Additional Tip Charge for Specialty Restaurants

[RichYak]

I'm indifferent to this change. This just about replaces the cash tip I was leaving anyway. I will adjust accordingly.

[zitsky]

29 minutes ago, RichYak said:

I'm indifferent to this change. This just about replaces the cash tip I was leaving anyway. I will adjust accordingly.

Oh there’s no adjustment.  You’re expected to tip twice.

[RichYak]

10 minutes ago, zitsky said:

Oh there’s no adjustment.  You’re expected to tip twice.

Ha! My momma didn't raise no fool 🤣

[WonderMan3]

On 5/10/2022 at 9:41 PM, RichYak said:

I'm indifferent to this change. This just about replaces the cash tip I was leaving anyway. I will adjust accordingly.

But the specialty restaurant staff already shared in the gratuities that everyone pays ship wide. As someone else said further up, this is double dipping.

[zitsky]

4 minutes ago, WonderMan3 said:

But the specialty restaurant staff already shared in the gratuities that everyone pays ship wide. As someone else said further up, this is double dipping.

Good post.  But I bet Celebrity doesn’t want people talking about this.  Canceled cruise in 3..2..1. 😂

[Barwick Cruiser]

1 hour ago, WonderMan3 said:

But the specialty restaurant staff already shared in the gratuities that everyone pays ship wide. As someone else said further up, this is double dipping.

I don’t believe the general gratuities that you pay with your fare, or that are included in All Included are paid to speciality dining room staff. I believe that those gratuities go towards staff in the dining room assigned to your cabin category (MDR, Blu or Luminae) as well as cabin attendants. OTOH, I was under the impression the fee for speciality dining included the gratuity for the serving staff in that particular restaurant so if they’re now adding a gratuity to the speciality fee that to me is double dipping. Of course I could be understanding this all wrong 🤷‍♀️😂

[jelayne]

It’s interesting on some ships the Price of the restaurant has been raised by 18% .

so when you go to book Murano is now $65.  On another ship the price is $55 and at checkout you get hit with a 18% gratutity.  IMO they should have just increased the price and not made it a price increase on some ships and a gratuity on others.

But maybe that was intentional to see which was more palatable to cruisers

 

The specialty restaurant prices have been the same for years, so a price increase is probably due.   But for us there are some that the old price was bordering on not worth the price to us, Tuscan & Roof top at $45 ok but at $53 not really.

[WonderMan3]

1 hour ago, Barwick Cruiser said:

I don’t believe the general gratuities that you pay with your fare, or that are included in All Included are paid to speciality dining room staff. I believe that those gratuities go towards staff in the dining room assigned to your cabin category (MDR, Blu or Luminae) as well as cabin attendants. OTOH, I was under the impression the fee for speciality dining included the gratuity for the serving staff in that particular restaurant so if they’re now adding a gratuity to the speciality fee that to me is double dipping. Of course I could be understanding this all wrong 🤷‍♀️😂

I thought that the gratuities went to all F&B and hotel staff. Butlers/Retreat staff are separate from that as they have their own gratuity pool which is why the suite gratuities are higher. But perhaps you are right that it was derived from the specialty fee. Either way it would be double dipping though.

[WonderMan3]

57 minutes ago, jelayne said:

It’s interesting on some ships the Price of the restaurant has been raised by 18% .

so when you go to book Murano is now $65.  On another ship the price is $55 and at checkout you get hit with a 18% gratutity.  IMO they should have just increased the price and not made it a price increase on some ships and a gratuity on others.

But maybe that was intentional to see which was more palatable to cruisers

 

The specialty restaurant prices have been the same for years, so a price increase is probably due.   But for us there are some that the old price was bordering on not worth the price to us, Tuscan & Roof top at $45 ok but at $53 not really.

I am curious too why they just didn't raise the price. It makes me wonder if the upper suites that get free specialty restaurants are going to suddenly be hit with this new gratuity charge too? If they just raised the price of the specialties then they couldn't pass on that gratuity charge. They already do this with things like "special events" like Dinner on the Edge or extra fees at the specialties like those higher priced steaks at Tuscan; none of those things are covered under the free specialty dining perk for those suites.

[Cruising89143]

I will be interested to see if X adds the 18% at the end of the meal “if” the guest paid the old price? I purchased our specialty dining for our December Solstice cruise before the price increased. As I have stated before, we always give our server a gratuity in cash when closing out the check but we won’t continue this if they add the extra 18%. I have always been told that if we add the extra gratuity to the check then it’s split amongst the staff. Cash can be kept by the server themselves. We would rather our server get the money. 

[RummyB]

On 5/9/2022 at 3:59 PM, NutsAboutGolf said:

 

Question, did you receive a paper bill to sign with the 18% charge?

Yes.

[Mark_T]

On 5/13/2022 at 4:08 AM, jelayne said:

It’s interesting on some ships the Price of the restaurant has been raised by 18% .

so when you go to book Murano is now $65.  On another ship the price is $55 and at checkout you get hit with a 18% gratutity.  IMO they should have just increased the price and not made it a price increase on some ships and a gratuity on others.

But maybe that was intentional to see which was more palatable to cruisers

 

May be a regional factor in this as well, on our cruise from Australia to NZ it looks like they just put the price up, which given the Australia attitude to tipping would seem to be the 'right' choice...

[chemmo]

1 hour ago, Mark_T said:

May be a regional factor in this as well, on our cruise from Australia to NZ it looks like they just put the price up, which given the Australia attitude to tipping would seem to be the 'right' choice...

If I remember correctly both cruises from the UK and Australia do not have any charges with extra % service add ons. I seem to remember noticing when we cruise from the UK drink prices look higher than when cruising from the USA but when you add on the grat % in the USA then they are the same. Could be similar?

[Silkroad]

3 hours ago, Mark_T said:

May be a regional factor in this as well, on our cruise from Australia to NZ it looks like they just put the price up, which given the Australia attitude to tipping would seem to be the 'right' choice...

I’d guess that you’re right about the regional factor, but I wonder if that factor is actually the country from which one booked the cruise. I just checked my cruise from Australia to NZ. The Eden price is still $55, but when I made a trial booking an 18% gratuity was added. I live in the US.

[Oceangoer2]

Copied the 'advisement' from the dining charge I booked...the extra charge may be applicable to Dining Packages only? eg:  3 night, etc.

 

 

 

Important details and advisements

 

• Dining Packages Specialty Dining Package pricing include restaurant cover charges only.
• Cancelled packages are subject to full cover charges and there are no refunds for unused amounts.
• Offers are non-transferable and not combinable with Captain Club discounts or any other offer or promotion.
• Additional items such as beverages, menu supplements, food and wine pairings and gratuities are not included.
• All dining package are per person only and cannot be shared or combined with other promotions.
• Reservations are subject to change based on availability of ship and sail date.
• Restaurant reservations are subject to availability, and reservations are non-transferable.
• Restaurant reservations are subject to availability.
• Specialty Restaurants All cover charges are per person.
• This is non redeemable for cash.

 

Also - Dummy Booking for Tuscan Grille:

    2 Adult$115.88 CAD

    Total $115.88 CAD

Applicable tax and/or gratuity calculated in cart.

 

At checkout grats are added to charge (Canadian):

 

Order summary

Subtotal$115.88 CAD

Gratuities$20.84 CAD

Total$136.72 CAD

 

I should add, this is the charge for 2 specialty restaurants made May 10th:

Order summary

Subtotal $244.64 Gratuities $44.00 Order total $288.64

 

So.....there will be no 'extra' $$s to our server for specialty meals unless it's beyond the expectation.

Edited May 16, 2022 by Oceangoer2

[RichYak]

On 5/12/2022 at 8:12 PM, WonderMan3 said:

But the specialty restaurant staff already shared in the gratuities that everyone pays ship wide. As someone else said further up, this is double dipping.

I tipped additional cash to my specialty restaurant server knowing full well that they were already sharing in the ship wide gratuity pool. So again, really no difference to me. It was technically double dipping before and still is. Now I just won't pay cash anymore.

[Oceangoer2]

2 hours ago, RichYak said:

I tipped additional cash to my specialty restaurant server knowing full well that they were already sharing in the ship wide gratuity pool. So again, really no difference to me. It was technically double dipping before and still is. Now I just won't pay cash anymore.

Exactly.  We always knew they shared in the tips but we added extra grats to the server.  So if they've stopped the specialty restaurant servers from sharing in the tip pool (not sure that's true), the extra added to the confirmed reservation is their tip.  But if service and meal is exemplary, no doubt DH will add to their tip in cash.  At least now we know there has been a gratuity added.  Was a mystery before to many of us and the subject of tooooo many threads.

[RummyB]

On 5/13/2022 at 12:08 AM, WonderMan3 said:

I am curious too why they just didn't raise the price. It makes me wonder if the upper suites that get free specialty restaurants are going to suddenly be hit with this new gratuity charge too? If they just raised the price of the specialties then they couldn't pass on that gratuity charge. They already do this with things like "special events" like Dinner on the Edge or extra fees at the specialties like those higher priced steaks at Tuscan; none of those things are covered under the free specialty dining perk for those suites.

I wasn't aware that suite guests get free specialty restaurants on Celebrity.  I think that might be true for suite guests on Azamara.

[RichYak]

37 minutes ago, RummyB said:

I wasn't aware that suite guests get free specialty restaurants on Celebrity. 

Not all suites. Only Royal Suite and up.

[Pinboy]

On 5/13/2022 at 12:36 AM, cruisingator2 said:

I have always been told that if we add the extra gratuity to the check then it’s split amongst the staff. Cash can be kept by the server themselves. We would rather our server get the money. 

Exactly what we were told several times by Maitre'ds , Servers , and confirmed by a Hotel Manager.

If they now add 18% Gratuity --- Part of that will go to the Server . IMO---No additional gratuity is necessary for the Server.

Here's what I suggest----If the price becomes too high--- 

Give your cabin number to the Maitre'd of the Specialty restaurant and tell him/her to call you if they have an opening they want to fill and can offer a discount.

Also, quite often in the past , as there is competition between restaurants and " target numbers " to be met,--- after dining in a Specialty restaurant we were asked if we would like to come back another time and were offered a very good discount. 

 

[BettyCruiser]

We were on EQ last week, ate at LPC. No paper bill given, tipped in cash as usual only to find out when checking our account that we were charged a gratuity. Sure would’ve been nice to get a paper bill as we have always gotten in the past especially when implementing this billing change. Just seemed sneaky. 

[indy406]

I'm less inclined to go with specialty restaurants than in the past. It seems they've become less special, definitely more expensive  and now, with the 18 percent add-on, less interesting. The Le Petite isn't of much interest, our one time in Murano was good. Same with Tuscan. We're on Reflection out of CIV May 23 and will have our first opportunity to experience The Porch. Love seafood but the menu seems limited. I'd be interested in hearing from others about The Porch and if you it's worth the $30 — plus 18 percent.

[BettyCruiser]

We ate at the Porch in 2016 sailing out of CIV. I didn't care for it. My fish tasted fishy.  My favorite is the Lawn Club Grill, I do recommend that one!

[Redtravel]

all in includes tips?  Am I missing something? Increase the surcharge for specialty dining and add an extra 18% tip? I have sailed on many cruises and dined in several specialty restaurants.  I have never seen an automatic added gratuity on any Check. You can add an optional tip.  Gives a new slant to All In.

[zitsky]

17 hours ago, BettyCruiser said:

We ate at the Porch in 2016 sailing out of CIV. I didn't care for it. My fish tasted fishy.  My favorite is the Lawn Club Grill, I do recommend that one!

I’m sorry to laugh Betty.  I know what you mean.  I was just thinking of fish that tasted like chicken.  😂