Jump to content
Cruise Critic Community

MTD and Speciality Restaurant Tipping

luvcruisin63

Recommended Posts

luvcruisin63

luvcruisin63

Posted
Posted

We will be crusing in a few weeks on the Allure:). We have chosen MTD since we will be eating in the Speciality restaurants 4 of the 7 nights. How do we handle tipping? I know they will add on tips automatically which I am ok with, so do we now add on more tips each night we eat in the Speciality? Just want to make sure to do the right thing.

 

Thanks in advance for your help!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
bouhunter

bouhunter

Posted
Posted
We will be crusing in a few weeks on the Allure:). We have chosen MTD since we will be eating in the Speciality restaurants 4 of the 7 nights. How do we handle tipping? I know they will add on tips automatically which I am ok with, so do we now add on more tips each night we eat in the Speciality? Just want to make sure to do the right thing.

 

Thanks in advance for your help!!

 

The debate has been held here many times on specialty dining tips. Some people claim that the entire amount (20-30.00) is the tip. There is NO WAY this could be true, that would mean RCCL is giving all the money to the waiter and giving away the food:rolleyes: I assume the waiter/waitress gets some of the fee, but we always leave a cash tip.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
galavant3

galavant3

Posted
Posted

The gratuity is included in the cover charge. You are free to add to that if you wish.

 

Q: Are gratuities included in the dining packages? s.gifA: Yes, gratuities are included in all specialty restaurant cover charges and dining packages. Beverages ordered while dining will be charged additional gratuities.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Paul65

Paul65

Posted
Posted
So none of the tip money that you pay automatically goes to the speciality waiter/waitress?

 

I don't think anyone here really knows that for sure. We don't have inside knowledge for exactly how RCCL distributes the prepaid gratuities to staff. But...what I think happens is that those prepaid gratuities cover your housekeeping and dining room staff and perhaps some to the Windjammer staff as well. Specialty dining wait staff are then paid via the cover charge to dine in those restaurants.

 

I don't feel the need to know exactly how it's done, I just know that I'm covered for gratuities. Beyond that, there is no right or wrong answer about adding extra gratuities on top of what is already included.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Clarea

Clarea

Posted
Posted
So none of the tip money that you pay automatically goes to the speciality waiter/waitress?

Automatic tips go to the wait staff in the dining room and to your stateroom attendant and their helper(s).

Link to comment
Share on other sites
negc

negc

Posted
Posted
So none of the tip money that you pay automatically goes to the speciality waiter/waitress?

 

??? Not sure what you are asking when you use the word "automatically". Are you referring to the fee you are "automatically" charged to dine in a specialty restaurant or are you asking if the gratuity portion of the fee "automatically" goes directly to the server? The consensus seems to be that a portion of the fee, probably not the entire amount, goes to provide a tip for the people who serve you in that dining venue. You are free to add an additional gratuity for the servers if you feel that their service warrants a larger tip.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
cruisenfever

cruisenfever

Posted
Posted
So none of the tip money that you pay automatically goes to the speciality waiter/waitress?

If you sign up for MTD and eat just have one dinner then your pre-paid gratuities stay with the MTD wait staff. If you sign up for MTD and never eat in the MDR, then those gratuities that would normally be allocated to the MTD staff are now allocated to the WJ and Specialty Restaurant staff.

 

The cover charge that you pay per Specialty Restaurant does include gratuity at a very small percentage of the total charge.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
spookwife

spookwife

Posted
Posted
We will be crusing in a few weeks on the Allure:). We have chosen MTD since we will be eating in the Speciality restaurants 4 of the 7 nights. How do we handle tipping? I know they will add on tips automatically which I am ok with, so do we now add on more tips each night we eat in the Speciality? Just want to make sure to do the right thing.

 

Thanks in advance for your help!!

 

officially the fee in each venue covers the gratuity for the venue. we left a little extra on top. and left our Autos in place for MTD as well.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
spookwife

spookwife

Posted
Posted
If you sign up for MTD and eat just have one dinner then your pre-paid gratuities stay with the MTD wait staff. If you sign up for MTD and never eat in the MDR, then those gratuities that would normally be allocated to the MTD staff are now allocated to the WJ and Specialty Restaurant staff.

 

The cover charge that you pay per Specialty Restaurant does include gratuity at a very small percentage of the total charge.

 

interesting.. makes sense to a degree. Our last cruise we ate in the MDR once but I am not even sure of our cabin number was recorded, we ended up eating with another couple and he was the one who did all the finagling. oh and we ended up in WJ exactly once as well.

 

since most of our meals were in Park cafe( and Chops at Breakfast) I do hope that those servers did get a cut of my auto tips.. I know Chops recorded our cabin number every morning.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Paul65

Paul65

Posted
Posted
If you sign up for MTD and eat just have one dinner then your pre-paid gratuities stay with the MTD wait staff. If you sign up for MTD and never eat in the MDR, then those gratuities that would normally be allocated to the MTD staff are now allocated to the WJ and Specialty Restaurant staff.

 

The cover charge that you pay per Specialty Restaurant does include gratuity at a very small percentage of the total charge.

 

Of course, you'll get definitive answers like this from certain people who think they have inside knowledge of how it works. :cool:

Link to comment
Share on other sites
leaveitallbehind

leaveitallbehind

Posted
Posted
No, this is the way it works, believe it or not!

 

I believe you. :) I am also certain that RCI has it quite well managed in terms of distribution and that what is prepaid with MTD, or what is charged daily with the MDR, plus the additional specialty restaurant fees cover everyone in the manner deemed appropriate by them.

 

I don't think it is necessary to be concerned or to try to dissect what goes where and how. This is their policy and I'm sure they have thought through every contingency with all the dining options offered. Im sure the staff understands their policy as well. Besides, if you want you can always add more to whomever you want.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • Hurricane Zone 2024
      • Cruise Insurance Q&A w/ Steve Dasseos of Tripinsurancestore.com June 2024
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Cruise Critic News & Features
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...