Tipping in specialty restaurants

[jawsbad]

If you have prepaid gratuities, does this cover gratuities in the specialty restaurants?

[cruisestitch]

No, the pre=paid gratuities don't cover the specialty restaurants, nor the spa, hair salon, or casino dealers.

 

The fee that you pay to eat in the specialty restaurant goes, in part, to your servers for that meal.

 

Should you feel that the service was extraordinary, they will be appreciative of extra tip, but nothing more is required there.

[OCruisers]

In specialty restaurants DH always tips -- normally $20 in cash for the two of us.

 

LuLu

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[sawyer_boy]

A tip is worked into the spa treatment charge. You have the option to add more.

[cruisestitch]

My point was that the pre-paid gratuities does not cover several situations on the ship, including the specialty restaurants, the salon, spa, casino, and also the bars.

[espo56]

If you have prepaid gratuities, does this cover gratuities in the specialty restaurants?

 

Just got back and ate in 2 of the and tipped $20 each time for the 2 of us. It's kind of hard not to given the service levels.

[spookwife]

If you have prepaid gratuities, does this cover gratuities in the specialty restaurants?

 

short answer: No.

 

pre paid grats cover the cabin attendant and waitstaff in the MDR and buffet.

 

anything else is not covered.

 

basically, if you have to sign for it , the tip is not included in the daily charge( although for your convenience, it will be calculated for you at POS)

[NLH Arizona]

If you have prepaid gratuities, does this cover gratuities in the specialty restaurants?

The tip is included the the cost of going to the specialty restaurant. There is no need to tip any more, unless you would like to. I usually tip, but have seen more that don't, than those that do. It is up to the individual.

 

This might help: For your convenience, we automatically add gratuities for your restaurant and stateroom services to your onboard SeaPass® account on a daily basis in the following amounts, which may be adjusted at your discretion:

• $12 per person per day in staterooms

• $12.50 per person per day in Concierge Class and AquaClass® staterooms

• $15.50 per person per day in suites

 

This gratuity is shared by your stateroom attendant, dining services staff, and housekeeping staff members who help enhance your vacation experience.

 

At your discretion, the gratuity payments may be adjusted onboard at Guest Relations, in which case they will not automatically be added to your onboard SeaPass® account.

 

A 15% gratuity will be automatically added to all beverages, mini bar purchases, spa and salon services. Additional gratuities may be added at your discretion.

[Wine-O]

My point was that the pre-paid gratuities does not cover several situations on the ship, including the specialty restaurants, the salon, spa, casino, and also the bars.

 

There's absolutely no requirement to tip at specialty restaurants, the salon, spa, casino, or any of the bars. They are not part of the pre-paid gratuities per se, but their gratuities are added/built in to the cost.

 

If one has the beverage package, the gratuity is added up front. If one doesn't have a beverage package, the 15% gratuity is automatically added as it is at the salon, spa, and whatever.

 

Any tipping above and beyond, including your stateroom attendant, waiter, bartender, specialty restaurant, salon, spa, etc., is optional.

[keesar]

There is a built in tip for the specialty restaurants. We always add an additional amount when we receive the check. The service has always been extraordinary. They work real hard and deserve it!

[kands6191]

We have always tipped at specialty restaurants, about $20. I read the statement from Celebrity that NLH Arizona posted. I'm just curious if they mean the specialty restaurant servers when they say "dining services staff" are covered by our daily gratuity. Or do they take the tips out of the fee we pay for the specialty restaurant?

[Wine-O]

If you have prepaid gratuities, does this cover gratuities in the specialty restaurants?

 

Bottom line, gratuities in the specialty restaurant are covered by the fee you paid for the specialty restaurant. Anything above and beyond is entirely up to you.

[keesar]

Bottom line, gratuities in the specialty restaurant are covered by the fee you paid for the specialty restaurant. Anything above and beyond is entirely up to you.

 

You are correct! The fee you pay for the Specialty Restaurant has a built in tip. This is not related to the daily gratuities charged to your stateroom.

[boards]

But bill you sign for a drink says right at the top "Tip included", then down below there is a line for a tip and the total amount. What does that mean if the tip is included?

[NLH Arizona]

But bill you sign for a drink says right at the top "Tip included", then down below there is a line for a tip and the total amount. What does that mean if the tip is included?

It is there in case you want to leave an additional tip.

[andrek]

What happens if you sign up for the Ultimate dining package where you eat all your meals in the specialty dining rooms for an extra $29 pp per day?

Do you also have to tip on top of that? It could get expensive.

What do you think?

[Gig103]

Gratuity is still included with the packages, Celebrity is taking a cut out of their price, not the servers. Same if you are offered a discount on board due to low sales.

 

If you are referring to tipping the main dining staff through the daily auto tip while also paying for the dining packages, then yes it gets expensive but unless you book with select dining, you can change that on board.

[Lsimon]

Gratuity is still included with the packages, Celebrity is taking a cut out of their price, not the servers. Same if you are offered a discount on board due to low sales.

 

If you are referring to tipping the main dining staff through the daily auto tip while also paying for the dining packages, then yes it gets expensive but unless you book with select dining, you can change that on board.

 

But keep in mind that the standard daily tips don't just cover the main dining room dinner waiters, they also are shared by those serving breakfast and lunch at both the buffet and the dining room. So if you cut those out because you're eating at a specialty restaurant then you are stiffing some of the staff. The waiters in the dining room work long hard days serving you in different ways around the ship and those "tips" (really should be considered a service charge) are their primary compensation.

[Alan51]

You must be made of money. Tipping in addition to the hefty specialty restaurant extra charge is crazy if you ask me

[Ruthk]

Jasbad - these threads on tipping drive me crazy!!! Here is what the Celebrity web-site says on the specialty restaurant packages "Packages include restaurant cover charges and dining gratuities; all other charges, such as beverages and beverage gratuities are additional".

 

So there you have it - govern yourself accordingly - if you want to tip more, then go for it, but they are already receiving a tip, so it's not like you are stiffing them. Hope this helps you.

[keesar]

I agree with LSimon. The daily gratuities are shared with all staff working breakfasts and lunches. I disagree with those who dine in the Specialty Restaurants and then deduct daily tips. They are not being fair to the hard workers in the other dining venues.

 

We also add an additional tip when we go to the Specialty Restaurants. We are not obligated to do so but we appreciate their hard work.

[Gig103]

I will start with the preface that I don't eat specialty dining, so it doesn't apply to me. But the argument against reducing the daily pool (that it affects breakfast and lunch work as well) doesn't make sense since the waiters in specialty dining don't lay on their bunks 18 hours a day.

[BamaD]

I like these tipping threads:eek:.

 

I think most of us understand assigned gratuities - we just want to get a sense of what's really going on out there.... the norm. Just in reading this thread, we've learned it's not unheard of to add another $20 to the specialty restaurant tip. I study these threads and come up with a policy that makes me comfortable.

[neverbeenhere]

Tipping means: Do what you want.

[blueboro]

You must be made of money. Tipping in addition to the hefty specialty restaurant extra charge is crazy if you ask me

 

 

I agree. With the cost now $45 pp in most speciality restaurants, surely they are getting a portion of that. I tipped when it was $20 or $25 pp but not now.