Kids' gratuities and costs

We have just booked a RCL cruise for next year on the 'Navigator.' Our party will be my wife and myself, my stepdaughter, her husband and their 5 year old twins. We have booked adjoining Junior Suites - one for my wife and I and the other for my stepdaughter and her family. The twins will use the sofa bed.

We prefer Mytime Dining and to do this we had to pre-pay our gratuities. We don't have a problem with this in principle as it's what my wife and I always do when we cruise on our own (and we always give extra tips to those who deserve it) but we're not happy that we had to pay gratuities for the twins. The cruise overall is costing a lot of money and we didn't get, in our opinion, much of a discount for the twins (about 25%). Also, because of RCL's current pricing structure, we were obliged to take the so called 'free' drinks package which is not of any great benefit to us. On top of all this, my stepdaughter will have to pay Kids' Club and babysitting charges. So, it goes against the grain to have to pay gratuities for the twins.

Our travel agent says that nothing can be done about the twins' gratuities at this stage and we should take it up with Guest Services when we're on board. My question is: has anyone done this and, if so, what was the outcome? Or are we being unreasonable in our views?

I'm sure that there must have been previous comments on this topic in these boards but the search facility isn't detailed enough to narrow down the results to avoid having to trawl through many, many posts.

Paying gratuities for five year olds is typical cruise line charge. Most of the cruise lines that charge gratuities charge them for three year olds and up. Children use sheets, towels etc. their bed must be taken care of. They eat either in buffet or dining room so place must be cleared, and dishes dealt with. The service provided to adults is also provided to children so gratuities are the same.

You can maybe get those gratuities removed by talking to guest services onboard but is it fair to cabin steward and to restaurant servers?

The 5-year old twins will eat, drink, sleep and bath. They will be no less work for the crew then for two adults. The cabin steward has to clean up after four people including that sofa bed which would not be used if only two people were in the cabin. Children being children can be messy and generate more clean up work. The dining room staff will try their best to keep the children happy and this can sometimes mean extra attention or special meal requests.

Royal Caribbean does not require prepaid gratuities for My Time Dining. This was dropped a few years ago. Not sure why you are prepaying.

Adventure Ocean for the children is free so not sure what charges you are referring to. If your sister wants private in cabin babysitting there would be a charge. I believe there is a charge in AO after 10:00 pm at night of around $10 per hour; otherwise there is no charge.

Children probably make more mess than adults. The dining staff throughout the ship work very hard to accommodate kids. In other words, you should pay the gratuities - think of it more of a service charge.

Gratuities are a very touchy subject on these boards, and you will find a lot of opinions.

Royal Caribbean does not require prepaid gratuities for My Time Dining. This was dropped a few years ago. Not sure why you are prepaying.

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Could be something to do with booking in the UK

To suggest that the gratuities for the children are too high or inappropriate is wrong. The children will make at least twice the mess as the adults, The fact that other activities have to be paid for has nothing to do with gratuities. Also the fact that you did not get much of a discount for the 3rd and 4th passengers in the cabin should not matter.

I suspect that you have a TA that is partial to RCCL, and who did not shop the cruise much. Other lines are running specials where the 3rd and 4th guest sail free. I would do some shopping and consider canceling this cruise and booking on another line. You might be surprised how much you save.

Why would you think the kids shouldn't have to pony up for service?

We have just booked a RCL cruise for next year on the 'Navigator.' Our party will be my wife and myself, my stepdaughter, her husband and their 5 year old twins. We have booked adjoining Junior Suites - one for my wife and I and the other for my stepdaughter and her family. The twins will use the sofa bed.

 

We prefer Mytime Dining and to do this we had to pre-pay our gratuities. We don't have a problem with this in principle as it's what my wife and I always do when we cruise on our own (and we always give extra tips to those who deserve it) but we're not happy that we had to pay gratuities for the twins. The cruise overall is costing a lot of money and we didn't get, in our opinion, much of a discount for the twins (about 25%). Also, because of RCL's current pricing structure, we were obliged to take the so called 'free' drinks package which is not of any great benefit to us. On top of all this, my stepdaughter will have to pay Kids' Club and babysitting charges. So, it goes against the grain to have to pay gratuities for the twins.

 

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I would say if the twins will not be eating or sleeping or using anything on the ship then remove the gratuities

If the price of the cruise YOU chose is too much book a different cruise or lower cost cabins if money is tight

JMO

FWIW the twins will probably get better treatment from the crew than you do ;)

Having raised twins myself, I can testify to the fact that five year old twins require just as much effort to serve food to, or to clean up after, as anyone else -- if not a bit more. Also, the fact that someone might want to pay a baby sitter or Kids Club has zero effect on the efforts imposed on room or dining room stewards. Additionally, the twins are getting a discount on the fare --- just what legitimate complaint exists, aside from having to pay some money?

If you go to a restaurant at home, do you just calculate the tip on the cost of the adult meals?

The staff deserves those tips.

When you book a cruise most people look at the ship, itinerary and cost. They then look at affordable cabin types and go for one appropriate to their preferences.

Cruise lines price things differently; some having a lower headline cruise fare. Typically they try to recover the financial shortage in a variety of different ways. Tipping is just one example. Americans tend to live a lifestyle which embraces the custom enthusiastically whereas Australians seem to have the opposite view. The British are somewhere in the middle with P&O UK charging £5.50 a day per person over the age of twelve years.

Main point is that when in Rome you have to do what the Romans do.

Regards John

We have just booked a RCL cruise for next year on the 'Navigator.' Our party will be my wife and myself, my stepdaughter, her husband and their 5 year old twins. We have booked adjoining Junior Suites - one for my wife and I and the other for my stepdaughter and her family. The twins will use the sofa bed.

 

We prefer Mytime Dining and to do this we had to pre-pay our gratuities. We don't have a problem with this in principle as it's what my wife and I always do when we cruise on our own (and we always give extra tips to those who deserve it) but we're not happy that we had to pay gratuities for the twins. The cruise overall is costing a lot of money and we didn't get, in our opinion, much of a discount for the twins (about 25%). Also, because of RCL's current pricing structure, we were obliged to take the so called 'free' drinks package which is not of any great benefit to us. On top of all this, my stepdaughter will have to pay Kids' Club and babysitting charges. So, it goes against the grain to have to pay gratuities for the twins.

 

Our travel agent says that nothing can be done about the twins' gratuities at this stage and we should take it up with Guest Services when we're on board. My question is: has anyone done this and, if so, what was the outcome? Or are we being unreasonable in our views? Yes! You are being unreasonable.

 

I'm sure that there must have been previous comments on this topic in these boards but the search facility isn't detailed enough to narrow down the results to avoid having to trawl through many, many posts.

See above.

Oh my goodness, please do not remove gratuities for any of you. As stated, each passenger pays them regardless of their age because each passenger is a guest who eats, drinks, sleeps and bathes somewhere.

Yes, I know a cruise for the family costs a lot of money but in my opinion (and probably the majority of cruise passengers agree), gratuities are simply a part of cruising. Until they include them in the cruise fare on the mainstream lines we choose to cruise with, we will continue to pay the daily gratuity/service charge/hotel charge. To remove them simply because of a child's age is not only unreasonable, but cruel to the crew and cheap on your part.

Sorry - I don't mean to be abrupt but it is simple and it comes down to that.

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EVERY "soul" aboard should pay tips...after all, even children need bedding, towels, food, etc.!

Tipping is part of cruising. Now you know!

Everyone regardless of age pays the same gratuities. Kids are just as much work and receive just as much attention. The kids club does NOT charge unless you CHOOSE to use the after hours program. Pricing structure has ALWAYS been the first 2 pay the going rate(sales included) with 3+ pax paying a reduced rate but not always a significant one again, regardless of age.

As for pre paying, that stopped being a requirement on US bookings ages ago. If it is still required in the UK, take it up with local laws. Same with the pricing structure that automatically adds in a drinks package to UK bookings.

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We have five kids (including a set of twins), and never questioned paying the gratuity for them. Cruises generate most of their profit from the sale of alcohol and gambling, none of which my children take part in. Why should they be excused from the gratuity? When we go out to eat, we tip on their portion of the bill.

My DS has been sailing with us for the past 15 years. He started at 3 and is still going strong. We have ALWAYS paid the gratuities for him. He made a bigger mess when he was younger and has always liked to eat. So the cabin stewards and food service workers did more for him than for us !

If you cannot afford the tips then maybe you should not be going on a cruise with the grandkids. That is part of the cost and you just have to suck it up or cancel the cruise and stay home :mad:

We have just booked a RCL cruise for next year on the 'Navigator.' Our party will be my wife and myself, my stepdaughter, her husband and their 5 year old twins. We have booked adjoining Junior Suites - one for my wife and I and the other for my stepdaughter and her family. The twins will use the sofa bed.

 

We prefer Mytime Dining and to do this we had to pre-pay our gratuities. We don't have a problem with this in principle as it's what my wife and I always do when we cruise on our own (and we always give extra tips to those who deserve it) but we're not happy that we had to pay gratuities for the twins. The cruise overall is costing a lot of money and we didn't get, in our opinion, much of a discount for the twins (about 25%). Also, because of RCL's current pricing structure, we were obliged to take the so called 'free' drinks package which is not of any great benefit to us. On top of all this, my stepdaughter will have to pay Kids' Club and babysitting charges. So, it goes against the grain to have to pay gratuities for the twins.

 

Our travel agent says that nothing can be done about the twins' gratuities at this stage and we should take it up with Guest Services when we're on board. My question is: has anyone done this and, if so, what was the outcome? Or are we being unreasonable in our views? Y

 

I'm sure that there must have been previous comments on this topic in these boards but the search facility isn't detailed enough to narrow down the results to avoid having to trawl through many, many posts.

Yes, the people who will be dong the most for your grandchildren are the crew so why balk at paying a few dollars/euros/pounds while willingly paying thousands to the corporate folks who you will never see?

OP has disappeared. Guess he realized he was being a . . . .

OP has disappeared. Guess he realized he was being a . . . .

No, I haven't disappeared. I've been assimilating the comments.

Thanks to everyone else who replied. I know the whole question of gratuities seems to polarise opinions but because it hasn't in relation to my question I guess we have to hold our hands up and concede that we should pay up with a smile.

I feel, though, I should point out that my wife and I are experienced cruisers (Diamond members with RCL) and we are well aware that cruise companies do everything they can to get every last cent out of their customers. And in reply to LHT28 and cheeseclan it is not the case that we can't afford it. This cruise is costing nearly £16K and for RCL to charge gratuities for the kids as well seemed to be taking the mickey.

But you chose to sail RCL & being experienced cruisers you know they expect the gratuities to be paid

You have how many people sailing for 16K ?

we spend that much for 2 of us but we still pay up

If you feel strongly about having to pay tips for the twins go to reception when you board & ask for them to be removed

No, I haven't disappeared. I've been assimilating the comments.

 

Thanks to everyone else who replied. I know the whole question of gratuities seems to polarise opinions but because it hasn't in relation to my question I guess we have to hold our hands up and concede that we should pay up with a smile.

 

I feel, though, I should point out that my wife and I are experienced cruisers (Diamond members with RCL) and we are well aware that cruise companies do everything they can to get every last cent out of their customers. And in reply to LHT28 and cheeseclan it is not the case that we can't afford it. This cruise is costing nearly £16K and for RCL to charge gratuities for the kids as well seemed to be taking the mickey.

No one said you could not afford it - and the fact that you are payin a lot of money - which should not come as a surprise as you have booked a couple of junior suites - indicates your ability to afford it. But none of that justifies stiffing the staff who will be doing extra work cleaning up after, and serving, a couple of high maintenance passengers. Your experience level makes your approach appear more miserly than uninformed.

Frankly, it would be more understandable to seek a discount on volume - say a 5% discount on gratuities for the third and fourth in a party, and 10% for the fifth and sixth.

No, I haven't disappeared. I've been assimilating the comments.

 

Thanks to everyone else who replied. I know the whole question of gratuities seems to polarise opinions but because it hasn't in relation to my question I guess we have to hold our hands up and concede that we should pay up with a smile.

 

I feel, though, I should point out that my wife and I are experienced cruisers (Diamond members with RCL) and we are well aware that cruise companies do everything they can to get every last cent out of their customers. And in reply to LHT28 and cheeseclan it is not the case that we can't afford it. This cruise is costing nearly £16K and for RCL to charge gratuities for the kids as well seemed to be taking the mickey.

You indicated you have been assimilating comments. Gratuities for the twins, which definitely should be paid, were not your only complaints. Still not understanding the complaint of having to pay for the children to attend organized activities. As pointed out, Adventure Ocean is free.

As stated above, the kids club is free. Sign them up the first day even if you are not sure you will utilize them. Sometimes they will fill up. When our kids were young, they loved going there. We did pay extra after 10 pm if we wanted to go to a later show. Usually when we went to pick them up, they wanted to stay longer. The in room service is also extra.

We've been paying gratuities for the kids, well since we started cruising with them years ago. We cruised with just one when the youngest wasn't old enough to go to the kids club and then the year after they both joined us!! I'm sure they will both be elite when they turn 18. Paying for their gratuities is part of the price of cruising and we are fine with it. They require service as well, and sometimes kids can be more work, especially when they were still little. They are 8 and 13 now. I don't have any problem paying their gratuities.

We also give extra gratuities for outstanding service.

I love that the exposure they've had to food makes them adventurous and willing to try anything.

Love cruising and we're happy to pay for their cruise fare and gratuities. It's an added bonus when we book a cruise with free gratuities!!