Tipping at Specialty Restaurants?

[SkaterJasp]

On 6/7/2022 at 12:38 PM, pcur said:

My buddy, Reni, in Izumi's on the Navi got $10 in cash from me every time. 

Reni is amazing. 

[LGW59]

On 6/7/2022 at 2:39 PM, HelenaCruiser2012 said:

Hi everyone, quick question - we're not frequent cruisers and I don't remember if we are supposed to tip at the specialty restaurants or not.  We already made two dinner reservations at Chops and Giovanni's on our upcoming cruise and the invoice says that the gratuity is included but, for good service, should we/can we offer something additional?  if so how much?  Thanks for your help!

If you pre-pay the gratuities, then one is not "supposed" to tip further, of course we can and do, but just do what one feels is right, should not matter what anyone else decides to do.

[erinsmom03]

Prepaying gratuities for UDP or beverage packages does not equate to actually tipping your servers. If you got a good deal for your package, you paid a lot less in tips than what you would normally tip. For example, if you purchased the UDP for $150, you paid $27 for tips. That $27 didn't go directly to the servers in the restaurants where you chose to dine. It is pooled among many. For me, if my husband and I eat at 6 restaurants with that UDP, then that would average out to $4.50 per server. I choose to tip more, especially when the service is great.

[pcur]

28 minutes ago, SkaterJasp said:

Reni is amazing. 

Yes, he is very special.

[JoeFan]

On 6/8/2022 at 8:20 AM, 4everAfamily said:

The speciality restaurant waiter does not get the 18% gratuity. If you leave an additional cash tip, he/she gets to keep it. I want the actual waiter to get a gratuity to show my appreciation for service, so I leave cash. 

So does this go to the server or is it extra revenue for RC?

 

We always get the UDP and the last time the gratuity was not added to the cost of the plan so we tipped very well. My upcoming cruise in July did add 18% so I feel this is a sufficient base if the server does actually get this pooled, if not I would like to know if I need to still tip the same.

 

Where I am at odds is though with the automatic gratuity as we never go to the buffet or MDR.

Does speciality get a share of the automatic? 

[SkaterJasp]

9 minutes ago, erinsmom03 said:

Prepaying gratuities for UDP or beverage packages does not equate to actually tipping your servers. If you got a good deal for your package, you paid a lot less in tips than what you would normally tip. For example, if you purchased the UDP for $150, you paid $27 for tips. That $27 didn't go directly to the servers in the restaurants where you chose to dine. It is pooled among many. For me, if my husband and I eat at 6 restaurants with that UDP, then that would average out to $4.50 per server. I choose to tip more, especially when the service is great.

This right here is why I tip extra. If you don’t have cash, you can always ask for a “Zero Check” with the servers name on it for the additional gratuities if they didn’t provide one already. I really think it’s deceiving that they call it a gratuities when it’s more like a service charge.  

[SkaterJasp]

2 minutes ago, JoeFan said:

So does this go to the server or is it extra revenue for RC?

 

We always get the UDP and the last time the gratuity was not added to the cost of the plan so we tipped very well. My upcoming cruise in July did add 18% so I feel this is a sufficient base if the server does actually get this pooled, if not I would like to know if I need to still tip the same.

 

Where I am at odds is though with the automatic gratuity as we never go to the buffet or MDR.

Does speciality get a share of the automatic? 

From my understanding, the gratuities added to the cover charges, dining packages, and also the prepaid gratuities are all pooled. What isn’t pooled are the additional gratuities that you may put down on the receipts. That goes to who ever name is on the receipt. 

[pcur]

6 minutes ago, SkaterJasp said:

From my understanding, the gratuities added to the cover charges, dining packages, and also the prepaid gratuities are all pooled. What isn’t pooled are the additional gratuities that you may put down on the receipts. That goes to who ever name is on the receipt. 

I was told by a specialty restaurant waiter (when I asked) that tips added to the room charge are pooled within the restaurant, while cash tips are for whomever you hand the cash to.

[Joseph2017China]

Don't forget, what is customary on a ship that is staffed and flagged internationally, is different than the USA, and different from Europe, Asia, and Africa, which each has a different culture. The customary amounts are not 18% that is per day, and the upcharge tip on drinks and food, are also, more in line with a customary international tipping culture.  

[Cruising89143]

Currently onboard the NV. The 18% gratuity goes to the tip pool for all departments and not just specialty restaurants. We like to give our servers and the host something extra but in the end it’s a personal choice. 

[not-enough-cruising]

1 hour ago, JoeFan said:

So does this go to the server or is it extra revenue for RC?

 

We always get the UDP and the last time the gratuity was not added to the cost of the plan so we tipped very well. My upcoming cruise in July did add 18% so I feel this is a sufficient base if the server does actually get this pooled, if not I would like to know if I need to still tip the same.

 

Where I am at odds is though with the automatic gratuity as we never go to the buffet or MDR.

Does speciality get a share of the automatic? 

Just cancel the automatic gratuity. Tip your server at the specialty restaurant, and your room steward as you see fit.

[sellwingri]

3 hours ago, not-enough-cruising said:

Just cancel the automatic gratuity. Tip your server at the specialty restaurant, and your room steward as you see fit.

Absolutely don’t do this!  If you cancel, it screws others that rely on them to add to their meager salary.

[taglovestocruise]

16 minutes ago, sellwingri said:

Absolutely don’t do this!  If you cancel, it screws others that rely on them to add to their meager salary.

👍

[not-enough-cruising]

2 hours ago, sellwingri said:

Absolutely don’t do this!  If you cancel, it screws others that rely on them to add to their meager salary.

 

2 hours ago, taglovestocruise said:

👍

No one is getting a “meager salary”,  stop with that dialogue. Contractually everyone “behind the scenes” is making at least $1200 per month; which equates to 3X to 4X the average monthly salary in their home countries. 

[tomahawk246]

Correct me if I am wrong. If you pre-paid for all your gratuities during your booking and you paid gratuities on your specialty restaurant package you are all ready giving a bigger tip then you need to. If this is the case I definitely do not think you should have to tip again. I believe that all tips are split among all waiters on the ship. Again correct me if I am wrong?

[rudeney]

Here's my thought process on this.  I paid $245/pp for the UDP on our October Voyager cruise.  It uses the older version of Cruise Planner, so gratuities are included in that price per the fine print, "Packages include service charge and food portion only for dinner and, when available, lunch service."  If I eat 9 meals in specialty restaurants, the cost is $27.22 each.  Figuring it includes an 18% tip, that's $23.07 for the food, and $4.15 for the tip.  Some might argue that the specialty meals are "worth" more than $23, and the tip should be based on the non-discounted price, averaging about $50 per meal.  In that case, I should toss an extra $5/pp in as a tip.  I think that sounds reasonable if the service warrants it and is what I usually do. 

[tomahawk246]

Another thing that goes forgotten in the price of specialty restaurants. Not to be forgotten is that you are paying for your food in the price of the cruise, so whenever you go to a specialty restaurant you’re actually being charged twice for food, and twice for tips.

[rudeney]

8 minutes ago, tomahawk246 said:

Another thing that goes forgotten in the price of specialty restaurants. Not to be forgotten is that you are paying for your food in the price of the cruise, so whenever you go to a specialty restaurant you’re actually being charged twice for food, and twice for tips.

 

15 years ago, the price for Chops was $20/pp.  A steak dinner at Outback was about the same...but Chops included appetizers and desert, which would have run up the price a bit at Outback.  So, I;d say at that time, it was a good value, even including the "opportunity cost" of missing the MDR meal and the tips still being paid to MDR staff.

 

Today, Chops is ~$60/pp (plus the food value and tips already paid to the MDR).  Outback is more like $35.  Even with choosing Outback's "upcharge" sides, appetizer and desert, you'd be hard pressed to come close to what Chops costs.