Additional Tip Charge for Specialty Restaurants

[FlorenceItaly]

A few weeks ago I booked Tuscan for a reduced price of $30.00 pp for evening of embarkation.  The same reservation would now be $35.40pp.

[Redtravel]

 Eat in the MDR.  It’s included in your cruise fare.  Will only go to specialty if I have non refundable OBC and cannot think of another way to spend it.  

[Guppy99]

On 4/28/2022 at 8:57 AM, 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.

How many persons in your reservation?

This has never been the case on any cruise I have been on with Celebrity. My most recent was January on the Eclipse.

Also, how were you able to reserve so far in advance? 

[albi]

Our receipt for dinner for two in Eden definitely states $110 plus 19.80 gratuity 

[jelayne]

It is a very recent change.  Last week, depending on which ship, on some the price was up 18% and on other ships the price stayed the same but at checkout a 18/% tip was added. 
 

Either way there was a price increase which isn’t surprising considering how the price of food has increased.

[LMHSRN]

Just as an FYI. 

I reserved a room Set-up with Vodka priced at $100.00.  At check out, the 18% tip was added making the purchase $118.00

Looks like tips being added to everything purchased now.

 

 

[deliver42]

All the cruise lines are increasing specialty dining and drink packages. It's actually funny. If you book Carnival or Royal, and add their drink packages, Celebrity is usually cheaper unless you add the optional packages.

[NutsAboutGolf]

43 minutes ago, deliver42 said:

All the cruise lines are increasing specialty dining and drink packages. It's actually funny. If you book Carnival or Royal, and add their drink packages, Celebrity is usually cheaper unless you add the optional packages.

 

Royal maybe, not so much CCL which already has cheaper specialty dining and internet.  Last March CCL's steakhouse was $38/person and Italian $15/person

[NutsAboutGolf]

20 hours ago, jelayne said:

It is a very recent change.  Last week, depending on which ship, on some the price was up 18% and on other ships the price stayed the same but at checkout a 18/% tip was added. 
 

Either way there was a price increase which isn’t surprising considering how the price of food has increased.

 

IMO a lot of people will be turned off and not book it.  I spoke to two couples who said they would never book anything over $50/person, they only book if they can get a deal

[scrapcreator]

I just made Fine Cut Steakhouse dinner reservations this morning for our Beyond cruise. Price was $55 pp and gratuities were added on as I went to the checkout page. Spent that onboard credit and then some.

[FlorenceItaly]

17 hours ago, LMHSRN said:

Just as an FYI. 

I reserved a room Set-up with Vodka priced at $100.00.  At check out, the 18% tip was added making the purchase $118.00

Looks like tips being added to everything purchased now.

 

 

I realize this is the Celebrity board, but, thought I would mention that I purchased a litre of bourbon from HAL yesterday, $80.00, NO service charge added.  I was very surprised.

[Redtravel]

adding tips to items that previously didn't have required tips is another way to increase revenue.  When you buy the cruise with AI that includes tips. It doesn't distinguish who gets what tip. It's all included. That specialty meal that you buy replaces an already included meal in the MDR. That meal if you dined there had its tip included. Just because you ate somewhere else, you should not be charged another tip.  Eat in the MDR.

[Craftdee2]

Booked Le Petite Chet on Summit cruising in July. 18% gratuity was added. The week before it was $55 and when I went to book it was $64.

[jagoffee]

2 hours ago, Redtravel said:

adding tips to items that previously didn't have required tips is another way to increase revenue.  When you buy the cruise with AI that includes tips. It doesn't distinguish who gets what tip. It's all included. That specialty meal that you buy replaces an already included meal in the MDR. That meal if you dined there had its tip included. Just because you ate somewhere else, you should not be charged another tip.  Eat in the MDR.

True, but is it a very small tip compared to the amount of a tip on a  meal in a restaurant.  This is true in the MDR or the Speciality restaurants.  Historically I have always felt the Speciality dining charge was more like an additional tip.

[Redtravel]

14 hours ago, jagoffee said:

True, but is it a very small tip compared to the amount of a tip on a  meal in a restaurant.  This is true in the MDR or the Speciality restaurants.  Historically I have always felt the Speciality dining charge was more like an additional tip.

Make it optional. A mandatory charge is not a tip.  I often add extra tips for excellent service.  Just another way to increase revenue. Celebrity is the master of how to do it. They are marketing masters.  

[RummyB]

We are on the Summit now. Last night in Tuscan, the 18% was added to our tab.

 

 

 

[NutsAboutGolf]

Have to give credit where credit it due, pretty brilliant way to increase the TOTAL price without actually increasing the ADVERTISED BASE price

[phoenix_dream]

This change is really turning me off from booking a specialty restaurant in the future!  IMHO something is not a tip if it is required - it is the cost.  And without announcing this in any way - sneaking it in under the radar so to speak - they will likely get people who don't realize there is already a tip and will tip 18%ish anyway.  I have been a very loyal Celebrity fan for more than 30 years and 65+ cruises.  I have been less than pleased with some of what I have seen lately with how they are handling things.  I sure hate the thought of moving to another line when I am so, so close to finally getting to Zenith this year (although by that time with my luck they'll raise the limit or decrease the benefits yet again).  But if this type of thing continues, that is definitely an option I will consider.  I would feel better about this if they had just said - we lost a lot of money due to Covid, we have supply issues, and increased costs so we are raising the price of specialty dining in order to allow for this.  But sneaking this in?  Not cool.

[NutsAboutGolf]

3 hours ago, RummyB said:

We are on the Summit now. Last night in Tuscan, the 18% was added to our tab.

 

 

 

 

Question, did you receive a paper bill to sign with the 18% charge?

[deliver42]

Every cruise line adds their tip to the cost of the specialty dining, unless you purchased a package or pre booked on line. Then the tip is added to the total cost, but not at the table. If you don't like the tipping, then stick to the MDR.

[zitsky]

1 hour ago, deliver42 said:

Every cruise line adds their tip to the cost of the specialty dining, unless you purchased a package or pre booked on line. Then the tip is added to the total cost, but not at the table. If you don't like the tipping, then stick to the MDR.

Dumb question?  All included does not include tips for dining at Specialty restaurants?  I have no problem with tipping.  I DO have a problem with double tipping.

[ROYALBOY]

Was trying to book a 5 night speciality and received this at checkout.

Order summary

Subtotal$402.00

Gratuities$72.36

 

Total due$474.36

 

[zitsky]

Pretty soon Celebrity will charge you 18% of the gratuity charge.

[Cruising89143]

I just checked my December Solstice booking. I have Tuscan booked for three evenings. We were charged $45.00 PP for each night. The price is now $53.00 and some change. Nothing anywhere on the site about a gratuity being added. I will state that we always give extra in cash to our server upon closing out the tab. Did the same thing last week on RCI. Edit to add that Celebrity has added the 18% onto the $45.00 price on their website. This is a change from a few weeks ago when we booked. 

[dgoz]

So if I booked online at the old prices for my upcoming cruise, will I get a bill for 18% after the meal?