Head waiter

[partybarbie]

1 hour ago, GuardCruisers said:

Exactly.  We have been on many cruises, the service was good and on the first few we just tipped at the end.  When I started to tip part of it at the start, the service level went way up.  As it says "To INSURE" not "to hope".  I am happy with our arrangements.

Our next cruise is a 14-day TA.  I think I will tip half at the end of the first seven days (right after we finish the ports and before we start all the sea days) and tip the other half at the end.  The amount will probably work out the same.  I'll see if it makes a difference.  🙂 

[rkacruiser]

1 hour ago, Colo Cruiser said:

I believe they are referring to the individual DR managers.

Each DR has 3-4 HW's who wear the green or white jackets. (depending on formal night)

 

I thought that was to whom the posters were referring.  Are these people considered to be Assistant Maitre d's?  Or, now in current HAL "language", Assistant Dining Room Managers?

 

Sometimes, on a cruise anymore, one needs a score card to know "who is who".

[Colo Cruiser]

3 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

 

I thought that was to whom the posters were referring.  Are these people considered to be Assistant Maitre d's?  Or, now in current HAL "language", Assistant Dining Room Managers?

 

Sometimes, on a cruise anymore, one needs a score card to know "who is who".

On Princess these 3 or 4 in the DR’s are HW’s.

There is an actual asst MD position though.

[rkacruiser]

8 minutes ago, Colo Cruiser said:

On Princess these 3 or 4 in the DR’s are HW’s.

There is an actual asst MD position though.

 

Thanks for that information.  Is the Assistant Dining Room Manager, aka Assistant Maitre d', the person whom one encounters when you enter the dining room and is placed at the podium?

[cruzsnooze]

9 hours ago, amajaa said:

Is it the done thing to give the Head Waiter an extra gratuity on the last day? Our one has been so good with my diabetic diet that we were going to give him extra but not sure if it is considered not the done thing to tip head waiter or it might be beneath him.

They always smile and take your money however he has already been tipped from the auto daily gratuity pool and is merely doing what he is supposed to do, being a head waiter and monitoring special needs. There is no such thing as above and beyond, that's what they do in a service industry on a ship or they don't keep their job. Tipping is up to you but you needn't feel you have to double tip.

Edited May 18, 2019 by cruzsnooze

[Colo Cruiser]

54 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

 

Thanks for that information.  Is the Assistant Dining Room Manager, aka Assistant Maitre d', the person whom one encounters when you enter the dining room and is placed at the podium?

Normally it is one of the HW’s.

The asst MD will be running around all DR’s helping with Chefs Table/Winemakers Dinners etc and whatever else the MD has tasked for him/her.

[rkacruiser]

9 minutes ago, Colo Cruiser said:

Normally it is one of the HW’s.

The asst MD will be running around all DR’s helping with Chefs Table/Winemakers Dinners etc and whatever else the MD has tasked for him/her.

 

Thanks for this information.

 

If I have an issue with dining room service or items served, is it the Green/White coat staff members whom I should inform?

[Colo Cruiser]

44 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

 

Thanks for this information.

 

If I have an issue with dining room service or items served, is it the Green/White coat staff members whom I should inform?

Yes. Always best to start there.  😉

[Doug R.]

This thread is an excellent example of how tipping culture has gotten totally out of hand. What's next? Tipping the Captain to ensure an excellent cruise? The Hotel Manager? The Cruise Director? etc. I am pretty sure the poster who hands out $50 bills to every outstretched  hand would get the same service if no tip was offered up front. I can see rewarding those who moved heaven and earth to meet your needs.

[partybarbie]

Our extra tips ran my husband and me about $6 a day.  In exchange, we had a standing dinner reservation for 7:15 pm, at a two-person window table, in the anytime dining room.  It was a lot cheaper than Club Class and the service was excellent. I wouldn't consider us big tippers, but I really appreciated not having to stand in the "no reservations" line.  That was priceless.  

[cruzsnooze]

19 minutes ago, partybarbie said:

Our extra tips ran my husband and me about $6 a day.  In exchange, we had a standing dinner reservation for 7:15 pm, at a two-person window table, in the anytime dining room.  It was a lot cheaper than Club Class and the service was excellent. I wouldn't consider us big tippers, but I really appreciated not having to stand in the "no reservations" line.  That was priceless.  

Not to burst your bubble but that was a bribe since you tipped before service.  There are standing reservations available to all passengers whether or not they bribe or tip extra. 

[cruzsnooze]

51 minutes ago, Doug R. said:

This thread is an excellent example of how tipping culture has gotten totally out of hand. What's next? Tipping the Captain to ensure an excellent cruise? The Hotel Manager? The Cruise Director? etc. I am pretty sure the poster who hands out $50 bills to every outstretched  hand would get the same service if no tip was offered up front. I can see rewarding those who moved heaven and earth to meet your needs.

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner 😊

[c-boy]

41 minutes ago, cruzsnooze said:

Not to burst your bubble but that was a bribe since you tipped before service.  There are standing reservations available to all passengers whether or not they bribe or tip extra. 

then I/we bribed the crew before we arrived on board 

[partybarbie]

1 hour ago, cruzsnooze said:

Not to burst your bubble but that was a bribe since you tipped before service.  There are standing reservations available to all passengers whether or not they bribe or tip extra. 

 

I guess you didn't read my earlier posts.  I was on the ship for 3 weeks.  I tipped at the end of the first week and the end of the third week. BTW, I don't live in a bubble. 

[Ep010835]

1 hour ago, cruzsnooze said:

Not to burst your bubble but that was a bribe since you tipped before service.  There are standing reservations available to all passengers whether or not they bribe or tip extra. 

 

It was a tip. No bribe involved. 

 

Let’s see what Mr. Webster has to say on the matter:

Bribe

/brīb/

verb

1. 1. 
   persuade (someone) to act in one's favor, typically illegally or dishonestly, by a gift of money or other inducement.

    

    

   I call your attention to the “Illegally or dishonestly” component of the definition. 

    

   How in the world are you able to divine anything illegal or dishonest in the tipping actions of partybarbie??

Edited May 18, 2019 by Ep010835

[Griller]

17 hours ago, amajaa said:

Is it the done thing to give the Head Waiter an extra gratuity on the last day? Our one has been so good with my diabetic diet that we were going to give him extra but not sure if it is considered not the done thing to tip head waiter or it might be beneath him.

Speaking as a diabetic I can easily self select what is suitable and what is not from the menu, what can a Head Waiter do to improve on that?

 

Also I do feel that with statistically at least 20% of passengers being diabetic Princess should  have more suitable food and drink items openly and easily available, so many are incredibly unsuitable and should be avoided at all costs. 

The socalled orange juice and lemonade for a start. If you knew the added sugar content of those two items you would realize they are unsuitable for most people let alone diabetics.

 

Even fast food outlets in many countries now state on their menus the calories in their products, with knowledge of the ingredients this can give more than a hint to diabetics to the glycemic index of them.

Edited May 18, 2019 by Griller

[GuardCruisers]

So, we have never tipped the head waiter/guy at the door.  We tip our actual waiter at the table (guy who takes the orders) and his assistant (young man who lugs all of the food up). 

[1emerald1]

Along the lines of titles and positions, is there an Executive, or Senior Maitre d' for the Princess fleet, and if there is, does anyone know who that would be?

[Moose07]

On 5/17/2019 at 11:14 AM, geocruiser said:

I all ways tip our head waiter.  I get a lot of help from him because I have a shell fish allergy.  Some times it is hidden in the way the food is made, ex sauces made from it.  

We had lots of great head waiters.  On one of my Regal cruises I ask Adrain  (head waiter) about what night should we pick to go to the specialty restaurant (so that we did not go on formal night).  My DH and I pick out the night.  Adrain ask what time we wanted.  He came back later at dinner and said he made our reservation and told them all about my allergy and they would be on top of it.  Great service.  All of them have been wonderful to me.

 

And yes, we do tip them with cash and also write out a card for them.  I have even E-mail Princess and told them how great they were.  

I have a very serious allergy to shellfish and all kinds of peppers, we had Adrain on the Island Princess and he was absolutely wonderful. People do not realize how just about everything made has pepper in it, but I never had to worry about this because of Adrain. I also contacted Princess after we got home to inform them of his and the rest of the staffs wonderful service.

[CRUISEWITHH]

On ‎5‎/‎17‎/‎2019 at 8:17 AM, Micah's Grandad said:

Forgot about that we will do the same. Out of a dozen cruises only one head waiter did not get a tip. Basically everything she asked for he quickly came back and said not possible. We felt he was very shallowly going thru the motions

I had that same head waiter on one of my cruises.  He did not get a tip. 

 

Most of the head waiters that help me with my food allergies are very helpful and "make it happen".  I always give a generous tip at the end of the cruise for all their help.

[geocruiser]

3 hours ago, Moose07 said:

I have a very serious allergy to shellfish and all kinds of peppers, we had Adrain on the Island Princess and he was absolutely wonderful. People do not realize how just about everything made has pepper in it, but I never had to worry about this because of Adrain. I also contacted Princess after we got home to inform them of his and the rest of the staffs wonderful service.

Yes, I believe we are talking about the same Adrain.  We had him on Regal Princess and then he moved to (I believe) Island Princess.  He would even get me help at the buffet.  He brought me to the chefs and told them about the allergy .  Then the chefs would walk me around each time and tell me what I could have.  Adrain would check on me every time he was working the buffet when saw me.  He is a very nice person.  I did write to Princess when I got home about him.  

 

Just a note.  The Chefs at times did not want me taking any french fries at the buffet with out checking with them first.  They would check to see if anything else was fried in the oil.  If they were not sure, I was told not to eat them. They would offer to get them from by the pool.  I all ways said no thank you.  I felt I could walk myself and get them.

[donaldsc]

On 5/17/2019 at 2:27 PM, d9704011 said:

Wouldn’t it be better to bring $100 bills along with you, rip them in half then hand out one half at the beginning of the cruise with a promise to provide the other half at the end if all goes well?

 

Love your idea.  However, you are going to have to give the crew member only about 1/4 of the bill so that you can turn in the rest of the bill as ripped when you get home.

[Because_I_Said]

On 5/18/2019 at 2:54 AM, Griller said:

Speaking as a diabetic I can easily self select what is suitable and what is not from the menu, what can a Head Waiter do to improve on that?

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Even fast food outlets in many countries now state on their menus the calories in their products, with knowledge of the ingredients this can give more than a hint to diabetics to the glycemic index of them.

 

But can you (easily self select)? I am also diabetic and on a low carb, no sugar diet. Without seeing the ingredient list (which is generally not located on the menu), I cannot (and most restaurant staff cannot) determine if there is sugar in an item. There are approximately 56 names that sugar hides under any of which can spike my blood sugar levels. You also cannot tell from a restaurant menu what else is added to a dish. For example, I have a friend who adds sugar to her green beans. I would expect green beans to be fine for a diabetic, wouldn't you?

 

I absolutely depend on my waiter to help me when it comes to determining what foods I can and cannot have at a restaurant. There have certainly been times I have been surprised by an answer.