Specialty restaurant gratuity?

[Pepc]

I just read the thread about a $5.00 gratuity being charged (sometimes!) if you are in a suite and dine in Blu.

My question is:

What about a gratuity (how much / per person?) when dining in the specialty restaurants on the Eclipse (Murano and Tuscan Grill).

Is it automatically charged to your sea pass?

Thank you for your help!

[happy 2 b cruising]

I just read the thread about a $5.00 gratuity being charged (sometimes!) if you are in a suite and dine in Blu.

My question is:

What about a gratuity (how much / per person?) when dining in the specialty restaurants on the Eclipse (Murano and Tuscan Grill).

Is it automatically charged to your sea pass?

Thank you for your help!

 

Blu is not a Specialty Restaurant, it is for Aqua Class and space available for Suite guests, a whole different lengthy thread on the $5.00 charge for Suite guests. The staff in the Specialty restaurants are always excellent therefore it is up to you if you would like to add a additional tip for superior service. Hope this helps.

[RickT]

When we eat in the Tuscan Grill or Murano we typically give a $5-10 tip per person eating due to the wonderful service we get. To each their own however.

Edited January 1, 2014 by RickT

[Lsimon]

A basic gratuity is included in the cover charge for the specialty restaurants (which do not include Blu). Guests may add an additional gratuity if they are so inclined. We usually do as the service is almost always wonderful. But should not feel "obligated" to do so and you will not be "stiffing" the staff if you do not leave extra.

[NLH Arizona]

It is not necessary to leave a tip, but when I eat in a specialty restaurant, I leave a $5 tip in cash.

[Wine-O]

If you want to tip in one of the specialty restaurants above and beyond the charged fee for exceptional service, leave it in cash. If you write it in on the slip, whether or not it was a comp meal for Suite guests, all of those tips do not go directly to the server who provided the exceptional service. It is split with the server, the Maitre'D, and others. It's best to leave cash.

 

Also if you write in additional gratuity in the Bistro for exceptional service, all those funds go directly to Celebrity, and not the server who provided the service. Best to leave cash if you want to provide a gratuity.

 

I was told the above on Reflection from a very reliable source.

[keesar]

A basic gratuity is included in the cover charge for the specialty restaurants (which do not include Blu). Guests may add an additional gratuity if they are so inclined. We usually do as the service is almost always wonderful. But should not feel "obligated" to do so and you will not be "stiffing" the staff if you do not leave extra.

 

Larry is right on. There is a built in basic gratuity included in the cost of dining in a Specialty Restaurant. We typically leave $10 per person in addition to the included tip as the service (and food) has always been over the top.

[happy 2 b cruising]

:)

If you want to tip in one of the specialty restaurants above and beyond the charged fee for exceptional service, leave it in cash. If you write it in on the slip, whether or not it was a comp meal for Suite guests, all of those tips do not go directly to the server who provided the exceptional service. It is split with the server, the Maitre'D, and others. It's best to leave cash.

 

Also if you write in additional gratuity in the Bistro for exceptional service, all those funds go directly to Celebrity, and not the server who provided the service. Best to leave cash if you want to provide a gratuity.

 

I was told the above on Reflection from a very reliable source.

 

We always leave an additional tip on the slip at the end of the meal in the Specialty restaurants, thank - you for your suggestion of cash, good idea:)

[clementine]

We always leave a extra cash tip when dinning in a specialty restaurant since the food and service is always exceptional :)

[bbqoug]

If you want to tip in one of the specialty restaurants above and beyond the charged fee for exceptional service, leave it in cash. If you write it in on the slip, whether or not it was a comp meal for Suite guests, all of those tips do not go directly to the server who provided the exceptional service. It is split with the server, the Maitre'D, and others. It's best to leave cash.

 

Also if you write in additional gratuity in the Bistro for exceptional service, all those funds go directly to Celebrity, and not the server who provided the service. Best to leave cash if you want to provide a gratuity.

 

I was told the above on Reflection from a very reliable source.

 

Very interesting. I have always written the extra tip onto the slip for the server, but will leave cash from now on.

What about the Sommelier? Would you give an extra cash tip directly to them when giving them your sea pass card during wine service?

 

Jeff

[Wine-O]

Very interesting. I have always written the extra tip onto the slip for the server, but will leave cash from now on.

What about the Sommelier? Would you give an extra cash tip directly to them when giving them your sea pass card during wine service?

 

Jeff

 

We have the same Sommelier every night in the dining room. I always give them cash at the end of the cruise. Since I don't have any beverage packages, they get 15% of every glass or bottle of wine I order.

[bbqoug]

We have the same Sommelier every night in the dining room. I always give them cash at the end of the cruise. Since I don't have any beverage packages, they get 15% of every glass or bottle of wine I order.

 

That sounds like a good idea for the main dining room.

I'm wondering what people would recommend in order to tip the Sommelier in a specialty restaurant that you might only visit once or twice.

 

Jeff

[Wine-O]

That sounds like a good idea for the main dining room.

I'm wondering what people would recommend in order to tip the Sommelier in a specialty restaurant that you might only visit once or twice.

 

Jeff

 

If you got the beverage package, the tip was worked in on that. If you order wine in a specialty restaurant, the 15% tip is added. If you added additional to the seapass slip, my guess is it would go to the Sommelier.

[Crazy Cruzer]

If you want to tip in one of the specialty restaurants above and beyond the charged fee for exceptional service, leave it in cash. If you write it in on the slip, whether or not it was a comp meal for Suite guests, all of those tips do not go directly to the server who provided the exceptional service. It is split with the server, the Maitre'D, and others. It's best to leave cash.

 

Also if you write in additional gratuity in the Bistro for exceptional service, all those funds go directly to Celebrity, and not the server who provided the service. Best to leave cash if you want to provide a gratuity.

 

I was told the above on Reflection from a very reliable source.

 

Hmmm... I was always under the impression that if there is a situation where a charged tip is pooled, that any cash tips must be reported by the recipient and submitted to the pool as well. And that if a member cheated on this and kept a cash tip that should be pooled that it was grounds for dismissal. I thought this was done so that cash couldn't be used to circumvent the system. If your source was truly "very reliable" perhaps what I've heard isn't true, but I've heard about it from different places and read it on Cruise Critic as well.

[Wine-O]

Hmmm... I was always under the impression that if there is a situation where a charged tip is pooled, that any cash tips must be reported by the recipient and submitted to the pool as well. And that if a member cheated on this and kept a cash tip that should be pooled that it was grounds for dismissal. I thought this was done so that cash couldn't be used to circumvent the system. If your source was truly "very reliable" perhaps what I've heard isn't true, but I've heard about it from different places and read it on Cruise Critic as well.

 

That might be the case in dining venues such as Blu where all the tips are pooled because it's open seating, and some folks take off the automatic tips at Guest Relations and pay individual waiters.

 

I tip some of the bartenders handsomely, especially at the Elite AM/PM functions, and I'm not under the impression that they have to pool those tips.

[junetraveler2014]

We always leave extra for good service even if the gratuity is included in the price, but have added it to payment slip. If giving cash, do we hand it to the server when we are thanking them for good service or do we leave it on the table? And if there are more than one server, do you hand some $$ to each or just one? This etiquette act has always caused me trouble. Help would be appreciated. Thank you

[Hapytocruise]

That might be the case in dining venues such as Blu where all the tips are pooled because it's open seating, and some folks take off the automatic tips at Guest Relations and pay individual waiters.

 

I tip some of the bartenders handsomely, especially at the Elite AM/PM functions, and I'm not under the impression that they have to pool those tips.

 

Last cruise I specifically asked at guest services IF extra tips in Blu were pooled and I was assured that they were not. I was told anything extra I gave our waiter (who we had the majority of the time because we waited for a table to be available in his area most nights) would be kept by him.

[20pluscruises]

We always leave $20 tip for the two of us.

 

I did notice the cash tips given to the bartenders were never put into their pockets but set on the counter near the register....this was at every bar and evry single time.

 

Does anyone have the correct answer on where the tips go to?

[Pepc]

Thank you very much to everyone for your input.

The only bit of information that I still don't know / have is: how much should I expect Celebrity to charge me automatically as the tip?

I understand I can add on to that (with cash!) whatever I feel is appropriate, but I'm still not clear what Celebrity charges as a gratuity in Tuscan Grille and Murano.

Thank you, again!

[Wine-O]

Thank you very much to everyone for your input.

The only bit of information that I still don't know / have is: how much should I expect Celebrity to charge me automatically as the tip?

I understand I can add on to that (with cash!) whatever I feel is appropriate, but I'm still not clear what Celebrity charges as a gratuity in Tuscan Grille and Murano.

Thank you, again!

 

It's not really a gratuity -- it's a fixed price charge to eat there. Tuscan is around $40, and Murano is $45, both per person. No other tip/gratuity is required although you are welcome to add more if you so desire.

[Crazy Cruzer]

Last cruise I specifically asked at guest services IF extra tips in Blu were pooled and I was assured that they were not. I was told anything extra I gave our waiter (who we had the majority of the time because we waited for a table to be available in his area most nights) would be kept by him.

 

I've always heard that "extra" tips were not pooled, especially for regular dining room and cabin staff. What I was referring to in my prior post is a tip that would be pooled if it was charged. I've always been told that one can not circumvent a pooled tip by giving it in cash because if a tip is supposed to be pooled the staff person receiving the cash is required, under severe penalties, to surrender it. But if someone wants to give such a tip in cash in the hopes that this is not the case then all the power to them.

 

The post by wineo that I had replied to was in in-between situation with a server in the specialty restaurant. In the specialty restaurants servers usually do not work a table alone but instead are part of a service team and because of this the tips are pooled. So I'm presuming that the same rules as to pooling of tips apply as they would with other pooled tips. I know if I was working as part of team that served a table and pooled tips that I'd be really upset if a teammate pocketed a cash tip and didn't turn it into the pool. Who knows someone might have received "special service" from one team member because another team member was busy tending to another responsibility of the first team member. That how teamwork works.

Edited January 2, 2014 by Crazy Cruzer

[Lsimon]

...The only bit of information that I still don't know / have is: how much should I expect Celebrity to charge me automatically as the tip?...

...I'm still not clear what Celebrity charges as a gratuity in Tuscan Grille and Murano....

In the specialty restaurants the only gratuity that is automatically charged is the 15% on beverages. The basic gratuity is part of the service charge which is $45/pp for Muranos and $35 for Tuscan Grill. That service charge includes both the base gratuity and money to the cruise line for costs and profits. The breakdown of the portion that goes to the staff has never been disclosed.

 

For example if you and one other person go to Muranos and order dinner and a $50 bottle of wine you will get a bill for $45 x 2 for the service charge and $50 + 15%, or $57.50 for the wine, for a total of $147.50. There will be a space on the bill to add an additional gratuity. Sometimes there are two bills, and sometimes one bill with one extra gratuity line and sometimes two extra gratuity lines with one being for beverage and one for food. This has varied over time.

[Pepc]

I apologize for not explaining my question fully.

I originally started this thread and asked:

 

"I just read the thread about a $5.00 gratuity being charged (sometimes!) if you are in a suite and dine in Blu . . .

What about a gratuity (how much / per person?) when dining in the specialty restaurants on the Eclipse (Murano and Tuscan Grill).

Is it automatically charged to your sea pass?

Thank you for your help!"

 

What I neglected to say was that we are staying in a suite and will be dining complimentary in Tuscan Grille and Murano.

That being the case, is there a tip charged to us or do we just leave whatever we want to leave?

Sorry for the confusion!

[Wine-O]

I apologize for not explaining my question fully.

I originally started this thread and asked:

 

 

 

What I neglected to say was that we are staying in a suite and will be dining complimentary in Tuscan Grille and Murano.

That being the case, is there a tip charged to us or do we just leave whatever we want to leave?

Sorry for the confusion!

 

You will get a slip that reads -0- balance, and there will be a spot for you to write in a gratuity if you so desire.

[SusieV]

If you want to tip in one of the specialty restaurants above and beyond the charged fee for exceptional service, leave it in cash. If you write it in on the slip, whether or not it was a comp meal for Suite guests, all of those tips do not go directly to the server who provided the exceptional service. It is split with the server, the Maitre'D, and others. It's best to leave cash.

 

Also if you write in additional gratuity in the Bistro for exceptional service, all those funds go directly to Celebrity, and not the server who provided the service. Best to leave cash if you want to provide a gratuity.

 

I was told the above on Reflection from a very reliable source.

 

Hang on- are you saying Celebrity steals the tips left for servers at the Bistro? I read that a few times and couldn't believe it.