Can someone clarify "tipping" for me?

Clojel

DIS Veteran
Joined
Mar 10, 2016
I've been doing some reading and from what I gather, Disney will automatically charge my onboard account for the stateroom host, assistant host, main server, and assistant server. Are those the ONLY positions that are automatically charged to account? For everyone else, do people typically just tip cash? Also, we will be traveling concierge, will we have a concierge host AND a stateroom host? Or just a concierge host? (Sorry if that's a silly question, this is our first time cruising :)
 
I believe there's a thread on here somewhere with a list of these but off the top of my head:

Standard and automatic
Stateroom Host
Head Server
Server
Assistant Server

Can't answer on concierge, never stayed there.

Other automatic (18% of charge)
Spa services
Bar service
Drinks delivered to you by bar servers around the pools, etc

You can always carry cash to tip extra for your hosts and servers. I'm going to assume you need cash for concierge host but someone else will have to answer that. You can add additional tip on top of your 18% for the spa and bar service on your reciepts.
 
In Concierge, you should also plan for the Concierge hosts (3 of them - they pool their tips), the Concierge bartender (if using) and the Concierge lounge attendant (the person that replenishes the food and drinks). The Concierge hosts are not the same as the stateroom host. That’s the person who cleans your cabin twice a day. The amounts people give vary greatly. Some people give 50$/host/day, others give 150$ for a 7-day cruise. The suggestions are usually all over the place.

The Concierge tips are left at your discretion. You can tip in cash using the provided enveloppe, or you can get a coupon from guests services who will add the charge to your stateroom account. In fact, you can tip almost any employee that way. The only CM’s we tip cash are the room service waiters. We charge every other tip to our account, including any extra tip we might wish to give to our waiters and hosts.
 
The stateroom host takes care of tidying your room, refreshing toiletries, and placing Daily Navigators and other information, among other tasks.

The Concierge hosts are completely different. They check on you to make sure everything is going well through your cruise, and address problems if it isn’t. Before each ship had a Concierge Lounge, the hosts would stop by staterooms periodically — I am not sure if they still do, or if you see them mainly in the Lounge. At any rate, the hosts can handle almost anything you would otherwise ask of Guest Services, including (but by no means limited to) getting you tickets to onboard events, dealing with billing issues, and booking dining and spa treatments.
 


You should also plan on having some $1 bills to tip the CM that brings you room service. Many people say $1 per item is a good amount. Although we always tip the room service CM is cash, I believe you can also add it on a slip of paper that the CM has when he brings your food.
 
Can one tell the desk “I don’t want to give the full amount”. For instance our head waiter was fairly worthless this last cruise and the whole table thought Why the hell are we giving this guy a tip when he said hi maybe twice. I don’t know if really would have done it but is it a thing we could do?
 
Can one tell the desk “I don’t want to give the full amount”. For instance our head waiter was fairly worthless this last cruise and the whole table thought Why the hell are we giving this guy a tip when he said hi maybe twice. I don’t know if really would have done it but is it a thing we could do?
Yes, you can. You can modify the set amounts any way you want at guests services.
 


currently DCL standard gratuities is $12 per Guest per Night. This covers the 4 tipped positions that you mentioned (Head Server, Server, Asst Server, Room Steward)

So if there are 4 of you on a 7 night cruise the standard gratuity is

4 guests * 7 nights * $12 = $336

and this covers your entire cruise, NOT "just" dinners. If everyone tips standard, everyone gets paid for all of their time - because they are working @ Breakfast and Lunch along with the quick serve places and up on the pool deck.

Additional gratuities should be given to your Palo / Remy server.
 
Wait, so the standard/automatic tips to your waitstaff -- I assume those aren't included in the quoted cost of the trip? Do they get charged at the end of the cruise? Just wanting to know for budget reasons.
 
Wait, so the standard/automatic tips to your waitstaff -- I assume those aren't included in the quoted cost of the trip? Do they get charged at the end of the cruise? Just wanting to know for budget reasons.
You can call DCL and have them include the gratuities in your cruise price. Some guests prefer to pay them in advance to lower the cost of their onboard account. If you do, your total cruise price will go up and you’ll have to pay them before your pay-in-full date. Whatever you choose, the process onboard to hand them out to the CM’s will be the same.
 
Can one tell the desk “I don’t want to give the full amount”. For instance our head waiter was fairly worthless this last cruise and the whole table thought Why the hell are we giving this guy a tip when he said hi maybe twice. I don’t know if really would have done it but is it a thing we could do?

The Head server isn't supposed to be seen all the time. They are keeping the whole room running smoothly. If you didn't see him much it means you had no problems, which means he's doing his job. Leave the tip. His tip is nearly a pittance.
 
The Head server isn't supposed to be seen all the time. They are keeping the whole room running smoothly. If you didn't see him much it means you had no problems, which means he's doing his job. Leave the tip. His tip is nearly a pittance.
That’s still at your discretion.
 
The Head server isn't supposed to be seen all the time. They are keeping the whole room running smoothly. If you didn't see him much it means you had no problems, which means he's doing his job. Leave the tip. His tip is nearly a pittance.

There is truth to that. Or things were falling apart at the seams elsewhere and he constantly had to deal with that. It's a big room with a lot of moving parts.

Thanks
 
Can one tell the desk “I don’t want to give the full amount”. For instance our head waiter was fairly worthless this last cruise and the whole table thought Why the hell are we giving this guy a tip when he said hi maybe twice. I don’t know if really would have done it but is it a thing we could do?
Same here, saw him twice on 7 night cruise, the time we had lobster and the last night, what a joke, having to tip him!
 
Regarding the Head Servers... Most of their work IS “behind the scenes” making sure things run smoothly with the dinner service. Everything from approving things people with allergies order (if for whatever reason they didn’t order ahead - or desserts which you don’t typically order ahead) to helping to expedite the trays of food to helping step in if a table is being difficult to even helping out a team if there is a sub for whatever reason. They do FAR more than most people realize.

If your dinners went smoothly and you didn’t have any issues, to paraphrase Spaceship Earth, you can thank your Head Server.
 

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