Pinnacle Grill Tipping

[cp556]

Hi All --

I've seen this addressed previously, but would like input and opinions from you.

Do you tip in cash in the Pinnacle Grill? IIRC, wait staff in the Pinnacle are not included in the auto-tip of $10/11 per day. Do you tip after each meal, or at the end of the cruise ... what's your technique? Do you tip at all? And do you tip a percentage of what the meal would have cost off-ship, or a smaller amount?

Just interested in what others do....

[SAILSKAT]

cp566

Thanks for bringing this up. I have been trying to do a search and it keeps turning up as an "error". (Not sure what I'm doing wrong.) We are first time HAL cruisers and will be dining at both the PG and Tamarind on Eurodam and I've been wondering the same thing. I'm one of those over organized individuals who actually puts all my "cash items" in an envelope with little sticky notes that say "tips", "shore excursions" etc. and I want to be prepared with the correct denominations and amounts of cash.

So all of you veteran PG diners what's the proper protocol? (I love the HAL board because there are so many loyalist who know EVERYTHING about HAL and her ships. Thanks in advance.

[RuthC]

My understanding is that the stewards in the Pinnacle do get a few pennies from the service charge.

When I go to the Pinncale I do tip extra, and I leave it at the end of the meal. If I were planning to return to the Pinnacle during the cruise I would still tip each time. There's really no guarantee I will get back or that I will have the same steward, so I don't want to take the chance that I won't get to give the tip.

[sail7seas]

We always tip at the end of our lunches and dinners in Pinnacle. Even though they know we have reservations for another night during the cruise, we tip at the time of service.

The amount they get from automatic tip is so small as to seem inadequate to us for the wonderful service we receive.

[Travalerie]

We always tip at the end of our lunches and dinners in Pinnacle. Even though they know we have reservations for another night during the cruise, we tip at the time of service.

The amount they get from automatic tip is so small as to seem inadequate to us for the wonderful service we receive.


How much do you tip for lunch and dinner? Is it the same or less for lunch?

[JimVrhovac]

A tip is given for recognition of excellent service,

If you are satisfied tip at the end of the meal. Remember there are a lot more people serving you in the Pinnacle than at your regular table.

Ruth & Jim

[royalcruz]

We haven't been on HAL yet, but we usually tip $20 for 2 when we go to specialty restaurants. From what I've read on the boards, this is pretty typical. We tip in cash.

[PathfinderEss]

We always tip extra when we eat in the Pinncale, if the service is exceptional we could give as much as $20 for the two of us, if not ofcourse it would be less.

[seafun]

The issue of tipping is always a hot-button issue -- good for you for being brave and asking an important question.

I always tip at the end of my meal in the Pinnacle Grill, rather than waiting until a later time. As someone who waited tables for years, I feel the immediate reward, and a chance to connect the face of the tipper with appreciation for the service provided is important.

How much to tip is up to each individual. It's difficult to say what is"right" in a situation where you're paying $30.00 per person for food that would cost you twice or three times that much in a "regular" upscale restaurant.

Like others have said -- compare the service to what you've enjoyed in other good restaurants, and tip an amount that feels right to you.

(No, I'm not going to suggest a proper amount, lol :rolleyes: )

[Krazy Kruizers]

It is true -- the Pinnacle staff get nothing fom the $20 per person that is charged for dinner.

From the $10 per day auto tips -- the Pinnacle staff get only pennies.

We tip at the end of each meal.

What you tip -- depends on how good you thought the food and service was.

[Travalerie]

[quote=Krazy Kruizers;16183728]It is true -- the Pinnacle staff get nothing fom the $20 per person that is charged for dinner.

From the $10 per day auto tips -- the Pinnacle staff get only pennies.
quote]

I am all for tipping and tip well when I know to...my thing is, unless I was reading these boards, I would not know to tip in the specialty restaurants. I would assume it was covered with the auto tips. But I have AYWD with this upcoming cruise and I was really confused about what to do since I will have different servers every night. What incentive does the staff in the Pinnacle have to give such good service that everyone raves about if they are only getting pennies from the auto tips?? Are they hoping people are getting up to speed as I am on CC?;)

[Northshorecruisers]

We tip at the end of the meal based on what the meal would have cost us in a land restaurant. The service that we have received in the Pinnacle has always been exceptional.

[kalliekae]

We tip at the end of the meal based on what the meal would have cost us in a land restaurant. The service that we have received in the Pinnacle has always been exceptional.


Exactly what we did each time we had the pleasure of dining in the Pinnacle. Our food and service was exceptional!

[Sue's Mom]

It is difficult for a foreigner to know how much a similar meal in a US restaurant would cost.

[RuthC]

What incentive does the staff in the Pinnacle have to give such good service that everyone raves about if they are only getting pennies from the auto tips??
Keep in mind that those "pennies from the auto tips" are from each and every person aboard who doesn't remove the service charge. That includes those who never dine at the Pinnacle, and will add up.
It is more than the pennies coming out of the diner's service charge.

Besides that, I am still of the belief that some people do a good job because they take pride in their work.

[sail7seas]

I absolutely agree with you, Ruth, that crews on HAL provide us with that wonderful service through their pride and professionalism. A sincere compliment means so much to them. I have seen many a steward beam from ear to ear when I thank them and compliment the service they have provided ---both cabin and dining stewards.

But they also have bills to pay and families to support like the rest of us. The pride in their work nourishes their confidence and self-satisfaction. The tips nourish their wallets.

[cp556]

I know KK and Sail7Seas will have an answer for this one ...

What about tipping in the Pinnacle if you're a deluxe suite guest and choose to have breakfast there?

[sail7seas]

We have only had breakfast in Pinnacle occassionally. When we do, we do not tip daily. We tip at the end of the cruise. If it is a ten or more day cruise, we probably would tip about every 4-5 or so days if we were going daily.

BUT we go to Pinnacle often in the evening and it is the same stewards. We tip generously at dinner so they have been 'thanked'. Same for lunch. If we have lunch there, we tip at the time of service and again, a generous amount.

We tip each time we go for dinner when they present the folder with the bill.
We also tip the wine steward each time we go to Pinnacle.

[kakalina]

Hi All --

I've seen this addressed previously, but would like input and opinions from you.

Do you tip in cash in the Pinnacle Grill? IIRC, wait staff in the Pinnacle are not included in the auto-tip of $10/11 per day. Do you tip after each meal, or at the end of the cruise ... what's your technique? Do you tip at all? And do you tip a percentage of what the meal would have cost off-ship, or a smaller amount?

Just interested in what others do....


What does IIRC mean?

[RuthC]

What does IIRC mean?
If I Recall Correctly

[cp556]

What does IIRC mean?


IIRC = If I Recall Correctly

[kakalina]

Thanks.

[ccnwater]

So how does the tipping work for the AWYD? If I am not going to have the same waiters every night? All our past cruises, we do the auto tip, then also a little extra on the last night to our wait staff if they have been great.... We are cruising with another family in April and if we love the waiters the 1st night with AWYD, will try and request them every night...But what if we dont get them? All the wait staff split everyones auto tips for that night? Really dont want to extra tip every night...The point of Auto Tips, I think, is so it is one less thing I have to think about everyday while on vacation.

[kryos]

I am all for tipping and tip well when I know to...my thing is, unless I was reading these boards, I would not know to tip in the specialty restaurants. I would assume it was covered with the auto tips. But I have AYWD with this upcoming cruise and I was really confused about what to do since I will have different servers every night. What incentive does the staff in the Pinnacle have to give such good service that everyone raves about if they are only getting pennies from the auto tips?? Are they hoping people are getting up to speed as I am on CC?;)
Exactly.

Believe me, ALL servers in ALL dining venues participate in the auto-tips. Otherwise, you wouldn't have any servers to staff any venue other than the traditional dining room ... because that's where the tips are.

When HAL set up the "auto tip" program, they told us in no uncertain terms that $10 per day, per person was appropriate. My guess is that many people were not even tipping this amount in the past, and hence the need to "nudge" people a little with the auto-tip.

ALL service people from your cabin steward to all of the waitstaff, those in the Pinnacle, the Lido, the AYW dining room ... EVERYBODY participates in the auto-tip and gets a percentage of it at cruise end.

If it were any other way, you would have no one willing to work the Lido or the AYW dining room because they would know that they won't make much money there. It's the same with the Pinnacle staff.

Now, that said, I'm not saying DON'T tip extra in the Pinnacle. Do whatever your heart tells you to do. But, don't feel that you HAVE to tip extra ... just as you wouldn't feel the need to bring cash to the traditional dining room every night to tip your regular servers. Those Pinnacle guys are getting just as much as the dining room waiters are ... and maybe even more since the Pinnacle is a cut above the dining room and, at least theoretically, only the best should be chosen to work there.

Blue skies ...

--rita

[kryos]

So how does the tipping work for the AWYD? If I am not going to have the same waiters every night?
You'll pay the same $10 per day per person in auto-tips regardless of whether you have traditional or AYW dining. That's your waitstaff tips.

If you are so inclined to bring cash to dinner with you every night, and tip them extra, feel free. But I doubt very much that many people are inclined to do this.

Tips are something that are taken care of upfront by your auto-tips and by your 15% bar service fee on drinks ordered. If you tip not a dime more than the auto-tip amount, you have nothing whatsoever to hang your head in shame about.

It was in the days before the auto-tip that there were problems ... when some people really shafted the service workers and didn't even give them the bare minimum in tips. In fact, on my first HAL cruise (which was the only one I took before the implementation of the "auto tip"), HAL had to close all of the alternative dining venues (Lido, Pinnacle and I presume room service) in order to "force" people to head to the main dining room on the last night of the cruise and thus have to face their waitstaff. Hopefully, this would "shame" the passengers into parting with at least something in the way of a tip, because otherwise they would just avoid the staff in the dining room on this last night and tip them nothing.

So, as I said, doesn't matter where you dine each day onboard ship. All of your waitstaff is taken care of with your $10 per day auto-tip. Anything you CHOOSE to tip them extra is gravy.

Blue skies ...

--rita

[jtl513]

Those Pinnacle guys are getting just as much as the dining room waiters are ... and maybe even more since the Pinnacle is a cut above the dining room and, at least theoretically, only the best should be chosen to work there.The P.G. waiters may be getting a much better base salary, but they are getting far less from the $10 pool money.

Each dining room team (waiter and assistant) receives $3.50/p/d times an average of 38 passengers on a Vista ship (1900/50 wait teams). That's $133 per day to divide between them.

The pool for everyone other than the dining room and room stewards is roughly $5700 /day (1900 x $3) and is divided among roughly 500 crew members (800 minus room stewards, minus d.r. stewards, minus officers, minus operating and maintenance crew.) $5700/500 = $11.40 per P.G. waiter per day.

[DesertDogs]

We tip each time we go for dinner when they present the folder with the bill.


We never got a folder with a bill. What is the bill for? We already paid.

[fann1sh]

We never got a folder with a bill. What is the bill for? We already paid.

No everyone prepays their Pinnacle dinner, so instead they sign for the meal at the end. Also, for those of us who also drink alcoholic beverages, there's an extra charge.

[sail7seas]

We never got a folder with a bill. What is the bill for? We already paid.

We do not book in advance of boarding and, therefore, do not pay in advance. Thus, as in most fine restaurants, at the end of the meal, we are presented with the bill in a folder.

You certainly should feel free to shake the steward's hand, thank him and pass along a folded bill if you wish to tip him.

By all means hand him a tip if you have enjoyed fine service from him.

[DesertDogs]

We do not book in advance of boarding and, therefore, do not pay in advance. Thus, as in most fine restaurants, at the end of the meal, we are presented with the bill in a folder.

You certainly should feel free to shake the steward's hand, thank him and pass along a folded bill if you wish to tip him.

By all means hand him a tip if you have enjoyed fine service from him.

OK - Thanks. Yes, we always thank the steward and hand him a tip.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We never got a folder with a bill. What is the bill for? We already paid.

We prepay many Pinnacle Dinners and we do not get a folder -- also with AMEX Plat -- again no folder.

So -- we just call our wait staff aside and tip each individually -- hand shakes are womderful.

On the nights when we have not prepaid -- then we leave a tip in the folder.

[Krazy Kruizers]

No everyone prepays their Pinnacle dinner, so instead they sign for the meal at the end. Also, for those of us who also drink alcoholic beverages, there's an extra charge.

Actually you would be amazed at how many people book the Pinnacle before their cruise.

Especially now that the priced has been reduced.

Even before the price was reduced we had problems getting reservations for certain nights -- and our concierge couldn't help us (we aren't among the clique of people who seem to be able to reservations at a drop of a hat). ;)

[sail7seas]

Actually you would be amazed at how many people book the Pinnacle before their cruise.

Especially now that the priced has been reduced.

Even before the price was reduced we had problems getting reservations for certain nights -- and our concierge couldn't help us (we aren't among the clique of people who seem to be able to reservations at a drop of a hat). ;)


I feel bad to hear that you, a Suite guest, cannot get a reservation in Pinnacle....that the concierge has not been successful on your behalf. I suppose it is best you pre-book if that is the situation you encounter.

[Harry1954]

we eat often in Pinnacle on longer cruises and wait to tip until the last day ... on shorter cruises 14 days or less, we usually tip at every meal by leaving in the bill book - and tip wine steward on the way out. We always tip maitre d' at end of cruise in either case.
harry

[oysterdam]

I specifically asked the maitre d' of the Pinnacle Grill on the Volendam when making a Pinnacle reservation what the appropriate tip should be. He suggested $10 per table. I asked if this was per person or per table. He stated per table. We left $15 anyway after receiving great service.

[RuthC]

He suggested $10 per table. I asked if this was per person or per table. He stated per table.
Was "table for two" implied? :confused:

[Charliesmom]

Does anybody tip the Manager of the Pinnacle Grill?

Roberta

[kryos]

The P.G. waiters may be getting a much better base salary, but they are getting far less from the $10 pool money.

Regardless of the particular method by which they are being compensated, those waiters in the Pinnacle are doing just as well, if not a whole lot better, than the waiters in the dining room and Lido.

Believe me, they are not depending upon extra cash passenger tips, any more than the waiters in those other venues are.

Blue skies ...

--rita

[kryos]

I feel bad to hear that you, a Suite guest, cannot get a reservation in Pinnacle....that the concierge has not been successful on your behalf. I suppose it is best you pre-book if that is the situation you encounter.
Must have been a large group onboard that had the Pinnacle locked up. Many of these groups get free Pinnacle coupons as one of their amenities, and if a ton of them on a cruise are known to have these, all of the Pinnacle capacity can be used up just taking care of them. I was on one cruise where HAL was running some sort of promo with its "favored" travel agents giving them a "package" to pass along to their clients. This package included a Pinnacle Dining Experience voucher. A lot of people on that cruise had them ... and the Pinnacle was setting everyone up with tentative reservations for a certain night of their cruise. I heard that any "regular joe" that called for Pinnacle reservations without this voucher was being told there were no bookings available for the entire cruise.

But man ... a suite passenger should have been able to score at least one reservation during the cruise.

Blue skies ...

--rita

[GmaPajama]

Our experience in the Pinnacle Grill for breakfast has been 3 or 4 dining stewards working the entire room together and/or in shifts. We try to tip at the 2nd to last breakfast, as we don't always find everyone we want to thank every day. This gives us one extra morning to find someone who may have been missing.

[sail7seas]

Does anybody tip the Manager of the Pinnacle Grill?

Roberta


Yes, there are definitely times we tip the Pinnacle Manager and times we do not. Depends........ :D

If we have a special celebration and he assists in making it special or if he helps us in some special way (which has happened), we happily say thank you in the "tradtional way."

[Gator83]

Actually you would be amazed at how many people book the Pinnacle before their cruise.

Especially now that the priced has been reduced.

Even before the price was reduced we had problems getting reservations for certain nights -- and our concierge couldn't help us (we aren't among the clique of people who seem to be able to reservations at a drop of a hat). ;)


I plan on trying the Pinnacle Grill on my December cruise and would like to book ahead just to make sure that I can get in but I don't want to go on a night where there is something really good in the dining room. I don't think there is any way to find out ahead of time what is being served on what night is there?

Thanks

[sail7seas]

IMO, there is something really good in the dining room every night. :)
That being said, we dine in Pinnacle at least a few times each cruise.

[mamaofami]

The night we ate in the Pinnacle on our last cruise, my very favorite appetizer of all time, escargot, was on the dining room menu. I ordered them from room service and had them on our veranda prior to dinner. They were sooo good.:D