Gratuities to be added to sea pass account daily.

[pepsicruiser]

[quote name='The Sunset Glow']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.[/quote]


Okay I get it. It was just a thought. You are probably right.

[k9x8]

[quote name='temple1']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:[/QUOTE]

[I]Beneath[/I] them? That's a bit insulting.
As a recipient of tips, I can assure you I greatly appreciate the benevolences. It's the ones who really do think I'm beneath them that squeeze those pennies until Abe cries uncle.

Gratuity. Gratitude. Get it?

[UNV-IT!!!]

I got the email on Thursday also. I personally don't like it at all. I pay all my tips cash. I pay the required amount most times unless someone went above and beyond in which case I give them more cash. I have never stiffed anyone for a tip. Not on Rccl or any other thing I do which includes tipping. But like others have stated I do the specialty restaurants too. And I tip those waiters also. So why should I need to tip the dinning room staff for nights they aren't serving me? That makes zero sense. I will have to go to guest services and have those removed. You wouldn't pay a hotel you stay at a dinning fee every night if your not dinning at the resort. This should be no different. I personally think its just Rccl trying to stop cash being handed to their employees. Rccl can't take fees from handed to them. As for the person who thinks the employee going to go hand over their cash:rolleyes:

[uncle John]

I am for including the extra into the charges automatically but they should just increase the cost of the cruise and say tipping optional for those whom feel they are getting forced to tip or getting ripped off. If you want to tip some one over and aabove then you should be able too give them the extra. Most of the argument here is terminology and differences in culture and life choices.

Just say service fees included. Notipping necessary. But it is optional.

[Sapphire723]

I am actually happy about the auto daily charge. Hubby and I sailed on RCCL to Bermuda for our wedding. With all of my planning and all of the craziness, I got a little confused with RCCL's tipping policy. Apparently, I had to fill out a form to have the tips auto charged to my room, which I failed to do in time. On the last night of the cruise, I was running around like crazy trying to get together cash into envelopes to make sure everyone got what they deserved. I'd much raher have it charged automatically and separated properly so that I didn't accidentally leave someone out, and then I can only run around and tip those who I feel deserve something extra for their excellent service. Since this is what other lines I've sailed on practice, it was awkward for me to try to figure out RCCL's ins and outs when things were already pretty hectic.

I don't like pre-paying for gratuities, because I think it distances the the tip from what it's supposed to represent. I also don't know how they handle situations where you've pre-paid and the service was substandard.

As far as the whole tipping vs including it in the fare goes, I personally would much prefer tipping. As someone who has worked as a server, I liked having my income directly tied to my job performance. It let me know (in most cases) how a guest felt about the service they were receiving. Of course, there are cases of people who will generously tip even if the server was having a bad day and there are those who will never tip/tip poorly regardless of how amazing the service was. For the most part, it evened out to around what I felt was earned. If servers were to be paid a set salary, it would likely be lower than what a great server could earn in tips with very little incentive to work harder on a day to day basis.

As a patron, I also prefer to tip rather than have an increased bill. If the price was increased and the service was poor, there is no wiggle room on the amount paid. You might be able to confront a manager and complain, but you would possibly still have to pay the same amount regardless of how poor the service was. I've found that I received better service in cultures that expected a tip, because they knew there was financial incentive to do the best job they could do. On a cruise line, I like the daily auto-grat because it makes tipping easy and convenient for me. Usually for drinks or at the spa where they auto-grat 15%, I will add extra on the tip line, because I feel 20% is standard for good service. However, I would not like it if there were no possible way to remove the tip if service was horrible. I have only had one experience so negative that I thought my autograt should be lowered. The service was far below the minimum expectations and many of the tipped crewmembers I came into contact with were rude. After contacting the guest services several times about the situation with no improvement, I finally removed half of the auto-grat.

In summary, I think this is a great change that helps simplify the tipping process. It still allows me the ability to hand tip those I feel went above and beyond, but it doesn't lock me into a mandatory tip if I ever happen to have a horrible service situation again (which I don't expect, service on cruises is usually amazing!!!). I can see how those who try to justify not tipping the minimum for good service would be upset about the change, but I don't see how it changes the scenario much for anyone else.

[cruzincurt]

[quote name='uncle John']I am for including the extra into the charges automatically but they should just increase the cost of the cruise and say tipping optional for those whom feel they are getting forced to tip or getting ripped off. If you want to tip some one over and aabove then you should be able too give them the extra. Most of the argument here is terminology and differences in culture and life choices.

Just say service fees included. Notipping necessary. But it is optional.[/quote]
Didn't HAL play that game a few years ago? No tipping necessary. Now they have a daily service charge.

[jeh4554]

On our recent Indy cruise, one of the staff in the Windjammer said that many crew members were happy to be back in the US as the Brits do not tip much if at all. I don't know the custom there but I found that hard to believe.
I think the new policy is okay, especially if the tips will be fairly distributed among the staff. They work hard and deserve to be compensated for it.

[temple1]

[quote name='k9x8'][I]Beneath[/I] them? That's a bit insulting.
As a recipient of tips, I can assure you I greatly appreciate the benevolences. It's the ones who really do think I'm beneath them that squeeze those pennies until Abe cries uncle.

Gratuity. Gratitude. Get it?[/quote]

It is called Sarcasm. As I've posted on here many times before I put in many hours carrying a tray. Pretty much how I paid for college. The comment was directed to individuals on the boards who are always going on about having to be the one to hand the money "personally" to the staff that "they" choose to tip.

You are so correct about the ones who make a show out of it - they frequently are the ones who don't ante up the going percentage plus amount of jerking around they do. ;)

That is why I preferred prepaying gratuities. I know the staff will get their gratuity and they don't have to wonder if we'll be the group to stiff them or not. When we give extra to our stateroom attendent it is usually left in an envelop on the dresser as we leave with a note of thanks.

[Sapphire723]

[quote name='k9x8'][I]Beneath[/I] them? That's a bit insulting.
As a recipient of tips, I can assure you I greatly appreciate the benevolences. It's the ones who really do think I'm beneath them that squeeze those pennies until Abe cries uncle.

Gratuity. Gratitude. Get it?[/quote]

I dunno... It may just be my personal experiences, but usually when a guest has insisted that they hand deliver a tip of cash to me, it seems to come from an attitude of "Look at how generous I am to you servants." And the tip amount is usually less than what the average tip would be. Although I appreciated all tips, it was a little harder to muster the expected excitement when someone handed me a tip that signified bad service while telling me how grateful they were for my fantastic service. YMMV

[k9x8]

[quote name='temple1']It is called Sarcasm. As I've posted on here many times before I put in many hours carrying a tray. Pretty much how I paid for college. The comment was directed to individuals on the boards who are always going on about having to be the one to hand the money "personally" to the staff that "they" choose to tip.

You are so correct about the ones who make a show out of it - they frequently are the ones who don't ante up the going percentage plus amount of jerking around they do. ;)

That is why I preferred prepaying gratuities. I know the staff will get their gratuity and they don't have to wonder if we'll be the group to stiff them or not. When we give extra to our stateroom attendent it is usually left in an envelop on the dresser as we leave with a note of thanks.[/QUOTE]

OK. Sorry I misunderstood. With several threads ongoing, I tend to get lost in the maze. :o

[bigeck]

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.

 

And will you tip the full amount or is your policy just a way to save you money

 

Alex

[k9x8]

I dunno... It may just be my personal experiences, but usually when a guest has insisted that they hand deliver a tip of cash to me, it seems to come from an attitude of "Look at how generous I am to you servants." And the tip amount is usually less than what the average tip would be. Although I appreciated all tips, it was a little harder to muster the expected excitement when someone handed me a tip that signified bad service while telling me how grateful they were for my fantastic service. YMMV

 

Wel, tips are generally not expected in my business, a boarding kennel, so a show of appreciation for our services really means something.

 

My favorite tip is a bottle of wine.

[Ocean Boy]

I dunno... It may just be my personal experiences, but usually when a guest has insisted that they hand deliver a tip of cash to me, it seems to come from an attitude of "Look at how generous I am to you servants." And the tip amount is usually less than what the average tip would be. Although I appreciated all tips, it was a little harder to muster the expected excitement when someone handed me a tip that signified bad service while telling me how grateful they were for my fantastic service. YMMV

 

And what level of service do you feel that you provided, that reflected in the words or that which was reflected in the tip amount?

[temple1]

And what level of service do you feel that you provided, that reflected in the words or that which was reflected in the tip amount?

 

If you've ever worked in a service position you would have encountered your fair share of the big talkers. They go on and on about the wonderful service, what a great job, etc etc. They usually run you around the entire time - get this, refill that, don't care for that can you get an extra..... All the while you are trying to wait on several other tables. Then Mr. Big Talker pays the bill and he makes a big deal out of handing you a $1 tip on a $30 check all the while thanking you for your great service. :rolleyes:

[pcur]

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.

 

And, to repeat: THIS is why the crew prefer automatic tips. The money is theirs and theirs alone.

 

I think many of us here missed that little post a while ago where someone posted they asked their cabin steward and was told automatic gratuities are preferred. They also know how much they are getting and they can not be riding the weekly roller coaster of tips/no tips.

[appleosprey]

I dunno... It may just be my personal experiences, but usually when a guest has insisted that they hand deliver a tip of cash to me, it seems to come from an attitude of "Look at how generous I am to you servants." And the tip amount is usually less than what the average tip would be. Although I appreciated all tips, it was a little harder to muster the expected excitement when someone handed me a tip that signified bad service while telling me how grateful they were for my fantastic service. YMMV

 

 

I agree, I find it embarrasing to see people shoving cash in someones hand, I never understand tips. I come from Australia, so its hard to imagine anyone being paid a crappy wage and have to smile and charm their wage off customers. I do hope that the USA will one day change their tipping structure, it drives me crazy. People will serve customers well if they are treated well by their employer. If an employee is not going to work hard or treat customers well then the employee may not be treating them well.

[pcur]

It is called Sarcasm.

 

I need to bring my old signature line back again. It said there should be a sarcasm font, and a snarky font, so we all know when we're being teased or insulted!! :D

[k9x8]

If you've ever worked in a service position you would have encountered your fair share of the big talkers. They go on and on about the wonderful service, what a great job, etc etc. They usually run you around the entire time - get this, refill that, don't care for that can you get an extra..... All the while you are trying to wait on several other tables. Then Mr. Big Talker pays the bill and he makes a big deal out of handing you a $1 tip on a $30 check all the while thanking you for your great service. :rolleyes:

 

You must have waited on my in-laws!

[e2011]

And will you tip the full amount or is your policy just a way to save you money

 

Alex

 

I always tip more than recommend because the employees are not paid enough. Thank you for asking. How about you?

[pcur]

You must have waited on my in-laws!

 

OK, I'm going to brush off my "how my husband learned to tip" story.

 

My MIL is unbelievably cheap: no gifts for her grandkids their whole lives; NEVER tip anywhere; never offer to pay for gas. I could go on and on.

 

Husband, being raised by this person, argued and fought me about tipping for TWENTY-EIGHT years! Then, our youngest son turned 14 and started working as a busboy. He would come home with horror stories about cleaning up puke after Christmas parties, and carrying drunk people out to taxis, etc.

 

We ate there one night, and he was our busboy.

 

He came home and ripped my husband up one side and down the other. Amazng how he could do that without being snotty or disrespectful. He told hubby what an incredible cheapskate he was to tip THE WAITRESS that night so little! Yeah, clean-up-the-puke-boy was defending someone else's tips!

 

He then sat down and told his father to look at the tax added to the bill and double it. That was sufficient; just DO IT!!

 

My husband has tipped ever since with no comment.

[e2011]

I agree, I find it embarrasing to see people shoving cash in someones hand, I never understand tips. I come from Australia, so its hard to imagine anyone being paid a crappy wage and have to smile and charm their wage off customers. I do hope that the USA will one day change their tipping structure, it drives me crazy. People will serve customers well if they are treated well by their employer. If an employee is not going to work hard or treat customers well then the employee may not be treating them well.

 

Totally agree. Tipping is wrong on many levels. Just pay your employees well and up the cruise cost. Eliminate all this nonsense.

[e2011]

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.

 

I don't understand this at all. Deducting tips?

[Ocean Boy]

If you've ever worked in a service position you would have encountered your fair share of the big talkers. They go on and on about the wonderful service, what a great job, etc etc. They usually run you around the entire time - get this, refill that, don't care for that can you get an extra..... All the while you are trying to wait on several other tables. Then Mr. Big Talker pays the bill and he makes a big deal out of handing you a $1 tip on a $30 check all the while thanking you for your great service. :rolleyes:

 

Yes, I am sure that I understand what you are saying. I have witnessed the big blowhards myself when we have been out, and even on cruise ships, that like to order servers around and are, at times, quite loud about the whole business of doing it. It very much terns me off as I've never been one who requires a lot of service and at times I even feel a bit awkward when being waited on. I tend to prefer doing many things for myself. That may be at least part of the reason for my partiality to buffets. Even at home if I needed a fork and someone was in the kitchen I would most likely get up and get it myself rather than ask that person to bring me one.

 

I think that my father went overboard in instilling some strange sense of self-sufficiency in me. Even he would get annoyed when he would try to help me with something and I'd turn him down unless I found that I couldn't do it on my own. When he would show his annoyance I would just remind him that he made me into what I am.:eek::p

[Sapphire723]

And what level of service do you feel that you provided, that reflected in the words or that which was reflected in the tip amount?

 

While I have experienced people who gave me a higher tip than I feel I may have deserved, I don't think I've ever had someone tell me to my face that my service was great when I felt that it was lacking. Of course, I did my best to give everyone the highest level of service that I could, but I do admit that there were times when I had an off night; I totally appreciated those who still tipped me generously, and it motivated me to make sure that I was earning what I was being given. Plus, it helped to offset the times when stellar service was given but a poor tip was received.

[bigeck]

I always tip more than recommend because the employees are not paid enough. Thank you for asking. How about you?

 

Always do Mtd and give the waiter and room attendant $20 each over and above.

I've no complaints and neither have they.

 

Alex