do you have to?

[98Charlie]

Keenie,

 

I do not want to pester you with ideas, but you are such an impressively nice person and really deserve to have a great time on your first cruise.

 

After you board the ship, go see the Maitre D in the main dining room and ask him or her for a table for two. And tell them that you would like to be served quickly because your DH cannot sit for long periods of time.

 

i don't know if you have ever seen a menu on a cruise ship...appetizers, soups, salads, entrees, and desserts are listed on two pages. The waiter will take your entire order, except for dessert. The long length of time dining in the main dining room of a cruise ship, is not because of the preparation of the food but that the waiter will time the dinner so that each diner is having about the same (appetizers...) as the other diners. The waiter does not bring an entree to one diner while the others are having appetizers or soup.

 

Or try breakfast the next morning, again with a table for two and tell the Maitre D and head waiter that you want to be served quickly.

 

Cruise ship dining room staff are usually very helpful, especially the Maitre D and head waiters who are responsible for making sure that passengers are pleased with the service and food.

 

My last...take care.

 

Fred

Fred

 

 

 

Excellent suggestion all around. One of the Main functions of the Maitre d' is to see that all guests have a great experience.

 

Charlie

[Plant]

Rick's Comment:

I like to pay the tips to the people who we interact with every day, like our room steward and dining room waiters. They get the money in their pockets, not through the cruise ship payroll.Parts of what we give them still are handed out to others in the areas they work in, but any extra $ (over and above the recommended tip amounts) go to them directly.

 

Carol's Question:

going on a 4 dy rccl cruise with roomie whom has cruised before.........

 

what is the common or average tip for room service?

 

I have always tipped depending on the amount of food etc but always tip!!

my roomie says she NEVER tips for room service as she believes it is given to person by her per day tip at the end of cruise

 

anyone have a opinion?

thanks

Carol

 

Carol, you're right. The room service personnel are NOT included in the auto-tips. We tip $2.00 for a continental breakfast, and $3.00-$5.00 for more.

[carol459]

thanks

on to bed

and down to the cruise ship tomorrow

I always tip for room service but was wondering what others do

thanks

Carol

[ddee314]

Maybe a camping vacation would be more to your liking! Are you trying to get out of paying tips? As someone else pointed out if you don't eat in the main dining room you are eating somewhere else and someone else is serving you. Even though these ships are owned by big American companies the cruise ships are registerd in other countries, not the USA. By doing this the cruise lines don't have to pay the American minimum wage, federal income tax, or social security tax. That's how they keep the cruise prices down. The service employees live off the tips that they receive, as well as their hourly pay rate. Most work long hours and bust their ass for the passengers in jobs that you would never think of doing. So if you have a problem tipping, then try a different vacation, my opinion of course.:eek:

I am new to CC but noticed that this thread says FIRST TIME CRUISERS. I think this is where you should be able to ask a question and not get BEATEN FOR IT, by a LONG TIME CRUISING SNOB. you have obviously by your LIST that goes back to the 70's been on a "few"

GUEss you never had such questions as a Newbie.

Thanks everyone that offers hints, advice and tips for us FIRST TIME CRUISERS, with out showing the SNOB WITHIN.

[ddee314]

Thank you for your really rude and uncalled for comment. you have no idea sweetie! and just so you know...its not about wether I am tipping its about WHO I am tipping...maybe you are just uptight because your attitude doesnt get you very many tips.

this thread says first time cruisers, Well I am new to this, i have several questions, NO ONE should be beaten verbally by a cruising snob...... I feel for you and am infuriated...............

Debbie D.

our first cruise is Oct 31, Sovereign.

Enjoy your cruise............. ;)

[ddee314]

Unfortunately, this type of ignorance is a part of every forum, not just CC. Just click on the user name and then view their profile. You have the option to ignore them and this is what you'll see...

 

 

The forums will seem so much friendlier after you get enough of the riff raff on your ignore list. :D

 

NOW I like that feature maybe we should all put Bar 20 on IGNORE, As a newbie here, I was very very taken aback by that response, I have a lot of questions and do not want to be beaten up if they misinterpret what I am asking.............:o

[CruisenLexie]

NOW I like that feature maybe we should all put Bar 20 on IGNORE, As a newbie here, I was very very taken aback by that response, I have a lot of questions and do not want to be beaten up if they misinterpret what I am asking.............:o

 

There are many helpful and knowledgable people out here that will be more than happy to offer suggestions and provide information. Don't shy away from asking questions because we ALL have had them and some of us continue to have them. I learned what alternative service was through this thread.

 

There is a wealth of knowledge out here so don't let the certain people keep you away.:D

[julieanne]

I think the best reply is just to tell you that the waiters and busboys who serve in the dining room, also do rotation in the buffet (so, your assigned server will be serving you sometime!). We usually tip in cash when we have assigned servers (even when we have only been in the dining room a few times) and we give extra for excellent service (in cash). No, you shouldn't be beaten up for asking a question. So, just to warn you in advance, don't ask about jeans or smoking! LOL :)

Carol459: We ALWAYS tip for room service! And, we tip more for breakfast than just coffee! You are not alone :)

[EverettAndTanya]

just to warn you in advance, don't ask about jeans or smoking! LOL :)

 

Don't forget "Smuggling Booze Onbaord" :eek: :D.

 

Seriously, there are only a handful of people who abuse the boards but they seem to be VERY active. After you get a few of them on your ignore list, the boards seem to lighten up a bit. :)

 

Ask away !

[julieanne]

Don't forget "Smuggling Booze Onbaord" :eek: :D.

 

Seriously, there are only a handful of people who abuse the boards but they seem to be VERY active. After you get a few of them on your ignore list, the boards seem to lighten up a bit. :)

 

Ask away !

LOL We have been known to smuggle....ruh roh. I have only had to put one person on ignore. They were actually stalking my threads! The rest of them are very entertaining.........And I do love popcorn;). Don't take it too seriously Keenie......

[jaybeedee]

OP:

I think your question about tipping is a fair one, especially considering it's posted under forum, "First Time Cruisers." I've never cruised, and am not an extensive traveler so naturally I thought the same question as you. After researching and reading other posts, tipping on a cruise isn't the same as a tip in the US at a restaurant/hotel/etc. It really should have a different name to clear up the confusion. I didn't even know I could block others' replies (thanks for the info!), but I just filter any rude responses. Back to my original point: It's a first time forum, so I'll keep the questions coming.

[gail t]

Well... I have sailed my first cruise almost 3 years ago... now the next one is in December. So, I feel like a first time cruiser all over again!! Tipping was very confusing to me and this board was able to help me out tremendously.

 

We did the 'standard $10/day' tip, then tip those that seemed to go above and beyond (hahahahhaa... that's funny... I think EVERYONE went above and beyond, so $10/day just wasn't enough!!!) additional cash. We ordered coffee and sweet rolls eached morning and tipped for those each morning.

 

The service we received was just wonderful... I teased our cabin steward that he lurked behind the corner... waited for us to leave... ran in our room... straightened everything up and then poof! was gone... he was awesome to say the least!!!

 

Lots of fun to everyone on your cruises and here's looking forward to #2 for me!!!

[smokey1962]

I have just joined this board..all the information is overwelming. Although, I do have a statement/concern about tipping in conjunction with the fuel surcharge. Oh, we are planning our first cruise in May /09. Here is my thoughts. According to Carnival, they are going to apply to our sail account $10.00 per day for tipping and approximately $10.00 per day for a fuel surcharge. Well, there are 3 of us going ( our daughter is 16). That would equal $420.00 for the week. More than the cost of the cruise for our daughter. Don't get me wrong, I love to tip when we go out for dinner. But, to that point, my wife and daughter don't tip separately. That just doesn't make sence to me. Basically, that's all I want to say and I know the advice forth coming is to talk to the people at the desk

 

cheers...

 

we can't wait for the experience.

[EverettAndTanya]

Don't get me wrong, I love to tip when we go out for dinner. But, to that point, my wife and daughter don't tip separately. That just doesn't make sence to me.

 

No you dont tip separately at a restaurant. But, you do tip based on the total of all three of your meals and drinks. So it turns out you are tipping for each person. But the bill is already combined for you.

 

I'm not sure what the fuel surcharge has to do with tipping, because the fuel surcharge is for the Cruiseline to makeup for increased fuel prices. None of that money is going into the pockets of all the people who make your cruise a wonderful experience.

 

Enjoy your cruise!

[GORDONCHICK]

As an example of how people rotate from the buffet area and the main dining room: on our first cruise we had an absolutely delightful man from Turkey (Yassur) as our assistant waiter. Every evening, he came sprinting to our table in the dining room with chocolate milk for DS (who was 3 at the time). We ran into Yassur every day either in the buffet area or around the pool. He always came and talked to us, greeted us by name, payed special attention to DS if he was with us, etc. Even if we hadn't eaten in the dining room every evening (which we did because it was great, but I understand the OP has special circumstances), we would have still encountered Yassur almost every day in one capacity or another. He may not have known our names if it weren't for the dining room, but we saw him be just as genuine and service-oriented with other people he didn't serve in the evenings.

 

We leave the autotips in place and tip extra to those who made the trip extra-special. In addition to the money they receive, they deserve to be treated kindly and respectfully (no one had mentioned doing otherwise, I'm just sayin' as a reminder).