Jump to content
Cruise Critic Community

Royal Caribbean Secrets They Don't Tell You

Hank1468

By Hank1468,
in Royal Caribbean International

 Share

Recommended Posts

  • 4 months later...
sixesandeights

sixesandeights

Posted
Posted
I had a server at a restaurant (here on land) tell me the other night, after our dinner, that she prefers tips in cash because they take a cut when you put it on your credit card.

 

I ignored it. She mentioned it again after she brought my card out. I said "I heard you the first time, but I don't have any cash AND I believe the 'cut' you are referring to is that they report your tips as earned income for your taxes."

 

"Yeah, that SUCKS so bad" she replied.

 

I left it alone. She is young and stupid and probably broke, but I wanted to slap her upside her head. Seriously, kid. Pay your taxes. You need to shut your pie hole before your next customer is the wrong person and you have to find a new job or worse.

 

I can tell you that my wife runs a restaurant. If you tip on Credit Card then 3% of that tip is taken by the business to cover the credit card fee. I have previously worked at 3 other places and it was the same there. It is not just the tax hit.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
bmarchal

bmarchal

Posted
Posted
I had a server at a restaurant (here on land) tell me the other night, after our dinner, that she prefers tips in cash because they take a cut when you put it on your credit card.

 

I ignored it. She mentioned it again after she brought my card out. I said "I heard you the first time, but I don't have any cash AND I believe the 'cut' you are referring to is that they report your tips as earned income for your taxes."

 

"Yeah, that SUCKS so bad" she replied.

 

I left it alone. She is young and stupid and probably broke, but I wanted to slap her upside her head. Seriously, kid. Pay your taxes. You need to shut your pie hole before your next customer is the wrong person and you have to find a new job or worse.

 

Here's how the tipping thing works when you charge tips to your room account. RCCI guarantees each employee a certain amount of money per pay period...however they sign a contract that says they will be paid a lower amount with the rest to be made up by their tips. If they don't get enough tips to reach the guaranteed amout, the cruise line adds the needed amount. If they do reach the contracted amount, they still get to keep any additional tips they recieve.

 

When you tip with cash, there's no way for the company to keep track of it and it goes unreported. That way if they don't report it, that amount becomes tax free money and the cruise line still has to make up any short fall. Is there any wonder why they automatically charge your account each day now? This should help keep the crew members from "begging" for tips in cash in the future.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
HARP

HARP

Posted
Posted
does anyone know for a fact, an absolute fact that rcl takes a $1 cut from their tips. why would they have the right to do that?

 

The room steward only gets $3.85 out of it (non suite).

The steward helper on turn around day gets $1.00 of it.

Food people get 6.80.

Got a letter on it.

If you add it all up 11.65 plus $0.36 CC charge it's $12.01 per day.

But they raised from suggested $11.65 per day to $12.00. A 3% raise to cover the Credit Card cost.

If you pay your bill with cash who gets the 3%? Great question...

Will have to ask that question sometime....:D

Link to comment
Share on other sites
poncho1973

poncho1973

Posted
Posted (edited)
Here's how the tipping thing works when you charge tips to your room account. RCCI guarantees each employee a certain amount of money per pay period...however they sign a contract that says they will be paid a lower amount with the rest to be made up by their tips. If they don't get enough tips to reach the guaranteed amout, the cruise line adds the needed amount. If they do reach the contracted amount, they still get to keep any additional tips they recieve.

 

When you tip with cash, there's no way for the company to keep track of it and it goes unreported. That way if they don't report it, that amount becomes tax free money and the cruise line still has to make up any short fall. Is there any wonder why they automatically charge your account each day now? This should help keep the crew members from "begging" for tips in cash in the future.

 

 

Why did you quote me and talk about something that has absolutely nothing at all to do with what I said?

Edited by poncho1973
Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 7 months later...
raliandgeorge

raliandgeorge

Posted
Posted
want some good me time go to the solarium during or after 2nd seating of dinner

 

I've read that the pools close early. Do you know about the Enchantment of the seas. Was looking forward to floating in the pool and watching the stars but don't know if it's an option. Also, when do the hot tubs close? I understand they need to clean and put chemicals but would like to use them at night.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
dep

dep

Posted
Posted
Good thread, imho.

 

1. For sail away, stake your claim to a spot on the helipad (unless you happen to have a balcony). It's usually forward, up the stairs, from deck 5, depending on your ship.

 

2. If you have OBC, you can cash it out in the casino. You might have to pay the 3% fee but free money is free money.

 

3. Not feeling formal night? Blow it off. The Windjammer is lovely for dinner.

 

Sorry to have to tell you this but it's up to 5% now

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Pennstateman

Pennstateman

Posted
Posted
The room steward only gets $3.85 out of it (non suite).

The steward helper on turn around day gets $1.00 of it.

Food people get 6.80.

Got a letter on it.

If you add it all up 11.65 plus $0.36 CC charge it's $12.01 per day.

But they raised from suggested $11.65 per day to $12.00. A 3% raise to cover the Credit Card cost.

If you pay your bill with cash who gets the 3%? Great question...

Will have to ask that question sometime....:D

 

 

I dunno, I'm no big shot, but these folks work awful hard and are far less fortunate than I am partly due to my good fortune being born in America....I hope they don't lose any money

Link to comment
Share on other sites
rupertfrog

rupertfrog

Posted
Posted

Quote:

Originally Posted by HARP viewpost.gif

The room steward only gets $3.85 out of it (non suite).

The steward helper on turn around day gets $1.00 of it.

Food people get 6.80.

Got a letter on it.

If you add it all up 11.65 plus $0.36 CC charge it's $12.01 per day.

But they raised from suggested $11.65 per day to $12.00. A 3% raise to cover the Credit Card cost.

If you pay your bill with cash who gets the 3%? Great question...

Will have to ask that question sometime....:D

 

 

I dunno, I'm no big shot, but these folks work awful hard and are far less fortunate than I am partly due to my good fortune being born in America....I hope they don't lose any money

__________________

We pay in cash based on $12/pp/day. In advance I calculate what the "cruise line" would say is the gratuity ... then I usually round it up to an even amount. IF/WHEN we have had "excellent" or "special" service from a particular person, we add extra cash.

FYI - I was told by the staff (when we had missed our waiter in the MDR for the tip envelope & hunted on disembarkation morning) ..... that if you leave the gratuity envelopes at the desk the staff do not receive them for over 1 week after the cruise. NOT sure how true that is but that is what we were told, & the person who told us offered to call the person we were looking for so we wouldn't leave the envelope at the desk.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 1 month later...
nanwel

nanwel

Posted
Posted

Wish someone could come up with a list of tips without all the chatter!!

 

My tip - do NOT rush to the windjammer as you board - the ship is empty! go exploring all the areas that get very crowded once the hoards of people board!

There is food available in other locations - usually somewhere on the pool deck - my grandkids got to use all the kids pool things, and mini putt alone for some time when we got on board Allure and had a ball - we had front row seats -all the seats we wanted!

We were a group of 5, and managed to put all our luggage on one chair, and took turns going to get "free cones" lunch snacks etc - was one of the best times I ever had boarding, and swear, I will never run to the Windjammer ever again on boarding day!

We had great snack food "our choice". We had an included breakfast at the hotel first, and were not needing food again anyway.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
2bthereagain

2bthereagain

Posted
Posted
Wish someone could come up with a list of tips without all the chatter!!

 

My tip - do NOT rush to the windjammer as you board - the ship is empty! go exploring all the areas that get very crowded once the hoards of people board!

There is food available in other locations - usually somewhere on the pool deck - my grandkids got to use all the kids pool things, and mini putt alone for some time when we got on board Allure and had a ball - we had front row seats -all the seats we wanted!

We were a group of 5, and managed to put all our luggage on one chair, and took turns going to get "free cones" lunch snacks etc - was one of the best times I ever had boarding, and swear, I will never run to the Windjammer ever again on boarding day!

We had great snack food "our choice". We had an included breakfast at the hotel first, and were not needing food again anyway.

 

I second this! We take this opportunity to take photos of the ship without strangers photo bombing our pictures. We have all week to eat in the Windjammer, we only have a small window of time when the ship feels as if we have it all to ourselves.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
spillrw

spillrw

Posted
Posted

Things they don't tell you...

 

most of the time they do but sometimes they don't always get your dinner table just right.

Visit the MDR when you board and find your table. If it is fantastic as usual, you can walk directly to your table that night like a well seasoned cruiser. If it is not, you can talk to the head waiter about a change.

 

If you don't care for the pizza of the day, they might make you a special yesterday's pizza of the day if you ask nicely.

 

Here's a toughy... Take the stairs instead of elevators. ( you can eat more that way )

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 2 weeks later...
Traveling_Grover

Traveling_Grover

Posted
Posted

I'll admit.. I read pages 1 - 6, then skipped to the last page.. so if someone has already answered the question, I do apologize in advance. :)

 

I'm wondering if RCL (JOS in particular) offers a "SPA" package for the week.. I know they do on NCL, where they have X amount to sell the first day, and you have use of the pools, lounges, hot tubs, steam rooms etc.. basically an "adults only" section where its quiet and soothing...

 

Anyone heard of it on RCL?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Clarea

Clarea

Posted
Posted
I'll admit.. I read pages 1 - 6, then skipped to the last page.. so if someone has already answered the question, I do apologize in advance. :)

 

I'm wondering if RCL (JOS in particular) offers a "SPA" package for the week.. I know they do on NCL, where they have X amount to sell the first day, and you have use of the pools, lounges, hot tubs, steam rooms etc.. basically an "adults only" section where its quiet and soothing...

 

Anyone heard of it on RCL?

I know they have week long packages on Oasis and Allure, but I don't know for sure about Jewel.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 11 months later...
skoola

skoola

Posted
Posted

What is DOD?

 

1. at the boring shopping shows they sometimes sell a small binder for $30 with $30 off a spa treatment AND a sticker for buy one, get one free DOD for the entire cruise. as many as u want. Unlimited. never ending.

 

oh and you can order a very nice cheese tray from the MDR to go. good for late night snack after DOD special above.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing
  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Cruise Critic News & Features
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...