Dynamic Dining Tipping...

[The_Car_Dealer]

Will be sailing the Quantum in 2015 and will experience dynamic dining for the first time. Since we will be having different servers each night (and different resturants!), we want to reward good service. We were cosidering an extra $1, or $2, or $5 per person after meals if we felt service warranted it. Thoughts?

[The Car Dealer]

Thank you to everyone that has answered the poll on the regular web Cruise Critic. If you do not see the poll, please feel free to leave your comments here. Thanks again for your suggestions - this is a new dining experience for all of us!!

[FLACRUISER99]

Will be sailing the Quantum in 2015 and will experience dynamic dining for the first time. Since we will be having different servers each night (and different resturants!), we want to reward good service. We were cosidering an extra $1, or $2, or $5 per person after meals if we felt service warranted it. Thoughts?

The real answer is to tip whatever you feel is appropriate and not using a poll on CC.

[heatherb1958]

We ate in all the 'free' restaurants. The only place that we felt the service was good and deserved an extra tip was in Silk. We gave $5 for the 2 of us. The server seemed quite shocked when we gave it which gave us the impression the crew were not expecting any further gratuities than the already charged daily amount.

Edited December 26, 2014 by heatherb1958

[PhilNDebbieAtSea]

We were on 12/1 cruise. We traveled with another couple. We tipped $10 a couple most nights. Twice, we tipped $15 a couple due to even more amazing service, once in the Grande and once in Jamies. Only one night we received less than stellar service. We felt, as a whole, the service was excellent on the Quantum. Servers were clearly having some trouble getting used to the tablets and other new procedures, but the service and food were great!

[nycruise]

When we first started cruising 30 years ago you ate all your meals in the dining room with the same wait staff and tipping was left to the passenger's discretion and we tipped what we considered "well".

 

Then the breakfast/lunch/dinner buffet was introduced along with alternative venues like pizzerias, pubs, etc. and we generally only ate dinners in the dining room. So on a 7 day cruise we ate 7 meals in the dining room instead 21 but still with the same waiters, and we continued to tip what we considered "well".

 

Then they instituted automatic tips, and we tipped less.

 

Then they instituted restaurant type dining where you went to different venues for dinner with different waiters every night and we no longer tip anything extra in the dining room.

 

At this point we only tip extra to the cabin steward or someone who goes out of their way for us sometime during the cruise.

[allready]

Tip whatever you want. Gratuities seem to be prepaid these days. Honestly if you tip for good service, you will be walking out with money in your pockets.

 

Dynamic dining is not set up to receive good service. So don't worry about it.

 

I think the only ones really worried about it are the servers who are seeing their livelihood disappearing by a corporate decision.

[The Car Dealer]

Just a thought... The tablets that the wait staff are using are supposed to tell them about our wants and habits. Wonder if they tell them if we tip. Incentives are the best way to increase service and productivity in most environments, why not on the Quantum?

[mikemartin774]

I always used to tip very well, but since the prepaid gratuities were already

been added to my account I do not give any extra unless the service is

incredible

[The Car Dealer]

That's exactly my point. If you tip additionally for exceptional service and the wait staff is aware of that, there will be an inprovement in service ( and morale) and more exceptional dining experiences. This of course would be a gradual change, but it seems that anything would be an improvement.

[cruisenfever]

Just a thought... The tablets that the wait staff are using are supposed to tell them about our wants and habits. Wonder if they tell them if we tip. Incentives are the best way to increase service and productivity in most environments, why not on the Quantum?

The tablets have no personal information on anyone. :eek: They are used when taking each person's order at the table.

[suzyluvs2cruise]

We recently spent 21 nights on Quantum. In talking with waitstaff onboard my understanding is that one of the goals of using the tablet with Dynamic Dining is to have a cruiser's preferences noted in their profile. When you go to a different restaurant this would let the waitstaff know your preferences....such as "wants ice tea with dinner", "specific food allergies", and any other "special requests" one might have. I can see where this would be beneficial but I don't know if it's happening...yet.

Edited January 7, 2015 by suzyluvs2cruise

[cruisenfever]

We recently spent 21 nights on Quantum. In talking with waitstaff onboard my understanding is that one of the goals of using the tablet with Dynamic Dining is to have a cruiser's preferences noted in their profile. When you go to a different restaurant this would let the waitstaff know your preferences....such as "wants ice tea with dinner", "specific food allergies", and any other "special requests" one might have. I can see where this would be beneficial but I don't know if it's happening...yet.

It certainly didn't happen during our 19 nights on board.

Edited January 7, 2015 by cruisenfever

[The Car Dealer]

Hopefully things will be getting better - someone posted that the assistant waiters are back. I hope so!