Tipping Poll

[Mickeyhugger]

Why would you tip the recommended amount for bad service?

I also question this...We had bad service on a RCCL cruise and I felt no obligation to tip the recommended amount. In fact I gave the assistant server only $10 and that was being generous. Tipping is for service performed

Rob

 

[WDWKevin]

I also question this...We had bad service on a RCCL cruise and I felt no obligation to tip the recommended amount. In fact I gave the assistant server only $10 and that was being generous. Tipping is for service performed

Rob

And this is where I disagree with you. These people depend on their tips. If someone is not happy with their servers, speak to management and ask for a different server. At the very least, at the first sign of your unhappiness with the server, speak to them and let them know your issues.

 

[piscesborn]

And this is where I disagree with you. These people depend on their tips. If someone is not happy with their servers, speak to management and ask for a different server. At the very least, at the first sign of your unhappiness with the server, speak to them and let them know your issues.

Exactly, You cant expect to get better service if you don't say anything. I do not feel sorry for anyone who goes on a cruise has sub-par service doesn't complain until tipping time. Bad service should be stopped from the first sign.

 

[hawaiian mickey]

aloha,
I always tip over the recommend tip. I basically put the basic tip on my room charge an always give cash in the envelope. Only once where we tipped less than the recommended for our server an that was on our 7 day Mexican Riveira. Even though we ate only 3 times in the main dining rooms we expected good service. I think that since we only ate there 3x he would not get tipped well. If he had worked hard on those 3 days he would have had a great tip. He just assumed wrong. He could not get our order right and very condesending. We gave him his tip on the last night. We did not even see him the next morning. We were served by the head server. We wrote his conduct on the survey and hand delivered it to guest service.
Our last cruise we had Dennis and Miki. We had Dennis on our first cruise an he is the best server we've had. An we have been on at least 5 cruise. He went to our friends room an delivered breakfast for his wife because she was not feeling well. that was way beyond the call of duty.
Miki was great to our drinks and service was excellent. He made my Earl Grey ice tea perfect evry night we were there.
Even though we only ate 4x in the dining room we were always given excellent service. Even though we did not eat in the main dining room on our last night we told Dennis and Miki we would be by to see them that night. They were just happy to see us.
We told not to worry we would take care of them even thought they servered only a few times.
If every server and assistant server were like these 2 everyone would have a great experience. We hope we can have them when we sail on DCL on12/05/09.


aloha,
hawaiian mickey

 

[piscesborn]

aloha,
I always tip over the recommend tip. I basically put the basic tip on my room charge an always give cash in the envelope. Only once where we tipped less than the recommended for our server an that was on our 7 day Mexican Riveira. Even though we ate only 3 times in the main dining rooms we expected good service. I think that since we only ate there 3x he would not get tipped well. If he had worked hard on those 3 days he would have had a great tip. He just assumed wrong. He could not get our order right and very condesending. We gave him his tip on the last night. We did not even see him the next morning. We were served by the head server. We wrote his conduct on the survey and hand delivered it to guest service.
Our last cruise we had Dennis and Miki. We had Dennis on our first cruise an he is the best server we've had. An we have been on at least 5 cruise. He went to our friends room an delivered breakfast for his wife because she was not feeling well. that was way beyond the call of duty.
Miki was great to our drinks and service was excellent. He made my Earl Grey ice tea perfect evry night we were there.
Even though we only ate 4x in the dining room we were always given excellent service. Even though we did not eat in the main dining room on our last night we told Dennis and Miki we would be by to see them that night. They were just happy to see us.
We told not to worry we would take care of them even thought they servered only a few times.
If every server and assistant server were like these 2 everyone would have a great experience. We hope we can have them when we sail on DCL on12/05/09.


aloha,
hawaiian mickey

I have been on 5 cruises... I have ALWAYS had the same server except for my 2nd cruise. Wayan and Ray are the best. Ray always remembered what I like to drink and Wayan always remembered what I like to eat and how I like it cooked. Without a doubt they are in the elite, much like your two servers that you quoted, they know what the Disney Difference is!

 

[dursin]

And this is where I disagree with you. These people depend on their tips. If someone is not happy with their servers, speak to management and ask for a different server. At the very least, at the first sign of your unhappiness with the server, speak to them and let them know your issues.

If people depend on their tips, then they should work on actually earning them. I'm in agreement with the previous poster. If service falls below my expectations then the resulting gratuity will likely be below the expectations of the person receiving it. That said, I do most definitely make an attempt up front to make the person aware that I'm not happy and in 3 Disney cruises, I've only had to reduce a gratuity one time and that was for a stateroom host who just couldn't seem to get anything right and therefore earned and received a gratuity around two-thirds of what the recommended amount was. Even 'shoreside', I tip 15% as a base tip and work from there. If my expectations are exceeded, that goes up. If service falls short, the tip will as well.

 

[All Things Simba]

Hi there DCL cruisers!

Thought I'd ask a poll question:

Do you....A. tip THE suggested amounts, B. tip OVER the suggested amounts, C. tip UNDER the suggested amounts, or... D. NOT tip at all (and skip the last dinner...we've seen lots of empty tables!).

Thanks! Just curious!

One more question please:

If you charge the tips to your stateroom don't these tips have to be reported by the servers for tax purposes? If you tip them in cash I would think they would actually make more money by not having to report it.

We tipped in cash on our last cruise and will again on this cruise. We will probably also add some phone cards to the envelopes.

We also made a point to fill out a comment card for any exceptional cast member, and it happened to be a guest services woman from South Africa.

Thanks!

 

[dursin]

One more question please:

If you charge the tips to your stateroom don't these tips have to be reported by the servers for tax purposes? If you tip them in cash I would think they would actually make more money by not having to report it.

We tipped in cash on our last cruise and will again on this cruise. We will probably also add some phone cards to the envelopes.

We also made a point to fill out a comment card for any exceptional cast member, and it happened to be a guest services woman from South Africa.

Thanks!

You're supposed to report tips as income regardless of how they are payed. I really don't think that should be a consideration when determining whether to leave a gratuity in cash or charge them.

 

[Presentation]

If people depend on their tips, then they should work on actually earning them.

I agree with you dursin

 

[Mickeyhugger]

And this is where I disagree with you. These people depend on their tips. If someone is not happy with their servers, speak to management and ask for a different server. At the very least, at the first sign of your unhappiness with the server, speak to them and let them know your issues.

Several of us spoke directly to our servers about the problems on different nights and when the Head guy/Manager came around we ALL spoke to him about the issues/problems and nothing changed.So for those reasons we all left reduced tips!

Rob

 

[bigbootee]

Hi there DCL cruisers!

Thought I'd ask a poll question:

Do you....A. tip THE suggested amounts, B. tip OVER the suggested amounts, C. tip UNDER the suggested amounts, or... D. NOT tip at all (and skip the last dinner...we've seen lots of empty tables!).

Thanks! Just curious!

B. We over tipped, but the service was excellent. Head Servere actually mad us three special dinners in addition tothe regualr menus.

 

[Brooke3L]

Do you tip when you order a bucket of beer? From what I understand tips are included in the drinks correct
When you get your ticket at there is a place to tip I felt obligated since the lady did bring it to me while I was lounging by the pool.
what would you guys recommend?

 

[Mickeyhugger]

Do you tip when you order a bucket of beer? From what I understand tips are included in the drinks correct
When you get your ticket at there is a place to tip I felt obligated since the lady did bring it to me while I was lounging by the pool.
what would you guys recommend?

15% is already add in and there is a line to add an additional amount

Rob

 

[shasess]

If people depend on their tips, then they should work on actually earning them. I'm in agreement with the previous poster. If service falls below my expectations then the resulting gratuity will likely be below the expectations of the person receiving it. That said, I do most definitely make an attempt up front to make the person aware that I'm not happy and in 3 Disney cruises, I've only had to reduce a gratuity one time and that was for a stateroom host who just couldn't seem to get anything right and therefore earned and received a gratuity around two-thirds of what the recommended amount was. Even 'shoreside', I tip 15% as a base tip and work from there. If my expectations are exceeded, that goes up. If service falls short, the tip will as well.

I aree with this!

 

[WDWKevin]

Only US Crew Members have taxes withheld from their pay. For crew members from other nations, it is their responsibility to report their income based on the laws of their nation.

 

[piscesborn]

You're supposed to report tips as income regardless of how they are payed. I really don't think that should be a consideration when determining whether to leave a gratuity in cash or charge them.

Just as an FYI unless your server is from the United States, they do not have taxes deducted from their checks. If they are from the States then they would have to report all tips and wages as income. Now weather they report cash tips as income or not is their responsibility I would assume.

 

[WDWKevin]

15% is already add in and there is a line to add an additional amount

Rob

Actually 18% is added in automatically on all beverages. Generally, if it is a regular server that I go to and takes good care of me, I put more. Otherwise, I leave it at 18%.

 

[kcashner]

Just as an FYI unless your server is from the United States, they do not have taxes deducted from their checks. If they are from the States then they would have to report all tips and wages as income. Now weather they report cash tips as income or not is their responsibility I would assume.

Right--the ships are registered in the Bahamas, so are not subject to US laws. It is the responsibility of each worker to comply with the laws of their home country.

Has anyone ever met a server or assistant from the US? I haven't in 17 cruises!

 

[lillygator]

I'm not sure where you got that from or what the pay rates are now. But when I was working for the mouse in the 80's (I was still in HS and college), my pay was way above the minimum wage. And the zoo crew got more and that was working 15 minutes of every hour.

My apologies if Disney is no longer paying at those levels. It would definately shock me if Disney is now paying minimum wages.



OK, I am responding to a comment made over 3 years ago. Sorry about that, but I thought this was a recent thread.

my sister was a cm that dressed in costume...she was paid around 6.75 per hour two years ago. They are not paid well.

 

[jrabbit]

There are two dining managers per dining room. Our favorite is Fitz. They oversee the head servers, who oversee the serving teams. They circulate in the dining room taking care of problems as they arise. They are the ones who "put out the fires" with guests or problems with servers. They are usually the people you see at the podium in the jackets when you enter the dining rooms and they direct a server to show you to your table your first evening in each of the dining rooms.

I thought that the "Jacket" people were the Head Servers NOT the dinning room manager. Serving you, there are the Server and Assistant Server. Above them is the Jacket Person - the "Head Server". At least that is who I gave my tip to last week!

In the Med 2007 we had Fitz as a Head Server. We saw him again on our last cruise (working at Topsiders, keeping thing clean!) - he was working on a different rotation than we were eating on .