Why tip specialty servers & not main servers

[Happy HALer]

Why do most people feel the need to tip servers in the specialty restaurants and leave nothing for servers in the main dining rooms?

[Seanote]

Why do most people feel the need to tip servers in the specialty restaurants and leave nothing for servers in the main dining rooms?

 

Ooh, a conundrum. I say that as I believe the waiters in the specialty restaurants work just as hard as the ones in the main dining room. However, in my observations, I think there is a much higher ratio of servers to patrons in the specialty venues. Thus a higher perceived (and actual) level of service. I admit, I am guilty of this practice soley because I receive better service in the specialty dining rooms. Is this fair? Probably not. Though, I expect the waitstaff work their way "up" to the specialty places. JMO

 

Seanote

[fin]

Maybe because in the specialty dining rooms, you are presented with a bill to sign for the surcharge and there is a space on it for a tip. And maybe because the ambiance is so much more suggestive of the kind of luxury surroundings where tipping is usually appropriate.

[family cruisers]

We used specialty restaurants 4 time on our recent Dawn cruise and the service warranted the extra tip. We gave cash rather than put it on the bill. I wanted to make sure that our wait staff got the tip they deserved.

 

WE ate in Aqua once and the service wasn't good. If it were they would have been tipped also.

[johnql]

I don't think anybody feels a "need" to tip in the specialty restaurants. However, when outstanding service is delivered, it usually warrants a tip. In my experience, you're more likely to receive outstanding service in the specialty restaurants than in the main dining rooms. Again in my experience, the service in the main dining rooms is generally good but not outstanding.

[*Wink*]

I read somewhere that the surcharge is their tip. So, if that's true, they're getting doubly tipped. :D

[cpcanuck]

I read somewhere that the surcharge is their tip. So, if that's true, they're getting doubly tipped. :D

 

Yes, but I thought that ALL the wait staff received from the surcharge pool...so they all would be doubly tipped regardless of what venue they are working in are they not? Or am I missing something?

[bakerintn]

I read here in a post from an NCL ship-based employee that all cash tips have to be turned in to the "pool" and shared by the pool's formula. I don't know if that really happens, but if so, that is too bad in my opinion.

 

I also understand that the service charge pool is shared much like a company bonus program. There are goals, comment cards, seniority and other factors that determine who gets what. I would not be surprised that supervisors and lead persons take theirs off the top.

 

Maybe James can fill us in on the true story ....

[johnql]

I read here in a post from an NCL ship-based employee that all cash tips have to be turned in to the "pool" and shared by the pool's formula. I don't know if that really happens, but if so, that is too bad in my opinion.

Not true. Cash tips have to be turned in to the pool ONLY if the tipper has removed the automatic tips from their account. If the automatic tips are kept on their account, any additional cash tips can be accepted and kept by the staff member being tipped.

[*Wink*]

Yes, but I thought that ALL the wait staff received from the surcharge pool...so they all would be doubly tipped regardless of what venue they are working in are they not? Or am I missing something?

That could be true. I have no idea. I was just reporting what another poster had posted. I'm sure someone will know the skinny on this. :)

[biker@sea]

I for one like to tip in any venue when I receive good service. I feel $10 a day is not enough for all the hard work performed to please me and mine by all the staff aboard.

[iheartbda]

Yes, but I thought that ALL the wait staff received from the surcharge pool...so they all would be doubly tipped regardless of what venue they are working in are they not? Or am I missing something?

 

 

Wait, are you talking about the $10 service charge per day or the surcharge for the specialty restaurant? :confused:

[cpcanuck]

Wait, are you talking about the $10 service charge per day or the surcharge for the specialty restaurant? :confused:

 

 

Sorry! I used the wrong word...I was referring to service charge - all wait staff are suppose to get a portion of the service charge regardless of what venue they are working in. Which is why I am confused about when to tip extra or not. Many on this board seem to lean towards tipping only in the speciality restaurants because of the "special" service? Of course I am really new at these things, and kind of assumed that if someone does something extra special in terms of service I would want to tip extra (over and above what I will gladly give as a service charge), and it shouldn't be restricted to the speciality restaurant staff. Wouldn't the staff in the main dining rooms or even the Blue Lagoon or Buffet deserve recognition as well? :)

[iheartbda]

Wouldn't the staff in the main dining rooms or even the Blue Lagoon or Buffet deserve recognition as well? :)

 

Yes, you may tip extra to whomever you feel deserves it.

I don't think people are necessarily only tipping extra in the specialty restaurants, they're just saying that the service is so much more attentive there that they think it's warranted.

 

Here's the easiest thing to do: leave the auto tips in place ($10/day service charge) and tip anyone in cash who YOU feel should get more in ANY venue. They keep that cash, it DOES NOT go into the pool to be divided among the rest.

[cruiseat50]

Not true. Cash tips have to be turned in to the pool ONLY if the tipper has removed the automatic tips from their account. If the automatic tips are kept on their account, any additional cash tips can be accepted and kept by the staff member being tipped.

 

Just curious and it may be true but how would the waitperson know if the tips had been removed and that he would have to turn them over? Do they have to check each time they get a tip?:confused:

 

We will be able to eat at Cagney's for breakfast and lunch which I am told is free of charge. What would be an appropriate tip?

[Terpbacker]

In addition to any cash tips you may want to leave make sure you recognize staff that have gone above and beyond by name on comment cards or directly to senior staff members. My understanding is that they work off of an incentive program fueled by guest feedback.

[johnql]

Just curious and it may be true but how would the waitperson know if the tips had been removed and that he would have to turn them over? Do they have to check each time they get a tip?:confused:

My understanding is that all cash tips are turned in to the pool as they are received, recorded as to which staff member received what amount. When the tip is received, the staff member finds out who the tipper was (remember: in most cases, there's a record of who dined where since your sea card is swiped as you enter the main dining room or a record of your dining in a specialty restaurant through your reservation/charge authorization). At the end of the cruise, they cross-check the list of tippers against the list of who kept their automatic tips in place. If the cash tip is extra, then the original tippee gets it back. If the cash tip is in lieu of the automatic gratuity, it goes into the general tip pool.

[terrymtex01]

We usually always tip both, speciality restaurants as well as the free dining venues. Normally the service we get is so good it is worth the extra tip we leave. In the main dining rooms we will leave two or three dollars for each of us as a tip and in the specialty restaurants we will leave 20% of our bill. Sometimes we get our meals comp'ed in the specialty restaurants and we will leave them a cash tip equal to what 20% of our bill would have been.

[Pecanpuree]

Do you mean 20% of the specialty restaurant surcharge?

 

If your butler delivers a specialty restaurant meal to your room, do you give him cash or add to his overall tip?

 

And thank you for so much great information!

[iheartbda]

... (remember: in most cases, there's a record of who dined where since your sea card is swiped as you enter the main dining room...

 

Never had our sea pass swiped.:confused:

[*Wink*]

Never had our sea pass swiped.:confused:

Ditto.

[falken]

Do you mean 20% of the specialty restaurant surcharge?

 

If your butler delivers a specialty restaurant meal to your room, do you give him cash or add to his overall tip?

 

And thank you for so much great information!

 

I never tip the butler anything until the end of the cruise, he will however have you sign the slip for the restraunt surcharge when he delivers the meal.

 

I think the custom is to tip on the last evening of the cruise, I however always wait until the last morning as I always have breakfast in-cabin and can tip the butler and always meet the concierge for priority escort off the ship.

[terrymtex01]

Do you mean 20% of the specialty restaurant surcharge?

 

If your butler delivers a specialty restaurant meal to your room, do you give him cash or add to his overall tip?

 

And thank you for so much great information!

 

I am not one that is fond of eating in our stateroom other than maybe a late night snack via room service. So we have never encounted that option before, but we would not tip the butler anything until the end of the cruise. I learned my lesson our last cruise on the Star about that.

[cruiseat50]

I am not one that is fond of eating in our stateroom other than maybe a late night snack via room service. So we have never encounted that option before, but we would not tip the butler anything until the end of the cruise. I learned my lesson our last cruise on the Star about that.

 

 

What happened on the last cruise that makes you feel this way? I really don't think I'll use the butler much but want to do what's right.

[katiel53]

I read somewhere that the surcharge is their tip. So, if that's true, they're getting doubly tipped. :D

 

I think the person(s) posting this wrong info are the one(s) who are too cheap to tip anything extra. I know one person who posts repeatedly that the tip is the surcharge. That is totally wrong. The correct info is that the tip is includeed, but the surcharge for the specialty restaurant is not only for the tip. If that were the case, why would the same wonderful food not be served in the dining room as in Cagney's for example?

 

Part of the surcharge is for the better food. To us, the service in the specialty restaurants is far better than in the dining room. On our last cruise on Pearl, we had dinner one night in the dining room and the service was none too great. We also had most lunches in the dining room and again service did not warrant anything extra.

 

We do tip extra in the specialty restaurant when the service warrants it. For example, we didn't tip anything extra the first night in Cagney's. We also went there the last night and we had the greatest service, so we tipped extra. In LeBistro, the peppercorn sauce was very salty and it made the meat inedible. Our waitress never offered to get us another entree or anything, so we didn't tip her anything extra.

 

To be fair, I have to say we were on Pearl the week of transitioning to 2.0 so I think there were lots of things that were far better the next week. We are looking forward to our going on Pearl again in February and we know it's going to be a great cruise.