Pre-paid gratuity - how do Traditional dinning room wait staff get them ?

[goblue]

I usually use anytime dinning. However, my upcoming cruise has pre-paid gratuity and will be eating at traditional dinning room (traveling with a large group). I wonder how the wait staff get their $$ ? (in the old days we handed out the envelops at the last night to the wait staff while in traditional seating but no longer do that once switched to anytime). Any clue?

 

Also, some members in the group I'm with want to switch seats with other members at different tables (in the same dining room) at least 3-4 times during the 7-day period - they said they don't want to sit with the same people 7 night in a row and think it's their choice/right to do the switch when they want :rolleyes:

Does Princess allow this ? or it really creates chaos for the wait staff ?

 

Thank you for your advice.

[SoCalTraveler]

The pre-paid tips are put into a pool and split by a formula among those eligible, much like any tip pool arrangement in a restaurant.

 

There is no prohibition on giving staff tips in envelopes in addition to the gratuity billed to your account. Not only do we typically do so, but so do many others, as Princess sets out a box of envelopes at the customer service desk for those who wish envelopes. On our cruise just completed, we gave extra tips to our steward, our headwaiter, waiter and assistant waiter. Whether they share those extra tips in the tip pool is up to the usual practice on that ship.

 

On one cruise below, we deleted our pre-paid gratuities (Carnival Inspiration), and, indeed, had to stand in a line of other passengers doing the same. We gave only cash tips on that cruise. On the first two cruises below, tipping was only by the envelope system. On all other cruises below, we have always tipped extra. Good service ought to be recognized and appreciated.

[NavyVeteran]

I usually use anytime dinning. However, my upcoming cruise has pre-paid gratuity and will be eating at traditional dinning room (traveling with a large group). I wonder how the wait staff get their $$ ? (in the old days we handed out the envelops at the last night to the wait staff while in traditional seating but no longer do that once switched to anytime). Any clue?

It doesn't matter whether you have prepaid gratuity or pay the hotel charges onboard. In either case, Princess will distribute the gratuity to the people in the gratuity pool according to their formula. Even though you are in traditional dining, you have no obligation to tip extra - your tip is included in the prepaid gratuity.

 

Since you will have the same waiter and assistant for the entire cruise, you may choose to tip extra if you receive excellent service (remembering you have already paid the standard gratuity). If so, you may hand him or her an envelope on the last night. However, unlike in the old days before automatic gratuities, there is no expectation that you will do so. Since you have prepaid the standard gratuities, the waiter will be able to keep any additional tip that you give - he or she will not be expected to share it with the rest of the pool.

Also, some members in the group I'm with want to switch seats with other members at different tables (in the same dining room) at least 3-4 times during the 7-day period - they said they don't want to sit with the same people 7 night in a row and think it's their choice/right to do the switch when they want :rolleyes:

Does Princess allow this ? or it really creates chaos for the wait staff ?

Princess will have no problem with your switching as long as everyone who wants to switch agrees with the switch. If you have a large group switching, I recommend someone in the group speak to the headwaiter and let him know.

 

You didn't say how large your group is. It all of the reservations are linked, then Princess may put you are in the same area of the dining room with several tables in your group sharing the same waiter. If you are switching between tables with the same waiter, then there is absolutely no problem.

 

On one cruise, we had a group of 13 family members. We were assigned two tables with the same waiter - a table for eight (with only seven people at the table) and a table for six. We switched every night without any advance planning. Each of us selected our seat at one of the tables when we arrived for dinner. With only two tables and with both assigned to the same waiter, that caused no problems.

 

If you receive excellent service from more than one waiter and if you decide to tip more than the suggested amount (that was prepaid), then you will need to put the money in separate envelopes for each waiter that you want to tip extra. In that case, you would still distribute all of the envelopes on the last night.

 

I recommend that each of you in the group make your own decision as to whether and whom to provide extra tips. Some of your group may decide not to, and no one should have a problem with that since they prepaid the suggested gratuity. Some may decide that a specific waiter should receive more - it's an individual decision.

Thank you for your advice.

[GUT2407]

You should know that staff contracts state that all cash tips must be handed in (doesn't matter if you leave auto tips on or take them off) there is hot debate over what happens with them after that, but the contract is clear that they MUST be handed in.

[Colo Cruiser]

To the OP, as stated tips are pooled and dispersed.

[cb at sea]

They staff gets the tips, whether pre-paid or not, at the END of the cruise. No worries....however you pay it, they get it.

[goblue]

First, thank your all of the 'tip' info - will not worry about any more.

Second,

Does anyone know how many tables each waiter/assistant waiter pair serve ?

I remembered there are multiple 'waiter stations' in the dinning room and each station is manned by the pair but never know how many tables (or passengers) they serve?

ps. we have more than 100 people.....

[Colo Cruiser]

First, thank your all of the 'tip' info - will not worry about now.

Second,

Does anyone know how many tables each waiter/assistant waiter pair serve ?

I remembered there are multiple 'waiter stations' in the dinning room and each station is manned by the pair but never know how many tables (or passengers) they serve?

ps. we have more than 100 people.....

 

 

 

Depending on the size of the table maybe 4-5.

You may want to touch base with the MD about your group.

The MD meets with passengers on embarkation day at the time/place listed in the Patter newsletter to address issues with dining whatever they may be.

It's usually held in one of the dining rooms between 2p and 3:30p.

[nukesubsailor]

You should know that staff contracts state that all cash tips must be handed in (doesn't matter if you leave auto tips on or take them off) there is hot debate over what happens with them after that, but the contract is clear that they MUST be handed in.

 

I was told that cash tips given to a staff member must be turned in but the amount of the tip will go to that staff member if the passenger who gave the tip pays the automatic gratuity. If the passenger does not pay the automatic gratuity, then the cash tip goes into the appropriate tip pool.

[Thrak]

First, thank your all of the 'tip' info - will not worry about any more.

Second,

Does anyone know how many tables each waiter/assistant waiter pair serve ?

I remembered there are multiple 'waiter stations' in the dinning room and each station is manned by the pair but never know how many tables (or passengers) they serve?

ps. we have more than 100 people.....

 

Holy Cow! Sounds like Bears or Red Hats or another large organized group. Surely this can't be all family... ???

[cactusrose]

I was told that cash tips given to a staff member must be turned in but the amount of the tip will go to that staff member if the passenger who gave the tip pays the automatic gratuity. If the passenger does not pay the automatic gratuity, then the cash tip goes into the appropriate tip pool.

 

This is correct. I recently had dinner with a Customer Service director on board and he told me that this is the way it works. If you haven't put your cabin or folio number on the envelope with the extra money in it, the person you give it to will. This is so they can verify that you have left your auto tip on anything over the suggested tip (auto tip) will be returned to the crew member.

[cruzsnooze]

I was told that cash tips given to a staff member must be turned in but the amount of the tip will go to that staff member if the passenger who gave the tip pays the automatic gratuity. If the passenger does not pay the automatic gratuity, then the cash tip goes into the appropriate tip pool.

Nobody knows the truth of this matter because Princess chooses not to let us know. I've been told that the auto tips don't stay on the ship you pay them, they go to corp. to be distributed across the class of ship you sailed in and it's not an even distribution. It goes by staff longevity, status, and other factors and into employee incentives and parties.

So we really don't know how our money is distributed.

[cactusrose]

Nobody knows the truth of this matter because Princess chooses not to let us know. I've been told that the auto tips don't stay on the ship you pay them, they go to corp. to be distributed across the class of ship you sailed in and it's not an even distribution. It goes by staff longevity, status, and other factors and into employee incentives and parties.

So we really don't know how our money is distributed.

From the Princess Crew Contract.

Nonetheless,to the extent passengers follow the suggested

contributionguidelines in whole or in part, or deliver their contribution tothe Company or

directlyto any crew member(s), each and every crew member agrees that anysuch

contributionis not his personal wage, but rather a contribution to theDiscretionary Hotel

 

andDining Charge Pool (the “Pool”).

[Colo Cruiser]

That would be an Aus contract.

[cactusrose]

That would be an Aus contract.

Do you mean an Australian contract? Last I heard there aren't any auto gratuities on cruises initiated out of Australia. This is from the Princess Cruises Crew Wages Detail.

[Lucky TGO]

I was on a cruises with 18 family members and we switch seats every night. So no one got stuck setting next to me every night :D :D

Tony

[GUT2407]

First, thank your all of the 'tip' info - will not worry about any more.

Second,

Does anyone know how many tables each waiter/assistant waiter pair serve ?

I remembered there are multiple 'waiter stations' in the dinning room and each station is manned by the pair but never know how many tables (or passengers) they serve?

ps. we have more than 100 people.....

 

 

16-20 people.

 

I've counted a few times.

[GUT2407]

I was told that cash tips given to a staff member must be turned in but the amount of the tip will go to that staff member if the passenger who gave the tip pays the automatic gratuity. If the passenger does not pay the automatic gratuity, then the cash tip goes into the appropriate tip pool.

As I said before this is the hot topic, everyone seems to have a different opinion and have been told something different.

[GUT2407]

From the Princess Crew Contract.

Nonetheless,to the extent passengers follow the suggested

contributionguidelines in whole or in part, or deliver their contribution tothe Company or

directlyto any crew member(s), each and every crew member agrees that anysuch

contributionis not his personal wage, but rather a contribution to theDiscretionary Hotel

 

andDining Charge Pool (the “Pool”).

 

 

Pretty straightforward, but hotly disputed.

[GUT2407]

I was on a cruises with 18 family members and we switch seats every night. So no one got stuck setting next to me every night :D :D

Tony

 

 

Mrs Gut likes to swap tables each night to escape me.:evilsmile::halo::confused:

[Colo Cruiser]

Do you mean an Australian contract? Last I heard there aren't any auto gratuities on cruises initiated out of Australia. This is from the Princess Cruises Crew Wages Detail.

 

 

There was a bogus Australian/UK crew contract floating around here on CC and the internet last year and that looks like the same wording. Who knows. There are so many versions, stories and rumors, as stated nobody knows the truth about tips and distribution. Everyone's an expert. :rolleyes:

[GUT2407]

There was a bogus Australian/UK crew contract floating around here on CC and the internet last year and that looks like the same wording. Who knows. There are so many versions, stories and rumors, as stated nobody knows the truth about tips and distribution. Everyone's an expert. :rolleyes:

Trouble is I've seen a genuine contract, wording is the same.

 

Know it was genuine because it was produced by Princess head office.

[Colo Cruiser]

Trouble is I've seen a genuine contract, wording is the same.

 

Know it was genuine because it was produced by Princess head office.

 

 

These had the same markings.

[GUT2407]

These had the same markings.

Not 100% what you mean by that.

 

But the one I saw was produced by Princess head office in response to a subpoena, so I don't have any doubts that it was genuine, and it had that same wording.

[skynight]

First, thank your all of the 'tip' info - will not worry about any more.

Second,

Does anyone know how many tables each waiter/assistant waiter pair serve ?

I remembered there are multiple 'waiter stations' in the dinning room and each station is manned by the pair but never know how many tables (or passengers) they serve?

ps. we have more than 100 people.....

This is a very large group.

Waiters usually serve maybe 20 or 24 people.

You should arrange a meeting with the maitre'd to discuss the situation, and to be sure all tables are in the same area of the DR. You probably want to collect this information in advance and have it passed along to Princess so the maitre'd can be pre-informed.

 

Make sure the T.A. links all the bookings together for dining purposes. Also make sure you know all the bookings AND dining preferences when speaking with the maitre'd

Are you sure all the individual bookings have selected the same dining? Some of your group may wish different dining options such as ATD.

 

From experience people in large groups many times go their own way once on the ship.