Tipping Poll

[jrabbit]

Oh and back to the original question - we usually tip over the recomended amount - except for the head server. They usually get only the recommended amount. (that was the head server - the person that might come to your table most nights for a minute max, not the person that takes your order and brings your food).

 

[lbgraves]

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 .

There are two levels of jackets.

 

[kcashner]

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 .

The server and assistant server are the two you see the most--server brings food, asst. brings drinks (yes, they do more, but keeping it simple). Above them is the head server who handles several teams of server/asst. server. They are the "is everything all right" guys that you should see every night. If there is a problem or if things aren't flowing well, they should correct it. In addition, they deal with special food needs (allergies, etc.) as well as celebrations. There are 4 or 5 of them in each dining room.

Above the head servers is the dining room manager. He is responsible for everything in the dining rooms. The head servers and the dining room managers wear the same "costumes."

 

[All Things Simba]

So ... how many people do the wait staff serve per dinner seating anyway? 4 tables, 6 tables? Maybe 24 people per seating?
Has anyone noticed at all?

 

[All Things Simba]

Just back from our Eastern Caribbean cruise to St. Croix.
Had a great time.... but the servers were definetely not as much fun as the ones we had on our Panama canal cruise in '05.
My brother-in-law kept referring to our main server as "pin cushion"... no real emotions and didn't pick up on our requests at all.

I looked around each night and it seems our 2 servers had 3 tables... a table of 8, a table of 6, and our table of 4.. so that's 18 people.
(So the main server should technically receive $504/week in tips)

However, of the other 2 tables... only a couple (guy & gal) actually showed up to dine each night! (our party of 4 showed up for dinner every night but one due to our Palo reservation)

Our servers probably didn't receive their typical weekly tips on this cruise!

 

[mrstbalt]

Do people ever tip or do something for the staff in the kids clubs? I have also heard of people leaving or in addition to tips, gift cards to Walmart or a phone card.

 

[tinkerbeth]

I'm interested in the tipping idea for the kids' clubs people too.

Also, does anyone ever tip at the beginning of the cruise? my parents frequent all inclusive resort type places and they swear by tipping the servers, etc right at the beginning. These are non-disney places so I'm not sure if it applies...

Thanks!

Beth

 

[cyndik1111]

We just got off the magic a few weeks ago. I asked some CMs about tipping and gifts and such. They all said MONEY is what they want. (they weren't that forward, but when we pressed the issue, that's what they wanted) They said candy and gift cards etc were nice, but if they had their choice they wanted cash. (either cold hard cash or charges- either was good)
We asked about a bottle of wine and they said that would be nice. They have to get approval from their supervisor. Then they can have it. Phone cards were not needed anymore, they all have cell phones.
Kids' club CMs have to share everything.
We tried to pay our tips on day 2 (I knew our CMs were good) but the service desk wouldn't let me. They made me wait until Wed. night. They said, what if I didn't like the service, they weren't going to give me my money back.

 

[Evil Queen 2]

I tried to do my "charge" tips on early in the week but they wouldn't let me until Wednesday. We always add cash to the charged tips.

I think most of the teams handle about 18 people for each dinner seating. One of our tablemates had learned how to do some of the fancy napkin folding and was trying to show the rest of how to do it. Our server teased her saying he needed a total of 18 to cover all his tables.

 

[CanadianDisneyDad]

We just got back and before we sailed we were really wondering about the tipping. However after our first few days by the time we were done we over tipped everyone excpet the Head Server as we never talked to him. Our table server and assiastnat server and stateroom attendant we FANTASTIC

cheers

 

[All Things Simba]

I tried to do my "charge" tips on early in the week but they wouldn't let me until Wednesday. We always add cash to the charged tips.

I think most of the teams handle about 18 people for each dinner seating. One of our tablemates had learned how to do some of the fancy napkin folding and was trying to show the rest of how to do it. Our server teased her saying he needed a total of 18 to cover all his tables.

With the main server receiving the "requested" $28 per person, times 18 guests, plus the $50 per week someone said they get paid by DCL, that server would make $554 per week or $2,216 per month... that's a lot more than an average person's salary! No wonder why our main server said he was going to do his job til his kids started college back home in the Phillipines and then start his own business there!

We did give every tipped position a phone card ... sounds like that was an oops! Oh well, hoping our next cruise assigns us more magical servers!

 

[CanadianDisneyDad]

With the main server receiving the "requested" $28 per person, times 18 guests, plus the $50 per week someone said they get paid by DCL, that server would make $554 per week or $2,216 per month... that's a lot more than an average person's salary! No wonder why our main server said he was going to do his job til his kids started college back home in the Phillipines and then start his own business there!

We did give every tipped position a phone card ... sounds like that was an oops! Oh well, hoping our next cruise assigns us more magical servers!

Yes with the tips they make some pretty decent money. But you have to remember they have 6 month contracts and work at least 80 hours a week and our stateroom host worked 110 hours plus. We did have some very good chats with all these people during our cruise. Our main server is from Indonesia (sp??) and because he is the oldest he is responsiable for his family back home. Most people we met and chatted with were from second and third world countries and supported family back home. We did met a few from Europe and the Americas but few and far between.

cheers

 

[Tent Camping Mom]

Why would you tip the recommended amount for bad service?

Because there is no excuse for bad service and there is no reason for someone to not say anything the first night they receive bad service...it can be rectified by the Head Server and if not then the Dining Room Manager. I think everyone should tip the recommended amount, no matter what happens (unless, of course, they refuse to feed you for 7 nights ).

 

[HallsofVA]

I use the recommended tip amounts as a guideline, and adjust up or down depending on the level of service.

I have decreased the head server's tips due to lack of visability. On our last cruise, I greatly increased our room stewardess' tip. We were in the Roy suite and that is just a lot of room to clean! She did an awesome job and was responsive to our every request. I don't know if the folks who clean the suites get paid more than the ones that clean the other rooms, but it seems like they'd be able to clean fewer rooms given the size of some of the suites, which could decrease their tips regardless of service!

 

[All Things Simba]

I think everyone should tip the recommended amount, no matter what happens (unless, of course, they refuse to feed you for 7 nights ).

NCL: The service charges of $10 per adult per day ($5 per kid) are automatically added and are divided among a pool of crew members.
Carnival: On the first night of the voyage, guests receive a letter explaining the distribution of the suggested tip amounts ($10 per person per day divided between cabin steward, dining room staff, etc.) and are made aware of what amount goes to whom. They are also advised that they have discretion as to the amounts and the distribution of the tips themselves.

I think DCL works out to about $12 per person per day on a 7 day cruise.

We're already paying more for a Disney cruise than other cruise lines... and then we're asked to tip the staff more than the other cruise lines.
I tip according to the level of service. If Disney's recommendations were mandatory, their recommendd tipping amounts would already be on our bill. Because they are not mandatory, the staff has to earn their tip. Just like in the parks .... when we're asked... "are you on the dining plan?"... we saw a difference when on the dining plan... the servers relaxed and weren't as attentive because they knew they'd be getting the 18% tip no matter what. We had better service without the dining plan because they had to earn their tips.

This is probably the reason DCL won't allow you to pre-pay the tips the 1st night of the cruise... they want you to evaluate your service first.

 

[WDWKevin]

NCL: The service charges of $10 per adult per day ($5 per kid) are automatically added and are divided among a pool of crew members.
Carnival: On the first night of the voyage, guests receive a letter explaining the distribution of the suggested tip amounts ($10 per person per day divided between cabin steward, dining room staff, etc.) and are made aware of what amount goes to whom. They are also advised that they have discretion as to the amounts and the distribution of the tips themselves.

I think DCL works out to about $12 per person per day on a 7 day cruise.

We're already paying more for a Disney cruise than other cruise lines... and then we're asked to tip the staff more than the other cruise lines.
I tip according to the level of service. If Disney's recommendations were mandatory, their recommendd tipping amounts would already be on our bill. Because they are not mandatory, the staff has to earn their tip. Just like in the parks .... when we're asked... "are you on the dining plan?"... we saw a difference when on the dining plan... the servers relaxed and weren't as attentive because they knew they'd be getting the 18% tip no matter what. We had better service without the dining plan because they had to earn their tips.

Here is the deal, the recommended service is equivalent to 15% at a normal restaurant. IMHO, there is NO reason to tip below that amount other than someone being cheap. If the service is that bad, ask for a different server. Yes, DCL recommends higher tips than other lines because as a whole, the service is far better with Disney. I assure you with Disney, management takes complaints against crew very seriously, sometime to seriously seeing how some guests stretch the truth. If they get three complaints, they are not rehired and may be asked to leave.

This is probably the reason DCL won't allow you to pre-pay the tips the 1st night of the cruise... they want you to evaluate your service first.

The reason you can't pay tips first few nights is due to dining changes. They need time to get last minute changes into the system so that the tips go to the right server.

 

[golfermike35]

Looking forward to our 5/2 7 night Western!! It's been 20 years since our last cruise!

I know the guidelines for tipping for adults (and I usually tip more than the recommended amount) but what about tipping for our 13 month old who doesn't require the same level of service??

 

[All Things Simba]

I don't feel that tipping under the recommendation is being "cheap".
We've always tipped according to service.
The servers asked us for feedback the 2nd night, we told them what bothered us, and they didn't change.
And, on pirate night, our four bandanas stayed right in the middle of the table! Neither of our servers made anything of them.

We're not the type of people to complain to the head server.... we did get served - but the service was just ok.
We also had brunch and dinner in Palo which we paid a lot extra to do... and therefore did not use our servers at those times.

We are in agreement with those that say they tip according to the quality of service. We had outstanding service at our dinner in Palo and over tipped without hesitation.

DCL had no issues with how we filled out our gratuity sheet. We had an assistant server on the 1st and last night, liked his replacement sooo much that we actually tipped the assistant server more than the main server! Disney did not question how we tipped and the servers know they have to work a little harder with the next cruisers.

 

[mrstbalt]

I don't like paying tips early, I want to wait to see what kind of service I receive frist.
Do you still give a full tip even if you don't use your server at all one day?

 

[pouncingpluto]

We tip the suggested amount, but up it if we are really impressed with a particular person. We were super impressed with our cabin steward on a past Celebrity cruise, and on our most recent Disney cruise, we loved our waitstaff.

We would also lower a tip, but we would have to be pretty unhappy with someone to do that, and it hasn't happened yet.