How would you handle this situation?

[pth]

Lets say that you are planning on dining at Palo on the last night of your cruise instead of the assigned rotation. Are you still expected to tip your servers that have been serving you on the previous nights for the night you won't be needing their services? Also, how would you get them their tip if you don't see them on the last evening since you would be dining in Palo?
Just thought I would throw that one out to you experts out there.

 

[Mjasp]

it doesn't mean if they don't serve you dinner the last night, that they haven't served you breakfast or lunch that day, somewhere on the ship. I would still definitely give them a 7 night tip. You can just tip them the last night you know you will see them.

 

[prymsu]

I agree with Mjasp, you still tip them for all the nights, regardless of if you ate in the dining room the last evening.

forgot to add, you could always tip them before you debark if you plan on eating breakfast that last morning in the dining room too.

 

[over50visits]

Remember what is called a "tip" is really their salary, and they have to work regardless of whether you show up for the dinner. So please do consider the full amount.

You can give them their tip at your last meal, or during the departure morning breakfast. It seems to me the earlier is better, it lets them know you aren't coming the last night yet you haven't forgotten them, saving them a little concern.

 

[Michelemouse]

Generally you tip for all of their service on the last night, rather than night by night. We usually give out our tip envelopes that last night at dinner, although we never miss seeing them and saying goodbye at breakfast the last morning.

The waitstaff (and the stateroom hosts/hostesses) depend on their tips for income. We have never deducted anything if we choose to skip the dining room for Palo and we generally add some extra $$$ to the guideline amount. They work so hard and are such an integral part of our cruise experience!

 

[Jeanny]

you may not need their services on the last night, but they work all around the ship during the day also... so you'll probably see your servers at breakfast, at lunch and of course at dinner each night (except for Palo).....they definitely earn that $18 to $25+ tip that's for sure.

 

[CRSNDSNY]

Personally, I will still tip my servers as if I were seated at their dining table every night.

 

[makaylee]

We also ate at Palo our last night. We just went to our regular rotation restaurant afterward and gave our servers their tips and said goodbye. We still tipped the full amount (except for assistant server, but thats another story) we didn't feel it was right to give him less because we ate at another restaurant. I know they count on those tips and they still worked all day.

 

[tecdavidt]

For some reason this posted before I was finished and when I tried to delete it I couldn't. Kath

 

[tecdavidt]

We tip for every day/night. They do work all day long serving you and on the last night they will be ready to serve you whether you show up or not. Tipping on a cruise ship is not like tipping on land. On land if you decide to go to a different restaurant there will be another person to take your place but on the cruise ship there will not be somebody taking your dining place. Kathy

 

[NAT&MAGSMOM]

I don't usually get involved in posts like this...but I have to chime in here.

On our last cruise, we went to Palo two nights. We would NEVER think about not tipping our dining room staff less than the regular amount, just because we weren't in the dining room for two nights. We have always been VERY lucky and had great servers on our cruises and I'm sure we will continue to have great servers. We usually tip them MORE than the recommended amount, give them a phone card and even got one of our servers an outfit for his new baby!!! Plus we also tipped our Palo server VERY WELL....and we also had brunch at Palo.

You have to remember...these people feed you, clean your room, take care of your kids, pamper you, are there at your beck and call.....they deserve every tip they get, plus more!!!!

JMHO....
Phyllis