amada Posted February 5, 2007 #26 Share Posted February 5, 2007 For what it's worth I overheard a server in Portofino tell their customers that they only get ONE dollar from that $20 surcharge. We ate in Chops and Portofino every night last week on the Radiance and tipped an additional $10/night for 2 people. I also would have to believe that if they do pull their tips it is only among the couple people working each room. We NEVER saw either room full any night of the 6 night western sailing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NEW 2 CRUISIN Posted February 5, 2007 #27 Share Posted February 5, 2007 An urban legend states that the word "tip" is an acronym for terms such as "to insure prompt service", "to insure proper service", "to improve performance", and "to insure promptness". Whether that's true or not, they are cute and to the point. In general, tipping should not be expected when a fee is explicitly charged for a service, as is done in the specialty dining restaurants on the ships. As mentioned so many times before on these boards, though....if you leave money on the table, no server will chase you down to give it back! :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickT Posted February 5, 2007 #28 Share Posted February 5, 2007 I wonder what the waiter/waitress actually get for working in Chops vs. a regular table in the dining room? I know what we give our regular waiter and would ensure (assuming they are good) that the Chops staff would get at least the same. That being said, I think I gave them $15-20 last trip... well worth it considering the service you get. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amada Posted February 5, 2007 #29 Share Posted February 5, 2007 Every one of the servers we had contact with spent a nice amount of time in conversation with us in both Chops and Portofino, and it took them years ( 3 or 4) as a dining room server to get advanced to the specialty restaurant so I can't imagine them doing so for less in overall income...that just wouldn't make sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PH8 Posted February 5, 2007 #30 Share Posted February 5, 2007 We always leave them $20...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruisecrasy Posted February 6, 2007 #31 Share Posted February 6, 2007 Of what the meal would cost in a restaurant. If you have drinks, You know what that cost is. Chops is comparable to a Ruth Chris or a Morton's Steakhouse. Portofinos is most likely in that price range or a little higher. U have already paid for a dinner with your cruise fare. U do not get a rebate if u dine in an alternative restaurant. I suggest then that the meal shld not be judged in value to a meal at Mortons or Ruth Chris to base a tip on. In discussing this tip 'thing' with several head waiters in alternative restaurants they stated that any tip is a 'BONUS' but not expected as they already receive the tip that is included with the extra 'service fee'..and YES it is included after checking with folks in the know! $5 - $10 pp is quite sufficient as an extra tip .. IF u desire but is NOT required! That all said - tip extra whatever u like or not - it is your $ after all!! Happy cruisin' all!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lauren0309 Posted February 6, 2007 #32 Share Posted February 6, 2007 We always leave an extra $10 on the table. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocket88 Posted February 6, 2007 #33 Share Posted February 6, 2007 Of what the meal would cost in a restaurant. If you have drinks, You know what that cost is. Chops is comparable to a Ruth Chris or a Morton's Steakhouse. Portofinos is most likely in that price range or a little higher. We do the same. Our meal and service in Chops on the Navigator compared to Mortons and that was reflected in our tip. ### Best meal I had on my cruise was the fillet at Chops. That said, It is certainly NOT in the class of a high end steak house like Palm, Mortons, or Ruth Chris. Outback maybe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Cruisehappymn Posted February 6, 2007 #34 Share Posted February 6, 2007 The waiter in Portifino was so much more personable and friendly than our regular dining room waiter that we did leave 10.00 extra. We had a bottle of wine and an automatic 15% gratuity was added to that as well. Not sure who gets the wine tip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kentalope Posted February 6, 2007 #35 Share Posted February 6, 2007 We always leave them $20...... I'm with you. I leave them $20. We have always been a party of 2. If we had more in our party I would add $10 for every person beyond 2. Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k9151 Posted February 6, 2007 #36 Share Posted February 6, 2007 I leave $50.00 or better tip. While on Jewel I left this tip and the next night the wait crew delivered my wife's favorite dessert to our stateroom. They remember who treats them well!!!!...Your on vacation....getting excellent service.....LEAVE A TIP!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suzanne74 Posted February 6, 2007 #37 Share Posted February 6, 2007 U have already paid for a dinner with your cruise fare. U do not get a rebate if u dine in an alternative restaurant. I suggest then that the meal shld not be judged in value to a meal at Mortons or Ruth Chris to base a tip on. In discussing this tip 'thing' with several head waiters in alternative restaurants they stated that any tip is a 'BONUS' but not expected as they already receive the tip that is included with the extra 'service fee'..and YES it is included after checking with folks in the know! $5 - $10 pp is quite sufficient as an extra tip .. IF u desire but is NOT required! That all said - tip extra whatever u like or not - it is your $ after all!! Why would you get a rebate for dining in a specialty restaurant just because the basic dining room is included in your cruisefare. :confused: Last time we went to Morton's here in DC, we paid over $300 for our dinner for 2 including one bottle of wine. $40 for a few hours of great dining at a quiet kid free table for two is a great deal in my opinion. Furthermore, I think the $20 surcharge is not a tip to the waitstaff, I think that money goes to RCCL because they are offering you better food in a different room they built on their ship - they need the profit and there is NO WAY that entire $20 goes to waitstaff. So if I pay only $40 and get treated like royalty for a few hours and get multiple offerings of appetizers, desserts and whatever else I want with no extra charge, how could I not offer a tip of at least $10pp to a waitstaff that work their butt off for less then half the profit a normal US waiter would receive at a Morton's, who by the way does not offer free multiple desserts, appetizers etc... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lojill Posted February 6, 2007 #38 Share Posted February 6, 2007 Wait a minute I'm just learning something here. When you pay the twenty dollars that is supposed to be their tip? Do you the pay for the meal after eating and tip afterward if you want to or after the meal you don't pay and just tip if you like. Is the meal in the cost of the cruise or do you pay on sea-pass. We will be on Enchantment in March and plan on eating at Chops. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocket88 Posted February 6, 2007 #39 Share Posted February 6, 2007 Wait a minute I'm just learning something here. When you pay the twenty dollars that is supposed to be their tip? Do you the pay for the meal after eating and tip afterward if you want to or after the meal you don't pay and just tip if you like. Is the meal in the cost of the cruise or do you pay on sea-pass. We will be on Enchantment in March and plan on eating at Chops. The $20 is a supplement for an upgrade over the pork chop & tater tots dinner that was included in the price of the cruise. You pay for it just like you would pay for a drink at the bar - at the end of the meal they'll swipe your pass card and give you an invoice/reciept to sign that includes the $20pp and has a spot where you can add an additional tip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lakemom Posted February 6, 2007 #40 Share Posted February 6, 2007 sorry look it up! tips= to insure proper service! if you'll never be there again who cares!:rolleyes: to many expect it these days and don't work for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suzanne74 Posted February 6, 2007 #41 Share Posted February 6, 2007 The $20 is a supplement for an upgrade over the pork chop & tater tots dinner that was included in the price of the cruise :D Oh, I love tater tots. I may not book at Chop's at all now! Too funny. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocket88 Posted February 6, 2007 #42 Share Posted February 6, 2007 sorry look it up! tips= to insure proper service! if you'll never be there again who cares!:rolleyes: to many expect it these days and don't work for it. ok http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scubapuss Posted February 6, 2007 Author #43 Share Posted February 6, 2007 Thank you for all your replies. After reading them all I will leave $40. or $50. Tip as I was thinking before I asked. A good dinner runs 2 of us about $200.00 I would tip 20%. so that is what I will do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Host Karen Posted February 6, 2007 #44 Share Posted February 6, 2007 The OP has apparently received all the replies she required to make a decision. This thread is now closed. Karen HostKaren@CruiseCritic.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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