Tipping question but one I haven't seen before

[Sweetspot]

On our next cruise we don't think we will even bother going to the dining room for dinner. We found early to be too early and late too late, loved not getting dressed up and the freedom Windjammer had to offer. The dining room and the servers we had this year just didn't thrill us.

 

I know that they assign you a table even if you know you aren't going. I fully understand that we are still expected to tip our servers at least the recommend minimum, as we did this year, but I am just curious how. If we prepay our tips when we pay off our cruise and never go to dinner or even meet our servers does the tip go into their accounts or do we need to seek them out and give them the vouchers so they can collect the tips we've paid?

[rgnok]

No, for tipping purposes you don't need to seek them out and give them the vouchers, they will receive their tip anyway.

 

On the other hand, as a courtesy to both your servers and the other cruisers that might be assigned to your table, it would be considered the proper and polite thing to drop by the dining room the first night of the cruise and let them know not to expect you. Servers and tablemates often wait some time before proceeding with dinner so as to not seem rude to a tablemate who might just be running late, so this just lets them know to go right ahead without you!

 

Happy cruising!!

[Lightsluvr]

...or you could let the head waiter know that you will not be using the dining room. That will free up your spot for possible use by someone on a waitlist. The head waiter is stationed at the dining room entrance on embarkation day.

 

LL

[glgolfer]

On an upcoming 4 night Sovereign cruise, we are just taking carryons and will not use the dining room in the evening, just the Windjammer. We will tell the Maitre'D the afternoon of embarkation so our 2 seats can be assigned to someone else if needed. We will tip the minimum for the dining room staff on our seapass card and will also tip our evening servers in the Windjammer with cash.

[Nothin' But Sun]

Would you get the same servers in the Windjammer getting you juice/coffee or whatever for the evening if you sit in the same area and not attend the dining room. We have always attended the dining room on our cruises but on our next one we just may skip it all together so do we tip the Windjammer staff instead. $$$ is not the issue, just protocol and making sure the right people get the $$$.

[sas80]

Would you get the same servers in the Windjammer getting you juice/coffee or whatever for the evening if you sit in the same area and not attend the dining room. We have always attended the dining room on our cruises but on our next one we just may skip it all together so do we tip the Windjammer staff instead. $$$ is not the issue' date=' just protocol and making sure the right people get the $$$.[/quote']

 

I would still tip my waitstaff in the dining room the reccomended tip, as well as tip $1-$2 per night for anyone who waited on me in the windjammer. (cleared my plate, brought me water, silverware, etc)

 

But that's just me.

[cb at sea]

The tips are all divided among the waitstaff, I believe. Since you won't get the same waiters every night in the Windjammer, you should probably just give your tips to the Maitre 'd on the last evening with your table # marked on the tip envelope. That way, everyone is happy!

[Nothin' But Sun]

I would still tip my waitstaff in the dining room the reccomended tip, as well as tip $1-$2 per night for anyone who waited on me in the windjammer. (cleared my plate, brought me water, silverware, etc)

 

But that's just me.

Good idea, if we go the the Windjammer route, thats what we will do.

[Sweetspot]

I asked for a small table for just our family but I will look for the head server the first night to let them know. We found that we did have the same servers every night at the Windjammer and we tipped them as well as the recommended for the dining room servers.

 

I don't want the servers to feel as they were stiffed out of a tip so I will try to find the head waiter the last night. It would be great if they gave you the vouchers when you paid the tip amount instead of the last day so I could just handle it all in one day. Good to know the money goes into their account and they don't need the voucher.

[sas80]

I asked for a small table for just our family but I will look for the head server the first night to let them know. We found that we did have the same servers every night at the Windjammer and we tipped them as well as the recommended for the dining room servers.

 

I don't want the servers to feel as they were stiffed out of a tip so I will try to find the head waiter the last night. It would be great if they gave you the vouchers when you paid the tip amount instead of the last day so I could just handle it all in one day. Good to know the money goes into their account and they don't need the voucher.

 

I dont know that to be true....

 

What if the waitstaff has to turn in the voucher to get paid for it?

that would make more $$ sense because, if the wait person lost the voucher then RCCL could count it as straight income.....