Is it customary to decrease tips for each day you don’t eat in the dining room?

[extechie rbd/wdt]

i have to chime in to say that on our recent fantasy cruise the head server showed up every night. it did get to the point of annoying (imo) but he was always there if something were to come up. he helped clean up as well as get food ready to serve (we were near the serving station and saw this). it seemed like all the head waiters were doing this so maybe it has been brought to dcl's attention and they fixed the problem of everyone wondering who and where the head waiter was.
he wanted to talk more than the servers did. lol.

They can't win either way!
They should be unobtrusive, but available and present when necessary.

Ex Techie

 

[luv2sleep]

Not sure why so many people pay such a high price on a Disney cruise and everyone always wants to not tip the wait staff what they should. These people work very hard to make our trips are perfect as they can.

I have Always received great service in the dinning rooms on the cruise, that I always tip much more, since what they ask us to tip is not much. Good service always goes a long way. They deserve every penny and so much more.

Have a great vacation.

Agreed. They work hard, work at least 16 hours a day and our servers and head waiter always had smiles for us. They were awesome! The expected tip isn't much when I compare it to what I tip at restuarants off the ship. I gave over the expected amount.

 

[LoriABil]

They can't win either way!
They should be unobtrusive, but available and present when necessary.

Ex Techie

I think all waitstaff should do this
Except my DS loved it when the assistant server would stop by and do magic tricks while we were waiting on our food. He keeps asking if they still do that! So we have unobtrusive, available and present when necessary, and I would add able to anticipate my needs, wants and whims. Oh, and magical.

 

[extechie rbd/wdt]

I think all waitstaff should do this
Except my DS loved it when the assistant server would stop by and do magic tricks while we were waiting on our food. He keeps asking if they still do that! So we have unobtrusive, available and present when necessary, and I would add able to anticipate my needs, wants and whims. Oh, and magical.

Easy then! Problem solved DCL, see above when recruiting!

Ex Techie

 

[wmharley]

Do folks subtract $8 per person/per day from the dining staff tip when they eat at Palo or Remy?

that is a great question. My kids don't go to school in our school district so they aren't using the tax payer funded schools and related services.. oh wait, I still pay taxes for it. .

Its Disney, you are still paying for it, even if you don't use it.

 

[PizzieDuster]

They can't win either way!
They should be unobtrusive, but available and present when necessary.

Ex Techie

They have to turn over the early seating for late seating also, all the while, letting the guest finish their dinner, wine, etc. So while you are eating first seating, I'm sure the head servers are doing their job then and getting reading for second seating or breakfast shifts in the am. I'm sure, lets say every once in a while a server gets, um sick. Just like any restaurant, a manager (head server) has to tackle this.

On one cruise with DD I knew to go to the head server to switch my table right then, first night. Sat down, got up. (Short story.) And he did and the servers were awesome! And he followed up because I was upset (had nothing to do with servers just tablemates). His follow up was to ask me if I was happy with my new table. Good tip! It helped my DD and I to enjoy the rest of our cruise.

 

[KSDisneyDad]

Its Disney, you are still paying for it, even if you don't use it.

??

Isn't this an industry norm? Wouldn't the same apply for Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Princess, Celebrity, etc.?

No matter which mainstream cruise line you're on, your servers are there helping you for all of your meals. Granted, you may visit another "hard charge" restaurant for the evening, but I doubt you starved yourself all-day with no breakfast or lunch. Even though the service may not be the same for breakfast or lunch, the point is that cruising is a bit different when the food is mostly all-inclusive regardless of where you eat (speciality restaurants excluded of course). The servers are there to help you nearly every waking moment whether it's a fish sandwhich by the pool, Chilean Sea Bass at the MDR or with some cookie dough ice cream at Castaway Cay.

 

[Inkmahm]

They have to turn over the early seating for late seating also, all the while, letting the guest finish their dinner, wine, etc. So while you are eating first seating, I'm sure the head servers are doing their job then and getting reading for second seating or breakfast shifts in the am. I'm sure, lets say every once in a while a server gets, um sick. Just like any restaurant, a manager (head server) has to tackle this.

On one cruise with DD I knew to go to the head server to switch my table right then, first night. Sat down, got up. (Short story.) And he did and the servers were awesome! And he followed up because I was upset (had nothing to do with servers just tablemates). His follow up was to ask me if I was happy with my new table. Good tip! It helped my DD and I to enjoy the rest of our cruise.

Okay, now I am curious. What could be so terrible about tablemates that it would make you immediately get up and ask to be assigned to a new table?

 

[wmharley]

Is that common? For the wait staff to make comments about excellent ratings and/or tips? If it is common, is there a polite way to get them to stop it?

I told my staff when we got the speal on the last night, that he still had 2 meals to go to prove it to me (we were on excellent terms with them). Coincidentally, I had to go to the room to get something and our room host gave me the survey. So I can down to the MDR and showed Putu (our server) my survey and that he better give me "excellent service" that night. we all were laughing at that.

??

Isn't this an industry norm? Wouldn't the same apply for Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Princess, Celebrity, etc.?

No matter which mainstream cruise line you're on, your servers are there helping you for all of your meals. Granted, you may visit another "hard charge" restaurant for the evening, but I doubt you starved yourself all-day with no breakfast or lunch. Even though the service may not be the same for breakfast or lunch, the point is that cruising is a bit different when the food is mostly all-inclusive regardless of where you eat (speciality restaurants excluded of course). The servers are there to help you nearly every waking moment whether it's a fish sandwhich by the pool, Chilean Sea Bass at the MDR or with some cookie dough ice cream at Castaway Cay.

Since this was a DCL discussion, I only mentioned DCL.

BTW, the Chilean Sea Bass on the Magic wasn't good. No one at our table that ordered it (3) liked it. i'm glad I ordered two entrees that night. The short ribs were better.

 

[PammyK]

The head waiter makes the dining room run smoothly, and fixes things on those occasions when it doesn't. You may not SEE the head server/but he or she is very busy making sure that dinner runs smoothly. Sometimes, if a server is sick or things get really backed up, the head server will serve the meal. We had an issue with an assistant server many cruises ago, and a word to the head server made that issue much better!

If you don't see the head server, and your food is arriving on time and the way you ordered it, the job is being done well!

Beth

I agree and disagree with what you are saying. I absolutely understand that the head server has many responsibilities and unless you have an issue, you should not see much of him/her.

However, the head server has a responsibility to at a minimum greet every table in his/her section of the dining room on the first night, preferably each night, but at minimum on the first night. Because guess what, you can't seek his/her assistance if you have no idea who he/she is or if he/she is never in the vicinity of your table.

So, while the head server shouldn't be hovering or intrusive, he/she should certainly make himself/herself known and available to you in the event that you need his/her assistance.

 

[TXDCLfan]

I agree and disagree with what you are saying. I absolutely understand that the head server has many responsibilities and unless you have an issue, you should not see much of him/her.

However, the head server has a responsibility to at a minimum greet every table in his/her section of the dining room on the first night, preferably each night, but at minimum on the first night. Because guess what, you can't seek his/her assistance if you have no idea who he/she is or if he/she is never in the vicinity of your table.

So, while the head server shouldn't be hovering or intrusive, he/she should certainly make himself/herself known and available to you in the event that you need his/her assistance.

Just my opinion but I feel the head server should be a management position that is paid a salary and we would not have to tip some one that really is not providing a service to the consumer.

 

[TDC Nala]

Just my opinion but I feel the head server should be a management position that is paid a salary and we would not have to tip some one that really is not providing a service to the consumer.

They are providing a service to the customer.

 

[chmb1]

Does this mean that additional tips at breakfast and lunch are not necessary?

 

[keaster]

Does this mean that additional tips at breakfast and lunch are not necessary?

Correct, your tips for the serving team covers every meal you have on the ship.

The only additional one would be if you order room service...we keep a few ones on hand to tip if we order something to the room.

 

[Aurora's Mommy]

With the exception of the head server, we have always tipped more than the recommended amount (head server got straight up the recommended amount), the service is always that good. If you tip the recommeded amount per night and went to Palo/Remy/buffet one night, you could reason that you are overtipping for the excellent service you receive the nights you are there.