Dining Alone (by choice)

[Ocean Boy]

We developed a good relationship with our waiter and he told us that when people do not show up for several/all nights- they do not tip them or he makes much less. It is really sad that people stiff their staff because they want to do something else or do not like who they are seated with etc... It is not their fault.

I think it is really sad that some people are forward enough to ask the crew about some things that are really none of their business. And since the staff does not want to offend you they most likely are not going to tell you that it is none of your business either.

 

Just do what you think is right and feel good about it.

 

Oh, and maybe I should also tip the room service staff that I have never used once on any of my cruises.

[Magnifique1908]

I think it is really sad that some people are forward enough to ask the crew about some things that are really none of their business. And since the staff does not want to offend you they most likely are not going to tell you that it is none of your business either.

 

Just do what you think is right and feel good about it.

 

Oh, and maybe I should also tip the room service staff that I have never used once on any of my cruises.

 

Exactly...and while you're at it, tip every bartender on the ship even if you never buy a drink from their bar and tip every room steward even if they've never set foot in your stateroom...;)

 

J/K...I agree wholeheartedly

[fifty]

We cruised on the Jewel in December. We were a party of 4. Our waiter had two other tables. One of 12 and one of 2. NEITHER TABLE showed up except for lobster night. We developed a good relationship with our waiter and he told us that when people do not show up for several/all nights- they do not tip them or he makes much less. He said that he can not be in another job on the ship because he usually has @least one table and other tables are already assigned. He explained how significant his $$ loss is .. so lets see if the "well I am not there.. theory pays" thats 14 people that he should have served times 7 nights. How do u financially plan for that?

I understand the theory that you should only tip for the nights that you dine there - but when the wait staff gets paid pennies by the cruiseline .. they rely on passengers generosity. It is really sad that people stiff their staff because they want to do something else or do not like who they are seated with etc... It is not their fault. I can not imagine most cruise passengers working as hard as these people do - especially knowing that at the end of it all - they may get no tip or less than respectable tips.

I am not a fan of prepaid gratuities - but I can imagine that Princess put that in place for reason's just like this.

The cruiseline makes more $$ by specialty restaurants extra charges. The passenger gets better food. But the worker who work 7days in a row about 19 hours a day and waits on our every whim - well it just doesn't seem right to me. I guess it amounts to people who notice and people who do not.

 

Maybe for those who stiff the staff - they should walk in their shoes for one cruise. Then see if it matters to not get tipped when people just "fail" to show up and they have empty tables night after night....

 

 

How is it stiffing the staff when you have never used their services? Let's see, if I pay the 20 pp charge and tip the waiter (who actually served me) another 10 that would be 30 x 7 nights = 210.00 That is not bad for a wonderful meal and wonderful service.

 

Oops, I forgot - here is another 70 for the waiter and busboy and 10 for the headwaiter, all of whom I have never met.

 

If RCCL does not want people to try their other dining venues, why do they offer this option? Their "official" position is that you tip when service is good and wherever you eat. That is exactly what I plan to do. :o

 

Geez.

[Treven]

I (an early 60s male) travel alone and intend to eat in Chops & Portofinos at least once each. I certainly intend to eat alone there as well as in the main dining room; particularily for dinner.

[happy cruzer]

Ok i've been searching and reading for quite awhile, and what i learned is:

 

RCI policy -

tip per night who serves you.

you can prepay a standard amount, you can not decease any in one area.

cash tips stay with the person tipped.

 

So if i am an employee on a RCI ship, i have accepted this situation, if my tables are empty on this particular cruise i do not get my usual tips. That is understood upfront when i sign my contract to work on RCI. that's why it's good to tell the matrie d this on the first night so he can make sure that the wait staff gets the right no of live tables.

 

So if i were to eat in the specialty rest, dining room or room service, i would tip each server each night in cash. if i were to eat in the windjammer, i have no idea who to tip???

 

They do pool the tips on your bar charges, additional tip on a bar charge stays with the server.

[LittleBit]

We developed a good relationship with our waiter and he told us that when people do not show up for several/all nights- they do not tip them or he makes much less. He said that he can not be in another job on the ship because he usually has @ least one table and other tables are already assigned. He explained how significant his $$ loss is .. so lets see if the "well I am not there.. theory pays" thats 14 people that he should have served times 7 nights. How do u financially plan for that?....

 

It's not up to me to do his finacial planning for him (but I would say he should base his finances on his base salary and bank any tips he is given and extra savings). Of course he is going to have a good sob story to try to get you to tip more. I would be annoyed if someone I was in the position to give money to (in tips) let me know how badly everyone else pays him in order to persuade me to tip heavily in order to make up for others not tipping him.

 

 

I understand the theory that you should only tip for the nights that you dine there - but when the wait staff gets paid pennies by the cruiseline .. they rely on passengers generosity.

Where is everyone getting this idea that the staff is "paid pennies" or some sort of indentured servents? They make a decent wage. None of them is forced into this job.

 

I can not imagine most cruise passengers working as hard as these people do - especially knowing that at the end of it all - they may get no tip or less than respectable tips.

You do not know how hard I work, nor do you know what kind of work I do, or how little I get paid for it. And I don't receive tips at all.

 

I am not a fan of prepaid gratuities - but I can imagine that Princess put that in place for reason's just like this.

A gratuities is not a required fee. If the industry wishes to make it a requirment, call it a "service charge" and include it as part of my fee. But, service will suffer.

 

Maybe for those who stiff the staff - they should walk in their shoes for one cruise. Then see if it matters to not get tipped when people just "fail" to show up and they have empty tables night after night....

Again, the staff is being paid for what they do. It is their job, whether they have 1 person or 20 people.

 

 

If I'm dining alone should I tip twice as much because the waiter only has one person and not 2 or more??

 

 

Oh Topic? - if you are comfortable eating alone in general (whether it is by choice or not) then you should be perfectly comfortable eating alone in the specialty restaurant... Savior it.

 

(and of course it took one person less time for the meal - it always does...)

[terri23]

IMO if you tell the DR staff you won't eat there AT ALL you owe them no tips. If you eat there once, and the table is held for you the rest of the week, you should pay the entire recommended tip. The service? holding your table. They can't seat anyone else there so you should compensate them for that. To make them hold your table and not tip is stiffing.

 

Edited to say that I assume you are tipping in other venues if you choose never to use the DR for dinner.

[RoofingPrincess]

JMHO, but if one eats breakfast & lunch somewhere outside of one's room (ie, not room service), it seems to me that it would be a lot simpler to just go with traditional tipping & not worry about having the cash needed to tip on a pay-as-you go basis. I know I saw my ass't waiter in the WJ at least twice, same for my waiter in the DR at lunch...

[happy cruzer]

IMO if you tell the DR staff you won't eat there AT ALL you owe them no tips. If you eat there once, and the table is held for you the rest of the week, you should pay the entire recommended tip. The service? holding your table. They can't seat anyone else there so you should compensate them for that. To make them hold your table and not tip is stiffing.

 

Edited to say that I assume you are tipping in other venues if you choose never to use the DR for dinner.

 

I look at it differently

 

RCI has set up their business model to be that you tip per night based on where you dine. They must expect it to all average out. Some nights it will be the specialty restaurents that go empty and that staff gets lighter tips. Some times room service will not be used and they don't get tipped. If RCI doesn't get the business model right, they won't get employess to sign with them. I think this is why HAL pools all tips even cash, they like to really even it out and some employees obviously like that. Others probably want RCI with chance of having a really good tip week or sometimes a bad one.

[Alexis]

If, you go to the dining room the very afternoon you step on the ship and you inform the head waiter or the maitre'D that you will never be eating in the dining room, by that I mean no breakfasts, no lunches and no dinners at all in the dining room for the entire week, fine. Then I would say do not tip them. (They are in the dining room to change seating for people that day and that is when you should tell them.) Having cruised before, I am sure that you already know this.

Now, if you do choose to eat in the dining room for any meals during the week, you should tip the dining room staff at the end of the week. They are also the people who serve you in the Windjammer, the gala buffet, the pool deck buffet, the chocolate buffet and so on. On the larger ships they also alternate and do the café on the Promenade for a week at a time. That means no tips for them for a week when they have to pull that duty..

This is my opinion, but when someone posts and asks about tipping and then disagrees with all the answers they do not like, I don't believe they would have tipped anyway.

Don't ask us. Just do what you wish on the ship. Who's to know. Anyone who has cruised before, knows the answer before they post.

I always wear my flame suit, so I am prepared. :rolleyes:

[Aldeya]

It's not up to me to do his finacial planning for him (but I would say he should base his finances on his base salary and bank any tips he is given and extra savings). Of course he is going to have a good sob story to try to get you to tip more. I would be annoyed if someone I was in the position to give money to (in tips) let me know how badly everyone else pays him in order to persuade me to tip heavily in order to make up for others not tipping him.

 

 

 

Where is everyone getting this idea that the staff is "paid pennies" or some sort of indentured servents? They make a decent wage. None of them is forced into this job.

 

 

You do not know how hard I work, nor do you know what kind of work I do, or how little I get paid for it. And I don't receive tips at all.

 

 

A gratuities is not a required fee. If the industry wishes to make it a requirment, call it a "service charge" and include it as part of my fee. But, service will suffer.

 

Again, the staff is being paid for what they do. It is their job, whether they have 1 person or 20 people.

 

 

/quote]

 

I agree with everything you said here. Yes, the staff works extremely hard, no doubt about it.

 

Are you sure the majority of people who cruise are not working hard for living and do not scramble to save for the once a year cruise? I know my family does.

 

Free room,free clothes, free food, salary.... I don't think anyone is FORCED to take this job. No matter what it's much more than they can make in theiir countries. Sence many people DO want this job.

 

The majority of us work hard to make a living and have to pay housing, buy food and clothes, pay for children's education, etc. etc. etc.

 

By the way I tip very well. I just can't stand this "You MUST feel sorry for the crew because they work so hard".

 

So do I.

[banderboo]

I should still tip the main DR staff if I don't eat there at all?

 

Thanks for any claification as I have previously read that if you don't eat in main DR, you do not need to tip on the last day of cruise.

 

Of course, I plan to tip servers at speciality restaurants and Windjammer in addition to the 20 pp charge, but the main DR staff? I'm confused.

 

:confused:

 

Fifty - you will find that tipping in the dining room when you don't use it at all is a very controversial subject. Some will say tip and others will say you don't need to tip. My personal feeling is that as long as you let them know that you will not be utilizing the dining room at all, then you are under no obligation to tip the dining room waiters. Do however tip each evening where you eat. (you may not have the same waiter each night so it's hard to tip at the end). Just my thoughts

[fifty]

:eek: [Now, if you do choose to eat in the dining room for any meals during the week, you should tip the dining room staff at the end of the week. They are also the people who serve you in the Windjammer, the gala buffet, the pool deck buffet, the chocolate buffet and so on. On the larger ships they also alternate and do the café on the Promenade for a week at a time. That means no tips for them for a week when they have to pull that duty..

This is my opinion, but when someone posts and asks about tipping and then disagrees with all the answers they do not like, I don't believe they would have tipped anyway.

Don't ask us. Just do what you wish on the ship. Who's to know. Anyone who has cruised before, knows the answer before they post.

I always wear my flame suit, so I am prepared. :rolleyes:

 

You presume that I would have not tipped anyway? I worked my way through undergrad school as a waitress, hence my concern for not short changing anyone and the original question, the latter part of the question having to do with double tipping the wait staff.

 

Because I was concerned as to how I should handle this, I not only posted on CC but called RCCL for the "official" protocol. The guest service perons' answer seemed adequate to me and that is what I plan to do. There have been many helpful replies to the original post and to those, I give my thanks and to those who would question the intentions of those who post here in good faith, I feel rather sorry for you.

 

Here is a scenario for you. You show up to the main DR and they have "given" away your table. AFter standing around for 15 minutes, they put up a sort of fold up card table near the front entrance to accoodate you and your family.

 

Should you tip for this? I think not. I certainly did not and I was sure to explain why. This was my first experience in dining elsewhere on board and soon discovered that any other dining venue was an improvement over a noisy crowded room, at a table with people you may or may not have anything in common with, with little better than cafeteria quality food, slow service, and pirate people putting their rubber blades at your throat and being expected to smile for a photo that the ship sells at 10 X the cost.

 

So there. P.S. Since my college work experience, I do, in fact, tend to over tip - when I receive service that warrants it. :eek:[/color]

[harrodsfan]

I called RCCL and asked what the proper procedure would be

She also said that if you did eat one or two nights in the main DR, you could tip accordingly in the envelope that is provided at the end of the cruise. If you eat there only once, then tip for one night service.

 

I am glad I have this straight (for me anyway) and I think this advice is reasonable. ;)

I agree that this is reasonable...I always tip for good service...where I eat...Even the Windjammer...on those few nights I eat there.

Have eaten alone in specialty restaurants when traveling with my sons and felt very comfortable...

By the way... agree with you about the "pirate" pictures...

Generally avoid the Hoopla of the dining room...takes way to long for the quality of the experience...most of the time...(Except once on a Panama Canal cruise on the Legend of the Seas....had the best waiter and assistant...ate every single meal in the dining room. best service on any of the ships we have sailed before or since..)

[wrp96]

After my 2nd cruise, I learned to politely, but firmly to say no thank you when they came around trying to take pictures. In fact, on my last 4 cruises I avoided having a single picture taken by the ship's photographers.

[zotzer]

Frankly, people are going to tip how they deem it appropriate, and it will be the rare person for whom discussions like this will change his/her mind. I find it very convenient to just add the tip when I book the trip. That way it is paid for, and I can do whatever I want once onboard, to supplement for exceptional service.

 

For me, personally, the $70 is easily absorbed in the cruisefare. It's a small price to pay for not having to do lots of math on the ship trying to figure out to whom I owe what and where. :p

 

Add me to the list of those who wish they'd cease and desist on the pirate pics. On Freedom, it was a girl who came to our table...with her painted-on mustache. Quite ridiculous, and she would NOT take "no, thank you" for an answer.

 

On Carnival, way back when, they did something different and just put a pirate hat on US for pirate night. That picture was actually kind of fun!

 

T

[fifty]

If, you go to the dining room the very afternoon you step on the ship and you inform the head waiter or the maitre'D that you will never be eating in the dining room, by that I mean no breakfasts, no lunches and no dinners at all in the dining room for the entire week, fine. Then I would say do not tip them. (They are in the dining room to change seating for people that day and that is when you should tell them.) Having cruised before, I am sure that you already know this.

Now, if you do choose to eat in the dining room for any meals during the week, you should tip the dining room staff at the end of the week. They are also the people who serve you in the Windjammer, the gala buffet, the pool deck buffet, the chocolate buffet and so on. On the larger ships they also alternate and do the café on the Promenade for a week at a time. That means no tips for them for a week when they have to pull that duty..

This is my opinion, but when someone posts and asks about tipping and then disagrees with all the answers they do not like, I don't believe they would have tipped anyway.

Don't ask us. Just do what you wish on the ship. Who's to know. Anyone who has cruised before, knows the answer before they post.

I always wear my flame suit, so I am prepared. :rolleyes:

 

 

When I have cruised before (several times) the specialty restaurants were not an option, thus my original question.

 

As for assuming that I would not tip in the first place, I waitressed my way through college and am thus keenly aware of tipping protocol in most instances. Rather than "stiff" someone, I inquired as to the proper protocol on board. Thus, I "asked" the board and received very thoughtful advise.

 

There.

[reallyitsmema]

To the OP, is there any way to mark your reservation with no dining room choice? If you were to call RCL and ask to have your reservation noted as never going to eat in the dining room, then that would solve the problem. Not sure if this would work but is just a thought.:)

[booze brothers]

I disagree with you completely. I don't "owe" anyone anything. If I get good service I leave a gratuity. If I'm not there and I've told themI won't be there I don't owe them anything. I'm not "stiffing" anyone and either is anyone else who chooses not to use the service. Now, for those that use the service and do not leave a gratuity then they are "stiffing" the staff.

 

I guess I really don't understand why some people think that gratuities are owed "no matter what". I have worked in the service industry and I certainly would not have expected to receive a gratuity for no services.

 

Well said, my feelings exactly.

[MM27]

To the OP, is there any way to mark your reservation with no dining room choice? If you were to call RCL and ask to have your reservation noted as never going to eat in the dining room, then that would solve the problem. Not sure if this would work but is just a thought.:)

 

On two seperate cruises I asked my travel agent if she could note that we would not be using the dining room at all. When she called the RC rep they said we must pick early or late dining and we could inform them upon boarding the ship. I never eat in the dining room and therefore do not tip there. Just because I'm on vacation does not mean I have extra money to just throw at everyone who works on the ship. Should I swing by the spa and tip them too, even if I don't use their services? I do, however, tip the servers in the Windjammer. Even in an empty Windjammer, I find that I always sit at the same table, which means the same server is usually there.

[cruisindoggie]

We prefer to eat just the 2 of us and on the Mariner we plan to eat 3 nights Chops 3 nights Portifino and1 night balcony or Windjammer. We will alert the dining room staff to avoid 2 empty spots at the dining room table.

[Alexis]

When I have cruised before (several times) the specialty restaurants were not an option, thus my original question.

 

As for assuming that I would not tip in the first place, I waitressed my way through college and am thus keenly aware of tipping protocol in most instances. Rather than "stiff" someone, I inquired as to the proper protocol on board. Thus, I "asked" the board and received very thoughtful advise.

 

There.

 

Hi fifty, Where have you been for a year?? This thread of yours was from July of 2006?

I am really rolling on the floor laughing. :D IT TOOK YOU FROM 2006 TO REPLY AGAIN?

You have dragged your own thread up from a year ago to reply to my post again. Anyone can go and read my post on Page 2. You already gave a reply to it on July 14th, 2006, 10:27 PM. Perhaps you forgot?

 

This is tooooo funny. :D

[Ginnylou]

Tend to cruise alone and I enjoy going to the specialty restaurants and do not feel odd. I would probably not pay the dining room staff either if not using it for the entire cruise or maybe a reduced amount.

[laprofesora]

I agree that the quality of the food in the main DR has diminished over the years with RCCI and while I understand that I may meet more people in the main DR, I do like my privacy and intend to dine alone at the speciality restaurants at on at least four nights of a nine night cruise. OMG, the food sounds soooo wonderful.

 

I guess my question is, do many people dine alone at these places? It seems by the posts that they offer a somewhat romantic atmosphere and I wondered if I will stick out like a sore thumb? :(

 

How I miss that chocolate cake that everyone speaks of. (Yes, they used to serve it in the main DR but no longer offer it). If one does not intend to dine in the main DR at all, who and when do you inform of this? Do you then ignore the suggested tip as i plan to tip my servers where I will actually eat?

 

Thanks.

Fifty

I have never seen anyone dining alone at a specialty restaurant on a ship. However I saw a very sophisticated will dressed woman dining alone in La Cirque in the Bellagio in Las Vegas. She was reading a newspaper. Did she feel awkward? Who knows. I did see many people dining alone on a recent and first cruise on NCL. I will tell you they were all dining alone in the buffet area at night. NCL does nothing to help single people or couples on their own to meet with other travelers. I do not believe I saw anyone dining alone in the specialty restaurants. They make it pretty tough for even couples to get bookings in those specialty restaurants. They seem to favor large groups. Their food is of a very inferior quality in the main dining room.

[leahsdad]

The dining room is staffed each and every nite to be able to serve every passenger----if passengers choose not to eat there (as I do often)--the server has no way to replace the customer (unlike in regular land based restaurant where guests are distributed amongst the servers)--thusly I tip the waiter and asst. the full ammount regardless of where I choose to dine--as I know they are there waiting to serve me if I so choose

 

I wish RCCL would raise the cruise prices and compensate the servers better

allowing for optional adidtional tips at cruise end---

 

some folks on these boards would hire a bodyguard and not feel the need to pay them unless they were attacked-----how about cable TV only for the nites you watch---health insurance only if sick etc etc etc

 

we all know that " tips" are really compensation to these servers--the cruise lines need to address this---charge it and call it a service fee--calling them tips only gives cheapskates an rationalization for their actions

 

thanks for the rant----just my humble opinion---I'll go to bed now as I'm getting grumpy---

 

Paul