Tipping in speciality restaurant

[Cmorganz]

We are sailing June 14th on the Star...first time with NCL. We see that there is a charge for the speciality restaurants and was wondering if you tip the servers at the end of the meal or is it like the other places and the tips are paid out at the end of the cruise?

[seattle2000]

As with every other venue, tipping is optional. If you order wine with your dinner, there will be a gratuity added to that, as with all other alcohol purchases onboard. You don't need to, though. The waitstaff at the specialty restaurants are part of the general pool that share the auto-tips, so they will receive some of your money at the end of the trip.

 

We usually add an additional tip for any server that goes above and beyond, from the Le Bistro waitstaff (which have ALWAYS been excellent during our three dining experiences there) to the one guy poolside who helped us get a helmet of beer (along with some free giveaways) when our kids were being fussy and we needed an extra hand. He went out of his way to get us set up, and we added a small extra tip as a thank you. Plus our cabin steward usually gets extra just for having to clean up after our kids. :p

[nyflush]

We are sailing June 14th on the Star...first time with NCL. We see that there is a charge for the speciality restaurants and was wondering if you tip the servers at the end of the meal or is it like the other places and the tips are paid out at the end of the cruise?

 

Hi welcome to the boards:) You will be be charge $10 per adult as a service charge that covers tips. If you wish to give extra to the server you can do so at the end of the meal.

[Sally Forth]

We usually tip $5 per person if the service is good. However, we had such a great time in one restaurant on our recent cruise that I tipped the server $100 for a table of 4. It was my night to pay and we had just had one of those wonderful evenings where everything goes right. I don't know who was more shocked, the server or my mom when she saw me do it.

 

Viv

[Host Kewlguy]

We usually tip $5 per person if the service is good. However, we had such a great time in one restaurant on our recent cruise that I tipped the server $100 for a table of 4. It was my night to pay and we had just had one of those wonderful evenings where everything goes right. I don't know who was more shocked, the server or my mom when she saw me do it.

 

Viv

 

With tips like that it's no wonder they're raising the cover charges in the specialty restaurants.

[salty dingo]

The specialty resturant has much better food and service than the main dining room. The surcharge covers the extra food cost. Your $10 auto-tip covers the standard tip for standard service. You'll probably agree that the superior service deserves an additional tip (most people would probably do that) but it is totally up to you. Just like in most restaurants on land - you can leave without tipping, but that would indicate you did not like the service.

[watchdiva]

In the specialty restaurants, we've always had superb service and tip accordingly (usually $20 for the two of us) - however on our Pearl cruise last year, our server in Cagney's was SO outstanding that we tipped above that level for her extraordinary service and attention to detail.

[llachance]

service in the up charge restaurants was awful. I didn't add to the up charge accordingly. I am happy to tip for great service but my meals, except for Teppanyaki, weren't worth the up charge on my most recent cruise!

 

In a few weeks, I may try a couple again...no extra tip if the service is the same. At the end of the year I am on the Sun for two weeks, I will probably try a couple of the up charge restaurants again - because of the length of the cruise - hopefully the service will improve...

[newmexicoNita]

we have eaten in the sur charge restaurants on NCls ships since they were introduced over 10 years ago and never had bad service. Oh, I take that back, we did once. No one should feel obligated to tip but I think many of us do. We leave either $5 or $10, on rare occasssions even a little more. It does depend on the service. On our Star cruise last year we had a couple from our church who thought the service in the specialty dining rooms was awful. If this is the case, I would not leave a penny.

 

Nita

[Host Kewlguy]

I was always under the impression that any extra tips were pooled and split among all the servers. This includes cash tips.

[newmexicoNita]

I was always under the impression that any extra tips were pooled and split among all the servers. This includes cash tips.

My understanding is a little different: the $10 per day is pooled and split and if someone chooses to have the auto tip removed for some reason then any cash tips are pooled, but if you tip above and beyond that money is for the wait person or crew member to keep. Just to be on the safe side, we tip extra in cash. I think there is something about tipping on your cabin account that says those tips will be pooled. We tipped one of our cocktail waitress' on our account one time and were told it would be added to the pool. If we had known that we would have given her cash.

 

Nita

[exstasie]

My understanding is a little different: the $10 per day is pooled and split and if someone chooses to have the auto tip removed for some reason then any cash tips are pooled, but if you tip above and beyond that money is for the wait person or crew member to keep. Just to be on the safe side, we tip extra in cash. I think there is something about tipping on your cabin account that says those tips will be pooled. We tipped one of our cocktail waitress' on our account one time and were told it would be added to the pool. If we had known that we would have given her cash.

 

Nita

 

During the disembarkation presentation, Denny (the Cruise Director) stated that if you DID want to tip someone that you need to tip them directly, which is implying that if you tip in Cash, that it is not pooled.

 

Tipping on your account though could be shared, not to sure exactly how that works.

[newmexicoNita]

During the disembarkation presentation, Denny (the Cruise Director) stated that if you DID want to tip someone that you need to tip them directly, which is implying that if you tip in Cash, that it is not pooled.

 

Tipping on your account though could be shared, not to sure exactly how that works.

 

I think you are right. I would guess if you put an extra $10 on your account, that would be just like the auto tipping, it will go into a pool. $10 devided 5 or 6 ways doesn't sound like much, but multifly it by 100s and it is a little more for each crew member.