Gratuities question

[squirk]

Yes, but... is that even possible? I don't think you can pre-book all meals in advance like that.

I just took her at her word. If it's a short cruise (3-night), she can book a Palo dinner and a Remy dinner in advance to cover two nights, I guess? Maybe by "plans", she means that she expects to go see the maitre d' on embarkation day and snag another night?

 

[squirk]

If you just look at it as a service charge you'll be happier with the whole thing.

I agree. I don't mind paying it. I just hate the passive-aggressive artifice of it all.

 

[mevelandry]

To be honest, I just look at the gratuities as part of my cruise fare that for some historic reasons is split from the main part of the cruise fare.

I wish they would just make it part of the fare. I don't care if it makes my cruise more expensive. I want the people helping me having the best vacation ever to receive the salary they deserve.

 

[mevelandry]

Yes, but... is that even possible? I don't think you can pre-book all meals in advance like that.

I think with concierge, you can? I don't know for sure.

 

[Bettyscruise]

I think with concierge, you can? I don't know for sure.

Being in concierge didn't help. When I tried to do two days in Palo the reservation system cancelled the first date. Have to wait to be aboard to add other dates I think.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I already told them to take my main (early) dining assignment and give it to a family who was on the waiting list and might need it. They aren't expecting me.

You'll still be assigned a table. Now, they may give you a late dinner seating table, but you'll still have one.

Yes, but... is that even possible? I don't think you can pre-book all meals in advance like that.

You can only book 1 dinner in Palo and 1 dinner in Remy pre-cruise. All other reservations must be made once onboard. As Concierge, chances are there's no problem adding additional reservations.

 

[Axelskater]

Thanks for all the replies. I didn't care for the MDR food. As I mentioned when not in Remy or Palo we will eat in the concierge lounge - and yes, i spoke to shoreside and they understand not to assign us a table at either seating.

 

[Mickeymouseisking]

I wish they would just make it part of the fare. I don't care if it makes my cruise more expensive. I want the people helping me having the best vacation ever to receive the salary they deserve.

We became very close to our server on our cruise last week and he explained the way their salary works, both on DCL and on RCCL, where he worked before switching to DCL (he's been with Disney for five years).

On Disney the tipped positions work only for tips, they get no salary at all, so any table that does not tip is cutting into their salary. This is especially a problem for them on the Europian cruises because of the different tipping culture. He's happy with the system, though, because all tips go directly to that specific staff member. On Royal, on the other hand, they used to work like that, but now the tipped positions get a basic salary which is very low. The tips (which are also automatically added to your bill, just like on Disney) are actually taken by Royal!!! Only a portion of the tips is split amongst all of the staff, so the only way your waiter (and room host etc) is making more money than that basic salary is if you tip him extra cash. That's why our server "jumped ship" from Royal to Disney. He also told us that Disney is considering changing to a base salary like Royal and that the staff are worried about what that would mean in regards to the tips. We thought that was very interesting, and pretty obnoxious of Royal.

Anyways, we too regard the tips as a service charge and we include them into the cost of the cruise.

 

[over50visits]

I think it's ok, and probably fairly common to reduce the amount of your tips to your wait staff it you don't use the MDR's. Enjoy your cruise!

MUN

I absolutely think it's not ok. Whether you use them for some meals or not, you have reserved their time in the MDR at dinner, and they are there waiting for you. It's part of the cruise deal, you don't have the option of cruising without MDR service. I think it's quite unkind to not at least pay the minimum tip, if nothing else as a small thank you for being there, being available, holding a table for you, and taking care of you everywhere else on the cruise (breakfast, lunch, Castaway meals).

I hope it is not common. These wonderful, hardworking folks don't need to be treated like that.

 

[MUN]

I absolutely think it's not ok. Whether you use them for some meals or not, you have reserved their time in the MDR at dinner, and they are there waiting for you. It's part of the cruise deal, you don't have the option of cruising without MDR service. I think it's quite unkind to not at least pay the minimum tip, if nothing else as a small thank you for being there, being available, holding a table for you, and taking care of you everywhere else on the cruise (breakfast, lunch, Castaway meals).

I hope it is not common. These wonderful, hardworking folks don't need to be treated like that.

I guess we agree to disagree. I think its probably more common than you realize for people who don't eat in the MDR's (or eat infrequently in the MDR's) to adjust their tips for the wait staff. Also, in the OP's case, I think it's perfectly fine that she wants to eliminate her wait staff gratuities.

MUN

 

[RedSox68]

The thing about the gratuities is this: it is not just for MDR dining. I have seen our MDR servers working breakfast in both the dining rooms and Cabana, I have seen them working lunch buffets, I have even seen them at Cookies on Castaway Cay and at the Pirate Buffet on Pirate Night, AND I have opened my stateroom door to see them delivering room service! So even if you don't sit down in the MDR, they are still working for you in other ways to make your trip enjoyable. I don't think $12/day is a lot to leave for the service and food they provide.

 

[Axelskater]

holding a table for you, and taking care of you everywhere else on the cruise (breakfast, lunch, Castaway meals).

I hope it is not common. These wonderful, hardworking folks don't need to be treated like that.

No they are not holding a table or taking care of elsewhere as we are dining in our cabin or the concierge lounge, and in the adult restaurants. The reason I posted the question in the 1st place is because I was wondering if others had past experiences with forgoing any buffets/QS/MDR altogether, and how they did or did not adjust the tip accordingly.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

No they are not holding a table or taking care of elsewhere as we are dining in our cabin or the concierge lounge, and in the adult restaurants. The reason I posted the question in the 1st place is because I was wondering if others had past experiences with forgoing any buffets/QS/MDR altogether, and how they did or did not adjust the tip accordingly.

But how do you know that "your" servers (the ones that would be assigned to serve you dinner in the MDR) aren't the ones delivering the room service? Or serving you in the Concierge lounge? As noted, the dinner servers do not just serve dinner, they have lots of other duties onboard. And it's quite likely that you may be on the receiving end of those services. Including cleaning up in the pool areas, serving drinks in the theater, lunch service at Castaway Cay, quick serve at the pools and whatever else DCL feels falls under their job description.

I doubt that anyone has entirely avoided places that the dinner servers work for the duration of the cruise. I know I couldn't skip my cookies from Flo's, or the ice cream station (yes, they clean up/stock there, also). I wouldn't even think about reducing/removing gratuities if I opted not to dine in the Main Dining Room for the whole cruise.

Plus, you've already paid how much for the cruise and you're quibbling about $24 for the gratuities?

 

[Pooh2]

Hope you don't me adding in a different question to this thread since there are lots poster with tipping opinions here:

One night on our Alaskan cruise, we had an excursion and missed our Main dining room seating. We were pleasantly surprised that Beach Blanket was doing table service that night. We had a great server and left a cash tip. We were really unsure of what the protocol was since we already prepaid gratuities. Was it customary to leave a tip in this situation?

 

[Axelskater]

But how do you know that "your" servers (the ones that would be assigned to serve you dinner in the MDR) aren't the ones delivering the room service? Or serving you in the Concierge lounge? As noted, the dinner servers do not just serve dinner, they have lots of other duties onboard. And it's quite likely that you may be on the receiving end of those services. Including cleaning up in the pool areas, serving drinks in the theater, lunch service at Castaway Cay, quick serve at the pools and whatever else DCL feels falls under their job description.

I doubt that anyone has entirely avoided places that the dinner servers work for the duration of the cruise. I know I couldn't skip my cookies from Flo's, or the ice cream station (yes, they clean up/stock there, also). I wouldn't even think about reducing/removing gratuities if I opted not to dine in the Main Dining Room for the whole cruise.

Plus, you've already paid how much for the cruise and you're quibbling about $24 for the gratuities?

Thank you, I appreciate your opinion. The concierge staff is not the same as the MDR. We tip them separately in cash, same with room service. I have sailed that way before. And yes, having sailed concierge before, it is entirely possible to have wonderful meals and snacks and never set foot at a buffet/QS/or MDR. IN fact, it was not possible to eat everything they had an offer in the lounge. And my question was directed to find out if others had done this same thing (avoiding the buffet/MDR) and how they handled gratuities. I wasn't quibbling. I was asking how others have handled it, if they had done the same thing with meals, but perhaps no one else on the board has done this.

 

[RedSox68]

Hope you don't me adding in a different question to this thread since there are lots poster with tipping opinions here:

One night on our Alaskan cruise, we had an excursion and missed our Main dining room seating. We were pleasantly surprised that Beach Blanket was doing table service that night. We had a great server and left a cash tip. We were really unsure of what the protocol was since we already prepaid gratuities. Was it customary to leave a tip in this situation?

Not usually because their gratuities would be bundled into the daily gratuity charge. The only people we have given cash tips to are room service and Palo.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Hope you don't me adding in a different question to this thread since there are lots poster with tipping opinions here:

One night on our Alaskan cruise, we had an excursion and missed our Main dining room seating. We were pleasantly surprised that Beach Blanket was doing table service that night. We had a great server and left a cash tip. We were really unsure of what the protocol was since we already prepaid gratuities. Was it customary to leave a tip in this situation?

Yes, it's done. The Cabanas staff are in training, so salaried, no tips required. Unlike the regular dining room staff, where the bulk of the "salary" is what they get from tips. But people do it.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Not usually because their gratuities would be bundled into the daily gratuity charge.

No. The daily gratuity charge is divided between specific positions: Room Host; Dining Room Server; Assistant Server; and Head Server.

Unlike other cruise lines where the Hotel Service Charge is pooled and shared among many positions, including behind the scenes jobs (like laundry, and custodial), DCL's auto-gratuity is just a service for the regular tipping to specific jobs.

 

[RedSox68]

No. The daily gratuity charge is divided between specific positions: Room Host; Dining Room Server; Assistant Server; and Head Server.

Unlike other cruise lines where the Hotel Service Charge is pooled and shared among many positions, including behind the scenes jobs (like laundry, and custodial), DCL's auto-gratuity is just a service for the regular tipping to specific jobs.

You're right -- haven't been on Disney in a while! (I need a fix LOL). Thinking of other cruise lines where it is pooled.

 

[mevelandry]

I guess we agree to disagree. I think its probably more common than you realize for people who don't eat in the MDR's (or eat infrequently in the MDR's) to adjust their tips for the wait staff. Also, in the OP's case, I think it's perfectly fine that she wants to eliminate her wait staff gratuities.

MUN

It may be very "common" but (in my opinion) not very nice, nor fair.

The MDR part of gratuities is just 8$ pp/per day...