Dining Room Tipping

[taglovestocruise]

If you can not afford the daily tipping just find a TA that gives pre paid grats as a perk.  We have had pre paid tips and specialty dining as a TA perk for the last several years, probably more like 10 years.  Only on transatlantic cruises are the pre paid grats a issue, last 14 night cruise we were given $300.00 refundable OBC in lieu of pre paid. 

[Biker19]

16 minutes ago, taglovestocruise said:

If you can not afford the daily tipping just find a TA that gives pre paid grats as a perk.  

If someone can't afford the grats, they can't afford the fare needed to get free grats.

[taglovestocruise]

13 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

If someone can't afford the grats, they can't afford the fare needed to get free grats.

Did not want to be rude and call those non toppers cheapo's. Hard to believe how many want to screw the crew. 

[mom2tcdx2]

Slightly off topic, but still regarding the gratuity.  If we don't do the main dining rooms, but rather do all specialty dining - is the gratuity that would have been for the MDR staff given to the specialty dining staff instead?  My husband always wondered and I was never certain.  Last cruise we did on the Allure we noticed the specialty dining staff commented quite a bit about remembering to add a gratuity to our bill.  We just wondered if they still somehow are in the pool of the gratuity we did prepay already?  

[DaKahuna]

1 hour ago, taglovestocruise said:

If you can not afford the daily tipping just find a TA that gives pre paid grats as a perk.  We have had pre paid tips and specialty dining as a TA perk for the last several years, probably more like 10 years.  Only on transatlantic cruises are the pre paid grats a issue, last 14 night cruise we were given $300.00 refundable OBC in lieu of pre paid. 

 

 I need to change to your TA..  I've never gotten either of those from our TA.  

 

[marci22]

50 minutes ago, mom2tcdx2 said:

Slightly off topic, but still regarding the gratuity.  If we don't do the main dining rooms, but rather do all specialty dining - is the gratuity that would have been for the MDR staff given to the specialty dining staff instead?  My husband always wondered and I was never certain.  Last cruise we did on the Allure we noticed the specialty dining staff commented quite a bit about remembering to add a gratuity to our bill.  We just wondered if they still somehow are in the pool of the gratuity we did prepay already?  

This is a good question. Since (I am guessing) that specialty servers also work in other venues during the week, they should be covered in the tip pool. 

 

However, you are paying a fee for specialty, and a part of that is considered a tip. (no one knows how much). Also, if you buy your packages online, you are told that the 18% gratuity is included. If you buy onboard, the 18% gratuity will be applied on your bill at dinner. Even when I have paid onboard and the 18% tip has been added, I have been reminded that I can tip (even) more for excellent service.

 

In view of all this, you really have to make your own decision about how you want to tip. Some people don't tip. I believe that if you pay out tips the way you like, to whom you like, at the 'suggested amounts', you have done your part. If you want to tip more fine, but don't feel you have to pay auto grats and then tip any other waiter who serves you more than that. Unless you want to.

Edited January 22, 2020 by marci22

[brillohead]

17 minutes ago, DaKahuna said:

 

 I need to change to your TA..  I've never gotten either of those from our TA.  

 

When you pay ten thousand dollars for a suite and the TA is getting a huge commission check, they will "generously" pay your gratuities out of their commission check.  

When you pay $500 for an inside and the TA gets a few bucks for a commission, you get bupkis.

 

[cb at sea]

The tips they charge you on a nightly basis cover ALL of those who serve you food in ALL of the "free/include" venues.  No worries...leave the tips as they are, and those who serve you will get their tips.  "Specialty" restaurants charge a fee...and the tip is included in that fee.  You're covered....they've made it "fool-proof".

 

[HBE4]

2 hours ago, taglovestocruise said:

Did not want to be rude and call those non toppers cheapo's. Hard to believe how many want to screw the crew. 

 

That is very polite of you but you needn't worry. Nobody on the thread - OP included - had suggested not tipping.

[DaKahuna]

3 hours ago, brillohead said:

When you pay ten thousand dollars for a suite and the TA is getting a huge commission check, they will "generously" pay your gratuities out of their commission check.  

When you pay $500 for an inside and the TA gets a few bucks for a commission, you get bupkis.

 

Well considering we do two or three cruises a year in Suites or Junior Suites exclusively, I would think we should qualify for something. 😀
 

We’ve been with her for over five years now.

 

John

 

[BirdTravels]

On 1/21/2020 at 11:27 AM, sas80 said:

 

If we do anytime dining can we decline gratuities?

You should NOT cancel the auto grats. That money is distributed to many of the crew who work very hard for long hours to make your cruise memorable. 
 

If you tip only your waiter, you stiff the person who clean and set your table, washed your dishes, cooked your food, cleaned the floors, restocked the toilet paper, organized ships activities, served your drink, set up your lounger, etc. 

[springfire]

2 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

You should NOT cancel the auto grats. That money is distributed to many of the crew who work very hard for long hours to make your cruise memorable. 
 

If you tip only your waiter, you stiff the person who clean and set your table, washed your dishes, cooked your food, cleaned the floors, restocked the toilet paper, organized ships activities, served your drink, set up your lounger, etc. 

So I am responsible for tipping the person who restocked the toilet paper?  I don't think so!   We will continue to remove those auto grats!

[not-enough-cruising]

21 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

You should NOT cancel the auto grats. That money is distributed to many of the crew who work very hard for long hours to make your cruise memorable. 
 

If you tip only your waiter, you stiff the person who clean and set your table, washed your dishes, cooked your food, cleaned the floors, restocked the toilet paper, organized ships activities, served your drink, set up your lounger, etc. 

all those other people get a paycheck from their employer. I tip those that I come In Personal contact with, In an amount and in a manner of my choosing. 
NO automatic gratuity 

[TYMAN]

I'm curious on why auto tips are removed. I mean, I understand poor service and a person not being sure compensation is in order, but what other reasons can there be if you receive excellent service from your dining staff, room steward etc etc? Do you feel the cruise line should provide more compensation to their staff? Is it because you didn't realize it was going to be added daily to your account? Do you just tip the people you come in contact with, not worrying about the "behind the scenes" workers?  Do you feel that the cruise fare alone should cover tips also?  I don't get the people, before even stepping on board, that have already decided to remove the auto-grats.

 

Besides going to GS and having the gratuities removed, has any of the "removers" actually looked their cabin steward or dining room server in the face and told them that a tip is not coming? I would guess not....

Edited January 23, 2020 by TYMAN

[LizzieandLuke]

1 hour ago, TYMAN said:

Besides going to GS and having the gratuities removed, has any of the "removers" actually looked their cabin steward or dining room server in the face and told them that a tip is not coming? I would guess not....

 

That is why they wait until the last day to remove them and then don't show up for dinner.  

 

 

[papaflamingo]

 Waiters are assigned a certain number of tables each meal. They depend on your tips for their pay.  If you remove them because you CHOOSE not to dine in the MDR, you are cutting their pay.   They did nothing to deserve a pay cut. Why would you want to do that to them?  

 

[not-enough-cruising]

1 hour ago, TYMAN said:

I'm curious on why auto tips are removed. I mean, I understand poor service and a person not being sure compensation is in order, but what other reasons can there be if you receive excellent service from your dining staff, room steward etc etc? Do you feel the cruise line should provide more compensation to their staff? Is it because you didn't realize it was going to be added daily to your account? Do you just tip the people you come in contact with, not worrying about the "behind the scenes" workers?  Do you feel that the cruise fare alone should cover tips also?  I don't get the people, before even stepping on board, that have already decided to remove the auto-grats.

 

Besides going to GS and having the gratuities removed, has any of the "removers" actually looked their cabin steward or dining room server in the face and told them that a tip is not coming? I would guess not....

I have seen enough evidence stating that the auto gratuity doesn’t put any more money in any crew pockets; but it does lower the amount coming out of the cruise-line pocket To meet the guaranteed agreed upon wage. 
A gratuity is  for above and beyond service, and I , the consumer, should determine who I feel met that standard.  
 

when you go to a restaurant in your home town, do you give them a credit card number over the phone when you make your reservation, and tell them to go ahead and charge the tip to the card at that time?

[TYMAN]

24 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

when you go to a restaurant in your home town, do you give them a credit card number over the phone when you make your reservation, and tell them to go ahead and charge the tip to the card at that time?

 

And that has to do with the Cabin Steward how? Anyway, since I don't "pre-pay" the tips on my cruises, your analogy really doesn't work for me. I actually, as all those that leave the auto's on, have the daily gratuity, see them posted the day after. So no, I don't prepay tips at restaurants nor on a cruise. What else you got?

 

As far as I see it, we can agree to disagree, but no hard feelings. 🙂 

Edited January 23, 2020 by TYMAN

[not-enough-cruising]

47 minutes ago, TYMAN said:

 

And that has to do with the Cabin Steward how? Anyway, since I don't "pre-pay" the tips on my cruises, your analogy really doesn't work for me. I actually, as all those that leave the auto's on, have the daily gratuity, see them posted the day after. So no, I don't prepay tips at restaurants nor on a cruise. What else you got?

 

As far as I see it, we can agree to disagree, but no hard feelings. 🙂 

I don’t know why you are fixated on the room steward, but so be it. 
The beauty of the system in place is choice, you have yours and are happy with it so that’s awesome. 
I prefer a different approach. 

[TYMAN]

4 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

I don’t know why you are fixated on the room steward, but so be it. 
The beauty of the system in place is choice, you have yours and are happy with it so that’s awesome. 
I prefer a different approach. 

 

If I'm not mistaken, which I'm not, the original request was how to remove auto tips but still tip the wait staff in the dining room, IF that person dines there. Removing the tips and only tipping in DR does affect the cabin steward that cleans your room twice a day etc. That is why I'm fixated on the cabin steward, not to mention WJ staff etc. 

 

As stated, we have different opinions and different approaches, and that's cool. I won't convince anyone to change and probably those that remove tips won't either. That's what kills me about these tipping, dress codes, etc threads. It's the same conversations over and over without anyone convincing anyone else to change. Since I normally don't respond on those threads, I thought it would be interesting this time, and it was.

 

Happy cruising! Countdown for me is 31 days! 🙂 

[Tulsacoker]

5 minutes ago, TYMAN said:

Happy cruising! Countdown for me is 31 days! 🙂 

Lucky!

[TYMAN]

1 minute ago, Tulsacoker said:

Lucky!

I'm pretty sure I invited you, no? 😉 My other countdowns are 109 & 255 days....join me? Not only would I buy the first round, I'll handle the tip too! Ha! 

[Tulsacoker]

2 minutes ago, TYMAN said:

I'm pretty sure I invited you, no? 😉 My other countdowns are 109 & 255 days....join me? Not only would I buy the first round, I'll handle the tip too! Ha! 

Wish I could...We could get hammered and start yelling at people who don't tip.  I'm sitting at 80 and 225 

[TYMAN]

1 minute ago, Tulsacoker said:

Wish I could...We could get hammered and start yelling at people who don't tip.  I'm sitting at 80 and 225 

There's not that many of them, so I'm not worried. Ha! Congrats on the countdowns! Enjoy, I'm sure well deserved. Anyway, leaving this thread for something funner....see you there. 🙂 

[LMaxwell]

On 1/21/2020 at 5:58 PM, Jamesatgsu said:

If you request to remove a portion of your tip, you'll be asked for an explanation.

 

No you won't be asked for an explanation.   

 

OP, you can tip cash to whoever you want, whenever you want, and they will keep it whether you left automatic on or not.