matre' d tips

[wvanative]

ok......say i go to the matre' d and request a table for 4....what is a fair amount of tip and when should you tip....when asking or at the end of the cruise using the envelope?

[k2excursion]

Accommodating requests like this from the guests is part of the job of the maitre d', and there shouldn't be any tip expected. That being said, there will be people that will tell you to tip him for doing that, and some people (rich people) will give you very large figures that you should tip. I would just use the envelope at the end of the cruise. Some people will tip $5 or less, some will tip $100 or more. I have heard about the salaries of maitre d's on Carnival ships. They are doing quite well for themselves, even before tips. Don't feel guilty if you tip a small amount or even not at all.

[*Mach*]

I tip the Maitre d' at the end of the voyage, using the provided envelope, IF I think that the service that I received from him/her warrants it.

I've had some Maitre d's who were a very important part of the cruise experience and many more who were just background noise. Guess which ones get tipped?

:)

[golfadj]

If they change our table and do it in a nice way we will tip them for help in making our cruise better.

 

We were on the Freedom two weeks ago and the MD never said two words to us and got nothing.

 

Came to the tables around us twice and both times skipped our table.

 

However one of his assts was very helpful to my DW in ordering for her special needs and she got a nice tip.

[MrPete]

I have read they will refuse a tip at the time of the change.

 

If this arrangement was made for me, I would tip on tip night.

[RWolver672]

I guess I'm in the minority here but I would try to tip him right then so that he knew why he was being tipped. By the time tip night rolled around, he would have forgotten why I was tipping him.

[golfadj]

It is the MD's job to make table changes.

 

They will let you know that tips are appreciated. Including how he trains the staff to give you excellent service and should be rewarded for that.

[Ken076]

Somewhere in the Carnival guidelines they indicate that a tip is not appropriate for a Table Change, and MD's will often refuse it.

 

We tip at the final nite if they've done something for us or done something to make Dining more enjoyable.

 

I do like one poster's thread where, for cases where the MD doesn't do much to enforce the Dress code, the cruiser puts anote to that effect in the envelope with no $$$$.

 

ken

[tnincy]

our tipping depends on the experience in the dining room. we have tipped on some cruises, but not on others. we did not on our last cruise. we did not even know who he was until the very last night of the cruise.

[ryanpatricksmom]

We haven't eaten in the MDR for a number of years now, but when we did, it was uncanny how attentive the Maitre D' was the last night of the cruise. :D

 

The entire week would go by, and we would see him off in the distance....the last night he was walking from table to table chatting us all up.

 

IMO, if they'd pay more attention to passengers' table requests ahead of time, there would be far less need to make changes on board. When I traveled as a party of three, we would request a 4 top. Invariably, we would have to request a table change the first day (after being assigned to a large table), which magically was always granted with no problem.....this happened on DCL and Carnival, sailing in the highest category available. Our sailings on NCL and Princess were anytime dining, so that wasn't an issue. I get the impression it's all by design, but it could be my cynical nature coming to the surface. ;)

[Crusin6]

No tip for the MD...regardless of wether he changes our table or says hello to us....his is an officer and paid as such.

 

 

I guess I am not a bleeding heart and don't feel bad about not tipping him.

 

Waiters and stewards yes we tip them extra.

[Crusin6]

We haven't eaten in the MDR for a number of years now, but when we did, it was uncanny how attentive the Maitre D' was the last night of the cruise. :D

 

The entire week would go by, and we would see him off in the distance....the last night he was walking from table to table chatting us all up.

 

IMO, if they'd pay more attention to passengers' table requests ahead of time, there would be far less need to make changes on board. When I traveled as a party of three, we would request a 4 top. Invariably, we would have to request a table change the first day (after being assigned to a large table), which magically was always granted with no problem.....this happened on DCL and Carnival, sailing in the highest category available. Our sailings on NCL and Princess were anytime dining, so that wasn't an issue. I get the impression it's all by design, but it could be my cynical nature coming to the surface. ;)

Just wondering why you don't eat in the MDR? The food is excellent as well as the service. I believe they will even cut up kids meat! They did that on DCL anyway. Do you still have young ones? Just askin'

[In2why]

I can't think of anything that could/would be done that would deserve a tip? I am sure there is something, but can't think of anything that is above and beyond his job description.

[2snorkel/cruisers]

Mach we tend to agree with you on this one. I think we've only tipped the Maitre'D on one cruise. The other cruises he was just as you said, background noise. The table wait staff on the other hand will get tipped extra for good service which has happened on nearly every cruise we've had so far! Room stewards are hit and miss. We don't remover the auto tips but sometimes don't give extra. It's all in the service you get during the cruise. Steady good or exemplary service means extra tip from us.;)

[ryanpatricksmom]

Just wondering why you don't eat in the MDR? The food is excellent as well as the service. I believe they will even cut up kids meat! They did that on DCL anyway. Do you still have young ones? Just askin'

 

 

Nope, no more little ones...my baby left for college this year. Actually, the reason that we stopped eating in the MDR is because my current husband (no longer married to my original travelmate) and I prefer the laid back style of the buffet. We don't enjoy changing for dinner, and the food on the Lido deck is fine by us. I live in the Washington D.C. suburbs, where fine dining isn't hard to come by, so it's works better for us to visit nice dining establishments on land. We did the steakhouse a couple of cruises ago, and that was nice, but again, we have so many fine restaurants close to our home that it's not worth packing the extra finery to go. Sometimes I miss being waited on, but honestly, with a total of six kids (ages 12-30), what I really cruise for is no complications, LOL!

[mrpayroll]

No tip for the MD...regardless of wether he changes our table or says hello to us....his is an officer and paid as such.

 

 

I guess I am not a bleeding heart and don't feel bad about not tipping him.

 

Waiters and stewards yes we tip them extra.

 

Our opinion EXACTLY....:rolleyes: