Pinnacle Dining Room tipping?

[mister exec]

What do you do for tipping in addition to the extra-cost in the Pinnacle?

[jtl513]

My strictly un-scientific, small-sample survey says that a tip about $8 to $15 pp for dinner (half of that for lunch) is pretty common.

[jer_l]

What do you do for tipping in addition to the extra-cost in the Pinnacle?

Before our first HAL cruise I wrote to Holland America about this and asked if the surcharge included the tip for the Pinnacle. The amswer I got indicated that it did; however, I know that many tip above that when eating there.

[jtl513]

The Pinnacle Grill waiters share in the pool that is funded but the $10/p/d auto-service charge, but they get nothing from the $30 surcharge. I believe you misinterpreted whatever you were told by HAL.

[Krazy Kruizers]

The $30 per person for the Pinnacle -- the waiters get nothing from there.

 

Your cabin steward gets $3.50, your waitstaff splits $3.50. That means that the pool gets $3 -- that is divided among many, many people - including those that work in the Pinnacle.

 

Roughly speaking -- they are only getting pennies out of that $3.

[jtl513]

The $30 per person for the Pinnacle -- the waiters get nothing from there.

 

Your cabin steward gets $3.50, your waitstaff splits $3.50. That means that the pool gets $3 -- that is divided among many, many people - including those that work in the Pinnacle.

 

Roughly speaking -- they are only getting pennies out of that $3.

On a Vista ship, 1900 passengers times $3/day is $5400. If there's 500 crew sharing that pool (800 minus officers, operations/maintenance, and others in their own pools such as the bar staff) that gives each one $10.80. Very poor pay for a PG waiter, but more than "pennies".

[spiritkat090909]

I was watching one of the Travel channels programs...I think it was Cruising Tips Do's & Don'ts. A cruiseline spokesperson (don't remember the line) said that the additional charge in alternative restaurants IS the tip for the servers. Now, that may be line specific, however...it makes sense that if the intent is to be cashless, if the tip was NOT included, then they would make it easy to sign such to ones cruise card. JMO.

 

kat

[FreeStyleNCL]

three of us young kids tipped $25... we're broke

[dakrewser]

I was watching one of the Travel channels programs...I think it was Cruising Tips Do's & Don'ts. A cruiseline spokesperson (don't remember the line) said that the additional charge in alternative restaurants IS the tip for the servers. Now, that may be line specific, however...it makes sense that if the intent is to be cashless, if the tip was NOT included, then they would make it easy to sign such to ones cruise card. JMO.

 

kat

 

Quite a few regular HAL crusiers have confirmed with serversm maitre d's, beverage managers, hotel managers and numerous big wigs in Seattle - the $30 charge in the Pinnacle Grill DOES NOT INCLUDE A TIP!

 

Some lines (e.g., Celebrity) dedicated a small part of the charge to the servers - but those lines do not include the specialty restaurant personnel in the "auto tip" which HAL does. Still, if you think 20-30 CENTS is sufficient tip for the PG service, that's fine.

[iceman93]

I've tipped in the PG when provided exceptional service. Unfortunately, most visits there have not earned anything extra. I feel that with the surcharge on top of an already expensive cruise fare, the PG is supposed to deliver an absolutely outstanding experience. When it's only average, in my eyes the waitstaff has not earned anything more than what they get out of the shared pool.

[peaches from georgia]

.... A cruiseline spokesperson (don't remember the line) said that the additional charge in alternative restaurants IS the tip for the servers.....

 

kat

Doesn't make sense. If the additional charge was the tip I think $30 per person is a bit much, don't you? :eek:

[esther e]

I was watching one of the Travel channels programs...I think it was Cruising Tips Do's & Don'ts. A cruiseline spokesperson (don't remember the line) said that the additional charge in alternative restaurants IS the tip for the servers. Now, that may be line specific, however...it makes sense that if the intent is to be cashless, if the tip was NOT included, then they would make it easy to sign such to ones cruise card. JMO.

 

kat

 

Kat is right. I saw the same show and heard the same thing said.

[jtl513]

.. cruiseline spokesperson (don't remember the line) said that the additional charge in alternative restaurants IS the tip for the servers.

Kat is right. I saw the same show and heard the same thing said.

Okay, I believe you both. But it is not true on HAL, so the spokesperson was from some other line. :)

[mamaofami]

Sorry, already answered on another post.

[cage keeper]

I also saw that show. Being in the business (server) If I give them cash, do they get to keep it? Or does this need to go into the pool?

[hammybee]

WHile dining on land I do not get into what happens, behind the scenes, to tips I leave a wait person and I don't do so while on a cruise.

 

We tip in the PG.

[jtl513]

I also saw that show. Being in the business (server) If I give them cash, do they get to keep it? Or does this need to go into the pool?

I don't know, but I have decided to believe that they get to keep it! :D

[jer_l]

The Pinnacle Grill waiters share in the pool that is funded but the $10/p/d auto-service charge, but they get nothing from the $30 surcharge. I believe you misinterpreted whatever you were told by HAL.

Perhaps you should write to HAL and see what they tell you. Perhaps they gave me wrong information, but I don't think I misinterpreted what was written.

[dakrewser]

Kat is right. I saw the same show and heard the same thing said.

 

And no one is denying what you say you saw. But that is not how it works on HAL ships, although it is how it works on Celebrity...

[jscdagourmet]

I, too, had this question. When making our Oosterdam/Pinnacle/Alaska/May reservations, the HAL agent indicated that since the waitstaff differed, tipping would be appropriate.:)

[jtl513]

Perhaps they gave me wrong information, but I don't think I misinterpreted what was written.

Then apparently it's another case of HAL's left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing. It happens all the time there.

 

Could you could please quote exactly what the letter said? When your first post said "The amswer I got indicated that it did;", and that suggested to me that you were interpreting what it said.

 

This was just posted on the duplicate "Pinnacle Tipping" thread:

I, too, had this question. When making our Oosterdam/Pinnacle/Alaska/May reservations, the HAL agent indicated that since the waitstaff differed, tipping would be appropriate.

[cage keeper]

And no one is denying what you say you saw. But that is not how it works on HAL ships, although it is how it works on Celebrity...

 

I'm pretty sure the ship was RCCL.

[sail7seas]

We always tip in Pinnacle in cash at the end of our meal. HAL does not have a line on "onboard account slips' where you an enter a gratuity. Bring some cash with you.

 

 

[Harry1954]

We tip in cash as well .. it seems to give the folks there a lift - we tip both the server and the wine steward.

harry

[caviargal]

We always tip in Pinnacle in cash at the end of our meal. HAL does not have a line on "onboard account slips' where you an enter a gratuity. Bring some cash with you.

 

 

 

We do the same.