Gratuities incl. for the unlimited Dining Package should I also add an extra tip?

[joyhannah]

So the unlimited Dining Package incl. Gratuities. So my question is should I still add an extra tip.

I want to make sure the waiters don't get cheated out of what they should get.

if I don't tip at the end will I see the gratuities on the bill?

 

Also wanted to ask what restaurants are not included in the UDP?

Thank everyone for your help.

[AustinCruise]

On the tips - you be you.  We did add an additional tip, some would add more, some would add less, some would add none.  But I would do it based on service not by default.

 

On what's included - basically everything.  There are lots of threads here asking the same question if you can find a few.

Edited October 29, 2021 by AustinCruise

[nelblu]

39 minutes ago, joyhannah said:

So the unlimited Dining Package incl. Gratuities. So my question is should I still add an extra tip.

I want to make sure the waiters don't get cheated out of what they should get.

if I don't tip at the end will I see the gratuities on the bill?

 

Also wanted to ask what restaurants are not included in the UDP?

Thank everyone for your help.

That's like tipping 2X the rate.   A standard amount is already included in the daily tip charge.

However, it's your choice.  I give extra grats at end of cruise mostly to MDR waiters and cabin attendant.  The amount depends of the quality of service, 

[chiguy67]

We always give additional cash tips on our cruises. On our recent Symphony cruise we had the UDP and we tipped cash at every meal and they really appreciated it. Even the couple times we ate at the Windjammer we tipped cash. Yes you are giving more than the 18% that’s already included in the package or daily gratuities, but most of them have been out of work since the beginning of the pandemic and they are supporting their families back home.

 

We have to remember that most of the crew come from countries not as well off as the US, Canada, UK etc. and even if you add the gratuity to your onboard account it takes a couple weeks for them to get receive it.

 

These ships are not sailing at full capacity so we tipped cash as bars when ordering drinks and also gave cash to our room steward as well.  

[hotsauce126]

It’s what it says —an additional tip. Most of the responses you’re going to get are going to be from people who like to brag about how much they tip, but if you’re asking whether it’s a faux pas to not an additional tip, it’s not

[TexasRon]

33 minutes ago, hotsauce126 said:

It’s what it says —an additional tip. Most of the responses you’re going to get are going to be from people who like to brag about how much they tip, but if you’re asking whether it’s a faux pas to not an additional tip, it’s not

Someone telling the truth about their tipping habits is "bragging"?  

 

My son was a horrible tipper.  He would go to dinner and not tip (since he was still "on the payroll", I knew how much he tipped.  Then he worked as a server and his whole attitude changed on tipping.  Now he knows that he should tip a reasonable amount for good service.

 

I tip what I tip.  I will answer questions about it, but it is based on my own personal standard for tipping.  Everyone is allowed to do their own thing and not tipping above the included gratuities is perfectly acceptable as far as I am concerned.

[katiel53]

I think I may look at things a bit differently.  We do the UDP every cruise.  We also do the tips that are suggested by RC for all the crew.

 

The UDP averages about $200 per person for a 7 day cruise.  If we eat all the meals included in the UDP, that would be approximately 10 meals per person. The tip per meal comes to about $3.60 per meal at the most.  Do you go out to dinner at a nice restaurant and leave a tip of under $4 per person?  How about lunch in a decent restaurant which can be the equivalent of a good dinner?

 

Do you use your C&A coupons for drinks in the specialty restaurants?  If so, do you tip for those?

 

For those reasons, we tip additionally per meal per person.  I'm not bragging, I'm just being realistic and our service has been excellent so far.  JMO.

 

 

[LGW59]

3 hours ago, joyhannah said:

So the unlimited Dining Package incl. Gratuities. So my question is should I still add an extra tip.

I want to make sure the waiters don't get cheated out of what they should get.

if I don't tip at the end will I see the gratuities on the bill?

 

Also wanted to ask what restaurants are not included in the UDP?

Thank everyone for your help.

just do what you think is right, no one here can make that decision for you

[taglovestocruise]

7 minutes ago, katiel53 said:

I think I may look at things a bit differently.  We do the UDP every cruise.  We also do the tips that are suggested by RC for all the crew.

 

The UDP averages about $200 per person for a 7 day cruise.  If we eat all the meals included in the UDP, that would be approximately 10 meals per person. The tip per meal comes to about $3.60 per meal at the most.  Do you go out to dinner at a nice restaurant and leave a tip of under $4 per person?  How about lunch in a decent restaurant which can be the equivalent of a good dinner?

 

Do you use your C&A coupons for drinks in the specialty restaurants?  If so, do you tip for those?

 

For those reasons, we tip additionally per meal per person.  I'm not bragging, I'm just being realistic and our service has been excellent so far.  JMO.

 

 

We were told by a server in Jamies that most of the 18% goes into the ship pool. The server only gets a dollar or so from the included Gratuities. We alway tip $10 extra for two. 

[hotsauce126]

6 hours ago, TexasRon said:

Someone telling the truth about their tipping habits is "bragging"?  

 

My son was a horrible tipper.  He would go to dinner and not tip (since he was still "on the payroll", I knew how much he tipped.  Then he worked as a server and his whole attitude changed on tipping.  Now he knows that he should tip a reasonable amount for good service.

 

I tip what I tip.  I will answer questions about it, but it is based on my own personal standard for tipping.  Everyone is allowed to do their own thing and not tipping above the included gratuities is perfectly acceptable as far as I am concerned.

Yeah lol most people who talk about what they tip online tip excessively. Not all people who tip well talk about it online but only people who tip a lot talk a out it online

[Baowen]

I usually tip $20 for a meal even when we gave the UDP.  I think you should tip what you are comfortable with. It doesn’t matter what others do. 
beth 

[shellunderwater]

I am generally interested in what people tip.  Not as bragging or ranking, but am I being appropriate.  So I'll offer mine. Not judging others.

 

Assuming good to excellent service,  cabin attendant gets 10-15/day.  Deck server, if they get me whole trip, 100. Dining staff, 20 night.

[cruzsnooze]

I've already tipped in the auto gratuity for dinner 

I've already tipped in the price for the specialty dining

And I do NOT care to tip a third time for the same dinner. 

It all goes into the pool anyway, crew does not get to keep cash given

Enough is enough

Edited November 1, 2021 by cruzsnooze

[What We Found Travelling]

If I’ve already paid for the tips upfront, I’m certainly not going to leave another tip… unless the person has gone well above & beyond their duty in providing a simply exceptional service.  I’m not tipping anybody for doing their job well.  That’s how it works in Australia & Europe.  For the wealthy who love tipping by all means throw your cash at good service… but, don’t judge others who refuse to tip for the 2nd or 3rd time even though they may have received great service.

 

On the flip side, do you think RC & their staff really care that I’ve been out of a job for the last 18 months due to Covid, & over the same period they’ve held on to all my cash?  Nobody knows anybody's financial circumstances, that’s why RC ensure gratuities are to be paid by everyone, so, they can spread it out evenly with the entire staff on the ship. 

[soremekun]

If a person pays the daily auto gratuities or prepays the gratuities and doesn't tip anything else while on the cruise, is that person cheap?  Is that person cheating the crew?

[Joseph2017China]

I never tip extra when tip is included.  That includes drinks, specialty restaurants, on the ship.  I also never tip extra when on land, if the tip is included on the receipt, or the custom for tipping is different.   All tipping threads are "bragging" threads and many original posters are led to believe that tipping extra is expected, when it is not, and the majority won't and most won't bother bragging on a tipping thread that they don't.  After all the whole purpose of this thread is to brag.

[time4u2go]

8 hours ago, soremekun said:

If a person pays the daily auto gratuities or prepays the gratuities and doesn't tip anything else while on the cruise, is that person cheap?  Is that person cheating the crew?

No.

[zekekelso]

I (almost) never tip when the tip is included. The only exception would be when somebody goes above and beyond the norm to make my cruise special. 
 

Soap Box: Tipping is a terrible way to pay people and needs to die.  Ships need to pay crew what they deserve and raise base fare if necessary to compensate. It’s your job to pay your employees, not ours. 

Edited November 1, 2021 by zekekelso

[Joseph2017China]

2 hours ago, zekekelso said:

I (almost) never tip when the tip is included. The only exception would be when somebody goes above and beyond the norm to make my cruise special. 
 

Soap Box: Tipping is a terrible way to pay people and needs to die.  Ships need to pay crew what they deserve and raise base fare if necessary to compensate. It’s your job to pay your employees, not ours. 

Not just on a cruise ship, but in all restaurants etc.