Another gratuity question

[nikita]

It's looking like we won't make it into the main dining room on our cruise on the Oasis as we've booked 6 nights at specialty restaurants and more then likely will book another one while on board. We prepaid our gratuities and if I remember correctly they will deliver coupons to our room to give to our waitstaff on the last night. My question is - if we don't hand them the coupons will they still get the tips. We would want them to get the tips even if they don't serve us. We will hand them the tips if we need to but wanted to know if we need to. Thank you!

[Clarea]

It's looking like we won't make it into the main dining room on our cruise on the Oasis as we've booked 6 nights at specialty restaurants and more then likely will book another one while on board. We prepaid our gratuities and if I remember correctly they will deliver coupons to our room to give to our waitstaff on the last night. My question is - if we don't hand them the coupons will they still get the tips. We would want them to get the tips even if they don't serve us. We will hand them the tips if we need to but wanted to know if we need to. Thank you!

Don't know for sure about Oasis, but many ships have already stopped giving the vouchers. In any case, the crew will get your gratuity payment, with or without the vouchers.

[RoyalDiamond]

Been on Oasis twice in the past month....no more vouchers! They know if you paid.....I asked our stateroom attendant, and she said "Yes, I know that your grats are paid."

[Mapleleafforever]

Interesting. Do they still give you envelopes in case you want to tip extra??

[VegasCrossfire]

Interesting. Do they still give you envelopes in case you want to tip extra??

 

No, on the last cruise we did not get any envelopes.

 

We went to Guest Relations and they did give us a couple.

 

I guess you could always just hand the money to those you want to tip extra.....it will go straight in their pocket anyway!

 

I guess I'm old-fashioned. I liked the old way better with real money and envelopes, but things change.....

[Clarea]

Interesting. Do they still give you envelopes in case you want to tip extra??

We got envelopes on Monarch last September.

[Mapleleafforever]

No, on the last cruise we did not get any envelopes.

 

We went to Guest Relations and they did give us a couple.

 

I guess you could always just hand the money to those you want to tip extra.....it will go straight in their pocket anyway!

 

I guess I'm old-fashioned. I liked the old way better with real money and envelopes, but things change.....

 

I'm with you on that one, I liked the real money and envelopes too.

[critterchick]

We got envelopes on Monarch last September.

 

And we got them on Brilliance in September. Maybe they were just using up their stock. We like them for the extra cash tips.

[Dcoy]

Interesting. Do they still give you envelopes in case you want to tip extra??

 

Even though I prepaid, I got envelopes last week on the Vision.

 

Don

[jakesmom04]

We take our own thank you cards to place ours in. Love to give them a word or two of personal thanks. I know they probably just toss the card after reading and removing the cash, but I want them to know I appreciate the time and care they give me while cruising.

[frankarzt]

I always give extra and write a note telling how great they are. I know a lot of people try to get out of tipping but this is part of a wonderful cruise.

[kymbakitty]

Just off 14 night cruise, and, like you, never once made to dinner/breakfast (3 lunches) in MDR.

 

Booked anytime dining so they required tips upfront which was perfect.

We got envelopes anyway, and we gave concierge $30 and room steward extra $70.

 

But that's it.....room service tipping was taken care of per delivery.

 

Dawn

[negc]

No longer any vouchers but on the Jewel repositioning cruise they still provided envelopes in case you wanted to reward any of the staff with an extra gratuity.

[Scotty G]

Interesting. Do they still give you envelopes in case you want to tip extra??

 

We have been provided envelopes in the cabin on all our recent RCL cruises. We have done several this year; but, it may differ by ship.

[trojan3000]

Just of the Jewel repo gave us envelopes only but had already pre-paid the gratuities, Just cancelled the gratuitites for the next cruise going to give cash as we do not like having nothing to give them that work hard for us to enjoy the cruise. RCl sometimes sucks

[cjdixon4]

Interesting. Do they still give you envelopes in case you want to tip extra??

 

Yep. They sure do. Was just on Oasis in September, and they were right on our bed waiting for us on night 6 of our cruise.

[rubrrick]

I have been told that the voucher program (paperwork part) is being discontinued, for those of us that use MTD, but the waiters are well aware of their normal tips there, and the concierge or Guest Relations desk will certainly give envelopes to those that ask, so we pick up a few to give a note and a bit extra to those that we feel have done an outstanding job.

 

I realise that it's another cost cuting measure, but one that I think the crew understands and can live with.:)

 

Rick

[Bruin Steve]

The no paperwork thing is fine...it works...the crew gets paid...I don't need the formality...or the added steps to deal with...

 

BUT, I also go to the purser's (guest relations) desk and get envelopes---I use them for tips to the bar servers in the Diamond Lounge and for "extra" tips to dining room staff who have merited a bit extra...

 

If you really enjoy complimenting the crew with an "in-person" tip, this would be the way to do it...

[sandy toes]

If someone really doesn't visit the MDR, they should contact the ship pre-cruise via email or the 1st day on ship and give up your seat as there is someone dependig upon your tip to them. If you only tip speciality DR and WJ areas, the MDR seat is left empty and that wait staff misses out. Give up your seat and let someone else dine there. Last cruise, a table for 8 next to us had only 1 couple show up each evening, the others never came. We had one couple that didn't come and they decided to join us after the 3 evening for conversation. The wait staff commented several times how they don't like it when people keep their assigned seats and never show.

[GSuitesailing]

We are just off Allure and they did provide envelopes for extra tips. We were told by Guest Services many guests are complaining about the discontinuing of the vouchers and there would be a meeting to re-access. The Concierge Lounge had envelopes out on the desk on day 6.