Royal Carribbean basically "forced me" to tip waiters I never met!

[sanwin]

Haven't cruised RCCL in awhile...are you saying that even if you have MTD and prepay tips..you still get envelopes in your cabin?? If so...why??

 

 

 

 

Thats my point !!! .....why ??? :D

[Scotty G]

I got off a Royal Carribbean Cruise Ship last week and I am still steaming about the tipping policy. I would like your feedback and advice.

Just curious if you did the courteous thing and notify your headwaiter or Matre'D in the assigned MDR that you would NOT be using the assigned MDR table during your cruise? You could then have asked them what the proper way to pay gratuities would be for what you had planned. No need to be steamed and your assigned wait staff could have had other guests assigned to that table so they would have gotten gratuities from them vice none from the empty chairs you chose not to use!

[DonnaK]

Actually I was given vouchers with crew titles on...cabin steward, head waiter, assistant waiter etc.

I then had to tare off the vouchers from the sheets and place them in the matching envelopes !!!!

 

That is the reason why I said ...if I have prepaid grats which are pooled anyway ...why do I have to fiddlea about putting vouchers in envelopes ???

There was 5 of us in the FP...which meant I had to repeat the thing 5 times for us and my kids.....such a waste of my time on my last day onboard !!!

 

Sandra

 

Yes, you are given these vouchers with names on them, but you do not HAVE to hand them out. The appropriate people will receive their fair share of the gratuities in their next paycheck regardless. The vouchers and envelopes are for those who want to hand out something, but it is absolutely not necessary to distribute them.

[DonnaK]

Haven't cruised RCCL in awhile...are you saying that even if you have MTD and prepay tips..you still get envelopes in your cabin?? If so...why??

 

Because some cruisers still want something to hand out. It's sort of symbolic, so they don't appear to be empty handed. Or, it's so they can enclose a note of thanks or some additional money if they desire.

[booze brothers]

Just curious if you did the courteous thing and notify your headwaiter or Matre'D in the assigned MDR that you would NOT be using the assigned MDR table during your cruise? You could then have asked them what the proper way to pay gratuities would be for what you had planned. No need to be steamed and your assigned wait staff could have had other guests assigned to that table so they would have gotten gratuities from them vice none from the empty chairs you chose not to use!

 

But they didn't know this. We seasoned cruisers know the ins and outs of what's right and wrong. I'm sure they'll be fine next trip.

[crusinpeg]

Because some cruisers still want something to hand out. It's sort of symbolic, so they don't appear to be empty handed. Or, it's so they can enclose a note of thanks or some additional money if they desire.

 

So what do you do if your tips are prepaid and you don't plan on tipping extre...Is there a paper voucher you get to put in your envelope to show you've prepaid tips ...seems pretty stupid to me!

[Karma5]

I agree, tip as recommeded, more if better service. No complaints.

[Charles4515]

So what do you do if your tips are prepaid and you don't plan on tipping extre...Is there a paper voucher you get to put in your envelope to show you've prepaid tips ...seems pretty stupid to me!

 

Yep, you get the vouchers. I think I explained. Most people don't have prepaid tips. And the vouchers are an option. It is so you have something to give out when everyone else is handing out envelopes. What is stupid to you makes sense with the Royal Caribbean system. I think auto tips deducted like other most cruise lines do now makes more sense but that is not what they have in effect.

[Puffinater]

Yep, you get the vouchers. I think I explained. Most people don't have prepaid tips. And the vouchers are an option. It is so you have something to give out when everyone else is handing out envelopes.

 

Anyone that pays their tips either prepay or using their Sea Pass get the both the vouchers and the envelopes.

[Charles4515]

Anyone that pays their tips either prepay or using their Sea Pass get the both the vouchers and the envelopes.

 

And to add, the default on Royal Caribbean is cash in the envelopes. Using the Sea Pass for vouchers is an option you have to sign up to do a few days before the cruise ends.

[wolfganghowell]

But they didn't know this. We seasoned cruisers know the ins and outs of what's right and wrong.

 

It was their 6th cruise. Frankly, I get a little impatient with some of the complaints people make when they come back from a vacation and announce how "surprised" they were by certain issues. Sorry - but where does personal responsibility come into play? I research my vacations, I want to make sure I educate myself on what I need to know so that I am prepared for most eventualities.

 

And complaining about tipping makes me do an eye roll. I think EVERYONE should be forced to wait tables at least once in their life. It gives you a healthy appreciation for what tipping is all about. And as others have stated, if you eat in the WJ all week, then your tips are going to those folks in a pool. I have been told by many RCCL employees that MDR, bartender and stateroom tips are NOT pooled. They all HATE the week they are assigned to WJ since their earnings go down markedly. The bartenders get moved every 2 weeks to different venues since obviously some areas are high traffic and there are quite a few bars that are used by waiters behind the scenes so those bartenders don't make much when they are working those "hidden" weeks. I just don't get how people can spend $1000's on a cruise and complain about a couple $100 in tips. Not just the OP, but many others on this board.

[DonnaK]

So what do you do if your tips are prepaid and you don't plan on tipping extre...Is there a paper voucher you get to put in your envelope to show you've prepaid tips ...seems pretty stupid to me!

 

 

Yes, but you can throw it in the garbage if you choose to. However it is provided because some people want it. Those who don't want it can ignore it. What's so stupid about that? RCI has no way to distinguish who wants the vouchers and who doesn't, so they provide them for you to use at your discretion.

[Scotty G]

But they didn't know this. We seasoned cruisers know the ins and outs of what's right and wrong. I'm sure they'll be fine next trip.

If you look at the OP's previous posts you will see that they have cruised before. I would not have said what I said to a first time cruiser.;)

[crusinpeg]

Yes, but you can throw it in the garbage if you choose to. However it is provided because some people want it. Those who don't want it can ignore it. What's so stupid about that? RCI has no way to distinguish who wants the vouchers and who doesn't, so they provide them for you to use at your discretion.

 

Now it makes sense...I guess I'm just used to Princess where they take out your tips daily and if you want vouchers tpo pay extre you just go to guest relations...seems like less paper to me.

[marci22]

People from UK always say that their servers don't work on tips. I guess they make the minimum wage? Why would anyone in their right mind do this?

 

I'd rather be a store clerk for minimum wage. I was a server for several years and it was hard, physical work, but mental as well (in many ways). I earned more from tips than I ever could working at Staples.

 

So stop complaining and just pay the tips aka the service charge.

[BettyPC]

We picked MTD so the tips were added up front - no worries -we saw our assistant waiter in the buffet almost every lunch! And there she was at dinner. Glad to pre-pay & not have to worry about hunting people down!

[marci22]

We picked MTD so the tips were added up front - no worries -we saw our assistant waiter in the buffet almost every lunch! And there she was at dinner. Glad to pre-pay & not have to worry about hunting people down!

 

There you go, UKers. Easy. No stress involved.

[ryano]

it was their 6th cruise. Frankly, i get a little impatient with some of the complaints people make when they come back from a vacation and announce how "surprised" they were by certain issues. Sorry - but where does personal responsibility come into play? I research my vacations, i want to make sure i educate myself on what i need to know so that i am prepared for most eventualities.

 

And complaining about tipping makes me do an eye roll. I think everyone should be forced to wait tables at least once in their life. It gives you a healthy appreciation for what tipping is all about. And as others have stated, if you eat in the wj all week, then your tips are going to those folks in a pool. I have been told by many rccl employees that mdr, bartender and stateroom tips are not pooled. They all hate the week they are assigned to wj since their earnings go down markedly. The bartenders get moved every 2 weeks to different venues since obviously some areas are high traffic and there are quite a few bars that are used by waiters behind the scenes so those bartenders don't make much when they are working those "hidden" weeks. I just don't get how people can spend $1000's on a cruise and complain about a couple $100 in tips. Not just the op, but many others on this board.

 

"like"

[Julesben]

I believe that the evening WJ staff rotate back to the MDR, so many weeks in the MDR, than one week in the WJ. Otherwise they would not be tipped as the MDR waiters would.

 

I, too believe that Royal Caribbean should have a line on their reservation form where "gratuities, service charges, or whatever they want to call it, is added to your reservation, and paid in full when you do your final payment.

 

I've been using MTD for the past few years, ever since it started, and we rairly go the MDR for dinner, but I know that the standard gratuity will be paid, so it's one less thing I have to worry about on my vacation.

 

In our culture, some have come to believe that they don't need to tip, and that just hurts the staffmembers, most that try so hard to make your vacation enjoyable.

 

And if one feels that paying for gratuities 70 days out is crazy, then the line should adopt the rule, that when your charge card is swiped at the terminal, the gratuities automatically are charged, non reverable, non refundable....period.

 

And if you are paying your account in cash, well, cash needs to be paid for that service in the terminal, again no refunds.

 

That is just one mans thinking! I know some will disagree with me, and feel that it's thier right to deem who they may or may not tip. If Royal Caribbean were to adopt the policy outlined above, crew members would know what to expect, and for service above and beyond the call of duty, one can always hand that person an additional amount of money.

 

Rick

 

People disagree with you on here, who you kidding Rick LOL :cool:

[adirondacksailor]

I am confused. 2 cruises this past month and one cabin steward said don't worry about vouchers, we don't need them for crew to get tips. Next steward said, yes, we need vouchers. Went to Guest Relations with envelopes in hand last night of last cruise, explained they were vouchers only, and woman at desk said, yes, they are needed for employee to get their tip, can just put them in the Guest survey box at Guest Services if not going to MDR that evening.

(I just posted this question in a separate thread, but, it's fading fast with no response, saw this thread and thought I'd get an answer here!)

[adirondacksailor]

People from UK always say that their servers don't work on tips. I guess they make the minimum wage? Why would anyone in their right mind do this?

 

I'd rather be a store clerk for minimum wage. I was a server for several years and it was hard, physical work, but mental as well (in many ways). I earned more from tips than I ever could working at Staples.

 

So stop complaining and just pay the tips aka the service charge.

 

 

I agree, pretend tips are service charge if it makes folks feel better, but pay the tips.

Not sure what servers are paid in UK, but, on recent trip to Australia, found out that tipping wasn't done, almost considered an insult, as servers are paid $15 or so an hour. Maybe the same in UK? So, in US (and cruise ships)servers are paid next to nothing and have to depend on tips instead of being paid a living wage.

[Cancun01]

Thank you DonnaK and Wolfganghowell for saying it so well. I do not like to part with my money anymore than anyone else but it is part of the cost of a cruise unless you chose not to "tip" at all. We always obtain an envelop form the pursusers desk to give extra to the "wait staff" - some get more some get very little more but we have never had anyone who did not work hard. It is embarrassing on the last night when some table mates suddenly remember, just before dessert that they "forgot to pack" and abruptly leave the table. Just to add to what DonnaK has been trying to say in about 3 postings - the envelope on the last day is symbolic or traditional if you prefer. Ironically, it goes back to the days of the great British ocean liners where an envelope was passed on the last evening at the dining table.

 

Also to clarify, on Princess and Cunard if you ask to remove the auto-tip thinking that you will only "tip" those who one feels truly deserve it or whatever, the tip that you give, (in theory) is not kept but turned into the "pool" for those including behind the scene staff who work hard to make your trip enjoyable and that you may not have seen once. If you did keep the auto-tip on, and choose to tip extra, the individual is allowed to keep the extra. They have lists and they know exactly who has tipped and who has not.

 

Here is a link on CC that explains more about tipping

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?id=132

[shaggyofwv]

While we do not have any gripes with tipping overall, I do wish that RCI would just include a service charge for the same amount in the cruise fare. The envelope system, along with the long line of people at Guest Services removing "gratuities" at the end of the cruise shows just how antiquated and unfair the system is. Just put it in the cruise fare and be done with it! That way passengers won't have to be concerned that the wrong people were receiving a tip.

 

 

I couldn't disagree more. I want control over how much of a tip my servers receive. If they are guaranteed their tip then they have no motivation to provide the "wow" service that Royal always brags about.

[SamFritz]

It was their 6th cruise. Frankly, I get a little impatient with some of the complaints people make when they come back from a vacation and announce how "surprised" they were by certain issues. Sorry - but where does personal responsibility come into play? I research my vacations, I want to make sure I educate myself on what I need to know so that I am prepared for most eventualities.

 

And complaining about tipping makes me do an eye roll. I think EVERYONE should be forced to wait tables at least once in their life. It gives you a healthy appreciation for what tipping is all about. And as others have stated, if you eat in the WJ all week, then your tips are going to those folks in a pool. I have been told by many RCCL employees that MDR, bartender and stateroom tips are NOT pooled. They all HATE the week they are assigned to WJ since their earnings go down markedly. The bartenders get moved every 2 weeks to different venues since obviously some areas are high traffic and there are quite a few bars that are used by waiters behind the scenes so those bartenders don't make much when they are working those "hidden" weeks. I just don't get how people can spend $1000's on a cruise and complain about a couple $100 in tips. Not just the OP, but many others on this board.[/quote]

 

I agree with you, as long as there is adequate "education" before the cruise. I think Royal Caribbean does a very good job informing its passengers about the process. There is no excuse for not knowing how the tipping works.

[Esmerelda]

I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess that the OP didn't read her paperwork prior to the cruise? I guess I'm not sure how you wouldn't know this information?

 

We ALWAYS tip above and beyond on most all cruises we've ever sailed on (with the exception of 1 or 2 early cruises, not on RC). The crew members work hard to make sure I have a very nice vacation. This is how all cruise lines do their gratuities.

 

As far as not eating in the MDR at all, it doesn't matter. These workers work everywhere on the ship, not just in the dining room. I've seen our waiters everywhere on the cruises we've been on. The Windjammer, out by the pools waiting etc.

 

Maybe cruising really isn't your thing? I'm just sayin....:cool: