tipping the Maitre D

[KruznKel]

Also, it is really a personal opinion. I don't really care what anyone else does with their money. I used to work as a waitress. It was a crappy wage job though it was MUCH better than some waitress positions. I made really good tips. In fact, I probably made more in that job that some of the other blue collar jobs I had after it.

 

I also would like to note that I may feel differently because I was an Assistant Manager of a restaurant and occasionally our guests would leave tips for our different people in the establishment. These tips would include chef's, hostesses, and management. Even as a manager, I have received a few tips. It was nice to me because it told me that people really appreciated what I was doing and they recognized that I was doing an exceptional job.

 

So, while I certainly would not tip someone for simply doing their job if they were salary - if they went above and beyond the parameters of what I felt their job consisted of...I definitely would compensate them for this. Would I be upset if others did not? Nope. I don't pay your bills, work your jobs, or manage your bank accounts.

 

I have no right, authority, or place to tell you what to do or what I think you should do with your money! I only control what I do with mine ;)

 

Exactly to each their own... and I personally will never tip a salaried employee unless on a cruise ship and they go above and beyond...

[AlycLiz]

I really like that line, you don't mind if I steal it do you:)

 

 

Feel free ;)

[Martini Mom]

Nope, I won't tip unless he has done something extra to warrant one. Simply existing is not enough.

[RambleRocket]

On my last cruise, the MD did not come to our table once in 7 days - so no tip.

[DocF]

Of our five cruises, I have tipped the Maitre D on three of them. My two criteria are if I have asked for something special, like a different table assignment and if he/she/it does his/her/its job with flair and stands out from the crowd. I think it is interesting that the best waiter (waitress, actually) we have ever had was on the ship with the worst Maitre D. All the bad things that have been said apply to him.

 

Doc

[kbmeow]

Was on the Ecstasy a few weeks ago, and they are now showing a video in the stateroom on the last day about how important it is to tip him :confused:. DH and I never had tipped him before (I was on this cruise with my mom and sister, and they had never cruised before). He did not come to our table at all during the cruise-- not even on the last night. If he got just a dollar from every passenger, that'd be more than $2000 per cruise! We called down to the customer service desk and asked for a suggestion on how much we should tip him. They refused to give us a number. We ended up tipping him like $5. In the future I don't think I'll tip him unless I see him during the cruise. It does really urk me that Carnival wouldn't even give us a suggestion on how much to tip-- they have suggested tip amounts for everyone else on board that you should tip. --Katie

 

About this video, Did it say why? Also did it say if he was included in the auto tip? I mean if Carnival thinks someone should be tipped it should be in the auto tip.

[kazbar]

Sorry, I guess my question was ... do they really stand there with their hand out waiting to be tipped?

[jzcruiser57]

The last maitre'd we had on the Freedom refused to quiet down two couples that were so drunk and obnoxious that the diners around them including us up and left before completing our meals. This was MTD and these couples were across the isle in a booth overlooking the lower dinning room, they were dropping things over the railing onto diners below, were extremely loud and even asked across the isle to my wife if they were being to loud. This brought a yes!! you are very loud. They quieted down for two minutes. Despite several complaints from several tables, all he did was go over to their table and yuk it up with them as they promised a large gratuity for his service. My guess is they never tipped him and we never saw them in the MTD dinning room the last five nights. Sorry, no tip for you. He had zero backbone and lacked the obvious skills to defuse the situation.

[The4Cruisers]

Sorry, I guess my question was ... do they really stand there with their hand out waiting to be tipped?

 

No they don't. They may position themselves in a spot where you need to acknowledge them as you leave the MDR, but it's no big deal. I just bid them a good evening with a smile and move on by. :cool:

[ib4cruzn]

This is a tip that can really make a difference! Just like your cabin steward.

 

You have to tip early though.

[ib4cruzn]

The last maitre'd we had on the Freedom refused to quiet down two couples that were so drunk and obnoxious that the diners around them including us up and left before completing our meals. This was MTD and these couples were across the isle in a booth overlooking the lower dinning room, they were dropping things over the railing onto diners below, were extremely loud and even asked across the isle to my wife if they were being to loud. This brought a yes!! you are very loud. They quieted down for two minutes. Despite several complaints from several tables, all he did was go over to their table and yuk it up with them as they promised a large gratuity for his service. My guess is they never tipped him and we never saw them in the MTD dinning room the last five nights. Sorry, no tip for you. He had zero backbone and lacked the obvious skills to defuse the situation.

 

Sounds like these folks were making the best of their vacation.

 

At the risk of sounding repetitive, "It's THEIR cruise too. A cruise is what you MAKE of it! Lemons/lemonade. The worst day cruising is better than the best day working!"

 

Pick one. ;-)

[misssea]

On our last cruise, we requested early seating and were given late. Went to the Maitre'D to change it. He said it would be changed by the next day. We went to late seating the first night and the wait staff were unfriendly, only a few other tablemates showed up ( 2 very late) and didn't converse much so we were so happy that the Maitre'D was changing our seating arrangements. At that time, I would have given him a tip BUT...the rest of the cruise, we had to sit with 9 people at a table meant for 8 and they were a group of 7 from Montreal and only 3 of them spoke English. Most of the conversation was in French. They were nice people but it was difficult. And the wait staff was not much better. That is when I said forget about tipping the Maitre'D!

[Marysunshine]

Sounds like these folks were making the best of their vacation.

 

At the risk of sounding repetitive, "It's THEIR cruise too. A cruise is what you MAKE of it! Lemons/lemonade. The worst day cruising is better than the best day working!"

 

Pick one. ;-)

 

You know I've heard this a thousand times and this time I just have to reply.

First of all I am all for people enjoying their vacation as long as they are not ruining mine. I don't want people dropping things on me or being so loud that I can't have my conversation.

And are people so hard up for a vacation that the worst day cruising is better than the best day working????? I never minded work, I DO mind spending my money and having a "worst" day. I think that things will always go wrong and may interfere with a vacation, but I don't think, as many people here do, that it's okay to have a miserable time because it's alway better than work or home. I love my home, I liked my job when I worked, and I expect a decent time when I travel. To each is own.

[jzcruiser57]

Sounds like these folks were making the best of their vacation.

 

At the risk of sounding repetitive, "It's THEIR cruise too. A cruise is what you MAKE of it! Lemons/lemonade. The worst day cruising is better than the best day working!"

 

Pick one. ;-)

 

So does this mean when one is on vacation total lack of decorum is perfectly ok? These were not your run of the mill good time joes,. I don't consider dropping food and other items down to the dinning room below acceptable behaivior for anyone. I tend to let things slide but these people were extremely loud and we did our best by vacating the area as it was near impossible to enjoy your meal or have a conversation. It was that loud. So their vacation trumps mine and the other folks seated near them? I am so tired of that line, it gives carte blanche to behave like an ass and the rest can make lemons or lemonade out of it. BS

[deadmoney]

Like a comedian once said "ya can't fix stupid"

My guess is those people act the same way on of off a ship.

My only hope would be that their hangover the next morning lasted till the evening and they couldn't make it to dinner:D

[Panelope Barnabus]

Out of 5 cruises, we've tipped the maitre'd once. It was Ken Byrnes and he was UNBELIEVABLE. Sang every night on our 7 day cruise, came by our table - even offered to move us to a new table when we had a little issue. He was WONDERFUL. Yes, we tipped him because he went above and beyond and NO other maitre'd we've had has done half the job that he did. :) We just loved him!

But I agree with others... if they're only putting enough effort into it to "get the job done," then no - I don't feel led to tip.

[Yvonne]

Most of the time, the Maitre D has come to our table at least once every night. And one time he stopped by twice most nights. We are more than happy to tip them when they do that, checking to make sure things are going well, chatting with us a bit, etc. But we did have one cruise where we only saw him standing at his podium, he never came to our table (or any others that we saw) the entire cruise. We had no problem not tipping him.

[JPEvans]

I tipped the Maitre D on the Glory a couple weeks ago. We had anytime

dining and we found a waitress we liked and requested her for the whole

week. He did come around to the tables a few times and greeted us by

name. I thought was good, I gave him 5 bucks.

[Sargent_Schultz]

The last maitre'd we had on the Freedom refused to quiet down two couples that were so drunk and obnoxious that the diners around them including us up and left before completing our meals. This was MTD and these couples were across the isle in a booth overlooking the lower dinning room, they were dropping things over the railing onto diners below, were extremely loud and even asked across the isle to my wife if they were being to loud. This brought a yes!! you are very loud. They quieted down for two minutes. Despite several complaints from several tables, all he did was go over to their table and yuk it up with them as they promised a large gratuity for his service. My guess is they never tipped him and we never saw them in the MTD dinning room the last five nights. Sorry, no tip for you. He had zero backbone and lacked the obvious skills to defuse the situation.

 

I would have then taken it up with the Food and Beverage manager and if that got nowhere, have a chat with the hotel director. There is a chain of command you can escalate matters to.

[Sargent_Schultz]

Sorry, I guess my question was ... do they really stand there with their hand out waiting to be tipped?

 

No, they do not.