Wonder why Celebrity lists speciality restaurant pricing with tip included?

[fstuff1]

NCL lists the price and says $20% tip will be added. (ie: $34.99 + 20%)

the price you see on Celebrity includes the tip. (ie: $45 total for Lawn Grill)

to me, it makes the Celebrity price seem much higher than it is.

 

Does Royal also list the price with the tip included?

[jimzgoldfinch]

The service charge for speciality restaurants on Celebrity has been included in the past. I think that this is still the case. Additional gratuity as usual is optional.

[upwarduk]

You used to have to pre pay gratuities if you ate in the Select dining room as well, but that was removed a number of years ago, due I think to customer surveys. So, if you object, make sure you make your views known on either the mid cruise survey or the end of cruise one.

[cruisestitch]

Fstuff1, Since your question is really about how it is done on Royal, try asking over on their board.Since your question is really about how it is done on Royal, try asking over on their board.

[DirtyDawg]

X(1.20) = $45

X = $45/1.20

X = $37.50

 

Have you ever seen;

NCL(1.20) = $41.99

NCL= $41.99/1.20

NCL = 34.99

 

It basically come down to X living up yo its name. ☺️

[WestLakeGirl]

Perhaps the question is why NCL doesn’t do it the way Celebrity does?

[fstuff1]

10 hours ago, WestLakeGirl said:

Perhaps the question is why NCL doesn’t do it the way Celebrity does?

the way ncl does it is normal and what people are used to in the US.

 

ie: in a regular restaurant, the pricing doesnt include the tip.

it's the price listed on the menu and you add the tip at the end of the bill.

 

[edgee]

Related to this, when I was about to leave an extra tip at a specialty restaurant on Edge last month, the waiter suggested that I not do it. He explained that he does not benefit from tips added to the check, the money goes into a large ship wide pool of tip funds. Interesting.

Edited December 27, 2019 by edgee
Clarity

[ONT-CA]

18 hours ago, edgee said:

Related to this, when I was about to leave an extra tip at a specialty restaurant on Edge last month, the waiter suggested that I not do it. He explained that he does not benefit from tips added to the check, the money goes into a large ship wide pool of tip funds. Interesting.

 

This comment related to the fact that you added the gratuity to your bill.  We always tip in cash and in that he/she benefits with appreciation.

[Bretty]

20 hours ago, fstuff1 said:

the way ncl does it is normal and what people are used to in the US.

 

ie: in a regular restaurant, the pricing doesnt include the tip.

it's the price listed on the menu and you add the tip at the end of the bill.

 

Of course for those of you in the US or Canada, in a land restaurant you have your menu price plus sales tax plus tip (and I was taught by an American friend to only tip on the pre-tax bill), whereas here in the UK our restaurant bills have no added tax, the price we see is the price we pay, plus any optional tip which in some establishments is already calculated and added on as a service charge, usually 12.5% - 15% (I don’t want to turn this into another of *those* tipping threads 😉). 
 

Where possible I like to pay a cash tip to my server, even if I’m settling my bill with a credit card, so I know it’s going to them and if they have a policy to tip out then they’re still getting a good portion. 

Edited December 27, 2019 by Bretty

[Beanb41]

A folded note in the palm of ones hand passed with the shaking of hands keeps any additional gratuity private in my experience. This is especially relevant if giving an additional gratuity to MDR staff

[39august]

Yes, we have been told the same regarding tips in restaurants. Thus, the cash tip we now give.

[ONT-CA]

21 hours ago, Beanb41 said:

A folded note in the palm of ones hand passed with the shaking of hands keeps any additional gratuity private in my experience. This is especially relevant if giving an additional gratuity to MDR staff

 

Well said !

[ECCruise]

On 12/26/2019 at 10:15 AM, WestLakeGirl said:

Perhaps the question is why NCL doesn’t do it the way Celebrity does?

Probably since nothing else on Celebrity is that way.

Drinks + gratuity.

Spa + gratuity

Fitness classes + gratuity

 

 

[MarkWiltonM]

Is it common to tip servers in specialty restaurants? I thought the daily gratuities that are added to our bill were distributed to all of the employees, including restaurant servers.  For most cruises I  give an additional cash tip to exceptional stateroom stewards but haven't tipped elsewhere. (We don't visit the main dining room often enough to have regular wait staff to tip at the end of the cruise.) 

[mdpa]

5 minutes ago, MarkWiltonM said:

Is it common to tip servers in specialty restaurants? I thought the daily gratuities that are added to our bill were distributed to all of the employees, including restaurant servers.  For most cruises I  give an additional cash tip to exceptional stateroom stewards but haven't tipped elsewhere. (We don't visit the main dining room often enough to have regular wait staff to tip at the end of the cruise.) 

 

Shouldn't be...since a 20% gratuity is already included. Most people who tip extra on cruise ships are intentionally bribing crew to extract preferential treatment at the expense of other passengers or the cruise line (generous pours, or other free stuff stolen from the Celebrity). 

 

That said, I am not a difficult customer and rarely make unnecessary requests. So YMMV.

[ONT-CA]

On 12/30/2019 at 3:29 PM, mdpa said:

 

"Shouldn't be...since a 20% gratuity is already included...."

 

I doubt anyone could tell us just where the added tips for anything go.  One posting tells us that their waiter asked that additional tips not be added to the account bill as he/she is not the recipient.  It s said that personal additional tips must go into the general fund (whatever that is) and yet any of us who tip additional can see how guarded a personal tip is handled by the recipient.  In that we make sure it is most discrete.  Who among us have walked into a restaurant walked over to the waiter and presented him/her with a cash tip before even being seated. Prepaying tips is an oxymoron.  And as to the "bribe" connotation, the level of gratuity is dependent on service received not that expected.