Tipping for Anytime Dining

[psupa]

I just booked the Caribbean Princess for 10/5/08 and selected Anytime Dining. We haven't been on Princess for a few years, so my question is can you do automatic tipping if you have anytime dining and who do you give the vouchers to? Also, can you change your dining time each day to fit your schedule. As you can see I'm new to anytime dining. We have always done second seating, but I need to change and want to try it.

[chrysalis]

Automatic tipping means that the tip amount is added to your cruis account each day ...there is no "voucher" to give to anyone. That is taken care of by the cruise line.

 

Anytime dining means you can go the dining room anytime you want (during the hours it is open)....sit at any size table you want, and take as long as you want to eat.

 

We love the flexibility that it gives

[Seal]

I just booked the Caribbean Princess for 10/5/08 and selected Anytime Dining. We haven't been on Princess for a few years, so my question is can you do automatic tipping if you have anytime dining and who do you give the vouchers to? Also, can you change your dining time each day to fit your schedule. As you can see I'm new to anytime dining. We have always done second seating, but I need to change and want to try it.

 

 

There are no vouchers to give with automatic tipping--your part is to allow Princess to add the amount daily to your statement and THEY will ration it out according to their rules--With Anytime Dining--you may show up at the Dining Room anytime betwenn 5:45 and 10pm for dinner--or something close to that--they do have a reservation by phone system--if you care to use it--you may only reserve very early or after 8pm (I Think)--we've used this type of dining on over 10 Princess cruises--only do Traditional if it is the only choice--it's really great if you are on a large ship with 2 main showrooms and you would like to see both on the same night--just have an early dinner--or go to an 8pm show and have dinner at 9pm--the choice is yours--it's very hard for me to understand why so many want to have a definite time to be at the dining room--I would guess that they eat dinner at the same time every night while at home--since that isn't my life--that may be why I like the Anytime Dining

 

Wouldn't think that Anytime Dining would be good for a large group to meet for dinner--I'm sure that Traditional would work better for a large group to have their same table every night--so they can all discuss what they did that day etc.

 

 

You'll be asked at the door to the Dining Room if you are willing to join others--we almost always agree--great to meet other people on the cruise--we prefer the table of 8--if for some reason we are in a really big hurry for dinner to get over--for a show or whatever--we'll ask for a table for 2--very rare

 

 

Nancy

 

Safe Travels:D

[psupa]

Thanks for the responses. One more question if I don't use the automatic tipping, how do you tip the waiters if you use personal choice dining? Is there a tipping charge nightly? Sorry for all the questions, I don't want anyone not to get the tip they deserve for their service.

[Seal]

I suppose tht you could tip the waiters nightly if you wished--with automatic tipping they will be in the tip pool--with traditional dining--you may tip your waiters EXTRA if you wish at the last dinner

 

The automatic tipping will show up on your statement daily--unless you opt out of the system

 

Safe Travels

 

Nancy:D

[dbdave]

The automatic tipping is added to your onboard account. If you don't want to use auto tipping, you have to go to the Purser and ask that it be removed.

[chrysalis]

The automatic tipping is added to your onboard account. If you don't want to use auto tipping, you have to go to the Purser and ask that it be removed.

 

...and if you have it removed, and tip someone directly they must put that tip into the tipping pool....if they do not, and keep it, they could lose their jobs.

[cdngrl]

i always use anytime dining, i always keep on auto-tip, and i go to the pursers desk and get tipping envelopes and bring them along to dinner in case i find the service above and beyond. often when i find servers i like, i just continue going back to the same dining room and without asking, princess has put me back in the same section with the same wait staff.

 

i din't know the extra tips were pooled. i do that because i believe the individual(s) deserve more. no way around this eh chrysalis?

[paul929207]

With Anytime dining, autotip is the way to go. Your tip is put in the pool that is shares by all waiters, etc. You don't get a voucher.

[psupa]

Thanks everybody for the information. I had forgotten how that worked. Like I said we are trying personal choice dining for the first time. I want to try something different and I know we will like it. Actually with this itinerary and being in some of the ports until 6:00, this will work out better.

[allie's g]

Can I pre-pay the tips? I remeber doing theis a couple of years ago on the Crown, but I don't know if they still do this.

Thanks for any help.

[TEDMRPH]

i always use anytime dining, i always keep on auto-tip, and i go to the pursers desk and get tipping envelopes and bring them along to dinner in case i find the service above and beyond. often when i find servers i like, i just continue going back to the same dining room and without asking, princess has put me back in the same section with the same wait staff.

 

i din't know the extra tips were pooled. i do that because i believe the individual(s) deserve more. no way around this eh chrysalis?

 

The extra you give has to be pooled if you remove the auto-tip. If you leave the auto-tip on then they can keep the extra.

[cdngrl]

The extra you give has to be pooled if you remove the auto-tip. If you leave the auto-tip on then they can keep the extra.

how do they know i have left the auto-tip on?

do they have to check with someone?

for instance, i had wonderful service one night from the asst waitress, i later saw her in the ice cream booth where she was so helpful to my kids. the next day i went to the ice cream booth and handed her an envelope and told her how much we appreciated her service to us both in the dining room and at the ice cream bar. would she have to check that i was also auto-tipping? she probably didn't even know who i was.:confused:

i hope she was able to keep it.

[cherylandtk]

When you hand them a tip envelope they are supposed to ask for your cabin number to put on it so it can be verified against the list of auto tips. Maybe since it was not the end of the cruise she did not realize it was a tip envelope, or maybe she remembered your names from your cruise cards. But not reporting that envelope could have gotten her in BIG trouble.

[cdngrl]

i'll make sure and always write my name and cabin number on the envelope so they can check. i'm happy to learn they can then keep their extras. thank you for the info. i learn so much here!

[rcacace]

...and if you have it removed, and tip someone directly they must put that tip into the tipping pool....if they do not, and keep it, they could lose their jobs.

 

On our last cruise I quietly tipped the waiter & assistant $20 extra each (pc Seating- same table each night) & they asked for my cabin number. I assumed that they put it into the "tip pool" & didn't get to keep it for themselves. It's the last extra tip I'll give since it get split up among the others also. I see now that there's no way to just tip the specific waiters you want to. To my thinking it sort of defeats the purpose of the tip altogether.

[dzcruisers]

From my understanding if you LEAVE the auto tip on, you can tip extra to those you think deserve it and they can keep it. They know when you take automatic tips off and the staff gets questioned as to why you may have done this. IMHO the staff definately earns those tips that are charged automatically.

[Pam in CA]

Thanks for the responses. One more question if I don't use the automatic tipping, how do you tip the waiters if you use personal choice dining? Is there a tipping charge nightly? Sorry for all the questions, I don't want anyone not to get the tip they deserve for their service.

 

...and if you have it removed, and tip someone directly they must put that tip into the tipping pool....if they do not, and keep it, they could lose their jobs.

 

Can I pre-pay the tips? I remeber doing theis a couple of years ago on the Crown' date=' but I don't know if they still do this.

Thanks for any help.[/quote']All of the waitstaff share in the tipping pool, not just the Anytime or Traditional dining waitstaff. If you use the buffet or have breakfast or lunch in the dining room, those waitstaff are included in the auto-tip. Many people don't realize that quite a few of those to who clean tables, offer you coffee or juice, etc. in the buffet don't also work in the dining room yet many of them work hard to make sure you have a good cruise experience.

 

As Chrysalis says, if you remove the autotip and want to just tip those you who serve you directly, they MUST turn the money into the autotip pool so that it's distributed no matter what. If you've left the autotip on and you tip an additional amount, and they can identify who you are and that you've left the autotip on, they get to keep that additional amount. Otherwise, it all goes into the pool. If they try to keep that tip without turning it in and they are found out, they could be fired and sent home.

 

Yes, you can pre-pay autotips but remember, the autotips are just part of your overall onboard account which is a simple credit/debit accounting system. You can send yourself a "gift" and have it applied to your onboard account before you cruise. Many people choose to do this.

[sultan_sfo]

As long as you did not remove or lower the auto-tip, they got to keep the extra. The cabin number is just to verify at the end of the cruise that you did not remove the auto-tip. Your extra did NOT go to the pool.

 

On our last cruise I quietly tipped the waiter & assistant $20 extra each (pc Seating- same table each night) & they asked for my cabin number. I assumed that they put it into the "tip pool" & didn't get to keep it for themselves. It's the last extra tip I'll give since it get split up among the others also. I see now that there's no way to just tip the specific waiters you want to. To my thinking it sort of defeats the purpose of the tip altogether.

[cdngrl]

if you remove the autotip and want to just tip those you who serve you directly, they MUST turn the money into the autotip pool so that it's distributed no matter what. If you've left the autotip on and you tip an additional amount, and they can identify who you are and that you've left the autotip on, they get to keep that additional amount.

i wish this was more broadly known. as i said, i leave on the auto-tip, but have not put my cabin or name on the envelopes. i hope the staff figured it out! i'm glad i know now and will be telling everyone i know who cruises.

[jefflifetouch]

If you prefer to tip independently, and turn off auto-tipping, is there a timeline to do this, or can you turn it off anytime during cruise?

 

Also, why do bartenders get tipped up front , and are not on the auto-tipping system. This does not seem fair to waiters, stewards, etc.

[willysgrandma]

Thanks for the responses. One more question if I don't use the automatic tipping, how do you tip the waiters if you use personal choice dining? Is there a tipping charge nightly? Sorry for all the questions, I don't want anyone not to get the tip they deserve for their service.

 

By removing the auto tip that is exactly what you will be doing. If we find someone who goes over and above, we simply hand them extra cash besides the auto tip.

 

If you are doing Anytime DIning, that is exactly what the auto tip is perfect for. Everyone will benefit that assists you. The dining room waitstaff also work in the dining rooms and buffet during the day and assist you there. People who may not wait on you at night might be assiting you during the day. Don't remove the auto tip. It's the best way for everyone to receive the tips they deserve.

[jefflifetouch]

If you prefer to tip independently, and turn off auto-tipping, is there a timeline to do this, or can you turn it off anytime during cruise?

 

Also, why do bartenders get tipped up front , and are not on the auto-tipping system. This does not seem fair to waiters, stewards, etc.

[cruzinchris]

If you prefer to tip independently, and turn off auto-tipping, is there a timeline to do this, or can you turn it off anytime during cruise?

 

The hotel charge is posted daily to your shipboard account. You can remove all or part of the auto-tip at any time during your cruise.

 

As others have already mentioned, if you choose to remove auto-tips and offer cash gratuities to those who served you, they will not be able to keep it and must turn the cash in to the tipping pool. If, for example, you remove the auto-tip and hand your stateroom steward a cash tip at the end of the cruise, your account will be checked to see if you removed the auto-tip. If you did, then your steward must turn the money in or risk losing his/her job.

 

It is best to leave the hotel charge in place and tip extra to those whom you would like to acknowledge additionally and more personally for outstanding service.

Chris