Gratuities in the specialty restaurants

[Chicago Boy]

Hope someone can help me with this question. We always have tips added to our account and sometime before the end of the cruise we always give our waiters and room attendants an envelope. That being said, what do you do when dining in a specialty restaurant? We leave 20% of the up charge. Is this sufficient or necessary. We drink very little so most likely there wouldn't be a liquor charge. Thank you for your feed back.

[jimzgoldfinch]

Hope someone can help me with this question. We always have tips added to our account and sometime before the end of the cruise we always give our waiters and room attendants an envelope. That being said, what do you do when dining in a specialty restaurant? We leave 20% of the up charge. Is this sufficient or necessary. We drink very little so most likely there wouldn't be a liquor charge. Thank you for your feed back.

Service charge of 18% is already included in the cost of the speciallity restaurant. There is no need to add additional gratuity as a matter of course but if you feel that an extra gratuity is warranted, then do so.

[cb at sea]

There are tips added to almost everything you purchase...no worries! 20% on top of what you've already tipped is a bit much, IMO!

[dkjretired]

Service charge of 18% is already included in the cost of the speciallity restaurant. There is no need to add additional gratuity as a matter of course but if you feel that an extra gratuity is warranted, then do so.

 

 

Where have you ever seen this, Specialty restaurants have a set charge and I don’t think Celebrity has ever revealed what portion goes as a tip. In the beginning of Specialty restaurants all of the service charge went to the waiters but now no one really knows.

[vulcan1971]

Hope someone can help me with this question. We always have tips added to our account and sometime before the end of the cruise we always give our waiters and room attendants an envelope. That being said, what do you do when dining in a specialty restaurant? We leave 20% of the up charge. Is this sufficient or necessary. We drink very little so most likely there wouldn't be a liquor charge. Thank you for your feed back.

 

Tipping is a personal choice and dependent on your experience at dinner. I usually tip some amount on top of the cover charge. Since I usually buy a dining package or pre-pay for specialty dining prior the voyage, I usually have a zero-balance check where I either write in an amount or leave cash (or both, in one situation).

 

Where have you ever seen this, Specialty restaurants have a set charge and I don’t think Celebrity has ever revealed what portion goes as a tip. In the beginning of Specialty restaurants all of the service charge went to the waiters but now no one really knows.

 

Agree with Don, I have not seen or heard this dealt with outside of speculation.

[dkjretired]

Tipping is a personal choice and dependent on your experience at dinner. I usually tip some amount on top of the cover charge. Since I usually buy a dining package or pre-pay for specialty dining prior the voyage, I usually have a zero-balance check where I either write in an amount or leave cash (or both, in one situation).

 

 

 

Agree with Don, I have not seen or heard this dealt with outside of speculation.

 

What we have done is received a percentage off the meal which is easily done and then if service is good give some or all of that percentage off as a tip. Choice is always yours

[mickey89]

Service charge of 18% is already included in the cost of the speciallity restaurant. There is no need to add additional gratuity as a matter of course but if you feel that an extra gratuity is warranted, then do so.

That’s correct when purchasing Murano for $50/pp but if you purchase a dining package of 3 or more nights there is no gratuity included. Always tip in cash never add to the check otherwise the check tip is shared ship wide, when you tip in cash it is shared only in that specialty restaurant.

[NantahalaCruiser]

That’s correct when purchasing Murano for $50/pp but if you purchase a dining package of 3 or more nights there is no gratuity included. Always tip in cash never add to the check otherwise the check tip is shared ship wide, when you tip in cash it is shared only in that specialty restaurant.

Just curious how you know this. Nothing officially given in writing from Celebrity. Have you discussed this with wait staff in specialty restaurants?

[jimzgoldfinch]

That’s correct when purchasing Murano for $50/pp but if you purchase a dining package of 3 or more nights there is no gratuity included. Always tip in cash never add to the check otherwise the check tip is shared ship wide, when you tip in cash it is shared only in that specialty restaurant.

 

UK website specifically states the dining packages include cover charge and dining gratuity!!

[George C]

We always tip in specialty restaurants between 10 and 20 depending on service.

[bigbeergut]

.... In the beginning of Specialty restaurants all of the service charge went to the waiters but now no one really knows.

 

 

What have you seen that would indicate anything has changed?

[cruzzzinma]

On our recent cruise on the Eclipse. The waiter in Tuscan told us not to add a tip because it went into the “dining pool” shared by everyone.

[Chicago Boy]

Where have you ever seen this, Specialty restaurants have a set charge and I don’t think Celebrity has ever revealed what portion goes as a tip. In the beginning of Specialty restaurants all of the service charge went to the waiters but now no one really knows.

 

Thank you for your response. It is much appreciated. Leaving something extra on the table can't hurt regardless. Just wanted to be sure we weren't doing the wrong thing and it seems as though we are OK.

[vadell]

I was told by Celebrity in the UK that gratuity was included when I booked dining package.

[Peggy Sue]

When we started cruising years ago tipping was so black and white ...you were given envelopes with staff positions printed on them at the end of the cruise. Of course, back then there was only one dining room and not too many other bars, etc.

Now with prepaid tips, drink packages, meal packages, etc., it is difficult to try and figure out what to do. We always leave our cabin attendant extra at the end of the cruise, and we do tip in cash after speciality dining ..$10-20 depending upon location and service. It's difficult in the main dining room, as we are never seated in the same section, plus we dine more in speciality and buffet then the dining room, so we never get to know the staff there.

We go with the attitude that we have already paid the required tips, and we come prepared to tip in cash for excellent service.

On a recent visit to Murano we had to ask for the bill folio ..only to have a manager come over and advise us that because we had purchased the dining plan, our signature wasn't necessary. When we said we wanted to leave an additional tip, we were advised it wasn't necessary. So ..he walked away, we scratched our heads and left 20 on the table. We dined there 2 additional times, and did receive a folio at the end of the meal, where we continued to leave a cash tip. nothing is ever consistent!

Enjoy your cruise!

[ghstudio]

There is no question that the gratuity for specialty restaurants is included in the price you pay....it is included. No one knows how much or how any tip pool is distributed...but your tip is included. Having said that, if your service has been exceptional, there's nothing wrong with leaving an extra tip....either in cash or on your bill (cash is probably better, but again no one really knows). Let me explain a little more because everyone says "tip more if your service was exceptional". IMHO, you know when you've had exceptional service...it's not normal service. If you get normal, good service at a specialty restaurant, that tip is included. When you have a dedicated waiter for your table who pours wine when your glass gets low, replaces the bread when you've eaten all the wonderful breadsticks, hovers without being intrusive....that's exceptional....I tip extra. I've done that exactly twice on about 14 cruises....and they deserved the big extra bucks I left.

 

Don't let anyone tell you "you should tip extra" and don't let anyone shame you for not tipping extra....the basic tip (be it 15%, 18% or 3%) is built in. Tip when you get that great service. You'll know when that happens.

Edited August 12, 2018 by ghstudio

[harz99]

There is no question that the gratuity for specialty restaurants is included in the price you pay....it is included. No one knows how much or how any tip pool is distributed...but your tip is included. Having said that, if your service has been exceptional, there's nothing wrong with leaving an extra tip....either in cash or on your bill (cash is probably better, but again no one really knows). Let me explain a little more because everyone says "tip more if your service was exceptional. IMHO, you know when you've had exceptional service...it's not normal service. If you get normal, good service at a specialty restaurant, that tip is included. When you have a dedicated waiter for your table who pours wine when your glass gets low, replaces the bread when you've eaten all the wonderful breadsticks, hovers without being intrusive....that's exceptional....I tip extra. I've done that exactly twice on about 14 cruises....and they deserved the big extra bucks I left.

 

Don't let anyone tell you "you should tip extra" and don't let anyone shame you for not tipping extra....the basic tip (be it 15%, 18% or 3%) is built in. Tip when you get that great service. You'll know when that happens.

Exactly, I expect excellent service in a speciality for which I already pay an additional gratuity/service charge, on the very rare occasìons when service had been "over and above" I will tip an additional amount. I apply that maxim to all staff not just speciality wait staff.

 

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[elena7seas]

Back when Jacques van Staden was Vice-President of Culinary Operations for Celebrity, he did a Q&A online (here at CC) where he answered specific questions about gratuities in specialty restaurants. At that time (c. 2010) he confirmed that a portion of the cover charge went to the serving staff. If I recall correctly, it was something like 40% to gratuities, a third to upscale ingredients, and I can't remember what the rest went towards. The upshot was that your basic gratuities were already covered by the cover charge in specialty restaurants, but if you felt that service was exceptional, you could add extra gratuities if you chose, and they would be much appreciated.

 

We have almost always had exceptional service in Celebrity specialty restaurants (except once in Murano where the service was over-the-top, affected and intrusive, and a couple of times in Tuscan Grille where the service was verging on deplorable, but that was a few years ago. Tuscan Grille on all ships, but especially on Millennium and Constellation, has been great recently.) We usually visit specialty restaurants about three times per cruise. Because of such exceptional service, in almost all cases we leave an extra gratuity for serving staff, and also for the beverage staff/sommelier as they have been wonderful also, and have added significantly to the enjoyment of our meal.

 

I haven't seen anything from Celebrity since the Jacques van Staden interview, that addresses the way in which the funds from cover charges are distributed, but I haven't been around Cruise Critic as much in the last couple of years as I used to be.

[hcat]

On our recent cruise on the Eclipse. The waiter in Tuscan told us not to add a tip because it went into the “dining pool” shared by everyone.

 

And our Tuscan waiter on Infinity said they prefer it be added to the bill so management recognizes that patrons are pleased.

 

We prefer leaving something extra in cash. The waiter can turn it into the pool or keep it.,.no need to involve more accounting.

 

Not knowing how it really works has tempered our generosity for extra gratuity in BLU..We believe it is pooled... The sommelier gets an auto percentage but we also leave a personal tip if service is very good.

[Redtravel]

Automatic tips are the product of the cruise line. No need to add more tips. I prefer cruiselines that include all tips That way, it is clear that additional tips are not expected. It eliminates any query about tipping. Azamara fare includes tips. Wish all lines followed their lead.

[mickey89]

Just curious how you know this. Nothing officially given in writing from Celebrity. Have you discussed this with wait staff in specialty restaurants?

Do you really expect it writing!

I will leave it to your imagination..................believe what you will.

[keithm]

Hope someone can help me with this question. We always have tips added to our account and sometime before the end of the cruise we always give our waiters and room attendants an envelope. That being said, what do you do when dining in a specialty restaurant? We leave 20% of the up charge. Is this sufficient or necessary. We drink very little so most likely there wouldn't be a liquor charge. Thank you for your feed back.

The tip is included in your bill. There is a section where you may add additional, but that's totally up to you.