Tipping at Specialty Restaurants?

[HelenaCruiser2012]

Hi everyone, quick question - we're not frequent cruisers and I don't remember if we are supposed to tip at the specialty restaurants or not.  We already made two dinner reservations at Chops and Giovanni's on our upcoming cruise and the invoice says that the gratuity is included but, for good service, should we/can we offer something additional?  if so how much?  Thanks for your help!

[neverbeenhere]

$5 to $20 per person

 

 

[johnjen]

Tipping (separate from pre-paid gratuities, and don't forget you paid separate gratuities when you purchase ANY specialty dining) is entirely up to you. nothing wrong with slipping the table waiter a $20 for extraordinary things done.

[chiguy67]

We always top extra, depends on the service and whether it’s lunch or dinner. Usually $10+

[Cruise a holic]

We take the all inclusive package and since we tip up front and tipped in advance the other wait staff we do not give an additional tip.

[HelenaCruiser2012]

Thank you all!  Appreciate your help.

[mickeygirl78]

It is added to the cost of your booking, however, I always do tip them additional, typically $5-10 per person.

[pcur]

My buddy, Reni, in Izumi's on the Navi got $10 in cash from me every time. 

[HelenaCruiser2012]

We tend to over-tip but before we were married, DH used to bartend on the side and appreciates the importance of tips.  The tips he made from his side job paid for our honeymoon!

[Surfguyxxx]

With 2 of us going, we leave $20.  

[pyrateslife4me84]

You can tip extra but if you prepay through the cruise planner, you pay tips. 

[slyster]

1 hour ago, pyrateslife4me84 said:

You can tip extra but if you prepay through the cruise planner, you pay tips. 

 

We always book through the cruise planner.  The tip is included and you will gratuities added when you go to check out.  There is no option to remove it.  We have tipped more if we felt it was warranted.

[PhillyFan33579]

Buying the UDP is becoming the norm when I cruise on RCI. I always tip extra when eating at a speciality restaurant. It’s not required, but the wait staff in speciality restaurants literally bend over backwards to ensure your experience is great. Just my opinion, but not tipping additional in speciality restaurants is pretty cheap in my book. 

[nu_cruzer1]

Those purchasing specialty dining packages are getting their dinners at a discounted price so I can see why tipping extra might make sense in these cases.  The 18% per person gratuity added onto the cost of specialty dining if purchased in advance is at the higher end of a standard tip amount on land.  I do feel "guilted" into adding an extra (cash) tip to separately acknowledge the actual waiter who is serving me but this is no different than adding an extra tip for the MDR staff, room attendant or bartender (if you have the drink package).  Tips (aka gratuities) are collected by RCI for all of these services in advance and this fact is sometimes buried because it's collected in advance.  Nobody should feel badly for not tipping extra, it's not as though you're not tipping at all.

[Dinglebert]

2 hours ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

Buying the UDP is becoming the norm when I cruise on RCI. I always tip extra when eating at a speciality restaurant. It’s not required, but the wait staff in speciality restaurants literally bend over backwards to ensure your experience is great. Just my opinion, but not tipping additional in speciality restaurants is pretty cheap in my book. 

on reflection no point too early for popcorn today.

Edited June 8, 2022 by Dinglebert

[TYMAN]

I kind of look at it a different way. For two years we couldn't cruise due to Covid, so all that time I collected singles & fives and stock piled. Since cruising was shut down, the RCCL staff wasn't making any tips either, so now it's time to make up for it. I've always tipped extra, including specialty restaurants, prior to shutdown, but in our four cruises since start up I've gone way above and beyond. It's time to take care of the crew! Okay, see ya onboard! 

[nu_cruzer1]

"..all that time I collected singles & fives and stock piled." 

What does one do for a living to be able to stockpile singles and fives?  Asking for a friend 😏!

[baelor]

6 hours ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

Buying the UDP is becoming the norm when I cruise on RCI. I always tip extra when eating at a speciality restaurant. It’s not required, but the wait staff in speciality restaurants literally bend over backwards to ensure your experience is great. Just my opinion, but not tipping additional in speciality restaurants is pretty cheap in my book. 

Why do you not view the 18% built-in gratuity as adequate?  What percentage is adequate?  

[F27TW]

6 hours ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

Buying the UDP is becoming the norm when I cruise on RCI. I always tip extra when eating at a speciality restaurant. It’s not required, but the wait staff in speciality restaurants literally bend over backwards to ensure your experience is great. Just my opinion, but not tipping additional in speciality restaurants is pretty cheap in my book. 

 

Not always.   I've had poor service in Chops, for example, more than once.   No, it does not make you cheap if you don't leave an additional tip in any venue on a ship.   If someone really went out of their way and did a great job, then yes .. but i've never seen the "bend over backwards" situation you mentioned.

[4everAfamily]

The speciality restaurant waiter does not get the 18% gratuity. If you leave an additional cash tip, he/she gets to keep it. I want the actual waiter to get a gratuity to show my appreciation for service, so I leave cash. 

[mpk]

3 minutes ago, 4everAfamily said:

The speciality restaurant waiter does not get the 18% gratuity. If you leave an additional cash tip, he/she gets to keep it. I want the actual waiter to get a gratuity to show my appreciation for service, so I leave cash. 

 

I thought all tips are pooled onboard...?

[Joseph2017China]

Another tipping thread.  Tips are included in the price so no need and no obligation to tip extra.  When presented with a receipt, hand it back and let them know you already paid, so no need for a receipt to sign.  I also, do not sign or return receipts for prepaid drinks since I already paid and tipped. 

[PhillyFan33579]

50 minutes ago, F27TW said:

 

Not always.   I've had poor service in Chops, for example, more than once.   No, it does not make you cheap if you don't leave an additional tip in any venue on a ship.   If someone really went out of their way and did a great job, then yes .. but i've never seen the "bend over backwards" situation you mentioned.

You make a good point. I should have stated if you get outstanding service in a speciality restaurant, which I have always gotten, you should tip more. If I got average service or worse in a speciality restaurant, I wouldn’t add an additional tip.

[TYMAN]

On 6/8/2022 at 6:25 AM, nu_cruzer1 said:

"..all that time I collected singles & fives and stock piled." 

What does one do for a living to be able to stockpile singles and fives?  Asking for a friend 😏!

Let's just say the G-String needs to be replaced nightly. lol! Actually, my DS works at the local golf course and gets tips every day. He sells me the $1's with a small profit. 😉 

[LaCal]

We tip a extra $20-$30