DCL Picketers

[rae519]

For airline curb service, I give a buck a bag. They don't do too much except tag and put it on the belt.

For the porters, I give $2/bag - since they take it from the terminal to the airport port check in site.

But I've been "accused" of overtipping, so go from there!!

Rae

 

[DisneyCruiseluvr]

I think it would be nice for DCL to just add the recommended tips to your bill, just as someone else previously suggested. It would save a lot of time on the last night when everyone is busy packing to meet the "hallway pick-up" deadline for their luggage! I know we'd appreciate one less thing to do that night!

I don't think the staff would slack off if they would receive their tips upfront either because we'd still have those "magical" surveys to fill out, which mean the world to each one of them. I would hate to see people get away with not tipping these cast members. They work so hard and deserve to be compensated appropriately.

 

[jlp651]

Note to self (and anyone else who listens) Bring cool pen and stickers for Tip Envelops! I like being creative like that.

 

[KenP]

I do NOT wish Disney to add tips automatically. Once the staff figures out they get a tip forany service, the level of service will go down. Most people would no go down to guest services and lower their tip. I have witnessed this on Carnival Cruise Lines. We felt like we were staying at the Days Inn.

Of note, I frequently tip MORE than the suggested amount on Disney. If Disney automatically added tips, I would NOT do this.

 

[DisneyCruiseluvr]

Just think, if they did charge the tips upfront, the staff might get happier and provide even better service! (Just a positive thought!) Everyone knows that DCL prides itself on <b>EXCELLENT</b> service. If they did switch to charging our tips upfront, I'm sure if we communicated to them that we received less than excellent service, they'd let us adjust our tips accordingly. Do you think Guest Services may be swamped with minor complaints if that's the case? This is a very difficult subject because there seems to be no "win-win" answer.

I see other people's side too who believe that the level of service may go down if we tip upfront. Like my DH said, "It's just plain human nature." I just hope that there are very few cases of "non-tippers" and that the norm is that most people tip fairly and generously. I just want the cast members to be well taken care of since the majority of them take such good care of us.

 

[Tracie Wallace]

On my last cruise (Carnival) I was with 44 people for a family reunion. My sister also chose to get married on the ship. My soon-to-be brother-in-law tipped the cabin steward $100 up front and told him he'd get another $100 at the end of the cruise if he kept the cabin neat, made sure there was plenty of ice, etc. Do I need tell you whose cabin always looked great!

And by the way, the servers were all great, I loved my verandah, and my daughter (then aged 4) loved Camp Carnival.

 

[ThreeCircles]

Originally posted by rae519

For the porters, I give $2/bag - since they take it from the terminal to the airport port check in site.

I follow the same guideline Rae! And, I've always believed that if you can't spread the wealth, then what fun is it! [Not that I'm "wealthy"!]

 

[Laz]

I am a veteran cruiser who has cruised on NCL, RCCL, Carnival, and of course, Disney. I have been cruising since 1988. I have always tipped everyone on the last night. Even if I go to breakfast in the morning on the disembarkation day. Things are just too busy and hectic for carrying money around in envelopes. As far as porters, I always make sure I have the tip in raised hand when I hail a porter. It is amazing how fast and friendly they respond.

I have traveled on NCL with "freestyle" cruising (included in that is that your tip is included in the bill upfront). I generally did not see a drop in service, and while I never have reduced my tip, those who did say it was not a problem. While you can eat anywhere at any time, we usually ask to be with the same waiter. Getting to know them is half the fun, and they really give you good service if they know you. I have provided a little extra to those workers who were special. I also make sure to tip the staff of the youth program, they make my DD cruise experience special

 

[Gillian]

With tips, if you put them on your account at guest services, but for some reason do not give the emvelopes with the receipts to your servers, won't they get the money anyway? We were told they would. We did give the envelopes at the last dinner.

 

[Fantasia Sam]

On arrival we tipped the porter who took our luggage at the luggage drop off in the car park - I think we gave him $2 a case as he wasn't moving anywhere but we always think the better the tip the more likely the porter will look after the bags.

On the cruise we went to Guest Services before the last day where they gave us a sheet with recommended amounts and we filled in what we wanted to tip - then they gave us the credit notes to put into the envelopes. I thought I had lost the one for our stateroom host and I rang Guest Services and they said it didn't matter as we had already charged it to our account and therefore "Conrad" would still get his tip regardless of whether or not we actually handed it to him.

We're pretty cyincal and we did wonder if people don't show on the last night or last breakfast in order not to have to tip and I have to tell you the second seating of breakfast on the last day was pretty quiet so I sure hope people tipped the night before. We tipped the night before that as we were going to Palos on the last night and we didn't want our servers to think we'd forgotten them.

We did not tip the Head Waiter because personally we felt he was not friendly, yes he did visit our table but had such idle insincere chit chat with us and wasn't even looking at us whilst chatting. I know he was supposed to be doing his job but we decided to give more to the servers instead. When we went to open breakfast and lunch at Tritons the other head waiters there were much more friendly and we wished they'd been ours. Still our servers were excellent, infact all the servers we had even on open seating were great.

On disembarkation we used a porter to take our cases back to the car park across the road to meet our car. We tipped her more as it is a way and as someone else said that would mean less journeys and therefore less tips.

It wouldn't really bother me if tips were included. I understand that if DCL get too many complaints about CM's they're off the ship anyway so I doubt if service would go down hill. I would also like the option of tipping more if I wanted to and the CM's would also have that in mind when they were serving you.

I do wonder about those that bus the tables in the buffet area on Deck 9 and if they get tips - I didn't know if we should tip them and if so how - any ideas ?

 

[disneygal58]

I don't know if this is common practice among companies that deal with "tipped" employees. I am a Massage Therapist at a fairly prestigious resort/spa in Florida. Whenever a client leaves a gratuity with their payment on a credit card, my employee deducts an initial 7% (their justification - to cover half of the Credit Card company's fee) and then it is taxed. Out of a standard $20 gratuity, the technician actually recieves (approximately) $15.00. That is why I always make sure that my gratuities are in cash and given directly to the appropriate party.
Just food for thought,
Dawn Hope

 

[4cruisin]

Dawn,

Is that "fee" that your employer charges actually legal? I think that is very unfair of them. I will definitely keep that in mind whenever I tip from now on.

Nancy

 

[Gillian]

My local spa does not accept credit card tips. I think it makes for easier accounting! I've never heard of a salon withholding money from tips to pay charge fees, but it's good to know.

I have heard of restaurants withholding money from charged tips for taxes. I don't know exactly how that works though. I doubt that DCL takes money out of the charged tips, because most of their employees are not US citizens.

I have a feeling that if DCL did keep part of the tips we put on a credit card, we would have heard about it.

 

[rae519]

I tip the breakfast and lunch servers - even at the Buffet. Generally, they are very friendly and informative and I figure if I can afford the vacation, I can afford the tips.

But then that is my choice and not a rule or comment on those who chose not to.

Rae

 

[Fantasia Sam]

Rae
How do you tip the breakkie and lunch servers - I'd like to be able to do this next time I'm onboard.
Thanks ever so

 

[rae519]

I put the money at the corner of my plate when I leave. I've been blessed in so many ways that I feel if I can just do something to maybe make someone else's life a bit happier or easier, then it's my responsibility to do what I can. My family was a very hardworking but poor family and believe me, I truly appreciate everything that Tom and I have worked for today and have in our lives. Maybe that's why I try to be generous to others, I can remember what poor felt like!! It's not as nice as comfortable!

Rae

 

[jrabbit]

As far as tipping the Topsiders waiters/bus people you do when you give out your tips at the end of the cruise. Open your eyes - they are the same people that are serving you your dinners. That is another reason to make sure to tip the wait staff - they are waiting on you all day long.

On our last cruise the our head waiter in the evenings was wearing the same clothes that everyone else was at Topsiders and he was bussing tables!! He was indistinguishable from the rest of the workers - you had to remember what he looked like.

Your wait staff works at all meals somewhere in the ship. I do imagine that there are some wait staff assigned to topsiders that never get tipped (because they are not working in the regular dinning rotations). So if you go to a dinner at topsiders/Beach Blanket you probably should tips those folks because they are not working for tips in the main dinning rooms. I probably would not tip them for breakfast or lunch.

I have never seen anything mentioned in any of the DCL literature about the topsiders dinner servers.

 

[rae519]

Pardon me but if I choose to be generous to those who do NOT serve me but serve others at dinner, then it's not a case of opening my eyes - or seeing my head server bussing a table or not realizing that these men and women work also at the pizza station/the burger station and 24/7 drink station -

I choose to tip because I have the ability and generosity to share with others that which God has given so generously to me - not because I am blind or stupid.

There is NO mention of tipping Topsider Servers, or my breakfast/lunch servers, it's just what I choose to do because I have been blessed!



Rae

 

[Laz]

Most cruise lines have their wait staff work in more than one spot. I know that they send them on to the private islands to work, and carnival sends them into a Cozumel bar for them to serve drinks.

 

[Buckaroo's Dad]

Whoa, easy my dearest Rae!

I choose to tip because I have the ability and generosity to share with others that which God has given so generously to me.

Amen.

not because I am blind or stupid.

Can you provide any proof???... lol...