we are leaving next week for our first cruise. we are doing the 3 night bahamian cruise on the wonder. the travelers are me, the mr, and our daughter (18 months). ok, here are the questions:
what is the protocal on tipping?
how does breakfast work, we have only seen info regarding dinner?
how do we change our dinner assignments?
how much luggage can we carry on?
any additional tips are very much appreciated
thank you!
tracy
You will be given envelopes for tips. Recommended tips for the entier 3 night cruise are per person (your daughter included) are as follows (these are TOTAL tips, given on the last night of the cruise)
$11 per person for the Dining Room server (or $33)
$8 per person for the Assistant Server (or $24)
$2.75 per person for the Head Server (or $8.25)
$11 per person for the State Room Attendent (or $33)
They will give you envelopes on the second to last day of your cruise, you can either put cash in them, or if you go to the guest services desk, you can put the tip on your credit card and they give you a ticket you can put in the envelope.
Of course you can adjust your tipping based on service.
It is also customary to give the porter in the cruise terminal $1 or $2 per bag if they help you (just like you would a skycap)
If you are doing any sort of drinking at a bar on the ship, you should tip your bartender, just as you would at any bar.
If you go to the spa, a tip is not out of place for your masussse or nail tech or whatever sort of treatment you get done.
As far as breakfast is concerned, as was explained, you will get a newsletter telling you what dining rooms & buffets are open the next morning - you just walk in and eat. Same goes for lunch, no set time or place, just go eat whenever you want (twice if you want to) and the pizza / burger / sandwitch bars are open all day at the pool deck.
Of course there is always room service as well (which is free - unless you order soda) and is available 24/7. But then you should tip the room service delivery person a buck or two as well.
As was said, Wavebands can change your dining rotation, if there is space available, and you can carry as much luggage as you like - but really just carry some swimsuits and any necessary items (medical or baby related)
Everything else that you "checked in" will be in your stateroom when it opens at 1:30. And they open at 1:30, not before. Somtimes a few minutes later, but I have never seen earlier. They open them all at once, not as they are cleaned and prepped.
-dave
