"Bribing" Maitre d' to get better table/waiter

[exlondoner]

3 minutes ago, foodsvcmgr said:

Clearly everyone won’t, just agreeing with Lou that from an American perspective this is quite normal and not considered distasteful if conducted quietly.

More often than not in recent years I’ve had very good fortune getting two tops in decent locations by requesting same through personal cruise consultants at Cunard and HAL, and through the dining department online at Celebrity, thus avoiding the need for adjustments once onboard.

Well, the OP is from the US and said the practice was distasteful and not what s/he  normally does, so clearly that is not a universal US perspective.

[ratflinger]

7 minutes ago, Victoria2 said:

If ever I found out I had been bumped from a restaurant table due to such  abhorrent behaviour between a fellow passenger and a member of Cunard staff is the day I make such a stink, the member of staff would wish he/she were on a different planet.

 

Luckily, I know it will never happen.

A. How would you know?

B. It's Cunard's right to sit you anywhere they want.

[exlondoner]

2 minutes ago, ratflinger said:

A. How would you know?

B. It's Cunard's right to sit you anywhere they want.

I think if a long standing Q1 passenger found themselves in the darkest corner of the restaurant, while a loud and disagreeable passenger was heard boasting at one of the best tables near the window, conclusions might be drawn.

[Victoria2]

1 minute ago, ratflinger said:

A. How would you know?

B. It's Cunard's right to sit you anywhere they want.

I would know because we would have already  seen our  assigned table and it would take a brazen M d'h to accept a bribe after the fact which is why I know it would never happen.

[Victoria2]

4 minutes ago, WantedOnVoyage said:

I still remember my mother explaining who and how much to tip when I sailed on my first crossings, alone, at age 16 on FRANCE and RAFFAELLO... it was $1 a day each for the cabin and table steward and $3 for the crossing to the deck steward. That was a LOT of money back in 1974 and put a real crimp in my newspaper route funded travel budget. But like a young gentleman, I did my duty and tipped "properly".  

 

But tipping has always been part of ship travel although Americans do it best and most often and why the happiest stewards and bellboys were on the New York run!

My parents also instilled in us the merit in saying thank you in monetary terms and tipping has always been part of my/our travel too but this thread is basically around bribing and saying thank you in the form of a tip after service rendered is a world apart from a bribe saying 'I want' before hand.

[NE John]

2 hours ago, exlondoner said:

and Cunard ships are not part of NY.

And this is why I like going on Cunard ships. There’s no flash of cash and we get a professional and discrete wait staff that don’t make themselves the center of the dining experience. 

[Dermotsgirl]

29 minutes ago, foodsvcmgr said:

Clearly everyone won’t, just agreeing with Lou that from an American perspective this is quite normal and not considered distasteful if conducted quietly.

 

I suspect many non American people, on seeing the title of this thread, had a mental image of a loud and brash American, flashing a wad of cash and not caring who noticed them.

 

Obviously there's cultural differences, but Cunard's passengers are from all over the world, so perhaps Cunard need to make it clear whether or not 'bribes' are part of Cunard's culture. This would avoid bad feeling from other passengers, if a 'bribe is offered to gain an advantage. 

[WantedOnVoyage]

9 minutes ago, Victoria2 said:

My parents also instilled in us the merit in saying thank you in monetary terms and tipping has always been part of my/our travel too but this thread is basically around bribing and saying thank you in the form of a tip after service rendered is a world apart from a bribe saying 'I want' before hand.

I remember when children never ever ordered their own meals in a restaurant!!  That was simply not done. Certainly not in my family.  

 

But yes, tipping for good service rendered is quite different from a bribe... usually following a  unsuccessful "do you know who I am" tirade.  Happily in 50 years of sea travel, I've not seen more than a handful of such people and happily precisely one such person on a Cunarder.  I did like that this individual flew from Barcelona in coach on the same plane as I did (in Business) and Lufthansa apparently did not know "who she was" and declined to upgrade her!  Germans can say NO quite effectively, too.

[Victoria2]

Cultural differences are interesting.

 

15% gratuity is considered generous in the UK and paltry in the US and both considered impolite in Japan so some adjustment to the area of travel is required when travelling.

 

Bribing to obtain preferential treatment over fellow passengers is SO not Cunard.

 

 

 

[NE John]

The best “tip” for a service member is a providing a glowing report to a supervisor and asking a bit about themselves and making them feel not invisible. 

[BklynBoy8]

42 minutes ago, Victoria2 said:

Bribing to obtain preferential treatment over fellow passengers "is SO not Cunard".

 

BRAVO !

[ratflinger]

2 hours ago, Victoria2 said:

I would know because we would have already  seen our  assigned table and it would take a brazen M d'h to accept a bribe after the fact which is why I know it would never happen.

Well, that would certainly be brazen.  I was thinking back to when we had our table moved to a window, but this was 2 days in.  We boarded in Hamburg and then in Southampton we were moved to the window table vacated by departing passengers.  Yes, it would be most inappropriate to cause someone to be moved from a table they had already eaten at, just because someone with a lot of cash wanted it.  In this case might as well put the tables up for auction.

[david63]

1 hour ago, ratflinger said:

might as well put the tables up for auction.

Please do not give the cruise line ideas

[tony s]

Never happened to us on Cunard but it did on another cruise line and very blatant. We went and cut out the DSC and made sure we told all including the staff captain. Guess what happened the next day new matire d and we got a better table as others had complained.

[exlondoner]

DSC? Sorry.

[LouChamp]

Aloha. I agree with the posts that disdain the brazen in your face. I am embarrassed by my fellow NY and USA travelers who are so open and notorious with their attitudes. I shrug even when in NY lol. As I posted I am low key and get the job done when necessary but with respect for everyone and in many instances I don’t care where we sit stand etc but use total discretion. Case in point I have a handicap permit due to a tumor on my spine which was removed a few years ago. I am blessed to be able to walk but if a parking spot is available near to an entrance I will not take the handicap spot. I use this as an example as I like to stay under the radar but unfortunately there are times where a gratuity will serve the purpose when done discreetly, with respect and not in the face of others.  All regards for smooth sailing. 

[TouchstoneFeste]

My only attempt at this failed because I didn't realize he couldn't use my OBC.

[tony s]

2 hours ago, exlondoner said:

DSC? Sorry.

DSC is discretionary service charge 

[david63]

I don't have a problem with Americans, or any other nationality, tipping/bribing in their own country if that is what is considered to be the accepted practice.

 

I was brought up to respect the customs of the country that I am visiting and to that end when in USA I will tip considerably more than I will do in the UK but by the same token I expect those from outside the UK to adopt the practices of the UK which are not tipping almost everyone that you meet and certainly not bribing anyone.

 

OK so you say that Cunard is part of Carnival Corp which is American, which is true, but it is actually part of Carnival UK which is a UK company therefore, in my opinion, UK rules apply.

[WantedOnVoyage]

Well... I think you'll find Miami is at the end of any corporate "tree" diagram for Carnival... anything.  The design process of QM2 was, shall we say, Miami centric.  Because in the end, the cheque machine resides therein. If you pay in dollars for that $14 (!) martini... Cunard is Yankee owned, just is. 

 

But yes... Cunard at sea is nominally British. British Merchant Navy customs prevail right down to flying the Red Ensign on Sundays and I can cringe at "Hamilton" on the stern and being able to still even fly it... but...   Cunarders are British in custom and still very much in clientele, certainly ex UK.  America has not had a proper ocean liner since forever.  Capt. Hoyt of QV was a cadet with the long vanished Delta Line btw to South America.  He's been steeped in the finer points of Merchant Navy customs by now. 

 

On the other side of the coin, and I shall refrain from identifying them, are customers from countries that resolutely resist tipping.  I have heard more than a few encounters at the pursers' office asking that the auto tips be removed from the onboard account and the accents are, shall we say, not British or American.  And leave it at that. 

 

When in Rome.... as they say.  Now that is filled with Americans...!

 

 

[jrmende63]

On 6/14/2024 at 4:33 PM, NE John said:

As an American, I think it’s tacky to wave a wad of cash to bribe a M’d. I see “big shots” in NYC steakhouses do that and I just roll my eyes. 
I’d be very glad to give an extra tip at the end; the staff work very hard. 

It’s my 60th bday in QG next week so maybe I’ll get a good table based on that. 

 

 

@NE JohnHappy 60th birthday! My 61st is tomorrow 6/16 but I don’t get to sail until October. 
adding to stay on topic, I will take what ever table I am assigned. 

Edited June 16 by jrmende63

[exlondoner]

8 hours ago, david63 said:

I don't have a problem with Americans, or any other nationality, tipping/bribing in their own country if that is what is considered to be the accepted practice.

 

I was brought up to respect the customs of the country that I am visiting and to that end when in USA I will tip considerably more than I will do in the UK but by the same token I expect those from outside the UK to adopt the practices of the UK which are not tipping almost everyone that you meet and certainly not bribing anyone.

 

OK so you say that Cunard is part of Carnival Corp which is American, which is true, but it is actually part of Carnival UK which is a UK company therefore, in my opinion, UK rules apply.

And indeed Carnival is quoted on the LSE.

[exlondoner]

8 hours ago, WantedOnVoyage said:

Well... I think you'll find Miami is at the end of any corporate "tree" diagram for Carnival... anything.  The design process of QM2 was, shall we say, Miami centric.  Because in the end, the cheque machine resides therein. If you pay in dollars for that $14 (!) martini... Cunard is Yankee owned, just is. 

 

But yes... Cunard at sea is nominally British. British Merchant Navy customs prevail right down to flying the Red Ensign on Sundays and I can cringe at "Hamilton" on the stern and being able to still even fly it... but...   Cunarders are British in custom and still very much in clientele, certainly ex UK.  America has not had a proper ocean liner since forever.  Capt. Hoyt of QV was a cadet with the long vanished Delta Line btw to South America.  He's been steeped in the finer points of Merchant Navy customs by now. 

 

On the other side of the coin, and I shall refrain from identifying them, are customers from countries that resolutely resist tipping.  I have heard more than a few encounters at the pursers' office asking that the auto tips be removed from the onboard account and the accents are, shall we say, not British or American.  And leave it at that. 

 

When in Rome.... as they say.  Now that is filled with Americans...!

 

 

Cunard ships fly the red ensign on all days, not just Sundays.

[Victoria2]

4 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

Cunard ships fly the red ensign on all days, not just Sundays.

and I have heard plenty of British accents, over the years, removing service charge/grats. from their account.

[onlyslightlymad]

12 minutes ago, Victoria2 said:

and I have heard plenty of British accents, over the years, removing service charge/grats. from their account.

Well I am neither British nor American.  I hate tipping but if I'm in America I will tip because it is their custom and I don't expect the staff to work for free.    What I do hate is the way, Americans tip everywhere even if it is not the custom.  Surely, they should respect other people's customs as well.  Now, in tourist towns, even in NZ, the staff will leave the tip option enabled on EFTPOS machines, despite the fact that they are paid a decent living wage and that this is built in to the price listed on the menu.  It really ruins my meal.

As to pre-paid gratuities on ships, I like them and would never think of removing them.  It removes the unpleasantness of slipping cash to people at the end of a cruise and also, as said earlier, I don't expect the staff to work for free.  What I love even more, is when the service charges are simply built into the price of the cruise up front.  It's more honest than adding it on later.