Tipping in Specialty Restaurants

[fire Lt.]

We usually always do anytime dining in the MDR, but we are scheduled on the Mardi Gras for October 9th and want to take advantage of the specialty restaurants a few nights.  My question is the pre-paid tips cover this or do we need additional tip money?  We always pay extra for great service.   We usually always request the same server in any time dining.   We pay them and our cabin steward extra.  Any input would be greatly appreciated!

[Joe817]

We always  give tips, in addition to the gratuities, when service or food is above par. When we ate at the steakhouse on our recent Vista cruise, we tipped our head waiter $20 and the asst. head waiter $10. We thought it justified, because of the superb food and service. 

[Saint Greg]

35 minutes ago, fire Lt. said:

We usually always do anytime dining in the MDR, but we are scheduled on the Mardi Gras for October 9th and want to take advantage of the specialty restaurants a few nights.  My question is the pre-paid tips cover this or do we need additional tip money?  We always pay extra for great service.   We usually always request the same server in any time dining.   We pay them and our cabin steward extra.  Any input would be greatly appreciated!

If you are talking Cucina, Chibang, and the BBQ place, those are a part of YTD on Mardi Gras.

 

Streakhouse, Rudis, Teppanyaki, emerils don’t include at tip. I want to say the steakhouse used to but a couple years ago they raised the price without raising the price by just keeping the price the same but taking the included tip out. I add 20-30% on the check at specialty restaurants.

 

Edited September 22, 2021 by Saint Greg

[fire Lt.]

Thank you so much!!!   My questions were answered...I was talking about the restaurants included in the promotion.   So as always if the service is excellent an extra tip is warranted!!!

 

[firefly333]

I did speciality restaurants and sea shack and the sushi restaurant dont take any chances and add a separate charge for gratuities. Steak house and oriental you add what you want on vista.

 

Not sure which is better, I would have added more to the sushi place if they hadnt added it. Sea shack its messed up, the amt added.,

 

Different ship, but some places will add it. I bought the coupons.

 

[eileen11]

We are on the Dream this weekend and it's been a few years since our last cruise.  We have reservations at the steakhouse and a few years ago the tip was included in the price.  Is it still the same or do we tip on the $38 pp??  Thank you!!

[mondello]

Saint Greg posted that the last time Carnival adjusted prices in the Steakhouse, they basically raised the price by removing the included gratuity. So, there would probably be a spot to add a tip when you sign the S&S slip.

[Jasonsterling]

I was on the Breeze a couple of weeks ago. I feel like the description when I booked the Steak House stated gratuity was included, however there's also a tip line. I think, though, there's always been a tip line there but that might be because I've always order the wine pairing or a bottle of wine of something like that. In any event, I've always tipped in addition to the "included" gratuity and I did this time as well as though I were tipping on a meal at home. 

[mondello]

@Jasonsterling yeah, I looked at my planner and it doesn't say if tip is included. I'm inclined to agree with Saint Greg as I think I've seen it posted before.

[SmoothFlying]

5 hours ago, eileen11 said:

We are on the Dream this weekend and it's been a few years since our last cruise.  We have reservations at the steakhouse and a few years ago the tip was included in the price.  Is it still the same or do we tip on the $38 pp??  Thank you!!

We did the steakhouse on our MG cruise (Sept 13), as we've done on all of our past CCL sailings, where it was available and you're partially right years ago tip was included. However, they've changed it and it is optional. It is (imho) some of the best staff service you'll receive on the ship and we've always tipped accordingly, it's not unusual for us to leave $20 or more. But.. it's your decision.

 

Mac

[firefly333]

I'm pretty sure they expect a tip. They also expect you to know what you want and on vista refused to give us a paper menu and lectured us about learning to use codes. They lectured a older couple next to us in their 80s also and wouldnt give them a paper menu. 

 

First time I was offered bread, but 2nd time had to ask. Service was rather rude 2nd time. Overbooked and rushed. First time I went said no reservations, then I changed it to 1 person instead of 2 and 530 pm came up so I took it. Someone said I was lucky, they couldnt get in until the last night. 

 

The pink foam oysters to me were wierd, but I wanted to try them. Here are a few appetizers. The 2nd is the pork belly which comes drenched in sauce.

 

Personally I liked the pork belly appetizer at jijijs better.

 

 

[CCLcruiser91]

We had the same problem on the Vista 7/24-7/31 cruise.  The waiter was very rude to my wife when she asked for a menu.  Service from that point on was very disappointing. This was the first time we have had bad service in the Steakhouse.

[firefly333]

12 minutes ago, CCLcruiser91 said:

We had the same problem on the Vista 7/24-7/31 cruise.  The waiter was very rude to my wife when she asked for a menu.  Service from that point on was very disappointing. This was the first time we have had bad service in the Steakhouse.

I knew the menu but the other lady did not. She said how rude as he walked away and he had someone else wait on us, so maybe thats why they never offered us bread. They offered it to a table to the side of us and I said we would like bread too. The food was fine, the service wasnt. I dont expect a lecture. And as I said I saw a menu previously but really just give people one if they ask, not a lecture. 

 

And he really was rushing us. Our waiter needed a different job. First time was good, just not the 2nd time. 

Edited September 23, 2021 by firefly333

[ALWAYS CRUZIN]

6 hours ago, eileen11 said:

We are on the Dream this weekend and it's been a few years since our last cruise.  We have reservations at the steakhouse and a few years ago the tip was included in the price.  Is it still the same or do we tip on the $38 pp??  Thank you!!

PRICE: For $38 per person (gratuities included), 

We do the steak house on the first day of every Carnival cruise. Cannot pass up the free bottle of wine. The food is ALWAYS excellent and more than you can eat.

[ALWAYS CRUZIN]

1 hour ago, SmoothFlying said:

We did the steakhouse on our MG cruise (Sept 13), as we've done on all of our past CCL sailings, where it was available and you're partially right years ago tip was included. However, they've changed it and it is optional. It is (imho) some of the best staff service you'll receive on the ship and we've always tipped accordingly, it's not unusual for us to leave $20 or more. But.. it's your decision.

 

Mac

Need to read the Fahrenheit 555 information. PRICE: For $38 per person (gratuities included), Taken from Carnivals information.

[ALWAYS CRUZIN]

Here is where you can read all about the steakhouse.

 

https://www.carnival.com/awaywego/cruising-fun/what-to-expect/10-things-need-know-carnivals-steakhouse

[Brkintx]

I had two situations where I had to work to tip...

1. I purchased my steakhouse reservation on the Breeze prior to sailing (July 29-Aug 2 sailing) and was never presented with anything to sign, no bill, no paper of any kind. I ended up sending roomie to the room for cash that I left on the table. (My waiter never came back by.)

2. In the Italian restaurant, which was reserved by the casino host, they threw away the ticket because it was "comped." I asked for a duplicate and it took some level of effort on the machine trying to re-print it (apparently they had closed it out). In the end they brought me the crumpled up one they found on or near the top of the trash...  I added my tip to that. 

 

This was a pretty early sailing, so perhaps they were still working kinks out.

 

[Bostwick girl]

I was just reading about the gratuities for steakhouse on the thread called Steakhouse. Some said the gratuity was removed when the price increased.  That is NOT true, the $38 includes gratuity. There’s a link on that thread to the Need To Know about the steakhouse that tells you gratuities included. I was just on the phone with my pvp and asked her about it, and she read me the exact same thing.  GRATUITY IS INCLUDED IN STEAKHOUSE.  Of course you can give additional if you wish.

 

[Steelers0854]

We are dining here tonight on the Pride and had the same question. Thanks to @ALWAYS CRUZIN for the link but to make it easier on everyone here you go right from Carnival:

 

• Reservation fees are $38 per adult and $12 for kids 11 and under. This includes an entrée, appetizer, salad, side, dessert and a gratuity for your wait staff.

[HillBilly Bob]

3 minutes ago, Steelers0854 said:

• Reservation fees are $38 per adult 

We always tip accordingly as if we were in a comprable "land" steak house, i.e. Ruth's Chris, Morton's or Flemings.   We know what that tab would be and use that for our basis.     

[ALWAYS CRUZIN]

15 minutes ago, HillBilly Bob said:

We always tip accordingly as if we were in a comprable "land" steak house, i.e. Ruth's Chris, Morton's or Flemings.   We know what that tab would be and use that for our basis.     

If that is what you like to do. Fine. I will not double tip. A land steak house does not collect the tip first as Carnival does.

[BoozinCroozin]

Glad I read this. To is already included. Now, I to more based on service. If someone is demeaning it rushing me, it is going to be like This Rock from the Sun.... If you ever saw the episode.

 

 

[Titan_Cruiser]

18 hours ago, firefly333 said:

I did speciality restaurants and sea shack and the sushi restaurant dont take any chances and add a separate charge for gratuities. Steak house and oriental you add what you want on vista.

 

Not sure which is better, I would have added more to the sushi place if they hadnt added it. Sea shack its messed up, the amt added.,

 

Different ship, but some places will add it. I bought the coupons.

 

Where do you buy these coupons? 

[HillBilly Bob]

47 minutes ago, ALWAYS CRUZIN said:

If that is what you like to do. Fine. I will not double tip. A land steak house does not collect the tip first as Carnival does.

AND THEY WORK harder than most of us would ever dream of.   They deserve every penny they receive.  

[ALWAYS CRUZIN]

7 minutes ago, HillBilly Bob said:

AND THEY WORK harder than most of us would ever dream of.   They deserve every penny they receive.  

Hay, it is your money and you can do with it whatever you like. I will beg to differ that they work harder than most of us dram of. 1000s upon 1000s of people from all walks of life work a lot harder than they do in filthy jobs and not make what they do. They chose there job. Most others have no choice.