Additional Tip Charge for Specialty Restaurants

[Fijalclarkski]

I reserved two specialty restaurants for my Beyond cruise in February 2023 just now, and noticed that Celebrity added gratuity on top of the dining charges. This is different than when we sailed on Apex this past February. Does anyone know when this change was made? I am happy to pay gratuities for the awesome service they provide, I just was used to the gratuities being included in the restaurant charges.

[dkjretired]

5 hours ago, Fijalclarkski said:

I reserved two specialty restaurants for my Beyond cruise in February 2023 just now, and noticed that Celebrity added gratuity on top of the dining charges. This is different than when we sailed on Apex this past February. Does anyone know when this change was made? I am happy to pay gratuities for the awesome service they provide, I just was used to the gratuities being included in the restaurant charges.

That’s new and different

[mnocket]

News to me too. 

[jelayne]

We were on the Apex last week and  dined  in Eden  booked via the Cruise Planner months ago and no gratuity was added.  We booked Eden and La Gran Bistro once on the ship and also no added gratuity.  So unless there is an error this is something new.

 

How much was added for the gratuity?  

[Auntiemomo]

I booked the 3-night specialty restaurant on an upcoming Eclipse sailing thru my cruise planner, and no gratuity was added.  Must be a mistake.  I would call someone at the Captain's Club and have the gratuity moved and reinstated to your available funds in the cruise planner.  If you didn't book with the cruise planner and paid by credit card, I would call, cancel, and rebook thru a live person.

[mari10]

8 hours ago, Fijalclarkski said:

I reserved two specialty restaurants for my Beyond cruise in February 2023 just now, and noticed that Celebrity added gratuity on top of the dining charges. This is different than when we sailed on Apex this past February. Does anyone know when this change was made? I am happy to pay gratuities for the awesome service they provide, I just was used to the gratuities being included in the restaurant charges.

Same here when I booked speciality for the Beyond cruises, added charge. 

[jelayne]

56 minutes ago, mari10 said:

Same here when I booked speciality for the Beyond cruises, added charge. 

When did you book?  I booked Eden & Roof Top Grill on 3/27/22 and no gratuity added.

[mari10]

21 minutes ago, jelayne said:

When did you book?  I booked Eden & Roof Top Grill on 3/27/22 and no gratuity added.

 Reserved on 4/19. 

[dreamer321]

I am booked on Apex's New Years 2023 8 night Eastern Caribbean cruise and I just reserved Eden for dinner. I was charged $55 + 18% gratuity => $64.90 

 

I guess this is the new policy for specialty dining.  It's still worth it to me to eat at Eden.

 

[jelayne]

While we enjoyed both Eden and Roof Top  last week and did tip at the end. The cruise fare includes gratuity for dining staff so adding anther gratuity seems like double dipping. I guess it could be a way to raise the price of the specialty restaurants without it being so obvious.  We wouldn’t pay $65 for Eden or Le Petit Chef and certainly not $55 for Roof Top.

[mfs2k]

Did those who were charged for tips in specialty restaurants have the “always included” in their fare?

[jelayne]

I just logged into the Cruise Planner for a December cruise and the specialty restaurant prices are all up 18%.  So at least on the Solstice the increase is not showing as a gratuity.  Murano is now $59 pp, 

Tuscan is $53.10.  

Edited April 28, 2022 by jelayne

[mfs2k]

When I look at the prices for my October 2022 Beyond cruise, the prices for Specialty restaurants are the same they have been for 6 months, and no mention of added gratuities. 

[kathynorth]

Specialty dining prices for our Aug 2022 and Feb 2023 have an 18% increase on all restaurants and packages.

 

[5waldos]

The information on the specialty restaurants makes a big deal about charging a 20% gratuity for drinks but nothing about adding a gratuity to the meals. This suggests to me that the gratuity is included in the price. Given how contradictory the website to be, that may be a mistake but that is my reading of the pricing. 

 

I also assume that if you have the drinks package that this would apply to drinks in the specialty restaurants although that is more a guess since there is no reference to it. It is something that I will have to check out at some point. 

[jelayne]

We currently have booking on the Beyond, Edge, Apex, Solstice and Millennium from now through late 2023.  I have checked the specialty dining prices for each and on some of these ships the price has been raised by 18%., eg Murano went from $50 pp to $59 pp.  On other ships the base price has not increased but when you go to book and check-out there is a 18% gratuity added.

Either way a 18% increase.

[stavy]

We have booked and paid for dinners in specialty restaurants…will they add an additional charge?

[jelayne]

9 minutes ago, stavy said:

We have booked and paid for dinners in specialty restaurants…will they add an additional charge?

Doubtful. When prices increased on dining packages a few years ago those who already purchased ( us included) were not charged the difference.

[dgoz]

I had Le Petit Chef reserved on my cruise planner and decided last week to change the night I went. I was still charged $55 despite the fact that it was saying $63 on the website.

[stavy]

Thank you for the responses

[Lastdance]

My reservation on Apex for Eden is also the same; I wonder what will happen when I ask for my elite+ discount onboard.  Anyway, thanks to lots of OBC to soften the increase.  Everything is on an upward climb, but supply and demand will change.

[jelayne]

6 hours ago, Lastdance said:

My reservation on Apex for Eden is also the same; I wonder what will happen when I ask for my elite+ discount onboard.  Anyway, thanks to lots of OBC to soften the increase.  Everything is on an upward climb, but supply and demand will change.

We booked and paid with credit card  pre cruise, so no E+ discount.  We told the MaitreD and he said he would take care of it.  Of course since it was already paid by Credit card we didn't see a bill or charge to our shipboard account.  Got home and checked the credit card and no refund for the $16.50 discount.  

 

On the bright side we went to Le Gran Bistro for lunch one day.  When we got the bill our waiter had noticed our E+ status and gave us the discount without asking.  In fact I hadn't thought about asking, it had slipped my mind.

[SSAtlantic]

I just booked Tuscan for an early June cruise and the 18% is definitely added on.  
Total was $53.10 per person. Kind of makes me wish I had booked earlier. 

[albi]

We booked Eden yesterday and were also charged the gratuity.  Called Captain’s Club and agent said this charge started end of April fleet wide.  So anyone booking before the change date would be charged $55 and the rest of us will pay the extra gratuity.  Always thought the gratuity was included and tipped extra for the excellent service we alway received in the speciality restaurants on board.

Hope  the wonderful servers see the gratuity now!

[RobertybobUK]

6 hours ago, albi said:

We booked Eden yesterday and were also charged the gratuity.  Called Captain’s Club and agent said this charge started end of April fleet wide.  So anyone booking before the change date would be charged $55 and the rest of us will pay the extra gratuity.  Always thought the gratuity was included and tipped extra for the excellent service we alway received in the speciality restaurants on board.

Hope  the wonderful servers see the gratuity now!

 

We are booked on Silhouette, August 2022. Going into the Cruise Planner, (UK Celebrity website) we also noticed that the cost of prepaid speciality dining packages has increased by 18%, this being done sometime between 23rd and 29th April 2022. That this is to cover gratuities makes some sense,  however, selecting a package it states:-

 

"Important details and advisements

Additional items such as beverages, menu supplements, food and wine pairings and gratuities are not included. (My underlining).

Dining Packages Specialty Dining Package pricing include restaurant cover charges only."

 

So, on the face of it, according to the Cruise Planner, there's been an 18% increase in cost and gratuities are still to pay for. I remain uncertain on this one.