sabrefan Posted November 25, 2012 #1 Share Posted November 25, 2012 My wife and I will be going on the Riviera in February, 1st cruise on Oceania. We have been sailing before on Celebrity. What I am wondering, Is it customary to tip the waiter in the specialty restaurants? I usually tip the waiter at specialty restaurants on Celebrity plus there is also a fee that you pay for to go to specialty restaurants as well on Celebrity. The cruise cost is also more on Oceania than Celebrity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oceans&Rivers Posted November 25, 2012 #2 Share Posted November 25, 2012 Here, from Oceania's website: "Q: What is your gratuity policy? A: For sailings prior to the 2013 Europe season: How much you choose to tip is a personal matter and completely at your discretion. For your convenience, gratuities of $13.50 per guest, per day are automatically added to your shipboard account. An additional $5.00 per guest, per day will be added for guests occupying Penthouse, Vista, Oceania or Owner's Suites where Butler Service is provided. An 18% gratuity is automatically added to all beverage purchases and spa and salon services. Naturally, guests may adjust gratuities while onboard the vessel at their sole discretion. For sailings beginning with the 2013 Europe season: How much you choose to tip is a personal matter and completely at your discretion. For your convenience, gratuities of $14.50 per guest, per day are automatically added to your shipboard account. An additional $6.00 per guest, per day will be added for guests occupying Penthouse, Vista, Oceania or Owner's Suites where Butler Service is provided. An 18% gratuity is automatically added to all beverage purchases and spa and salon services. Naturally, guests may adjust gratuities while onboard the vessel at their sole discretion." http://www.oceaniacruises.com/guestservices/faq.aspx?Cat=Shipboard%20Services Tipping is a very personal matter. We tip extra if it is warranted (i.e. above and beyond the norm), otherwise not, whether we dine in a specialty dining room or anywhere else on the ship. In our case, we felt the butlers provided the best service (our own and all the other butlers) by far, and we dined most often in our suite, so we were very generous to our own butler and also added an additional $200 to the "butler pool" above the obligatory gratuities. Of course, aside from the excellent service, last year we had a lot of OBC (onboard credit) and were in a very generous state of mind. Without all that OBC going forward, and with the cruises so much more expensive (per hour spent onboard) we may spend more of it on ourselves next time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LHT28 Posted November 25, 2012 #3 Share Posted November 25, 2012 My wife and I will be going on the Riviera in February, 1st cruise on Oceania. We have been sailing before on Celebrity. What I am wondering, Is it customary to tip the waiter in the specialty restaurants? It is a personal choice I must admit we do not tip extra in the specialty restaurants but I am sure if you want to they would be appreciated We do tip extra to those that have gone above & beyond to make our cruise special Lyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tansy Mews Posted November 25, 2012 #4 Share Posted November 25, 2012 If I were going to give additional gratuity beyond the automatic amount, it would likely not be to a waiter in a specialty restaurant who has served me just the once. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimandStan Posted November 25, 2012 #5 Share Posted November 25, 2012 On this one, I'd have to agree with LHT, we have only ever had occasion to tip in the specialty restaurants (and I mean the maître d’hôtel AND the table staff) when they have accorded us some special consideration... -requesting and getting a prized aft table for eight on an important birthday comes to mind. If we've booked Privée, however, we ALWAYS tip extra, "on the night", both because the service is so very extraordinary, and because in that situation, we are hosting. As far as the wine staff are concerned, if we are motivated to tip a Sommelier beyond the 18% auto-tip, we do so at our final dinner in that restaurant. This is all subjective, mind you, and it is best to tip or not tip according to YOUR conscience. not based on what anyone else does or says. The trouble with that (if you can call it trouble) is that the service on Oceania is so darned good. Have a terrific cruise! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joysav Posted November 25, 2012 #6 Share Posted November 25, 2012 On this one, I'd have to agree with LHT, we have only ever had occasion to tip in the specialty restaurants (and I mean the maître d’hôtel AND the table staff) when they have accorded us some special consideration... -requesting and getting a prized aft table for eight on an important birthday comes to mind. If we've booked Privée, however, we ALWAYS tip extra, "on the night", both because the service is so very extraordinary, and because in that situation, we are hosting. This is all subjective, mind you, and it is best to tip or not tip according to YOUR conscience. not based on what anyone else does or says. The trouble with that (if you can call it trouble) is that the service on Oceania is so darned good. Have a terrific cruise! About sums it up in my humble opinion. ;) . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LHT28 Posted November 25, 2012 #7 Share Posted November 25, 2012 If I were going to give additional gratuity beyond the automatic amount, it would likely not be to a waiter in a specialty restaurant who has served me just the once. Remember your waiter in the specialty restaurant my serve you throughout the day in one of the other dining venues :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smdcruiser Posted November 30, 2012 #8 Share Posted November 30, 2012 My wife and I will be going on the Riviera in February, 1st cruise on Oceania. We have been sailing before on Celebrity. What I am wondering, Is it customary to tip the waiter in the specialty restaurants? I usually tip the waiter at specialty restaurants on Celebrity plus there is also a fee that you pay for to go to specialty restaurants as well on Celebrity. The cruise cost is also more on Oceania than Celebrity. I've sailed with Celebrity many times and this is my first with Oceania. The way I understand it with the automatic gratuity system is, all restaurant service staff have a piece of the pie regardless of what restaurant they are attending. As a rule I give an additional gratuity to not only the servers in the specialty restaurants but also the main dining hall. I have the beverage package on my upcoming cruise. Celebrity adds a gratuity charge to the drink packages (but I do give additional tips), not sure if Oceania does. Will find otu soon enough. Looking forward to sailing on Marina ! :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mura Posted November 30, 2012 #9 Share Posted November 30, 2012 I haven't taken advantage of the drink package on O and don't intend to, but my reading of the rules indicates to me that the gratuity is included in the daily fee ... Someone will correct me if I am wrong! Mura Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LHT28 Posted November 30, 2012 #10 Share Posted November 30, 2012 I've sailed with Celebrity many times and this is my first with Oceania. The way I understand it with the automatic gratuity system is, all restaurant service staff have a piece of the pie regardless of what restaurant they are attending. As a rule I give an additional gratuity to not only the servers in the specialty restaurants but also the main dining hall. I have the beverage package on my upcoming cruise. Celebrity adds a gratuity charge to the drink packages (but I do give additional tips), not sure if Oceania does. Will find otu soon enough. Looking forward to sailing on Marina ! :) Since it is open dining your servers may be in the Terrace for breakfast & the GDR for lunch & a specialty restaurant for dinner also at afternoon tea You will see the waitstaff everywhere You can tip extra if you choose ..it is a personal decision The beverage packages have the Gratuity included in the daily rate but again you can give extra if you choose Enjoy the cruise Lyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treasure4two Posted December 2, 2012 #11 Share Posted December 2, 2012 We always tip extra in the speciality restaurant, even if just a small amount, IF the service was great. I do not think about whether they get part of the $13.50 or not. It is always a personal decision and whatever you are comfortable with, works. Also agree, the service on Oceania(and Azamara) is great!! Wish we could afford to travel only on Oceania and Azamara, but we are not wealthy, so we do it as often as possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smdcruiser Posted December 4, 2012 #12 Share Posted December 4, 2012 We always tip extra in the speciality restaurant, even if just a small amount, IF the service was great. I do not think about whether they get part of the $13.50 or not. It is always a personal decision and whatever you are comfortable with, works. Also agree, the service on Oceania(and Azamara) is great!! Wish we could afford to travel only on Oceania and Azamara, but we are not wealthy, so we do it as often as possible. The best response yet.....thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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