specialty restaurant tipping?

[mikehn]

Is it customary to tip extra at the specialty restuarants? I mean above and beyond the $12 per passenger per day gratuity. I know you can tip above and beyond anybody you like any time you like, I got that. I just wanted to know if it was customary? Thanks

[RoofingPrincess]

One school of thought is that the surcharge for the specialty restaurant includes a tip.

[Keith1010]

Some of this varies by cruise line but in general often the surcharge does cover the tips. I would say if you are very happy with the service consider more but if not go with this amount.

 

Keith

[uppitycats]

We believe the surcharge covers any additional tipping. We frankly haven't noticed any really superior service in the specialty restaurants that was so outstanding that we'd consider tipping even more.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

We gave a little ..

[sail7seas]

On HAL, the surcharge for dining in Pinnacle, Tamarind or Canelletto does NOT include extra gratuity. It is simply for the food. We always tip additional when we dine in alternative restaurants.

 

[Krazy Kruizers]

One school of thought is that the surcharge for the specialty restaurant includes a tip.

 

Not on all cruise lines.

The price you pay to eat at the Pinnacle and/or Tamarind restaurants on HAL is only for the food. There is no tip included in the price.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Is it customary to tip extra at the specialty restuarants? I mean above and beyond the $12 per passenger per day gratuity. I know you can tip above and beyond anybody you like any time you like, I got that. I just wanted to know if it was customary? Thanks

 

On HAL, the people working in the speciality restaurants get only pennies from the $12 per day per person Hotel Service Charge.

So we do tip the wait staff in the speciality restaurants.

That is just us.

Others I know don't.

It is a personal choice.

[njhorseman]

Not on all cruise lines.

The price you pay to eat at the Pinnacle and/or Tamarind restaurants on HAL is only for the food. There is no tip included in the price.

 

Not so per the Cruise Critic article published in mid 2011 on tipping in specialty restaurants. HAL and (NCL) specialty restaurant wait staff are compensated from the daily service charge pool just as main dining room waiters are, so no additional tip is necessary:

 

According to spokespeople from Holland America and Norwegian Cruise Line, tips for the alternative restaurant wait staff are drawn from the auto-gratuity pool (HAL charges $11 per person, per day; Norwegian charges $12.)

[sail7seas]

Not on all cruise lines.

 

The price you pay to eat at the Pinnacle and/or Tamarind restaurants on HAL is only for the food. There is no tip included in the price.

 

 

Now that HAL is charging for Cannaleto on some ships, it needs to be included. There is no tip included in the amount paid to dine in Canaletto in the instances where there is a charge.

 

[spookwife]

Is it customary to tip extra at the specialty restuarants? I mean above and beyond the $12 per passenger per day gratuity. I know you can tip above and beyond anybody you like any time you like, I got that. I just wanted to know if it was customary? Thanks

 

OFFICIALLY the fee /surcharge for a specialty restaurant is inclusive of the recommended gratuity. it is at your discretion to tip more.

 

we generally do and tip as if we were paying for a similar meal at home.. as in every case so far the service has been a step above and the quality of the food just that little but higher than the main venues( which have pretty much been decent to outstanding overall)

 

that $12/pp/pd actually covers your state room attendants and the MDR/Buffet( no fee) venues only.

[sail7seas]

OFFICIALLY the fee /surcharge for a specialty restaurant is inclusive of the recommended gratuity. it is at your discretion to tip more.

 

we generally do and tip as if we were paying for a similar meal at home.. as in every case so far the service has been a step above and the quality of the food just that little but higher than the main venues( which have pretty much been decent to outstanding overall)

 

that $12/pp/pd actually covers your state room attendants and the MDR/Buffet( no fee) venues only.

 

 

No, that is not the case on HAL.

They make no representation that any tip is included in the upcharge for any of their alternative restaurants.

 

If you don't wish to tip, don't .... that's okay but the staff who served your dinner will not be getting a cent additional tip over and above whatever small percent they get of the automatic hotel service charge all guests pay.

 

Not all cruiselines are exactly the same in how they operate.