Specialty Dining Tipping

[frugaltravel]

4 hours ago, MissP22 said:

This should also be done directly to the waiter with cash in hand otherwise they only get a portion of the amount. 

We never use the "tip" line on the receipt. 

So based on your comment these waiters are included in the top pool.

[MissP22]

38 minutes ago, frugaltravel said:

So based on your comment these waiters are included in the top pool.

That what our waiter told me on the Crown when I specifically asked. 

I also asked if he would prefer an additional tip added to the receipt or given to him directly in cash. 

If he had to turn in the cash tip I wouldn't have gave any extra. I don't like the fact that others would share in additional money as well as the person that provides better service for me.

All additional cash is kept by the individual waiters in the Specialty restaurants. They don't even share it with the other waiters on duty.  

[tothemall&beyond]

On 10/16/2019 at 10:34 AM, voljeep said:

Gratuity not included ...

Wrong. Yes, it is. In the auto gratuities and in the $29 you pay for the restaurant. Everyone needs to stop this American thing of overtipping.

 

[antsp]

The wait staffin the Crown Grill  are part of the tip pool. No tip is included in the $29. If you want to tip, you are tipping extra, if you don’t want to tip extra, it’s no Dothan not tipping in the main dining room. The auto tip covers all wait staff etc and is pooled fleet wide. 

Edited November 1, 2019 by antsp

[frugaltravel]

1 hour ago, antsp said:

The wait staffin the Crown Grill  are part of the tip pool. No tip is included in the $29. If you want to tip, you are tipping extra, if you don’t want to tip extra, it’s no Dothan not tipping in the main dining room. The auto tip covers all wait staff etc and is pooled fleet wide. 

Yes a tip is included. It is included in the suggested gratuities. Just like a tip is included in the MDR when one leaves the auto tips in place.

[jondfk]

9 hours ago, MissP22 said:

This should also be done directly to the waiter with cash in hand otherwise they only get a portion of the amount. 

We never use the "tip" line on the receipt. 

 

Agreed, I should have written, in cash.  That's the only way to see it reach the specific server.

 

[turquoisesea]

This topic was discussed in detail previously. When you go to your booking and go to reserve a specialty dining reservation it says right there 

Gratuity not included. I tried to bring it up tonight on my two upcoming reservations (Enchanter in 2020:and Crown in 2021) but the dining options did not come up.  When we went on the Ruby this summer that statement was definitely there online when I tried to make our reservations.  We have always had service that is above and beyond and are happy to leave extra for our Crown Grill waiter. But I think it’s totally up to you.

[Lucky TGO]

On 10/16/2019 at 10:43 AM, c-boy said:

And here we go .... 

c-boy you left out one word. AGAIN !! 😳

Tony

[pablo222]

On 10/16/2019 at 8:25 AM, ukestrummer said:

yes, included in charge, always has been, that is why they charged $5 in beginning when started this special dine stuff. which is outrageous  to begin with

 

To the best of my recollection, the upcharge started with the Painted Desert on Grand Princess, when it entered service in 1997.

That's 21 years ago.

 

When if gets to 25, I think you can assume it is here to stay, and stop worrying whether it's outrageous or not...

 

Edited November 2, 2019 by pablo222

[MissP22]

26 minutes ago, pablo222 said:

 

To the best of my recollection, the upcharge started with the Painted Desert on Grand Princess, when it entered service in 1997.

That's 21 years ago.

 

When if gets to 25, I think you can assume it is here to stay, and stop worrying whether it's outrageous or not...

 

We gave up going unless we have a BOGO free on the first evening.

It is nice but not worth the $29 p/p extra especially when you consider you've

given up the DR meal at the same time. 

[JimmyVWine]

On 10/16/2019 at 7:13 PM, CineGraphic said:

We dine in the Crown Grill often. When presenting the check, a few times the waiter or waitress will have already drawn a line through the gratuity blank, and say "all I need is your signature".

We always leave a bit of extra cash.

On our last cruise we tipped the head waiter of the Crown on our last night, because I would drop off a bottle of wine beforehand, and he always had it decanted, waiting for us to enjoy.

 

 

Thread drift....Nice bottle.  Our wine club had a Spanish tasting recently and I brought both the 2006 Tondonia and the 2006 Bosconia. Loved them both, but the Tondonia just a bit more.

[JimmyVWine]

On 10/16/2019 at 11:25 AM, frugaltravel said:

It is very clear if booking online that gratuity is NOT included.

 

Try booking a specialty restaurant online.

 

 

The statement above that price excludes gratuity is accurate. But it is also accurate that if you leave your auto-gratuities in place, you have paid the gratuity for your meal.  If you remove your auto-gratuity, then you have not contributed anything toward the service you receive in the Specialty Restaurants.  The statement appears at the bottom of the reservation order because the website has no idea which camp you belong to.

 

Personally, I find the service and attention at the Specialty restaurants to be above that which I receive in the MDR and I cannot see why the servers in the Specialties should walk away with the same amount of money.  Since I think they deserve more, there is only one way for them to get more.  And that is for me to give it to them.  But that is my own choice and not a requirement.

[c-boy]

28 minutes ago, JimmyVWine said:

 

Thread drift....Nice bottle.  Our wine club had a Spanish tasting recently and I brought both the 2006 Tondonia and the 2006 Bosconia. Loved them both, but the Tondonia just a bit more.

wonderful ! now that's upscale dinning

[CineGraphic]

2 hours ago, JimmyVWine said:

Thread drift....Nice bottle.  Our wine club had a Spanish tasting recently and I brought both the 2006 Tondonia and the 2006 Bosconia. Loved them both, but the Tondonia just a bit more.

 

Yes, the Tondonia is exquisite. Silky smooth. Their Blanco is supposed to be wonderful too, but I'm a red man through and through. When I sold wholesale in the 80s and used to visit the wineries, they have so much for us to sample. To be polite, I'd raise a glass of white to my lips, but never drink it.

[CRUISEWITHH]

We have been on 43 Princess cruises and it has always been our "pleasure" to tip the waiters in the specialty restaurants $10 per couple in cash for the exceptional extra service that we always receive.