Tipping in Specialty Dining Venues

[Lsimon]

SuzieV and New Hampshire. Thanks for the responses! Good info. I have heard they want you to add on the wine course to the Normandie dinner, will we have any problems using our by the glass beverage package in the Normandie?

 

Tom

 

There are two daily menus in the Normandy. One is the regular ala-carte menu ($35 s/c) the other is a wine pairing menu which, on the Millennium last spring, was an extra $54 for a total of $89/pp. The food on the wine pairing menu was sort of a subset of the ala-carte menu and each course included a paired glass of wine. I'm taking a guess here that your beverage package won't cover the wine pairing menu but that you'll be able to order wine under the package along with your order from the regular ala-carte menu. I have examples of both menu's from the Olympic (Millennium version of Normandy or Muranos) from last March if you look at the last two photos of this link: http://simon-pics.smugmug.com/Cruises/Cruise-Ship-Rooms-and-Features/Menus-and-Information/4467773_J9pi2#822368006_5YeeN

 

If you have questions just ask the staff; they are very helpful and customer oriented in these restaurants. If you'd like some advance notice just stop by during the day or the evening before your dinner (avoid the prime serving times) and talk to them.

[terp4life]

Went back and found the receipts from Murano.

 

First evening (same evening terp4life was there), we had not prepaid, and received a receipt with the cover charge (2-for-1) and the bar, combined on one bill, with a space for a gratuity at the bottom. Same thing for the second time, only difference being that the cover charge indicated 'prepaid' -- even though I'm looking at a duplicate receipt, I am confident that the house copy was the same, as I added a tip and totalled each one.

 

So for Murano on that Solstice sailing anyhow, it seems they were combining the bar and cover into one receipt. There was not a separate line for tipping the bar staff vs. restaurant staff.

 

 

Thanks for the info. My husband threw out our receipts once he cross checked them with the final statement delivered to our room. Just out of curiosity, how do you know we were there the same night? Not saying we weren't but I thought I led a pretty stealthy existence:eek:

[YOW]

Thanks for the info. My husband threw out our receipts once he cross checked them with the final statement delivered to our room. Just out of curiosity, how do you know we were there the same night? Not saying we weren't but I thought I led a pretty stealthy existence:eek:

 

Spy glasses? lol... Nah, you mentioned seeing the waiter at brunch the next day, and IIRC brunch was the first sea day, in which case you'd have been at Murano the first night, same as us... or maybe I'm incorrect (shhh don't tell Mrs YOW, but it's happened before ;)).

[Italy52]

That is correct. We just got off Constellation, and I had a prepaid reservation for Ocean Liners. At the end of the meal, I received a receipt where it listed 2 dinners and $0.00 balance due. I was able to add $20.00 to the "Additional Gratuity" line. Then, I also received the separate receipt for the alcohol from the sommelier, which I signed and gave him his own additional tip.

 

I don't know if things are different for Solstice class ships where you folks are not getting a meal receipt for the prepaids, but the Millennium class ships seem to be still giving one....

 

Question for you if you don't mind me asking. We will be cruising in May on the Millennium for the first time -- have never cruised with Celebrity. You mentioned that you gave the sommelier an additional tip. Isn't a 15% gratuity already added to the wine purchase????

 

Thanks.

Karen

[terp4life]

Spy glasses? lol... Nah, you mentioned seeing the waiter at brunch the next day, and IIRC brunch was the first sea day, in which case you'd have been at Murano the first night, same as us... or maybe I'm incorrect (shhh don't tell Mrs YOW, but it's happened before ;)).

 

You should have been right, but I miss spoke, it was not brunch, it was the champagne tea at Murano where I saw them again. I missed the brunch -- napping:) Hope it was good. The tea was actually disappointing for me.

[YOW]

You should have been right, but I miss spoke, it was not brunch, it was the champagne tea at Murano where I saw them again. I missed the brunch -- napping:) Hope it was good. The tea was actually disappointing for me.

 

We'll call that a wash, half-wrong and shoulda-been-right. ;) Brunch was good, nice spread, not the quality of what we enjoyed at Disney's brunch (at the pay venue Palo), but a good selection nonetheless. We usually do the tea and missed it this time, so maybe glad to hear we didn't miss much.

[garardo]

I had the chance to chat with the Food and Beverage Director on our last trip on the Equinox. I asked him about the tip pooling and I was told that in the Spec. Restaurants all of the tips from wine sales, extra tips left and the included grat are pooled and divided up on a percentage basis between all front of the house staff.

 

garardo