Tipping when not eating in the main dining room?

[over50visits]

Hello-
We're booked for a spring cruise on the Fantasy. It's our third cruise. We ate breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the MDRs on the first two except for the CC days.

The kids are now older and I think they will enjoy the flexibility of other dining options including room service this cruise. Tipping, of course.

So, if we opt not dine in the MDR at all, do we have a moral and ethical obligation to tip the server, assistant, and the head guy? Can we pro-rate the daily tip on the occasional use of the MDR? What if the adults go to dinner and the kids eat up on deck?

Normally, I am a decent tipper--following the Disney guidelines and have noted superior service on comment cards by naming specific CMs.

Help.
Francesca in Ohio

When you book a Disney cruise, you reserve your server's time. They must be there for you, whether you show up or not. Your table is reserved for your, period. The standard tip would be in order, of course.

If you called a taxi, had him wait outside for an hour, then decided you didn't need him, do you owe anything? Of course! He sat there, unable to earn by serving someone else, because you had his time reserved for you. You never used his services directly, but he was there for you and no one else.

Disney does not offer an option to book a cruise without MDR dining. That's part of the deal. By booking, you accept that, and you have an obligation to compensate your services, of course. And, obviously, they serve you all day if you go to the buffet topside or eat at Castaway Cay.

You might even stop by one evening and give them the courtesy of telling them you won't be there for dinner.

 

[JohnDS]

The hamburger/cheeseburger is awesome as described above. I won't eat one on the top deck anymore after having one in Royal Court/Palace.

What makes these hamburgers so special?

 

[tweis]

What makes these hamburgers so special?

Nothing in my opinion.

My DH had one in RP but didn't think it was superior to the ones on deck or the ones offered on CC. YMMV

 

[JohnDS]

Nothing in my opinion.

My DH had one in RP but didn't think it was superior to the ones on deck or the ones offered on CC. YMMV

That's what I suspected.

 

[LilacBarries]

I traveled with my BFF (no kids with us) last year and once we realized we could have breakfast and lunch in the MDRs we never went back BBB. It was much quieter, easier to be seated and neither one of us are huge buffet people.

 

[MinnesotaMouseketeers]

Even if we decided to never eat during out dining rotation (never happen except for Palo or Remey) we would still tip our servers the suggested amount. As has been stated in other posts it isn't just dinner they are serving you; they are in the background during other meals as well. Serving at the buffets, cleaning up after you when your done, etc.

And, I know that the tips are a big part of their salary. I am not going to take that away from them because I decided not to eat there.

 

[FantasyDisneyFan]

Thanks for the information on tipping; I agree with you, they are working hard to make the overall experience a great one!

 

[ImDMous]

That's what I suspected.

The burgers we had in Triton's for lunch one day were completely different. Thick patty, grilled sourdough, grilled onions, big slab of cheese. More like a steakhouse burger than the fast food type on the pool deck.

 

[Disneyholic]

The servers are all over the ship during the day, sometimes serving you hamburgers or ice cream on the top deck or at Cabana's for lunch. So yes you still tip the servers. The head server I guess would be up to you but he too is in charge of the servers when they are at other postions on the ship so he still is doing his job.

I can't tell you how many times I saw our head server in Cabanas overseeing things or just generally up on deck making sure everything with food is taken care of. We also ran into our servers in Cabanas and the quick service areas also.

 

[SnowWhite2]

The burgers we had in Triton's for lunch one day were completely different. Thick patty, grilled sourdough, grilled onions, big slab of cheese. More like a steakhouse burger than the fast food type on the pool deck.

Yes, the burgers are hand pressed, thick, juicy, hot and delicious!

 

[undertheradar]

Thanks for the information on tipping; I agree with you, they are working hard to make the overall experience a great one!

Seriously, a 16 month bump?

 

[Ceryssa]

Total cruise newbie here--how do you make sure you tip your servers if you don't eat in the dining room? Are you able to charge tips all at once? Sorry for what I'm sure is a dumb question, but thanks for any info--I want to make sure we know what to do when we go!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Total cruise newbie here--how do you make sure you tip your servers if you don't eat in the dining room? Are you able to charge tips all at once? Sorry for what I'm sure is a dumb question, but thanks for any info--I want to make sure we know what to do when we go!

The gratuities are charged to your onboard account. The second to last night you will receive tip coupons and envelopes in your room. Each coupon indicates the person/position and amount being tipped. You tear off each coupon and put in the corresponding envelope and hand the out the last day.

If you don't plan on ever eating in the MDR, you can drop off the envelopes with the head server before dinner service, or with Guest Relations and they will get to the proper people. That being said, even if the people that your gratuities are going to don't get the coupon, they will still get them.

 

[bumbershoot]

16 month bump or not, it's still a good discussion.


Our server and assistant server were working everywhere. We had a double dip at Castaway and our main server was at Cookies both days working his rear off. Our assistant at was at Cabanas in the mornings, and was super-nice to us. Even brought me our specially ordered poached eggs when he saw it was us (instead of making us come back or wait for them).

But even if we hadn't seen them (and this was our 4th Dream cruise and was the first time we noticed OUR servers), we know they are working hard for people who aren't tipping them. And other people that aren't our servers are working hard *for us*. So it all evens out in the end, with us getting service from people we aren't tipping and others getting service from people we ARE tipping and they aren't.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

It has been know for DCL to make mistakes on Tip coupons ( happened to me twice) so ALWAYS give the tip coupons over, mistakes occur otherwise.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

16 month bump or not, it's still a good discussion.


Our server and assistant server were working everywhere. We had a double dip at Castaway and our main server was at Cookies both days working his rear off. Our assistant at was at Cabanas in the mornings, and was super-nice to us. Even brought me our specially ordered poached eggs when he saw it was us (instead of making us come back or wait for them).

But even if we hadn't seen them (and this was our 4th Dream cruise and was the first time we noticed OUR servers), we know they are working hard for people who aren't tipping them. And other people that aren't our servers are working hard *for us*. So it all evens out in the end, with us getting service from people we aren't tipping and others getting service from people we ARE tipping and they aren't.

Agree.

 

[squirrel]

I can't imagine missing all of the main dining room dinners. I have never missed one yet on all of my cruises. Maybe it's because I don't go out to eat at home very often. The servers are awesome, they learn your likes and dislikes. Last year on the WBTA (14 nights) our servers got to know us well. I'm not sure if I tell them the first night every cruise or not but they know that I don't want sauces on my plate. They won't serve it if it's wrong.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

I can't imagine missing all of the main dining room dinners. I have never missed one yet on all of my cruises. Maybe it's because I don't go out to eat at home very often. The servers are awesome, they learn your likes and dislikes. Last year on the WBTA (14 nights) our servers got to know us well. I'm not sure if I tell them the first night every cruise or not but they know that I don't want sauces on my plate. They won't serve it if it's wrong.

Agree but each to their own, I. only miss for Remy Palo or to eat in my room, ie Palo in my room.

 

[Ceryssa]

The gratuities are charged to your onboard account. The second to last night you will receive tip coupons and envelopes in your room. Each coupon indicates the person/position and amount being tipped. You tear off each coupon and put in the corresponding envelope and hand the out the last day.

If you don't plan on ever eating in the MDR, you can drop off the envelopes with the head server before dinner service, or with Guest Relations and they will get to the proper people. That being said, even if the people that your gratuities are going to don't get the coupon, they will still get them.

Thank you! I can't imagine we wouldn't be eating there every night, but probably good to know just in case!

 

[MeganTennis]

You should still tip because the same servers work the breakfasts, lunches, and quick serve dining areas.