Erosion of Captains Club Benefits: Dining Waitlist

[Kevnzworld]

I had something happen last night on the Equinox that I've never before experienced. My tips are prepaid because I'm in Blu.

The waiter handed me an additional gratuity card suggesting that we tip an additional $10, calling it customary.....

I was a little put off by it..anyone else experience that?

[Karynanne]

The tipping policy will never satisfy everyone. But if you want to cruise with Celebrity, abide by their policies. If not...there are many other choices available.

[Charles4515]

I had something happen last night on the Equinox that I've never before experienced. My tips are prepaid because I'm in Blu.

The waiter handed me an additional gratuity card suggesting that we tip an additional $10, calling it customary.....

I was a little put off by it..anyone else experience that?

 

No. If I was handed such a card not only would I not tip the additional $10, I would take it straight to Guest Relations and put in a complaint.

[d4m]

of course it's because of the non-tippers. It's much easier to skip out when you don't have the same servers every day.

 

do you think? Say it isn't so!;)

 

phil

 

bingo....................

[excitedofharpenden]

No. If I was handed such a card not only would I not tip the additional $10, I would take it straight to Guest Relations and put in a complaint.

Probably wouldn't go that far, but I too would be unhappy about this and depending upon how I felt at the time would speak to the Maitre d'.

 

Phil

[Fouremco]

The tipping policy will never satisfy everyone. But if you want to cruise with Celebrity, abide by their policies. If not...there are many other choices available.

In my case, and I believe the same applies to many other contributors to this and similar threads, it's not an issue of abiding with the policy or even of agreeing with it. For many of us, it's simply a question of trying to understand the underlying rationale for the policy.

 

Some contributors suggest that pre-payment ensures that waitstaff for select diners don't miss out on tips, suggesting that it is easier to stiff the staff when having a different server each night. But how does that play out in the real world? Whether the gratuities are paid for months in advance or on the last day of the cruise, won't the servers still get it at the same time, no matter which floor of the MDR they are working? And what is to stop a set time diner from smiling nicely and chatting with the same servers over the course of the cruise but still opting out of the daily gratuities?

 

DW and I have chosen set seating for our next cruise, but as I have done in the past, will probably purchase OBC to spread costs out over a period of time. With today's interest rates, the lost interest amounts to pennies.

 

So no disagreement with the policy on my part, just a lack of comprehension.

[jagoffee]

The tipping policy will never satisfy everyone. But if you want to cruise with Celebrity, abide by their policies. If not...there are many other choices available.

Although I almost always tip extra I have never had this happen to me nor would I appreciate it.

[Ma Bell]

In my case, and I believe the same applies to many other contributors to this and similar threads, it's not an issue of abiding with the policy or even of agreeing with it. For many of us, it's simply a question of trying to understand the underlying rationale for the policy.

 

Some contributors suggest that pre-payment ensures that waitstaff for select diners don't miss out on tips, suggesting that it is easier to stiff the staff when having a different server each night. But how does that play out in the real world? Whether the gratuities are paid for months in advance or on the last day of the cruise, won't the servers still get it at the same time, no matter which floor of the MDR they are working? And what is to stop a set time diner from smiling nicely and chatting with the same servers over the course of the cruise but still opting out of the daily gratuities?

 

DW and I have chosen set seating for our next cruise, but as I have done in the past, will probably purchase OBC to spread costs out over a period of time. With today's interest rates, the lost interest amounts to pennies.

 

So no disagreement with the policy on my part, just a lack of comprehension.

 

There is nothing to stop them from doing that but I would think that having the same servers every night might tend to make them feel a tiny bit guilty for stiffing them.

 

I also think part of the planning process was to assure the waiters who work in the Select area that they have a fairly good chance of being paid the minimum. The waiters who have the same diners every evening probably have a better chance of receiving extra tips because they get to know their customers better.

[Shake]

I was informed upon attempting to book my latest Celebrity cruise, in spite of my Elite status which entitles me to "Priority Waitlist Status for dining room seating"...

...there is in fact no waitlist. I'm forced to take Select dining. Period.

 

"And now we'll take your credit card since you must prepay your gratuities for Select dining".

 

Which benefit will be taken away next? :confused:

 

Oh I see it's all about being cheap and stiffing the help. They finally figured you out. :o

 

AND ...... I'm sure all on Celebrity would appreciate if you moved your business over to Carnival.

[Fouremco]

There is nothing to stop them from doing that but I would think that having the same servers every night might tend to make them feel a tiny bit guilty for stiffing them.

 

I also think part of the planning process was to assure the waiters who work in the Select area that they have a fairly good chance of being paid the minimum. The waiters who have the same diners every evening probably have a better chance of receiving extra tips because they get to know their customers better.

Hmmm. Hope you are right. Regrettably, I suspect that the type of person who would stiff any of the staff lacks a guilt gene and probably wouldn't even be embarrassed if caught out.

[Starry Eyes]

I wonder if X and RCI want to encourage cruisers to stick with traditional dining and want to know how many cruisers really want open dining.

 

If somebody like set dining as well, the timing of tips may encourage them to stick with traditional dining. If a newbie has never tried either, the timing of tips may encourage them to try with traditional dining. If somebody is planning to skip the MDR in favor of buffet or room service or specialty restaurants, the timing of tips may encourage them to enroll with traditional dining rather than use space in select.

[tserface]

Why would they be embarrassed?

 

I don't agree with not tipping for good service, but not tipping is not the same as "stiffing". There is no requirement to pay tips unless you are in Select. Tipping by definition is supposed to be subjective and optional.

 

I think tipping for fair service and tipping generously for great service are great ideas, but there are some cultures where that is not true and people just expect businesses to pay their employees a fair wage in the first place.

 

So... it's unfair really judge someone for following their conscience.

 

Tom

 

Hmmm. Hope you are right. Regrettably, I suspect that the type of person who would stiff any of the staff lacks a guilt gene and probably wouldn't even be embarrassed if caught out.

[Ma Bell]

Why would they be embarrassed?

 

I don't agree with not tipping for good service, but not tipping is not the same as "stiffing". There is no requirement to pay tips unless you are in Select. Tipping by definition is supposed to be subjective and optional.

 

I think tipping for fair service and tipping generously for great service are great ideas, but there are some cultures where that is not true and people just expect businesses to pay their employees a fair wage in the first place.

 

So... it's unfair really judge someone for following their conscience.

 

Tom

 

 

I would agree with you if they were at home observing their own culture. They're not.

[k9x8]

I would be very put off by that. Tacky.

It is definitely something I would mention on the comment card. That waiter would be less likely to get an additional tip from us, and we've always tipped more than $10 for the excellent device in Blu.

 

If you have the same crew we had a few months ago, I'm really quite surprised.

 

 

 

I had something happen last night on the Equinox that I've never before experienced. My tips are prepaid because I'm in Blu.

The waiter handed me an additional gratuity card suggesting that we tip an additional $10, calling it customary.....

I was a little put off by it..anyone else experience that?

[Ma Bell]

It was just clarified that he is traveling in a suite. It is customary to have a $5 per person charge when dining in Blu if you are a suite passenger.

[k9x8]

It was just clarified that he is traveling in a suite. It is customary to have a $5 per person charge when dining in Blu if you are a suite passenger.

 

That's what I thought, but he said he prepaid because he was in Blu, so I thought maybe he'd changed to Aqua for the TA.

[Fouremco]

Why would they be embarrassed?

 

I don't agree with not tipping for good service, but not tipping is not the same as "stiffing". There is no requirement to pay tips unless you are in Select. Tipping by definition is supposed to be subjective and optional.

 

I think tipping for fair service and tipping generously for great service are great ideas, but there are some cultures where that is not true and people just expect businesses to pay their employees a fair wage in the first place.

 

So... it's unfair really judge someone for following their conscience.

 

Tom

Tom, you need to read my post more carefully. I said that "I suspect that the type of person who would stiff any of the staff lacks a guilt gene and probably wouldn't even be embarrassed if caught out." I did not say that someone who chooses not to provide a gratuity for a valid reason should be embarrassed.

 

As for the issue of people not tipping because they are "following their conscience", yes, I suppose that could be the reason in a very limited number of cases, but I suspect that the vast majority of passengers who withhold gratuities are simply cheap and uncaring.

 

[Christine Frances]

It was just clarified that he is traveling in a suite. It is customary to have a $5 per person charge when dining in Blu if you are a suite passenger.

 

I think they removed the charge for suite guests:)

[Ma Bell]

Looks like they put it back. Maybe because he said he had already dined there six times.

[Christine Frances]

Looks like they put it back. Maybe because he said he had already dined there six times.

lol

[NLH Arizona]

No. If I was handed such a card not only would I not tip the additional $10, I would take it straight to Guest Relations and put in a complaint.

I'd do the same thing.

[ghstudio]

I think that like so many other things, the $5 charge for suite guests is variable by ship and by whoever is maitre d' in Blu.

[Chicago Boy]

I had something happen last night on the Equinox that I've never before experienced. My tips are prepaid because I'm in Blu.

The waiter handed me an additional gratuity card suggesting that we tip an additional $10, calling it customary.....

I was a little put off by it..anyone else experience that?

 

 

Since you have already have had your tips added to your account on a daily basis I understand why you would be put off by the waiter suggesting an additional tip. If our waiter is exceptional, we give him an additional tip midway through the cruise and again at the end. We do that with our state room steward as well. As for the bar tenders, even though there is a 15% tip added to the bill we always give them a couple of dollars extra for each drink. It is amazing how good our service always is. We want good service and are willing to pay for it. As you know, TIP means to ensure prompt service.

[Ma Bell]

The thing is that if you are in a suite you are signed up for either Select or MDR and your tips go there. They don't expect suite guests to dine in Blu every night and do it as an accommodation for suite guests. That is why they had the $5 pp charge.

[jfer8580]

Of course it's because of the non-tippers. It's much easier to skip out when you don't have the same servers every day.

 

 

Just because you are in select dining doesn't mean you can't have the same servers. The last two cruises we did, we asked to be seated in the same area so we would get to know our servers......we pre-paid but then also left something extra as they were great.....if they turned out to be just ok, we wouldn't have left anything more but even if that were the case, I still feel the original pre-paid tip was warranted.