Do you tip even if you don't eat? About This Page:

[hollypoast]

Do you still tip your waitstaff for evenings you don't eat in the dining room? For example, if we only eat in the dining room 5 out of the 7 nights on a cruise do we still base our tips on 7?

[Moxrox]

Originally Posted by hollypoast

Do you still tip your waitstaff for evenings you don't eat in the dining room? For example, if we only eat in the dining room 5 out of the 7 nights on a cruise do we still base our tips on 7?

We tip based on performance, regardless of the length of time or number of days spent in the dining rooms. I have no qualms about not tipping for poor service, but I also tip well if they do a good job.

Last week, our drink server was Audrey, from France, and she was, by far, the best we have had in 5 cruises. We tipped her quite well and wrote a very nice comment about her for the survey.

[JEB13]

Standard tipping ediquette is based upon length of cruise not by use. I did the mental math of the $$ value of one of the 4 course meals at a Disney sit-down restaruant, and then calulated a 17% tip then multiplied by 7 nights. The cruise suggested tip equated to about a 9% tip per meal by value. Although it sounds like a lot of money, lump sum per person, the suggested tip is a good deal. ANd a good starting point, too.

[MickeyWatch]

We tip for every night, even if we eat somewhere else. Keep in mind that the waiters on the cruise are basically working for their tips. If you aren't at the table one night, there is not a replacement party to take your place at the table. We always give them at least the suggested minimum, often more, even if we dine at Palo or Top Siders a few nights.

[lukeandbrookesmom]

Originally Posted by JEB13

Standard tipping ediquette is based upon length of cruise not by use.

We always tip based on the length of stay

[jhoshowski]

Servers also work breakfast, lunch, and at other meal locations. It is customary to tip the recommended amount, no matter where you eat. A great site to help with tips can be found here: Cruise Tip Calculator - Your automated guide to Cruise Tips

[Colexis Mom]

We tipped on length of cruise!

[marisag]

We always tip on the length of the cruise. As others have said- they depend on their tips and if yyou are not there no one is going to take your place.

[HeatherD]

It was touched upon, but also keep in mind that you don't tip for your breakfasts and lunched directly. So, even if you skip a night or 2 in the dining rooms, you probably ate at Topsiders/BBB for breakfast or lunch; or had a sit down in Lumiere's for lunch one day, etc., without tipping...it more than makes up for it in the long run.

[hollypoast]

Thanks everyone. Not trying to get out of tipping my fair share, just didn't know the answer. I'm working on my envelopes now.

[JackiePsarianos]

We do leave the gratuity, because they work so hard to begin with, we just feel guilty if we don't.

[aliceinwdw]

Ooo I'm so excited that I even get to ask (DH booked us for the DVC Memers Cruise this am, but figured this thread would be where to ask the cruising experts! ) and since we have never been on any cruise (much less a Disney one!) I would love to hear the proper etiquette about tipping too!

I'm not meaning to completely hijack this thread () but just for a newbie's sake, when is the included tip included; i.e. breakfast and lunch yes, but dinner no (as in you should tip your waiters/waitress at every dinner)?

THANKS!!! Soooooo excited!!

[Dave Marx]

Tipping is not done for every meal, except if you dine at Palo (tip your Palo server at that meal), or if you order-in room service. You have the same server staff for all regular dinners, and they're tipped one time, at the end of the cruise, for the service rendered throughout the cruise. There's no tipping for your breakfast and lunch servers at all (except again, for Palo brunch). In most cases you will not have your regular servers at breakfast and lunch.

The way we look at it is, the tip you give your own servers at the end of the cruise covers all the meals they worked, regardless of whether they were serving you at each of those meals. Overall, the servers' motive for giving good service at breakfast and lunch (which they do) is to keep the guests satisfied. That way, all the servers stand a better chance of getting well-tipped at the end (in essence, what goes around comes around).

You'll sometimes find your dinner server doing unexpected things at other meals - handing out trays and cutlery at the front of a buffet line, clearing tables, etc. They're hardworking folks, and they get very little, if anything, in wages - most of their income comes from their gratuity.

[poohs4me]

We also tip for length of trip and add to the recommended if we feel the staff has gone above and beyond.

[aliceinwdw]

Thanks!