In his own words: Where Service Charge in Specialty Restaurant goes!

[CoachT]

http://www.avidcruiser.com/2010/08/is-celebrity-downgrading-its-main-dining-room-experience-to-boost-the-bottom-line-in-its-specialty-restaurants/

 

There are accusations in the cruise community that Celebrity Cruises is downgrading the quality of cuisine in its main dining room in order to drive guests to specialty restaurants, where on ships like Celebrity Solstice, cover charges range from $5 per person to $35 per person.

 

On board Celebrity Solstice this week, I put the question to Jacques Van Staden, vice president of culinary operations.

 

“It’s a vicious rumor,” Van Staden told me during an interview in Silk Harvest, where the cover charge for dinner is $25 per person. “The specialty restaurants weren’t designed to drive up revenue. What people don’t realize is that the service charge goes 100 percent to our staff. That’s their gratuities.”

So in spite of the mis-information that has been posted here and claimed by the staff onboard to drive up their tips, there is no reason to tip extra in the Celebrity Specialty restaurant. You may of course if you want, but the staff is in fact getting all of the service charge. No one should ever feel guilty by not leaving extra.

[Kluge]

That just doesn't sound plausible to me. I'd need further confirmation before I believed it.

[jg51]

That just doesn't sound plausible to me. I'd need further confirmation before I believed it.

I agree, "Kluge." There is NO WAY that the $35 paid to Murano is "100 percent to ... staff ... their gratuities." Instead, part of the $35 must go to pay for higher-quality foods, part must go for the upkeep of the venue (expensive china/crystal/etc.), part must go for crew members' salaries, and the rest must be a "forced gratuity" (an oxymoron, of course).

[CruisinManiac]

I agree!

 

If it were true, then why doesn't Celebrity just serve that "higher quality" food in the main dining rooms and not have the specialty dining? :rolleyes:

[Gonzo70]

Oh come on. :rolleyes:

 

Only a small amount of the cover charge goes to the staff. Most of it goes to the cruise lines to cover the increased cost of the food, the operating expense of the specialty restaurants and for profit. Why do you think new ships (across all mass market lines) are featuring so many specialty restaurants? It is a money maker for the ship. The food in the specialty restaurants is higher end cuts of meat and therefore more expensive. The cruise lines are not giving all (or even most) of the cover charges to the staff and taking a huge loss on the specialty restaurants.

 

Mr. Van Staden was providing a politically correct response so as to make it look like the cruise line is giving away all the money to the staff and/or deflecting criticism that the food in the main dining room has gone downhill to drive people to pay for meals in the specialty venues.

[Gonzo70]

I agree!

 

If it were true, then why doesn't Celebrity just serve that "higher quality" food in the main dining rooms and not have the specialty dining? :rolleyes:

 

Exactly!

[Snorkel2Much]

http://www.avidcruiser.com/2010/08/is-celebrity-downgrading-its-main-dining-room-experience-to-boost-the-bottom-line-in-its-specialty-restaurants/

 

So in spite of the mis-information that has been posted here and claimed by the staff onboard to drive up their tips, there is no reason to tip extra in the Celebrity Specialty restaurant. You may of course if you want, but the staff is in fact getting all of the service charge. No one should ever feel guilty by not leaving extra.

If you read the full text of Ralph Grizzle's article, or any of his other writings, you'll see he doesn't push back much on responses.

He writes about interesting travel experiences, he's not an investigative journalist.

[Momorider]

I agree!

 

If it were true, then why doesn't Celebrity just serve that "higher quality" food in the main dining rooms and not have the specialty dining? :rolleyes:

 

I am only guessing but just maybe the staff are higher paid staff. If you are a great waiter and the line gets comments from passengers that your are a great waiter in the MDR you get a chance to move up to the big bucks in the speciality restaurants. :rolleyes:

[Dunmore2]

There certainly are a lot of staff in the speciality restaurants. I would like to see a few of them head over to the main dining room. Those poor folk are run off their feet!

BTW, we were also told that the service charge went directly to the serving staff.

We ate at Murano's once and did not feel the food was worth the price. The lobster thermador was the only memorable dish. The steak and lobster was of very poor quality and the risotto was not to my taste. It is a quiet intimate spot though and the staff are eager to please.

[Gonzo70]

It is sad to see that some people actually buy into the propoganda in that article. :mad:

[Orator]

"Trust ,but verify,"

 

Ronald Reagan

[Jerry and Shelly]

If the standard service charge, or tip, is 15% (such as on drink orders), then a $70 charge for Muranos, if strictly a tip, would amout to a 15% tip on a dinner costing $467.

[snydermann]

It does seem difficult to believe that the whole cover charge goes to the staff, unless possibly the cruise line uses the funds as an incentive position for their better staff to work there. . . like a promotion.

 

I'd say they also get something out of the fine dining over the cost of running the place, the advertising that they have an extra-fine dining establishment. We go to certain retail shopping areas in the city because that's where the good food is located.

 

One of the reasons we selected our next cruise was for the specialty restaurant and the Chef's Table. So, in our case the "advertising" of the specialty restaurants helped gain them a pair of cruisers.

[patty1955]

It may be that the specialty restaurants were created as a way for people who enjoy dressing up and eating gourmet quality food to indulge themselves. After reading these board, Celebrity could easily get the impression that most people want a more informal atmosphere.

[patseacruiser]

How does that drive up revenue if the entire thing goes to the staff? Where is the revenue then?

[Snorkel2Much]

How does that drive up revenue if the entire thing goes to the staff? Where is the revenue then?

The point some are making is that they do not believe the $35 pp all goes to the service staff, despite what the good Mr. Grizzle may have reported in his article. They believe some portion is retained by the management as revenue.

 

It is not unusual to find (in other places at least) that owners and management take a cut of any "pooled tips", which (some or all of) the $35 certainly is.

[Dick in Falls Church]

Really, folks, does it matter? If you want to eat in the specialty restaurant, and are willing to pay the upcharge, what difference does it make where the money goes?

 

And if someone makes a statement about where the money goes, why should anyone challenge that without any grounds (of course, excepting politicians).

 

My guess, and it is just that, is that the waiters for the specialty restuarant are chosen from those who apply, and probably for a good reason. I assume they get some renumeration over and above what they might expect waiting a pair (or more) or tables.

 

Just take your cruise and enjoy whatever you do, or opt out of what you don't think you'd like. Last time I looked, ther was no big brother insisting that you select a specific cruise line, specific ship, specific cabin, or specific itinerary.

 

Have fun

[mahdnc]

Really, folks, does it matter? If you want to eat in the specialty restaurant, and are willing to pay the upcharge, what difference does it make where the money goes?

 

If I knew that the entire $35 goes to the restaurant staff as tips, it would have some impact for me in deciding how much extra tip to add to the tab at the end of the dinner.

[Pilot70D]

“It’s a vicious rumor,” Van Staden told me during an interview in Silk Harvest, where the cover charge for dinner is $25 per person. “The specialty restaurants weren’t designed to drive up revenue. What people don’t realize is that the service charge goes 100 percent to our staff. That’s their gratuities.”

 

This is the Pinocchio version of specialty restaurant revenue. Every time he tells this tale his nose grows by two inches.

If ANYONE really believes this then I have some prime ocean front property for sale right down the block from me here in Atlanta. Furthermore each time I sell that ocean front property I'll throw in a lifetime pass to the specialty restaurant of the purchaser's choice.

Y'all call me quick 'cause this offer won't last. :D:D:D

[Kluge]

It occurs to me that it's possible that the statement may be true - if viewed in a particular way, anyway. Ship's staff (in general) are paid very little by American standards - and staff who are in a position to receive tips get almost no "salary" at all. The line might pool the proceeds of the specialty restaurants into a fund which pays "staff" - possibly including all of the staff on the ship, or at least all of the culinary staff - but that may simply replace the line's other funds otherwise needed for payment of the workers' salaries. Kind of a shell game.

 

I don't know if that's what Mr. Van Staden was saying, but it makes more sense than a claim that all of the proceeds of the charges for a specialty restaurant was paid to the staff of that restaurant as gratuities in addition to their normal salaries. That still strikes me as implausible.

[SeaCod]

How interesting, the one and only post ;) the OP has made on CC is this one. Who wants to bet there's another CC name associated with the OP? Maybe even someone who's also posted a reply. Just guessing!!!:p

[JeffCoud]

So by the logic of this explanation the economics is this "we're put on high priced specialty restaurants so we can pay our staff a high salary from the service upcharge?"

 

I don't remotely believe that. The lines are making money off these places otherwise they would not exist. So that explanation is not remotely credible. Part of the $35 is most certainly going to the cruise line. Like they would provide this upmarket dinner for no additional charge other than the service upcharge? I think not. These venues (which have done nothing but proliferate I'll add....Bistro on 5, Tuscan Grill, Murano, etc....) all exist for one reason and that's to shake more money out of the customer! It makes the initial fare look less, etc.

 

I for one hate the trend, and yes, I'm in that column that things X's food in the MDR has been scaled back/dumbed down over the past few years. I do think the buffet food in the new S-class has gotten better than previous buffets, but....it's still just buffet food you know what I'm saying!

 

Anyhow, just my $.02. I still like X, but oddly at this point I have found HAL's food to be consistently better in the MDR.

 

Jeff

[FinelyCruising]

I have to go back to all my older posts if I can find them among the amok.

 

There was indeed a Q&A and I did remark on the effectiveness of the TG staff in terms of wine, so this Q&A was a real deal and was a sticky for a good time.

 

Now, we know from somewhat recent posts that those in suites are given the perk to dine in the specialty venues and the suggested gratuity is $5.00 pp for that amenity as a suite guest.

 

That seems to severely contradict the idea that the entire cost of the venue goes to the staff however I would counter that the suite fares may make up a portion of that gratuity in the cost of the cabin and that the make-up is the $5.00 price point that X is asking the guess to bear for the perk.

 

This has always been such a tough area/gray area to nail down and it gets no easier over time for anyone to decide what is right to do. I can tell you that since thee venues have opened on the ships we have added ridiculous amounts to the bill and don't regret doing so, but like many others would prefer to enjoy the comfort of what would be appropriate, just as we do for hotel chambermaids, restaurant dining room staff where we dine, and the like.

[Gonzo70]

oops, Finley beat me to the point I was going to make about suite guests and the fact they are told the suggested gratuity is $5.

[sasset]

How interesting, the one and only post ;) the OP has made on CC is this one. Who wants to bet there's another CC name associated with the OP? Maybe even someone who's also posted a reply. Just guessing!!!:p

 

Uh...it says it's his/her 49th.