Tipping in the restaurants

[ramdoggiesmom]

I guess I’m getting old and forgetful 😳Although we’ve cruised 20 + times, neither my husband or I can remember if tips are included when eating in places such as Cagneys on the dinner package. We’ve always left tips in the past in cash for our waiters so I’m assuming they’re not included. Am I correct?

[NikiPinkston]

I know tipping is always a hot topic, but we tip & add it to bill.  Even when you have the dining package, you'll be presented with a "bill" to sign.  We just add the tip then & it's charged to our ship card, but I'm sure cash is always appreciated, too!  The cruise line does already charge gratuities on specialty dining, so it's up to the individual whether you want to add a bit more to recognize exceptional service.

Edited October 22, 2021 by NikiPinkston

[phillygwm]

13 minutes ago, ramdoggiesmom said:

I guess I’m getting old and forgetful 😳Although we’ve cruised 20 + times, neither my husband or I can remember if tips are included when eating in places such as Cagneys on the dinner package. We’ve always left tips in the past in cash for our waiters so I’m assuming they’re not included. Am I correct?

Short answer is yes, tips are included.  You're surcharged as part of the Free at Sea or if you buy the meal packages.  I believe if you dined ala carte they add it on to your check as well, though I've never done that.

 

Even so, I usually throw a few extra bucks on for good service, especially if I've kept the waitstaff running.  It's not unappreciated.

[BirdTravels]

1 hour ago, ramdoggiesmom said:

I guess I’m getting old and forgetful 😳Although we’ve cruised 20 + times, neither my husband or I can remember if tips are included when eating in places such as Cagneys on the dinner package. We’ve always left tips in the past in cash for our waiters so I’m assuming they’re not included. Am I correct?

Yes grats are included for dinners with the dinner package.

 

They will give you a receipt where you can add additional tips to your bill. Or giving your waiters cash would always be appreciated. 

[ramdoggiesmom]

Thanks for all the replies, I do appreciate them!

[cruzsnooze]

I personally prefer to only tip once so no extra at the restaurant.

[OCruisers]

You are not expected to  .... but can if you want to. 

[complawyer]

you should,if just to acknowledge good service. these people dont make a a great deal of money, and if  you were in a restaurant on land, tipping wouldnt even be an issue.

 

please people, dont point out daily gratuities are already factored in. i know that, i just think tipping the people that serve you, from the bartender to the mdr waiter should all be tipped extra.

[gtaylor]

But there is already an additional gratuity added when you purchase or are awarded the Cagney's dinner.

 

NOT daily gratuities.

 

gary

 

 

[ClevelandCruisin]

Yes you can tip extra to whomever.

 

This is a loaded question on here... but we tipped cash to those who gave excellent service! Mostly the bar staff, restaurant staff, room steward. Everyone was great!

[phillygwm]

1 hour ago, gtaylor said:

But there is already an additional gratuity added when you purchase or are awarded the Cagney's dinner.

 

NOT daily gratuities.

 

That is true.  For the 2 meal FAS promo, the included gratuity is $15.80.  That's $7.90 per meal per person.  If you went to Ruth's Chris, or even Outback, you'd probably tip more than that.  

 

These people don't make great money and they send home much of what they do make.  I make a decent living so if I throw a few extra bucks on my check as an additional tip, or better still, if I put the cash on the table, it's a lot more impactful to them than it is to me.  Just a little extra when service is good, nothing that's going to bust my budget. 

 

 For me, it's a Karma thing 🙂  If service sucked or if my personal circumstances made that a hardship, there is no obligation to do anything.

Edited October 23, 2021 by phillygwm

[gtaylor]

We don't go to Ruth's Chris or even Outback, but if we're out and the meal costs $100, and we tip 15%, which is near norm here, that would be $15.

 

Short of the $15.80 you quote.

 

gary

 

 

[Coastalbreezes]

I always give an extra tip in cash. If you add it to the paper or electronic bill presented, it goes into a pool not directly to your server.

[LaCal]

We always tip a additional $20-$25 at the specialty restaurants 

[Oakman58]

Since the tip is included when I take the Free at Sea option I don't tip at the restaurant unless I receive truly exceptional service.

[Yinster]

Tipping in the restaurant is a personal choice. As gratitude is added already in the bill then it's entirety up to you whether you wish to tip extra. 

[OCruisers]

We always leave our extra tip in CA$H.

[HowardK]

I had a 4 meal SDP one time and then went for a 5th meal and explained I would pay the $30 or whatever for the meal itself.  The waiter and sever did not charge me the $30 - since I got the meal for free I went over after and tipped each of them $20. 

 

[MoCruiseFan]

22 hours ago, ramdoggiesmom said:

I guess I’m getting old and forgetful 😳Although we’ve cruised 20 + times, neither my husband or I can remember if tips are included when eating in places such as Cagneys on the dinner package. We’ve always left tips in the past in cash for our waiters so I’m assuming they’re not included. Am I correct?

Tip whoever you want whatever amount you want any time you want.  There is no right or wrong amount tp tip.  No tips are included when paying for your cruise other than in the case of FAS items that have a 20% tip included.

[MoCruiseFan]

15 hours ago, gtaylor said:

But there is already an additional gratuity added when you purchase or are awarded the Cagney's dinner.

 

NOT daily gratuities.

 

gary

 

 

 

There is no such thing as a "daily gratuity".

[complawyer]

the daily gratuities are the fees tacked onto your final bill. because ncl is to cheap to pay a decent wage, they charge people in cabins up to a suite about $15 per day per person in the cabin that goes into a general pool for most of their staff. suites and haven suites i believe are $18 per person per day. so do the simple math. with 2 people on a 10 day cruise, that's an additional $300 reflected on your bill. of course you have the right to demand this charge be taken off, but then youre only cheating the people that have assisted you on this cruise

 

by the way, if youre in a haven or a suite (not club suites) the butler and concierge do not get a piece of this pie, so they should be tipped separately. 

 

your cabin steward probably busts his butt so i tip him $20 at the beginning, middle and end of the cruise. 

 

since ncl has this program.,it's been noted before in  these posts that people dont tip.

 

its your choice, but i think it's appropriate to leave extra dollars for the people that help you, in addition to the butler and concierge, the bartenders, waiters/waitresses in the mdr or the specialty  restaurants,

 

and although i dont go to the buffet very often, when i do, if the guy is making me a special omlet, i usually leave a couple of dollars.

 

call them what ever you wish, but the extra charges are in fact "daily gratuities", you just pay up at the end

[sverigecruiser]

18 hours ago, complawyer said:

 if  you were in a restaurant on land, tipping wouldnt even be an issue.

 

 

In the US, yes, but most ships are not in the US. 

[Yinster]

1 hour ago, sverigecruiser said:

 

In the US, yes, but most ships are not in the US. 

Totally true. Also I believe a big factor is where people are from. Here in the UK it is a discretionary 10% but for every individual that tips here, another doesn't. 

 

Go to Japan and tipping is frown upon. 

 

So do whatever is right for you. I read on here and in other tipping posts, big amounts given but also nothing too. 

[phissy]

3 hours ago, MoCruiseFan said:

 

There is no such thing as a "daily gratuity".

Ok, it is Daily Service Charge or DSC.  Added daily to room account per person.

Gratuities are added to Free At Sea Open Bar and Speciality Restaurants options , if chosen , at booking. 
As NCL has posted, No additional gratuities are necessary but appreciated for those that go above and beyond.

Edited October 23, 2021 by phissy

[FreestyleNovice]

Some wise Dutch words:

 

 

 

Edited October 24, 2021 by FreestyleNovice
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