Honest Question (Oh no, not another tipping thread!)

[sweetcurves]

I didn't want to start another thread, but post a related question... I will not be paying my tips in advance as I had in the past. Will they auto charge them to my sail and sign card or will I be able to simply pay out cash tips for outstanding service ?

 

Thank you,

 

 

My understanding is that they will go on your S&S, but I could be wrong as I'm a (cruise) virgin. LOL

[H82seaUgo]

i would remove the $5.80, and leave the alternative dining charge on. i would also inform the md that i will not be using their services.

 

i don't tip anywhere i bring my tray and food to the table, be it mcdonlds, a cafeteria, or a buffet.

[loxley]

There is no choice to not eat in there.. are you going to the maitre d' and say .. I dont plan on eating in the MDR please take me off the list and give my seat to someone else so my waiter makes money this week..

 

Another person who thinks they keep spare pax somewhere.

 

If a person moves from their assigned seat to another, the old waiters are not making the money then. What is fair about that?

 

Is that really that hard to understand?

 

If I did not set foot in the MDR, I would cut the tips down. On land I do not tip unless my glass is kept full, something that has never happened in a buffet on a cruiseship.

[joeyancho]

If you have to worry about $5.80 per day, your life is a sorry situation. Give it a rest. Find something to do with yourself. Are you that cheap that you would screw some one out of five bucks? Does it give you some sort of perverse satisfaction? Grow up.

[loxley]

I do not care if it is $1 or $100, I do not tip for services not received and that is an end to it.

[cathyoo]

i would remove the $5.80, and leave the alternative dining charge on. i would also inform the md that i will not be using their services.

 

i don't tip anywhere i bring my tray and food to the table, be it mcdonlds, a cafeteria, or a buffet.

 

I tip at buffets. Not McDonalds (but I can't ever remember as an adult eating in the restaurant). I leave a few dollars ($2-3) or hand them to the person cleaning the tables off.

 

I may have carried my food on a tray to my table but I did not cook the food or wash the dishes. Someone did that service for me and I like to express my thanks.

[twindaddy]

I do not care if it is $1 or $100, I do not tip for services not received and that is an end to it.

 

Well that settles it, sure glad these tipping threads are now over.

[Lukius]

We sailed on Ryndam in 2007 to Alaska. We didn't eat one single meal in the MDR but left the tips on. The staff get paid very little and they were there ready for us every night but we just chose to eat in the buffet.

 

We did add extra to the buffet staff as by the end of the cruise they knew us well and could anticipate what we wanted. On the Ryndam you told the staff what you wanted and they put it on plate for you. It wasnt strictly help yourself. They even offered to get a meal from the MDR one night as we mentioned that looked interesting and did they serve it in the buffet.

 

I would do the same again. Leave MDR tips as is and add extra to those who did serve us well else where.

 

Cheers,

 

Rebecca

[golfadj]

I didn't want to start another thread, but post a related question... I will not be paying my tips in advance as I had in the past. Will they auto charge them to my sail and sign card or will I be able to simply pay out cash tips for outstanding service ?

 

Thank you,

 

They will auto charge tips to your sign and sail card.

[golfadj]

Amazing we cannot have a discussion on tipping for exclusive lido deck dining without it getting so emotional.

[H82seaUgo]

I tip at buffets. Not McDonalds (but I can't ever remember as an adult eating in the restaurant). I leave a few dollars ($2-3) or hand them to the person cleaning the tables off.

 

I may have carried my food on a tray to my table but I did not cook the food or wash the dishes. Someone did that service for me and I like to express my thanks.

 

by that logic, you should be tipping at mcdonalds as well, as someone is preparing food, as well as cleans tables and washes trays. but you choose not to.

[golfadj]

I tip at buffets. Not McDonalds (but I can't ever remember as an adult eating in the restaurant). I leave a few dollars ($2-3) or hand them to the person cleaning the tables off.

 

I may have carried my food on a tray to my table but I did not cook the food or wash the dishes. Someone did that service for me and I like to express my thanks.

 

I will usually tip at buffets as long as my table is cleaned and drinks replaced.

 

However you do know that you are expressing your thanks by going back to the restaurant so that employees will have their jobs.

[cruzn buckeye]

OK let me make it clear... if you book traditional dining.. they hold a chair for you.. what dont you get.

 

Okay, I am confused on this one. So, they hold a chair. That's like saying, the restaurant down the street has an empty chair in a certain waiters area. But it stayed empty, so because I am not there, he doesnt get a tip. He didnt serve an empty chair... why tip for an empty chair... I know I didnt word that very well... just a confusing point that you made here...:confused:

[cruzn buckeye]

Dear God, what part of HYPOTHETICAL do you not understand.

 

Contrary to what has been implied, I did not post this

to "stir the waters" (although there is nothing wrong

with that - if not here, then where?)

you can post anything you like here on cruise critic... all opinions are allowed, whether everyone agrees to them or not...

As I stated in the OP, the other dining thread got

me thinking:

IF the MDR went pay only, how many people would

never go and what would happen to the tips?

I can guarantee you this... I for one would NEVER GO.:mad: I will not pay for the MDR ... when they start doing this on what used to be ALL INCLUSIVE... they are losing what they stood for... a vacation that includes everything.. well now, it says almost... they used to do a comparison to cruise versus land vacation in their travel brochure... wouldn't look too good if they did this, now would it...?

 

If that is "stirring the waters" so be it... I've seen

MUCH worse here.

You are allowed to post any questions here... if some consider it stirring the pot... so what?? you can stir as much as you like... even though I don't think this is a stir the pot post...:D

[ObstructedView2]

 

OP I read some of your posts on the other tipping thread so I know you love to stir the waters.. but I really dont understand people do all this planning for a vacation.. and then obsess over trying to save a few bucks on tips. It makes no sense to me.

 

 

Did you even read my OP? I used the ALL CAPS to make it clear:

I said if you NEVER set foot in the MDR what would you find appropriate.

Next time I'll type slower so you can understand

 

 

And get off your high horse about stirring the waters: You were the FIRST ONE to drag this post into the mud. You win the Ship on a Stick. Congratulations!

 

 

Hi Amy:)

 

It seems to me that Firefly wants to get to her 70th thousand reply to a post here on cruise critic as quickly as possible.

She is ALWAYS quick to reply & 1st in attempt to set the tone to a post, or give it attitude; however she is

sometimes helpful, but 99% snarky at the same time.

 

I often wonder if H82seaugo & Firefly are married or the same person behind that all mighty computer screen..

Simply put, this is a true example of someone that spends WAYYYY too much time on a message board.

 

Having said that.... Another tipping post??? Oh my..

[sparks1093]

Now before I burst into flames, this is a hypothetical but honest question.

 

The dining thread got me thinking:

 

If you NEVER eat in the MDR, not for breakfast, not for lunch, not for dinner. (ALL your meals are from the lido deck - the ENTIRE cruise!)

 

What would YOU do with the $ 5.80 gratuity per day for dining room service:

 

A: Remove it completely - (Why should I tip for nothing?)

 

B: Shift ALL of the money over to alternative services - (I am eating them exclusively so I will give all the dining room tips to them.)

 

C: Shift SOME of the money over to alternative services and pocket the rest- (I am using them more BUT they are not waiting on me)

 

D: Shift SOME of the money over to alternative services and leave some for MDR staff- (A Compromise)

 

E: Leave it as is - (The MDR staff is still working hard and expecting it.)

 

 

This should be interesting :rolleyes:

 

I cannot conceive the concept of never eating in the dining room regularly. I can see missing a night or two because of running late or something along those lines but giving up the MDR to eat in a buffet? Nope.

[sparks1093]

by that logic, you should be tipping at mcdonalds as well, as someone is preparing food, as well as cleans tables and washes trays. but you choose not to.

 

In every buffet I've been in there is someone that 1) brings us our drinks, 2) replenishes our drinks, 3) clears our dirty dishes when we return for seconds, and 4) clears and cleans the table to get it ready for the next customer (which impacts me because I was the next customer before I sat down). That person gets a tip. Not 15% maybe but still a tip commensurate with the service provided.

[rickechambers1@aol.com]

Did you even read my OP? I used the ALL CAPS to make it clear:

I said if you NEVER set foot in the MDR what would you find appropriate.

Next time I'll type slower so you can understand

 

 

And get off your high horse about stirring the waters: You were the FIRST ONE to drag this post into the mud. You win the Ship on a Stick. Congratulations!

 

...rude.

[H82seaUgo]

In every buffet I've been in there is someone that 1) brings us our drinks, 2) replenishes our drinks, 3) clears our dirty dishes when we return for seconds, and 4) clears and cleans the table to get it ready for the next customer (which impacts me because I was the next customer before I sat down). That person gets a tip. Not 15% maybe but still a tip commensurate with the service provided.

 

see? if i went up to the bar and ordered a drink, i would tip on that drink, not a whole meal i got myself.

[sparks1093]

see? if i went up to the bar and ordered a drink, i would tip on that drink, not a whole meal i got myself.

 

And if someone came and took your drink order and brought it to you then you'd tip them, right? When I'm at a buffet I'm not tipping for the whole meal, I'm tipping for what service that I do get (although I do generally use the cost of the meal as a guide and typically I leave about half what I would).

[H82seaUgo]

And if someone came and took your drink order and brought it to you then you'd tip them, right? When I'm at a buffet I'm not tipping for the whole meal, I'm tipping for what service that I do get (although I do generally use the cost of the meal as a guide and typically I leave about half what I would).

 

that's what ii was trying to say. but it drives my current kin that ii never drink with dinner. seems to bother service staff as well.

[golfadj]

In every buffet I've been in there is someone that 1) brings us our drinks, 2) replenishes our drinks, 3) clears our dirty dishes when we return for seconds, and 4) clears and cleans the table to get it ready for the next customer (which impacts me because I was the next customer before I sat down). That person gets a tip. Not 15% maybe but still a tip commensurate with the service provided.

 

Based on this thinking you would remove part of the auto tip and add to alternative. I would do the same thing if I chose (and would never do so) to avoid the DR.

[Richard & Philip]

I just finished reading Cruise Confidential, the book by the only American waiter on a Carnival ship to last a full contract. He says that if you don't eat in the MDR...the waiters do not get the tip. Don't know what happens to it then.....

[sparks1093]

Based on this thinking you would remove part of the auto tip and add to alternative. I would do the same thing if I chose (and would never do so) to avoid the DR.

 

Probably, but as I said I don't ever envision avoiding the MDR.

[imnance]

you must luv controversy

 

Actually, this is something I've been mulling over for some time so I don't find it controversial at all.

 

I haven't eaten in the MDR on my last 3 cruises. I have no intention of removing any gratuities but I have wondered if I should have them redistributed.