Tipping question (if eating only additional cost dining venues)

[crisndeefromde]

I encourage everyone who does not feel they should tip if not eating in the dining room to read "cruise confidential". This is a book written by an american who worked 18 months on a cruise ship in the dining room, (the only american to do that). They work seven days a week 10-12 hour days. When not working in the dining room they are at the buffet working or room service. So If you think that they don't deserve a tip, because you skip the dining room you are wrong.

 

Thank you for posting this. I feel the amount of tips that are recommended are fantastic for the service we get. Now my last cruise I had some issues with my mdr waiter after he waited on us in the wj and was upset we ate somewhere else the evening before. We had told our head waiter we were not eating in mdr each evening of our nine day cruise as we had friends on board who loved Portofinos as we did as well and loved eating dinner in the wj on evenings when we were running late or needing earlier time to dine to do other activiities. He was only worried about his tip. Apparently as our table was not full to start with he was missing many others who hadn't showed up either. The last night we were eating in the windjammer with a large group of friends. i took the envelopes to the head waiter who had served us in many other venues during the cruise. I told him we loved our dining experiences but not our waiter. Then I left to go join my party. The mdr service at times is too slow for us. So we create our own my time dining. As our dining time didn't have a waitlist we knew we had a table to go there if we chose and also sometimes we went just for the deserts!!!

[Ontherocks47]

You probably should do the prepaid so all the staff onboard gets at least minimum then tip on top of that according to what you are using, if specialty restaurants, I give 10% extra, my cabin attendants get $50 each, butler (n/a on RCCL) gets about $200-$300 depends on length of cruise, concierge gets $50-$100 depending on how much I've used that service. Other tips as necessary.

[Lynnees]

It's just that RCCL has based their salaries on assumed tipping and I'd feel a little bad about them making less just b/c I wanted nicer meals. But, release the table straight away and it gives them a chance to distribute servers. If 5% don't show overall, RCCL can adjust staff in the future so that everyone makes around the same amount of money. If tables aren't released and no redistribution of pax is done, some unlucky server might find 40% of his pax chose to skip MDR and also tips. (for example) It is better to share the burden of losing those tips amoung all servers.

 

As fees on extra luggage get higher and MDR food declines, I can completely understand wanting to skip MDR all together. I guess releasing the table is the best that can be done for the servers in the short run and RCCL will need adjust waitstaff accordingly if it becomes really popular to skip MDR.

 

I don't want to get into an argument at all, but what RCL does has not relevance on my gratuities. I believe they table should be released, yes, for sure, but to give a gratuity so someone whom I have never even laid eyes on tells me I don't know how to handle my money. Not going to happen.

 

Like everyone else, I have worked hard for my money. I know the staff on the ships work hard for their money too. However, I have no intentions of supplimenting someone elses income when I don't use their services.

 

As for all the other reasons given, I'm sorry but they just don't play into it for me.

[Lynnees]

I encourage everyone who does not feel they should tip if not eating in the dining room to read "cruise confidential". This is a book written by an american who worked 18 months on a cruise ship in the dining room, (the only american to do that). They work seven days a week 10-12 hour days. When not working in the dining room they are at the buffet working or room service. So If you think that they don't deserve a tip, because you skip the dining room you are wrong.

 

This has no bearing on the fact if I don't eat in the mdr I'm not leaving a gratuity there. I always give a grautity to room service attendants. It has nothing to do with the mdr.

 

And I'm not in the least bit wrong in the fact that I don't leave a tip in the dining room when I don't eat there - that's just silly.

[bionicman97]

I think most people have no problem tippingnthe appropriate amount. The question is who is it going to.

[temple1]

I agree with BostonFred. Whether we dine in the Main Dining room or not we do prepaid gratuities.

 

Those are my tips for all the various staff who will be serving me and assisting me in the different venues while on board the ship.

 

As I've posted on here many times, the only person I'm handing any cash to on the ship is the room service person. I'm not going to walk around the ship with cash in my pocket and trying to figure out should I give the WJ person $1 or $2 each, if I have breakfast in the MDR - should I give my server cash for each of us, etc. I'm on vacation. RCCL made it easy. Prepay my gratuities and I don't think about it again until the last night and then decide if I want to add extra.

 

As is noted when you read the fine print about gratuities - they may be shared by other personnel. Just like in a restaurant; not all of that tip goes into the pocket of your server.

[temple1]

I think most people have no problem tippingnthe appropriate amount. The question is who is it going to.

 

So, what is the "appropriate" amount?

 

If RCCL thinks $6.25 per day per person per day is an appropriate amount to tip for food service on the ship - how do you think those who want to tip the appropriate amount will divide that up?

[nosmothj]

I agree with you. If you can let the appropriate dining staff know that you won't be attending, that would be good, but I agree that you should not be obligated to tip someone when you never received any service.

 

What about eating breakfast lunch snacks? The wait staff work all over the ship not just main dinning room. If you are going to skip supper you should tip at other venues. But you do not have to.

[Merion_Mom]

I agree with BostonFred. Whether we dine in the Main Dining room or not we do prepaid gratuities.

 

Those are my tips for all the various staff who will be serving me and assisting me in the different venues while on board the ship.

 

As I've posted on here many times, the only person I'm handing any cash to on the ship is the room service person. I'm not going to walk around the ship with cash in my pocket and trying to figure out should I give the WJ person $1 or $2 each, if I have breakfast in the MDR - should I give my server cash for each of us, etc. I'm on vacation. RCCL made it easy. Prepay my gratuities and I don't think about it again until the last night and then decide if I want to add extra.

 

As is noted when you read the fine print about gratuities - they may be shared by other personnel. Just like in a restaurant; not all of that tip goes into the pocket of your server.

 

I agree with you, temple1, and do the same thing, with one exception.

 

I carry $1 bills with me and give one each time I order a drink from the bar, PARTICULARLY if I am using a free drink coupon.

 

Other than that, I don't use cash for tips until the last night. Then I add if any deserve it, above and beyond the "suggested" amount.

[bionicman97]

So, what is the "appropriate" amount?

 

If RCCL thinks $6.25 per day per person per day is an appropriate amount to tip for food service on the ship - how do you think those who want to tip the appropriate amount will divide that up?

 

I would assume the appropriate amount is the amount Royal Caribbean recommends.

 

I have no idea how to divide it up. That's what i'm saying the problem is. It's pretty clear cut if you are doing a cruise the traditional way. That's the only way we cruise. We always prepay, it's the easiest way to us. The oasis isn't really a traditional RCI ship. If the majority of the people eat in the MDR and the specialty shops are half full, the waiters in the specialty shops suffer. If more people eat in the specialty shops and the dining room is less full, the staff in the MDR suffer. I don't know what the solution is, but unless the entire wait staff is pooling tips, tipping your waiter in the MDR if you don't go to it doesn't directly benefit a nighttime waiter in the windjammer.

 

In theory, it would balance out if the staff is rotated weekly and everyone tipped the same each week, but i doubt it works out that well for them.

[temple1]

I agree with you, temple1, and do the same thing, with one exception.

 

I carry $1 bills with me and give one each time I order a drink from the bar, PARTICULARLY if I am using a free drink coupon.

 

Other than that, I don't use cash for tips until the last night. Then I add if any deserve it, above and beyond the "suggested" amount.

 

When ordering drinks we usually stay put a round or two and I will add extra to the check and it goes on my sea pass account. At the end of the cruise I have all of these $1 and $2 charges on my bill. :D

[critterchick]

I encourage everyone who does not feel they should tip if not eating in the dining room to read "cruise confidential". This is a book written by an american who worked 18 months on a cruise ship in the dining room, (the only american to do that). They work seven days a week 10-12 hour days. When not working in the dining room they are at the buffet working or room service. So If you think that they don't deserve a tip, because you skip the dining room you are wrong.

 

Pretty much everybody on the ship works those kinds of hours. The staff working dinner in the WJ work for no tips (they're there for a week at a time), and I don't think they deserve that. Every time I've had dinner in the WJ, the staff has been helpful finding a table, clearing away dishes, bringing beverages, etc. I think they deserve something for that, and as long as the tipping is discretionary, that's where my gratuties will go - to the people I see helping me.

 

I would assume the appropriate amount is the amount Royal Caribbean recommends.

 

I have no idea how to divide it up. That's what i'm saying the problem is. It's pretty clear cut if you are doing a cruise the traditional way. That's the only way we cruise. We always prepay, it's the easiest way to us. The oasis isn't really a traditional RCI ship. If the majority of the people eat in the MDR and the specialty shops are half full, the waiters in the specialty shops suffer. If more people eat in the specialty shops and the dining room is less full, the staff in the MDR suffer. I don't know what the solution is, but unless the entire wait staff is pooling tips, tipping your waiter in the MDR if you don't go to it doesn't directly benefit a nighttime waiter in the windjammer.

 

In theory, it would balance out if the staff is rotated weekly and everyone tipped the same each week, but i doubt it works out that well for them.

 

The "traditional way" is 3 meals a day in the dining room - on our first cruise in 1995 we had the same table, late seating, for every meal. RCI needs to adjust to the new reality, where some people still dine that way and others never set food in the MDR and just add a daily service charge. IMHO.

[Ontherocks47]

Now I don't have near as many cruises under my belt as most of you have but I have found tipping the bartenders extra they remember you next time!! I go to the bar and they see me and never keep me waiting, give an extra pour, generous drinks etc, good tipping is such a total win/win situation!

[bionicman97]

Pretty much everybody on the ship works those kinds of hours. The staff working dinner in the WJ work for no tips (they're there for a week at a time), and I don't think they deserve that. Every time I've had dinner in the WJ, the staff has been helpful finding a table, clearing away dishes, bringing beverages, etc. I think they deserve something for that, and as long as the tipping is discretionary, that's where my gratuties will go - to the people I see helping me.

 

 

 

The "traditional way" is 3 meals a day in the dining room - on our first cruise in 1995 we had the same table, late seating, for every meal. RCI needs to adjust to the new reality, where some people still dine that way and others never set food in the MDR and just add a daily service charge. IMHO.

 

I think a daily service charge may be a much more appropriate name then tip, specifically when you don't directly use their service.

[Debde]

Gotta love this question, brings out the best in us!!!:D

 

I'm in the catagory-don't eat in the MDR-don't tip there.

No where does it say yout tip goes to the MDR staff. It says your waiter. If that happens to be some nice person in the WJ-then that's who should get it in my book.

[THEWIFE]

I totally agree that if a service isn't rendered, then there is no reason to tip for it. If you suspended your newspaper delivery for a couple of weeks, would you still tip the delivery person for those weeks? :confused:

 

In addition, I believe it IS imperative to inform your assigned waiter in the MDR. He can possibly fill that empty chair with someone else. Besides, I have witnessed many people sitting alone at their tables for eight or more because no one else showed up the entire week. If these "abandoned" passengers chose a large table in the first place, it can get pretty lonely for them.:(

[griffy116]

Even if the protocol is to give up the dinner table in the MDR, and you eat at the WJ for breakfast and lunch, they still have wait staff there to assist you. They are filling the glasses, setting up the buffet stations, refilling drinks, cleaning tables, etc. I would feel terrible and wouldn't be able to not tip. Tips are pooled and even if I eat at a buffet style restaurant, I tip. I just don't feel right about not tipping.

[Debde]

I would feel terrible and wouldn't be able to not tip. Tips are pooled and even if I eat at a buffet style restaurant, I tip. I just don't feel right about not tipping.

 

how do you know tips are pooled?

 

If you give up your table in the MDR and eat often in the WJ, expecialy in the evening-you can have the same server.[we always sit in the same section at dinner] No resaon to feel terrible as you can tip that person.

 

If tips are pooled-it should not matter who you hand cash to-right???

 

Again-no one is saying they don't tip. Just who to give it to.

[bionicman97]

We were told they do not pool tips.

[js]

Just our two cents based on experience...

 

On our honeymoon (Brilliance), we ate in the MDR and enjoyed ourselves, and had a great table / tablemates...and we tipped accordingly for that cruise.

 

From then on, however, we decided that we no longer wanted to eat in the MDR, for various reasons (not wanting a "fixed" dining schedule primarily). As such, we called RCCL's corporate offices in Miami and asked what the proper 'Protocol' was. We were told that if ON THE FIRST DAY (DAY Of BOARDING), we should go to the Maitre d', and have them release our table immediately. Under *that* scenario only, we would not be expected to tip the staff in the MDR. However, it WOULD be proper to tip those who served us in the other venues (whether it would be WJ, the specialty restaurants, JR's, Etc.).

 

RCL Corporate also said that if we did NOT release our table upon boarding, for whatever reason, it would be considered proper to tip the dininig room staff since they would be expecting us under the circumstances.

 

We have followed the above advice ever since ...

 

Michael and Silke

 

Thank you very much. We plan on doing the exact thing the OP was asking about on our January cruise. My dh and I are crusing, without the kids this time, for our 20th wedding anniversary (which was this month). We plan to only eat in Portofino and Chops (Hopefully, the bookings haven't opened yet). I didn't even think about releasing our table so that others can use it if on waitlist so when we arrive on the first day, I'll let the MD know.

Thanks.

[Debde]

BTW-forgot to add;

After what MikeNJ1109 posted-you would think this could put at least some of this debate to bed................:cool:

[Lynnees]

BTW-forgot to add;

After what MikeNJ1109 posted-you would think this could put at least some of this debate to bed................:cool:

 

I agree - but even that is not going to stop those who think everyone should just "tip" whether or not you receive any service because ....................(fill in one of 10 reasons here.)

[THEWIFE]

:confused: What would happen if the OP, if she didn't want to bother notifying the waiter in the MDR, just requested anytime dining in the first place? This way, in the event she changes her mind, she is open to dining in the MDR. (Of course, if she did that, she would then be expected to tip!!!:D)

[chotton]

Here is what we do when we are not going to eat in the MDR. When we get on the ship we go to the dinning room and give up out table. Then at the end of the cruise there is a always a tip box at the entrance/exit to the Wndjammer and we place a larger than dinning room recommended tip in there.

[THEWIFE]

:confused: What I'm not understanding, Chotton, is why, if you are not using the MDR, are you tipping at all? Unless, of course, you are using the MDR for either/or breakfast and/or lunch? is this to cover your bases at all other food venues? Just curious . . .