Tipping the team in Reserve Class dining

[cruzsnooze]

23 minutes ago, MissP22 said:

People in Reserve Class should be expected to tip above and beyond the ordinary amount included in the standard gratuities. They get special treatment in all aspects of the dining room from entrance to special meals being prepared each night.  

And that costs us $110 PP PD which is already over priced

[MissP22]

Just now, cruzsnooze said:

And that costs us $110 PP PD which is already over priced

They seem to be getting it as most cruises are sold out way in advance. 

[david63]

39 minutes ago, MissP22 said:

Simply because they're being catered to and it's customary.

In your opinion - and it is not customary to me.

 

I have paid my tips, and accommodation, according to how Princess require tips to be paid - how they are distributed is none of my concern.

[memoak]

3 hours ago, cruzsnooze said:

My next cruise the price difference between a regular mini and a reserve mini is $110 Per Person Per day. That's more then enough extra for Princess to handle tipping. Tipping has gotten out of hand and it's usually we Americans that have caused other countries and crew to expect more and more tipping. 

What you are paying for with a club class mini is location, no wait dining and awesome service plus extra entrees not tipping

[voljeep]

we are going out to eat tonight - with a reservation - 3 of us - I expect to be at the table for about an hour and a half.  How much should I tip?

[memoak]

11 minutes ago, voljeep said:

we are going out to eat tonight - with a reservation - 3 of us - I expect to be at the table for about an hour and a half.  How much should I tip?

Tipping is based on your bill not time   I am obviously going to tip mor at a high end restaurant than a Waffle House. 18-20 % is customary where I come from. I had lunch out yesterday and tipped $15 on a $75 bill

[voljeep]

15 minutes ago, memoak said:

Tipping is based on your bill not time   I am obviously going to tip mor at a high end restaurant than a Waffle House. 18-20 % is customary where I come from. I had lunch out yesterday and tipped $15 on a $75 bill

time is money - I will tip based on time spent - $5 per half hour, regardless if we order a $50 bottle or wine or a $5 beer and lemonade - takes the same amount of time ...

[memoak]

2 minutes ago, voljeep said:

time is money - I will tip based on time spent - $5 per half hour, regardless if we order a $50 bottle or wine or a $5 beer and lemonade - takes the same amount of time ...

1. I am among many who will be glad we are not serving your table

2. I would not go back to the same restaurant without taking precautions for stomach issues

[voljeep]

11 minutes ago, memoak said:

1. I am among many who will be glad we are not serving your table

2. I would not go back to the same restaurant without taking precautions for stomach issues

tipping is out of control - tipping should be based on SERVICE, not PRICE - if I go to Ruth Chris  , I'm already paying for the atmosphere, steak, etc in the bill - I had a tip line on a home A/C repair a couple of weeks ago that totalled about $600 - should I have tipped a hundo? - 2 people were here for about an hour 

 

a server with 4 tables can make $40 per hour - seems like a good 'salary' enhancement to me ... for a server

Edited June 23, 2023 by voljeep

[memoak]

27 minutes ago, voljeep said:

tipping is out of control - tipping should be based on SERVICE, not PRICE - if I go to Ruth Chris  , I'm already paying for the atmosphere, steak, etc in the bill - I had a tip line on a home A/C repair a couple of weeks ago that totalled about $600 - should I have tipped a hundo? - 2 people were here for about an hour 

 

a server with 4 tables can make $40 per hour - seems like a good 'salary' enhancement to me ... for a server

You are basing the tip on someone getting 40 hours a week in shifts. In most urban areas you need to get full time $30-$40 a hour salary to be able to rent a 1 bedroom apartment   Most servers are at minimum wage prior to tips and very few have any union protection 

[loge23]

We tip the drivers, we tip the staff,

we tip the comic who makes us laugh

we tip the barbers, the waiters and cooks

we tip the librarian who checks out the books.

We tip the repairman, the plumber, and crew

we tip the animals while we're at the zoo.

We tip everybody so everything's fair

We tip so much now that we don't even care.

We tip the musicians at the local blues joint,

This whole tipping thing is at the tipping point!

If the tipping continues as a source of new wealth

we will end up tipping the doctor for our good health!

and leave a percentage of what we have saved

to whomever is tasked with digging our grave.

 

You're welcome!

[CruiserN1]

We are cruising on Crown in about 3 weeks, our first time in Reserve class dining. I thought it was open for dinner only, but based on some of the comments here, are we able to dine there for breakfast and lunch also? We have a RC mini-suite. 

[memoak]

24 minutes ago, CruiserN1 said:

We are cruising on Crown in about 3 weeks, our first time in Reserve class dining. I thought it was open for dinner only, but based on some of the comments here, are we able to dine there for breakfast and lunch also? We have a RC mini-suite. 

Lunch will be available on sea days not port days

[seagunthera]

2 hours ago, memoak said:

What you are paying for with a club class mini is location, no wait dining and awesome service plus extra entrees not tipping

Yes! Also, priority boarding (if not already Plat/Elite, canapés on formal nights, and maybe things we can never truly confirm. For example, I always get a few seats at either the Chef's Table or the WInemaker's dinner (or both). 

No matter, I think tipping is not a one size fits all. There have definitely been times when I did not feel the service at a particular meal was tip worthy and so I did not tip. This shouldn't be such a hot topic IMHO. 

[david63]

3 hours ago, memoak said:

What you are paying for with a club class mini is location, no wait dining and awesome service plus extra entrees not tipping

OK you are not paying extra for tipping with a Reserve class mini but you are paying extra crew appreciation if you leave it intact or you have the Plus package. (I would certainly question the use of the word "awesome" where service is concerned - in my experience it is, at best, good)

 

https://www.princess.com/html/global/disclaimers/crew-appreciation/

[memoak]

16 minutes ago, david63 said:

OK you are not paying extra for tipping with a Reserve class mini but you are paying extra crew appreciation if you leave it intact or you have the Plus package. (I would certainly question the use of the word "awesome" where service is concerned - in my experience it is, at best, good)

 

https://www.princess.com/html/global/disclaimers/crew-appreciation/

The crew appreciation is the same for regular minis and reserve minis. If you take a regular mini you pay the same cre appreciation but don’t get the reserve perks

for dining and location. So you are not paying more for reserve

[kapsgp]

I don't think you need to tip extra in Reserve Collection dining unless you are extra needy. We place our order for two courses, eat and leave. I don't need or ask for extra attention. 

[antsp]

When will America realise the rest of the world looks in and thinks your tipping culture is absolutely crazy

 

 

Edited June 23, 2023 by antsp

[memoak]

15 minutes ago, kapsgp said:

I don't think you need to tip extra in Reserve Collection dining unless you are extra needy. We place our order for two courses, eat and leave. I don't need or ask for extra attention. 

I don’t think the issue is reserve class we have always tipped extra in the MDR for great service. If we get crappy service we do not. Having worked for years in hospitality give you an extra appreciation for service

[memoak]

3 minutes ago, antsp said:

Well will America realise the rest of the world looks in and thinks your tipping culture is absolutely crazy

 

 

 No one is asking you to come to he US but if you do you should respect customs like we do when we visit other countries 

[antsp]

5 minutes ago, memoak said:

 No one is asking you to come to he US but if you do you should respect customs like we do when we visit other countries 

Unfortunately I have too, at least 6 times a year. Don't shoot the messenger as they say.

Edited June 23, 2023 by antsp

[Yowman]

5 hours ago, MissP22 said:

Simply because they're being catered to and it's customary.

 

It's customary to tip on top of previously paid tips?  Not in my book.  I may tip extra if the service warrants it, but by no means is it customary.

[donaldsc]

12 hours ago, seagunthera said:

I used to wait until the last night to give an additional tip but since the restart, I started leaving a $20 on the table after supper and a $10 after lunch (we typically don't do breaky that early, but would prob leave a $10 as well).

 

I feel good about my new system and I know the team SO appreciates it. The service has always been great in Club (ahem, Reserve) Class but I feel like they do the extra little bits when they know you are tipping nightly. Just my two cents (ha!).

 

P.S. having the head waiter mention tipping is something I've never encountered on my 20+ cruises and would be a bit off-putting IMHO. 

 

Every night?  $30 per day of extra optional tipping.  That is ridiculous especially as I assume that you are leaving the automatic gratuity on.  

 

DON

[MissP22]

17 hours ago, memoak said:

What you are paying for with a club class mini is location, no wait dining and awesome service plus extra entrees not tipping

Many people just can't see the difference. 

[SargassoPirate]

We tipped extra during Covid because so many businesses were hurting and we appreciated those who struggled through. Since things have returned to normal after Covid, employers are paying higher wages to attract workers, and workers have unionized to demand higher wages, we have cut back on tipping.

 

For example, in our area, most all food service workers, including the front of the house, are being paid at least minimum wage (according to a friend in the restaurant business).

 

We ignore tip jars everywhere.

 

On a cruise, we generally prepay our tips.  I do tip a little extra for my evening wee dreams and find that it does work To Insure Prompt Service.