RCCL - what's changed with Bar service tips?

[mcnaughtna]

Hi folks. I've done a search but can't find an answer to my question. Sailing on Saturday on the 4 night Independence to Cobh and understand there have been changes/removal of the auto-tips for Bar service?

 

I seem to remember on our previous 3 cruises on RCI approx. 15% was added automatically but I think I've seen some comments on here that this is now not the case for UK cruisers?

 

Is this right?

 

Thanks in advance :)

[Elizanessie]

Hi folks. I've done a search but can't find an answer to my question. Sailing on Saturday on the 4 night Independence to Cobh and understand there have been changes/removal of the auto-tips for Bar service?

 

I seem to remember on our previous 3 cruises on RCI approx. 15% was added automatically but I think I've seen some comments on here that this is now not the case for UK cruisers?

 

Is this right?

 

Thanks in advance :)

 

Hi

 

What they did was remove the 15% automatic tip on drinks and instead include it in the price...they did some sort of removal and put on...to do with the 15% and VAT.

 

This was done as some cruisers were refusing to pay the 15% drink gratuity...they actually demanded it be removed.

 

So to answer your question...there is no additional gratuity added onto drink bill on the Indy when she sails from Southampton.

[Cuizer2]

Hi

 

What they did was remove the 15% automatic tip on drinks and instead include it in the price...they did some sort of removal and put on...to do with the 15% and VAT.

 

This was done as some cruisers were refusing to pay the 15% drink gratuity...they actually demanded it be removed.

 

So to answer your question...there is no additional gratuity added onto drink bill on the Indy when she sails from Southampton.

 

If they would make it a service charge, which is what it really is, instead of gratuity, there would not be this problem.

[jocap]

At least RCI does try to fit in with the local customs.....well done them, I say!

I believe they're going to do the same with Celebrity Eclipse out of Southampton. I love to hear of a big firm being a little sensitive.....Carnival House next, do you think?

Jo.

[mcnaughtna]

Thanks everyone - that's most appreciated :)

[M&A]

At least RCI does try to fit in with the local customs.....well done them, I say!

I believe they're going to do the same with Celebrity Eclipse out of Southampton. I love to hear of a big firm being a little sensitive.....Carnival House next, do you think?

Jo.

 

But what difference does it make, the customer is still paying the 15%, except it's hidden in the price?

[jocap]

But what difference does it make, the customer is still paying the 15%, except it's hidden in the price?

It's about hidden charges....very few passengers from Southampton will have met with the 15% tip which is added on automatically to any bar sales, and very few will have even heard of a place where tipping is at 15% for anything (unless they've travelled to the USA or Israel).

It's quite a shock to be charged this non-negotiable fee, after travelling with P&O, Thomson, saga, Fred etc.

The complaints were many, and would be passengers wrote on forums that they would not travel on a ship to use this method.

RCI had to change their thinking, when leaving the UK, as there were other vast ships such as Ventura and Azura coming on the market.

By changing the wording, people now have a simple choice either to buy an over priced drink, or go sober!

It was the automatic addition alone, that was the problem.

Celebrity, which brought the brand new Eclipse to be named in Southampton, immediately had the same negative vibes from punters.

They are also dropping this tipping policy from May.

Jo.

[M&A]

It's about hidden charges....very few passengers from Southampton will have met with the 15% tip which is added on automatically to any bar sales, and very few will have even heard of a place where tipping is at 15% for anything (unless they've travelled to the USA or Israel).

It's quite a shock to be charged this non-negotiable fee, after travelling with P&O, Thomson, saga, Fred etc.

The complaints were many, and would be passengers wrote on forums that they would not travel on a ship to use this method.

RCI had to change their thinking, when leaving the UK, as there were other vast ships such as Ventura and Azura coming on the market.

By changing the wording, people now have a simple choice either to buy an over priced drink, or go sober!

It was the automatic addition alone, that was the problem.

Celebrity, which brought the brand new Eclipse to be named in Southampton, immediately had the same negative vibes from punters.

They are also dropping this tipping policy from May.

Jo.

 

The fact that RCI are dropping the tipping policy will not bring the price of your drinks down 15%. They just "hide" the tip in the overall price, you are still paying for that service.

 

Every ship I have been on RCI, Carnival, Celebrity, Princess does the same thing. The 15% tip displayed on the bill is to let you know that 15% goes to the bar staff.

If the price of a beer was $6 plus the 15% you would pay $6.80, now the price of the beer will be $6.80 - no 15% displayed and no difference to the customer.

[jaybird1]

It's about hidden charges....very few passengers from Southampton will have met with the 15% tip which is added on automatically to any bar sales, and very few will have even heard of a place where tipping is at 15% for anything (unless they've travelled to the USA or Israel).

It's quite a shock to be charged this non-negotiable fee, after travelling with P&O, Thomson, saga, Fred etc.

The complaints were many, and would be passengers wrote on forums that they would not travel on a ship to use this method.

RCI had to change their thinking, when leaving the UK, as there were other vast ships such as Ventura and Azura coming on the market.

By changing the wording, people now have a simple choice either to buy an over priced drink, or go sober!

It was the automatic addition alone, that was the problem.

Celebrity, which brought the brand new Eclipse to be named in Southampton, immediately had the same negative vibes from punters.

They are also dropping this tipping policy from May.

Jo.

 

 

First of all the 15% "hidden" charge does not happen in America or Israel - it is not deducted automatically. It is "recommended" to tip 15% and it is not added to the bill. However, there are exception such as the Miami area where they do automatically add 15% to the bill in restaurants, so you have to be careful not to leave another tip.

 

And tipping is NOT just an American thing. Tipping at 15% is recommended in Canada, Mexico (we are just back and tipping is expected everywhere) Belize, and every country in Central America, South America and every country in the Caribbean.

 

As the poster above says, just because they removed the 15% displayed on your receipt does not mean you will pay 15% less. The service charge will be passed on to you and the bar staff will still get there 15% per drink turned over to them.

Check the prices - you will pay more for the drinks sailing out of the UK as compared to sailing out of North American ports.

 

Out of Miami in January the best deal for beer was the "oil can" Fosters 26 ounces - $7.90 tip included, that works out to around £4.70 for a Pint and a quarter.

I don't think that is too much for a cruise ship. I'm not sure what the price is on P&O it's difficult to compare since the overall cruise price on P&O seems to be higher.

[jaybird1]

sorry double post!!

[Cuizer2]

The fact that RCI are dropping the tipping policy will not bring the price of your drinks down 15%. They just "hide" the tip in the overall price, you are still paying for that service.

 

Every ship I have been on RCI, Carnival, Celebrity, Princess does the same thing. The 15% tip displayed on the bill is to let you know that 15% goes to the bar staff.

If the price of a beer was $6 plus the 15% you would pay $6.80, now the price of the beer will be $6.80 - no 15% displayed and no difference to the customer.

 

Time to change the batteries in your calculator. 15% of $6.00 is 90¢ Thus you would pay $6.90.

[SwissDave]

No one is expecting to pay less or to have the final bar price reduced by 15%. If the 15% is added onto the actual cost of the drink and is shown as an all inclusive price then thats fine. The problem is seeing one price, expecting to pay it and suddenly finding it has gone up 15%.

 

I always have the same problem when I go to New York (the only place in USA I have been). Go into a shop, Starbucks etc, see the price on the tag or board, get out the correct change and then find when I pay it's gone up because sales tax isn't inlcuded in the displayed price. That usually means that instead of getting rid of all the chnage in my pocket, I have to break another note.

 

In the UK, and the rest of Europe, the price you see is the price you pay. And that is the whole point of all of this.

[jocap]

This is not another discussion about tipping in various countries, on the UK page- I'm too experienced in the whole tipping arguments to ever go into that- this is an explanation on the UK forum for UK travellers on these ships.

Thanks, Dave, for putting it succinctly.

This is about the fact that RCI was getting poor reviews from UK and Irish travellers about the unusual-to them-tipping/gratuity expectations on a massive ship, Independence, sailing from Southampton.

MD UK, Robin Shaw, saw this, and sensibly decided that Indy would have a different way of dealing with this problem. This has now been extended to the other RCI S'ton sailing, Celebrity Eclipse.

The comparison of tipping comes from USA Today, which gives the Norm in countries world wide....Yes, Canada also expects 15%, and Brazil etc from 10 to 15%.....Israel is one of the few Med countries which expects more than 10%, which was the reason for posting, as a sort of touchstone.

Jo.

[Elizanessie]

The OP's question has been answered and this thread will now be closed.

 

Thank you for your understanding.