Tipping

[Mickey527]

This might be silly to some but I can’t find the answer.

I am cruising on RC Oasis in July.

I’m thinking about getting the dining plan instead of going to the regular dining and buffets since that’s a been there done that thing.

I know the wait staff in the main dining room will get tips from our daily charge even if we don’t eat there, but what about the staff in the specialty dining? Do I tip them, tip them cash, give them my room key???

[Biker19]

1 minute ago, Mickey527 said:

Do I tip them, tip them cash, give them my room key???

Up to you.

 

Biker, who wonders how long this one will last.

[Jerseygirl1416]

Gratuity is added to the dining plan at the time of purchase. It’s up to you if you want to tip extra.

[Sunshine3601]

When you purchase dining pkg on cruise planner it will automatically charge 18% gratuity.   If you want to tip extra that is up to you.

[Bigbob7777]

Just a thought:  if you do want to tip a particular person, don’t add it to the bill.  That goes into a fund for the entire ship pool.  The server gets maybe $.02.  Instead give cash directly to your good server.

[Seville2Cabo]

6 minutes ago, Sunshine3601 said:

When you purchase dining pkg on cruise planner it will automatically charge 18% gratuity.   If you want to tip extra that is up to you.

We buy the UDP every cruise and I have never been charged 18%.  The price I seen on the planner is the price I see and am charged for at check out.  

[leaveitallbehind]

1 minute ago, Seville2Cabo said:

We buy the UDP every cruise and I have never been charged 18%.  The price I seen on the planner is the price I see and am charged for at check out.  

It has been added when purchased on board.  

Edited April 6, 2022 by leaveitallbehind

[brillohead]

8 minutes ago, Bigbob7777 said:

Just a thought:  if you do want to tip a particular person, don’t add it to the bill.  That goes into a fund for the entire ship pool.  The server gets maybe $.02.  Instead give cash directly to your good server.

This is not correct.  When adding a tip to a check in a bar or restaurant, that added tip goes to the people working in that venue at that time.  Usually the staff pools their tips with each other on the same shift, but it's a voluntary / agreed upon thing.

If you tip $20 in Chops, that money isn't going to go to the waiters in the Windjammer -- that's what the auto-gratuity charged to your account every day is for.

[leaveitallbehind]

4 minutes ago, brillohead said:

This is not correct.  When adding a tip to a check in a bar or restaurant, that added tip goes to the people working in that venue at that time.  Usually the staff pools their tips with each other on the same shift, but it's a voluntary / agreed upon thing.

If you tip $20 in Chops, that money isn't going to go to the waiters in the Windjammer -- that's what the auto-gratuity charged to your account every day is for.

Just to add, those servers in the WJ are also typically the same as those in the MDR, just on different shifts.  My understanding is the specialty restaurant servers work only in those venues.  As mentioned, it is my understanding as well that gratuities paid in the SR's remain there with that staff.

Edited April 6, 2022 by leaveitallbehind

[cruisetorelax44]

It's always a question in my mind. We always do UDP, never eat in the windjammer or main dining room.  And i know those servers get a majority of the daily gratuity charge. We usually tip $10 per meal, at every meal in the specialties (even Johnny Rockets). We're on Allure next month, and are thinking about asking to having the tips waived, and to just leave $75 for the stateroom attendant. I know everyone on the ship works hard, but I feel like since the biggest portion of the daily charge goes to servers we never see, it may be best...

[Tree_skier]

18 minutes ago, Seville2Cabo said:

We buy the UDP every cruise and I have never been charged 18%.  The price I seen on the planner is the price I see and am charged for at check out.  

I think that has changed post covid.  every future cruise I have booked shows a gratuity tacked on at check out.

 

[not-enough-cruising]

[cruiselvr04]

Purchased for Odyssey last month and gratuity was added pre cruise.  Just purchased for another cruise and it was added at purchase.

 

Just know you’ve already tipped 18%.  If you still want to add more that’s up to you.  We add $5 - $10 but that’s your discretion. 

[cruisinfly]

In the past, when fees for specialty restaurants were a new thing, the fee was considered a tip for the server. Now, it has evolved into paying for dining at the restaurant and having them an 18% gratuity on top of that, as they did for the 3-night specialty dining package I purchased for my upcoming cruise.

 

Now that all gratuities also auto-billed to my account, looks like I'll be double-tipping for waiters for those three nights ... unless I take action to not auto-tip for those 3 nights that I've already paid for. As long as the service is good, I don't mind tipping extra but double-dipping into my wallet is a bit disappointing.

 

Although I like tipping really well for good service, I don't like pre-paying tips. A tip is always optional at the buyer's discretion, otherwise, it's not a tip, it's a service charge. A server should earn their tip by providing good service. Then again, I've always had really good service at specialty restaurants so I've always tipped extra. (Always left at least suggested tip for the MDR, where service can be hit-or-miss.)

[alexgtp]

Up to you. If you feel the service is above and beyond TIP. 

[Ourusualbeach]

59 minutes ago, Seville2Cabo said:

We buy the UDP every cruise and I have never been charged 18%.  The price I seen on the planner is the price I see and am charged for at check out.  

That changed recently.  Only the ships with the new cruise planner show this. 

[mets07]

8 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

That changed recently.  Only the ships with the new cruise planner show this. 

Exactly. This morning I purchased the 3 night dining package for two different future cruises. The one on Explorer added zero for gratuity, but indicated gratuity was included in the price. The one for Harmony added the 18% charge. 

[PTC DAWG]

39 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

I had the same idea.  I love popcorn.  

[brillohead]

32 minutes ago, cruisinfly said:

Now that all gratuities also auto-billed to my account, looks like I'll be double-tipping for waiters for those three nights ... unless I take action to not auto-tip for those 3 nights that I've already paid for.

So you're saying that you won't eat any breakfast, lunch, or snacks at all on the days you have specialty dining that night?

Because those tips also cover staff at Cafe Promenade, Sorrento's, Park Cafe, El Loco Fresh, Boardwalk Dogs, etc., in addition to room stewards.  

Is $14.50/day really going to make or break your annual budget?  Sheesh.

[rudeney]

I just checked for our Oct sailing on Voyager and no tip is added to the price shown in Cruise Planner once I add it to the cart - it's advertised at $169pp and charges $336 (for two of us) in the cart.

[Seville2Cabo]

1 hour ago, Tree_skier said:

I think that has changed post covid.  every future cruise I have booked shows a gratuity tacked on at check out.

 

We have been on 3 navigator cruises since restart, and never paid extra gratuity. Also booked it on Alaska cruise coming up and no extra. Maybe only some ships

[SRF]

2 hours ago, cruisetorelax44 said:

It's always a question in my mind. We always do UDP, never eat in the windjammer or main dining room.  And i know those servers get a majority of the daily gratuity charge. We usually tip $10 per meal, at every meal in the specialties (even Johnny Rockets). We're on Allure next month, and are thinking about asking to having the tips waived, and to just leave $75 for the stateroom attendant. I know everyone on the ship works hard, but I feel like since the biggest portion of the daily charge goes to servers we never see, it may be best...

 

If you opt out of auto grats, the person you tip is required to turn in that tip to the tip pool.

 

If you leave auto grats, any extra tips you leave stay with the person you tipped.  Although in some venues, the staff may have opted to pool the tips within that venue.  I have seen this in some bars, cash tips go into a bucket, and every bartender puts in any cash tips the receive.  But they do stay with the people working that venue.

[Hutcha]

1 hour ago, Seville2Cabo said:

We have been on 3 navigator cruises since restart, and never paid extra gratuity. Also booked it on Alaska cruise coming up and no extra. Maybe only some ships

 

Harmony 06/22

Edited April 6, 2022 by Hutcha

[Hutcha]

58 minutes ago, SRF said:

 

If you opt out of auto grats, the person you tip is required to turn in that tip to the tip pool.

 

If you leave auto grats, any extra tips you leave stay with the person you tipped.  Although in some venues, the staff may have opted to pool the tips within that venue.  I have seen this in some bars, cash tips go into a bucket, and every bartender puts in any cash tips the receive.  But they do stay with the people working that venue.

Just playing devil's advocate. What if you remove the auto on the last night??

Edited April 6, 2022 by Hutcha

[cruisetorelax44]

1 hour ago, SRF said:

 

If you opt out of auto grats, the person you tip is required to turn in that tip to the tip pool.

 

If you leave auto grats, any extra tips you leave stay with the person you tipped.  Although in some venues, the staff may have opted to pool the tips within that venue.  I have seen this in some bars, cash tips go into a bucket, and every bartender puts in any cash tips the receive.  But they do stay with the people working that venue.

that seems extreme.. like, how does the server in the specialty restaurant know that i don't have auto-gratuity turned on? especially if we tip in cash? it's not like the receipt gets flagged in a system or anything....