do you have to?

[keenie803]

I posted this on the first time cruisers board but didnt get any responses yet...Do you have to tip the dining staff even if you dont eat there? My husband and I dont like to have big long meals and probably will only eat there once. (just to try it) if we dont go back do we still tip them??? I dont think you should have to tip if you werent even there.

[Sherrybaby412]

Yes. Your $10.00 per day tip is spread out over several departments and people. Do not tip extra if you do not eat there or do not want to.

[Aidansmommy2]

Yes you should leave the tips on your S&S for you dining staff. These same people man the Lido buffet and also work the dining room at lunch and dinner too. Don't be cheap, these people work very hard and deserve to be tipped.;)

Happy sailing :)

Barb

[mamasue]

You don't HAVE to tip anybody.... the $10 a day can be removed if you ask the purser..... but bear in mind, the tip is spread among a lot of the staff, not just the dining room.

If you are eating in the buffet, it's mainly the same staff who work there as work in the dining room. They work very hard for their tips.

[keenie803]

Oh I see...I didnt know they worked the buffet too. I definately dont want to be cheap...I just know I wouldnt go into a resturaunt at home and give a random waiter money if I didnt eat there.:D I have no problem tipping if it acctually goes to the people who served me.

[shasha14]

Oh I see...I didnt know they worked the buffet too. I definately dont want to be cheap...I just know I wouldnt go into a resturaunt at home and give a random waiter money if I didnt eat there.:D I have no problem tipping if it acctually goes to the people who served me.

Since this is your first time. It can be confusing as to how it works.

After a few days on the ship you will see that the $10 a day goes a long way. Remember a very small portion of that goes to the waiters. You did mention that you will eat 1 meal there. How much would you tip at a restaraunt?

You may even feel at the end of your cruise to give some one a little extra.

Have fun

[firefly333]

You will surely be eating somewhere, doesnt matter where you eat, even if its the pizza or the deli or the buffet, someone from the dining staff is working to give you service to prepare the meal and to clear away the dishes. Waiters and all the staff will work other areas, not just in the dining room.

 

Do you tip if you go to a cafeteria??? I know I do, maybe a tad less than a full service restaurant, let that be your guide.

[CWcruisers]

Also don't forget that the dining room waiters are you room service waiters too.

 

These people depend on tips to supplement their meager wages. Most of them are away from family, spouses, and children trying to make a better life for themselves.

 

Get to know crew members. To me, that is one of the most fun things to do on a ship.

[Illinoisgal]

you can always switch the tip portion of the 10 that goes to dinging staff onto the 1.00 per day the lido deck staff gets thay way more money is going into the right pot

[Chacooe]

I read that on the Carnival Pride, when the ship is full they bring in $148,680.00 in tip money, that is the $10.00 a day per person and it is divided amongst all the crew so they each get around $160.00 each for the work they do. Now I do not know if that includes even the engine room, but on the Carnival Pride there are 930 crew members. So really that is no much they make in actual tips.

[bplazo]

You might just enjoy the dining room if you have a great wait staff. They have always made our cruises so much more enjoyable and so have our tablemates that we could not wait for dinner.

[keenie803]

I dont mind paying the tips that isnt the issue...Im not taking the tips off but I would really like to make sure it goes to the people that helped me. I says on the carnival website that $5.50 per person per day goes to the dining room wait staff. and if I dont eat there then yes I will obviously be eating somewhere else.. and I dont mind tipping those people. but I dont see just handing over $11.00 a day (between my husband and I)to someone who I didnt even see. I would rather give it to the buffet people that only get $1.00 of my $10. I think they do just as much work and get so much less.

[HurricaneSally]

I dont mind paying the tips that isnt the issue...Im not taking the tips off but I would really like to make sure it goes to the people that helped me. I says on the carnival website that $5.50 per person per day goes to the dining room wait staff. and if I dont eat there then yes I will obviously be eating somewhere else.. and I dont mind tipping those people. but I dont see just handing over $11.00 a day (between my husband and I)to someone who I didnt even see. I would rather give it to the buffet people that only get $1.00 of my $10. I think they do just as much work and get so much less.

 

Why not let the cruiseline decides what works best? After all, they are more experienced than all of us about the fairness of the tipping guidelines.

[suzy1212]

Oh I see...I didnt know they worked the buffet too. I definately dont want to be cheap...I just know I wouldnt go into a resturaunt at home and give a random waiter money if I didnt eat there.:D I have no problem tipping if it acctually goes to the people who served me.

 

But in the restaurant at home the table isn't saved for you all week.

 

Two points...

 

First I have seen my waiters from the dining room busing tables and serving in the buffet area.

 

Second, in a regular restaurant the hostess seats the customers who come in the door throughout the restaurant so all the waiters get roughly the same amount of tables. On the ship if a majority of a waiter's tables for that week decide to eat elsewhere and not tip, it would really make it hard on them. They work so hard to make everyone's cruise wonderful, I can't see cutting their pay to save a few bucks.

[ray98]

I read that on the Carnival Pride, when the ship is full they bring in $148,680.00 in tip money, that is the $10.00 a day per person and it is divided amongst all the crew so they each get around $160.00 each for the work they do. Now I do not know if that includes even the engine room, but on the Carnival Pride there are 930 crew members. So really that is no much they make in actual tips.

 

Not all employees receive tips...many are salaried.

 

Tips are not divided equally between tipped employees.

[cruisecruisecruise1234567]

I read that on the Carnival Pride, when the ship is full they bring in $148,680.00 in tip money, that is the $10.00 a day per person and it is divided amongst all the crew so they each get around $160.00 each for the work they do. Now I do not know if that includes even the engine room, but on the Carnival Pride there are 930 crew members. So really that is no much they make in actual tips.

 

Where did you read that?:confused:

 

The tip goes to basically 3 people/places. Steward,dining room team,and $1 into the buffet/lido pool.They get more $500-$1000 each week.

[cruisecruisecruise1234567]

I posted this on the first time cruisers board but didnt get any responses yet...Do you have to tip the dining staff even if you dont eat there? My husband and I dont like to have big long meals and probably will only eat there once. (just to try it) if we dont go back do we still tip them??? I dont think you should have to tip if you werent even there.

 

 

If you don't want to eat in the dining room.Notify the maitre'd when you board and they will take your seat away.This will save you $5.50 per day per person but you must go to the pursers and have them reduce it.

What you might want to do is, remove all tips and tip in cash at the end of the week.You seem educated and should be able to figure amounts out on your own.Unless you need the cruiseline to hold your hand and change your diaper.:)

Regarding some of the prior postings here, Do you think at dinner time the waiters are running up to the buffet and back down doing both?How can they be doing the dining room and the buffet? They can't.:D

Its the illusion people want you to believe here.Don't buy into it.They have a choice to work on these ships.They are making a fortune and don't let anyone tell you otherwise.Don't think in US dollars.Someone from Dominica,make $2000 a year.:eek: Work on a ship and make that in a month.

To put in a different perspective,take what you earn and multiply it by 10 and that would be the US equivalent.

[shopril]

On our last cruise our server worked early dining then late dining. She was then schedule to work the midnight buffet. She was trying to swap with someone because she had worke the buffet at breakfast that morning. Yes we see our dining room servers every morning at the buffet at breakfast.

 

You decide if using the prepay or on your own, but IMHO please tip, they work very hard.

[keenie803]

If you don't want to eat in the dining room.Notify the maitre'd when you board and they will take your seat away.This will save you $5.50 per day per person but you must go to the pursers and have them reduce it.

What you might want to do is, remove all tips and tip in cash at the end of the week.You seem educated and should be able to figure amounts out on your own.Unless you need the cruiseline to hold your hand and change your diaper.:)

Regarding some of the prior postings here, Do you think at dinner time the waiters are running up to the buffet and back down doing both?How can they be doing the dining room and the buffet? They can't.:D

Its the illusion people want you to believe here.Don't buy into it.They have a choice to work on these ships.They are making a fortune and don't let anyone tell you otherwise.Don't think in US dollars.Someone from Dominica,make $2000 a year.:eek: Work on a ship and make that in a month.

To put in a different perspective,take what you earn and multiply it by 10 and that would be the US equivalent.

 

I got to thinking about that too there is no way they can be doing both running from the dinind room to the buffet. thats just rediculous. like I said I wouldnt walk into a resturaunt and hand a waiter $5.50 if I didnt eat there and the place that I did eat...give that guy $1.00.Thats just stupid.cruise ship or land vacation...you should tip who serves you...a tip is supposed to be for good service...not some surcharge you automatically pay. if I eat there I will tip them and if I dont I wont...I will tip the person who serves me...

[popsec]

Regarding some of the prior postings here, Do you think at dinner time the waiters are running up to the buffet and back down doing both?How can they be doing the dining room and the buffet? They can't.:D

Its the illusion people want you to believe here.Don't buy into it.

 

Many times we've seen our waiter or assistant waiter working in the Lido buffet area. Also the assistant cabin stewards work other areas. On the Fascination one of the assistant stewards also cleaned in the casino in the evening.

 

Once you're on the cruise you'll see how hard these people work to make your cruise enjoyable. We always leave the auto tips on and tip extra at the end of the week to the waiters, cabin stewards and possibly a bar server or 2.

 

My feeling is that if you can afford to cruise, you can afford to tip appropriately for good service.

[Buster27]

Good grief!!!!! They don't work in the dining room and on the buffet at the SAME TIME.

 

The waiters work the breakfast and lunch buffets and dining rooms on alternate schedules.

 

$10 per day, per person is dirt cheap for tips. If you can't afford to do AT LEAST that....stay home. \

 

Sorry to be annoyed, but for heaven's sake, these people work very hard and very long hours. And they put up with a LOT of crap....probably from people who don't want to tip them) They deserve every penny they make, whatever it is.

 

I've worked tipped positions, it's always the people who are the cheapest who literally run you to death and there's no limit to what they ask for.

I've seen it over and over and over again.....

[GamerMom64]

If you don't want to eat in the dining room.Notify the maitre'd when you board and they will take your seat away.This will save you $5.50 per day per person but you must go to the pursers and have them reduce it.

What you might want to do is, remove all tips and tip in cash at the end of the week.You seem educated and should be able to figure amounts out on your own.Unless you need the cruiseline to hold your hand and change your diaper.:)

Regarding some of the prior postings here, Do you think at dinner time the waiters are running up to the buffet and back down doing both?How can they be doing the dining room and the buffet? They can't.:D

Its the illusion people want you to believe here.Don't buy into it.They have a choice to work on these ships.They are making a fortune and don't let anyone tell you otherwise.Don't think in US dollars.Someone from Dominica,make $2000 a year.:eek: Work on a ship and make that in a month.

To put in a different perspective,take what you earn and multiply it by 10 and that would be the US equivalent.

How much money you make is none of my business. How much money others make should be none of your business.

 

I am sure you work very hard for your money. If I used your services, I would pay you what you are worth. Ask Leona Helmsley if it was worth quibbling over a few dollars. She died bitter, alone (except for her dogs), and poor in spirit.

 

And to answer the OP's question, no you do not have to tip. But if you appreciate how hard someone has worked for you, it is polite to say "thank you" (just as mama taught us). You may say thank you by way of a small monetary token or by a nice letter to the person or company.

 

Just my humble opinion

[bplazo]

Good grief!!!!! They don't work in the dining room and on the buffet at the SAME TIME.

 

The waiters work the breakfast and lunch buffets and dining rooms on alternate schedules.

 

$10 per day, per person is dirt cheap for tips. If you can't afford to do AT LEAST that....stay home. \

 

Sorry to be annoyed, but for heaven's sake, these people work very hard and very long hours. And they put up with a LOT of crap....probably from people who don't want to tip them) They deserve every penny they make, whatever it is.

 

I've worked tipped positions, it's always the people who are the cheapest who literally run you to death and there's no limit to what they ask for.

I've seen it over and over and over again.....

 

 

Agree with you 100%. The ones who quibble over this are just cheapies and will make all kinds of excuses!

[steveaaaaa]

My feeling is that if you can afford to cruise, you can afford to tip appropriately for good service.

 

I agree,but what if you don't get good service?

 

You are forced to stand in a line.You are forced to fill out a form.As many stated on this board,the waiter gets questioned which in turn could get you questioned,and even crappier service.

In an eating establishment,you walk out after and thats the end of it.

 

Just include it all in the fare.

Steve

[arpie05]

I wish I could remember the whole story but I talked to a hair dresser on NCL and she made about $30,000 in 9 mos. She did not make a salary and her only pay was her tips. At least with NCL - they make their staff wages through what we think are tips. After learning that - I started tipping extra. Like when you go to the salon or spa they automatically charge you 15%. That is really not the tip. You can add an additional tip.