Just Back and I have a few questions!

[Mindibellcm]

We are driving back to TN from our 7 day western cruise on the Magic! Had a great time. We have a few questions that came up during our cruise and hoped someone here had some insight. Also just a few random thoughts and comments.

1. We had dinner one night at Topsiders. It was very good and the service was great. How do those servers get tipped? Do they have a higher salary? We asked about tipping and the head server/person at the door said that the only way to tip them was to give them cash. We had none on us because we didn't know that so no tip.

2. We spoke with some of the wait staff in the bars. They told us that they were "tips only" and they got 50% of the tips. Where does the other 50% go and do the servers and assistant servers in the dining rooms have to split there tips?

3. Kids on the cruise -- we were out for Fall Break this week. There were kids on the cruise but it seemed less crowded then previous cruises we have been on in September and December. The line for the Characters never really went past the doorway and slightly into the hall. Sometimes you could just walk right up to the characters in the Lobby.

4. Shows -- On our cruise there were no matinees of any of the evening shows.

5. Dining Rotation -- I can't even tell you what our dining rotation was because the rotation on the room key was incorrect. The tickets left in the room were right! We went to wrong restuarant one evening. Has anyone else had this happen?

6. Photopass -- someone told us that the cruise leaving out today would have some test form of a photopass system. Has anyone else heard about this?

7. Dress Code -- There has been alot of debate on the boards about dress code. We considered renting tuxes but opted for suits. We saw very few tuxes and lots of people in slacks and shirts. Semi formal night was very causal. Some people even wore shorts to dinner on semi formal night. I did see someone get turned away at Palo for not having on a dress shirt or jacket. It seemed to me that as the week went on the dress in the evening got more and more causal. Has anyone else noticed that?

I think that's it for now.

Mindi

 

[CraftyMouse]

We are driving back to TN from our 7 day western cruise on the Magic! Had a great time. We have a few questions that came up during our cruise and hoped someone here had some insight. Also just a few random thoughts and comments.

1. We had dinner one night at Topsiders. It was very good and the service was great. How do those servers get tipped? Do they have a higher salary? We asked about tipping and the head server/person at the door said that the only way to tip them was to give them cash. We had none on us because we didn't know that so no tip.
I was told that those crew members that are not actually in tipped positions (Server, Head Server, Assistant Server, Stateroom Host/Hostess) get paid a higher wage.

2. We spoke with some of the wait staff in the bars. They told us that they were "tips only" and they got 50% of the tips. Where does the other 50% go and do the servers and assistant servers in the dining rooms have to split there tips?
The dining room waitstaff do not split their tips with anyone. I believe the bar crew (bartenders, servers, etc.) share the 15% gratuity that is automatically added. I am not sure what happens to any additional gratuity you leave. My guess would be that if you add it to the slip it is split but if you give cash the server keeps it all.

5. Dining Rotation -- I can't even tell you what our dining rotation was because the rotation on the room key was incorrect. The tickets left in the room were right! We went to wrong restuarant one evening. Has anyone else had this happen?
No, ours has always been correct in both places.

6. Photopass -- someone told us that the cruise leaving out today would have some test form of a photopass system. Has anyone else heard about this?
Photopass has been discussed for a long time but has not, so far, been implemented. I'm interested to hear from this week's cruisers to see if they actually are switching over.

7. Dress Code -- There has been alot of debate on the boards about dress code. We considered renting tuxes but opted for suits. We saw very few tuxes and lots of people in slacks and shirts. Semi formal night was very causal. Some people even wore shorts to dinner on semi formal night. I did see someone get turned away at Palo for not having on a dress shirt or jacket. It seemed to me that as the week went on the dress in the evening got more and more causal. Has anyone else noticed that?
It seems that as the years go by it's getting more and more casual too. We've always gone the tux/long dress route, but decide that on our next sailing we'll go with suits/short dresses for Formal Night. As long as we abide by the official dress code I'm happy.

I think that's it for now.

Mindi

Glad you had a great time!

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

Mindibellcm thank you for the update re Photopass, I have herd it was being thought of and then in development but this is the first time I read of a test.

Thanks.

I say on photopass about time to,

 

[KAR3600]

Thank you for the information. I am leaving on Oct 18, 7day Western. I have been going crazy figuring out what to wear to dinner. Can you "nice" Capris to Palo's? On the semi-formal night did it seem everyone was very casual instead. My last cruise, everyone was dressed nicely, but nothing really "formal". Even on the "formal" night, I think I saw 1 tux, and a couple of ladies in gowns. Most in nice pants and tops, the men in sport jackets.


I think with the new luggage restrictions people are trying to pack lighter and get multible uses from their outfits (mix & match). That way they have more room to bring stuff back.......

 

[Muushka]

1. We had dinner one night at Topsiders. It was very good and the service was great. How do those servers get tipped? Do they have a higher salary? We asked about tipping and the head server/person at the door said that the only way to tip them was to give them cash. We had none on us because we didn't know that so no tip.

I was under the impression that the people waiting tables in this area were in training. We also ate there one night and ran into the same problem. We wanted to tip and waited for them to come back to the table to charge it but they never did. And we had no cash either.

 

[CraftyMouse]

Can you "nice" Capris to Palo's?
Definitely! That is what I usually wear and always see other women wearing them as well.

I think with the new luggage restrictions people are trying to pack lighter and get multible uses from their outfits (mix & match). That way they have more room to bring stuff back.......
I think that the new luggage restrictions/charges are going to seriously impact Formal Night on many cruise lines. I know that from now on, when we fly (and even, perhaps, when we drive) we won't be bringing the super-dressy stuff.

.

 

[Tiggerfan14]

Hi, I don't have any answers for you, but was wondering if you get a chance can you post your navigators? I am anxious to see them since we will be going on that cruise next year same time.
Thanks

 

[Mindibellcm]

Hi, I don't have any answers for you, but was wondering if you get a chance can you post your navigators? I am anxious to see them since we will be going on that cruise next year same time.
Thanks

Can anyone give me quick instructions for how to do it? I will this afternoon after I take my 3 year old to the doctor for either swimmer's ear or an ear infection. I'm glad it didn't start until the last day of our vacation!

 

[Mindibellcm]

I was under the impression that the people waiting tables in this area were in training. We also ate there one night and ran into the same problem. We wanted to tip and waited for them to come back to the table to charge it but they never did. And we had no cash either.

I thought the same thing too but we asked one of main dining room wait staff and they said no.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

Can anyone give me quick instructions for how to do it? I will this afternoon after I take my 3 year old to the doctor for either swimmer's ear or an ear infection. I'm glad it didn't start until the last day of our vacation!

Scan into your laptop >my pictures,
Upload to a photo hosting site such as photobucket.com.
it will show you how, click browse and your pictures on laptop should come up.
Then when uploaded post the<IMG> CODE in your posts.

 

[rantnnravin]

I only have answers for a couple of your ?s:

2. We spoke with some of the wait staff in the bars. They told us that they were "tips only" and they got 50% of the tips. Where does the other 50% go and do the servers and assistant servers in the dining rooms have to split there tips? Sounds to me like someone was fishing for more money. In that situation, unless they were spitting nickels delivering the drinks to your table, I'd leave the auto-grat and nothing more.


5. Dining Rotation -- I can't even tell you what our dining rotation was because the rotation on the room key was incorrect. The tickets left in the room were right! We went to wrong restuarant one evening. Has anyone else had this happen? Yes. when we went in April our KTTW card said: PLLPLAP, but we were, in fact PLLAPLA. Our room tickets were also wrong. The only way we knew was when our server came to our table the night before and said: "the show for tonight is...tomorrow you'll be dining at..." we argued with him but took his word for it and were in the right spot the next night. If we had left dinner early (or not gone that night), we would've gone to the wrong place the next night.

6. Photopass -- someone told us that the cruise leaving out today would have some test form of a photopass system. Has anyone else heard about this? I sooooo hope this is true. Can't wait to see a live trip report so we can ask.

7. Dress Code -- There has been alot of debate on the boards about dress code. We considered renting tuxes but opted for suits. We saw very few tuxes and lots of people in slacks and shirts. Semi formal night was very causal. Some people even wore shorts to dinner on semi formal night. I did see someone get turned away at Palo for not having on a dress shirt or jacket. It seemed to me that as the week went on the dress in the evening got more and more causal. Has anyone else noticed that?
We did the formal (tux/gown) thing and had a wonderful night. We enjoyed having an excuse to be fancy as we don't get to attend operas or state dinners. We did see some more casual diners, but we enjoyed being appropriately dressed for the Captain's Reception and pix with Miceky and Minnie in their formal attire.