Suite Guests eating in Blu asked for additional tip??

[Honeybearhollow]

I knew that at one time there was a $5 charge for suite guests eating in Blu and that this was no longer true. I did not know that the charge was actually a tip. I don't think anyone has a problem with the charge but it would be nice to know clearly what is expected. On my first cruise I tipped for every drink, not knowing that tips were included. I just think Celebrity should make it clear.

[happy 2 b cruising]

This whole discussion about suite guests worrying about $10 one way or the other is, to me, absurd. You have enough money to book a suite, take excursions, and so but you are concerned about an extra $5 pp going to someone who is working hard to make minimum wage.

 

Before someone else in a suite posts that they are concerned that they are asked for a tip...or is worried that their tip should be moved....stop typing for a minute and think about life....your life and the folks working on ships life.

 

We totally agree.

[johhnnyt]

Originally Posted by ghstudio View Post

This whole discussion about suite guests worrying about $10 one way or the other is, to me, absurd. You have enough money to book a suite, take excursions, and so but you are concerned about an extra $5 pp going to someone who is working hard to make minimum wage.

 

Before someone else in a suite posts that they are concerned that they are asked for a tip...or is worried that their tip should be moved....stop typing for a minute and think about life....your life and the folks working on ships life.

We totally agree.

 

Anytime service in a restaurant onboard is above average, the service person deserves an extra tip (Main Dining Room included). If you think the $15 bucks a day automatic gratuity covers it, you're deceiving yourself. Good service needs to be recognized, and a tip and a thank you is the best way

[Gig103]

Anytime service in a restaurant onboard is above average, the service person deserves an extra tip (Main Dining Room included). If you think the $15 bucks a day automatic gratuity covers it, you're deceiving yourself. Good service needs to be recognized, and a tip and a thank you is the best way

 

I can agree with this. I like to think of the auto tip as an average restaurant experience where I'd tip 15%. I had one assistant waiter and a bar waitress who were awesome all week so I gave them a little extra, as in a land restaurant I'd tip 20%.

[New Hampshire]

this whole discussion about suite guests worrying about $10 one way or the other is, to me, absurd. You have enough money to book a suite, take excursions, and so but you are concerned about an extra $5 pp going to someone who is working hard to make minimum wage.

 

Before someone else in a suite posts that they are concerned that they are asked for a tip...or is worried that their tip should be moved....stop typing for a minute and think about life....your life and the folks working on ships life.

 

bravo!!!!

[gimletgal]

I knew that at one time there was a $5 charge for suite guests eating in Blu and that this was no longer true. I did not know that the charge was actually a tip. I don't think anyone has a problem with the charge but it would be nice to know clearly what is expected. On my first cruise I tipped for every drink, not knowing that tips were included. I just think Celebrity should make it clear.

 

How are gratuities handled onboard? 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.

 

In defense of Celebrity, it looks pretty clear to me! ;) In addition to their website, this information is also found in their brochures.

[JaneStarr]

I have never noticed any inconsistency in Celebrity's policy.

It's the inconsistency that is consistent... ;)

Funny & SOOOO true!

[Hlitner]

When I was in a suite on Infinity, we were never charged for having dinner in Blu.

 

As Arno says, however, inconsistency is the watchword with Celebrity. Even though formal night is allegedly not observed in the specialty restaurants (of which I consider Blu to be one), on our B2B2B this spring, the Daily said that formal wear was required in ALL restaurants on formal night.

 

You have hit on one reason we love Celebrity. Each cruise is an adventure (on board) and we never know what to expect. It is sometimes a shock when a policy is the same on 2 different cruises.

 

Hank

[Aloha 1]

How are gratuities handled onboard? 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.

 

In defense of Celebrity, it looks pretty clear to me! ;) In addition to their website, this information is also found in their brochures.

 

 

Well, that's all well and good but let's break it down. If you are in Aqua Class, you are expected to eat in Blu. Your dining pre authorized gratuities go automatically to the wait staff at Blu. HOWEVER, if a BLU guest eats in the MDR one night (which you certainly can do) what happens then? I have not read one post from such a case where the Blu diner was asked to pay a gratuity for dining in the MDR. So, I would ask why sauce for goose is not sauce for the gander.

 

Now, turn this around to Suite guests. We have been and will be in that category. I make it clear when we board that we prefer to dine in Blu and that has never been an issue. We have never been asked to tip "extra". We have also seen our Blu servers in the buffet during our cruises. To me, the solution seems to be this:

 

"You have waitstaff that work multiple venues. Celebrity includes a gratuity automatically for these crew members. You are welcome to tip extra if you choose or decide how to tip in total if you do not like our pre determined plan." End of story, everybody happy. There should not be any discrimination between dining venues when it comes to gratuities. This is a Celebrity problem not a passenger one.

[d4m]

"You have waitstaff that work multiple venues. Celebrity includes a gratuity automatically for these crew members. You are welcome to tip extra if you choose or decide how to tip in total if you do not like our pre determined plan." End of story, everybody happy. There should not be any discrimination between dining venues when it comes to gratuities. This is a Celebrity problem not a passenger one.

 

You are spot on. There should be no difference and there is no case I ever heard about where those from Blu eat in the MDR being asked for extra compensation. It IS a Celebrity problem, I agree.

[gimletgal]

Well, that's all well and good but let's break it down. If you are in Aqua Class, you are expected to eat in Blu. Your dining pre authorized gratuities go automatically to the wait staff at Blu. HOWEVER, if a BLU guest eats in the MDR one night (which you certainly can do) what happens then? I have not read one post from such a case where the Blu diner was asked to pay a gratuity for dining in the MDR. So, I would ask why sauce for goose is not sauce for the gander.

 

Now, turn this around to Suite guests. We have been and will be in that category. I make it clear when we board that we prefer to dine in Blu and that has never been an issue. We have never been asked to tip "extra". We have also seen our Blu servers in the buffet during our cruises. To me, the solution seems to be this:

 

"You have waitstaff that work multiple venues. Celebrity includes a gratuity automatically for these crew members. You are welcome to tip extra if you choose or decide how to tip in total if you do not like our pre determined plan." End of story, everybody happy. There should not be any discrimination between dining venues when it comes to gratuities. This is a Celebrity problem not a passenger one.

 

My main reason for showing the tipping policy was in response to the poster who said " On my first cruise I tipped for every drink, not knowing that tips were included. I just think Celebrity should make it clear."

 

You raise a valid question about those who are in AQ eating in the MDR!

[bphman]

I cannot believe the bickering going on. The respondents are those who could afford extra for AQ or a suite. If so, there must be some discretionary cash in your budget. These people work hard to attend to your needs. If you're going to miss $5 maybe you should book an inside. Like the little birdie says, "cheap, cheap, cheap."

[JaneStarr]

I cannot believe the bickering going on. The respondents are those who could afford extra for AQ or a suite. If so, there must be some discretionary cash in your budget. These people work hard to attend to your needs. If you're going to miss $5 maybe you should book an inside. Like the little birdie says, "cheap, cheap, cheap."

 

My feeling it that it is not fair to judge what another can or should be able to "afford" in extra tips.

We each are free to make our own decisions as to how to spend our disposable income. Some prefer to cruise, perhaps less frequently, in higher accommodations. Others of us book into inside cabins to be able to cruise more frequently or to spend our money on other priorities. It's wonderful that Celebrity offers us options to suit a variety of customers.

 

Just because somebody chooses to "splurge" on a suite, it doesn't entitle others to assume the restaurant servers are entitled to a higher tip from us for providing the same service.

In my book, exceptional tips are extended for exceptional service.

 

Jane

[ghstudio]

My feeling it that it is not fair to judge what another can or should be able to "afford" in extra tips.

We each are free to make our own decisions as to how to spend our disposable income. Some prefer to cruise, perhaps less frequently, in higher accommodations. Others of us book into inside cabins to be able to cruise more frequently or to spend our money on other priorities. It's wonderful that Celebrity offers us options to suit a variety of customers.

 

Just because somebody chooses to "splurge" on a suite, it doesn't entitle others to assume the restaurant servers are entitled to a higher tip from us for providing the same service.

In my book, exceptional tips are extended for exceptional service.

 

Jane

 

What higher tip? Your tip,if you are in a suite goes to the mdr, irrespective of the misinformation here that your tip is somehow routed to blu if you eat there. iMHO, if you eat dinner in blu and you are in a suite then you should tip, even if not asked.

[bphman]

If you "choose" to to sail in a suite you are assigned to the MDR and given the option to eat in Blu on a space available basis. Your gratuities are going to the those in your designated dining area and not to where you are actually dining if you choose Blu. The servers in Blu are working harder serving the suite guests who choose to eat there and are not being compensated. If you feel that this is a corporate issue, so be it but don't take it out on the servers. If you appreciate the service, I don't see the problem with the suggested tip. If one objects then just dine where assigned. It sounds as if a lot of the posters have a guilt complex and are trying to justify not tipping.

[junetraveler2014]

Tipping has always been based on services rendered..Mandatory tipping unfortunately is the result of non-tippers. Mandatory tipping was initiated to help make your dinning experience better for all (Customer and server). In doing this, the employer can continue to pay discounted wages and keep your dining bill lower. If you find the server is very poor at the job you can always hold back the tip, with a reason. If the server is OK at their job, you can leave well enough alone, if the service is exceptional give an extra tip (cash) at the time of service so the one who is exceptional is rewarded. We have always done this, including for drinks. We feel fairly treated and there is never a problem. Remember if the cruise line paid top dollar for service workers, that would not guaranty the best of service, only higher rates to cruise!!!!

[bighairtexan]

A good point was brought up for AQ pax who eat in the MDR for dinner. My next cruise I'm AQ and for 15 nights I thought I might once in a while eat in the MDR if it was OK w/ the maitre'd in both places. I hadn't thought it through about my tips going to AQ, so NOW were I to eat in the MDR, I believe I'll discreetly leave a $5 bill pp tucked under the plate. They don't give you a bill so there isn't an easy way to write in a gratuity.

 

Thanks for bringing it up. I am not sure I would even have given it a 2nd thought.

[bigbenboys]

Ok, What about the bar code on your seapass card. Scan it each time you enter a venue. You went to the theater, scan. Oh you want to go to the pool, scan. How many hours did you have that lounge chair, scan, scan , scan. This might be a good thing. You that stay in your staterooms will give less in tips than us that use the ships facilities. In the end you will only be charged tipping from what you used. And yes you will be scanned for staying in your stateroom. Richard

[Jade13]

We were on the Silhouette December transatlantic and in AQU. Every night we saw Suite guests turned away at BLU as there was not enough room to accommodate them along with those in AQU. They were told to come back after 8:00pm or 8:30pm.

 

The Suite guests were charged $5.00 per person gratuity each night when they ate in BLU. I asked the Maitre D because I was surprised as I had read here that they were no longer charged. He said the policy has never changed and Suite guests are always asked to pay the $5.00 per person gratuity. I asked him further and he said the problem is that some refuse to pay and the wait staff does not want to argue with them.

 

People keep posting on CC that the "policy has changed" for Suite guests who no longer are asked to pay this gratuity, but that was not the case last December. So I want to know where anyone has seen this official policy change?

[dkjretired]

We were on the Silhouette December transatlantic and in AQU. Every night we saw Suite guests turned away at BLU as there was not enough room to accommodate them along with those in AQU. They were told to come back after 8:00pm or 8:30pm.

 

The Suite guests were charged $5.00 per person gratuity each night when they ate in BLU. I asked the Maitre D because I was surprised as I had read here that they were no longer charged. He said the policy has never changed and Suite guests are always asked to pay the $5.00 per person gratuity. I asked him further and he said the problem is that some refuse to pay and the wait staff does not want to argue with them.

 

People keep posting on CC that the "policy has changed" for Suite guests who no longer are asked to pay this gratuity, but that was not the case last December. So I want to know where anyone has seen this official policy change?

 

It used to be listed on the web site that there was a five dollar charge but that was removed last year. Then again, it used to be listed on the web site that those in suites had the ability on a space available basis to eat in Blu and I cannot find that anymore. Perhaps another change is in the offing.

[Wine-O]

We were in a Suite on a 14-day TA and ate breakfast and dinner in Blu every day except the two days we ate the complimentary dinners in a specialty restaurant. The Maître 'd always asked for my stateroom number, then after a while remembered it. We were never asked to pay the $5pp or given a slip to sign. I can only assume the tips were diverted from the MDR to Blu. I did the automatic tipping, so I let the ship sort it out.

[helpthejuggler]

We were in a Suite on a 14-day TA and ate breakfast and dinner in Blu every day except the two days we ate the complimentary dinners in a specialty restaurant. The Maître 'd always asked for my stateroom number, then after a while remembered it. We were never asked to pay the $5pp or given a slip to sign. I can only assume the tips were diverted from the MDR to Blu. I did the automatic tipping, so I let the ship sort it out.

 

If you were on select dining it seems likely that your charges could be reallocated to Blu. Less easy for those with fixed dining already in place.

 

Could be a factor?

[CruzPotato]

Well, that's all well and good but let's break it down. If you are in Aqua Class, you are expected to eat in Blu. Your dining pre authorized gratuities go automatically to the wait staff at Blu. HOWEVER, if a BLU guest eats in the MDR one night (which you certainly can do) what happens then? I have not read one post from such a case where the Blu diner was asked to pay a gratuity for dining in the MDR. So, I would ask why sauce for goose is not sauce for the gander.

 

This is only a guess: we dine select (anytime) and the maitre d' always prints a ticket with table assignment along with our cabin number and # of guests. After being seated, the waiter always ensures he takes the ticket and pockets it. I had guessed that this was how certain gratuities were assigned to him and his asst waiter. If this is true, and an AQ class diner eats at the MDR via Select then the waitstaff will have a record of it.

[Wine-O]

If you were on select dining it seems likely that your charges could be reallocated to Blu. Less easy for those with fixed dining already in place.

 

Could be a factor?

 

If we were in a Suite and had Select dining (prepaid our gratuities), then ate all our meals in Blu, I would just let the ship sort where the tips got allocated.

[galleycook]

IMO it all balances out in the end. Tips might be assigned to specific dining rooms or restaurants (depending on cabin type) but you are not forced to eat in those venues. If I eat all my meals in my suite, why are my mandatory tips going to the MDR, as an example. I really don’t care where they go. It’s up to Celebrity to disseminate the gratuities appropriately. But I think because of the choices we as guests have, and the fact that there are thousands of people on the ship, at the end of a cruise (or possibly even after a couple of cruises), the gratuities balance out across the various restaurants (and staff).

I have no problem with extra tipping either and it is definitely an individual thing. As long as it’s going to the wait staff. These guys aren’t even making minimum wage and the piddly tip isn’t any better. On our recent Summit cruise, our butler told us that we could dine in Blu but there would be a $5 service charge. The words “service charge” aren’t clear as to who is the end recipient is; Celebrity or the staff.