3 Assistant Waiters - Tip them all?

[richmke]

Other than for one evening, we saw the Head Waiter only in passing and when he introduced himself on the first night. For the majority of the cruise, there were 3 Assistant Waiters that served our table of 8 (4 couples). There was nothing exceptional about the service from the Head Waiter, but the Assistant Waiters were attentive (taking orders, delivering food, clearing the table). We were not a drinking table.

 

Is that typical?

 

Should we tip each Assistant Waiter $10 each?

Did the Head Waiter earn his tip? If so, any thoughts on how much?

 

Thanks in advance. Disembarking tomorrow.

Edited March 4, 2016 by richmke

[hftmrock]

Keep the automatic tips on and then don't worry about it. (did you remove the automatic tips?)

 

if they did above and beyond, you can tip them more depending on who went above and beyond.

[Micahs Grandad]

Other than for one evening, we saw the Head Waiter only in passing and when he introduced himself on the first night. For the majority of the cruise, there were 3 Assistant Waiters that served our table of 8 (4 couples). There was nothing exceptional about the service from the Head Waiter, but the Assistant Waiters were attentive (taking orders, delivering food, clearing the table). We were not a drinking table.

 

Is that typical?

 

Should we tip each Assistant Waiter $10 each?

Did the Head Waiter earn his tip? If so, any thoughts on how much?

 

Thanks in advance. Disembarking tomorrow.

 

By any chance are you confusing the head waiter with the MD? Usually have head waiter and two assistants. Easier to just leave the auto tips on and hand cash to those that deserve it.

[sparks1093]

By any chance are you confusing the head waiter with the MD? Usually have head waiter and two assistants. Easier to just leave the auto tips on and hand cash to those that deserve it.

 

That was my thought. I wouldn't tip the Maitre'd unless I asked him to actually do something for us (special menu, change tables, etc.). If I do leave a tip for the waiters I give it to the team and let them worry about splitting it.

[Savlamara]

I usually tip the Head waiter $40, and the two assistants $20 each. All in an individual envelope from guest services with their names written on each one.

[runner15km]

I do auto tips and let CCL deal with it.

[Micahs Grandad]

I do auto tips and let CCL deal with it.

 

That is what we do. Once upon a time they didnt have as many people to serve and service was much better and we would often tip extra.

 

Now it is adequate at best so autotips are good enough for what we receive.

[loxley]

That is what we do. Once upon a time they didnt have as many people to serve and service was much better and we would often tip extra.

 

Now it is adequate at best so autotips are good enough for what we receive.

LB dear john claims there have been no cutbacks in staff, but I well remember the staff having enough time they would come to the tables, scrape crumbs, "play" with the guest, teach the children to fold napkins. None of that happens now because they are run off their feet. So what changed if there was not a cutback in staff?

 

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[firemanbobswife]

As has been said before, of the 3 waiters, 2 are Assistants and 1 is the Headwaiter. I was also at a table for 8 last week and it has been this way each time I was on the Glory. I would leave auto tips in place and then if you want to tip more, do so in cash and hand it to whoever is taking care of you.

[OCruisers]

The "auto tip" is great! No worries about who to tip and how much! :D

[NHNEV2003]

LB dear john claims there have been no cutbacks in staff, but I well remember the staff having enough time they would come to the tables, scrape crumbs, "play" with the guest, teach the children to fold napkins. None of that happens now because they are run off their feet. So what changed if there was not a cutback in staff?

 

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk

 

We've had just the opposite on each of our six cruises--Head Waiter and two assistants--they have spent a considerable amount of time at our tables.

The service was outstanding and we tipped each one of them extra--cash in an envelope with their name on it.

 

Too bad you don't experience this any more.

[cruzinlisa]

I do auto tips and let CCL deal with it.

 

This. If there is a wait staff team, I don't worry about whether one particular person earned their part of the tips, because:

1. I don't know what the arrangement between the staff is as far as who does what and the person that I think is doing nothing might be doing more behind the scenes and

2. I figure if someone is not pulling their weight, CCL can deal with that.

If everyone was bad, then I might talk to Guest Services.

 

I also wonder if by head waiter they mean the Maitre D, which I believe is not part of the auto tips. I have not tipped the Maitre D on CCL, because they have never done anything for me, nor have I asked. On our last Disney cruise I did tip the MD, because he had a cake brought to us for our anniversary and my birthday and singing.

 

Edited to add: Since I have gone to ATD with Carnival, I don't tip the wait staff extra. Service is less than spectacular. Its never been BAD, just nothing special. I have tipped extra when we had fixed seating on Disney and previously on Carnival. Not sure if its a Carnival thing or ATD thing for me.

Edited March 4, 2016 by cruzinlisa

[richmke]

By any chance are you confusing the head waiter with the MD? Usually have head waiter and two assistants. Easier to just leave the auto tips on and hand cash to those that deserve it.

 

Definitely not the the MD. Usually there were 2 assistant waiters, and I occasionally saw a third. Maybe the 3rd was from another table and helped occasionally.

 

We have auto tips on. I was wondering if I should give more. Seems like not.

[firemanbobswife]

Definitely not the the MD. Usually there were 2 assistant waiters, and I occasionally saw a third. Maybe the 3rd was from another table and helped occasionally.

 

 

 

We have auto tips on. I was wondering if I should give more. Seems like not.

 

 

It's totally up to you.

[summersigh]

As has been said before, of the 3 waiters, 2 are Assistants and 1 is the Headwaiter. I was also at a table for 8 last week and it has been this way each time I was on the Glory. I would leave auto tips in place and then if you want to tip more, do so in cash and hand it to whoever is taking care of you.

 

On the Sunshine in January our section had:

2 Tables for 10

1 Table for 6

1 Table for 4

1 Table for 2

 

We had 1 HW and 2 Assistants (as well as a wine/drink steward for our 1/4 of the MDR)

 

The MD never came by the table.

[cb at sea]

There's no need to tip additionally. If you have more money than you want, go ahead!

[crewsweeper]

LB dear john claims there have been no cutbacks in staff, but I well remember the staff having enough time they would come to the tables, scrape crumbs, "play" with the guest, teach the children to fold napkins. None of that happens now because they are run off their feet. So what changed if there was not a cutback in staff?

 

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk

 

My experience has been that seated dining will typically get better serve along the lines you remember, but YTD tends to be hurried. Maybe fewer wait staff cover more tables? More likely there's a push for turnover depending on the ship and space allocated for YTD versus number of passengers wishing to have YTD increasing. On our Valor cruise this past January, about a 1/3 of the seated dining seats were empty on a given night (our assigned "table mates" never showed up the entire cruise) but walking past the YTD dining room there were lines and people standing around with beepers waiting to be seated.

[Donray]

I usually tip the Head waiter $40, and the two assistants $20 each. All in an individual envelope from guest services with their names written on each one.

 

You do know that the tips go into a pool. Also, you tip less then recommended.

[momof4girls]

On our Magic cruise, we did YTD and requested the same wait staff (seating area) every night. By the middle of the week the hostess? just recognized us and seated us right away. It was the absolute BEST service I've ever received. Both guys (we only had a head waiter and one assistant, and there was six of us) went WELL above and beyond. My little girls actually cried on our last night they were so sad. They said they felt like they were leaving some friends. :( We did tip them extra, and if I had more cash on hand, I would have done more. Sure wish we could have just taken them with us to our next cruise!

[misguidedangel]

The wait staff in the dining room will get the tips with the gratuities that are posted to you Sink or Swim account. If you feel the wait staff have done a excellent job and you wish to tip them more, feel free too.

 

You can get an envelope on the last day from Guest Services and put it in there with your wait staff name on it. I gave our wait staff more, and it is a general rule the tips they collect at the end of the cruise is shared with the head waiter and his or her assistants.. The same applies for the room stewards, they share it as it isn't a one person job.

[Bird59]

We base our tips on service. On our last cruise we had a great wait staff for dinner in MDR. On the last night as we left the table, I tipped them individually and thanked them for taking great care of us. I also informed the MD, we were very pleased with the service we received.

We also tip our cabin stewards if they do a good job. The last two cruises we did not tip our stewards as service was below par. It seems to me that service on Carnival has slipped, especially in the area of the cabin stewards. On the Freedom, in December, the steward never did bother to learn our names and was not very friendly. On the Triumph in January, we never knew who our steward was. We had different people clean our cabin the entire cruise.

Also, we report the good and the bad on the review the cruise line sends us at the end of the cruise.

[Savlamara]

You do know that the tips go into a pool. Also, you tip less then recommended.

 

How is it less then recommended? Done people don't top at all! It's an EXTRA tip on top of the auto gratuities. Plus i doubt it's shared cause i hand it to each individually in their own sealed envelopes and they usually pocket it immediately. I do the same with my room stewards and never had an issue.

[Elaine5715]

The wait staff in the dining room will get the tips with the gratuities that are posted to you Sink or Swim account. If you feel the wait staff have done a excellent job and you wish to tip them more, feel free too.

 

You can get an envelope on the last day from Guest Services and put it in there with your wait staff name on it. I gave our wait staff more, and it is a general rule the tips they collect at the end of the cruise is shared with the head waiter and his or her assistants.. The same applies for the room stewards, they share it as it isn't a one person job.

 

This is true. The wait teams share gratuities between themselves. How each split is up to the wait team head waiters (the Maitre is not the head waiter). The name tags say Head Waiter or Team Waiters (assistant). No assistant waiters who wants to become a head waiter holds out on his/her head waiters. It is part of "paying the dues". Some head waiters do make the assistants do 90% of the work and get the majority of the ship collected gratuities plus the extra cash tips. That's how their system works .

[Elaine5715]

We base our tips on service. On our last cruise we had a great wait staff for dinner in MDR. On the last night as we left the table, I tipped them individually and thanked them for taking great care of us. I also informed the MD, we were very pleased with the service we received.

We also tip our cabin stewards if they do a good job. The last two cruises we did not tip our stewards as service was below par. It seems to me that service on Carnival has slipped, especially in the area of the cabin stewards. On the Freedom, in December, the steward never did bother to learn our names and was not very friendly. On the Triumph in January, we never knew who our steward was. We had different people clean our cabin the entire cruise.

Also, we report the good and the bad on the review the cruise line sends us at the end of the cruise.

 

Again, being that the crew know who has a history of making them work for free, you can expect your service history to continue. There at leastwo and sometimes three room stewards per stateroom.t

[sparks1093]

the steward never did bother to learn our names and was not very friendly.

 

What does that have to do with it?