Gratuities for Platinum meals

[SpainAlien]

I will be Platinum for the first time in June and obviously I will benefit from the Platinum meals reward. With Free at Sea the tip is charged at point of purchasing the FAS but for the Platinum reward there is no charge at all so how much do I tip?

[shof515]

there is no gratuities for the platinum. you can add extra gratuities  at the end of the meal when you sign the receipt

[SeaShark]

30 minutes ago, SpainAlien said:

With Free at Sea the tip is charged at point of purchasing the FAS but for the Platinum reward there is no charge at all so how much do I tip?

 

It really depends...How much can you afford to tip on your budget? How exceptional was the service you received?

 

It has nothing to do with how much (or little) someone else tipped. Do what you feel is appropriate, tipping isn't a contest.

[RocketMan275]

58 minutes ago, SpainAlien said:

I will be Platinum for the first time in June and obviously I will benefit from the Platinum meals reward. With Free at Sea the tip is charged at point of purchasing the FAS but for the Platinum reward there is no charge at all so how much do I tip?

Why not tip the amount that would normally be charged if you had purchased the meal?

[newbe dave]

I view the Platinum meals the same as a Buy one, Get one free dinner coupon at home. Since no tip has been prepaid, I tip for the value of the meals received not the price I pay (which is 0).

 

I add an appropriate tip for the service provide to the bill when they deliver it. The last cruise, they did not deliver a bill (since it was zero) and I had to ask for one. Either way, I always tip when using the Platinum meals. 

[scar4711]

I treat the voucher like the free at sea grat for the dining program.. and tip $10 pp. 

[rather be in Hawaii]

We were told by a server in Cagney’s that if tip is added on signing that they will not personally get the tip. I asked him upfront. He was an amazing server and I was disappointed that we had left him great tips on previous nights that he would never get. From now on I will tip in cash for special service. (I asked him about the tipping. He did not offer that info unsolicited)

[julig22]

15 minutes ago, rather be in Hawaii said:

We were told by a server in Cagney’s that if tip is added on signing that they will not personally get the tip. I asked him upfront. He was an amazing server and I was disappointed that we had left him great tips on previous nights that he would never get. From now on I will tip in cash for special service. (I asked him about the tipping. He did not offer that info unsolicited)

I put the tip on the receipt because I want it to go to all the people involved in preparing/delivering my meal.  But just like many restaurants, it's hard to know what ultimately happens with tips, cash or added to the receipt.

[ChiefMateJRK]

4 hours ago, RocketMan275 said:

Why not tip the amount that would normally be charged if you had purchased the meal?

Keeping in mind that those menu "list prices" are crazy inflated to convince us that the "free" meals are worth a fortune.  They're not, particularly considering that we're really just upgrading from an MDR dinner.  With that in mind, I would place the cash value of a specialty dinner at no more than $50.  So, the 20% tipper might leave $10.

 

(hey, I just gave the analytical backup to @scar4711's suggestion 😎)

[YVRteacher]

29 minutes ago, rather be in Hawaii said:

We were told by a server in Cagney’s that if tip is added on signing that they will not personally get the tip. I asked him upfront. He was an amazing server and I was disappointed that we had left him great tips on previous nights that he would never get. From now on I will tip in cash for special service. (I asked him about the tipping. He did not offer that info unsolicited)

This is correct.  If you tip cash it goes to your server who also shares with the back waiter.  If you leave a tip on the slip it goes to NCL.

[rather be in Hawaii]

3 minutes ago, YVRteacher said:

 

6 minutes ago, YVRteacher said:

This is correct.  If you tip cash it goes to your server who also shares with the back waiter.  If you leave a tip on the slip it goes to NCL

I wish more people knew this. We tipped too many people on the slips for good service not knowing they would never personally get the tip. Cash only on our next cruise in May. 
 

[UKstages]

2 hours ago, julig22 said:

I put the tip on the receipt because I want it to go to all the people involved in preparing/delivering my meal.  But just like many restaurants, it's hard to know what ultimately happens with tips, cash or added to the receipt.

 

2 hours ago, YVRteacher said:

If you leave a tip on the slip it goes to NCL.

 

it doesn't technically go to NCL, but to a tip pool administered by NCL, which - presumably doles out a portion to front of house and behind the scenes employees alike, with particular focus on those behind the scenes, most of whom you will never see or even know about.

 

heavy emphasis here on the word presumably. in truth, we have no idea what NCL does with it or whether they take a cut for administering the tip program. tip in cash if you want your server to be rewarded. this goes for bartenders, too, who are presumably covered by the tips on the drink package. we don't know if bartenders are getting 20% of the retail cost of every drink served or not. most likely, not. even if there is some relationship, it likely gets shared across the ship, including with bartenders at service bars that passengers never see. this is why many people choose to reward bartenders with an extra dollar or two for each drink. 

[luv2kroooz]

Unfortunately, we are tapped out on tipping. We are paying $40 per couple per day for service charges plus $43.60 per couple per day for booze, plus the dining gratuities which I will set aside for now. At $83.60 per couple per day in fees, charges, and gratuities, we don't have any disposable income left to extend additional gratuities. This whole system needs rejiggered, if that's even a word. I suppose we could reallocate some of the DSC by removing it and taking those savings and sharing them with staff directly. We will have to see what the onboard experience looks like.

Edited April 6, 2023 by luv2kroooz

[fastpitchdad]

4 hours ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

Keeping in mind that those menu "list prices" are crazy inflated to convince us that the "free" meals are worth a fortune.  They're not, particularly considering that we're really just upgrading from an MDR dinner.  With that in mind, I would place the cash value of a specialty dinner at no more than $50.  So, the 20% tipper might leave $10.

 

(hey, I just gave the analytical backup to @scar4711's suggestion 😎)

 

$50??? Breakfast for two at Dennys costs more than $50. 

[ChiefMateJRK]

4 minutes ago, fastpitchdad said:

 

$50??? Breakfast for two at Dennys costs more than $50. 

Did you even read my post?

 

I suggested that since we're really only upgrading from an MDR dinner, than the incremental cash value likely wouldn't exceed $50 per person.  You can argue that if you want, but I've eaten in the MDR many times and also had many specialty dinners.  I certainly wouldn't pay more than $50 pp for any added specialty dining.

 

btw: We've had breakfast for two at Denny's many times and have never approached $50.  What are you ordering?

Edited April 6, 2023 by ChiefMateJRK

[mistertomatoe]

For those tipping with cash, how do you know where it goes? Couldn't it just be easily the same as doing it non-cash? I have a feeling NCL policy is to treat it like a non-cash tip. Crew members who pocket their cash tips themselves risk being sent home. Their supposed policy is every crew member works to provide the same high level of service. This is their justification for "pooling" and doing whatever with it on a crew member's paycheck.

[mistertomatoe]

On Carnival, they seem to price their specialty dining like upgrades from MDR/buffet. NCL likes to inflate everything... and again with supplements on some items. Tenderloin from Le Bistro now has a $10 supplement charge. Then there's the gratuities on the Open Bar. 20% of $109 when the drink prices are already inflated and I usually drink much less than $109's worth. I just gave up tipping extra. I'm not playing NCL's games anymore. Bad service gets a pass and great service doesn't get rewarded.

[fastpitchdad]

10 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

Did you even read my post?

 

I suggested that since we're really only upgrading from an MDR dinner, than the incremental cash value likely wouldn't exceed $50 per person.  You can argue that if you want, but I've eaten in the MDR many times and also had many specialty dinners.  I certainly wouldn't pay more than $50 pp for any added specialty dining.

 

btw: We've had breakfast for two at Denny's many times and have never approached $50.  What are you ordering?

 

I missed the incremental part, so you are saying that MDR base level service is covered by general gratuities so a $10 pp tip should suffice. I see the logic, I guess it depends on the service. 

 

Around here a Dennys build your own omelette is $18, $20 if you add avocado.    

[ChiefMateJRK]

9 minutes ago, fastpitchdad said:

 

I missed the incremental part, so you are saying that MDR base level service is covered by general gratuities so a $10 pp tip should suffice. I see the logic, I guess it depends on the service. 

 

Around here a Dennys build your own omelette is $18, $20 if you add avocado.    

Not exactly what I was saying but close enough. 😎

 

I'm guessing that you are in a somewhat HCOL area.  While Denny's here have gone up like everything else, they're still pretty cheap.  Also, I think we get some kind of AAA or AARP discount like 10% or so.

[RocketMan275]

47 minutes ago, luv2kroooz said:

Unfortunately, we are tapped out on tipping. We are paying $40 per couple per day for service charges plus $43.60 per couple per day for booze, plus the dining gratuities which I will set aside for now. At $83.60 per couple per day in fees, charges, and gratuities, we don't have any disposable income left to extend additional gratuities. This whole system needs rejiggered, if that's even a word. I suppose we could reallocate some of the DSC by removing it and taking those savings and sharing them with staff directly. We will have to see what the onboard experience looks like.

That's not a good excuse.  Remove the 'free' beverages and use the $43.60 to pay for the tips you can't afford.  Or, cancel an excursion.  

[luv2kroooz]

1 minute ago, RocketMan275 said:

That's not a good excuse.  Remove the 'free' beverages and use the $43.60 to pay for the tips you can't afford.  Or, cancel an excursion.  

Predictable response. Just curious, at what point do you turn off the tips, or is there no cap in your world? Just keep paying whatever they ask.

[RocketMan275]

10 minutes ago, luv2kroooz said:

Predictable response. Just curious, at what point do you turn off the tips, or is there no cap in your world? Just keep paying whatever they ask.

A tip is an integral part of dining.  Essentially, you're saying that your enjoyment is more important than properly treating those serving you.  The way to save on tips, is to avoid spending that implies a tip.  A $10 tip for a specialty dinner isn't going to force you into bankruptcy.

 

If I can't afford the appropriate tip at a restaurant I either choose a less expensive restaurant or I purchase a cheaper meal.  

Edited April 6, 2023 by RocketMan275

[ChiefMateJRK]

58 minutes ago, luv2kroooz said:

Unfortunately, we are tapped out on tipping. We are paying $40 per couple per day for service charges plus $43.60 per couple per day for booze, plus the dining gratuities which I will set aside for now. At $83.60 per couple per day in fees, charges, and gratuities, we don't have any disposable income left to extend additional gratuities. This whole system needs rejiggered, if that's even a word. I suppose we could reallocate some of the DSC by removing it and taking those savings and sharing them with staff directly. We will have to see what the onboard experience looks like.

I can see your point and won't argue it.  I will still give modest additional tips to the room steward, bartenders and drink servers; but I certainly won't approach the world class level of tipping that some subscribe to.

[luv2kroooz]

13 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

A tip is an integral part of dining.  Essentially, you're saying that your enjoyment is more important than properly treating those serving you.  The way to save on tips, is to avoid spending that implies a tip.  A $10 tip for a specialty dinner isn't going to force you into bankruptcy.

 

If I can't afford the appropriate tip at a restaurant I either choose a less expensive restaurant or I purchase a cheaper meal.  

It really isn't a matter of being able to afford. Truth be told we could afford it. For us, it is about the relationship of the service being received to the tip. So, again, I ask, at what point would you turn off the mandatory tips? What is your ceiling, if such a ceiling exists? Or will you tip whatever the cruise line tells you to without regard to service levels?

[RocketMan275]

25 minutes ago, luv2kroooz said:

It really isn't a matter of being able to afford. Truth be told we could afford it. For us, it is about the relationship of the service being received to the tip. So, again, I ask, at what point would you turn off the mandatory tips? What is your ceiling, if such a ceiling exists? Or will you tip whatever the cruise line tells you to without regard to service levels?

I don't pay any attention to what the cruise line says.  

Wife and I enjoy recognizing the service we recieve by the tips we leave.

We tip in addition to the DSC, the amount (cash), depending upon the level of service.