Gratuities to be added to sea pass account daily.

[cruisenfever]

[quote name='peteukmcr']May I politely suggest that you keep your thoughts to yourself if all you are going to do is insult people?

I take great offence at your remark and the suggestion that I lie, and so do all those who prepay. May I remind you that if you select MTD, then you have to prepay, and therefore, those of us who select MTD are not lying and so are not cheap.
An apology would be nice :D[/quote]
[IMG]http://boards.cruisecritic.com/images/icons/icon14.gif[/IMG] Thanks for expressing yourself so graciously which I completely agree with.:)

[JaneStarr]

There's no such thing as too much wine! ;)

 

HIC!

Unless it's La Terrible!

[appleosprey]

[quote name='pcur']Marci22: I personally think removing the charge should be required on a daily basis in the aforementioned "signage" line!!! If people want to avoid this, they can pre-pay before the cruise.

My apologies to anyone who might be offended by my sarcasm, but I have just seen and heard sooooo many things where the crew just flat out get stiffed.[/QUOTE]

Exactly, I agree, make those do the walk of shame. People should only not tip if they dont receive good service, seems like people are trying to not pay tips because before they could have got away with it. The Tight line to remove tips and to pay more than the required in cash directly to the crew member.

[Debde]

[quote name='peteukmcr']May I politely suggest that you keep your thoughts to yourself if all you are going to do is insult people?

I take great offence at your remark and the suggestion that I lie, and so do all those who prepay. May I remind you that if you select MTD, then you have to prepay, and therefore, those of us who select MTD are not lying and so are not cheap.
An apology would be nice :D[/quote]

I will absolutly give you an apology as it was said in jest-hence the :p

But now you know how I feel because one says the folks that are standing on line are cheap and going to stiff because I may be on that line.
Alot of those remarks were flung my way in a round about way.
Can you see my side too :confused:

[cruisenfever]

[quote name='Debde']I will [B]absolutly give you an apology [/B]as it was said in jest-hence the :p

But now you know how I feel because one says the folks that are standing on line are cheap and going to stiff because I may be on that line.
Alot of those remarks were flung my way in a round about way.
Can you see my side too :confused:[/quote]
Thank you.;)

[appleosprey]

[quote name='Debde']I will absolutly give you an apology as it was said in jest-hence the :p

But now you know how I feel because one says the folks that are standing on line are cheap and going to stiff because I may be on that line.
Alot of those remarks were flung my way in a round about way.
Can you see my side too :confused:[/QUOTE]

Why would you be in that line unless you receive unsatisfactory service. Why dont you go with the system that has been designed in line with other cruise lines. It seems like a waste of time to remove tips to then pay them in cash, You should just enjoy the new system and enjoy the service onboard that the crew work hard to provide

[Debde]

[quote name='appleosprey']Why would you be in that line unless you receive unsatisfactory service. Why dont you go with the system that has been designed in line with other cruise lines. It seems like a waste of time to remove tips to then pay them in cash, You should just enjoy the new system and enjoy the service onboard that the crew work hard to provide[/quote]

I will say this again.
I want to tip in cash, hand to hand.
I do not trust some suit giving the staff that helped me a TIP!!
Call it a surcharge or raise the price and i would not be on this thread or complain!!

[e2011]

Simple. I won't do it. I will be at guest services on every cruise changing this "automatic" charge and heres why. We never eat in the dining rooms. Never. I will not tip a waiter and head waiter I have never met. I WILL continue to tip the staff at the specialty dining where we eat and at the Windjammer where we have a few meals. There are always a few staff members at the Windjammer who we get to know and give us excellent service and I will continue to tip them. And my Concierge staff will also get nice tips for their help on the cruise. Thats my policy its is nonnegotiable.

[peteukmcr]

[quote name='Debde']I will absolutly give you an apology as it was said in jest-hence the :p

But now you know how I feel because one says the folks that are standing on line are cheap and going to stiff because I may be on that line.
Alot of those remarks were flung my way in a round about way.
Can you see my side too :confused:[/QUOTE]Thank you for the apology, much appreciated.

[phish tales]

[quote name='Debde']I will say this again.
I want to tip in cash, hand to hand.
I do not trust some suit giving the staff that helped me a TIP!!
Call it a surcharge or raise the price and i would not be on this thread or complain!![/quote]


Debde, read thread #722.

and i approve of that message...

[Ocean Boy]

[quote name='temple1']I don't care how cheap or lavish other cruisers are with their money, but unless you tell the Maitre D or hostess on day one that you will not be using your table then as far as the staff is concerned you have not released your table.

We have dined a number of times at dinner in the WJ and we have yet to experience the wonderful service some mention on here. We have no more assistance from the staff than we do at breakfast, sometimes less. [COLOR="Red"]But we don't walk in waving dollar bills in the air either.[/COLOR] ;)[/QUOTE]

Nor do I but I have experienced the service.:rolleyes:

[Debde]

[quote name='phish tales']Debde, read thread #722.

and i approve of that message...[/quote]

I have to admit-you do make me laugh! You love your job here and I love that you are here to brighten things up.
You sure do get some of those D+'s all riled up when you tell them how they are getting the boot from the CL.

I have found that this board at times has very little humour and very inside the box so it does make for entertainment. :D

[appleosprey]

[quote name='Debde']I will say this again.
I want to tip in cash, hand to hand.
I do not trust some suit giving the staff that helped me a TIP!!
Call it a surcharge or raise the price and i would not be on this thread or complain!![/QUOTE]

There will be two types of people who will be in the REMOVE TIPS line
1, People like you who prefer to tip in cash
2, People who dont tip at all

I hope that the guest relations staff dont think that you are stiffing the crew, Im sure it will cross their mind!

Thats very thoughtful of you to take time out from your cruise to remove the tips because you are so deeply concerned that your staff looking after you will get shafted by Royal Caribbean and you are going to give them cash personally because they will get more money that way. Such a thoughtful person. I feel bad now because I am doing My Time Dining and my tips are prepaid and now the staff will not get as much money as if I pay them cash in their hand

[Charles4515]

[quote name='Debde']I will say this again.
I want to tip in cash, hand to hand.
I do not trust some suit giving the staff that helped me a TIP!!
Call it a surcharge or raise the price and i would not be on this thread or complain!![/QUOTE]

If you remove the automatic gratuities whatever cash you hand out will be turned into the pool. That is how it works with automatic gratuities. They only get to keep tips that are extra.

[Debde]

[quote name='appleosprey']I hope that the guest relations staff dont think that you are stiffing the crew, Im sure it will cross their mind!
[/quote]

Did you really think they would not hear my reasoning?
Oh-tht's right-you really don't know me!!

charles4515-do you know that to be fact? Why woulld they have to or for that matter-be made to? Would not look good for the company if that would get out one would think!!:eek:
Did the cash tips prior to this go into some pool??

[glo]

[quote name='srvdmy4usn']I have not gotten an email like that yet, and I have a cruise on the books. I notice both of you are from Europe, I wonder if it is regional?[/QUOTE]

We got this email on Friday for the US. $12 for most cabins and $14.25 for suites.

[Charles4515]

[quote name='e2011']Simple. I won't do it. I will be at guest services on every cruise changing this "automatic" charge and heres why. We never eat in the dining rooms. Never. I will not tip a waiter and head waiter I have never met. I WILL continue to tip the staff at the specialty dining where we eat and at the Windjammer where we have a few meals. There are always a few staff members at the Windjammer who we get to know and give us excellent service and I will continue to tip them. And my Concierge staff will also get nice tips for their help on the cruise. Thats my policy its is nonnegotiable.[/QUOTE]

You are only kidding yourself. When gratuities are removed whatever cash you hand out will go into a pool. And they will turn the money in. That is how it works with automatic collection of gratuities. They will turn that money in and they will only be able to keep any amount that is over the $12 a day. If what you give out is under the $12 is will be deducted. Those crew members giving you excellent service will suffer.

[marci22]

I am guessing that the crew will generally like the auto-gratuities. That is, if tons of people don't go and remove them. We won't know how it works out until people start reporting back, like everything else.

[temple1]

[quote name='phish tales']i love love the new auto gratuity policy. the only thing i dislike is that they gave the "stiffers" a way out of it. i'm sure they will find it and use it.
that is sad---:eek:[/quote]

My thoughts are some people enjoy the lord/lady bountiful handing out benevolences to those beneath them.

Disclaimer - not all, just some, but why else would anyone walk around a cashless ship with small bills in their pocket? :confused:

[phish tales]

[quote name='Debde']I have to admit-you do make me laugh! You love your job here and I love that you are here to brighten things up.
You sure do get some of those D+'s all riled up when you tell them how they are getting the boot from the CL.

I have found that this board at times has very little humour and very inside the box so it does make for entertainment. :D[/quote]


Debde, thank you for letting me entertain you, but i am dead serious about letting anyone remove the mandatory surcharge that has just been instituted.
please don't get in that line. let the wait staff have what they work hard for. stay out of the "line of shame".

PS--i believe i am correct about the CL.. and i never used the term "booted", i said "moved to a place of equal or greater perks"....

[The Sunset Glow]

[quote name='pepsicruiser']Let me first say after 35+ cruises I have never stiffed 1 person on a cruise. But after reading this thread I do think for the first time....Why do you have to tip room steward for 4 people who stay in a room rather than 2. This is "1"room and bath. How much more messy can "1"room get with 4 rather than 2 people. If it were a 2 bedroom suite I get it. BTW I've only traveled with 2 in a room but recently traveled with my son and his family (4) and although children can get messy the room still needs vacuuming, bath cleaning etc with 2 people and same for 4 people. I think the room steward should be given a standard tip regardless of 2 or 4 people. Other than that definitely the dining room staff caters to the children so they need to be tipped. Just my 2 cents lol.[/QUOTE]

I used to think about it like that too when it was just my husband and I, but after talking the frst cruise with our children I see it differently. Those Pullmans and sofa beds are a PITA and have to be taken out and made up then disassembled again every day. That's a lot of extra work - I know it's not double the work but the type of work must be annoying. I don't mind leaving the full tips for my kids. Once they get older and have their own cabin I will have to do it anyway.

[Cuizer2]

[quote name='Brit-Cruiser']I have just had an email from RCI stating that from1st March, gratuities will increase to $13 per day (up from $12.65). They also say they will now be automatically added to sea pass accounts on a daily basis.[/quote]

Are you sure about your numbers? I believe the new rate is $12/day up from $11.65/day. As to it being an auto tip, I see this as good news.

[CruisenLexie]

[quote name='e2011']Simple. I won't do it. I will be at guest services on every cruise changing this "automatic" charge and heres why. We never eat in the dining rooms. Never. I will not tip a waiter and head waiter I have never met. I WILL continue to tip the staff at the specialty dining where we eat and at the Windjammer where we have a few meals. There are always a few staff members at the Windjammer who we get to know and give us excellent service and I will continue to tip them. And my Concierge staff will also get nice tips for their help on the cruise. Thats my policy its is nonnegotiable.[/quote]

While I understand your reasoning what you may be doing is stiffing the people who work in the back washing your dishes, cooking your food, plating meals, cleaning your veggies, cleaning tables, etc. Since there are so many versions of how tips are handled it makes it difficult to know what to do so the hard workers behind the scenes are taken care of for someone in your situation.

[k9x8]

[quote name='Charles4515']You are only kidding yourself. When gratuities are removed whatever cash you hand out will go into a pool. And they will turn the money in. That is how it works with automatic collection of gratuities. They will turn that money in and they will only be able to keep any amount that is over the $12 a day. If what you give out is under the $12 is will be deducted. Those crew members giving you excellent service will suffer.[/QUOTE]

Thank you! I've repeated this a few times, and it's always a big [I]whooosh.[/I]

[Cuizer2]

[quote name='Charles4515']You are only kidding yourself. When gratuities are removed whatever cash you hand out will go into a pool. [/quote]

People keep saying that, and I keep checking the pool on the last day, and I have yet to find any money. But I remain undeterred, so I will continue to check the pools on the last day in hopes of striking it rich.