Not eating in MDR at all, fair to remove part of gratuities?

Opinion poll....

On our upcoming Allure cruise, due to eating at 4 specialties and in suite the other nights most likely, we do not forsee us eating in the MDR at all.

We are on MTD (because early/late normal was not available), so our gratuities were prepaid when we booked the cruise. (that's a separate issue, we always pay gratuities gratefully, but do not like it being pre-applied).

Are we justified/ok with removing part of the gratuities from our bill? The webpage doesn't even break it down anymore, just 14.25/day/pp for our suite.

Again, we always tip, and often give extra for service above and beyond. And we do appreciate that the MDR service folks depend on their tips to flush out their wages.

We just do not see it as appropriate in tipping someone that we will never use and that will perform no service for us.

Your thoughts?

No.....and you can't anyway!

The people that work in the MDR for dinner (Traditional as well as MTD) are also the same folks that will serve you for breakfast and lunch.

No, you are not justified. You will also be eating somewhere for breakfast and lunch. Tips are not just for dinner service and staff rotates around for other meals. It's a really small amount already - there is a breakdown listed somewhere, but your room steward is included in that amount.

The MDR staff do stints in the Windjammer during the day as well. Please leave the tips as they are.

I understand they move around, but we will not be eating in MDR at all or Windjammers, but I get the gist.

And no, you cant find the breakdown anymore. As of March when they went to Automatic tipping, and bumped it 0.35, they removed the breakdown that use to be there.

(and again, really not trying to get out of tipping, just believe in tipping to those who perform a service, we always do 20% at restaurants, etc )

It's such a nominal amount compared to what you're paying for the entire cruise. Just pay it.

(Otherwise, the bird flew overhead and said, "cheep"!)

Where are you eating breakfast and lunch?

 

Are we justified/ok with removing part of the gratuities from our bill?

Anything can be justified in your own mind I guess but I have to say absolutely NO on this one.

If you arent using the MDR or WJ for dinner, Im sure you will at some point in the cruise for breakfast and lunch. Paying the recommended gratuities covers that.

And yet another tipping thread!

As I recall when last I signed up for MTD, people on MTD agree to leave all tips intact; no adjustments. That is what make MTD appealing to waitstaff and the reason MTD gets good waiters.

Please realize there are only a limited number of MTD slots, while there are many more traditional dining slots. MTD slots often fill, leaving people who want MTD on a waitlist, hoping somebody drops out. So, if you do not want MTD, it is unkind take a slot from somebody who does want it. And if you wish to adjust tips, it is also counterproductive for you.

Like others, I think you should consider leaving the tips. If you are inclined to reduce the tips, then get yourself out of MTD, get your prepaid tips back, and deal with guest services on the ship. The wait who expected team in their section will be disadvantaged if you never give them a shot at pleasing you, but in traditional dining that is your right should you insist on doing so.

And yet another tipping thread!

Why not, it's been 20 minutes or so since the last one.:rolleyes:

You will be eating on the ship. Pay the tips. It's such a minor amount compared to what you paid for the cruise.

As I recall when last I signed up for MTD, people on MTD agree to leave all tips intact; no adjustments. That is what make MTD appealing to waitstaff and the reason MTD gets good waiters.

 

Please realize there are only a limited number of MTD slots, while there are many more traditional dining slots. MTD slots often fill, leaving people who want MTD on a waitlist, hoping somebody drops out. So, if you do not want MTD, it is unkind take a slot from somebody who does want it. And if you wish to adjust tips, it is also counterproductive for you.

 

Like others, I think you should consider leaving the tips. If you are inclined to reduce the tips, then get yourself out of MTD, get your prepaid tips back, and deal with guest services on the ship. The wait who expected team in their section will be disadvantaged if you never give them a shot at pleasing you, but in traditional dining that is your right should you insist on doing so.

OP didn't want to be in MTD and would gladly get out of it if they could. That's all that was available.

Although I realize the MTD tips can't be adjusted down like the ones applied daily on board and I'm not saying it's right to attempt to do so at this point.

What I WOULD do is to wait list for traditional dining. I've wait-listed in the past and have always been switched automatically.

Gina

Does the cover charge for the specialty restaurants include tips? If not, then you would need to tip the wait staff in there anyway.

So since the early/late seatings were not available, RCI makes you sign up for MTD? :confused: You couldn't just waitlist for it?

I am surprised (or maybe not!) that people jumped on OP so. I presume s/he was asking a sincere question. At no time did s/he say the tips would be removed - merely asking if there is justification for doing so. I would like to think s/he doesn't really understand how tipping works, so it's nice to explain things politely and not jump down someone's throat.

OP, some have stated that your wait team in the MDR serve in other areas of the ship at meal times. This is true. On any given cruise, we have seen our waiter, assistant waiter, and head waiter in the Windjammer at breakfast and lunch. Have you eaten in the WJ and seen the little signs on the tables in your section? One might say "Monique - Trinidad and Tobago - Assistant Waiter", or "Bernardo - Portugal - Waiter". Those are their jobs when they are not serving in the WJ.

So yes, as stated, please feel justified to leave your tips in place and know that although you may not see your wait team in the MDR at dinner, they are working hard for you to provide excellent service in other areas of the ship at other times of the day.

Enjoy your cruise. :)

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I understand they move around, but we will not be eating in MDR at all or Windjammers, but I get the gist.

 

And no, you cant find the breakdown anymore. As of March when they went to Automatic tipping, and bumped it 0.35, they removed the breakdown that use to be there.

 

(and again, really not trying to get out of tipping, just believe in tipping to those who perform a service, we always do 20% at restaurants, etc )

I understand where you might misunderstand what you are paying for. If you are ordering from the dining room menu as suite guests can do, for your breakfasts or lunches, then the dining staff are bringing your food to you.

Your auto-tipping will cover everyone that provides food service to you except orders off the room service menu. You should tip additional to those servers.

The Suite breakdown is:

Waiter = $3.75

Assistant Waiter = $2.15

Suite Steward and Housekeeping = $7.25

Head Waiter = $.75 (he supervises all the dining staff in his section; a lot of behind the scenes work)

You should remove them and tip the speciality waiters instead.

Opinion poll....

 

 

Are we justified/ok with removing part of the gratuities from our bill? The webpage doesn't even break it down anymore, just 14.25/day/pp for our suite.

 

so you will not once step foot in any buffet, Park cafe or other venue for any meal? every single meal you eat will be via Room Service or in a specialty?

if you can state that unequivocally then maybe.. as long as you do plan on tipping for every RS delivery and Specialty meal.

So yes, as stated, please feel justified to leave your tips in place

That's not what the OP asked. In fact, OP asked the exact opposite. OP asked is it ok to REMOVE part of their tips.

Does the cover charge for the specialty restaurants include tips?

Yes! That includes the gratuity. We have one very well known poster here that claims the cover charge IS the tip but that is simply not true. Although how much actually goes to the waiters in there is not known.

They will also be VERY happy if you put some in the "additional gratuity" line as well :D

You should remove them and tip the speciality waiters instead.

No.

That's not what the OP asked. In fact, OP asked the exact opposite. OP asked is it ok to REMOVE part of their tips.

I realize that. I just worded it differently. Semantics. :p

As I recall when last I signed up for MTD, people on MTD agree to leave all tips intact; no adjustments. That is what make MTD appealing to waitstaff and the reason MTD gets good waiters.

 

Please realize there are only a limited number of MTD slots, while there are many more traditional dining slots. MTD slots often fill, leaving people who want MTD on a waitlist, hoping somebody drops out. So, if you do not want MTD, it is unkind take a slot from somebody who does want it. And if you wish to adjust tips, it is also counterproductive for you.

 

Like others, I think you should consider leaving the tips. If you are inclined to reduce the tips, then get yourself out of MTD, get your prepaid tips back, and deal with guest services on the ship. The wait who expected team in their section will be disadvantaged if you never give them a shot at pleasing you, but in traditional dining that is your right should you insist on doing so.

Not sure this is true,our last two cruises on the Explorer early seating was wait listed.MTD always seems to be available.And we book nine months to a year in advance. Have a great next cruise

so you will not once step foot in any buffet, Park cafe or other venue for any meal? every single meal you eat will be via Room Service or in a specialty?

 

if you can state that unequivocally then maybe.. as long as you do plan on tipping for every RS delivery and Specialty meal.

TBF the tips are based on 3 meals a day in the MDR.

So it's justified to remove "some" of the gratuity IMO.

No.

 

 

 

I realize that. I just worded it differently. Semantics. :p

Just my own opinion