Dining & Gratuity Questions-First Carnival Cruise

[MYJR2000]

My DH & I have just booked our first Carnival cruise-The Victory sailing Sept. 19, and we are super excited! We have previously only cruised with NCL, but I really wanted to get to Grand Turk, and NCL doesn't currently have an itinerary with that port.

 

I have a low post count, but I am a huge lurker, and have been actively following the NCL board for months. Once Carnival became an option we were considering, I started reading this board as well. I do have a few questions that searches haven't answered so I thought I'd come out of lurkdom and ask. I hope someone can help me with my questions. I know the lines are more alike than different, but as someone who likes to 'be in the know' I would appreciate any info/tidbits or stories regarding the following:

 

Dining- I am on the wait list for My Time Dining, which is what I am used to on NCL. What are the odds of actually ending up with it? If I end up with assigned, do you have to sit with others or are there tables for two? (not that there's anything wrong with sitting with others, but this will be a kids-free, romantic getaway) If there are tables for two, how do we request that?

 

I've read some discussion for assigned seating about letting the maître de know if you are not eating at the dining room. Is this required, I don't know what the etiquette is?

 

Gratuities- On NCL, gratuities are paid via a daily service charge. I see there is an option for pre-paid gratuities on the Carnival sight as well. Since this is not the 'standard practice' like it is on NCL, will my room steward etc know I have pre-paid? I would hate to have anyone think I did not tip.

 

Do the gratuities cover dining room staff as well?

 

Room Service- I am reading current threads about glasses not being taken by room stewards, which made me wonder about actual room service dishes. What is the correct thing to do with them? Does the room steward take them? There was a whole brouhaha on the NCL board over not being able to take food back to the room because they were trying to avoid dishes in the hallways. (It has since been reversed.)

 

Again, I am looking not only for the 'by the book' answers, but also for 'Carnival culture'. I want to enjoy myself, and not insult, stiff, or otherwise tick anyone off unintentionally just because I was clueless, lol.

 

Thanks so much for any help!-Sarah

[PurdueChefAmber]

Dining- The chance is fairly good but if you don't get it, you can go to the Maitre D and ask for a change in time. If you don't get ATD, ask for late.

 

Gratuities- Yes, you can prepay. These cover the dining staff but not the Matrie D or room service.

 

Room Service- The polite thing is to leave it in your room and your steward will take it. Some people leave them in the hall, also.

 

Have fun, Sarah!

[JillySue]

My DH & I have just booked our first Carnival cruise-The Victory sailing Sept. 19, and we are super excited! We have previously only cruised with NCL, but I really wanted to get to Grand Turk, and NCL doesn't currently have an itinerary with that port.

 

 

 

I have a low post count, but I am a huge lurker, and have been actively following the NCL board for months. Once Carnival became an option we were considering, I started reading this board as well. I do have a few questions that searches haven't answered so I thought I'd come out of lurkdom and ask. I hope someone can help me with my questions. I know the lines are more alike than different, but as someone who likes to 'be in the know' I would appreciate any info/tidbits or stories regarding the following:

 

 

 

Dining- I am on the wait list for My Time Dining, which is what I am used to on NCL. What are the odds of actually ending up with it? If I end up with assigned, do you have to sit with others or are there tables for two? (not that there's anything wrong with sitting with others, but this will be a kids-free, romantic getaway) If there are tables for two, how do we request that?

 

 

 

I've read some discussion for assigned seating about letting the maître de know if you are not eating at the dining room. Is this required, I don't know what the etiquette is?

 

 

 

Gratuities- On NCL, gratuities are paid via a daily service charge. I see there is an option for pre-paid gratuities on the Carnival sight as well. Since this is not the 'standard practice' like it is on NCL, will my room steward etc know I have pre-paid? I would hate to have anyone think I did not tip.

 

 

 

Do the gratuities cover dining room staff as well?

 

 

 

Room Service- I am reading current threads about glasses not being taken by room stewards, which made me wonder about actual room service dishes. What is the correct thing to do with them? Does the room steward take them? There was a whole brouhaha on the NCL board over not being able to take food back to the room because they were trying to avoid dishes in the hallways. (It has since been reversed.)

 

 

 

Again, I am looking not only for the 'by the book' answers, but also for 'Carnival culture'. I want to enjoy myself, and not insult, stiff, or otherwise tick anyone off unintentionally just because I was clueless, lol.

 

 

 

Thanks so much for any help!-Sarah

 

 

For the anytime dining, they'll ask each night when you arrive if you'd like to be seated with others or not.

 

You can pre pay gratuities, you just have to call to do so. Otherwise they will auto post to your onboard account on the 2nd night. This is all grats, room and dining.

 

Room service dishes....we leave ours outside the door. This is a lively debate over here too. Some inside, some outside. Whatever feels right. We tend to leave ours outside because we are going to be in the room a while after eating. (Naptime :))

[cntrydncr1]

I don't think I can answer all of your questions but i'll try. If I'm not going to be at dinner I try to let our waiter know each day for the next day. Automatic tips do cover all service people including waiters. You do not need to let your steward know that is what you have done.

 

You can leave your room services dishes in your room or place them in the hall...people do both things. I only put mine out in the hall if it is a large tray that is in the way int he room. Hope you enjoy your trip.

[love my grandkids]

Most people including ourselves use auto tips easier that way and can always hand someone cash if you feel they deserve it.

 

We leave room service trays in hallways. Supposedly they will make runs every few hours to pick up from hallways.

 

If you dont get ATD go to see MD after you get onto ship and see if you can get it.

[bruadhin]

If you do not get any time dining, go see the matre'd on the first day. Ask to see if you can be moved to ATD. He may or may not be able to help you. Also, if you have assigned dining and are unable to switch, you can also see if are sharing a table. You can ask to be moved to a table for two if you wish.

 

You do not need to let anyone know if you will be dining that night. For ATD, it doesn't matter and for assigned the table is assigned to you, so it won't free it up for someone else if you tell them. They have to set the table regardless of if you show or not.

 

As to the tips, as mentioned earlier they are automatically added on the second day. The crew doesn't know if you pre-paid or not (do they know on NCL?). I assume they may be notified if someone removes the tips.

 

As far as dishes, do whatever floats your boat. Leave them in the room or put them in the hallway. Stewards will remove dirty dishes. I have noticed they tend to leave glasses that have liquid in them. I assume they are unsure if you are done with it or not and err on the side of caution by leaving it in the room. They will place it next to the ice bucket on the tray.

 

While not asked, ice must be requested now. Our steward refilled our ice at each visit after I asked. I'm not sure if that the standard or not though.

 

Regarding the matre'd, previously they mentioned on the last night that the automatic tips do not include him and provided an envelope. That didn't happen on the Breeze in May/June and I just realized now we forgot to tip him. I am wondering if they are now included or otherwise paid.

[MYJR2000]

Thank you everyone for the kind and helpful replies! I really appreciate them. After reading through the replies, I now have an additional question, lol. If the pre-paid gratuities do not cover the MD, then what is the 'standard' tip, and do you give it once at the end of the cruise, or each night?

[bruadhin]

Thank you everyone for the kind and helpful replies! I really appreciate them. After reading through the replies, I now have an additional question, lol. If the pre-paid gratuities do not cover the MD, then what is the 'standard' tip, and do you give it once at the end of the cruise, or each night?

 

I don't recall, we just gave whatever was suggested. Which is probably why we forgot when it wasn't mentioned. I never understood tipping the matre'd, his role is mainly managerial. You don't tip management. Perhaps Carnival decided as much and got rid of the tip for the matre'd? I don't know.

[firemanbobswife]

They do know if you have prepaid gratuities or not. They get a list. I have seen it before on our room steward's cart.

[bruadhin]

They do know if you have prepaid gratuities or not. They get a list. I have seen it before on our room steward's cart.

 

Interesting. I really am curious why they even need to know. What does it matter if you prepay or just let the cruise line add it to your onboard spending account? It is the same to them in the end.

[firemanbobswife]

Interesting. I really am curious why they even need to know. What does it matter if you prepay or just let the cruise line add it to your onboard spending account? It is the same to them in the end.

 

 

Not sure why it would matter, but yes it is the same to them either way. It was on the first day so I know it was the prepaid tips and not the ones added on as we always prepay just to get it done and over with.

 

I don't know if they send out an updated list later on in the cruise after they are added to the accounts or not. There seems to be much debate about this.

[bruadhin]

Not sure why it would matter, but yes it is the same to them either way. It was on the first day so I know it was the prepaid tips and not the ones added on as we always prepay just to get it done and over with.

 

I don't know if they send out an updated list later on in the cruise after they are added to the accounts or not. There seems to be much debate about this.

 

That really is most curious. I really don't see why someone deserves better service or less service simply because they prepaid. I also can't see any other reason the room steward would need to know.

 

Hopefully someone can enlighten us as to why as I really don't get the relevance at all.

[firemanbobswife]

That really is most curious. I really don't see why someone deserves better service or less service simply because they prepaid. I also can't see any other reason the room steward would need to know.

 

Hopefully someone can enlighten us as to why as I really don't get the relevance at all.

 

 

I don't know that they would get better or worse service based on prepaying or not. I guess it could be taken either way.

 

This was a year ago in January on the Conquest. He had introduced himself and we had 2 rooms. He held the clipboard up to me to confirm our rooms, names, and who would be where. There was something on there about prepaid or grats or something to that effect. It was in a spreadsheet type of form with all his room numbers etc. I don't recall the exact wording but it stuck in my head and later in the evening when I was waiting outside the room for the boys, the clipboard was sitting there on the cart so I glanced over at it again confirming what I originally thought I saw. It looked like most people did not prepay.

 

I will say that we had excellent service as has been the case every time we sailed Carnival.

Edited June 17, 2015 by firemanbobswife

[summersigh]

Interesting. I really am curious why they even need to know. What does it matter if you prepay or just let the cruise line add it to your onboard spending account? It is the same to them in the end.

 

To the employees it doesn't matter if you prepay or just let the cruise line add it to the onboard spending account.

 

The difference is .....

I'm not sure if this applies to CCL or not (I'd imagine it does) but on HAL and RCCL ... if a passenger choses to remove auto or pre-paid tips then any cash tips the employee receives from that passenger must go into a pool to be divided up under penalty of getting fired if they do not.

[SadieN]

I don't recall, we just gave whatever was suggested. Which is probably why we forgot when it wasn't mentioned. I never understood tipping the matre'd, his role is mainly managerial. You don't tip management. Perhaps Carnival decided as much and got rid of the tip for the matre'd? I don't know.

 

 

Only if they go out of their way to do something.

 

For a while I was sailing the same ship, several weeks apart. I arranged to have all 13 of us to be at the same table my second cruise. It was done. Gave him a bit of appreciation. FWIW none of us will ever do that large of a table again.

[bruadhin]

To the employees it doesn't matter if you prepay or just let the cruise line add it to the onboard spending account.

 

The difference is .....

I'm not sure if this applies to CCL or not (I'd imagine it does) but on HAL and RCCL ... if a passenger choses to remove auto or pre-paid tips then any cash tips the employee receives from that passenger must go into a pool to be divided up under penalty of getting fired if they do not.

 

That is very interesting. I'm not sure I approve, but I suspect there is more to the story.

 

I know we always give a little extra cash at the end. They seem appreciative and we've always enjoyed our service.

 

As to my previous statement, I don't think someone prepaying deserves better or worse service, it was simply the only reason I could think of why to tell the room steward. Although, this statement about having to put cash tips into the pool if the tip is removed certainly would justify the steward knowing.

[kona_wahine]

I know leaving your dishes in the hall has been discussed here also. I find it gross to see someone's dirty dishes in the hall. We make ours a neat pile in our room if we have any. I know on John Healds FB page he has said its really not correct to leave in the hall. And that stewards will collect when they clean the room.

[birdlgs]

I know leaving your dishes in the hall has been discussed here also. I find it gross to see someone's dirty dishes in the hall. We make ours a neat pile in our room if we have any. I know on John Healds FB page he has said its really not correct to leave in the hall. And that stewards will collect when they clean the room.

 

I try to leave them in the room but when I return they are still there! Not sure why they don't remove them? So I gave up and put them in the hall. However I do agree it is gross to see dirty dishes in the hallways but if they won't remove them where else can I put them? I would take them somewhere but not sure where? :confused:

[figdu]

 

You do not need to let anyone know if you will be dining that night. For ATD, it does not matter and for assigned the table is assigned to you, so it won't free it up for someone else if you tell them. They have to set the table regardless of if you show or not.

 

For assigned dining I think your table mates would prefer that you let somebody know you are not coming to the MDR on any given night. That way they are not waitng on you and delaying their dinner service.

[Wilgr]

I know leaving your dishes in the hall has been discussed here also. I find it gross to see someone's dirty dishes in the hall. We make ours a neat pile in our room if we have any. I know on John Healds FB page he has said its really not correct to leave in the hall. And that stewards will collect when they clean the room.

 

Actually, I read him saying it was correct to leave them in the hall as they have a team go down the hall periodically to look for dishes.

[Wilgr]

I try to leave them in the room but when I return they are still there! Not sure why they don't remove them? So I gave up and put them in the hall. However I do agree it is gross to see dirty dishes in the hallways but if they won't remove them where else can I put them? I would take them somewhere but not sure where? :confused:

 

It isn't very hard to cover up the dirty dishes, room service comes with plate covers and linen napkins. Cover the plate with silverware and cups on the plate with the cover and then cover with napkin.

[naz022292]

Your daily gratuities include the MDR. If you search the Carnival Website FAQ you'll see the breakdown of how the tips are distributed. We have been on 3 cruises and loved our waitstaff each time. On the last night I put $25 extra for the waitstaff and then I gave $20 extra the last day for our steward.

 

As for dirty dishes, on our first cruise we left them in our room and our room steward didn't take them. He told us that he can't take dishes/glasses that have food/drink in them. He told us if they are empty he can take them from our room but if there is food on them that we don't want we should place in hall. That's what we do. I make sure to empty out any glasses in the sink.

 

They have a lot of tables for two. I bet you will be able to work that out. They seem to work very hard to accommodate as many people as possible. We let our servers know if we wouldn't be there the following night so that they didn't delay service to the remainder of the table. If you are at a table by yourselves that wouldn't apply. Also, I wouldn't go search them out to tell them about a last minute change of plan - only if I knew the night before. If you have the opportunity, try the steakhouse - it's delicious!

 

Enjoy your cruise!

[MYJR2000]

Thanks everyone for all of this info! Also, thanks for the civil way gratuities are being able to be discussed. I was actually quite worried about even asking as questions about tipping can go bad fast on the NCL board. I appreciate it immensely!

 

The countdown is on, and now that I have more of a handle on things I can stop worrying and start the fun part! I love looking at photos & reading reviews so I can get a feel for the ship. Looking forward to going new places, Seuss at Sea breakfast, meeting new friends, and most of all, de-stressing and enjoying time with DH. :)

[figdu]

Usually questions about tipping go south pretty quickly here as well.

[VaTech8912]

Last cruise in May, I asked our room steward which he would prefer...putting the room service / Buffet dishes in the hall or leave in the room. He insisted it was his job and to leave them in the room. Many times I would try to take them upstairs with me given I was going that way anyway and he would see me and call my name and ask me to give them to him. He was just awesome!