Drink Packages - Do the bartenders actually hate them?

Having sailed on RCCL for over 30 years and gotten to know a lot of bartenders I can tell you they like it. First of all the majority of people stiffed them in the past, and when they did tip it was nowhere near even 15% percent. As some one mentioned I always tip extra to my favorites at the end of the cruise and usually add a buck or two during the cruise and I buy the package.

How did bartenders get stiffed with 18% being added to each drink?

How did bartenders get stiffed with 18% being added to each drink?

Exactly what I was thinking. It was also my understanding that all automatic tips, whether they be added to the cost of packages or added to the cost of individual drinks, is pooled amongst all bar staff. I don’t know if they are supposed to pool cash tips or not or if so whether they actually do. Perhaps someone can confirm or correct my understanding.

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Exactly what I was thinking. It was also my understanding that all automatic tips, whether they be added to the cost of packages or added to the cost of individual drinks, is pooled amongst all bar staff. I don’t know if they are supposed to pool cash tips or not or if so whether they actually do. Perhaps someone can confirm or correct my understanding.

I think the bar staff are closer to getting stiffed now (with the packages) than before.

To answer the question yes I think the bartenders hate the packages. Now RCCL has doubled down on drink packages requiring both in cabin to buy. Well I can tell you that, along with the price that was reason did not buy package on our last five day cruise on Indy in December. With 4 drinking age adults (us and 23 year old son/girlfriend) it would have been over $1200; also factor in we had a late embarkation due to a deep clean (thus cutting first day in half) and two full days off ship why would be pay that much for a drink package? There was a time you could buy a reasonably priced beer or wine package only (that included water and soda) which we liked but that is long gone. Plus we could care less about "specialty coffees" and "fresh squeezed juice" (every time someone asks for fresh squeezed juice I see the wait staff visibly sigh). I personally think fresh squeezed juice sucks and I am originally from NYC - coffee was 3 ways; regular, light or light and sweet - nuttin' else (except black). Plenty of great free coffee delivered right to room every morning.

 

How could the drink packages possibly not be an incentive not to tip? In ten plus years of cruising on two lines (last 6 on RCCL) we absolutely notice a change in service; less roving servers nothing in MDR except Assistant waiter, etc. I always tip a little cash and try to establish a relationship with a few bartenders - it makes a huge difference plus we do not treat them rudely like so many do (amazing the difference in service).

 

I do not think RCCL is done monkeying with this; Carnival limits to 15 drinks a day. Signs point to problems - last two cruises 10-drink cards pop up half way through cruise, two opportunities on last cruise for 2 dollar mimosas (two hour window); beer buckets, etc. We never went without getting a drink we wanted and never came close to the 1200 dollars the package would have cost. Some people are obviously going to "get there moneys worth" and then some - drink until the cows come home. On a seven day by day 4 or 5 I cannot imagine not getting air-lifted to the Betty Ford Clinic. Maybe raise the cost of the unlimited packages a bit and lower individual drinks - who knows but I do not think we have heard the end of this....

While I can see from those that have been cruising for awhile that drink service has gone down, that does not mean it is due to packages. People are saying that service is down as a whole.

It may be part of it, but I doubt the entire reason.

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I have to agree re the fresh juice. On Indy I was told at breakfast by the bar staff to go out to the pool bar and get it myself. On Oasis last week I ordered it at the table and the waiter pulled a face and when it arrived it was like a glass of warm water and orange, needless to say I didn’t bother again

I have to agree re the fresh juice. On Indy I was told at breakfast by the bar staff to go out to the pool bar and get it myself. On Oasis last week I ordered it at the table and the waiter pulled a face and when it arrived it was like a glass of warm water and orange, needless to say I didn’t bother again ��

Yes, we've had to go to the WJ bar on Jewel to get the OJ, and it was only on one side. I would say Vision was the exception because they had a crewmember stationed near the OJ machine and he was happy to serve.

We tip the same now (an extra buck per drink) with the drink package, as we did without it, AND have more drinks. So our bartenders probably like it?

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We tip the same now (an extra buck per drink) with the drink package, as we did without it, AND have more drinks. So our bartenders probably like it?

Same here, and I agree our bar servers seem happy to serve, but I bet that those who tip cash are in the minority.

To answer the question yes I think the bartenders hate the packages. Now RCCL has doubled down on drink packages requiring both in cabin to buy. Well I can tell you that, along with the price that was reason did not buy package on our last five day cruise on Indy in December. With 4 drinking age adults (us and 23 year old son/girlfriend) it would have been over $1200; also factor in we had a late embarkation due to a deep clean (thus cutting first day in half) and two full days off ship why would be pay that much for a drink package?

 

There was a time you could buy a reasonably priced beer or wine package only (that included water and soda) which we liked but that is long gone.

Plus we could care less about "specialty coffees" and "fresh squeezed juice" (every time someone asks for fresh squeezed juice I see the wait staff visibly sigh). I personally think fresh squeezed juice sucks and I am originally from NYC - coffee was 3 ways; regular, light or light and sweet - nuttin' else (except black). Plenty of great free coffee delivered right to room every morning.

 

How could the drink packages possibly not be an incentive not to tip? In ten plus years of cruising on two lines (last 6 on RCCL) we absolutely notice a change in service; less roving servers nothing in MDR except Assistant waiter, etc. I always tip a little cash and try to establish a relationship with a few bartenders - it makes a huge difference plus we do not treat them rudely like so many do (amazing the difference in service).

 

I do not think RCCL is done monkeying with this; Carnival limits to 15 drinks a day. Signs point to problems - last two cruises 10-drink cards pop up half way through cruise, two opportunities on last cruise for 2 dollar mimosas (two hour window); beer buckets, etc. We never went without getting a drink we wanted and never came close to the 1200 dollars the package would have cost. Some people are obviously going to "get there moneys worth" and then some - drink until the cows come home. On a seven day by day 4 or 5 I cannot imagine not getting air-lifted to the Betty Ford Clinic. Maybe raise the cost of the unlimited packages a bit and lower individual drinks - who knows but I do not think we have heard the end of this....

I could be wrong - but I don't think that I am and if I am, I KNOW that someone will correct me - but the beer and wine package was *strictly* beer and wine. It did NOT include soda and water.

Just for accuracy's sake, since everyone on this thread is trying to compare with "the good old days".

We just tried the drink package for the first time this last trip. While we probably won't do it again, we did like it. We got our money's worth but we had to work at it. I can't say one time did I have a problem with a bartender and getting service. I was always helped and with a smile. Maybe I was lucky. The bartenders we spent most time with were tipped extra with cash. The drink came back a bit stronger at times, but not sure they wouldn't have done that anyway after we spent so much time with them. Treat em like humans and they'll respond in kind. Not hard to be nice and respectful.

I could be wrong - but I don't think that I am and if I am, I KNOW that someone will correct me - but the beer and wine package was *strictly* beer and wine. It did NOT include soda and water.

 

Just for accuracy's sake, since everyone on this thread is trying to compare with "the good old days".

You are right and wrong!

Royal flipped back and forth on what was included. When the packages first came out in 2011, soda was not included. By 2013, the had included soda.

Attached is the 2011 version.

This is the 2013 version:

http://media.royalcaribbean.com/content/royal/en_US/pdf/beverage_packages.pdf

RC Beverage Packages 2011.pdf

Same here, and I agree our bar servers seem happy to serve, but I bet that those who tip cash are in the minority.

I agree,i always tip $1 in cash a drink in the DL but neither my wife nor i have seen anyone else do that so hopefully they reward the servers at the end of the cruise.

Even at the bar in Central Park i never saw anyone giving any cash tips.

How did bartenders get stiffed with 18% being added to each drink?

In those days there was no automatic tip added. They could get 0.

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In those days there was no automatic tip added. They could get 0.

Didn't know that, before my time.

I agree,i always tip $1 in cash a drink in the DL but neither my wife nor i have seen anyone else do that so hopefully they reward the servers at the end of the cruise.

Even at the bar in Central Park i never saw anyone giving any cash tips.

That's because when we tip, we don't wave it around line a flag before giving it to the server. Some of us do if very discretely. We palm it off to the server.

While I can see from those that have been cruising for awhile that drink service has gone down, that does not mean it is due to packages. People are saying that service is down as a whole.

 

It may be part of it, but I doubt the entire reason.

 

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My opinion its because of the surveys and the large percentage of people who are compelled to give all 10s no matter what. "Oh, but we simply must give them 10s. If I give anything less they might lose their jobs and I'd be responsible for unemploying a parent of a dozen children waiting on the other side of the planet. 10s across the board, everything was absolutely perfect, no possible way it could have been better. No chance. Absolute perfection." 10,10,10,10, 10......

Corporate sees these results. Wow! Hey, what if we drop the # of employees a bit, lets see if there is a corresponding drop in scores. Huh. We cut stuff by 5%, but the average scores only dipped 1%. Let's repeat and cut a little more. And a little more.

Ah, the good ol' days, when the parade of roving bartenders around the pool deck was non stop. Now, they are an endangered species. Yeah, its gone from "Can I drink enough to make the package worth it?" to " Could I order often enough even if I wanted to?" OK, I'm exaggerating to make my point.

Years later I am even more of the opinion that if you don't tip cash for drinks, you are treated and seen as a non tipper. And therfore I am a double-tipper. 18% forced, a buck for bottles, 2 bucks for any remotely complicated mixed. Yeah, I'm one of those that give out $2 bills, probably annoying as many as I endear myself to with that - but they remember me!

That's because when we tip, we don't wave it around line a flag before giving it to the server. Some of us do if very discretely. We palm it off to the server.

I'm sure you do just like i do.

Probably because our cruises are Mediterranean cruises is a reason but being observant it is obvious when people are not tipping per drink in the DL.

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My opinion its because of the surveys and the large percentage of people who are compelled to give all 10s no matter what. "Oh, but we simply must give them 10s. If I give anything less they might lose their jobs and I'd be responsible for unemploying a parent of a dozen children waiting on the other side of the planet. 10s across the board, everything was absolutely perfect, no possible way it could have been better. No chance. Absolute perfection." 10,10,10,10, 10......

 

 

Corporate sees these results. Wow! Hey, what if we drop the # of employees a bit, lets see if there is a corresponding drop in scores. Huh. We cut stuff by 5%, but the average scores only dipped 1%. Let's repeat and cut a little more. And a little more.

 

 

Ah, the good ol' days, when the parade of roving bartenders around the pool deck was non stop. Now, they are an endangered species. Yeah, its gone from "Can I drink enough to make the package worth it?" to " Could I order often enough even if I wanted to?" OK, I'm exaggerating to make my point.

 

Years later I am even more of the opinion that if you don't tip cash for drinks, you are treated and seen as a non tipper. And therfore I am a double-tipper. 18% forced, a buck for bottles, 2 bucks for any remotely complicated mixed. Yeah, I'm one of those that give out $2 bills, probably annoying as many as I endear myself to with that - but they remember me!

I have to say your post is spot on.