BennyandBo

Nobody is forcing you to pay them. It literally is that simple. Pay or remove is your choice, Nobody else's. Yours.

This happens on land sometimes too. That's why I tip cash.

It's not deceptive now because they notify you in advance that's what they are going to do to your credit card on a daily basis. And they notify you in advance that you can remove it. What's deceptive is what kbonner said they do a few posts above. Skimming tip money off the top for handling fee distribution. A perfect example of why cash tipping is more effective.

"Does anyone know what each port charge is, what the tax is based off of and what fees are?" Read that to yourself. Can you see how that sounded to me? To me it implied, they don't know anyway so let's just stick it under tax or fee. It read like you were implying a few more bucks under tax, a few under port fee, etc, etc. I genuinely thought you were suggesting cooking the books based on that quote. After many posts I understand you were not. You were just spinning his ridiculous argument/suggestion. His idea of not being transparent and going to court is a real winner. How about everyone but out and let employer and employee handle there business.

But people can read and add. LOL. Once they do the math, the lines that don't charge them the gratuity as mandatory will win. Not to mention how well people will take to finding out the bait and switch on page 2. If they (cruise lines) all don't do it, people will pick the lines with the lower total price. The cruise lines are perfectly happy with this system. The crew are happy or they can move on. The customers are happy (booking have never been better). Some tip, some don't, some auto gratuity, some cash, some nothing. It seems to work for everyone but the people on here. What they get, is not your problem. What I give them, is not your problem. It's my vacation. I'm not on a humanitarian aid mission.

How is that any different than just raising the price and saying includes gratuities?

YES. LOL people do know what the taxes and Port fees are. LOL. You can't say oh most don't so let's bake this into them. That's is the very definition of fraud. Port fees get refunded when a port has to be passed up etc. These costs have to remain transparent. And when a restaurant ads mandatory gratuities for large parties they post in menu and inform upfront. I honestly cannot believe you think cooking the books is a viable solution to anything. LOL.

Fraud. They can't just make up the amount of Tax and Port charges.

I totally believe it's that high. Why some who think everyone but them is cheap don't believe it is beyond me.

Stock will tank in 2 years time when Royal Caribbean = crap food becomes common knowledge. I spent a lot of money for my upcoming Wonder cruise. And a **** ton of money for Icon next year. With each passing day I become more concerned about food quality and choice. Looking a little less forward to it as time goes on. Kinda stinks. Reports on this thread bummed me out.

Second example of 15% to 16% posted here today. Much higher than many thought. I hold out hope that many of them put out some cash. It's human nature. Tell people "this is how much your gonna tip each day" and people want to do the opposite. I do think with raised auto gratuity rates and service cuts (food, cleaning, etc) you will see this percentage increase well beyond 15% per cruise.

OK, so an Oasis class with let's say 6000 passengers. If 1000 removed that would 16.6%. Way more than 10%. And a hell of a lot more than all the 3% estaments people are randomly coming up with.

Not Royal Caribbean. There excursion no longer includes chairs and umbrella.

Taxi rates have gone up. Crown bay to Megan's Bay $18 or $15per person for 2 or more passengers. Each way.

How much if you only want 1 chair and umbrella? Thanks

It won't go down for June. It will however sell out at some point. There is never any need to put June, July, and August on sale except for black Friday. And your way too late in the game.

"guest may request to modify the daily amount at their discretion by visiting Guest Services onboard and will be able to do so until the morning of their departure. Guests who have pre-paid their gratuity will not see a daily charge during their cruise." So I guess you can wait till last night based on this quote from Royals website. They must leave the option open for people who after a full week decide they didn't get good enough service. Thanks for the info.

And for the record. I don't think anyone who wants to tip in cash to the people who directly served them is cheap.

And just think my estimate of the number of people removing is actually much higher if phone calls play into it.

Just to clarify. You can call guests services from your cabin to remove automatic gratuities and not have to go down and wait in line? Can you also wait till last night to do this? I believe it says on Royals site up until last morning. Thanks.

No dishwasher was ever included in tips during my 15 yrs working in restaurants. No wait staff ever tipped a bartender for making them drinks either. "Back of house" either. Whatever the hell that means. Bus persons only and at the discretion of the server they worked with that shift.

So desperately twisting my words. Lol. I've been at Guest Services many times sadly. Nothing is perfect, not even cruise ships. As for hundreds. I've seen the line at the end designated for this 40 people deep on multiple occasions. I can do math. That's hundreds of times.

Problem is most make it a business. Get deals from cruise lines and can write off expenses. They stay in the more expensive cabins, dining venues, etc. You don't get to see enough average person on a budget stuff. Inside cabins etc. Don't find many that keep it real.

Here is one that gets me. Those people who say if you tip in cash to just the servers that wait on you, then they have to turn it in to pool anyway. 😄 These are the same people who say they tip $50 to $100 extra to room attendant who did so much for them. Why bother? If they have to turn it over (😄😄😄) to pool, they won't see more then twenty five cents. If crew is 2500 and 500 are officers (non tip positions etc) then your $50 tip is pooled with 2000 others. Your guy who did so much especially for you will see less then a buck. But you give it to him because "he" was so special. If you really believed he wouldn't keep it, you wouldn't give it to him. And yes I have asked when giving cash if that person was keeping it just for them, as I wished for them. And they always say yes. To be safe I don't waive cash around when tipping anyway. Nobody else's business what I put in someone else's hand. And nobody's business what's in their pockets. Tipping is and should be a private transaction between you and staff. Especially in cash.

It should not be the customers responsibility to make up in tips what Royal lacks in salary. Any can remove automatic gratuities. I've seen lines of people waiting to do it. Happens by the hundreds each cruise. It's just a fact of life.