If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
Room Service Question
Hi, I'm new to this group, but some of the names are familiar from other
newsgroups. We're booked on the Sapphire Princess sailing to Alaska next June. I was on one cruise years ago, but I had nothing to do with the booking or finances so I'm pretty clueless. My question is about room service on the ship. I just discovered we sail through Tracy Arm Fjord from 6 to 10 in the morning, so not being a morning person I'm curious about just getting something simple sent to the room and sitting out on our balcony. I know there's some fancy balcony breakfast service, but that's not what I mean. On the Princess web site, it says there is no charge for room service, but I still don't quite get the tipping process. Do you never hand out cash and settle it all at the end, or do you tip for room service? Also, since we're probably not the only ones who are going to do this, can we arrange for it the night before? Any other tips or tricks would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Marcia |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
Room Service Question
On 9/6/09 7:33 PM, in article , "Marcia
R." wrote: On the Princess web site, it says there is no charge for room service, but I still don't quite get the tipping process. Do you never hand out cash and settle it all at the end, or do you tip for room service? Most if not all cruise lines nowadays prefer a cashless system. Gratuities may be charged (and are in fact by default charged) to your onboard account and include tips for cabin steward, dining room staff and room service people; the default aggregate is about $10-13 (depending in cruise line and cabin category) per person per day. Tips for alcoholic drinks of 15-18% are also added to the onboard account. Also, since we're probably not the only ones who are going to do this, can we arrange for it the night before? You will be able to make your breakfast selections on a form that you'll put on the outside of your cabin before retiring. Enjoy your cruise. |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
Room Service Question
In article ,
"Marcia R." wrote: balcony breakfast service, but that's not what I mean. On the Princess web site, it says there is no charge for room service, but I still don't quite get the tipping process. Do you never hand out cash and settle it all at the end, or do you tip for room service? For room service, I generally tip $1 a person. Each cabin will have a room service breakfast order form that you fill out and hang on the door. It isn't quite as extensive as the menus in the dining rooms, but more than serviceable. General tips (cabin people, waiters, matre D, etc)., will be added on to your bill in most cases. You will get a whole bunch of paper reminding you about the tips, so you don't need to worry. -- Searching is half the fun: life is much more manageable when thought of as a scavenger hunt as opposed to a surprise party. Jimmy Buffett |
#4
|
|||
|
|||
Room Service Question
On Sep 6, 11:40*am, Kurt Ullman wrote:
In article , *"Marcia R." wrote: balcony breakfast service, but that's not what I mean. *On the Princess web site, it says there is no charge for room service, but I still don't quite get the tipping process. *Do you never hand out cash and settle it all at the end, or do you tip for room service? * *For room service, I generally tip $1 a person. Each cabin will have a room service breakfast order form that you fill out and hang on the door. It isn't quite as extensive as the menus in the dining rooms, but more than serviceable. * *General tips (cabin people, waiters, matre D, etc)., will be added on to your bill in most cases. You will get a whole bunch of paper reminding you about *the tips, so you don't need to worry. -- Searching is half the fun: life is much more manageable when thought of as a scavenger hunt as opposed to a surprise party. Jimmy Buffett Room service is added on to your bill. With HAL I think it's $11 a day per person per day(or $13, I can't remember). That's the only line I have been on. Keep in mind that that charge does not all go to your cabin steward. It is shared by a number of people. When we had the disembarkation meetings, they read us a list of people who are sharing that service charge and what percentage goes to each. It includes several "behind the scenes" people such as laundry room help. YOur cabin stuarts end up getting a small percentage of those $11. So, even though we were not required to leave them anything, when we left last year on the Westerdam we gave $75 to our cabin stewards . That's for two people. This year we were on the Amsteredam and we left $50 (yes...the recession!) They were both seven day cruises. Maybe we left them too much...I was just as clueless as you are, I wasn't sure how much I should leave them, but those guys work so hard and don't make that much money and if you stop and think...you are spending so much money on your vacation anyway, what's $50 more dollars? gfc |
#5
|
|||
|
|||
Room Service Question
John Sisker wrote:
"Marcia R." wrote in message ... Hi, I'm new to this group, but some of the names are familiar from other newsgroups. We're booked on the Sapphire Princess sailing to Alaska next June. I was on one cruise years ago, but I had nothing to do with the booking or finances so I'm pretty clueless. My question is about room service on the ship. I just discovered we sail through Tracy Arm Fjord from 6 to 10 in the morning, so not being a morning person I'm curious about just getting something simple sent to the room and sitting out on our balcony. I know there's some fancy balcony breakfast service, but that's not what I mean. On the Princess web site, it says there is no charge for room service, but I still don't quite get the tipping process. Do you never hand out cash and settle it all at the end, or do you tip for room service? Also, since we're probably not the only ones who are going to do this, can we arrange for it the night before? Any other tips or tricks would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Marcia Marcia, We too will be on the Sapphire Princess soon, but to the Mexican Riviera, not Alaska. However, that's another story. As for room service and tipping, room service likes to promote itself as 24-hours a day. And even though a 15% gratuity will be added to the bill, we will slip anywhere from $3 to $5 extra to the person delivering it to our cabin anyway. We know this is above and beyond what will show on the final bill, but getting cheap on a technicality is a little tacky to us. Smooth sailing to all... John Sisker - SHIP-TO-SHORE CRUISE AGENCY® (714) 536-3850 or toll-free at (800) 724-6644 & (Agency ID: 714.536.3850) www.shiptoshorecruise.com I'm still really confused. I know about the tips at the end of the cruise. But just for the one breakfast on the one day, will there already be an extra tip included with the others, or do I give the person cash? Thanks for the info about leaving our order on the door the night before. Marcia...who feels really stupid about this stuff. ;-) |
#6
|
|||
|
|||
Room Service Question
"Marcia R." wrote in message ... John Sisker wrote: "Marcia R." wrote in message ... Hi, I'm new to this group, but some of the names are familiar from other newsgroups. We're booked on the Sapphire Princess sailing to Alaska next June. I was on one cruise years ago, but I had nothing to do with the booking or finances so I'm pretty clueless. My question is about room service on the ship. I just discovered we sail through Tracy Arm Fjord from 6 to 10 in the morning, so not being a morning person I'm curious about just getting something simple sent to the room and sitting out on our balcony. I know there's some fancy balcony breakfast service, but that's not what I mean. On the Princess web site, it says there is no charge for room service, but I still don't quite get the tipping process. Do you never hand out cash and settle it all at the end, or do you tip for room service? Also, since we're probably not the only ones who are going to do this, can we arrange for it the night before? Any other tips or tricks would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Marcia Marcia, We too will be on the Sapphire Princess soon, but to the Mexican Riviera, not Alaska. However, that's another story. As for room service and tipping, room service likes to promote itself as 24-hours a day. And even though a 15% gratuity will be added to the bill, we will slip anywhere from $3 to $5 extra to the person delivering it to our cabin anyway. We know this is above and beyond what will show on the final bill, but getting cheap on a technicality is a little tacky to us. Smooth sailing to all... John Sisker - SHIP-TO-SHORE CRUISE AGENCY® (714) 536-3850 or toll-free at (800) 724-6644 & (Agency ID: 714.536.3850) www.shiptoshorecruise.com I'm still really confused. I know about the tips at the end of the cruise. But just for the one breakfast on the one day, will there already be an extra tip included with the others, or do I give the person cash? Thanks for the info about leaving our order on the door the night before. Marcia...who feels really stupid about this stuff. ;-) The answer you got from John is wrong. Room service on the Sapphire Princess is FREE... you don't pay anything. There is a room service menu in your cabin and you can either fill out an order form and hang it on your door or call your order in. Again, it is FREE. It is customary to tip the person who delivers your order a dollar or two in cash. You will have to sign a receipt and the total on it will be $0.00 They do that just to keep track of how much food they are using at any given time and to make sure that it was delivered to you. There is no gratuity added to this and nothing is put on your onboard account. That is all there is to it. Hot coffee and some pastries on the balcony is a great way to see Tracy Arm. If you order bar drinks delivered to your cabin, they add 15% just like anywhere else on the ship, but you weren't asking about bar service, just breakfast. -- George Leppla Countryside Travel http://www.CruiseMaster.com Blog http://cruisemaster.typepad.com/my_weblog/ Facebook http://www.facebook.com/CruiseMaster |
#7
|
|||
|
|||
Room Service Question
George Leppla wrote:
"Marcia R." wrote in message ... John Sisker wrote: "Marcia R." wrote in message ... Hi, I'm new to this group, but some of the names are familiar from other newsgroups. We're booked on the Sapphire Princess sailing to Alaska next June. I was on one cruise years ago, but I had nothing to do with the booking or finances so I'm pretty clueless. My question is about room service on the ship. I just discovered we sail through Tracy Arm Fjord from 6 to 10 in the morning, so not being a morning person I'm curious about just getting something simple sent to the room and sitting out on our balcony. I know there's some fancy balcony breakfast service, but that's not what I mean. On the Princess web site, it says there is no charge for room service, but I still don't quite get the tipping process. Do you never hand out cash and settle it all at the end, or do you tip for room service? Also, since we're probably not the only ones who are going to do this, can we arrange for it the night before? Any other tips or tricks would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Marcia Marcia, We too will be on the Sapphire Princess soon, but to the Mexican Riviera, not Alaska. However, that's another story. As for room service and tipping, room service likes to promote itself as 24-hours a day. And even though a 15% gratuity will be added to the bill, we will slip anywhere from $3 to $5 extra to the person delivering it to our cabin anyway. We know this is above and beyond what will show on the final bill, but getting cheap on a technicality is a little tacky to us. Smooth sailing to all... John Sisker - SHIP-TO-SHORE CRUISE AGENCY® (714) 536-3850 or toll-free at (800) 724-6644 & (Agency ID: 714.536.3850) www.shiptoshorecruise.com I'm still really confused. I know about the tips at the end of the cruise. But just for the one breakfast on the one day, will there already be an extra tip included with the others, or do I give the person cash? Thanks for the info about leaving our order on the door the night before. Marcia...who feels really stupid about this stuff. ;-) The answer you got from John is wrong. Room service on the Sapphire Princess is FREE... you don't pay anything. There is a room service menu in your cabin and you can either fill out an order form and hang it on your door or call your order in. Again, it is FREE. It is customary to tip the person who delivers your order a dollar or two in cash. You will have to sign a receipt and the total on it will be $0.00 They do that just to keep track of how much food they are using at any given time and to make sure that it was delivered to you. There is no gratuity added to this and nothing is put on your onboard account. That is all there is to it. Hot coffee and some pastries on the balcony is a great way to see Tracy Arm. If you order bar drinks delivered to your cabin, they add 15% just like anywhere else on the ship, but you weren't asking about bar service, just breakfast. Perfect!!!! Thanks. Marcia |
#8
|
|||
|
|||
Room Service Question
"George Leppla" wrote in message ... "Marcia R." wrote in message ... John Sisker wrote: "Marcia R." wrote in message ... Hi, I'm new to this group, but some of the names are familiar from other newsgroups. We're booked on the Sapphire Princess sailing to Alaska next June. I was on one cruise years ago, but I had nothing to do with the booking or finances so I'm pretty clueless. My question is about room service on the ship. I just discovered we sail through Tracy Arm Fjord from 6 to 10 in the morning, so not being a morning person I'm curious about just getting something simple sent to the room and sitting out on our balcony. I know there's some fancy balcony breakfast service, but that's not what I mean. On the Princess web site, it says there is no charge for room service, but I still don't quite get the tipping process. Do you never hand out cash and settle it all at the end, or do you tip for room service? Also, since we're probably not the only ones who are going to do this, can we arrange for it the night before? Any other tips or tricks would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Marcia Marcia, We too will be on the Sapphire Princess soon, but to the Mexican Riviera, not Alaska. However, that's another story. As for room service and tipping, room service likes to promote itself as 24-hours a day. And even though a 15% gratuity will be added to the bill, we will slip anywhere from $3 to $5 extra to the person delivering it to our cabin anyway. We know this is above and beyond what will show on the final bill, but getting cheap on a technicality is a little tacky to us. Smooth sailing to all... John Sisker - SHIP-TO-SHORE CRUISE AGENCY® (714) 536-3850 or toll-free at (800) 724-6644 & (Agency ID: 714.536.3850) www.shiptoshorecruise.com I'm still really confused. I know about the tips at the end of the cruise. But just for the one breakfast on the one day, will there already be an extra tip included with the others, or do I give the person cash? Thanks for the info about leaving our order on the door the night before. Marcia...who feels really stupid about this stuff. ;-) George Leppla posted: The answer you got from John is wrong. Room service on the Sapphire Princess is FREE... you don't pay anything. There is a room service menu in your cabin and you can either fill out an order form and hang it on your door or call your order in. Again, it is FREE. It is customary to tip the person who delivers your order a dollar or two in cash. You will have to sign a receipt and the total on it will be $0.00 They do that just to keep track of how much food they are using at any given time and to make sure that it was delivered to you. There is no gratuity added to this and nothing is put on your onboard account. That is all there is to it. Hot coffee and some pastries on the balcony is a great way to see Tracy Arm. If you order bar drinks delivered to your cabin, they add 15% just like anywhere else on the ship, but you weren't asking about bar service, just breakfast. George, am I ever glad that you came to Marsha's rescue with the TRUTH about room service! I was amazed at the answers that she got...Kurt was right too, but did not go into as much detail as you did! All Marsha wanted was information for breakfast to be sent to her cabin, for Pete's sake!!! There are menu cards in your cabin, Marsha where you select what you want, how many or how much, and the time that you want it delivered. Some cruise line kitchens will call your cabin and tell you that it is on the way...I guess so you will be presentable opening your door. ;-) But not all of them so just be prepared for it to arrive at the time that you have checked on the menu card. And the breakfast is free as George stated and a tip of $1 per person is adequate. To claim that he is a T/A and give the advice that Sisker did, (which was included in one of Marsha's posts by the way) astounds me and I have serious concern for the "clients" that he claims to have. Marsha, ALWAYS be careful and listen to T/As you can trust for answers...George is definitely one of about five who post here that will always steer you straight...they don't post here just to get their name in print and spam for sales. Marsha, you will love Alaska...we have been there five times; one of them with George on the Star Princess just this past May. If there are more questions, please ask them here but be careful to sort the "wheat from the chaff"!!! Bon Voyage! --Jean |
#9
|
|||
|
|||
Room Service Question
On Sep 6, 1:58*pm, "Jean O'Boyle" wrote:
"George Leppla" wrote in message ... "Marcia R." wrote in message ... John Sisker wrote: "Marcia R." wrote in message ... Hi, I'm new to this group, but some of the names are familiar from other newsgroups. We're booked on the Sapphire Princess sailing to Alaska next June. *I was on one cruise years ago, but I had nothing to do with the booking or finances so I'm pretty clueless. My question is about room service on the ship. *I just discovered we sail through Tracy Arm Fjord from 6 to 10 in the morning, so not being a morning person I'm curious about just getting something simple sent to the room and sitting out on our balcony. *I know there's some fancy balcony breakfast service, but that's not what I mean. *On the Princess web site, it says there is no charge for room service, but I still don't quite get the tipping process. *Do you never hand out cash and settle it all at the end, or do you tip for room service? *Also, since we're probably not the only ones who are going to do this, can we arrange for it the night before? *Any other tips or tricks would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Marcia Marcia, We too will be on the Sapphire Princess soon, but to the Mexican Riviera, not Alaska. However, that's another story. As for room service and tipping, room service likes to promote itself as 24-hours a day. And even though a 15% gratuity will be added to the bill, we will slip anywhere from $3 to $5 extra to the person delivering it to our cabin anyway. We know this is above and beyond what will show on the final bill, but getting cheap on a technicality is a little tacky to us. Smooth sailing to all... John Sisker - SHIP-TO-SHORE CRUISE AGENCY® (714) 536-3850 or toll-free at (800) 724-6644 & (Agency ID: 714.536.3850) www.shiptoshorecruise.com I'm still really confused. *I know about the tips at the end of the cruise. *But just for the one breakfast on the one day, will there already be an extra tip included with the others, or do I give the person cash? Thanks for the info about leaving our order on the door the night before. Marcia...who feels really stupid about this stuff. *;-) George Leppla posted: The answer you got from John is wrong. Room service on the Sapphire Princess is FREE... you don't pay anything.. There is a room service menu in your cabin and you can either fill out an order form and hang it on your door or call your order in. *Again, it is FREE. It is customary to tip the person who delivers your order a dollar or two in cash. You will have to sign a receipt and the total on it will be $0..00 They do that just to keep track of how much food they are using at any given time and to make sure that it was delivered to you. There is no gratuity added to this and nothing is put on your onboard account. That is all there is to it. *Hot coffee and some pastries on the balcony is a great way to see Tracy Arm. If you order bar drinks delivered to your cabin, they add 15% just like anywhere else on the ship, but you weren't asking about bar service, just breakfast. George, am I ever glad that you came to Marsha's rescue with the TRUTH about room service! I was amazed at the answers that she got...Kurt was right too, but did not go into as much detail as you did! *All Marsha wanted was information for breakfast to be sent to her cabin, for Pete's sake!!! *There are menu cards in your cabin, Marsha where you select what you want, how many or how much, and the time that you want it delivered. Some cruise line kitchens will call your cabin and tell you that it is on the way...I guess so you will be presentable opening your door. ;-) But not all of them so just be prepared for it to arrive at the time that you have checked on the menu card. And the breakfast is free as George stated and a tip of $1 per person is adequate. To claim that he is a T/A and give the advice that Sisker did, (which was included in one of Marsha's posts by the way) astounds me and I have serious concern for the "clients" that he claims to have. Marsha, ALWAYS be careful and listen to T/As you can trust for answers...George is definitely one of about five who post here that will always steer you straight...they don't post here just to get their name in print and spam for sales. Marsha, you will love Alaska...we have been there five times; one of them with George on the Star Princess just this past May. If there are more questions, please ask them here but be careful to sort the "wheat from the chaff"!!! Bon Voyage! --Jean- Hide quoted text - - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text - - Show quoted text - Well, I thought part of the question was about tipping. Her original post says "but I still don't quite get the tipping process. Do you never hand out cash and settle it all at the end, or do you tip for room service?" That's why I explained how it is on HAL thinking it is probably the same system on other lines. gfc |
#10
|
|||
|
|||
Room Service Question
gfc wrote:
On Sep 6, 1:58 pm, "Jean O'Boyle" wrote: "George Leppla" wrote in message "Marcia R." wrote in message ... My question is about room service on the ship. Marcia George, am I ever glad that you came to Marsha's rescue with the TRUTH about room service! I was amazed at the answers that she got...Kurt was right too, but did not go into as much detail as you did! All Marsha wanted was information for breakfast to be sent to her cabin, for Pete's sake!!! --Jean- Hide quoted text - - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text - - Show quoted text - Well, I thought part of the question was about tipping. Her original post says "but I still don't quite get the tipping process. Do you never hand out cash and settle it all at the end, or do you tip for room service?" That's why I explained how it is on HAL thinking it is probably the same system on other lines. gfc And you were entirely right. Jean's comments are inappropriate to the extent they don't distinguish between sisker and the rest of us. |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Room Service Tipping on HAL | J Carnaghie | Cruises | 2 | December 7th, 2006 10:32 AM |
New Room Service Charge | Coogrr | Cruises | 0 | September 30th, 2005 04:10 PM |
Room Service charge? | Elaine | Cruises | 3 | March 16th, 2005 07:16 PM |
Room Service -- What's available? | Mike | Cruises | 3 | November 14th, 2004 08:43 PM |
ROOM SERVICE ? | J Wootres | Cruises | 9 | October 13th, 2003 09:49 PM |