Yet another tipping ?

[allears]

I know this is probably on here dozens of times, but I'm trying to work on our on board budget. Can any recent Magic cruisers share with me the latest recommendations for the tipping amounts for room stewards, head server, asst. server, server? I'm mostly trying to work this out for two aunts who are going to be with us. We gave them the cruise for Christmas and want to cover some of their expenses on board by pre-paying their shipboard accounts.

Thanks for your help!

 

[alexandrew]

check out **********************

 

[TraSee]

Disney Guidelines suggest for a 7 day cruise:

Stateroom host/hostess ... 25.25
Dining Room Server ... 25.75
Dining Room Asst. Server ... 18.75
Dining Room Head Server ... 6.50

These amounts are for each guest per cruise.

 

[allears]

Thanks!!

 

[TinkHappy]

Dining Room Head Server ... 6.50???
Please don't flame me!!! , but I was under the impression that the Dining Room Head Server was by "choice" am I wrong?

 

[allears]

I'm pretty sure it is the Dining room manager that is by choice. The head server is definitely recommended. I our case on the last two trips the head server has been awesome! We went above the recommended amounts.

 

[kcashner]

Head server is a recommended tipping amount of $6.50. This is not the guy who is over the whole dining room. He is over a group of servers. There are a couple of head servers in each dining room. Then there is another guy over them who is a "choice" situation.

THe head server is the guy who takes care of any special requests, etc. Of course, your server also does this......but DD always has a special request for one night..... Good ones show up at least once a night to be sure everything is ok, and should be around to help if things get tight and your server needs a hand. Of course, some don't help out nearly as much as others.....

 

[LenDVC92]

On our first cruise, (3-day Wonder), we never saw or heard from the head server until she came around at breakfast on disembarkation day looking for her tip - which she didn't get. Instead I had given the extra to our assistant server who had gone above and beyond in terms of service.

On our second cruiuse, (7-day Eastern), the head server was more available. He did check in from time to time, and helped unscrew a special request that had gotten messed up. In that case I did tip the recommended amount.

The bottom line is to tip for the service you get. If it meets your expectations, tip the recommended amounts. If it doesn't, tip less. And of course, tip more for exceptional service.

 

[JC Butterfly]

so this dining manager position is "optional". Do you suppose many people tip this person? Are they less reliant on tips than the other people? Would I ever have direct contact with this person to even know who to give the tip to?

 

[kcashner]

The head server and the dining room manager are 2 different people. THere is one dining room manager for each dining room. You generally will not see this person except that he is one of the guys standing by the door when you come in, and he is not a suggested tipping person.

The head server is the "boss" over a group of about 10 servers. There are about 3 head servers in each dining room, one of whom is assigned to your table as the supervisor of your server and assistant. You SHOULD see this person each evening. He/she should come by just to ask how everything is and to give you a chance to ask questions or make special requests. In addition, he will sometimes come by to help out your server (if he's a good guy....like when your server has 20 lobsters to crack open). This is a tipped position--the suggestion is $6.50 on a 7 day cruise. IF you never meet this person, by all means, skip his tip. He didn't do his job. If, on the other hand, your DD had requested a chocolate birthday cake (instead of the standard white) and he has arranged with the chef to meet this request, then he has earned his tip. If the flowers that your husband ordered show up at your place at dinner, he has earned his tip (he took care of this). If he comes by and asks if you have any questions about the island you are scheduled to visit the next day, etc....he is earning his bucks. Bottom line, if you speak to him each night he is doing his job. If he comes by on the last night with his hand out and that's the first time you've seen him, you don't owe him a thing.

 

[SeaSpray]

We tipped the head server last year on our RCI cruise because he came to our table every night, on the night before lobster night he reminded us that lobster was to be served the next evening (we were in Bermuda and on Wednesday evening they have a street fair and many people stay off the ship for dinner and miss the lobster because they didnt know it was lobster night), on lobster night he helped many people at our table to crack open their lobster tails, etc. Had he not done any of the above, we probably wouldn't have tipped him. We felt he did what he was supposed to and didn't have any reservations about tipping him I'm hoping we get the same service from our DCL head server this month!