Celebrity and Rci tipping envelopes

[Gordoncruickshank]

All the comapnies that I have cruised with give everyone the option of stopping the fixed daily tips - you just have to go to customer services on the ship - to allow individuals to give what they want to who they decide. The problem is that some people decide to stop tha automatic tip and don't pay anything at the end of the cruise.

 

We are given the option of paying upfront when the cruise is booked - some do this others pay per day on their ship account. Celebrity require tips to be paid up front is you opt for select dinning.

 

Our forthcoming cruises are the first time that we have paid in advance - used the TA discount to cover them.

[u2cruiser]

 

I have a question I thought that all Brits paid tips upfront just because of this problem with their type on tip system? How can you opt out if it was part of your cruise payment?

 

Paying upfront is becoming more popular in the UK when booking with travel agents. They sometimes advertise the cruise price with tips included. I hope this trend continues as I don't think tips can be removed when paid in this way.

 

I saw an RCI cruise advertised for UK pax with an online agent last week, March 2013, from New Orleans to Europe with flights, pre cruise/post cruise hotels, balcony, tips AND premium alcoholic drinks package included :eek:. Very reasonable price too.

[phoebecat]

I asked a question, stated my view and made my opinions, to which I am entitled, very clear.

 

The vast majority of you chose to take it as an opportunity to flame me and make a number of vitriolic and spurious remarks about who I am and what sort of person you judge me to be. This is a public forum for debate and not an opportunity to throw about unsubstantiated and potentially libellous comments.

 

To rebut...

 

Tips are Not part of the price of the cruise. They are an optional extra. In many countries, the custom is to pay them. In the UK, out of which this cruise sailed, it is not so customary. I made a choice not to. I was asked for them a second time, having made it clear I did not wish to pay the auto gratuity. I asked the forum if this was customary on this cruise line, as past experience has been that when I've asked once from them to be removed, I'm am not then solicited for tips a second time.

 

And solicitation for money is what it amounts to. I expect good service for which I have paid as part of my cruise fare. And dont tell me that the cruise fare doesnt include service. If that was the case we would all be cleaning our own lavatories, making our own food and serving ourselves. That basic service is part of the holiday price and 'contract', or at least anyone with common sense would observe it to be so.

 

What is not part of the deal and which I neither need nor want is fawning over, extra nicey smiles, enquiries as to my health, well being, day to day activities and the like. It's not necessary, adds nothing to my vacation and is not something I wish to reward with cash.

 

The cruise ships might be American owned (the land of the tipping culture), but they are not registered there, their staff are not US citizens and I was not sailing out of a US port. I bought a cruise from a uk travel agency in uk sterling and as a uk citizen I will not be bound to rules of US customs, quite simply because I am not in the US.

 

From discussions with friends and family who cruise regularly, I know I am in a small but growing minority who believe that this divisive, corrupt practice perpetuated by the cruise lines should cease. I will continue to cruise and to register my disapprobation of the system by removing the auto gratuities. As I am perfectly entitled to.

 

In the meanwhile I humbly suggest you read and ponder on these two perfectly true accounts.

 

A good friend was once a cruise director working on two well known US cruise lines. On both lines, and he understands this to be the case across the cruise industry, a not insignificant 20% of your tips, paid either on the bill or by cash went not to the staff to top up their wages, or whatever, but to the on shore administration staff, managers and directors.

 

My parents cruised for many years. On their last cruise when in their 80s, my mother was ill in her cabin. My dad and the cabin steward cleared it up between them. Towards the end of the cruise my father gave the cabin steward the recommended tip, as the cruise line had suggested to them to pay. The cabin steward took the envelope away and returned 5 minutes later. He complained that my parents hadn't given him any more than the basic tip and he wanted more for cleaning up after my mother. My mother, suffering dementia and anxiety,was so sick with worry and embarrassment that she gave him more money which my father went along with as he could see how distressed my mother was. That is solicitation for tips, targeting the elderly and vulnerable and is totally unacceptable.

 

And as long as the practice of tipping in order to top up wages continues, so will episodes like this.

[Karynanne]

I asked a question, stated my view and made my opinions, to which I am entitled, very clear.

 

The vast majority of you chose to take it as an opportunity to flame me and make a number of vitriolic and spurious remarks about who I am and what sort of person you judge me to be. This is a public forum for debate and not an opportunity to throw about unsubstantiated and potentially libellous comments.

 

To rebut...

 

Tips are Not part of the price of the cruise. They are an optional extra. In many countries, the custom is to pay them. In the UK, out of which this cruise sailed, it is not so customary. I made a choice not to. I was asked for them a second time, having made it clear I did not wish to pay the auto gratuity. I asked the forum if this was customary on this cruise line, as past experience has been that when I've asked once from them to be removed, I'm am not then solicited for tips a second time.

 

And solicitation for money is what it amounts to. I expect good service for which I have paid as part of my cruise fare. And dont tell me that the cruise fare doesnt include service. If that was the case we would all be cleaning our own lavatories, making our own food and serving ourselves. That basic service is part of the holiday price and 'contract', or at least anyone with common sense would observe it to be so.

 

What is not part of the deal and which I neither need nor want is fawning over, extra nicey smiles, enquiries as to my health, well being, day to day activities and the like. It's not necessary, adds nothing to my vacation and is not something I wish to reward with cash.

 

The cruise ships might be American owned (the land of the tipping culture), but they are not registered there, their staff are not US citizens and I was not sailing out of a US port. I bought a cruise from a uk travel agency in uk sterling and as a uk citizen I will not be bound to rules of US customs, quite simply because I am not in the US.

 

From discussions with friends and family who cruise regularly, I know I am in a small but growing minority who believe that this divisive, corrupt practice perpetuated by the cruise lines should cease. I will continue to cruise and to register my disapprobation of the system by removing the auto gratuities. As I am perfectly entitled to.

 

In the meanwhile I humbly suggest you read and ponder on these two perfectly true accounts.

 

A good friend was once a cruise director working on two well known US cruise lines. On both lines, and he understands this to be the case across the cruise industry, a not insignificant 20% of your tips, paid either on the bill or by cash went not to the staff to top up their wages, or whatever, but to the on shore administration staff, managers and directors.

 

My parents cruised for many years. On their last cruise when in their 80s, my mother was ill in her cabin. My dad and the cabin steward cleared it up between them. Towards the end of the cruise my father gave the cabin steward the recommended tip, as the cruise line had suggested to them to pay. The cabin steward took the envelope away and returned 5 minutes later. He complained that my parents hadn't given him any more than the basic tip and he wanted more for cleaning up after my mother. My mother, suffering dementia and anxiety,was so sick with worry and embarrassment that she gave him more money which my father went along with as he could see how distressed my mother was. That is solicitation for tips, targeting the elderly and vulnerable and is totally unacceptable.

 

And as long as the practice of tipping in order to top up wages continues, so will episodes like this.

 

From what I am reading, you feel that since embarkation was from a UK port, that is your rationalzation for not compensating (tip) the crew for their work. But apparently it doesn't matter that it is the custom for Celebrity Cruiseline.

 

It is unfortunate that your parents had a cabin steward that was brash in his manner, regarding tipping. I have found this is very unusual.

 

I highly doubt that you'll change or broaden your thinking regarding tipping procedures. I wonder when you are visiting my country (U.S.A.) if you'll have the same attitude.

[Orator]

It really boils down to doing what you feel is right. I feel that it's right to offer tips, the OP doesn't. She won't change my view and I won't change hers. She may reason that I'm supporting an unreasonable system. I might reason that she is uncaring. We won't convince each other no matter what either of us says. Let's just agree that we have different attitudes and beliefs and move on.

[cruisestitch]

The OP has convinced him/herself of many things --- that leaving from a UK port somehow makes the cruise a UK cruise, and that participating in the expected and customary tip procedure puts him/her in collusion with a corrupt and evil system (but paying good money to the cruise company for passage does not support this same corrupt system (?!?) ), among other things. There are cruise lines which fit his/her conception of what a cruise should be. Celebrity isn't one of them. I sincerely hope that future bookings are on those lines, and that I never have the displeasure of sharing a table with such an unfeeling passenger on my future Celebrity cruises.

[dkjretired]

Actually, I think you're wrong here Don. Those that don't pay their own way don't just stiff the staff. They also do it to the other passengers like you and me. Someone has to pay the staff for the service they perform or else they'd never take the jobs, so those that do pay the tips are carrying the weight of those that don't.

 

The OP has convinced him/herself of many things --- that leaving from a UK port somehow makes the cruise a UK cruise, and that participating in the expected and customary tip procedure puts him/her in collusion with a corrupt and evil system (but paying good money to the cruise company for passage does not support this same corrupt system (?!?) ), among other things. There are cruise lines which fit his/her conception of what a cruise should be. Celebrity isn't one of them. I sincerely hope that future bookings are on those lines, and that I never have the displeasure of sharing a table with such an unfeeling passenger on my future Celebrity cruises.

 

I agree stitch words can't describe how low and uncaring an individual can be.

[phoebecat]

It really boils down to doing what you feel is right. I feel that it's right to offer tips, the OP doesn't. She won't change my view and I won't change hers. She may reason that I'm supporting an unreasonable system. I might reason that she is uncaring. We won't convince each other no matter what either of us says. Let's just agree that we have different attitudes and beliefs and move on.

 

You and I are both entitled to our own views and opinions, and therefore to differ accordingly. You are perfectly correct, I won't change your views, nor you mine. Therefore we agree to differ, in a civilised manner.

 

Unfortunately, the vitriol on this thread has been anything other than civilised. I asked a question, expressed a view and was flamed by practically every individual who contributed. Some of the posters resorted to highly personal and vindictive abuse. If that is the way in which they hope to convince me of the rightness of their argument, its been a sorry effort. All i have come away with is a sense if how intolerant so many posters are, of any views other than their own.

 

Resorting to name calling, insults and personal conjecture makes a mockery of this site as a forum.

[dkjretired]

You and I are both entitled to our own views and opinions, and therefore to differ accordingly. You are perfectly correct, I won't change your views, nor you mine. Therefore we agree to differ, in a civilised manner.

 

Unfortunately, the vitriol on this thread has been anything other than civilised. I asked a question, expressed a view and was flamed by practically every individual who contributed. Some of the posters resorted to highly personal and vindictive abuse. If that is the way in which they hope to convince me of the rightness of their argument, its been a sorry effort. All i have come away with is a sense if how intolerant so many posters are, of any views other than their own.

 

Resorting to name calling, insults and personal conjecture makes a mockery of this site as a forum.

 

Quite frankly what did you expect, I suspect you knew exactly what would happen, no sympathy here, my sympathy is for the people you purposely stiffed.

[cruiseacecat]

My goodness, but the OP is certainly defensive. He/She is definitely entitled to His/Her opinions just as I am entitled to consider someone who deliberately stiffs the staff a cheap person with no conscience. Please continue to cruise Cunard.

 

I am finished here.

 

Anne

[PinotBlanc]

We are just back from our first celebrity cruise. As per usual (and please do not launch into an attack on me for what is my personal choice to pay or not pay auto gratuities), we removed said auto gratuities from our bill. We were then presented with envelopes on the final night to put cash in, a suggested amount amounting to just under $300, for various individuals, to hand to them. We have never encountereed this before, sailing as we have done on Cunard where no envelopes exist.

 

My question is this. Had we left the auto gratuities on the bill or paid them in advance would we still have been given the envelopes, or, as I suspect, are the envelopes and suggested tipping amounts handed to us in order to shame us into paying despite the fact we have removed the auto gratuities and made it clear that we don't wish to tip?

 

For the record, I am British and would happily pay a higher holiday price rather than these tips which are essentially the staffs wages. What I will not do is have this charade where I am supposed to reward good service. I'm on holiday, have paid for said holiday, I expect good service as a matter of course.

 

 

Do you hear the birds chirping.

[helen haywood]

Let me get this straight. You have experienced "a sense of how intolerant so many posters" here on the Celebrity Cruises Board "have been." And you have no desire to experience the "divisive, corrupt practice perpetuated" by Celebrity Cruises.

 

Dare I hope that means you will not be gracing us with your presence on any other Celebrity cruises?

[Andy]

Hi Everyone,

 

As it's safe to say the question has been "asked & answered", and this thread has taken a downhill route, it's now closed. Thank you for your understanding.