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Specialty restaurant charge no longer includes gratuity

jr1946

By jr1946,
in Royal Caribbean International

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RadioPeri

RadioPeri

Posted
Posted
Thanks for the info. This represents an instant 18% jump in price.

 

^^^ THIS.

 

Also, if you've prepaid gratuities, wouldn't that theoretically include specialty restaurants?? We always tip extra, but it is at OUR discretion, not an automatic 18% charge.

 

Wow.

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Clarea

Clarea

Posted
Posted
^^^ THIS.

 

Also, if you've prepaid gratuities, wouldn't that theoretically include specialty restaurants?? We always tip extra, but it is at OUR discretion, not an automatic 18% charge.

 

Wow.

I don't believe prepaid or automatic gratuities cover the crewmembers in specialty restaurants.

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ARCruisinNana

ARCruisinNana

Posted
Posted

I am currently sailing on Vision. I purchased the $30 2 night package online for nights 1 and 2. No additional fee was charged. I left extra cash tip. I also used the D+/PC BOGO coupon. No additional fee was added. I left extra cash tip.

 

 

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Merion_Mom

Merion_Mom

Posted
Posted
^^^ THIS.

 

 

 

Also, if you've prepaid gratuities, wouldn't that theoretically include specialty restaurants?? We always tip extra, but it is at OUR discretion, not an automatic 18% charge.

 

 

 

Wow.

 

 

 

Daily gratuities have never included specialty restaurants.

 

 

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Bruin Steve

Bruin Steve

Posted
Posted

More confusion added to the deal. We may skip the specialty restaurants altogether...

 

On our most recent RCCL cruise--July on the Jewel of the Seas--we purchased a 3 night specialty restaurant package...for $75 per person. For that charge, we were able to eat one dinner at Chops, one at Giovanni's and one at Izumi. At Izumi, they gave us a $50 per person credit--which made buying the package a pretty good deal. We added a small extra tip to each restaurant bill.

 

While planning our upcoming Navigator cruise in December, we had decided to do the same...but, before purchasing, and since we had received contradictory information while on Jewel, I called RCCL to ask about the Izumi credit. I was told that we would be given only a $30 per person credit at Izumi. So, looking at the prices without the package, I figured the value of the dinners at those three restaurants would be a combined $86 per person (Chops: $35, Izumi: $30, Giovanni's: $21)...So, basically, in exchange for our pre-committing and pre-paying for three specialty restaurants, we would be saving a whopping $11 per person...

 

To make things worse, from my experience, I've often been offered deals on board or have been able to negotiate discounts, either due to my Diamond C&A status or just because the specialty restaurants aren't filling up well. Got to figure that I could do much better than that $11 onboard. Or convince my wife--who values Chops and Giovanni's equally--to just skip Chops and eat at Giovanni's twice...That saves $14 per person right there!

 

Now, if this report is true, I am even more unlikely to do any specialty restaurants--absent being offered an incredible deal onboard. I really don't mind tipping for value received...pretty much why I've added an extra tip to my specialty restaurant bills in the past...and why I generally throw around some extra tips to crew who have served me particularly well. I've always thought the required standard tips are actually low compared to what we pay for restaurant service at home. But...I've also always understood that the wait staff in the specialty restaurants are already compensated--either in a share of the standard tips (just as those serving in the buffet, for example, are compensated) or in the specialty restaurant service charges. In fact, my original understanding was that what you were paying the service charge for was the increased level of service. After all, you are already paying for seven dinners, etc. (based on a 7 night cruise) as part of the cruise fare...and you are already paying a tip in the standard gratuity--which is based, rightfully, on the number of nights, NOT on the number of times you eat in the MDR.

 

If I order a drink, or buy a drink package, I understand the addition of the tip. Bar servers have no other avenue of being compensated. But, when you eat in a specialty restaurant, you are actually paying double for your dinner--Now they expect you to tip double on top of that?

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dpcmh

dpcmh

Posted
Posted
WE have always added cash for the waiter. If there is a 18% surcharge for a “tip” that used to be included in the price..... well, NO more cash for the server. What is even sadder is that the added 18% will be distributed to include others instead of just benefiting the excellent server that enhanced our evening.

This was my exact thought while reading this thread, and this will work out to a few dollars less in tips at current prices. I may save a few, but I feel badly now.... I also wondered if it's a way to lower service levels.....yet socialize the tips for all.

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Lordnlkon

Lordnlkon

Posted
Posted
WE have always added cash for the waiter. If there is a 18% surcharge for a “tip” that used to be included in the price..... well, NO more cash for the server. What is even sadder is that the added 18% will be distributed to include others instead of just benefiting the excellent server that enhanced our evening.

 

 

Yeah we had done the same. Usually added 20% of top of the bill as long as we got excellent service. So not really a big change for us. However I can see where people would be upset over this.

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mcrcruiser

mcrcruiser

Posted
Posted
Prepurchased dining packages add 18% purchased online or on board too. Bottom line, specialty dining now has an 18% added gratuity.

 

If what you just reported is accurate ,then the special restaurant dining becomes a huge rip off . why do we say that is because paying tips on a daily basis & then adding another 18 % on top is plainly a rip off :mad:

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mcrcruiser

mcrcruiser

Posted
Posted

Per Crown & Anchor Society November 1,2017 phone conversation ,I found out that as of Oct 27 ,2017 they ARE ADDING 19 % gratuities onto the special restaurant dining ,whether bought as a individual dinner or as a multiple dining package .

 

JUST FWIW that is a HUGE RIPOFF because people are already paying tips of $27 per day which includes waiters tips . It is just another one of those money grabbing ways that the cruise lines is using to generate above & beyond reasonable service tips .

 

The #27 per day included 2 recent price increases in tips by itself . Now the above RIP_ OFF :mad::mad::mad:

 

If we even sail RCCL or its sister lines in the future ,we will NOT eat any meals in any special restaurant ;because of this NEW Policy:mad:

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Milwaukee Eight

Milwaukee Eight

Posted
Posted
If what you just reported is accurate ,then the special restaurant dining becomes a huge rip off . why do we say that is because paying tips on a daily basis & then adding another 18 % on top is plainly a rip off :mad:

 

 

 

Speciality dining has always had 18% gratuity. Difference being it was included in the price. Now it appears to be added to the price.

 

I wonder if this applies to Chef Table as well.

 

 

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Milwaukee Eight

Milwaukee Eight

Posted
Posted
Per Crown & Anchor Society November 1,2017 phone conversation ,I found out that as of Oct 27 ,2017 they ARE ADDING 19 % gratuities onto the special restaurant dining ,whether bought as a individual dinner or as a multiple dining package .

 

 

 

JUST FWIW that is a HUGE RIPOFF because people are already paying tips of $27 per day which includes waiters tips . It is just another one of those money grabbing ways that the cruise lines is using to generate above & beyond reasonable service tips .

 

 

 

The #27 per day included 2 recent price increases in tips by itself . Now the above RIP_ OFF :mad::mad::mad:

 

 

 

If we even sail RCCL or its sister lines in the future ,we will NOT eat any meals in any special restaurant ;because of this NEW Policy:mad:

 

 

 

Cruisers have always paid a 18% built in gratuity for Speciality Dining. Now it is the price plus 18% gratuity.

 

 

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Ourusualbeach

Ourusualbeach

Posted
Posted

Royal's screwed up It department just saved me some money:).

 

I just checked my March 2019 Symphony cruise and dining reservations were open and I was able to book the 4 night dining package and no 18% gratuity charge was added. I also checked just reserving a single restaurant and it did not add them there either.

 

Bottom line....check your cruises.

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Milwaukee Eight

Milwaukee Eight

Posted
Posted
Royal's screwed up It department just saved me some money:).

 

 

 

I just checked my March 2019 Symphony cruise and dining reservations were open and I was able to book the 4 night dining package and no 18% gratuity charge was added. I also checked just reserving a single restaurant and it did not add them there either.

 

 

 

Bottom line....check your cruises.

 

 

 

Don’t think it yet applies to the dining packages.

 

 

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