Haven Restaurant Tipping

[Boatingmom]

:confused:How do you tip in the Haven restaurant? I know Specialty restaurants and drinks add 18%, and that the Concierge and Butler are extra and not included in the DSC so you must tip them separately but, how about the Haven Restaurant? Do they get any of the DSC or is that just for the room steward??

[BirdTravels]

If you have a good waiter, tip them directly. They rotate shifts, but most work breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Most people tip the maitre 'd too.

[david_sobe]

Its my understanding that all the service staff get a share of the auto daily gratuities except the butler and concierge. So you can tip them like you would tip any other waiter in another restaurant. They are already tipped but of course you can leave some extra especially since some in the Haven bend over backwards to provide great service.

My last 2 NCL cruises in the Haven had many Haven waiters rotate through the specialty restaurants too. There were very few "Haven only" staff.

[lmintzer]

On the Pearl, I would add a tip on to the receipt we signed at meals (and at the bar). I was hoping to do that on the Breakaway/in the Haven, too--I don't like have to carry cash while on board. I am HOPING that means the tip would go to that individual server, but according to what I've read on these boards, some aren't sure that it does. : (

[susique]

I think the speciality restaurant staff are not included in the DSC hence the 18% gratuity charge. Now I also know that suites until recently did not pay that 18%, however there is a higher DSC for suites and I would think that covers the staff in the haven restaurant. Just my opinion.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[dongordon]

I tipped the waiters each meal...

$2 cash at breakfast and lunch.

$5 at dinner.

 

Maitre'D: $50 at the end of our 14 day cruise

Assistant: $20

And a nice thank you note at the end of the cruise.

Always received great service and special attention. (ordered my end cut prime rib the day before and had it all the time!):cool:

[njhorseman]

On the Pearl, I would add a tip on to the receipt we signed at meals (and at the bar). I was hoping to do that on the Breakaway/in the Haven, too--I don't like have to carry cash while on board. I am HOPING that means the tip would go to that individual server, but according to what I've read on these boards, some aren't sure that it does. : (

 

There are no receipts to sign unless you order something not covered by UBP such as a bottle of wine or they're willing to get you a specialty restaurant meal and serve it to you in the Haven restaurant. If you want to tip you use cash.

[lmintzer]

Interesting. On the Pearl (non-Haven), we had to sign receipts for everything: meals at MDR, specialty dining meals, all drinks at bars. Nothing showed up on our final cruise account except the tips we added.

 

I will make sure to bring cash this time. Thanks.

[njhorseman]

Interesting. On the Pearl (non-Haven), we had to sign receipts for everything: meals at MDR, specialty dining meals, all drinks at bars. Nothing showed up on our final cruise account except the tips we added.

 

I will make sure to bring cash this time. Thanks.

 

When did you take your cruise? NCL eliminated having to sign for drinks covered by UBP quite some ago.

 

You still have to sign for specialty restaurant meals, but the Haven restaurant isn't a specialty restaurant where the meal carries a charge...whether a la carte pricing such as in Le Bistro or a flat charge such as in Moderno. The Haven restaurant is an MDR with a different menu, for the use of Haven guests . They used to allow a Haven passenger to pay for a limited number of non-Haven guests during the course of the cruise at a charge...maybe $25 per person, but I don't know if they still do. That, if still available, would be the only time you would have to sign for a meal in the Haven restaurant.

 

In thirty years of cruising encompassing perhaps 60 cruises taken on about 10 different cruise lines, including innumerable NCL cruises, I've never had to sign for an MDR meal anywhere. The only time one has to sign is for extra cost items if offered, such as when cruise lines have a surcharge for lobster in an MDR. The only other time you have to sign something is for any beverages that were not included.

[lmintzer]

Our cruise on the Pearl was a year ago--July 2016. We had to sign slips at the bar (even though we had the UBP) and slips at each and every restaurant. Maybe we didn't sign at the MDRs? But we certainly did at specialty restaurants.

[njhorseman]

Our cruise on the Pearl was a year ago--July 2016. We had to sign slips at the bar (even though we had the UBP) and slips at each and every restaurant. Maybe we didn't sign at the MDRs? But we certainly did at specialty restaurants.

 

The Pearl must have been among the last ships requiring you to sign for UBP purchases.

 

I said you have to sign in specialty restaurants, so there was no disagreement there. I was disputing your contention that you had to sign for dinner in the MDRs, because believe me you didn't, and that 's not something new. Again, the Haven restaurant is like an MDR that's restricted to Haven passengers, not like a specialty restaurant. There's no additional charge for dining there, so there's nothing to sign for.

[Sunflower & The Scientist]

Its my understanding that all the service staff get a share of the auto daily gratuities except the butler and concierge. So you can tip them like you would tip any other waiter in another restaurant. They are already tipped but of course you can leave some extra especially since some in the Haven bend over backwards to provide great service.

My last 2 NCL cruises in the Haven had many Haven waiters rotate through the specialty restaurants too. There were very few "Haven only" staff.

 

 

We are in our first suite soon and what I have heard is as you stated. Also though, how much are butlers and concierge's tips and how are those paid?

[lmintzer]

The Pearl must have been among the last ships requiring you to sign for UBP purchases.

 

I said you have to sign in specialty restaurants, so there was no disagreement there. I was disputing your contention that you had to sign for dinner in the MDRs, because believe me you didn't, and that 's not something new. Again, the Haven restaurant is like an MDR that's restricted to Haven passengers, not like a specialty restaurant. There's no additional charge for dining there, so there's nothing to sign for.

 

Thanks for clarifying. I will be sure to bring cash with to tip at the Haven restaurant and bars. : )

[Enavigo]

We are in our first suite soon and what I have heard is as you stated. Also though, how much are butlers and concierge's tips and how are those paid?

 

 

 

I try to bring a good amount of cash to cover all the tipping for the Haven services. For us, we always start with $20/day for each of the Steward and Butler and $10/day for each of Conceirge, Edgar and Haven bar. We then adjust from there based on the service we received that cruise.

 

For what it's worth, I had a long conversation with the old Haven bartender, Stefano, on my first cruise and asked him about tipping (whether we should pay as we go or just once at the end). He said inter-cruise tipping is less impactful because it all goes into a pot and divided up among all the bartenders (not sure of that is just a Breakaway thing). He said they can keep whatever end of the trip tip they get.

 

 

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[Loonbeam]

The Haven restaurant staff are in the DSC so covered by the charges, but of course you cannot tip extra. Unless something has changed, if you want you can go to guest services (and perhaps the Haven concierge) and get a gratuity voucher you can hand out if you don't want to handle cash (will be charged to room bill)

[littlelulu01]

A couple years ago when they started charging 18% on the specialty dinners, there was a bit of a backlash. Then the suites had an increase in dsc above non suites. Not sure if the NCL site still mentions but it used to say the reason for the higher dsc was due to suites having dedicated wait staff... anyways figure that your dsc and grats on dining and beverages packages or orders cover your tips for your room stewards, wait staff and whatever incentive programs for staff. Feel free but certainly not obligated to go above with a cash tip for service above and beyond but needing to bring $ to every Haven breakfast or lunch is simply not necessary or expected. If I have a server or Haven staff that stands out I tip them towards the end of cruise. You will get to know them over the course of the cruise. The butler and concierge aren't included in dsc. They should be tipped separately at the end depending on use and how much you feel like. Many say a starting point is $5 pp per day for concierge and $10pp pd for butler and adjust up depending on service. I don't give my room stewards more than the butler. It's nice to give steward something above the dsc though.

 

Tipping is personal. I'm just not a fan of bringing $1 and $5 wads of cash on cruises but the last few we've taken have been longer cruises and abroad. There's enough to worry about getting off the ship in the morning or coming back for lunch without having to also remember to have a wad of cash to dole out whenever I'm wanting to eat or drink or interact with anyone who gives me service. That is what the dsc is for - so that I can relax and vacation and not think much about it.