Are "Tipping Guidelines" different if you only eat in the Main Dining room 2-3 nights??

[SeaUThere]

I know in advance of a cruise who I need to tip and the recommended amount. I bring the extra cash onboard in a seperate envelope and lock it in my room safe so that I don't spend any of this money.

 

All of the waiters work hard so that we enjoy our meals and dining experience.

 

Please tip regardless of whether or not you use the dining room.

 

There is nothing worse then seeing the dining room half empty the last night of the cruise. It is unbelievable how many people stiff the waiters at the end of a cruise.

 

Grandeur of the Seas-September 4, 2004

Galaxy-June 7, 2002

Fascination-March 17, 2001

 

 

[Sailfish]

Does anyone here know if the wait staff on Royal Caribbean ships share their tips? I was under the impression that they do NOT; that each waiter, for example, retains his or her tips.

 

Tipping for nights you are NOT in the dining room, if the gratuities are shared, is okay as the total amounts are divided. But if the staff keeps his or her own tips, then it doesn't make any sense to tip on the nights you do not eat in the dining room.

 

Most of the time we eat in the formal dining room, so we tip our wait staff the appropriate amounts. The two nights we ate elsewhere (Chops and Portofinos), we tipped our servers there. I asked our waiter about this in the formal dining room aboard the Navigator last year, and she said no one shares their tips. Unless staff shares their gratuities like they do on Princess, it doesn't make much sense to tip for nights you are not there.

 

Could someone confirm whether wait staff pool their tips? I for one would like to know.

 

Suzi

 

 

05 July 2004 Monarch of the Seas

21 November 2004 Carnival Pride

20 February 2005 Mariner of the Seas CC Group Cruise

 

 

 

[beachgirl55]

This is confusing. On the Golden Princess we did the recommended automatic tipping and verbally told our wait staff that this had been done. We understood that with the automatic tipping on your on-board account--tips were pooled and distributed to all the staff. (It would seem that the cruiseline wouldn't keep track of your specific wait staff.) This way no staff would get "stiffed". Then if you wanted to go beyond the automatic tipping and tip specific staff in cash they could keep it. I still wonder what is the best thing to do.

[ruttie]

tipping is such a hot topic to be debated and I really feel like they as an industry need to make drastic changes to the way tipping is done.. it use to be you handed your waiter/etc.. your tips on the last night thanked them for a job well done etc.. but now it is so impersonal and I really feel like it needs to change.. to say ..tipping is in essence paying their wage is just worng!! Not the person who said it.. justthe fact hat we as consumers are paying their wage.. I tip for services rendered. period!!! I have my own family, life etc.. and work hard for my money.. Not that they do not but they signed up and are aware of that when they get their contract they should take it up with management for better wages... I would rather the industry raise the price and allow us to give our tips accordingly.. I am a grreat tipper always tipping above and beyond but that is what a tip is an appreciation of services rendered. sorry for ranting it really does not help the poster much.. I guess i am having a bad day and this struck a nerve......

[DedeM]

We tipped in full and added a bonus. We did eat there nightly.

 

In the Windjammer, we left several dollars on the table for the wait staff who cleaned up after us (party of 2). I still don't see how the windjammer staff gets any tips otherwise. If they're in the windjammer, then they are NOT in the formal dining room earning tips - at least not at dinner time.

 

Navigator of the Seas 5/04

 

[98Charlie]

ruttie

I understand and agree with your thoughts on tipping. If the cruise lines want to call it a tip it should be a tip and nothing more.

 

However, for that to happen, the cruise lines would have to raise their rates. For the very small percentage of passengers that understood what was happening it would make no difference. But, the first line to increase the wages and include that in your cost of the cruise would be risking a mass exodus of passengers who only compare the base price of a cruise. Bottom line: It aint a gonna happen

[D4]

I think you should tip the recommended amount even if you don't eat in the dining room every night and even if they don't have to share their tips. Otherwise the waiter that gets you at their table gets ripped off. He's there every night ready to serve you and that's how he gets paid.

 

I think it's fun to give a tip on the last day to one or more workers that don't usually get tips but that I've noticed did their job great and were really friendly. Last summer I tipped a friendly guy that was always cleaning the stairway I used. It made his day that someone would give him a tip! His reaction made my day!