?? Tips included or not in Specialty Restaurants?

[mickey89]

The gratuity is included if you buy the $50/pp to Murano or $45/pp to Tuscan Grille. If you buy the multiple dinning packages which are discounted then the gratuity is NOT INCLUDED.

Go to your Cruise Planner both purchase option are readily visible as are the terms and conditions.

[mafig]

The gratuity is included if you buy the $50/pp to Murano or $45/pp to Tuscan Grille. If you buy the multiple dinning packages which are discounted then the gratuity is NOT INCLUDED.

Go to your Cruise Planner both purchase option are readily visible as are the terms and conditions.

 

 

??? So this means the discount isn't that much. They just remove the included tip.:confused:

[Luvcrusn]

The gratuity is included if you buy the $50/pp to Murano or $45/pp to Tuscan Grille. If you buy the multiple dinning packages which are discounted then the gratuity is NOT INCLUDED.

Go to your Cruise Planner both purchase option are readily visible as are the terms and conditions.

 

This makes no sense. When a discount is given on board for specialty dining, sometimes up to 45% depending on restaurant, cruise occupancy of the specialty restaurant, etc., we always inquire specifically whether the gratuity is included, and have always been told that it is included. We leave extra gratuity, but it has never been required. It's odd that discounted pre-cruise dining packages (that often offer lesser discounts than we've gotten on board) would not include the gratuity. I'm guessing that the information on the website saying it's not included is another of the many erroneous things on the new site.

[doug52]

This makes no sense. When a discount is given on board for specialty dining, sometimes up to 45% depending on restaurant, cruise occupancy of the specialty restaurant, etc., we always inquire specifically whether the gratuity is included, and have always been told that it is included. We leave extra gratuity, but it has never been required. It's odd that discounted pre-cruise dining packages (that often offer lesser discounts than we've gotten on board) would not include the gratuity. I'm guessing that the information on the website saying it's not included is another of the many erroneous things on the new site.

 

So, one other question to further muddy the waters, what is the policy for someone staying in a full suite that gets unlimited specialty dining as part of the benefits of the suite? There is no charge other than the increased price of the suite and our daily built in gratuity, which is increased for being in the suite. But, I thought the increase was mainly for the butler's service.

 

On our last trip in May, I normally left a cash tip as I assumed there was no built in tip for the servers.

 

Doug

[richsea]

It seems that this is a case of the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing, as well as ambiguous language in different areas.

 

I will say that if a tip amount is not added on your receipt, the tip is included in the base price. If you don't have the beverage package, every bar receipt has a line item tip with an amount on it. The receipt in a specialty restaurant has a line to add an additional tip,which means the standard tip is already included. Add an additional tip if you so chose.

Edited October 3, 2017 by richsea
fat fingers.

[jody75]

Whether you buy a single reservations or a multi dining package the NEW terms & conditions are the same. It clearly states Gratuities are not included

Extract from Celebrity Cruises Terms and conditions

Specialty Restaurants - All cover charges are per person. Restaurant reservations are subject to availability, and reservations are non-transferable. Additional items such as beverages, menu supplements, food and wine pairings and gratuities are not included.

[shipshape sam]

So if they are not included, they are optional? :rolleyes:

 

What a great racket the cruise lines have in pricing schemes that change with each day. It is like candy items. Raise the price till there is resistance, reduce the bag size/weight. Start cycle again.

 

Raise speciality restaurant pricing till there is resistance, then indicate tips are not included in pricing. Once they have us conditioned to that, prices will rise again.

 

We tip extra anyway if we get great service and will continue to use that standard.

[RichardE954]

I don't really care if it's included or not included. These ship servers are working for peanuts, living on a ship, away from their homes and families. If they get a few extra dollars out of me, that's fine. As long as it's the server getting it and not the ship. Moral of the story, tip in cash.

[helen haywood]

Whether you buy a single reservations or a multi dining package the NEW terms & conditions are the same. It clearly states Gratuities are not included

Extract from Celebrity Cruises Terms and conditions

Specialty Restaurants - All cover charges are per person. Restaurant reservations are subject to availability, and reservations are non-transferable. Additional items such as beverages, menu supplements, food and wine pairings and gratuities are not included.

I would still suggest you ask onboard. I think that wording may be subject to misinterpretation. I think really the only gratuities that are not covered are those related to "additional items" you may order such as any beverages outside a beverage package.

[mafig]

I would still suggest you ask onboard. I think that wording may be subject to misinterpretation. I think really the only gratuities that are not covered are those related to "additional items" you may order such as any beverages outside a beverage package.

 

 

You know, I'm reading it that way too now. Additional gratuities are not included.

[shipshape sam]

Kinda hard to add a gratuity till you buy something.

 

I think as is being said, check onboard for clarification at least on that sailing.

[serendipity1499]

We've been HAL cruisers for many years & on the HAL board we get into the same discussions..

I'm interpreting this sentence as follows: "Additional items such as beverages, menu supplements, food and wine pairings and gratuities are not included."

 

I take this to mean that if you pay the Service charge of $50 or $45

for the Specialty Restaurants, Gratuities are included.. But if you purchase any additional items such as beverages, food supplements & Wine in these restaurants the Gratuity is not included on the extra items only.

 

Since we'll be on our first Celebrity cruise in December, we'll be sure to ask on board! :cool:

[dszrew]

From our receipt last night:

"A 18% gratuity is included in your bill on all beverage items; however, please use the additional tip line to recognize outstanding service."

 

The line for adding a tip says: "Additional Tip"

The grand total comes before that line. With our dining package that is a grand total of 0.00. If the only option is to add an "additional tip", then "regular" tips are already included.

[richsea]

From our receipt last night:

"A 18% gratuity is included in your bill on all beverage items; however, please use the additional tip line to recognize outstanding service."

 

The line for adding a tip says: "Additional Tip"

The grand total comes before that line. With our dining package that is a grand total of 0.00. If the only option is to add an "additional tip", then "regular" tips are already included.

 

Thanks. That should answer the question.

[keesar]

From our receipt last night:

"A 18% gratuity is included in your bill on all beverage items; however, please use the additional tip line to recognize outstanding service."

 

The line for adding a tip says: "Additional Tip"

The grand total comes before that line. With our dining package that is a grand total of 0.00. If the only option is to add an "additional tip", then "regular" tips are already included.

 

Agreed. In Murano and Tuscan, our bill said an 18% gratuity was included and showed a balance of 0.00 and below that was a line for recognizing outstanding service.

[bEwAbG]

I supposed you could tell the wait staff that you added a 50% tip to the grand total of $0.

[helen haywood]

Not if you planned on eating there again!

[eandj]

I would still suggest you ask onboard. I think that wording may be subject to misinterpretation. I think really the only gratuities that are not covered are those related to "additional items" you may order such as any beverages outside a beverage package.

 

 

I AGREE. As I stated earlier, I read that gratuities on those extras are not included.

Edited October 6, 2017 by eandj

[riclop]

Yes they are.