tipping question

[Pammy jo]

If your children don't eat with you, instead are eating while at the Ocean Club, do you still tip the waiter for that night?

 

[ivanova]

IMHO, yes.

The tips are pooled & split among all the servers - including those that serve you @ breakfast & lunch. So just because someone in your group skips a meal in the restaurant, you shouldn't reduce the amount of the tip (because you are still receiving service elsewhere at other times).

 

[lbgraves]

I sure hope that this isn't true! We gave our servers more than the requested amount because of their wonderful service during the week. I would hate to think that someone who gave lesser service & received a lesser tip would get the same amount in the end.

 

[mouseclick1]

Yes, I would still tip at least the recommended amount.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Originally posted by ivanova
The tips are pooled & split among all the servers - including those that serve you @ breakfast & lunch.

I agree that the dinner servers should be tipped even if a child eats some or all dinners through a kids' club.

I don't believe it's correct to say that all dinner tips are pooled.

However, it is correct to say that the dinner tips are really for breakfast, lunch, dinner, buffets, snacks, food of Castaway Cay, and all other food service during the cruise -- regardless of who is serving you. That's because the dinner servers also work the other meals -- including the meals that the kids eat when, for example, they go to lunch at Animator's Palette with the kids' club counselors.

So, you're tipping your dinner servers, and other passengers are tipping their dinner servers. You may be served breakfast by their servers, and they may be served by yours, and it all works out -- as long as you tip your dinner servers for everyone in your party, and others do the same.

 

[inkkognito]

I too would tip for the kids, even if they aren't there. The chairs they would have occupied aren't filled by anyone else, so if you don't tip, that's missed money for the server. Even if I ate at Palo every night, I would still give my regular dining room servers the full tip.
Barb
Visit the Platinum Castaway Club at: www.castawayclub.com

 

[kcashner]

Yes, you should still tip your server the "recommended" amount for the kids even if they didn't eat with you.

Tips are not pooled. Your server keeps the tips you give him/her. However, as has been stated, the tips do reflect the service he/she gave to SOMEONE at breakfast and lunch, even though it might not have been you. And his income was based on your child's place tipping, even if the chair went un-occupied. It is not customary to tip at breakfast or lunch, although they certainly won't refuse a tip if you leave it. The single tip for the week reflects all the dining room services received for the week (well, 3 tips, to waiter, assistant, and head)

Tips to bar staff (the automatic 15%) are pooled and divided among those persons doing bar duty. It is my understanding that any additional tip you add goes to the person who served you the soda or drink.

 

[ivanova]

My mistake - when someone told me tips were pooled, I thought they meant everyone, they were talking about the drink servers/bar tabs.

 

[MamaCrush]

I'm a bit confused or maybe I'm just not following this discussion correctly. It's my understanding that you don't tip at the time of the meal(s), but rather do one big tip at the end of the cruise. Am I wrong? I like the idea of not having to worry about tipping each time I sit down, and be able to just tip away when the time comes. But more importantly, I don't want to penalize my servers just because I don't understand the sytem. Can someone enlighten me??

 

[crisi]

You tip at the end of the cruise. You will be given four envelopes labled "Server, Assistant Server, Stateroom Host, Dining Room Host" (or something like that). Tuck cash or your receipt from Guest Services if you charge tips into the envelope and hand them out the last evening - generally around dessert time.

You MAY want to bring notecards - if your service has been really good, personalizing the tip with a notecard is a nice touch.

The exception is room service (a cash tip at the time of service), porters (cash tip at time of service), drinks (there is an automatic 15% gratuity - if you want to add some, there is a line on the receipt to do so - some people like to do this particularly on CC, where the waitstaff walks the beach with your drinks and it isn't a short walk), Spa treatments (don't know, I'd expect this would work like drinks).

 

[MamaCrush]

Thanks! Just as I hoped!

Another nice touch I read about here was giving international phone cards to those who cannot accept cash (i.e. kids club counselors) or for those you want to give something extra to. I thought that was great.

I can tell all ready this board-- or more specifically the people participating on it-- will add so much to the enjoyment of our cruise. Thanks again!