Tipping in specialty restaurants

[Sea Dog]

3 minutes ago, AnnaNicole said:

I believe  Pre-paid daily gratuity would go to MDR staff.

 

Check your cruiseplanner to see if BOGO includes gratuity for specialty dining wait staff.  If not, then you should tip specialty dining wait staff.

I'm glad I asked I did not know that. I did check the planner and there is no gratuity added I will need to tip.

[george35]

We got a specialty dinner from our TA, is the tip included??

 

george35

[AnnaNicole]

I remember, way back when, the specialty restaurant cover charge was the tip.  

[Ourusualbeach]

8 minutes ago, george35 said:

We got a specialty dinner from our TA, is the tip included??

 

george35

You will not be charged anything additional.  Whether you want to leave anything extra is totally up to you.

[bananawindnj]

On 8/18/2019 at 1:10 AM, cruisegus said:

Anytime you pay for specialty dinning on Royal, be it pre-cruise or on board the gratuity has been covered in that cost.

Do you have a source for your statement? I believe that, but many people don't or won't.

I believe they purposely leave the tip issue ambiguous,  as most people won't ask the dining personnel , not to appear cheap. These posts just prove that ,  some say yes, and some say no.It should be clear!

[springfire]

19 hours ago, AnnaNicole said:

Agree.   Triple - daily gratuity, cruiseplanner purchase gratuity, and dinnertime gratuity.  Yikes.

 

 

 

And all that gratuity money goes straight to Royal and Royal does whatever it wants to do with our gratuity.  

[Clarea]

15 minutes ago, springfire said:

And all that gratuity money goes straight to Royal and Royal does whatever it wants to do with our gratuity.  

 

Yes, but it is to enhance our cruise experience.🙄

[Joseph2017China]

Tips are always included in the price you pay.  Sometimes it in inclusive of the amount you pay.  Other times it is added on when you purchase.  Either way, you never need to add tips when you go.  You already tipped 18%.  The same goes for drinks and drink packages.  The tip is included. 

 

Many people have conspiracy theories on tipping and how they don't get the tips, or it is pooled, or so many other ideas.  I look at it like this.  I paid my tip and what happens to it after I pay, is none of my concern.  I seldom tip extra because the service is as expected.  I order, and they deliver my food.  Same with drinks.  However, if I tipped extra, it is for a reason of really doing something special, and that tip is between me, and the person in receipt of it. 

[Joseph2017China]

1 hour ago, bananawindnj said:

Do you have a source for your statement? I believe that, but many people don't or won't.

I believe they purposely leave the tip issue ambiguous,  as most people won't ask the dining personnel , not to appear cheap. These posts just prove that ,  some say yes, and some say no.It should be clear!

I think the words "tips are included" is very clear.  Many people just forget what they read.

[cruisegus]

On 8/18/2019 at 12:10 AM, cruisegus said:

Anytime you pay for specialty dinning on Royal, be it pre-cruise or on board the gratuity has been covered in that cost.

 

 

1 hour ago, bananawindnj said:

Do you have a source for your statement? I believe that, but many people don't or won't.

I believe they purposely leave the tip issue ambiguous,  as most people won't ask the dining personnel , not to appear cheap. These posts just prove that ,  some say yes, and some say no.It should be clear!

I do, from Royals web site

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/specialty-dining-package-gratuity

 

Edited August 19, 2019 by cruisegus

[belmontcrew]

8 minutes ago, cruisegus said:

 

I do, from Royals web site

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/specialty-dining-package-gratuity

 

 

This is the issue I have here. If I book a specialty restaurant on board, Royal is adding an 18% gratuity when I Am already paying my gratuity for the day which includes the dinning staff. In essence, they are getting to double dip on tips for every specialty dining reservation made onboard.  I would certainly be inclined to remove a portion of my daily tip for that particular day in this case.  

[Clarea]

5 minutes ago, belmontcrew said:

 

This is the issue I have here. If I book a specialty restaurant on board, Royal is adding an 18% gratuity when I Am already paying my gratuity for the day which includes the dinning staff. In essence, they are getting to double dip on tips for every specialty dining reservation made onboard.  I would certainly be inclined to remove a portion of my daily tip for that particular day in this case.  

 

Your automatic daily gratuity does not cover dining staff in extra cost specialty restaurants.

[belmontcrew]

1 hour ago, Host Clarea said:

 

Your automatic daily gratuity does not cover dining staff in extra cost specialty restaurants.

 

Thus I am having to double tip. I’m paying a gratuity for the specialty restaurant staff if I book onboard and also to the staff in the MDR for service I never received. Is it a huge amount...no it isn’t. The point is that I should not have to pay both. If Royal did not add the 18% I would be inclined to tip the specialty staff anyway. The fact that they now want to nickel and dime me with the added gratuity makes me inclined to nickel and dime right back by removing a small portion of my daily gratuity for that day. If the gratuity is included if you book specialty prior to boarding, it should be included if you book onboard as well. 

[Clarea]

22 minutes ago, belmontcrew said:

 

Thus I am having to double tip. I’m paying a gratuity for the specialty restaurant staff if I book onboard and also to the staff in the MDR for service I never received. Is it a huge amount...no it isn’t. The point is that I should not have to pay both. If Royal did not add the 18% I would be inclined to tip the specialty staff anyway. The fact that they now want to nickel and dime me with the added gratuity makes me inclined to nickel and dime right back by removing a small portion of my daily gratuity for that day. If the gratuity is included if you book specialty prior to boarding, it should be included if you book onboard as well. 

 

You are not forced to pay the automatic tips.  Just go to Guest Services and request they discontinue automatic tips.

[belmontcrew]

22 minutes ago, Host Clarea said:

 

You are not forced to pay the automatic tips.  Just go to Guest Services and request they discontinue automatic tips.

 

I have no issue with the automatic tips. No need to discontinue. 

[cb at sea]

The tip is included in the COST for the specialties.  No worries!

[belmontcrew]

5 hours ago, cb at sea said:

The tip is included in the COST for the specialties.  No worries!

 

When you book onboard an 18% gratuity is now added. 

[taglovestocruise]

8 hours ago, belmontcrew said:

 

Thus I am having to double tip. I’m paying a gratuity for the specialty restaurant staff if I book onboard and also to the staff in the MDR for service I never received. Is it a huge amount...no it isn’t. The point is that I should not have to pay both. If Royal did not add the 18% I would be inclined to tip the specialty staff anyway. The fact that they now want to nickel and dime me with the added gratuity makes me inclined to nickel and dime right back by removing a small portion of my daily gratuity for that day. If the gratuity is included if you book specialty prior to boarding, it should be included if you book onboard as well. 

If you remove a small portion for that day what happens to the breakfast and lunch staff that served you.  The tips are for what the waiters have done all day not just at night.