specialty restaurant reservations

[LHT28]

9 hours ago, mexicobob said:

What would be wrong with "slipping" money to someone to accomplish anything?

nothing  but if they accept it  they will be fired 

Has happened before on Oceania

 

I know it is  an American thing  but sounds so tacky  IMO

[GrammieK]

I was just remembering that too!  Something about a MaitreD accepting numerous “cash incentives” from passengers in exchange for additional specialty reservations. 
 

I think he was fired...

[mauibabes]

Just ask about availability in any restaurant you want, especially after 7:30-8:00 when most all the people with reservations have been seated. If there is seating, they will accommodate you. If you happen to be in a PH, your Butler will handle everything but remember, any seating is based on that nights availability. If you want to double check Oceania policy about tipping, check at the Guest Services Desk and at the end of the cruise, I am sure you can provide that special person with an envelope with something extra.

Beyond the tip, you can really help the great staff that have endeared themselves to you, please mention them by name in your cruise evaluation. It helps them with some extra work perks, time off and future promotions.  We have seen staff move from assistant restaurant server to Butler in 4 years.  If they know your name, you should learn theirs too. We will routinely take a picture with them so we can add them to our personal album of Oceania staff that we keep handy on our phone or iPad.  
Believe me, Recognition pay off. 
Gerry

[PhD-iva]

3 hours ago, mauibabes said:We will routinely take a picture with them so we can add them to our personal album of Oceania staff that we keep handy on our phone or iPad.  

3 hours ago, mauibabes said:

please mention them by name in your cruise evaluation. It helps them with some extra work perks, time off and future promotions.  
 If they know your name, you should learn theirs too. We will routinely take a picture with them so we can add them to our personal album of Oceania staff that we keep handy on our phone or iPad.  

Believe me, Recognition pay off. 
Gerry

Great tips, thx!

[mexicobob]

What is the difference between "slipping" someone some extra money and tipping extra? 

[1985rz1]

17 minutes ago, mexicobob said:

What is the difference between "slipping" someone some extra money and tipping extra? 

One is a bribe and the other is a thank you.

[shepherd really]

9 hours ago, LHT28 said:

nothing  but if they accept it  they will be fired 

Has happened before on Oceania

 

I know it is  an American thing  but sounds so tacky  IMO

Do you know the difference between a Canadian and a canoe?

 

Canoes sometimes tip.  (sorry)

[mexicobob]

2 hours ago, 1985rz1 said:

One is a bribe and the other is a thank you.

When I receive extra desired service........if I pay them upfront it is a bribe and they could be fired. If I pay them the same thing after the service has been rendered it is a tip and they could be promoted. OK. Glad to learn something new everyday.

[LHT28]

3 hours ago, mexicobob said:

What is the difference between "slipping" someone some extra money and tipping extra? 

One you do before any service rendered  the other is after the service

Tip after your meal on the way out

JMO

[1985rz1]

1 hour ago, mexicobob said:

When I receive extra desired service........if I pay them upfront it is a bribe and they could be fired. If I pay them the same thing after the service has been rendered it is a tip and they could be promoted. OK. Glad to learn something new everyday.

Think of it this way:  Is what you are describing any different from giving your congressperson's campaign fund a generous donation when you ask for a favor vs giving your congressperson's campaign fund a generous donation for doing a good job after the fact. One can result in indictment for bribery,  while the other is an acknowledgement that you appreciate of his or her services.  In the Maitre d's case, penalty of accepting an advance payment for a requested service not an indictment, but rather a dismissal.   Either way, both are attempts to pay someone with power to put your interests ahead of those of others. Asking them to perform a favor and paying them afterwards for providing good service without the pressure of paying them to do it is an expression of gratitude. 

 

 

 

Edited July 29, 2021 by 1985rz1

[Harters]

On 7/24/2021 at 4:44 AM, Paulchili said:

please do not even consider “slipping” money to anyone to accomplish this.

I confess to trying this many years back on our last P & O cruise. At the time (and maybe still), it operated on two dinner sittings. We had asked for second but were allocated first which felt much too early for us. So, we went striaght off to see the restaurant manager to explain our case - mentioning that we would be, ahem, "very grateful, if you know what I mean" if he could move us. Didnt work.

 

The early sitting was one of the key factors why we stopped cruising with P & O. The other was that we had become disenchanted with the formality. It took many years before we discovered O

[jawsbad]

How soon before sailing can you make your dining reservations?

[LHT28]

56 minutes ago, jawsbad said:

How soon before sailing can you make your dining reservations?

The date should be on your invoice  just above the Itinerary  or online in "MY ACCOUNT"

 

It depends on what cabin cat you are in

https://oceaniacruises.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360005477713-When-can-I-make-reservations-in-the-specialty-restaurant-

[Mura]

On 7/28/2021 at 9:41 AM, LHT28 said:

nothing  but if they accept it  they will be fired 

Has happened before on Oceania

 

I know it is  an American thing  but sounds so tacky  IMO

Lyn, As an American I don't think it is a "American" thing to believe that a surreptitious tip is okay.  Of course, if the person who asked the question is from a major city -- they may well be used to tipping the maitre d' for a special benefit.  We certainly have never done so!

 

And I do remember those stories where staff that accepted such "tips" lost their jobs as a consequence.

 

Mura

[jeno]

On 7/28/2021 at 8:41 AM, LHT28 said:

nothing  but if they accept it  they will be fired 

Has happened before on Oceania

 

I know it is  an American thing  but sounds so tacky  IMO

Actually, the only person I know of that did that was Canadian. 

[Robjame]

3 hours ago, jeno said:

Actually, the only person I know of that did that was Canadian. 

I have no doubt about the truth of your statement. We Canadians are so inept in these things. It’s so “foreign” to us:

- the bills with the pre-suggested tips of 20, 22 and 25%

- French restaurant at EPCOT where we split the bill and they added the full gratuity to both bills

- am I expected to tip for that $4 Starbucks?

- how much do I tip at a buffet?

- standing in line for a Vegas show, in a line that we never moved, until we slipped $20 to the guy who was seating people

 

We did pre-tip our room stewards on our last Oceania cruise, on the advice on CruiseCritic at that time four years ago. It certainly had pleasant results.

 

[Harters]

3 minutes ago, Robjame said:

We Canadians are so inept in these things. It’s so “foreign” to us:

The American way with tipping is so foreign to probably every other nationality. I play on a food forum where most contributors are Yanks. The angst that is shown about tipping matters and doing the "right thing" is fairly major.

[LHT28]

54 minutes ago, Robjame said:

We did pre-tip our room stewards on our last Oceania cruise, on the advice on CruiseCritic at that time four years ago. It certainly had pleasant results.

 

I wonder if you would have less pleasant results if you had not pre tipped  😉

[1985rz1]

1 hour ago, Robjame said:

 

- the bills with the pre-suggested tips of 20, 22 and 25%-

Then there are the restaurants that base the pre-suggested tips on the post tax amount and those on the pre-tax amount.  And what happened to the previously suggested 15, 18, and 20% versions.

 

And the tip jar for the cashier at an ice cream shop, who can't make change without a calculator.

 

[1985rz1]

1 hour ago, Robjame said:

We did pre-tip our room stewards on our last Oceania cruise, on the advice on CruiseCritic at that time four years ago. It certainly had pleasant results.

 

We have never pre-tipped any of our cabin stewards or Butlers, and have had excellent and attentive service from everyone.  They were all pro-active in addressing our wants and needs.

Edited August 7, 2021 by 1985rz1

[Robjame]

1 hour ago, LHT28 said:

I wonder if you would have less pleasant results if you had not pre tipped  😉

We got none of those towel animals, we found 2 chocolates each night and never once did the photographer bother us.

 

On 7/28/2021 at 11:38 PM, 1985rz1 said:

if I pay them upfront it is a bribe a

We Canadians always pre-tip the pilot and the ambulance driver.

 

The gratuity has long left the realm of a “thank you for good service”. Unfortunately the rules and customs are so convoluted and misunderstood that you can’t help but feel you have missed the mark.

[Paulchili]

6 minutes ago, Robjame said:

We Canadians always pre-tip the pilot

Are you saying that every time you get on a plane you pre-tip the pilot?

If so, how much does one tip for a flight from Vancouver to NYC vs Vancouver to Seattle and in what currency 😀

[ORV]

23 minutes ago, Robjame said:

We got none of those towel animals, we found 2 chocolates each night and never once did the photographer bother us.

We got the same results by not pre tipping. I'm assuming you're being facetious as items 1 & 3 pretty much don't exist on Oceania. 

[1985rz1]

16 minutes ago, ORV said:

We got the same results by not pre tipping. I'm assuming you're being facetious as items 1 & 3 pretty much don't exist on Oceania. 

Certainly not the ambulance driver...normally 🙃 Not sure what to think about the pilot 🤔

Edited August 7, 2021 by 1985rz1

[ORV]

3 minutes ago, 1985rz1 said:

Certainly not the ambulance driver...normally 🙃 Not sure what to think about the pilot 🤔

Actually I was referring to towel animals and photographers.