Chef's Table Gratuity

[klmorg]

Again' date=' Mach has posted over and over again here. Tips are NOT included. That information is confirmed by the one running the program.[/quote']

 

It's not included as Mach has posted oveer and over again here from the highest authority.....the person who runs the program.

 

As with any business' date=' they can charge what they wish and develop a program they way they wish.

 

Nobody is forced to buy it...[/quote']

 

Did you see this (below) from Mr. Mach?

 

OK... so I asked John about this last night and he did some additional research and sent me this:

 

Hello mate

Here is the official word

It is same as the steakhouse . It is included but we have an additional line for Optional gratuity which mean if guests want to leave extra they can

 

Cheers

 

 

Perhaps it was easier to change the policy than to change the website...

 

:rolleyes:

[KCMiller]

Because it's none of your business.

 

 

I beg to differ. It's very much my business, if it's my money. And why are you getting your knickers in a twist? This is a discussion board, and we're discussing things. You don't have to be argumentative and rude. I'M not. I'm not cheaping out, I just want to know the bottom line. And yes, if we're getting conflicting reports on whether the gratuity is included or not, that's wrong - you can't argue with that, can you?

 

Still patiently waiting for the final word from the source of all Carnival knowledge, the amazing Mr. Heald.

 

(edited to include the following, from John's bloggy thingy)

 

OK, just a quick note about The Chef’s Table. It turns out I may confused some of you regarding the gratuity. The $75 does in fact include a gratuity all be it a minimal one. Think of this as the same as the steakhouse, however it is always nice to give a few dollars if the service has been excellent. It will be shared between everyone who is involved with this great event. It’s not obligatory but if you wish to give something extra………..it is truly appreciated.

 

 

 

 

 

KC

[John&John]

From John Healds blog thingie today...

 

OK, just a quick note about The Chef’s Table. It turns out I may confused some of you regarding the gratuity. The $75 does in fact include a gratuity all be it a minimal one. Think of this as the same as the steakhouse, however it is always nice to give a few dollars if the service has been excellent. It will be shared between everyone who is involved with this great event. It’s not obligatory but if you wish to give something extra………..it is truly appreciated.

[mikel24m]

I asked the chef when we were leaving and he said gratuity was not included.I gave $50 .It was well worth the tip I drank that much :). Im sure carnival does not take really good care of them for the night.

[DEBnGAB]

From John Healds blog thingie today...

 

OK, just a quick note about The Chef’s Table. It turns out I may confused some of you regarding the gratuity. The $75 does in fact include a gratuity all be it a minimal one. Think of this as the same as the steakhouse, however it is always nice to give a few dollars if the service has been excellent. It will be shared between everyone who is involved with this great event. It’s not obligatory but if you wish to give something extra………..it is truly appreciated.

 

Thank you!

[momof3cruisers]

Sanjay, who is the chef who brought the program to Carnival, told me that the gratuity has never been included in the $75 on Carnival.

The folks who do the website are aware of the error but have not gotten around to changing the text.

Could they make this a little more confusing? LOL

Because it's none of your business.

 

That is absurd. Of course it's her business. It's HER money and she is deciding how to spend it.

 

Glad to see John addressed it in his blog. Hopefully that can be taken as the official official word.

[KCMiller]

Could they make this a little more confusing? LOL

 

 

That is absurd. Of course it's her business. It's HER money and she is deciding how to spend it.

 

Glad to see John addressed it in his blog. Hopefully that can be taken as the official official word.

 

Thanks, friend!

 

KC

[John&John]

Some people think they know everything! :D

[DEBnGAB]

OK guys...so I think we're good now on the CT tipping..I hope :o;) T

 

This has been a very informational thread and a pretty good dialogue going!

[leedm]

OK, we now have that issue answered, let's now talk about world peace!:D

 

leedm

[klmorg]

Or we could talk about the weather some more.

[victoryred]

OK guys...so I think we're good now on the CT tipping..I hope :o;) T

 

This has been a very informational thread and a pretty good dialogue going!

 

Actually it all could have been avoided by reading the website:D As most cruisers would never give it a second thought.......

[DEBnGAB]

Actually it all could have been avoided by reading the website:D As most cruisers would never give it a second thought.......

 

 

But..but..then what else would we talk about? :D

[gman0119]

I asked the chef when we were leaving and he said gratuity was not included.I gave $50 .It was well worth the tip I drank that much :). Im sure carnival does not take really good care of them for the night.

 

 

John's blog today got it all set correctly. He stated that the staff on the ships had NOT been advised that the tip was included, but they are being advised now.

 

I personally still plan on giving extra!

[victoryred]

John's blog today got it all set correctly. He stated that the staff on the ships had NOT been advised that the tip was included, but they are being advised now.

 

 

 

I don't buy it.......just a way to scoop a mistake under the rug.....instead of admitting he was wrong in the first place....

[PlanoTim]

John's blog today got it all set correctly. He stated that the staff on the ships had NOT been advised that the tip was included, but they are being advised now.

 

I personally still plan on giving extra!

 

I wonder how tips are dispersed to the staff such that they wouldn't know they are getting part of the Chef's Table fee as a tip. :rolleyes: Seems odd to me.

[KCMiller]

I just think if information was clearly given, there wouldn't be this confusion. I've had people on this board tell me it's none of my business what percentage of the $75 is given as an automatic gratuity, but it shouldn't be a big secret. Yes, people have been told by servers that the tip is not included - but according to Carnival, it is. I find the whole thing unseemly, and unnecessarily misleading - on whose part, I'm not sure.

 

Anyway, I'm scheduled to have a fabulous meal at the Chefs Table on my upcoming cruise, and will assume that the servers are getting at least the base amount that my MDR server would receive if I did automatic tips (which we do). Carnival indicates that they DO receive gratuities, but we may tip additional if we wish - and I may.

 

Sigh. Things should be more transparent than this, don't you think?

 

KC

[victoryred]

I just think if information was clearly given, there wouldn't be this confusion. I've had people on this board tell me it's none of my business what percentage of the $75 is given as an automatic gratuity, but it shouldn't be a big secret. Yes, people have been told by servers that the tip is not included - but according to Carnival, it is. I find the whole thing unseemly, and unnecessarily misleading - on whose part, I'm not sure.

 

Anyway, I'm scheduled to have a fabulous meal at the Chefs Table on my upcoming cruise, and will assume that the servers are getting at least the base amount that my MDR server would receive if I did automatic tips (which we do). Carnival indicates that they DO receive gratuities, but we may tip additional if we wish - and I may.

 

Sigh. Things should be more transparent than this, don't you think?

 

KC

 

 

Carnivals website CLEARLY states that gratuities are included......

[KCMiller]

Carnivals website CLEARLY states that gratuities are included......

 

Well, yes and no.

 

The only mention of the Chef's Table ON the the Carnival website is text in a newsletter from May of 2010 which was written for a UK audience of travel agents, and yes, this indicates that the gratuity is included in the $75 fee (it also indicates that cocktails are served, which no one who's been at the Chef's Table has reported back as being fact). Conversely, there have been many reports on this board from passengers who have been flat out told by their servers that the tip is NOT included, and this information is repeated by Carnival home office employees (please refer back to an email exchange Mach posted where the gentleman who runs the program for the entire fleet told him that the gratuity was NOT included).

 

What the website says and what people attending the dinner are being told are two vastly different things. Thus the confusion. I appreciate John Heald taking the time to clear the matter up, as much as he could.

 

KC

[urbanhawk]

Reading this thread, I feel like I'm in the middle of the movie "Goundhogs Day"-keeps, repeating over ,and over, and over again:eek::D (I attended the Chef's Table in January on the Miracle-both the food and the service was incredible-I'll give you a tip-if you haven't signed up for one yet, just do it;))

[victoryred]

Well, yes and no.

 

The only mention of the Chef's Table ON the the Carnival website is text in a newsletter from May of 2010 which was written for a UK audience of travel agents, and yes, this indicates that the gratuity is included in the $75 fee (it also indicates that cocktails are served, which no one who's been at the Chef's Table has reported back as being fact). Conversely, there have been many reports on this board from passengers who have been flat out told by their servers that the tip is NOT included, and this information is repeated by Carnival home office employees (please refer back to an email exchange Mach posted where the gentleman who runs the program for the entire fleet told him that the gratuity was NOT included).

 

What the website says and what people attending the dinner are being told are two vastly different things. Thus the confusion. I appreciate John Heald taking the time to clear the matter up, as much as he could.

 

KC

 

Good thing he cleared it up:D Pointing out that what is printed on the website trumps what is being said thru the grapevine:p

[*Mach*]

I've not had much of a chance to visit this thread as the Crazies are heading out to Galveston to join the Ecstasy on Saturday. John asked me to add this note of apology to this thread:

I realise that I have not apologized for the lack of communication about this from us to the ships. For this I am sorry, we were wrong and the information has now been correctly given.

Hopefully, this will correct the problems that folks have been experiencing...

:)

[WeBeCruisin']

Seven of our group did the Chef's Table on the Splendor last October and it was our understanding that the tip was included, but we each gave an additional $10 or $15 as an added appreciation.

 

It was an outstanding three hours and everyone thoroughly enjoyed it. In addition to the meal, you get free champagne with the appetizers and various red and white wines with each course. There was also a nice 8 by 10 color photo of our group of 12 with the chef and waiters and each of the women received a signed copy of the hardback Carnival cookbook.

 

Do it! :)