TIPPING Etiquette when visiting specialty dining rooms...

[LMB01]

You don't eat any meal except dinner?!??!?!?!?!??!?!?!

 

Basically, yes. We eat very little breakfast and can get it from the CL if we want it. We will eat lunch off the ship if we are in port. If we are not in port and really want lunch, we eat in Johnny Rockets/Seaview Cafe (and yes, leave a tip). We have not stepped into the WJ in many, many cruises.

[isujim]

I am going to try to paraphrase the best explanation of the gratuities on Royal Caribbean that I have read.

 

RC has determined that this is how they will compensate all servers adequately:

 

They request that you provide per passenger, per day, $3.50 for your dining room waiter, $2 for the assistant waiter, 75¢ for the headwaiter, and $3.50 for the cabin steward.

 

RC then assigns the waiters and assistant waiters to stations in the dining room for dinner, days and times in the dining room for lunch and breakfast, days and times in the Windjammer. As a general rule of thumb, waiters are assigned to four weeks in the dining room followed by one week in the Windjammer. Headwaiters work in the WJ every day, usually, as do assistant waiters.

 

RC believes that this kind of rotation and assignment results in their workers receiving a fair share of the gratuities left by the passengers. The waiters know that they won't get many, if any, tips during their week in the WJ, but they know that then they return to the dining room. The assistant waiters know that they won't be tipped specifically at lunch and breakfast, but they know that they be tipped by their dinner passengers.

 

RC has worked all of this out. If the passengers would just follow the guidelines, these goals will be met. If they start "fooling with it", or leaving less because they "didn't eat in the DR one night", it messes with the formula.

 

You eat on the ship. Regardless of where you eat, people are providing service. RC has devised this method. Apparently, it works well enough that their staff members are VERY happy and stay on for many contracts and many years.

 

Is that clear?

 

:)

 

You would THINK it would be clear to most:rolleyes:

[Merion_Mom]

Basically, yes. We eat very little breakfast and can get it from the CL if we want it. We will eat lunch off the ship if we are in port. If we are not in port and really want lunch, we eat in Johnny Rockets/Seaview Cafe (and yes, leave a tip). We have not stepped into the WJ in many, many cruises.

 

In your situation, if you eat every dinner in one of the specialty restaurants AND you tell the Maitre D' not to assign you to a table in the MDR, you are absolutely right in not tipping those three people.

 

:)

 

But you do agree that you are FAR from the usual passenger in this regard, don't you? ;)

[LMB01]

In your situation, if you eat every dinner in one of the specialty restaurants AND you tell the Maitre D' not to assign you to a table in the MDR, you are absolutely right in not tipping those three people.

 

:)

 

But you do agree that you are FAR from the usual passenger in this regard, don't you? ;)

 

Thank you for your approval. While I may not be the typical cruiser, I also know that I am not the only one that follows this pattern. I thought that was the purpose of these boards - sharing information - but I find that is less and less of what goes on here.

[MakinGold]

In your situation, if you eat every dinner in one of the specialty restaurants AND you tell the Maitre D' not to assign you to a table in the MDR, you are absolutely right in not tipping those three people.

 

:)

 

But you do agree that you are FAR from the usual passenger in this regard, don't you? ;)

 

That's probably true, although telling the Maitre D' not to assign you a table really makes no difference. It's still one less person (or two, if we're talking about a couple) paying gratuities in the MDR, so there is still a set of waiters that gets less paying diners. It's not like someone will come in off the street and take that table . . .

[Merion_Mom]

Thank you for your approval. While I may not be the typical cruiser, I also know that I am not the only one that follows this pattern. I thought that was the purpose of these boards - sharing information - but I find that is less and less of what goes on here.

 

I didn't mean to seem as though I was "granting approval." I posted some general information for all cruisers, you posted your own personal situation, so I responded to that.

 

Please don't take it amiss.

 

:)

[Merion_Mom]

Thank you for your approval. While I may not be the typical cruiser, I also know that I am not the only one that follows this pattern. I thought that was the purpose of these boards - sharing information - but I find that is less and less of what goes on here.

 

I didn't mean to seem as though I was "granting approval." I posted some general information for all cruisers, you posted your own personal situation, so I responded to that.

 

Please don't take it amiss.

 

:)

 

And I think that your situation is quite unusual, when someone NEVER eats in either the main dining room or the Windjammer.

[Jimmers]

And I think that your situation is quite unusual, when someone NEVER eats in either the main dining room or the Windjammer.

 

No breakfast or lunch either?

[LMB01]

No breakfast or lunch either?

 

No - we don't go to the WJ at all - we don't care for buffets nor crowds of people and the food is not that good. The menus in the dining room have deteriorated to the point we don not want to eat dinner there. We don't cruise for eating so it is not that big of deal to us.

[Jimmers]

No - we don't go to the WJ at all - we don't care for buffets nor crowds of people and the food is not that good. The menus in the dining room have deteriorated to the point we don not want to eat dinner there. We don't cruise for eating so it is not that big of deal to us.

 

Heck if I didn't eat in the WJ or dining room I wouldn't leave a tip either. Food in dining room must be pretty bad if it can't compete with Johnny Rockets.:)

[skandls]

We may see the recommended tips become mandatory 'service charges'. The so-called tips are what most of the dining room and cabin attendants receive for their weekly pay. If people keep 'eating in the WJ' to avoid tipping the food service people RCI may start imposing mandatory 'tips'.

 

I realize that a lot of the 'tip' recommendations are a fall back to the 'good old days' when the dining choices weren't available and if you missed a meal it was too bad.

 

So for those of you reading this thread - please tip at least the recommended amounts unless you encounter bad service. If the problem isn't resolved - then reduce the amounts and write a note about why.

 

And maybe your server was stressed because he had to spend time with the 'tipper' table. Sometimes passengers don't realize the amount of work the dining staff has to do. They want to talk and ask questions of the waiters - while the waiter is trying to get all his passengers served properly. The waiter is not going to be rude - and announce that he has a lot of other work to do.

[Jimmers]

We may see the recommended tips become mandatory 'service charges'. The so-called tips are what most of the dining room and cabin attendants receive for their weekly pay. If people keep 'eating in the WJ' to avoid tipping the food service people RCI may start imposing mandatory 'tips'.

 

 

I think a mandatory service charge would be a good idea. They do it for drinks so why not the other service received. It's not uncommon for cruisers to stiff the dining room staff and room attendants. Why should that be permitted w/o cause.

[cruisePRN]

 

Their tips probably balance out with some tipping less and some tipping more, just like in a restaurant.

 

you can't tip less because it's included in the cover charge.

[cruisePRN]

I think a mandatory service charge would be a good idea. They do it for drinks so why not the other service received. It's not uncommon for cruisers to stiff the dining room staff and room attendants. Why should that be permitted w/o cause.

how do you know it's not uncommon to stiff the staff. i think it's done very little but of course I don't know for a fact and i don't worry about what other people do. Just take care of yourself and don't worry about anybody else.

[BoLTMaNv2]

I wonder how many cruisers actually look at the $6.75 they should have tipped per day (in the MDR) as a sort of Specialty restaurant discount coupon instead. Or potential money maker at JR.

 

Let's see $20-6.75= $13.25 Not bad! $26.50 per couple cha ching.

 

Come clean now.

[BoLTMaNv2]

how do you know it's not uncommon to stiff the staff. i think it's done very little but of course I don't know for a fact and i don't worry about what other people do. Just take care of yourself and don't worry about anybody else.

 

We worry because what other people do (stiff) affects our future cruises and policies. The recommendations are there for a reason. If you choose to go specialty fine... windjammer fine... JR fine... room service fine... BUT if stiffing the general waitstaff is in your plans then it eventually affects all of us including you.

 

There's a reason for the lower food quality and service trend you all seem to complain about...and it's partly RCCL's fault for giving passengers too many exclusive pay options because they are simply trying to make more money ...the company wins and the waitstaff suffers because certain people will find ways to rationalize not tipping the full amounts. It happens a lot go to the MDR last night and you will see with your own eyes (Oh I forgot at $13.25 coupon price for Chops again why bother... somebody needs some good eats WIIFM!)... very sad indeed.

[Jimmers]

how do you know it's not uncommon to stiff the staff. i think it's done very little but of course I don't know for a fact and i don't worry about what other people do. Just take care of yourself and don't worry about anybody else.

 

Hmmm, seem to have hit a nerve. Could it be you're one of those people who stiff the staff.

[OliverTheCat]

We always tip extra in Chops or Portofino...especially when we order a bottle of wine. Usually $10-20 extra for each visit. We budget that into our cruise before we leave. We even tipped the servers extra in Chops last week on Enchantment, despite mediocre service.

 

We dont dine in dining room, but my DH tips whomever gets us drinks/clears our plates in Windjammer for dinners. It ends up evening out at end of week, as if we tipped dining room server.

 

We feel since we dont eat in there, never step foot in dining room, we tip who actually serves us. And we do. Those Windjammer servers work very very hard and their faces light up when one passanger out of 2000 tips them. Feels good.

[MakinGold]

We always tip extra in Chops or Portofino...especially when we order a bottle of wine.

 

I'm curious about this comment. Why does ordering a bottle of wine make you feel more inclined to tip extra? You're paying 15% on top of the inflated cost of that wine already. I'm not against tipping extra if you want to; I was just surprised by that reasoning. We ordered a bottle of wine in Portofino, and somehow, paying $40 + an automatic $6 tip for a $15 wine is not what would have inspired me to tip extra.

[cruisePRN]

Hmmm, seem to have hit a nerve. Could it be you're one of those people who stiff the staff.

 

no I have a conscience and couldn't stiff anybody but i don't overtip. I tip the suggested amounts and seldom extra. I tip $1 for room service for my coffee and $1 per bag for the porters. These threads would have me believe I'm starving some poor person and his family in a 3rd world country by not indiscriminatly shoving tons of dollar bills at him. What i see on these tipping threads are people acting pompous and running around with pockets full of dollar bills tipping everyone as if they are poor and hungry and need a handout, charity. I am an advicator of including the service charge in the cruise fare and upping the fare accordingly.

[kidless]

Looks like someone has another cruise coming up soon. My favorite ship for the quick get away cruises too. I would like to see the Sovereign one more time before she leaves the fleet. Wish I were there today as I'm taking some vacation time and am sitting here at home!!!!!!!:)

 

hee...hee.....snicker!:D :D Not sure how I eeked that one in past DH but I did.....and guess who is going with me?..............Tonya, and with out her DH.....OH RCCI will never be the same!!!!!! :D

[BillOh]

Again look in the mirror as to why his "service" might not have been there on your trip. He has seen many many guests he knows whats up most likely and probably read you like a book. a.

 

 

That's a bit on the arrogant side on your part, and definitely insulting, though that is becoming more comon on this board. Even if your scenario is correct only a poor waiter would perform this way. I highly doubt your figure anyway, how could that be proved. If a waiter gives bad service on a persumptive low tipper, isn't it a self fufilling prophecy?

 

My life experience starting on my first day in college with a room full of strangers taught me the value of the "you can't judge a book by its cover. "

[Ron n Jon]

With the introduction of Anytime Dinning, the opportunity is lost to tip wait staff over and beyond the amounts placed upon your account (which we call service charges). Almost every evening you are seated at a different table with different wait staff. We have discussed the idea of offering a gratuity to those who have been exceptional in their service and demeanour. The question is, how? There was a day when as your party stood to depart the dinning room your waiter and assistant waiter would come to your table and wish you a pleasant evening. That would have been the ideal opportunity to present to them both. But today, with the number of tables being handled by staff, that tradition is now gone.

 

Has anyone ever felt this need and if so has anyone ever left a gratuity on the table? It is done in restaurants but for some reason it doesn't seem correct aboard a ship. Any thoughts?

[OliverTheCat]

I'm curious about this comment. Why does ordering a bottle of wine make you feel more inclined to tip extra? You're paying 15% on top of the inflated cost of that wine already. I'm not against tipping extra if you want to; I was just surprised by that reasoning. We ordered a bottle of wine in Portofino, and somehow, paying $40 + an automatic $6 tip for a $15 wine is not what would have inspired me to tip extra.

 

I guess we just feel that adding wine service to our meal prompts an additional tip, I dunno. I realize the wine is indeed inflated.

 

Never really thought about it before.

[cruisePRN]

We worry because what other people do (stiff) affects our future cruises and policies. The recommendations are there for a reason. If you choose to go specialty fine... windjammer fine... JR fine... room service fine... BUT if stiffing the general waitstaff is in your plans then it eventually affects all of us including you.

 

There's a reason for the lower food quality and service trend you all seem to complain about...and it's partly RCCL's fault for giving passengers too many exclusive pay options because they are simply trying to make more money ...the company wins and the waitstaff suffers because certain people will find ways to rationalize not tipping the full amounts. It happens a lot go to the MDR last night and you will see with your own eyes (Oh I forgot at $13.25 coupon price for Chops again why bother... somebody needs some good eats WIIFM!)... very sad indeed.

 

wouldn't this apply to all the booze smugglers who are also withholding revenue from the ship and the serve staff who would earn 15% on that beverage?