely not our first DCL! ) coming up in a few weeks. From what I read, lots of folks say they tip very generously and proportionately if the team does a lot of planning and assistance.

I guess my question is.... what about the shoreside concierge team? I already had virtually all my stuff booked, tastings, Palo brunch and dinner, spa, you name it, BEFORE I booked concierge just a month ago and 3 months before upgrading from 5C to concierge. Shoreside has done a lot. I will definitely tip the cruise concierge team, and we are not stingy tippers, but I don't see needing them very much. But who knows? They sound pretty magical, so perhaps they will assist far more than I anticipate in my case! Either way, I'm super excited! Have a great cruise, DisneyMaygirl!

 

[Disney maygirl]

Southerngirl, it seems complicated with all the posts (yes super super excited...my family wants to kill me, probably first and last DCL and I gotta make it big!!!! lol)....since you cruised before, there are automatic tips and envelopes correct for server etc...?......but, does anybody know if the concierge team is automatically tipped a certain amount as well? In other words, is there a tip envelope for them with an suggested amount that they have charged me???? or is this something that is entirely up to my discretion and done on my own?...... Not worried about amounts but is it something autocharged to my account? FYI I plan to tip the suggested amounts for all and then decide if I will do extra at the end and add cash to the tip envelopes if I feel service is above expected.

 

[southerngirl528]

Southerngirl, it seems complicated with all the posts (yes super super excited...my family wants to kill me, probably first and last DCL and I gotta make it big!!!! lol)....since you cruised before, there are automatic tips and envelopes correct for server etc...?......but, does anybody know if the concierge team is automatically tipped a certain amount as well? In other words, is there a tip envelope for them with an suggested amount that they have charged me???? or is this something that is entirely up to my discretion and done on my own?...... Not worried about amounts but is it something autocharged to my account? FYI I plan to tip the suggested amounts for all and then decide if I will do extra at the end and add cash to the tip envelopes if I feel service is above expected.

From what I understand nothing will be auto-charged for the concierge team (usually 3 crew members), as tips for them are entirely at the passengers' discretion.

You are correct that envelopes will be left for you, printed on each something like: Head Waiter, Server, Assistant Server as well as a 4th envelope for your Cabin Steward. These tips ARE auto-charged although a guest can have the amount changed by going before end of cruise to GS, or you can simply add cash to the envelope. Pretty sure they will also have a sheet with the envelope showing your paid gratuities and for which of the above-mentioned 4 crew members each pre-paid tip is.

I do not know if they provide enveloped for the concierge team, but I'll bet you $5 that if you ask, they can provide them for you!

 

[kimwoje]

There will be an envelope provided for Concierge but no pre charged amount and no suggested tip. Totally up to the guest’s discretion. Yes, I found it a little frustrating as I want to be sure to do the right thing. I just did plenty of research on what others have done and went with a similar amount per night of cruise.

 

[southerngirl528]

There will be an envelope provided for Concierge but no pre charged amount and no suggested tip. Totally up to the guest’s discretion. Yes, I found it a little frustrating as I want to be sure to do the right thing. I just did plenty of research on what others have done and went with a similar amount per night of cruise.

Thanks for that input, Kimwoje!

 

[Disney maygirl]

bahaha, you probably want to bet me more than $5 if you are paying concierge lol! $5 won't buy us much on this cruise lol!!!! ok yes that the question.....will we get the tip envelopes for the "concierge team" (the three). Get it that I can take away/add etc... Just like to know before I go...I have an amount in mind for the concierge team, but want to know if there is an amount they automatically charge you (unless of course you decide to change that at GS).

 

[Disney maygirl]

Woa!!!!Kimwoje! thanks so much for that!!!! totally answers my question

 

[Doofenshmirtz513]

This doesn't directly address your question (which is answered above), but I wanted to note that you can go to the concierge team to add a tip that gets charged to your account for the concierge bartender and food server, so you don't have to hand them cash if you don't want to.

I prefer not to just hand people cash (I don't usually hand people the envelopes either), so I like to put the tip on that way and just have it go to them.

 

[southerngirl528]

bahaha, you probably want to bet me more than $5 if you are paying concierge lol! $5 won't buy us much on this cruise lol!!!!

You got me. Big time.

And just to reiterate, there is NO auto-charged gratuity for the concierge onboard team. Happy planning!!!!

 

[southerngirl528]

This doesn't directly address your question (which is answered above), but I wanted to note that you can go to the concierge team to add a tip that gets charged to your account for the concierge bartender and food server, so you don't have to hand them cash if you don't want to.

Good to know! From most of the posts I've seen about the bartender and server in the lounge, it sounded like most just hand them cash. I do rather like the envelopes. Thanks!

 

[ladyofthetramp]

If I remember correctly there were some envelopes by the concierge desk in the lounge. They were not labeled, so you could write in the name of the position of person you are tipping. Your cruise will be amazing! Have fun!

 

[cgolf]

The one thing I want to add is don't feel guilted into tipping big by reading the threads. For us the bartender, room hosts, and servers did more for us, we didn't really have any special requests we needed fulfilled.

First year all we did was have them print our boarding passes, asked if they could add the cheese spread from palo to the buffet, they did (everyone loved it), and a couple of nights we skipped shows we had seen and talked to the hosts about life stuff.

Second year my daughter was in the room with us and they left us a bag of popcorn in the room one night and left arcade cards and we didn't ask for anything.

So we tipped accordingly, probably more than we needed. We didn't feel they deserved hundreds of dollars. It was also very confusing, others were asking how much they should tip too.

 

[DCLDVC1]

Regarding the amount, $10 per person per day was the guideline I used on our last cruise.

 

[NavyDisneyFan]

Good Morning,

So, I just cruised and did 100 each person (concierge host) on a three day. For a 7 day 220-250 each person in the concierge lounge. Information came from a good source on the 12th deck.

 

[serenitynow]

For Concierge hosts, I don’t think there is a “standard”amount. A lot depends on how much you use the services offered by the Concierge hosts, how much each cruiser is comfortable tipping, how long the cruise is, etc. If you hang around in the Concierge Lounge towards the end of the cruise, you may overhear other cruisers discussing the issue and everyone has a different opinion. Since Disney has been unwilling to offer any guidelines on this issue, I think whatever a concierge guest feels comfortable with tipping is appropriate.

 

[southerngirl528]

For a 7 day 220-250 each person in the concierge lounge.

OY!!! That is $660 to $750 in gratuities just for the concierge team??? WOW. I suppose if they did a lot of bookings, and assistance I can see approx $30/day, but that seems like a huge amount. And I am a very good tipper, having worked in the hospitality industry a very long time.

I am booked for our first concierge cruise, (but Platinum cruiser), and planned on tipping what the cabin steward would get pp for the concierge team, and to increase that amount if we needed or received additional assistance. I had pretty much ALL my bookings done when I upgraded last month, Palo dinners and brunch, spa days, tastings, you name it. The shoreside team has been very helpful with some odds and ends. It seems unfair that the shoreside team gets no gratuities. Unless the ship team shares........

 

[cgolf]

OY!!! That is $660 to $750 in gratuities just for the concierge team??? WOW. I suppose if they did a lot of bookings, and assistance I can see approx $30/day, but that seems like a huge amount. And I am a very good tipper, having worked in the hospitality industry a very long time.

I am booked for our first concierge cruise, (but Platinum cruiser), and planned on tipping what the cabin steward would get pp for the concierge team, and to increase that amount if we needed or received additional assistance. I had pretty much ALL my bookings done when I upgraded last month, Palo dinners and brunch, spa days, tastings, you name it. The shoreside team has been very helpful with some odds and ends. It seems unfair that the shoreside team gets no gratuities. Unless the ship team shares........

All I will say is we put a bit more in the concierge hosts tip envelope than we put for our servers and room hosts, people that did much more for us. If I had my way I would have given less to the concierge hosts and more to the other folks.

I am not going to tip just because they are in the lounge and keep it clean etc, I tip for services provided above and beyond to my family. DCL covers the work they do, we tip for services provided, which in our case was next to nothing.

Go with your gut on tipping, you may find that server tip money is too much for each, or too little. Just go with your gut and don’t feel guilty regardless of how much you tip them

Edit - Have to say that the fact that DCL doesn't give any guidelines on this made the tipping stressful at the end, because while you don't want to be insulting, you also don't want to tip more than you felt they earned. They should to set the floor for the tip and then say tip more depending on the level of service.

 

[Galun]

I found this thread as I am on the tipping day of a cruise, and Disney gives no guidance at all. I asked the concierge and he told me that they were tip positions despite being officers.

So here is how I did it. $60k annual “tip” salary is reasonable for a guest service position, especially for those who don’t pay for room/board/food. Plus they probably still make a small salary on top of that.

22 suites on the wonder. 260 weekdays a year. That works out to $60000/22/260 = $10.50 per concierge host per day. So I just did $10.50 x 3 hosts x 7 days = $220 for the entire team for a 7 day cruise. I hate that Disney made me do this math on a vacation lol. But I think the concierge do just fine. They probably get the most generous tippers on the ship, and leaving it ambiguous will probably lead to a lot of over tipping.