Massages - Do you tip on the ship?

I tip when I get a massage "on land". Should one tip on a ship? I didn't know if the Spa staff was salaried. Thanks.

If I recall they add it to your tab for you.

Yes, 18% auto-gratuity is added on all spa treatments.

Yes, of course you tip. 18% is automatically added and if you feel it is warranted, you can add more.

They ding you for 18% automatically and after the oh-too-often hard sell on additional products many people decline to offer any additional tip.

Massage only please, I am not here for a sales pitch.

18% is added, subject to adjustment at your discretion.

Never had a problem with hard sells....I tell the therapist BEFORE the service that I do not plan on buying any product and that I prefer a very quiet service (no chitchat).

Never had a problem with hard sells....I tell the therapist BEFORE the service that I do not plan on buying any product and that I prefer a very quiet service (no chitchat).

This is a good idea. Thanks for the tip. You probably just saved me $$. :). I always get stuck listening to pitches ( I must have "sucker" written on my forehead).

I know they're probably encouraged to hit some kind of sales quota for products, but really...shut up and just give me my massage!

Agree with above.

Done couple's massage twice. Never a hard sell. Tipped the auto-grat + $40 both times ($20 each).

Trust me... if someone's gonna massage my fat ass... they deserve a tip!

Agree with above.

 

Done couple's massage twice. Never a hard sell. Tipped the auto-grat + $40 both times ($20 each).

 

Trust me... if someone's gonna massage my fat ass... they deserve a tip!

Hahaha!! Too funny!!! :D:D

There is a form you are required to fill out before a treatment. At the bottom we always write in that we are not interested in any products. Never had a sales pitch.

Also, we have never had a less then great treatment because of that.

Nice tip, Janet. I'm going to add that from now on!

LOL........love it!

I tip about the same if they are good. I think the only time I didn't was an underwhelming facial experience.

Agree with above.

 

Done couple's massage twice. Never a hard sell. Tipped the auto-grat + $40 both times ($20 each).

 

Trust me... if someone's gonna massage my fat ass... they deserve a tip!

I have always had great services on the ship in the spa. Yes, the tip is added on, but I usually give extra. Just my preference for exceptional service. I do not always do this at a regular spa.

There is a form you are required to fill out before a treatment. At the bottom we always write in that we are not interested in any products. Never had a sales pitch.

That is a fantastic idea. I will do that on my next cruise :)

Years ago, I read that tip on Cruise Critic. :D Pass it on....

Agree with above.

 

Done couple's massage twice. Never a hard sell. Tipped the auto-grat + $40 both times ($20 each).

 

Trust me... if someone's gonna massage my fat ass... they deserve a tip!

lmaooooooo omg so funny

Years ago, I read that tip on Cruise Critic. :D Pass it on....

We will! Always do a couples massage while cruising.

Yup we tip, above the 18%.

Why do tip a bartender extra for pouring a drink in under a minute vs not tipping someone who does an intensive and long body massage for a much longer period? Just curious..

Why do tip a bartender extra for pouring a drink in under a minute vs not tipping someone who does an intensive and long body massage for a much longer period? Just curious..

<do not take too seriously>

a) The duration of the job performance has nothing to do with it because the amount of auto-tip is also a lot bigger "for a much longer period".

and

b) Because one wants to bribe for better service in the future - you will pretty surely meet the bartender again but a lot less likely the person who massages you (of course there are exceptions but the probability of an average person having several drinks is much greater than a person having several spa treatments).

</do not take too seriously>

:)

Heh! :D :D

This is a good idea. Thanks for the tip. You probably just saved me $$. :). I always get stuck listening to pitches ( I must have "sucker" written on my forehead).

 

After having a number of spa treatments during my cruises I eventually figured out that form you fill out prior to your treatment is the info the therapist uses to sell post treatment products. If you note on the form you experience water retention, following your treatment out will come a product or two to address water retention. For this reason I provide very little info on these forms that I feel is not needed for the therapist to know about me, and just put on the form treatment for relaxation only. Once I started doing this I have experienced no post treatment sales pitches.

 

Also be aware that the prices of cruise spa treatments are much higher than they are in land based spas. A 1 hour stone massage at your local spa is around $120, and on the ship is $199. So keep this in mind when deciding if you should tip extra than your 18% included tip which for a $199 treatment will be $35.82.

I stopped doing these because of the hard sell. But when I did get massages, I found ways around the hard sell. Then I tipped extra, because I figured that the commissions on sales were extremely important to the very nice, very skilled women who did the massages.

They ding you for 18% automatically and after the oh-too-often hard sell on additional products many people decline to offer any additional tip.

 

Massage only please, I am not here for a sales pitch.

The sales pitch is BRUTAL. I do not go to the spa-or the salon- because of it. Annoying.