Golden, Anytime Dining, please

[CALMOM]

We will be sailing to Hawaii on the Golden and have opted for Anytime Dining. We usually choose Traditional but this time DH and I want to eat when we want and also enjoy the specialty dining rooms, this cruise. I tried to search for an answer to my question but never got a specific answer, so here it goes:

 

Do you or can you reserve a time and a particular waiter? I know it kind of defeats the purpose, but if we find a waiter we really like, or want to eat at a particular time, do to a show time, is it possible?

 

As I said, we usually choose Traditional for dining, therefore, on the last night we always tip extra, in addition to the auto-tip for our waiter and asst. waiter. If you use Anytime and you have several waiters, how do you tip them extra? If the ship knows you are assigned to Anytime, then does the auto-tip just go to all the waiters and asst. waiters in the Anytime Dining Room? I always tip extra to our waiter, asst waiter and cabin steward and the amount differs, depending on the level of service we receive, already above, the excellent service, we do receive. I just need some guidance and would appreciate a positive response, not that they already receive enough with the auto-tip. Thank you.

 

Thank you in advance for your help, we are so looking forward to a 14 Day total relaxing cruise.

[rdsqrl]

I've done Anytime both with a reserved table/waiter and without. Obviously, when I had a reservation, it was easy to hand that wait staff their extra tip on the last night. The time I didn't do a booking, I was generally seated in the same area of the same dining room each night and so on the last night, it was fairly easy to track down the couple wait teams that had been particularly good and give them a little extra. And then the ones that didn't go out of their way, for them, the autotip took care of them and I didn't need to worry about it.

The whole reason for auto-tipping is probably to deal with the issue of Anytime, where you might see a wait staff once or twice only. This way, they're getting an appropriate gratuity which otherwise would have been lost to them due to the transient nature of Anytime. So I don't think you have to worry about tracking down everyone who serves you each night, unless you want to because someone really stood out.

Hope this helps.

[JimnKaren]

We were on Golden last year. We elected anytime dining. There were many guests who asked for and got the same table and same wait staff. Generally, though, you had to find the right combination early in the cruise. We took whatever was available and through happenstance we had the same waitstaff three times, although we were at different tables each time! By that third time they learned a lot about out likes and dislikes. They are good at what they do and they know that the harder they try, they just might get that extra cash tip at the end. Only once was the service less than good, I attribute that to the staff at that table having an off night. That was Baked Alaska night, and my ice cream was nothing but a puddle when it arrived.

 

Jim

[CALMOM]

I've done Anytime both with a reserved table/waiter and without. Obviously, when I had a reservation, it was easy to hand that wait staff their extra tip on the last night. The time I didn't do a booking, I was generally seated in the same area of the same dining room each night and so on the last night, it was fairly easy to track down the couple wait teams that had been particularly good and give them a little extra. And then the ones that didn't go out of their way, for them, the autotip took care of them and I didn't need to worry about it.

 

The whole reason for auto-tipping is probably to deal with the issue of Anytime, where you might see a wait staff once or twice only. This way, they're getting an appropriate gratuity which otherwise would have been lost to them due to the transient nature of Anytime. So I don't think you have to worry about tracking down everyone who serves you each night, unless you want to because someone really stood out.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Thank you, that answers my question and sounds easy enough.

[CALMOM]

We were on Golden last year. We elected anytime dining. There were many guests who asked for and got the same table and same wait staff. Generally, though, you had to find the right combination early in the cruise. We took whatever was available and through happenstance we had the same waitstaff three times, although we were at different tables each time! By that third time they learned a lot about out likes and dislikes. They are good at what they do and they know that the harder they try, they just might get that extra cash tip at the end. Only once was the service less than good, I attribute that to the staff at that table having an off night. That was Baked Alaska night, and my ice cream was nothing but a puddle when it arrived.

 

Jim

 

Thank you for responding. I have been fortunate to have amazing service in the Traditional Dining Room, so I assume I will receive the same service. I like to always show my appreciation and consider the auto-tip to be for fair service, anything above that receive additional tipping, at least in my book.

[caribill]

Do you or can you reserve a time and a particular waiter? I know it kind of defeats the purpose, but if we find a waiter we really like, or want to eat at a particular time, do to a show time, is it possible? Reservation policy seems to vary by Matre d'. Some allow reservations throughout the evening, some allow it only early or late in the evening. Some allow a reservation to be made for the cruise, some only for the next day, some only allow you to call in for a resrvation the morning of the day you want it. And yes, if you make a reservation, it can be for a particular waiter. Also, without a reservation you can request a particular waiter in anytime, but may have to wait until space is available at his/her tables.

 

As I said, we usually choose Traditional for dining, therefore, on the last night we always tip extra, in addition to the auto-tip for our waiter and asst. waiter. If you use Anytime and you have several waiters, how do you tip them extra? If the ship knows you are assigned to Anytime, then does the auto-tip just go to all the waiters and asst. waiters in the Anytime Dining Room? The autotip goes into a pool for all ship's personnel that are covered by it. For restaurant staff, this would include those in the traditional dining room, the anytime dining rooms, the buffet area, and the specialty dining rooms. If you are assigned to traditional seating or anytime, the auto-tips go into the same overall pool.

 

Hope the above helps.

[Dorset Cruiser]

We were on Golden in July and had anytime but we reserved the same table section every night after the second night. Our wait staff were excellent and really added to the enjoyment of our cruise. Their names were Michael and Glenn and I thoroughly recommend them. We were in Donatella and one of our tables (we had various ones in their section) was number 15. So do look out for them.

[seamwoman]

Great info Caribill and as I understand it IF you do an auto tip to your wait staff and tip them they get to keep their tip. If you remove the auto tip they have to share. We always tip more for good service!

[TomCruises]

We will be sailing to Hawaii on the Golden and have opted for Anytime Dining. We usually choose Traditional but this time DH and I want to eat when we want and also enjoy the specialty dining rooms, this cruise. I tried to search for an answer to my question but never got a specific answer, so here it goes:

 

Do you or can you reserve a time and a particular waiter? I know it kind of defeats the purpose, but if we find a waiter we really like, or want to eat at a particular time, do to a show time, is it possible?

 

As I said, we usually choose Traditional for dining, therefore, on the last night we always tip extra, in addition to the auto-tip for our waiter and asst. waiter. If you use Anytime and you have several waiters, how do you tip them extra? If the ship knows you are assigned to Anytime, then does the auto-tip just go to all the waiters and asst. waiters in the Anytime Dining Room? I always tip extra to our waiter, asst waiter and cabin steward and the amount differs, depending on the level of service we receive, already above, the excellent service, we do receive. I just need some guidance and would appreciate a positive response, not that they already receive enough with the auto-tip. Thank you.

 

Thank you in advance for your help, we are so looking forward to a 14 Day total relaxing cruise.

 

I do it all the time!5:00pm - 6:00pm is too early!8:30pm is too late!I like to dine between 7:00pm-8:00pm.Just go to the dining room you like that is anytime and select a table you like (get the number).Then,on your first night,when you arrive,simply mention to the Maitre 'd that you would like that table.Let him know the usual time you would like this table.Once you give it a try,you will know if you like the waiter.If everything is good,your good!Enjoy!:)

[CALMOM]

We were on Golden in July and had anytime but we reserved the same table section every night after the second night. Our wait staff were excellent and really added to the enjoyment of our cruise. Their names were Michael and Glenn and I thoroughly recommend them. We were in Donatella and one of our tables (we had various ones in their section) was number 15. So do look out for them.

 

Thank you, I will look for them. I have always had great waiters and asst waiters, I just wanted a change this time but wasn't sure I would like a different waiter each time. I like it when they know my likes and dislikes but might have to give that luxury up.

[CALMOM]

I do it all the time!5:00pm - 6:00pm is too early!8:30pm is too late!I like to dine between 7:00pm-8:00pm.Just go to the dining room you like that is anytime and select a table you like (get the number).Then,on your first night,when you arrive,simply mention to the Maitre 'd that you would like that table.Let him know the usual time you would like this table.Once you give it a try,you will know if you like the waiter.If everything is good,your good!Enjoy!:)

 

I noticed on the Golden that there is 2 Anytime Dining Rooms. Will they assign us to one of the dining rooms, or are we allowed to go to either? Thank you.

[Terre]

You will love the Golden and Hawaii. I think anytime dining is the way to go when in Hawaii because you just don't want to come back to the ship!

[bhopal21]

I noticed on the Golden that there is 2 Anytime Dining Rooms. Will they assign us to one of the dining rooms, or are we allowed to go to either? Thank you.

 

You can go to either or even alternate if you like.

 

Mike:)

[CALMOM]

You can go to either or even alternate if you like.

 

Mike:)

 

Thank you

[CALMOM]

Hope the above helps.

 

Caribill, If I have a different waiter each night and I will leave my auto-tips in place, then would I just give them a cash tip every night or wait till the end of the cruise?

 

I believe the waiters in the Traditional Dining Room know they have a good chance of getting an extra tip at the end of the cruise, but I wonder if the Anytime waiters think their chances are low for the extra tip at the end, if passengers don't request the same waiter each time.

 

If I tip them every night, should I let them know that I have left the auto-tips in place, so they know they can keep it, for them self?

 

Thanks for your help.

[Colo Cruiser]

If I tip them every night, should I let them know that I have left the auto-tips in place, so they know they can keep it, for them self?

 

Thanks for your help.

 

It does not matter whether you tell them or not, they have the list of people that remove them. ;)

[caribill]

Caribill, If I have a different waiter each night and I will leave my auto-tips in place, then would I just give them a cash tip every night or wait till the end of the cruise?

 

 

If you have different waitstaff every evening (waiter and assistant waiter), you might have a hard time locating them all the last evening.