Tipping @ Specialty Restaurants.

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Noni

Guest
Ok Ok....call me cheap but I wonder if we are to tip the waiters, etc when we dine at the Specialty Restaurants? Is this what the $25 per person fee covers? Just need to plan ahead as I always put my expected tip money for stewards, waiters, etc. in envelopes before the cruise so I don't have to bother going to purser's desk before the cruise ends.
 
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paulfredo

Guest
We didn't tip additional... but the got a gratuity in the expensive wine I ordered!

paulfredo
 
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ruth

Guest
Why would anyone pay more money [$50 per couple] to have dinner when the dinners in the dining room are so wonderful? What more can you get? Service? It seems the service, food, etc. is already supurb so why pay again for something you have already paid for? Is this just another way for the cruise lines to get more money from an already very expensive trip?
 
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paulfredo

Guest
Actually, the cruise lines claim that the alternative restaurant isn't a profit center... they actually don't "make" money. They do it as a service because they have had so many surveys that indicated it's something that pax want. The additional charge is to cover the gratuity to the staff, and for the additional costs of preparing special meals.

The food quality in the dining room is very good... the food in the specialty restaurant is excellent. Service in the dining room is very good... and in the specialty reataurant it was a show. My favorite cruise foods all came from the Normandie. For those who don't want to pay the extra charge... that's fine... the dining room is more than adequate. However, the food and the service in the specialty restaurant is special, and there are many of us who enjoy a night (or two) in these venues.

paulfredo
 
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Noni

Guest
We definately plan to visit the Normandie on our Summit cruise. We will be joined by two other couples we met on our cruise last winter. A special night I look forward too. I believe we are going to try to dine there on the second night so we will all head to make reservations as soon as we board.
 
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BP

Guest
Well said by paulfredo. I would add that if you can not understand why you would pay extra for the specialty resturants ,you better off not to dine there. To some there is joy in well presented and prepared food. The main dining rooms are ok but there is only so much you can do with food when cooking for 2000 people.
 
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Stargazerm31

Guest
You don't tip their. It is in the fee, but they sure are great there!
 
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BSeaBob

Guest
Noni/ If you are following the thread on the Captains Club..if you or your friends belong you can pre book.....
 
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Noni

Guest
Thanks BSeaBob---I'll find out if they are members. This is our first Celebrity cruise.
 
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Auntie

Guest
Too much emphasis on FOOD! Is this what it's all about? Sorry but it sounds like so many of you just want to eat.
 
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Walter

Guest
Food/Service is a big part of any cruise in my opinion. The food/service aspect of cruising is a big part of the cruise experience. I am really looking forward to trying the Olympic dining on the Millie soon. Part of the experience for me I think will not only be the wonderful food, but the presentation and the exceptional service that everyone says is well worth the extra cost. Since this post was posted to address the specialty restaurants then yes, I can certainly understand why everyone is talking about food here. Thank goodness there are gyms and many activities onboard to help us lose some of the extra weight if we want . : )
 
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BEAV

Guest
We dined (notice I didn't say 'ate') in the Olympic three times on an 11-day cruise. Rather than fussing over paying additional money to eat in the alternative restaurants, we budget visits to the Olympic in the shore excursion/sightseeing portion of our vacation. To us the experience is a "shore excursion at sea." Food is just 50% of the experience....because that's what an evening in the Olympic is...an experience!

To those who intentionally avoid the Olympic, I can only say "Thank You." Your lack of patronage makes it possible for others to enjoy multiple visits on the same sailing!
 
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Nancy Blumberg

Guest
Looking forward to dining in Ocean Liners on the Constellation during 11/23/2002 cruise. My question concerns wine prices by the bottle. Having heard that glasses are $15-20 can anyone tell me if you can purchase resonable wines by the bottle? Thanks, Nancy
 
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paulfredo

Guest
What's your definition of "reasonable"? They have several bottles available in the $30-60 range that are nice. I spent $200 but I'm not convinced it was worth it... LOL.

paulfredo
 
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Nancy Blumberg

Guest
Thanks PaulFredo,
I would consider $30-60 pretty reasonable. Just was hoping we weren't talking about $100 plus and up for a bottle.
 
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kat

Guest
We 4 women will be on the Millie Eastern Caribbean Dec. 7th. We are much FOOD people. I will be celebrating my 54th Birthday and want to experience the Olympic. Looking foreward to it. One cruise on the Ocean Princess to Alaska last June. The food was okay but nothing to write home about. That's one of the reason we chose the Millie because of all the comments on the food. Will left everybody know how it was. Kat
 
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BSeabob

Guest
It's been a while since I read this thread .. and in fact we have since cruised and "Dined" in the SS United States on the Infinity. It was indeed an experience. There were wines in our Price range for a special occasion and the service was excellent. That being said however we found that the entre's (lamb and can't remember what my wife had) were not as well prepared or as tasty as the dining room. We would however return again for a special occasion but certainly will not make a habit of it.
 
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paulfredo

Guest
Hmmm... I found the Lamb in Normadie on Summit to be among the best I've ever had... well different strokes for different folks, I guess.

There's no explaining individual taste.

paul
 
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