This is really "bothering" me re: DCL

[KathyTX]

Originally posted by BibbidyBobbidyBoo
Yeah, that's what it sounds like. I mean even wdwlvr mentioned there is a number of people that skip the last dinner so as to not give tips- how does wdwlvr know this? It sounds like it's something that is just perceived as the reason people aren't there the last night- which is really unfair to those that don't have the last dinner, yet DO tip. If you think about it- the last night of a 7 day cruise is the night I would think MOST would possibly make other plans and/or palo and/or stay on castaway cay later/etc.

Since Palo pretty much stays booked every night, it's not possible for more people to eat there on that one particular night. As far as staying on CC, everyone is back on the boat and you've sailed away from CC well before dinner time, so that's not it.

It is customary on all the big cruise lines I''m familiar with to present your tips personally to your servers on the last night. Preferably discreetly, in envelopes.

This is the first I've heard of it being common practice to tip directly. I didn't think you had to do that....

Yup.

There are lots of travel books on cruising that will compare cruise lines, describe customs such as tipping and dress codes, and describe some of the ports of call you will visit and some of the excursions you may be interested in.

Reading up on the whole "cruise experience" would help you know what to expect.

 

[lbgraves]

Our server joked with us a bit and when he told us that he would be off on Friday night we knew that wasn't going to be the case. We acted surprised to see him when we got to the table & told him sorry, but since he wasn't going to be there we hadn't brought his envelope. He just shrugged his shoulders & said that's ok. It happens every week. I did have his tip envelope with us & he knew that I was joking with him but it was terrible to think that they get stiffed at all after working so hard to please everyone all week.

 

[musicgirl]

Just a thought on skipping the last dinner (we don't). But we pay our tips at guest services and recieve the tickets for the envelopes. Isn't this automatically paid to the servers whether or not we give them the envelope? Perhaps people do it this way in order to pack (especially on the 7-night with more stuff!)?
I'm sorry, but I'm always trying to find the better side even if it's probably a little naive.


Working for tips can be a very difficult way to depend on your salary. Now I'm sure many people out there worked as or are currently working as waiters/waitresses. I did it a few years on summer breaks during college. Even worse, I started out as a cocktail waitress at a restaurant.

Because your tips are suppose to "make up the difference", I made well below minimum. So if you didn't get tips, it was really awful. This always happened in the bar where people were waiting for seating. They always thought that because they would be tipping at dinner, I was covered. Oh well, I eventually moved into the dining room and then onto teaching.

I don't understand not tipping, especially on DCL. I have a hard time tipping no less than minimum even when the service isn't great. Everyone has to start out and will make mistakes and everyone can have a bad day. Now if the server is down right rude, well that's another story!

 

[kcashner]

Yes, if you charge your tips at guest services, the server will get the tip whether or not you give them the ticket. However, there is a delay (I think they get them every 2 weeks) and they don't know who gave them what except by the ticket or envelope. Also, it might help them to know what they got (or have coming) for that week). The ticket just helps them track things....

 

[SeaSpray]

I'm sure that DCL and all of the other cruise lines are honest, but personally we prefer to pay our servers personally, in CASH, so we know they themselves received the tip we've intended for them.

I know that many people like the convenience of putting the tips onto their bills and then giving the servers a slip or ticket with the amount on it, but I guess I'm just more comfortable with giving cash directly to the servers. I also like to thank them personally, at that time.

Anyone else feel like this or is it just me? lol

P.S. As far as the subject of how the cruise ship employees get paid (mainly only tips), I have no problem with this. They know the deal before they sign on, they have virtually no expenses on board, and hopefully most people don't cheat them of their tips at the end of the week.

 

[lbgraves]

I brought note cards and included the tip slip in with a note from us on the last night. DS enjoyed drawing a picture for each person inside too.

 

[kcashner]

Seaspray,
I was concerned about the servers getting ALL of their tips if I charged them, and also about the reporting functions that might result (like reporting to a home government). So, I asked my server. He assured me that they do get 100% of the tips charged, Disney does not withhold anything as a handling fee or anything. They do get an annual accounting of tips charged, but whether or not that has any tax implications depends on their home country. SO....I charge the "recommended" and then put cash in the envelope also.

It was very cute, because my DD watched me do the tip envelopes in our cabin. When I gave the envelope to the server, she told him to "take good care of that, it is very valuable." I hope she wasn't giving him false illusions......

And, yes, it is customary to hand the envelope to them in person. I really like the idea of the child drawing a picture or writing a note!

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

Since Palo pretty much stays booked every night, it's not possible for more people to eat there on that one particular night. As far as staying on CC, everyone is back on the boat and you've sailed away from CC well before dinner time, so that's not it.

I put and/or, and/or, /etc. for that very reason. Meaning it might seem like a lot of people not being there on the last night because of ALL those reasons (and more- like packing, going to bed early with the kids because of who knows what plans they have the next day and can't sleep in real late or anything like that, etc.). You can pick at each example I gave- but I didn't mean ALL at palo or anything of that nature. I meant add up how many ARE at palo, are back in their rooms packing or going to bed early, by staying late on castaway I meant staying till the last minute possible and then NOT wanting to get dressed and go to dinner (ie: eating room service or something like that). I meant add up ALL the reasons they might not be at dinner that night- and it might be a considerable amount. I doubt very seriously we will eat dinner in our rotation every single night of our trip- and the night we would MOST LIKELY not... would be the last night. If I'm not at palo- I might be washing clothes, packing, going to bed early, etc.
So it's interesting to learn that if you don't eat there the last night- you're considered by the guests AND the servers to be stiffing them on the tip! I find that ridiculous and wrong to assume such a thing!!

By the same token- I would find it odd to tip early on or in the middle of the week. Would you tip a waitress as soon as seated at a restaurant and then order your food? Tipping is supposed to be for the service you receive, and I think it's tempting fate on how your service would be to tip early- that's exactly why I wouldn't tip a waiter BEFORE taking our order & serving us. Anyone here tip the waiter first thing when you sit at a restaurant? Ofcourse not... it would be "odd". LOL

With this information- should we be eating at Palo or not eating dinner on our rotation for any other reason on the last night- I will make a point to go pay the servers their tip that night so they won't go throw a fit and make the other guests think we are stiffing them! Imagine if you were giving even more than the recommended amount- yet your server was having a hissy in front of other guests making them believe you didn't tip at all! Very unfair...

 

[KathyTX]

The fact is that there are lots of cheap and classless folks out there who do cruise and enjoy the hard work of the servers all week, then purposely skip the last night specifically because they are intending to stiff the servers by not tipping. Just a fact.

I really doubt you'll see a server throwing a "hissy fit."

As far as skipping the last night's dinner, I think it's much more common to make a point of attending dinner that night. It's the big hurrah, the final send-off. It's the night you say goodbye to your tablemates, who have (hopefully) become friends by that point. It's the night to visit with and say goodbye to the serving team who has attending to you all week. It's generally an extra festive dinner and a very nice menu, with special dishes and desserts.

The last night is not the night to skip dinner in favor of doing laundry.

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

Well, that's your opinion... opinions vary. In MY opinion if we can't get palo that last night-I may or may not eat dinner on my rotation. It's a personal choice... and I'd rather not skip time on CC to come back and do laundry/pack/etc. just to have dinner at the restaurant I've already eaten at twice that week. (also have chosen late dinner seating- so unless I rush beforehand, if I went to that restaurant I'd have to rush back and hurry to pack/etc to have my bags out by 11pm)
Personal choice- which are all going to be different, not all as you would choose.

I don't know why you'd say you really doubt that- didn't someone already say on this thread that they had a server throwing a hissy because people hadn't shown up for the last dinner assuming they were being stiffed? I didn't make that up out of thin air.... it apparently happened. So I don't doubt that it would happen again- apparently it has, and can.

That is pathetic that people do that (skipping the last night just to not tip) but my POINT is that no one should assume that they aren't tipping just because they aren't there that last night. And that is what it seems to me- assuming. (ofcourse I'm assuming that no one really knows if they've tipped or not. You might see a lot of people not there the last night- but how do you KNOW they all didn't tip??)

 

[KathyTX]

Wow. I don't know what you're getting so twisted up over.

You've apparently misread parts of a number of these posts.

No one said that the earlier poster didn't see a server having a fit. But I did say I doubted you'd see it happen. For the most part, you will find the serving staff very professional. And you will normally find them closely supervised by the head servers. Although I'm sure it has and does happen, the liklihood of any specific cruiser witnessing such a fit would be pretty slim.

I don't recall seeing any posts here that claimed that EVERY diner who skipped the last night's dinner did so to avoid tipping the servers. But it IS A FACT (verified by a number of servers I've visited with on a number of cruises, as well as posts by the very stiffers themselves on other cruise boards I read) that there are SOME people who will do anything to avoid tipping their waitstaff.

I don't care if you NEVER eat in the dining room. But dinner is a pretty major event on a cruise. Your menu will be different each night. That means that one might sit in the same restaurant on the Disney Magic three times, but you certainly won't be repeating a dinner! The last night's dinner is a big deal.

And it is my opinion that to miss out on the dinner experience, particularly the fanfare and the big hurrah of the last night, in favor of doing laundry is a bit sad and wasteful.

If you ever do manage to actually book and sail on a cruise, I think you'll better understand what the posters who have attempted to answer your many, many questions are trying to explain.

 

[dianthus]

BBB~

KathyTX is right. Missing the last dinner, which has a fanfarelike atmosphere for laundry would be a shame. Given the cost of the cruise, it would also be one of the most expensive loads of laundry you'll ever do! Do the laundry at home- have fun on the last night! We skip the variety show on the last night to pack- dinner is more fun! Put your dirty clothes in one suitcase. This way if airport security checks that bag, you've given them a nice little surprise! LOL!! .

We've been on 3 cruises with DCL. On the 2nd one- The last nite of the cruise, we ate an appetizer with our DDs while they had dinner & went to Palos after they finished. We really wished we had booked Palo's earlier in the week, as we really felt bad cutting the last night short to get to our reservation. It was very festive. We ate at Palo's on Tues. nite on this last one & we were glad to be in the dining room for the last nite's fun. Again, I agree with Kathy- even though it's your 3rd rotation to a dining room, every meal is different. The menu changes, the server's attire, the server inspired events...

On all 3 cruises, we noticed many empty tables in our dining rooms the last night. When asking our servers, they responded by saying some go to Palos, some are too sunburn or tired from CC- never because they are dead beats.... They do worry when a large related party doesn't show unexpectedly, as that's a tip off ( no pun intended ) that they won't show up for breakfast either the last morning. That's when they know they've been stiffed. Most servers know who's going to go bad- they can smell it in the air...

I don't think most guests judge an empty table on Friday night automatically as " Dead Beats". It's whether you show up for breakfast the next morning... If you don't show at either one, then you've earned the title...

On our 11/8 cruise, the servers in the section next to us had nobody show at their section of tables- one was a table of 10. Our servers said they felt really bad for them, as the 2 servers were seriously bumming about the big one. The large family didn't say anything to them about not coming to dinner. They knew the other 2 tables were at Palos. Those 2 servers came and helped ours out, pouring wine, clearing plates & did card tricks for us - they were great. You would never know what was going on if our servers had not filled us in. They were very professional & just said they were the dining entertainment staff for the evening.. We felt so bad for them... Sure enough- the party of 10 did not show at breakfast, but the other 2 tables of 4 did. ( I think everyone in our section was waiting- hoping that the party of 10 would show up late...) We all felt so bad for them. Our servers told us it's sad, but it happens to several dining teams at least once each cruise...

I had checked with GS about whether to give cash, or put it on the account & get tickets. One of the bar tenders was training at the GS desk for her next contract. She made a good point. She said she prefers the tips to be on her account, as employees don't like to keep alot of cash around, as it can get lost. She knows several servers who have lost at least one of the little envelopes in the hustle/bustle of the dining rooms. If it's cash, it's lost forever... If they lose a ticket in an envelope, it's safe in their account with your name & stateroom # next to it. The tips are credited instantly to the employee's account & they get a print out weekly, or whenever they wish. I use the tickets now instead of cash. I would hate to see a server lose my envelope & not get paid for the fine service rendered. With all the running around they do serving, I can see how this could happen.

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

What are you talking about, KathyTx? I'm not twisted up about anything!

No one said that the earlier poster didn't see a server having a fit. But I did say I doubted you'd see it happen.

Well, I think I just proved my point- or rather dianthus did... that's TWO people on this thread that have had servers "upset" about noshows at dinner. And those servers didn't know for sure they were getting stiffed- at that time. In fact, even skipping breakfast- is that a FOR SURE that they didn't tip? Most likely- but not definitely, and they couldn't have known they wouldn't show for breakfast the night before- yet they were "bummed" enough about it that other guests knew about it. So I guess it's not such a 'rare' occurance after all!!!!

I'm not on the cruise to enjoy food. I may enjoy if I decide to endulge- but I'm on Atkins and plan on staying on plan as much as possible. The food being free is great considering the cost of the cruise- but I'm not going on the cruise for the food. Others might- I'm not. I didn't know about the "fanfare" or how special the last dinner is though- so I might have to rethink Palo on the last night. LOL You have to understand though- we were thinking about it being our last night to have dinner alone- for probably a very long long time. We don't get to do that EVER at home. LOL But again, I didn't know the last dinner was special!

Oh and btw- since breakfast was mentioned... do you have the same servers for the last breakfast so you can tip them THEN?

I don't think most guests judge an empty table on Friday night automatically as " Dead Beats". It's whether you show up for breakfast the next morning... If you don't show at either one, then you've earned the title...

Okay, got it. If you don't show for dinner or for the last breakfast- that must automatically mean you didn't tip?? (although I doubt very seriously that we'd skip breakfast.. that WOULD be the last free meal and can't get room service LOL) But can you tip then if you didn't do so the night before at the last dinner?

If you ever do manage to actually book and sail on a cruise, I think you'll better understand what the posters who have attempted to answer your many, many questions are trying to explain.

A) I HAVE already "managed" to actually book a cruise- deposit and insurance is paid for Feb 5th, 2005 Eastern Caribbean cruise- thank you very much! What do you mean if I ever do manage to actually book? As if I'm asking questions just playing around or something???? I assure you that I'm not- I've already got $1430 invested in the cruise... I'm not playing around- I'm gleaning as much info as I can from those more experienced like yourself!

B) I am understanding what you are trying to explain- I just don't particular agree with the idea of those that don't eat the last dinner MUST be trying to get around giving tips. I have not cruised yet- and did not know the last dinner was something "special" not to be missed. I'm still learning all this stuff.

 

[dianthus]

BBB~

Please read my post again, you read it wrong. The 2 servers I wrote about were NOT complaining at all. If it were not for our servers telling us what was going on, we would not have known by looking at them. They were professional and did not show to anyone they were concerned, which was admirable... If this party of 10 had paid their tip at GS, they certainly would have known, as they can check their account & they wouldn't have been concerned. Usually people show up to dinner, or breakfast if they are giving cash & give a personal thank you. A minimum tip of approx $475 for both servers is hard to forget about...

Tip skipping does happen quite a bit, as the many experienced cruisers on this thread posted. If you tip your servers properly, why would you care about what other cruisers think- if you choose not to go to dinner, or breakfast? If you are concerned, then by all means make Friday & Sat. morning breakfast a command performance... This IS exactly what the people who DO NOT tip do & it is very visible... That is the point so many posters on this thread are trying to make to you. Since Disney attracts a demographically high end customer, I would think it's a worse problem on some of the other cruiselines.

You can give tips at breakfast, but it is customary to give them the last night of the cruise. Breakfast the last morning is served at the same dining room you were in the previous evening by your servers. It would be pretty brazen to show up for all your meals & not give them a tip, but I guess that's been done too. You have the option to go to Topsiders for continental breakfast. Some people prefer to do this, as the early dining breakfast is at 6:30AM & it's too early for them.

It's your cruise, so you can do what you like on it. Quite a few people here are giving you the benefit of their knowledge. If laundry or packing up is important, do it & skip dinner. It's your time & money... Lots of people do Palo the last night & their dining room servers don't get stiffed for the week... Disney provides a great cruising experience & tries to make the last night in the dining rooms memorable. It's not just about the food... It's about the experience. I enjoy spending the last night in the dining room with my family, friends and servers that we've come to know & enjoy. But that's me.

Perhaps it's your writing style, but you are coming across as being confrontational. Maybe you do not realize it. We are all here to help. Just ask, please don't parse words...

 

[Lisa F]

The whole thing is really a lot more simple than it seems to be morphing into onto this thread. First of all, the whole cruise doesn't need to be about food in order for you to enjoy your last dinner. The vast majority of people REALLY enjoy their tablemates and the company of the server and dinner can be an "event" without pigging out. I have to tell you that we have had such great tablemates and servers that we looked forward to dinner every night regardless of what was being served and where. On our Palo night we didn't "double dip" because we were so stuffed from Palo but we DID get an early dinner at Palo and skip the show so we could catch up with our tablemates from the day while we sipped drinks and they enjoyed dinner.

Also, it's considered somewhat rude to just not show up for dinner for ANY of the days. Your server will generally serve the entire table at once and if you don't at least mention something like "hey, we have Palo tomorrow night so we won't be here for dinner" or "we have a late excursion tomorrow so we are going to miss dinner" it's pretty rude to expect the rest of your table to wait for you to show up and you never do.

It's ESPECIALLY rude on the last night if you just "don't show up" because yes, that is taken as a sign that you are intending to stiff on tip. Someone who is NOT intending to stiff on tip, even if they have Palo or other plans the last night, will say something on the second to last night like "we have Palo reservations tomorrow night, but we will see you at breakfast the next morning." Is that really so hard?

It almost seems like you are out to prove a point that one can possibly not go to the last dinner and still not stiff on tip. Yes, that is definately true if handled the right way. All you have to do is show a little class and let your servers know that you are indeed intending to see them one last time before you leave the ship even if you don't show up for dinner.

 

[RebeccaLovesDisney]

Don't automatically assume that just because someone doesn't show on the last night that they are stiffing the servers. We had Palo reservations on Friday night and weren't sure if we would make the 6:45 am breakfast on Saturday morning. So, we explained this to our servers and gave them their gratuities after dinner on Thursday night. People sitting around us maybe assumed we were deadbeats, but we knew we had done right by our servers.

BTW, on a different note, we were sorry we had made the Friday Palo res. This was our first cruise and we were trying not to miss any of the other "special" nights. Dinner at Palo was excellent, but the whole time, we said how much we missed our regular servers. The brunch was by far our favorite Palo meal!

 

[MrsPete]

Just a hypothetical question . . . suppose you're not into formal dining, you just don't want to bother with being dressed up, you don't want to bring the kiddos into the formal dining room. I'm certainly not describing myself here -- we loved dinners on our cruise -- this is a hypothetical question.

Anyway, suppose you planned to eat ALL your dinners at the buffet, Pluto's, or room service. You'd still need to tip your servers (because they work the buffet earlier in the day, which does benefit you). How would you do that? How would you know which ones were "yours"? Would it be rude to skip ALL dinners?

Completely different subject: I agree with the other posters who say that the last night of the cruise is kind of rushed. We had late dinner (which was our choice), but it left us with very little after-dinner time to get our suitcases packed and out by 11:00. I was thinking about packing during dinner, which I regret. And I promised the girls that I"d take them for one late-night swim after dinner -- and I always keep those kind of promises! Next time I'll do a good bit of packing on the last afternoon so it won't feel like such a chore late at night.

Completely off topic: Next time I'm going to bring along our oldest, nastiest pajamas so that we can just THROW THEM AWAY on the last day of the cruise. The less we have to hand-carry off, the better.

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

Originally posted by Lisa F
The whole thing is really a lot more simple than it seems to be morphing into onto this thread. First of all, the whole cruise doesn't need to be about food in order for you to enjoy your last dinner. The vast majority of people REALLY enjoy their tablemates and the company of the server and dinner can be an "event" without pigging out. I have to tell you that we have had such great tablemates and servers that we looked forward to dinner every night regardless of what was being served and where. On our Palo night we didn't "double dip" because we were so stuffed from Palo but we DID get an early dinner at Palo and skip the show so we could catch up with our tablemates from the day while we sipped drinks and they enjoyed dinner.

Also, it's considered somewhat rude to just not show up for dinner for ANY of the days. Your server will generally serve the entire table at once and if you don't at least mention something like "hey, we have Palo tomorrow night so we won't be here for dinner" or "we have a late excursion tomorrow so we are going to miss dinner" it's pretty rude to expect the rest of your table to wait for you to show up and you never do.

It's ESPECIALLY rude on the last night if you just "don't show up" because yes, that is taken as a sign that you are intending to stiff on tip. Someone who is NOT intending to stiff on tip, even if they have Palo or other plans the last night, will say something on the second to last night like "we have Palo reservations tomorrow night, but we will see you at breakfast the next morning." Is that really so hard?

It almost seems like you are out to prove a point that one can possibly not go to the last dinner and still not stiff on tip. Yes, that is definately true if handled the right way. All you have to do is show a little class and let your servers know that you are indeed intending to see them one last time before you leave the ship even if you don't show up for dinner.

I didn't say anything about pigging out.
??
I suppose I'm just not "getting it" because
A) I've never been on a cruise or any vacation where I had such wonderful servers that I just had to see them one more time and say goodbye- therefore just CAN'T miss the last dinner. It's an unknown to me. Perhaps I will feel the same at my first cruise. And neither have I ate with tablemates to make good friends with them and such as described. So I guess we're in for a new experience.
B) I'm not accustomed to needing to let servers know of our plans. Then again, I've never been on a cruise. I suppose I need to liken it to having a PS for a dinner meal at WDW every night and therefore needing to let them know if/when we won't be making it? See, I didn't know they made everyone wait for you. I thought it was just a vacation where you could eat at the dinners if you wanted to, don't if you don't want to. That WOULD be bad to have tablemates waiting on you if you don't plan on arriving! But we can't always be SURE of our dinner plans- a lot of it will depend on how we're feeling, our kids and how they are feeling, what plans we may have that we didn't anticipate days ahead of time/etc. But I will make a point to try to let them know ahead of time OR go tell them at dinnertime if we're not having dinner- so the tablemates won't have to wait!

As I said before- I wasn't aware that we HAD to pay the servers their tip directly. From what I had read it sounded like you could go to guest services and pay there- didn't know you needed to be at the last dinner and/or breakfast to pay them directly (cash or receipts). I know this now.... and will handle it accordingly because as this thread STARTED... I would hate to be wondering all week about a tip much LESS worrying at the end that the guests weren't going to tip at all- so I wouldn't want to cause them even more worrying!
No, it is not hard to let them know if you have palo reservations that you will still see them (or tip them on the last dinner you DO attend)- you're right. But it might be difficult if you miss it not because of Palo but because of other changes of plans or other reasons that you can't anticipate a day ahead of time. But it's okay- if that happens, I'll leave the kids with DH and run down there to let them know. I would be embarrassed myself if I didn't -and had my tablemates waiting on their meal because of it! Now THAT I would find extremely rude- and glad I know that now.

Please read my post again, you read it wrong. The 2 servers I wrote about were NOT complaining at all. If it were not for our servers telling us what was going on, we would not have known by looking at them.

As for those servers who were "supposedly" (but not definitely- maybe they paid it that morning during breakfast and the servers didn't know that yet?? could happen...) stiffed- they may not have thrown a "hissy fit"- but still through SOME servers (your own) you were made aware of them being upset/depressed/whatever that the dinners had not shown up that last night and they feared not getting a tip.

 

[WIcruizer]

I wanted to respond to the original post. Do I feel bad for the CMs? Let's see. I'm 20 years old and get to cruise through the Carribean for free with a bunch of other young people from various different countries. I learn more about myself and the world than if I stayed in my hometown and worked for Wal-Mart. Most college kids would kill for that opportunity, and those from other countries make far more than anything they could do in their home countries. As Americans, our perception of "fair" is far different than everyone else's.

Secondly, I just don't believe waiters get stiffed very often on DCL. Now I can picture one of those 3 or 4 day Carnival party cruises to Cozumel and back...I bet those servers get stiffed a lot!