Gratuities to be added to sea pass account daily.

[MrPete]

I hate to sound cynical but I find it hard to swallow passengers eating every night at the specialty restaurants. They provide too intense a dining experience, too much food and take up too much time to enjoy them every evening. It is difficult enough to endure the MDR many course dinners and time every evening so I believe those who go to the buffet a few evenings or most evenings. But specialty restaurants every evening, doubtful. Also if someone is okay paying the fees of doing the specialty restaurant every evening why would they make a big deal about a small amount of gratuities going to the MDR?

 

Why? I know many seasoned cruisers that do it every night.

 

And yes, if I were one of them, I would let the MD know I would not be dining in the MDR, and remove those tips. I don't tip ANYWHERE for a service I don't use.

[marci22]

On a short cruise of less than 8 nights it is quite plausible that many cash only paying tippers pay the recommended or even above amount of tips

 

On longer cruises of more than 10 nights I dont believe the "majority" of cash only tippers would tip the recommended or above amounts.

 

Given my up coming 14 night cruise, all drinks have an added tip included when i pay for them and all speciality foods have an added tip included when i pay for them I dont think for my twin share cabin I would leave $336 or above in an envelope at the end of the cruise, alternatively I also cannot see me giving out $24 per day in cash to servers/staff. In fact I know this would be true!

 

Relate this to quad share or family of four and it becomes almost totally unbelievable!

 

$672 or above dished out in cash tips or left in an envelope last day by dad? I dont think so! no matter what tipping culture you come from.

 

If you pre pay its all part of the cruise cost! But if its deducted daily like the new system then some in other countries just like Australians who have been used to both pre paid/daily paid systems for many years,will attend guest services last night or before to remove some or all of the gratuity due to choice and temptation of crews bank balance V your own bank balance:p

 

This may not relate to "you" personally or many frequent cruisers but I think it would to the majority of people who are not CC members and who go on a cruise as a Vacation, which is the majority of overall cruisers.

 

Many cruises in The USA are what others may deem way to short to bother with. Most cruises from Australia are above 10 nights because we are so far from ports.

 

Reducing tips or "Stiffing" would be just as prevalent in USA as it is in Australia on longer cruises,it is all part of economizing the family budget.

 

Den

 

That's not "economizing", it's being cheap. No difference if you take two 7 night cruises or one 14 night one. I took my family of 5 on a 12 night cruise and we paid all the tips because that was part of the cost.

[East Bay Skiers]

That does it, there's nothing to do but cancel!!!!! :p

 

Seriously, though, their wording is open to interpretation. We, too, have MTD, and haven't received any notification. Just now checked, and my remaining balance hasn't changed.

 

 

 

We sail at the end of March (have MTD and prepaid gratuities - as we always do) and receive the email notification when they first started going out.

[moveruk]

I object to this new policy being applied to me after I booked and paid for the cruise. The whole so called forcible "tipping" policy negates a reward for good service. Now, rewarded in advance, just wait for the service people to expect tips over and above what is now being extracted from us.

[TheMiz]

I object to this new policy being applied to me after I booked and paid for the cruise. The whole so called forcible "tipping" policy negates a reward for good service. Now, rewarded in advance, just wait for the service people to expect tips over and above what is now being extracted from us.

 

 

 

If you have already booked and paid for your cruise you are grandfathered.

[cruisenfever]

I object to this new policy being applied to me after I booked and paid for the cruise. The whole so called forcible "tipping" policy negates a reward for good service. Now, rewarded in advance, just wait for the service people to expect tips over and above what is now being extracted from us.

I respectfully disagree with you. We've been prepaying our gratuities for the last 2 years because we chose to do MTD and we have yet to experience poor service. If anything, we have received better service.

If you have already booked and paid for your cruise you are grandfathered.

Only if you have prepaid your gratuities are you grandfathered in. If you have just paid for your cruise without gratuities being added, then once on board you will be charged the $12pp per day rate beginning March 1.

[Merion_Mom]

I hate to sound cynical but I find it hard to swallow passengers eating every night at the specialty restaurants. They provide too intense a dining experience, too much food and take up too much time to enjoy them every evening. It is difficult enough to endure the MDR many course dinners and time every evening so I believe those who go to the buffet a few evenings or most evenings. But specialty restaurants every evening, doubtful. Also if someone is okay paying the fees of doing the specialty restaurant every evening why would they make a big deal about a small amount of gratuities going to the MDR?

 

 

À chacun son goût. :cool:

[k9x8]

We sail at the end of March (have MTD and prepaid gratuities - as we always do) and receive the email notification when they first started going out.

 

I still haven't received a notice.

Just in case there's any doubt, y'all do know I'm poking fun at all the outrage. We haven't paid in full, but we have paid over the deposit amount, and if they tack on $4.90, we'll keep a stiff upper lip.

 

After all, they're not asking us for the price increase on our cabin - several hundred since we booked.

 

MTD is the only option remaining for our sailing. No doubt, some will see it as a ruse to get that pre-paid gratuity.

[oldplayer532]

should've been done long time ago. It was so disgustingly disappointing to see lots of empty chairs in MDR on the last night of the cruise, some ppl just cheap!

[Ocean Boy]

If you have already booked and paid for your cruise you are grandfathered.

 

Not if your cruise departs after March 1.

[Sunny AZ Girl]

Not if your cruise departs after March 1.

Unless you have pre-paid your tips.....

[Charles4515]

I object to this new policy being applied to me after I booked and paid for the cruise. The whole so called forcible "tipping" policy negates a reward for good service. Now, rewarded in advance, just wait for the service people to expect tips over and above what is now being extracted from us.

 

All the other cruise lines have been doing this for years. This same discussion is a repeat of discussions on the other cruise lines boards from back then. All the fears expressed then did not take place except that stiffing is now more problematic. Been on many cruises with the policy RCI is adopting and never felt pressure to tip over and above.

[kingsgirl]

should've been done long time ago. It was so disgustingly disappointing to see lots of empty chairs in MDR on the last night of the cruise, some ppl just cheap!

 

Not being in the dining room doesn't necessarily mean they haven't tipped. We've missed the last night before and we've always tipped. Sometimes we like to savour our last moments on board by being out on deck vs. inside for dinner for several hours.

[TheMiz]

I respectfully disagree with you. We've been prepaying our gratuities for the last 2 years because we chose to do MTD and we have yet to experience poor service. If anything, we have received better service.

 

 

 

I have been told that they use the best waiters etc for MTD.

[TheMiz]

Not if your cruise departs after March 1.

 

 

I have 3 up coming cruises all after March 1st . all have been pre paid in full

that includes MTD I am grandfathered and will not be charged the new rate since my balance has been paid.

[patr]

Sailing on Mariner 3/31/13 and received similar notification. Because we had pre-paid gratuities from our TA and we have My Time Dining, RCCL will now bill my credit card for the full amount of the gratuities and the TA will now give us an on board credit for the amount that RCCL will charge my card.

[Sunny AZ Girl]

Sailing on Mariner 3/31/13 and received similar notification. Because we had pre-paid gratuities from our TA and we have My Time Dining, RCCL will now bill my credit card for the full amount of the gratuities and the TA will now give us an on board credit for the amount that RCCL will charge my card.

OK, now I am confused. The way I understand it is that our gratuities for our Allure cruise, which are prepaid and have already been paid as we are past final payment will not be affected by this change. Am I wrong?:confused:

[Clarea]

OK, now I am confused. The way I understand it is that our gratuities for our Allure cruise, which are prepaid and have already been paid as we are past final payment will not be affected by this change. Am I wrong?:confused:

According to Royal's email, you booked and paid for gratuities before 2/28, so you should be fine with the old amounts.

[Sunny AZ Girl]

According to Royal's email, you booked and paid for gratuities before 2/28, so you should be fine with the old amounts.

 

That's what I thought. Some of the other posts were getting me confused - and it sure doesn't take much to get me confused anymore!:rolleyes: Thanks.:)

[jimbob312]

Did Explorer cruise in Nov. 2012 and gave out tips last night as usual.

Did Enchantment 3 weeks later on 12-15-12, fresh from drydock, tips were added to sea pass acct. every day or every other day on new flat screens.

 

Got my e-mail on 2-15 from RCI regarding new policy. Why they did it Dec is a mystery, it also happened to some other people. None of us prepaid or did MTD.

 

On a 7 night we usually do 3 speciality dinings so this will add a few bucks overall but if it means the crew doesn't get stiffed by some people I'm all for it.

 

We've been on Explorer about 15-20 times and Enchantment about 12 times, 7 of them last year. Really sad to see the Enchantment going to Florida, we got to know a lot of the crew including waiters and head waiters.

 

Anything to guarantee the crew their proper tips, which they really do depend upon for themselves and their families back home, can only be a good thing.

 

Reyno is the best and will be missed, enjoy your vacation.

[3dog]

OK, now I am confused. The way I understand it is that our gratuities for our Allure cruise, which are prepaid and have already been paid as we are past final payment will not be affected by this change. Am I wrong?:confused:

 

You will not be affected. For those that prepay, you will not be charged onboard at all. If you prepay before March 1st, it will be at the old rate. If you prepay on March 1st or later, it will be at the new rate.

 

If you have not prepaid, on cruises starting on the 28th or earlier (predominantly those that left this weekend) you will not be charged onboard, including those that carry over till the March 1st. If you sail after March 1st (predominantly next weekend), you will be charged onboard at the new rate.

[hubofhockey]

I object to this new policy being applied to me after I booked and paid for the cruise. The whole so called forcible "tipping" policy negates a reward for good service. Now, rewarded in advance, just wait for the service people to expect tips over and above what is now being extracted from us.

 

You can reward by tipping more than the standard. Anything less for standard and sufficient service is cheap. Many restaurants add on 18% automatic gratuities for parties of six or more. That is becoming common practice and so are the daily automatic gratuities on every mass market cruise line.

[sail2sea]

About freakin' time

[Mom.to.2]

On a short cruise of less than 8 nights it is quite plausible that many cash only paying tippers pay the recommended or even above amount of tips

 

On longer cruises of more than 10 nights I dont believe the "majority" of cash only tippers would tip the recommended or above amounts.

 

Given my up coming 14 night cruise, all drinks have an added tip included when i pay for them and all speciality foods have an added tip included when i pay for them I dont think for my twin share cabin I would leave $336 or above in an envelope at the end of the cruise, alternatively I also cannot see me giving out $24 per day in cash to servers/staff. In fact I know this would be true!

 

Relate this to quad share or family of four and it becomes almost totally unbelievable!

 

$672 or above dished out in cash tips or left in an envelope last day by dad? I dont think so! no matter what tipping culture you come from.

 

 

Reducing tips or "Stiffing" would be just as prevalent in USA as it is in Australia on longer cruises,it is all part of economizing the family budget.

 

Den

 

I'm having trouble following your logic. After the first 7 or 8 days, does the crew stop servicing your cabin? Stop serving your meals? Why would you stop paying gratuities for days >7 or 8?

 

You don't pay gratuities for the 1st 7 days then get to skip out on additional days because it's starting to get expensive. Consider it a built-in fee, with a direct ratio of cruise length to gratuity amount.

 

I am that quad family whose last 2 cruises were 9 and 10 days. And yes, we paid 4 full gratuities for the entire length of our cruise. (and then some) Yes, it's a lot. But if we can afford a 9 or 10 day cruise, that means we can afford 9 or 10 days of gratuities (X4) too.

 

We 'economize' in other ways (that don't stiff the staff serving us.) We limit our alcohol purchases, search for independent excursions, don't indulge in the spa, etc. I guess we are 'stiffing' the cruise line, and I'm okay with that.

 

AND a HUGE congratulations for quitting smoking!!!! Awesome!!!!!!

[DEEDIA]

I have read through 80% of this Thread and have never come across as many Hypocritical people in my whole life.

 

May I start by saying TIPPING is 2nd nature in the US, TIPPING is not an everyday occurance in the UK, out of the Cities. And In this Great Country we pay our people a wage they can live on, and treat everyone as equals.

 

To say all the name calling is from the US calling us Brits STIFFERS, yet post after post is US posters saying we like to do it our way, so much better to hand over Dollar Bills in person. But never state the quantity.

 

For people who have been groomed into thinking the US is the BE all and END all, you all sure are short sighted. Yes we love your Country and enjoy visiting it, Culture People and all. Met some wonderful people and hope the trend continues.

 

Start paying living wages, stop decrying people with different attitudes and beliefs.

 

We have always been in the MDR on the last night, always tipped, always gave a little extra. And I'm not Wealthy just an ordinary working person on an ordinary wage.

 

Now RCI should stop dictating and add the Surcharge into the price, stops all this animosity, and bad banter.

 

Roll on my next Cruise