Royal Caribbean gratuities

 

When the rest of the non US world questions the cruise tip, it is not one being cheap it's just we are not used to it and in some cases didn't budget for it.

Asking questions about the automatic gratuities is one thing and asking if they can remove them is another.

 

When I first cruised back in the olden days when there were still envelopes given out with the tips, even though I didn't know anything about them, my first questions wasn't if I don't show up to dinner, do I have to still pay them.

 

I love that some cruise lines are automatically including the automatic gratuities/daily service charge to cruises out of some countries, where many have removed them.

Asking questions about the automatic gratuities is one thing and asking if they can remove them is another.

 

When I first cruised back in the olden days when there were still envelopes given out with the tips, even though I didn't know anything about them, my first questions wasn't if I don't show up to dinner, do I have to still pay them.

 

I love that some cruise lines are automatically including the automatic gratuities/daily service charge to cruises out of some countries, where many have removed them.

 

What I am saying is the immediate saying 'You are cheap' that is often used is a little prematurely.

 

They may unaware of the effects of removing tips on the staff or it maybe they carefully saved up and due to the surprise cannot afford them and many other reasons. Some may remove computer tips and pay as they go as in many cultures you only tip who you see/serves you and so on. The extreme example may be a Japanese cruiser going round Europe that has not researched things and sees tipping as offensive. I know that people like us on CC research a lot and enjoy it but not all people do.

 

Not to say what is right/wrong but I dislike the jumping to conclusions because someone is shocked at the gratuity system.

What I am saying is the immediate saying 'You are cheap' that is often used is a little prematurely.

 

Sorry, but in this case, the OP thought she should be charged per cabin, not per person because it was pricey. She said it was about the $50 per day and that her BF wouldn't be impressed paying the $500 at the end. That is not asking questions with regard to where the gratuities goes, it is about not wanting to pay the automatic gratuities to save the money. Like I said, asking questions is one thing and asking to remove the gratuities is another.

 

BTW, the OP already knew where the gratuities went when she asked the question about removing them ("I have read that the staff rely on these payments and I understand there are many workers working behind the scenes so to speak who will rely more so on this money").

Sorry, but in this case, the OP thought she should be charged per cabin, not per person because it was pricey. She said it was about the $50 per day and that her BF wouldn't be impressed paying the $500 at the end. That is not asking questions with regard to where the gratuities goes, it is about not wanting to pay the automatic gratuities to save the money. Like I said, asking questions is one thing and asking to remove the gratuities is another.

 

BTW, the OP already knew where the gratuities went when she asked the question about removing them ("I have read that the staff rely on these payments and I understand there are many workers working behind the scenes so to speak who will rely more so on this money")

 

But the OP's shock may also suggest they didn't realise this cost of cruising when booking then saw how it worked after....as I mentioned in one of my examples. I have found this to be common among my first time cruising friends/colleagues here in the UK.

 

I can't speak for the OP's booking process or feelings but I think US folk do need to realise the whole 'hey guess what you gotta pay this too' is a shock for most other nationalities on their first cruise. After this initial shock some will pay and some will not and some will do something in between.

What I am saying is the immediate saying 'You are cheap' that is often used is a little prematurely.

 

They may unaware of the effects of removing tips on the staff or it maybe they carefully saved up and due to the surprise cannot afford them and many other reasons. Some may remove computer tips and pay as they go as in many cultures you only tip who you see/serves you and so on. The extreme example may be a Japanese cruiser going round Europe that has not researched things and sees tipping as offensive. I know that people like us on CC research a lot and enjoy it but not all people do.

 

Not to say what is right/wrong but I dislike the jumping to conclusions because someone is shocked at the gratuity system.

 

 

Hi

 

It might be the case for some as you put it, but it looks that this OP understands very well and just wants to spend less. Some people may consider the way they are trying to economize rises to the level of being "cheap".

 

Their own words..."I understand there are many workers...behind the scenes...who will rely more so on this money."

 

So the problem from the point of view of the OP is that it is "pretty expensive". They don't want to pay any gratuities for the children. We have all heard the same rationalization for that position...they are very small, they don't make a mess, they don't eat much, etc... It doesn't really stand up.

 

Then there is the other tact, "I don't want people going without but I think companies should pay low earners more." Of course we are all in favor of that, but in this case, it will specifically be the OP taking money out of those people's pockets. If they choose to go the course they suggest, they are much worse than those "bad" companies. They choose to support the company and do the employee a disservice.

 

The OP has the same choice we all have when looking to purchase a product that is "too expensive". They can wait a while and save up more, or look to buy something they can afford.

Wow!!!! You certainly said a mouthful. Many people here are so concerned about someone removing their automatic tips charge. However, many of you have no issue with thousands of passengers sneaking water, soda & alcohol onboard simply to save a few dollars. That helps the passengers pocket, but screws over the cruise line & the crew. Hmmmmmmmmm?? What about that!! Too cheap to buy your own water, alcohol or soda? Pot meet kettle..

 

Sneaking those items onboard to save $$ is against cruise line's rules & regulations. Removing automatic tips IS NOT!

 

 

 

:cool:

 

I don’t think it’s valid to assume that everyone who pays the automatic gratuities sneaks items aboard. I think the majority of passengers leave the auto-tips in place and abide by the rules.

Welcome to Cruise Critic. You have picked a very touchy subject and will find many posters will be quite blunt with you. A search of the boards will reveal numerous threads on this subject. Anything specific to Royal Caribbean is better asked on the RC board.

 

John Bull in post #5 pretty much explained the system to you. If it helps think of it as a service charge that is applied to all passengers, including babies and children.

 

You do not have to prepay. RC bills to your cabin account each day if not prepaid and you can settle your bill at the end of the cruise.

 

If there is a problem with any service you can speak to the employee's supervisor.

 

The service charge/gratuities cover all eating locations, your cabin, and behind the scenes staff. Drinks, both alcoholic and nonalcoholic, that you pay for (not the ones included in your fare) have a separate 18% gratuity.

 

Your children still have beds to be made, towels used, dishes, etc. Most people agree that kids are more work than adults.

 

Please do the correct thing and pay the suggested gratuities.

I agree pay your auto gratuities it's the fairest way.In future try and get your TA to contribute some or all of your prepay gratuities because often they don't pass on on board credits so have a little leeway regarding tips.

Let's make this topic easy. Leave auto tips in place, tip extra if you so desire and play by the rules. It's that simple.

Such bad advice!

 

You are telling the OP to be complicit in stealing funds from people who deserve it. By advising to tip "discreetly" and to remove gratuities on the last day, you are cheating people and in very underhanded ways.

 

The crew, if they are honest and decent (and who wants to be served by dishonest cheaters?!?!?), will always turn in all cash tips to be pooled in case the auto gratuities are removed. They could lose their job immediately if they are caught stealing (and that is what it is), or not given another contract when the current one ends. This in essence blackballs that employee since word will get out and no cruise line will want to hire them.

 

The way the collection of cash gratuity works is that all cash tips are turned in, no matter if the auto gratuities have already been removed or not. Only until the accounting department has reconciled all passenger accounts AFTER the cruise will they know who has removed the gratuities. This is done for the exact reason you advise doing - in case people remove them on the last day. If gratuities are left in place, the full cash tip will be deposited in the staff member's account. If they have been removed, those cash tips will be deposited into the pool to be distributed appropriately.

 

Removing gratuities and giving cash tips to only those you want is a complete waste of time (unless you enjoy having dishonest people serving you, that is).

 

 

And another note: some people insist that the staff should be "paid a fair wage" (whatever that is - a fair wage in their home country? in your home country" in the country the ship is registered? or maybe the country the corporate offices are in?). Yes, that probably be an easier system. But it isn't necessarily a "better" system. Fares would have to be raised to cover that "fair wage". Then according to the OP, they probably wouldn't even be contemplating a cruise because it would be too expensive right at the beginning. Because they are a "working class" family, those higher fares might have eliminated that cruise for consideration, taking away a treat they are now looking forward to.

A very good reply and one the op should act on.

I always prepay our tips when booking and when I see my Cabin Steward for the first time i give him a small tip and tell him my tips are prepaid so any extra cash I give him is for him alone.

However, many of you have no issue with thousands of passengers sneaking water, soda & alcohol onboard simply to save a few dollars.

 

:cool:

That wasn't the subject of the thread, so I'm not sure how you can say many have no issue with sneaking stuff on the ships. I believe that if you started a thread on this subject, you would be surprised that most have an issue with it.

 

Can you opt out of these payments with Royal Caribbean and pay those people who provide great service individually?

 

 

1) Wait until the last day/evening of your cruise.

 

2) Give your cash tips to whoever you wish to while the automatic tips are still in place.

 

3) Then go to guest services to remove the automatic tips charge.

 

4) Whoever you gave a cash tip to (will) get to keep it...

5) Don't worry about what people on a message board think.

 

 

 

:cool:

Edited July 22, 2018 by ObstructedView2

Sorry, but in this case, the OP thought she should be charged per cabin, not per person because it was pricey. She said it was about the $50 per day and that her BF wouldn't be impressed paying the $500 at the end. That is not asking questions with regard to where the gratuities goes, it is about not wanting to pay the automatic gratuities to save the money. Like I said, asking questions is one thing and asking to remove the gratuities is another.

 

BTW, the OP already knew where the gratuities went when she asked the question about removing them ("I have read that the staff rely on these payments and I understand there are many workers working behind the scenes so to speak who will rely more so on this money").

The op will probably have $800 to pay in tips for 4 for 14 nights and after their question does anyone really think they will give anything like this amount in cash tips if they cancel autogratuities.

That is the dilemma facing all these people who stop their autogratuities and I'm sure a lot of people on the last night will be thinking ' How Much' and then give a derisory tip if any.

The autogratuities is a godsend for the crew who fully deserve it and anyone who deliberately stiffs them are not nice people IMO.

My advice is leave the autogratuities in place unless you get really bad service then adjust it accordingly with GS.

Many people here are so concerned about someone removing their automatic tips charge. However, many of you have no issue with thousands of passengers sneaking water, soda & alcohol onboard simply to save a few dollars.

Let's be clear: Self-centeredness is self-centeredness. If you don't like the rules regarding gratuities, water, soda, alcohol, smoking, dress code, staggered boarding, muster drill, etc., then the only legitimate choice is to not cruise. Wanting to cruise despite these aspects of cruising you don't like is not a justification for anything.

Let's make this topic easy. Leave auto tips in place, tip extra if you so desire and play by the rules. It's that simple.

Perfectly said.

Let's be clear: Self-centeredness is self-centeredness. If you don't like the rules regarding gratuities, water, soda, alcohol, smoking, dress code, staggered boarding, muster drill, etc., then the only legitimate choice is to not cruise. Wanting to cruise despite these aspects of cruising you don't like is not a justification for anything.

 

 

There is not a RULE in regards to the automatic gratituties, it is a suggestion... And can certainly be removed.

 

 

 

Can you opt out of these payments with Royal Caribbean and pay those people who provide great service individually?

 

 

 

AutumnDaze,

 

1) Wait until the last day/evening of your cruise.

 

2) Give your cash tips to whoever you wish to while the automatic tips are still in place.

 

3) Then go to guest services to remove the automatic tips charge.

 

4) Whoever you gave a cash tip to (will) get to keep it...

 

5) Don't worry about what people on a message board think.

:cool:

When we first had Select dining ( Celebrity) we had to pre pay tips. I choose to do it that way, when paying for my cruise.

I had occasion to complain about late/ cold breakfast prior to leaving for an excursion on our last cruuse. The Maitre‘D monitored subsequent cabin service. Was it because I had pre paid my tips?

I certainty hadn’t ‘bribed ‘ him by tipping extra at the beginning of the cruise. That I do find offensive, ie buying extra special service.

Edited July 22, 2018 by upwarduk

There is not a RULE in regards to the automatic gratituties, it is a suggestion... And can certainly be removed.

 

 

 

 

AutumnDaze,

 

1) Wait until the last day/evening of your cruise.

 

2) Give your cash tips to whoever you wish to while the automatic tips are still in place.

 

3) Then go to guest services to remove the automatic tips charge.

 

4) Whoever you gave a cash tip to (will) get to keep it...

 

5) Don't worry about what people on a message board think.

:cool:

 

And you know this how???

There is not a RULE in regards to the automatic gratituties, it is a suggestion... And can certainly be removed.

 

 

 

 

AutumnDaze,

 

1) Wait until the last day/evening of your cruise.

 

2) Give your cash tips to whoever you wish to while the automatic tips are still in place.

 

3) Then go to guest services to remove the automatic tips charge.

 

4) Whoever you gave a cash tip to (will) get to keep it...

 

5) Don't worry about what people on a message board think.

:cool:

 

To anyone with morals and decency, ignore anything ObstrutedView2 tells you, especially this deplorable advice that he keeps repeating on this thread (3 times so far!!). Don't encourage people to steal from their co-workers as he does.

 

He clearly cares more about himself than the people who work hard to make our cruises memorable. Personally, I hope to never come into contact with people like this poster. My standards are much higher than his and I could never lower them to the low levels that his are.

 

Be kind and compassionate towards people who aren't as fortunate as you are. They most likely could never afford to cruise as you are doing. Count your blessings that you can afford to cruise at all. Many people cannot.

I don’t think it’s valid to assume that everyone who pays the automatic gratuities sneaks items aboard. I think the majority of passengers leave the auto-tips in place and abide by the rules.

 

Shocking - rules followers follow rules.

Hello

 

I have booked our first cruise for next year, me, my bf and our 2 young children. I didn’t select to pre pay the gratuities and being British I find paying for a service I’ve not yet experienced, a bit weird. I have read that the staff rely on these payments and I understand there are many workers working behind the scenes so to speak who will rely more so on this money.

 

Can you opt out of these payments with Royal Caribbean and pay those people who provide great service individually? It is pretty expensive, our son will be two and his cost is the same as us. So for 4 of us for 11 nights, it’s a lot. Can I just pay for the adults? Also we don’t drink alcohol so I’d rather more went to the staff that make our stay great and not ones we will not meet/ did not do anything for our family.

 

We are a working class family, this is a real treat, so I’m not being tight, just realistic. Thank you in advance for any advice xx

You are a working class family and you want to screw the crew that works 12 hours a day.

You are a working class family and you want to screw the crew that works 12 hours a day.

 

While there have been a few well-considered and logical posts on this thread, the above is the best answer to the original issue.

 

The world is full of people who are only able to consider their own selfish interests: logic goes out the window when threatened by petty self-interest.

When we first had Select dining ( Celebrity) we had to pre pay tips. I choose to do it that way, when paying for my cruise.

I had occasion to complain about late/ cold breakfast prior to leaving for an excursion on our last cruuse. The Maitre‘D monitored subsequent cabin service. Was it because I had pre paid my tips?

I certainty hadn’t ‘bribed ‘ him by tipping extra at the beginning of the cruise. That I do find offensive, ie buying extra special service.

Until fairly recently in the UK you had to prepay your tips if you wanted

My Time Dining and even now RC insinuate that is still the case.

We prepay gratuities everyone anyway.

To anyone with morals and decency, ignore anything ObstrutedView2 tells you, especially this deplorable advice that he keeps repeating on this thread (3 times so far!!). Don't encourage people to steal from their co-workers as he does.

 

He clearly cares more about himself than the people who work hard to make our cruises memorable. Personally, I hope to never come into contact with people like this poster. My standards are much higher than his and I could never lower them to the low levels that his are.

 

Be kind and compassionate towards people who aren't as fortunate as you are. They most likely could never afford to cruise as you are doing. Count your blessings that you can afford to cruise at all. Many people cannot.

Great post and my sentiments exactly.

While there have been a few well-considered and logical posts on this thread, the above is the best answer to the original issue.

 

The world is full of people who are only able to consider their own selfish interests: logic goes out the window when threatened by petty self-interest.

Exactly people's attitudes seem to have double standards.

Anyone who trys to make our cruise special is very much appreciated by us and to be able to give them a cash tip as well as a thank you is the very least we can give back.