Avoiding Tipping

[Mickeyc5]

Do people go to specialty dining on the last night to avoid seeing and tipping the MDR waitstaff? Before the flames, I have MTD so my tips are paid but the only reservation I could make for Central Park 150 was the last night and am wondering if I'm going to be there with a bunch of dead beats. :D

[traveling1969]

Do people go to specialty dining on the last night to avoid seeing and tipping the MDR waitstaff? Before the flames, I have MTD so my tips are paid but the only reservation I could make for Central Park 150 was the last night and am wondering if I'm going to be there with a bunch of dead beats. :D

What do you care? You don't have to sit with them:D.

[Oville]

Having dinner at 150 Park is an expensive way to avoid tips, so I don't think you will be in with a lot of deadbeats.

[Janice M]

Do people go to specialty dining on the last night to avoid seeing and tipping the MDR waitstaff? Before the flames, I have MTD so my tips are paid but the only reservation I could make for Central Park 150 was the last night and am wondering if I'm going to be there with a bunch of dead beats. :D

 

One time our table mates went to a specialty dining on their last night. But they did come to the table with their tips.

 

Jan

[cb at sea]

The great majority of folks tip as suggested. It really should be none of your concern who tips, or how much!

[gerif]

One time our table mates went to a specialty dining on their last night. But they did come to the table with their tips.

 

Jan

 

That's what we often do. We have late seating so book the specialty restaurant for about 7 which leaves us plenty of time to have coffee and say our goodbyes to waitstaff and tablemates afterward.

[Rancher Dave]

One time our table mates went to a specialty dining on their last night. But they did come to the table with their tips.

 

Jan

 

On Legend we were in RS so ate in cabin last night...went to MTD to say thanks and hand out extra tips to our servers. So just because folks are not in MDR doesn't necessarily indicate they are skipping out.

[storm1of4]

Do people go to specialty dining on the last night to avoid seeing and tipping the MDR waitstaff? Before the flames, I have MTD so my tips are paid but the only reservation I could make for Central Park 150 was the last night and am wondering if I'm going to be there with a bunch of dead beats. :D

 

Is this really anybodys business?

I can barely manage my own wages.........I certainly have no business looking into my waiters........

Follow the tipping suggestions and enjoy your vacation :)

[DonnaK]

My guess is that the people who want to avoid tipping will dine in the Windjammer rather than the Specialty restaurants on the last night.

[yarlenna]

I really do have a problem with people who do not tip because the waiters etc don't get a living wage - and have to rely you and me to pay them for their work. I do wish that the "tips" would just go away and pay everybody a real wage. I really don't want to be part of slavery and working without pay is slavery.

[disfan]

Last year, while talking to a group of waiters, they indicated that non-tippers could run as high as 25%, on a cruise.

 

Most non-tippers are no shows, on the last night. Although some will be there for every meal and still not tip.

[stacieg1011]

Not tipping is just wrong. In my opinion if you can't afford to tip you should not have taken the cruise. If you receive bad service just try talking to your waiter, problems can usually be resolved. These people depend on tips to make a living. Just my opinion, please don't hate:o

[Bookish Angel]

I do MTD so perhaps I am clueless, but can't you put what you want to tip in the envelopes and turn them in to guest services, etc. so as to do want you want for the last night's dinner but still tip appropriately?

[Wildcatfish]

Do people go to specialty dining on the last night to avoid seeing and tipping the MDR waitstaff?

 

Yes, there are those who skip the MDR the last night to avoid tipping their waitstaff. ...and yes, there are people who try to shoplift from stores onboard. ...and yes, there are people who steal towels. Fortunately, they are in the minority of those aboard ship.

[Kwaj girl]

I really do have a problem with people who do not tip because the waiters etc don't get a living wage - and have to rely you and me to pay them for their work. I do wish that the "tips" would just go away and pay everybody a real wage. I really don't want to be part of slavery and working without pay is slavery.

 

Agree 100% ! The luxe lines 'apparently' pay their staff a living wage as their literature indicate that 'tipping is neither expected nor required'. Let's HOPE that's the case.

[bplazo]

They should just call it a non-removeable service charge.

[Ocean Boy]

I really do have a problem with people who do not tip because the waiters etc don't get a living wage - and have to rely you and me to pay them for their work. I do wish that the "tips" would just go away and pay everybody a real wage. I really don't want to be part of slavery and working without pay is slavery.

 

As I understand it, slaves never had an option as to whether or not they wanted to take on a job.:rolleyes:

[Ocean Boy]

They should just call it a non-removeable service charge.

 

In which case they should just build it into the cruise fare and really be done with it. But of course, then people would be writing about how we should be tipping the staff anyway because they work so hard to make your vacation special.

 

This is a no win topic that will periodically show up on these boards just as surely as the sun will show up tomorrow morning.

[bplazo]

In which case they should just build it into the cruise fare and really be done with it. But of course, then people would be writing about how we should be tipping the staff anyway because they work so hard to make your vacation special.

 

This is a no win topic that will periodically show up on these boards just as surely as the sun will show up tomorrow morning.

 

I would like it to be listed as a service charge so the non-tippers can get upset that they cannot remove it.

[Pushka]

In which case they should just build it into the cruise fare and really be done with it. But of course, then people would be writing about how we should be tipping the staff anyway because they work so hard to make your vacation special.

 

This is a no win topic that will periodically show up on these boards just as surely as the sun will show up tomorrow morning.

 

Maybe a suggestion in jest, but building it into the fare would solve the issue of where add-on tipping is not part of the normal culture, which is probably most places outside the USA? In most other countries it is either not expected (in Australia wait staff are paid well and have to deserve the tip by extra special service) or there is a service charge built into the account.

 

I am using MTD so tips have been prepaid. I much prefer that.

[pickler1]

If you prepaid your tips and you never went to the MDR, even though you were assigned to a certain table, how are your tips distributed?

[Langley Cruisers]

So just because folks are not in MDR doesn't necessarily indicate they are skipping out.

 

I really try to believe the best about people, and I absolutely agree with you here.

 

My guess is that the people who want to avoid tipping will dine in the Windjammer rather than the Specialty restaurants on the last night.

 

Absolutely agreed!

 

I would like it to be listed as a service charge...

 

When we cruised Princess, it was put directly on our account each day, listed as "hotel charge". We didn't have to worry about a thing that way. I realize some people cruise RCI because this is not the case, but frankly I would have no problem with it if they decided to go to a daily service charge.

 

If you prepaid your tips and you never went to the MDR, even though you were assigned to a certain table, how are your tips distributed?

 

This was exactly what we did last cruise! We prepaid for My Time Dining, and didn't set foot in the MDR for dinner at all! The tips are still distributed to whom they would have been had you shown up. Remember that the tips cover the staff because they all take turns working in different venues throughout the cruise. We have seen our waiter, assistant waiter, and our head waiter in the Windjammer. They all work it. The tips we pay cover them regardless of where we choose to eat dinner.

[pickler1]

If you don't go to the MDR then what do you do with the vouchers that you're suppose to give to your head waiter, waiter and asst. waiter?

[Ocean Boy]

When we cruised Princess, it was put directly on our account each day, listed as "hotel charge". We didn't have to worry about a thing that way. I realize some people cruise RCI because this is not the case, but frankly I would have no problem with it if they decided to go to a daily service charge.

 

 

What is the point of posting a service charge everyday? Why don't they just post it once for the cruise and be done with it? It isn't as if they don't know how many days you are going to be on the ship.:confused:

[BettyPC]

I am going on my first RCCL cruise. Tips are not automatically added? Can you prepay them? I'd rather not be bothered trying to allocate them the last day. Are the tips for Room steward put on your bill - or are they tipped also on the last day? Thanks (sorry for the hi-jack)