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How much do you tip at Chops or Portofinos?

scubapuss

By scubapuss,
in Royal Caribbean International

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amada

amada

Posted
Posted

For what it's worth I overheard a server in Portofino tell their customers that they only get ONE dollar from that $20 surcharge. We ate in Chops and Portofino every night last week on the Radiance and tipped an additional $10/night for 2 people. I also would have to believe that if they do pull their tips it is only among the couple people working each room. We NEVER saw either room full any night of the 6 night western sailing.

 

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NEW 2 CRUISIN

NEW 2 CRUISIN

Posted
Posted

An urban legend states that the word "tip" is an acronym for terms such as "to insure prompt service", "to insure proper service", "to improve performance", and "to insure promptness".

 

Whether that's true or not, they are cute and to the point.

 

In general, tipping should not be expected when a fee is explicitly charged for a service, as is done in the specialty dining restaurants on the ships.

 

As mentioned so many times before on these boards, though....if you leave money on the table, no server will chase you down to give it back!

 

:D

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RickT

RickT

Posted
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I wonder what the waiter/waitress actually get for working in Chops vs. a regular table in the dining room? I know what we give our regular waiter and would ensure (assuming they are good) that the Chops staff would get at least the same.

 

That being said, I think I gave them $15-20 last trip... well worth it considering the service you get.

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amada

amada

Posted
Posted

 

Every one of the servers we had contact with spent a nice amount of time in conversation with us in both Chops and Portofino, and it took them years ( 3 or 4) as a dining room server to get advanced to the specialty restaurant so I can't imagine them doing so for less in overall income...that just wouldn't make sense.

 

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cruisecrasy

cruisecrasy

Posted
Posted
Of what the meal would cost in a restaurant. If you have drinks, You know what that cost is. Chops is comparable to a Ruth Chris or a Morton's Steakhouse. Portofinos is most likely in that price range or a little higher.

 

U have already paid for a dinner with your cruise fare. U do not get a rebate if u dine in an alternative restaurant. I suggest then that the meal shld not be judged in value to a meal at Mortons or Ruth Chris to base a tip on.

 

In discussing this tip 'thing' with several head waiters in alternative restaurants they stated that any tip is a 'BONUS' but not expected as they already receive the tip that is included with the extra 'service fee'..and YES it is included after checking with folks in the know!

$5 - $10 pp is quite sufficient as an extra tip .. IF u desire but is NOT required!

That all said - tip extra whatever u like or not - it is your $ after all!!

 

Happy cruisin' all!!

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rocket88

rocket88

Posted
Posted
Of what the meal would cost in a restaurant. If you have drinks, You know what that cost is. Chops is comparable to a Ruth Chris or a Morton's Steakhouse. Portofinos is most likely in that price range or a little higher.

 

We do the same. Our meal and service in Chops on the Navigator compared to Mortons and that was reflected in our tip.

 

###

 

Best meal I had on my cruise was the fillet at Chops. That said, It is certainly NOT in the class of a high end steak house like Palm, Mortons, or Ruth Chris. Outback maybe.

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k9151

k9151

Posted
Posted

I leave $50.00 or better tip. While on Jewel I left this tip and the next night the wait crew delivered my wife's favorite dessert to our stateroom. They remember who treats them well!!!!...Your on vacation....getting excellent service.....LEAVE A TIP!!!!!

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Suzanne74

Suzanne74

Posted
Posted
U have already paid for a dinner with your cruise fare. U do not get a rebate if u dine in an alternative restaurant. I suggest then that the meal shld not be judged in value to a meal at Mortons or Ruth Chris to base a tip on.

 

In discussing this tip 'thing' with several head waiters in alternative restaurants they stated that any tip is a 'BONUS' but not expected as they already receive the tip that is included with the extra 'service fee'..and YES it is included after checking with folks in the know!

$5 - $10 pp is quite sufficient as an extra tip .. IF u desire but is NOT required!

That all said - tip extra whatever u like or not - it is your $ after all!!

 

Why would you get a rebate for dining in a specialty restaurant just because the basic dining room is included in your cruisefare. :confused: Last time we went to Morton's here in DC, we paid over $300 for our dinner for 2 including one bottle of wine. $40 for a few hours of great dining at a quiet kid free table for two is a great deal in my opinion. Furthermore, I think the $20 surcharge is not a tip to the waitstaff, I think that money goes to RCCL because they are offering you better food in a different room they built on their ship - they need the profit and there is NO WAY that entire $20 goes to waitstaff. So if I pay only $40 and get treated like royalty for a few hours and get multiple offerings of appetizers, desserts and whatever else I want with no extra charge, how could I not offer a tip of at least $10pp to a waitstaff that work their butt off for less then half the profit a normal US waiter would receive at a Morton's, who by the way does not offer free multiple desserts, appetizers etc...

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lojill

lojill

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Wait a minute I'm just learning something here. When you pay the twenty dollars that is supposed to be their tip? Do you the pay for the meal after eating and tip afterward if you want to or after the meal you don't pay and just tip if you like. Is the meal in the cost of the cruise or do you pay on sea-pass. We will be on Enchantment in March and plan on eating at Chops.

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rocket88

rocket88

Posted
Posted
Wait a minute I'm just learning something here. When you pay the twenty dollars that is supposed to be their tip? Do you the pay for the meal after eating and tip afterward if you want to or after the meal you don't pay and just tip if you like. Is the meal in the cost of the cruise or do you pay on sea-pass. We will be on Enchantment in March and plan on eating at Chops.

 

The $20 is a supplement for an upgrade over the pork chop & tater tots dinner that was included in the price of the cruise. You pay for it just like you would pay for a drink at the bar - at the end of the meal they'll swipe your pass card and give you an invoice/reciept to sign that includes the $20pp and has a spot where you can add an additional tip.

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