Gratuities to be added to sea pass account daily.

[Sutho]

Just some things that I have picked up on during my world travels about tipping around the world. Firstly Royal Caribbean is now catering to international passengers so this might be part of it.

 

• Asian markets - These countries do not tip. Japan in particular has a no tipping policy. If you go there and try to tip them they will refuse it and disregard anything given to them. They are highly paid and do not tip.
  
• Hong Kong/Singapore which I have been to just last year include service charges in receipts so there is no need to tip. You pay service what they tell you to pay.
  
• Australia - Once again a non tipping country. Australians are highly paid and do not need it. Some of the rural and country areas still have not heard of the custom and would take great offence to tipping.
  
• Britain - A bit of a mixed bag really. I note their hotels have service charges included as well as some dining places. I have personally observed a lot of British passengers do not adhere to tipping policies on cruises. They will argue till they are blue in the face that they tip above and beyond and act all pompus on the matter, but in reality it was originally their country which caused the greatest greif to Royal Caribbean setting up there. You only have to do google searches back to 2008 when Independence of the Seas did a season there and the amount of British that did not tip caused quite a reaction right up to the head management of Royal Caribbean. I personally think that Britain is a bit of a half way between Australia and America. They are better paid than Americans but not as well of as Australians employment system. The younger generation of British people are proving tipping is getting phased out in that country very quickly, whilst the older generation still think it is compulsary. Also there is extreme class distinction still in existance in Britain which complicates the matter even further.
  
• Middle East - Egypt accepts tipping but it looks more like corruption. Places like Oman if you have ever been there do not accept tips and will again refuse tips. I have had the privelege of stopping at Salalah in Oman and it is quite clear that tipping does not exist in that country.
  
• Eurore - Again a mixed bag. I think it is not as prevelant as it used to be and I think the young trendy Europeans are slowly phasing tipping out. More places around Europe are including service charges now. I probably would bet that in another 50 years or so tipping will be non existant in Europe. The Baltic states I have visited just last year seemed to have service included everywhere I went. No tipping required.
  

I thin the world is a fast changing place and the cruise lines are still in the dark ages when it comes to treating their employees well. It is really the cruise lines stiffing the crew, not the passengers by not tipping as some suggest. If people do not tip it is because the cruise lines have allowed it to happen. It is the cruise lines greed by trying to sell a "cheap cruise" by omitting service charges (as hotels always include service), it makes the cruise look cheap and as a result people do not tip.

 

Cheap people do not tip. People who saved up all their $$$ for a cheap cruise really do not have the cash to tip. I think at the end of the day it is ultimately the cruise lines fault for 1.) making the cruise cheap, and 2.) not including service charges payable by final balance.

 

If the above option was enforced then tipping would truely be a reward for good service.

[TheMiz]

I always hated the envelopes. I found them awkward and I dreaded the last night when it was time to give them out, and they almost always contained more than the suggested gratuity amount. I don't need a dog and pony show of 'excellent service' to justify a tip. In fact the best cabin steward I ever had on the Oasis, I NEVER saw.

 

 

I do MTD and pre pay my gratuity as required with MTD , I just got off a cruise Saturday and Thursday night the dreaded envelopes were left on my bed, in the past we also have vochers to add the envelopes , well they did away with those I was told it was to help save the waves.

[bigeck]

I'm getting a t-shirt printed with 'Im not removing my tips' on the back

So when I'm in the guest services queue I'm not getting daggers in my back.

Just an idea

 

Alex

[Big Kev]

I'm getting a t-shirt printed with 'Im not removing my tips' on the back

So when I'm in the guest services queue I'm not getting daggers in my back.

Just an idea

 

Alex

 

 

 

Hey Alex, good idea ! We were thinking that too..

 

But hopefully, instead, they will have 2 lines at Guest services.

.. But not to close together..:eek:

 

When we go, all we want to do serious stuff. ....Like get new room/charge keys when magnets stuff the original ones.. :D

 

.

 

S and P

[bigeck]

Hey Alex, good idea ! We were thinking that too..

 

But hopefully, instead, they will have 2 lines at Guest services.

.. But not to close together..:eek:

 

When we go, all we want to do serious stuff. ....Like get new room/charge keys when magnets stuff the original ones.. :D

 

.

 

S and P

 

The only time I want to go to guest services is to pay my bill on the last night and see we are still getting kicked off in the morning. We find more things to do other than stand in lines.

 

Alex

[Big Kev]

The only time I want to go to guest services is to pay my bill on the last night and see we are still getting kicked off in the morning. We find more things to do other than stand in lines.

 

Alex

 

:) Like your style and classy-ness too Alex..:)

 

.

 

S and P

[strawberryduck2000]

Tip (gratuity), a voluntary additional payment made for services rendered

I will leave it at that.

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[The_Big_M]

of course you can go into a shop and the person is on the phone, that could happen anywhere. I would hate to think that a tip would resolve that.

 

I think it's fair to say that service will generally be keener if there is monitoring or future remuneration at stake then where there isn't.

 

Of course some people give good service here, but you get favouritism everywhere so whether you pay 15 or 20% as per your example doesn't make a huge difference nor you worse off than you would be for many other reasons and systems.

[B-52]

Well this ridiculous change of policy won't affect us as we are taking our business elsewhere.

 

Buh bye, Royal.

 

 

Just as many people said they were leaving when RCI changed the C&A levels....I took note of their names....and guess what...they're ALL still here...

 

I am going to start a list with everyone stating they're leaving RCI over this...just as happened with the C&A reward system....And YOU are the first one on this list....

[purescottish]

Seriously.....you took note of peoples names !!!! unbelievable

 

methinks you need to get out there and get a life.

[Armchair Cruiser]

Interesting to read the different points of view. Began to google and found this an interesting read

http://thepinoy.net/ph-minimum-wage-already-one-of-highest-in-asia/

[fishtaco]

Well all I got to say is if I lived in Australia, I'd take a nice air-conditioned job in a store selling lipsticks to old ladies. If I get the same minimum-wage money no matter what I do, I sure as hell wouldn't be slinging hash.

 

No it doesnt work quite like that:)

 

But if you did work in a store serving old ladies lipstick at you would earn a lower rate to start of around $17.50 per hour same as you would slinging Hash as this is an "average" minimum! There is the lowest minimum but nobody would work for it:) They just claim unemployment benefits

 

On top of that you would receive

 

4 weeks paid annual leave pro rata (Vacation)

10 Paid sick leave days (now called personal leave)

10 paid Public holidays (minimum)

12 weeks paid long service leave paid pro rata ( every 7 years for Gov 10 years for Local Gov 15 years private employer)

Paid maternity leave

Paid Father/Partner Baby leave ( this is new)

Medical (included in tax on wage)

11% on top of your wage to a Superannuation retirement fund.

Redundancy pay ( if laid off)

 

After 40 hours per week of work hourly rates becomes Time and a half for the first 2 hours then double time every hour after but you must have a 10 hour break between 2 working shifts.

 

People working on a Casual basis (not guaranteed 40 hours per week without benifits) receive a much higher base hourly rate to compensate for some of the above.

 

People working Part Time (less than 40 hours a week) receive all above benefits with same rate of hourly pay as full time .

 

Most Australians working full employment will earn usually no less than $700 per week for putting lipstick on old ladies:)

 

A Park keeper earns $23 per hour a Garbage bin collector $27 per hour

A construction worker earns $35 per hour:D

 

Waiters and waitresses have a jar at the till for small change shared tips, but you will never get a refill unless you pay for it or the employer would fire the wait person!

 

 

Den

[B-52]

Seriously.....you took note of peoples names !!!! unbelievable

 

methinks you need to get out there and get a life.

 

 

No, I just do not like the hypocrisy and phoniness displayed and I love to call it out and expose it when I see it....

 

And there are many on this forum that are less than sincere...and should bee exposed.....

 

I don't like being lied to to, I don't like dishonesty and shallow insincere people.....something I have learned in the 60's.....

I think it is people who make these ridiculous claims are the ones who need to get a life....but then , if they are no longer here then it will not bother them one way or another........

 

Every time RCI makes a policy change, people comeout of the woodwork and say "No More RCI..." I'm surprised there is anyone left still cruising RCI at all!!

[tomtomtomtom]

I guess everybody knows that but...

 

I alway's tip in cash because I know that for my stateroom attendant if I tip $5/day with the front desk they keep a dollar for the company. So the starteroom attendant really have only $4. It happens a couple of years ago. Before it was not true.

So I always pay cash. Now RCL control the situation. And my little finger tell me that it's not over and they'll keep more money in their pocket.

I always received appreciation from my stateroom attendant because I told them that I pay cash at the beginning of the cruise. ;-)

These good days are over..

[harz99]

No it doesnt work quite like that:)

 

But if you did work in a store serving old ladies lipstick at you would earn a lower rate to start of around $17.50 per hour same as you would slinging Hash as this is an "average" minimum! There is the lowest minimum but nobody would work for it:) They just claim unemployment benefits

 

On top of that you would receive

 

4 weeks paid annual leave pro rata (Vacation)

10 Paid sick leave days (now called personal leave)

10 paid Public holidays (minimum)

12 weeks paid long service leave paid pro rata ( every 7 years for Gov 10 years for Local Gov 15 years private employer)

Paid maternity leave

Paid Father/Partner Baby leave ( this is new)

Medical (included in tax on wage)

11% on top of your wage to a Superannuation retirement fund.

Redundancy pay ( if laid off)

 

After 40 hours per week of work hourly rates becomes Time and a half for the first 2 hours then double time every hour after but you must have a 10 hour break between 2 working shifts.

 

People working on a Casual basis (not guaranteed 40 hours per week without benifits) receive a much higher base hourly rate to compensate for some of the above.

 

People working Part Time (less than 40 hours a week) receive all above benefits with same rate of hourly pay as full time .

 

Most Australians working full employment will earn usually no less than $700 per week for putting lipstick on old ladies:)

 

A Park keeper earns $23 per hour a Garbage bin collector $27 per hour

A construction worker earns $35 per hour:D

 

Waiters and waitresses have a jar at the till for small change shared tips, but you will never get a refill unless you pay for it or the employer would fire the wait person!

 

 

Den

 

And of course in Western Australia (Perth) you have some of the highest prices I have seen for the basic things we in the UK, and our North American friends, can get quite cheaply, and take doing so for granted.

 

Earnings may be high, but so is the cost of living.

 

But back to tipping; I don't like the system of tips as opposed to a living wage used both in North America and on cruise ships, but I go along with it on the "when in Rome" principle. In addition, if I must tip I would far rather it was done on an automatic basis than me wasting my time figuring out amounts and finding the cash and distributing it.

 

Celebrity have been doing auto tipping for some time now, all that's happening on Royal is the company (RCCL) is harmonising all brands to be the same.

 

As for those posters upset by the very few cents increase in the daily charge - come on, you pay hundreds or maybe thousands of dollars for a cruise and worry about a few cents extra, get real!

[lucymorgan]

I'm starting to think that this thread has a good purpose. Practices are different around the world and instead of people bagging out other cultures for their well established practices (calling them tight, stingy, etc), perhaps this thread is helping people to understand that politeness, good intentions and care for others are not restricted to one country or culture. We all have beliefs about what is right in the world of tipping. We might feel uncomfortable about the practices of other countries, but there is no 'right way'. A bit of understanding that others might have different views which are just as righteous and moral in their culture will go a long way.

 

I love learning about other cultures - it is one reason I travel and one reason that it is so interesting!!!

[fishtaco]

And of course in Western Australia (Perth) you have some of the highest prices I have seen for the basic things we in the UK, and our North American friends, can get quite cheaply, and take doing so for granted.

 

Earnings may be high, but so is the cost of living.

 

But back to tipping; I don't like the system of tips as opposed to a living wage used both in North America and on cruise ships, but I go along with it on the "when in Rome" principle. In addition, if I must tip I would far rather it was done on an automatic basis than me wasting my time figuring out amounts and finding the cash and distributing it.

 

Celebrity have been doing auto tipping for some time now, all that's happening on Royal is the company (RCCL) is harmonising all brands to be the same.

 

As for those posters upset by the very few cents increase in the daily charge - come on, you pay hundreds or maybe thousands of dollars for a cruise and worry about a few cents extra, get real!

 

Yes but the rates i was quoting were for the poorer states:D

 

Not many here earn less than 60G,s:D:D:D so we can afford that $7 cup of coffee:D

[chimaer]

I booked my cruise last Tuesday a few days before this email was sent and the policy changed but I've not received my email yet. I might see if I can change to MTD now as the only reason I didn't opt for it was that I preferred to tip myself in the envelopes but if that option is now not there then I'll just pre pay.

 

I think it's unfair to say Brits don't tip and it's wrong etc. Yeah there are those who probably don't (just like in all nationalities) as it's not in our culture do but I think most of us do when we go somewhere where that is the culture. When we go to America we tip as that's the culture over there. And to be fair we pay more for the cruise in the first place than our friends across the pond. I paid £60 (I think that's around $90) more per person than the same cruise was available on US websites. Maybe not an excuse not to tip much for some but times are hard and maybe they can't afford to tip so much.

 

But RCI are just catching up with others. The tips on our P&O cruise last summer had the tips added to our on board account, although the daily charge was cheaper and we only got charged 2 days of our 3 night cruise where as it's 3 days for our 3 night RCI cruise so my tips for this cruise will be over double than the same length of cruise on board P&O. I probably wouldn't have tipped as much as I'm now going to have to as well. Call me cheap or whatever you like but money is tight as we have 3yr old twins and a 1yr old and only 1 income as I stay at home to look after the kids. I've just booked this cruise as a surprise for my husband's 30th birthday.

 

I just hope the tips go to the staff and not just to RCI

[fishtaco]

We need a POLL on the new tipping i dont know how to do it:o

[purescottish]

chimaer And to be fair we pay more for the cruise in the first place than our friends across the pond.

I hear ya chimae. my thoughts exactly

 

well I for one WILL be in that queue at GS, and I WILL be paying my tips in cash

I worked hard for this holiday and I will decide who gets my money not the company

 

flame away !

 

wendy

[Clagmeister]

We need a POLL on the new tipping i dont know how to do it:o

 

There is one

http://cruiseforums.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1789752

[lucymorgan]

chimaer And to be fair we pay more for the cruise in the first place than our friends across the pond.

 

I hear ya chimae. my thoughts exactly

 

well I for one WILL be in that queue at GS, and I WILL be paying my tips in cash

I worked hard for this holiday and I will decide who gets my money not the company

 

flame away !

 

wendy

 

 

I think you have a good point - we also pay more in Australia for RCI than our American friends. There was a lot of press about this last year. The Australian Government is starting to question the practices of US companies about the price differential. Here is an example:

 

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-02-11/microsoft-apple-summonsed-to-front-parliamentary-committee/4512236

[Ocean Boy]

WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO OPT OUT ???????:confused:

UNBELIEVABLE----

 

I think it is sort of unbelievable that you stll need to ask that question 41 pages into the thread.

[MrPete]

WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO OPT OUT ???????:confused:

UNBELIEVABLE----

 

LOL. I was always one that opted IN when it was an option.

 

Now that it is automatic, I will be scrutizing where my tips are going, and if I detect it going to someone other than those that are assigned and dedicated to me, I will make that choice AT THAT TIME.

 

There's already been at least one line were it was found they were holding back tips from the crew. My cash direct will eliminate that from EVER happening.

[cemor66]

What about a solo traveller who chooses to eat at the buffet? I cruised solo last time and decided to try something different and ate at the buffet or in port. I wound up tipping those I saw regularly at the buffet and gave my room attendant extra. So I still pretty much gave full tip money, just distributed differently. If I choose to go that route again will I be tipping the dining room staff in full even if I never use them?