Yet another tipping question?

[Puffinater]

I sometimes, ok most times, overthink things. Reading some of the tipping threads this question came to mind.

 

Question..... Traditional dining, isn't your Sea Pass folio number connected to your MDR table number? So if you choose not to eat the evening meal in the MDR and you do not release your table and you pay the tips on your Sea Pass won't the tips go to the waiter/assistant waiter of the table you were assigned?

[cruisenfever]

I sometimes, ok most times, overthink things. Reading some of the tipping threads this question came to mind.

 

Question..... Traditional dining, isn't your Sea Pass folio number connected to your MDR table number? So if you choose not to eat the evening meal in the MDR and you do not release your table and you pay the tips on your Sea Pass won't the tips go to the waiter/assistant waiter of the table you were assigned?

When pre-paying your gratuities, you must eat at least "1" meal in either MTD or the MDR for those gratuities to stay there and be assigned as you have described.

 

However, if you do not eat any of your meals in either the MDR or MTD, then those gratuities are directed up to the WJ where they are pooled and distributed to the wait staff in the WJ along with wait staff from Specialty Restaurants.

[Puffinater]

Thanks for the answer. I know they log you in with MTD so with traditional dining would the waiter be responsible for reporting no shows? I know, dumb question but like I said I over think things.

[LovesCruising]

When pre-paying your gratuities, you must eat at least "1" meal in either MTD or the MDR for those gratuities to stay there and be assigned as you have described.

 

However, if you do not eat any of your meals in either the MDR or MTD, then those gratuities are directed up to the WJ where they are pooled and distributed to the wait staff in the WJ along with wait staff from Specialty Restaurants.

 

I never heard of this - how do you know they do this? (Im being serious - not trying to stir anything:) - thanks)

[cruisenfever]

Thanks for the answer. I know they log you in with MTD so with traditional dining would the waiter be responsible for reporting no shows? I know, dumb question but like I said I over think things.

You're welcome. :)

 

From listening to others, while on a ship that have not shown up for Traditional Dining, The Maitre 'd/Restaurant Operations Coordinator has given them a call on the second or third day inquiring as to the reason they have not shown up.

 

The waiter has a list of all those that are supposed to be in his/her serving area for each seating. When someone doesn't show up for the first couple of days, they do inform their Head Waiter who takes it from there.

[cruisenfever]

I never heard of this - how do you know they do this? (Im being serious - not trying to stir anything:) - thanks)

I asked this question of the MTD Manager and Maitre 'd on Radiance this past May along with the 2 Head Waiters and MTD Manager on Enchantment last week and got the same answer.;):D

[ryano]

I asked this question of the MTD Manager and Maitre 'd on Radiance this past May along with the 2 Head Waiters and MTD Manager on Enchantment last week and got the same answer.;):D

 

Consistency with answers from multiple RCI employees that were asked the same question??????? Why, surely you're jest! :D:eek:

[Puffinater]

You're welcome. :)

 

From listening to others, while on a ship that have not shown up for Traditional Dining, The Maitre 'd/Restaurant Operations Coordinator has given them a call on the second or third day inquiring as to the reason they have not shown up.

 

The waiter has a list of all those that are supposed to be in his/her serving area for each seating. When someone doesn't show up for the first couple of days, they do inform their Head Waiter who takes it from there.

 

Ok thanks again. Should have been able to figure that out myself:o

[Puffinater]

Consistency with answers from multiple RCI employees that were asked the same question??????? Why, surely you're jest! :D:eek:

 

Makes no sense what so ever:D. Seems like they are now really trying to confuse us by providing the same answer:eek:

[reallyitsmema]

You're welcome. :)

 

From listening to others, while on a ship that have not shown up for Traditional Dining, The Maitre 'd/Restaurant Operations Coordinator has given them a call on the second or third day inquiring as to the reason they have not shown up.

 

The waiter has a list of all those that are supposed to be in his/her serving area for each seating. When someone doesn't show up for the first couple of days, they do inform their Head Waiter who takes it from there.

I wonder what is supposed to happen after you stop going to the MDR. We went the first 3 nights on one cruise but stopped because the waitstaff was so bad and the head waiter was nonresponsive. We never received a call asking where we were.

[postmeome]

When pre-paying your gratuities, you must eat at least "1" meal in either MTD or the MDR for those gratuities to stay there and be assigned as you have described.

 

However, if you do not eat any of your meals in either the MDR or MTD, then those gratuities are directed up to the WJ where they are pooled and distributed to the wait staff in the WJ along with wait staff from Specialty Restaurants.

i thought wait staff worked all over ship:confused:

[cruisenfever]

Consistency with answers from multiple RCI employees that were asked the same question??????? Why, surely you're jest! :D:eek:

LOL, Because I have known the people that gave me the same answer for many years and they have actual experience with gratuities, I trust their responses.;)

[cruisenfever]

i thought wait staff worked all over ship:confused:

They do.:confused:

 

Waitstaff that work in the WJ for dinner are those assistant waiters from the MDR that are doing their weekly rotation up there, plus others that are in training.

[cruisenfever]

I wonder what is supposed to happen after you stop going to the MDR. We went the first 3 nights on one cruise but stopped because the waitstaff was so bad and the head waiter was nonresponsive. We never received a call asking where we were.

That's unusual. When we were doing Traditional Dining and if one of us came down with a cold and didn't go to the MDR for dinner, we always got a call on Day 2 as to where we were.

[Big_G]

You're welcome. :)

 

From listening to others, while on a ship that have not shown up for Traditional Dining, The Maitre 'd/Restaurant Operations Coordinator has given them a call on the second or third day inquiring as to the reason they have not shown up.

 

The waiter has a list of all those that are supposed to be in his/her serving area for each seating. When someone doesn't show up for the first couple of days, they do inform their Head Waiter who takes it from there.

 

Well that explains the phone call we got on the Allure. We were signed up for MTD but did the first four nights in specialty dining. On day four, my son got a call asking why we hadn't been to MTD and whether we planned to use it. We did the use it on the last three.

[postmeome]

They do.:confused:

 

Waitstaff that work in the WJ for dinner are those assistant waiters from the MDR that are doing their weekly rotation up there, plus others that are in training.

so why are you saying,if you dont eat in mdr your tips will be pooled in windjammeror or specialty res,if waiters rotate why would the tips be sent to these locations:confused:

[fred30]

This tipping has been too confusing it is time to make it mandatory or do away with it.

 

Tipping should be above and beyond normal wages. I have read more than once that if you are unhappy with your service in a restaurant you should still tip the full amount because that is the servers wages and then you should complain to the manager about the service problems.

This whole restaurant pay scale has become very ridiculous. They need to do away with tips being a person pay and put them on an actual pay scale according to the job that is being perform.

 

 

I think the cruise lines keep the tipping system in place so they can offer rooms at a lower more attractive price. That way they can fill the ship easier because there are always some people that have no intention of tipping so a cruise is even more attractive. Fortunately there are those of us that figure tipping as part of the cost and will give additional tips accordingly.

 

I don't think the system of tipping actually encourages servers to give better service. I have had plenty of bad service on this method. Fortunately not on the ship so far. I have also received plenty of good or great service from many of people that are not working for tips. The good service is just part of the job.

 

We will never see the tipping system disappear in restaurants. What looks better an advertised $39.95 meal(plus tips of course) or a $47.94(tips included) meal?

[Langley Cruisers]

Wow.

 

The waiter has a list of all those that are supposed to be in his/her serving area for each seating. When someone doesn't show up for the first couple of days, they do inform their Head Waiter who takes it from there.

 

Just a note that we we never notified when we did not go to MTD last year on Brilliance. Secondly, since our tips were prepaid, we never once even thought about the distribution of said tips. What you've said here in this thread is contrary to what I've thought and said here for years, actually. :confused:

.

[cruisenfever]

so why are you saying,if you dont eat in mdr your tips will be pooled in windjammeror or specialty res,if waiters rotate why would the tips be sent to these locations:confused:

The only people that must do a rotation in the WJ during dinner hours, which could be 7 days or longer, are the "assistant waiters." The other folks working the the WJ for dinner are new hires and are in training. I don't know the length of the time they must spend in the WJ before they are promoted to Assistant Waiter in the MDR.

 

When you eat in the MDR, there is a suggested amount for Waiter, Assistant Waiter and Head Waiter. With the money being pooled and distributed to those that work in the WJ and Specialty Restaurant, that suggested amount will decrease because of the number of people that money must be divided amongst.

 

The waiters and assistant waiters that work in MTD are the "cream of the crop". These folks must be able to handle no less than 22 people which are constantly coming and going.