Dining Alone (by choice)

[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

[ronandannette]

I called RCCL and asked what the proper procedure would be for someone not dining in the main DR but rather in one of the other restaurants.

 

The very nice customer service rep had to put me on hold to find out the proper protocol. She said that if you did not eat in the main DR, you should advise them that you would not be doing so. Your seapass will have a record of your dining at the specialty restaurants, room service etc. (I think that the $ 20 is pooled at the end of the trip, but neither she nor I were sure)

 

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. ;)

 

Not that I'd necessarily take the word of a "very nice but not sure" CSR as the gospel on policy, but certainly what she advised you was sensible enough. Especially about tipping waitstaff in the main dining rooms. That's just what we did last summer and it was graciously received by our waitstaff. (We actually made a special trip to be sure they received the envelope since we had Chops that last night).

 

As for tipping the staff in the Windjammer and/or Promenade Cafe - you've got to be kidding:eek: . Exactly how much should one tip for a squirt of hand sanitizer anyway? That was the extent of any interaction I had with Windjammer staff. I've never seen so many crew members purposely try to avoid being helpful in my life. Instead of lending a hand when I spilled a cup of coffee in the Promenade, a staff member walked by me and said sharply "Be more careful!". You can try to help me calculate a tip amount for him too!:D

 

Happy Sails,

 

Annette

[cruisinmom1]

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'll probably dine alone too.. My family will be all over the ship and not really into the speciality restaurants. I love a good meal even though some people feel that you are already paying to eat in the DR. Yes, tip the DR staff accordingly-

Enjoy! Which ship are you going on? Did you sign up for a meet and mingle?

[boaterette]

Who would you tip in the windjammer? I eat dinner there quiet often and have never had anyone stop at my table. I get my own food and drinks. Several times I have had to find an employee to clear a table so that I could eat. As far as I can tell they don't do anything different than an employee of a fast food restaurant. And how many people tip at fast food places.

[MikeNJ1109]

If you are not dining in the main dr at all I would tell them head waiter right away so they can fill that spot if need be--or they do not end up waiting for you. You still should tip since the tips are divided to all wait staff--even to those in the windjammer.

 

Regarding the tipping issue, we were told by RCL -- two different RCL Sales people by the way -- that if you know prior to bording that you do NOT want to use your Main dining room table AT ALL during the cruise, then see the Maitre 'd immediately upon bording and have your table released. In THAT CASE ONLY, tipping the MDR people is not expected ... though, obviously, tipping the folks in the restaurants you DO eat in is considered proper.

 

If you do NOT release your table on day 1, and the wait staff expects you there, a tip to the staff is considered appropriate.

 

Michael

[paggerscorvette]

 

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

I had to look at this twice, whats up with this? They came back after a year to answer??????:confused: :confused: :confused:

[katiel53]

Regarding the tipping issue, we were told by RCL -- two different RCL Sales people by the way -- that if you know prior to bording that you do NOT want to use your Main dining room table AT ALL during the cruise, then see the Maitre 'd immediately upon bording and have your table released. In THAT CASE ONLY, tipping the MDR people is not expected ... though, obviously, tipping the folks in the restaurants you DO eat in is considered proper.

 

If you do NOT release your table on day 1, and the wait staff expects you there, a tip to the staff is considered appropriate.

 

Michael

 

I think what you have posted makes sense. When we plan not to eat dinner in the dining room, we tell the waiter/waitress that we won't be there the next night or whatever. Because the table is still there for us, we tip the full amount. If we aren't going to have dinner in the DR the last night, we go down early and give our tips.

 

If we planned to not eat dinner in the dining room at all, then we would go to the Maitre D' and tell him/her so that someone else could use the table.

 

I haven't had dinner in the Windjammer, but I have heard recently that the people working there now are helpful in getting drinks etc. I have also heard that there is a tip box in the Windjammer the last night of the cruise for those who have had dinner in the Windjammer during the week.

 

Although I do think in the overall it affects service, I wouldn't be surprised if RCI instituted the service charge as other lines have done. That way, there won't be any of these discussions because everyone will be forced to tip the full amounts. I could be wrong regarding the change in service, but on other lines it seems service has gone downhill with the changes. Of course, there is always the possibility that service will be better in the hopes of getting an additional tip. Who knows?

[Alexis]

I had to look at this twice, whats up with this? They came back after a year to answer??????:confused: :confused: :confused:

 

No, Actually a year ago they gave me a different answer below to my post. :confused: Beats the heck out of me what this is all about. I find it rather odd. My post to this person was posted on July 14th, 2006, at 08:38 PM. Their reply was made the same night. Why it was dragged up a day ago and re answered all over again, differently? Mine is not to wonder why?

 

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July 14th, 2006, 10:27 PM

fifty

Cool Cruiser Join Date: Jun 2006

Posts: 24

 

an ex waitress

 

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alexis

( Part of my original post chosen for a reply to me on July 14th, 2006, 10:27 PM )

[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.

 

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. [/color]

 

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Last edited by fifty : July 14th, 2006 at 10:39 PM.

[fifty]

Who would you tip in the windjammer? I eat dinner there quiet often and have never had anyone stop at my table. I get my own food and drinks. Several times I have had to find an employee to clear a table so that I could eat. As far as I can tell they don't do anything different than an employee of a fast food restaurant. And how many people tip at fast food places.

 

 

We have eaten (as a family) in the Windjammer at dinner and always had a very nice waiter. It is he or she whom I think I should tip as service is usually very good and servers very attentive, perhaps moreso than in the DR.

 

I don't bother any other time in the Windjammer and agree with other posts that there certainly is no reason to tip for hand sanitizer.

[fifty]

I'll probably dine alone too.. My family will be all over the ship and not really into the speciality restaurants. I love a good meal even though some people feel that you are already paying to eat in the DR. Yes, tip the DR staff accordingly-

Enjoy! Which ship are you going on? Did you sign up for a meet and mingle?

 

I am now booked on the Dec 23 sailling of Brilliance from Rome and have thus revived my original thread from a year ago! My first inclination was to dine alone so I don't have to be the only solo traveler at a DR table but then I thought, perhaps I should try to be more social and try the DR.

 

Unfortunately, as I am solo, I do have to be concerned about finances and it has taken me a few years to save for this trip so I do not ask for tipping advice to begin a "hot topic" but rather to be sure that no one is slighted.

 

I have no trepidation about traveling solo but this tipping issue is one of the many things that I have to consider.

 

When are you traveling?

[fifty]

I had to look at this twice, whats up with this? They came back after a year to answer??????:confused: :confused: :confused:

 

 

I've been busy - cruise was postponed and rescheduled, thus the resurrection of the original question. Simple. :rolleyes:

[fifty]

I'll probably dine alone too.. My family will be all over the ship and not really into the speciality restaurants. I love a good meal even though some people feel that you are already paying to eat in the DR. Yes, tip the DR staff accordingly-

Enjoy! Which ship are you going on? Did you sign up for a meet and mingle?

 

 

Sorry! I meant to say November 23 out of Rome. Can't wait! :p

[dontpanik]

I have seen several people eating alone at specialty restaurants and I, myself, dined alone at the romantic restaurant Palo's on the Disney Wonder. I didn't feel akward (sic) at all. No one paid me the slightest bit of attention other than the waitstaff. It was wonderful! I had great food and such a nice quiet dining experience.

 

As far as tipping is concered, unless the servers in the main DR are expecting you there the answer is no, you do not tip them for service not received. I have tipped the equivilant of a full cruise when I elected to dine "out" for one evening, but if I chose not to eat there at all I would not tip.