Jump to content
Cruise Critic Community

WOW ! Up To 400 People Remove Gratuities

ticktoneer
 Share

Recommended Posts

Ocean Boy

Ocean Boy

Posted
Posted (edited)
Isn't this assuming that every person (not just those who post on CC) who removes gratuities is actually paying the same amount in cash?

 

Has poor service and bad morale been an issue in the past with the "old" system in place? I have not encountered it how about you?

Edited by Ocean Boy
Link to comment
Share on other sites
setsail

setsail

Posted
Posted
:confused: its just my opinion. Sorry I won't post anymore. hanks for your other comments.

 

 

Removing ones tips after paying is an action not an opinion, it means nothing except to you and the crew. Don't care why you are doing it, but I am sure it matters to the crew:rolleyes:

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Ocean Boy

Ocean Boy

Posted
Posted
Removing ones tips after paying is an action not an opinion, it means nothing except to you and the crew. Don't care why you are doing it, but I am sure it matters to the crew:rolleyes:

 

I suspect that whether a cabin steward gets his money (tip) from RCI distributing it to him or handed directly to him from the passenger probably matters little to him.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
setsail

setsail

Posted
Posted (edited)
I suspect that whether a cabin steward gets his money (tip) from RCI distributing it to him or handed directly to him from the passenger probably matters little to him.

 

I think you are correct, provided the CS gets a tip at all handed directly from the passenger after they had all their prepaids removed

Edited by setsail
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Lady Chew

Lady Chew

Posted
Posted

We always leave the gratuities on our account, either pre-paid or added on board ... we consider them a service charge, and we have no problem with that. We don't automatically tip extra for basic good service (which we have always received), we give extra based on any special requests, attitude & promptness. A few times we have not given extra to our cabin steward, but we have tipped the assistant. We don't add any extra tips to our bar bills, but we do remember the bartenders & waiters who have been really good, and we seek them out on the last full day to give them a cash tip.

And we always mention truly outstanding service on our survey cards.

We don't care what anyone else does ... although we do suspect that many of those who remove the gratuities do so to avoid tipping at all. We have no actual evidence of that, it's just based on conversations we've had and tipping threads here on CC.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Newtoncruise

Newtoncruise

Posted
Posted
Ifoundmydream - you'll find people on here don't like opinions if it doesn't agree with theirs.

 

They don't just give their opinion back - on top of this they have to flame you and shoot yours down.

 

You'll have a much nicer experience on your first RCCL cruise :-)

 

Have a GREAT time

 

Here here! Or is it hear hear?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Newtoncruise

Newtoncruise

Posted
Posted
Hi, we recently returned from a 7 day Med cruise on the Navigator, all of the staff knew that their tips are now automatically guaranteed, perhaps this was the reason why we received by far the worst service that we have ever had on any cruise, and we have done quite a few. our food was continually cold, and their attitude was very poor,they did't really want to be there. Despite our continual complaints, our table of 8 didn't get a visit from the head waiter until the very last night. but they all still got their full gratuity, this can't be right.!

WE were on our vacation so we did not not want to spend our valuable time cueing at the customer desk complaining every day.

We have never failed to tip the full amount when we had the envelopes system in the past. but now it seems the staff have little incentive.

This new system might get money in the bank for rccl in the short term, but without doubt it will loose them a lot of customers in the near future.

 

This is a very interesting and worrying perspective........if true, which I have no doubt in the posters mind it is, service levels accross the board will decline. Tipping should be descretionary. The service charge mandatory. The good staff will then earn their tips and the bad ones replaced.

 

Guaranteeing all staff the same tips is a recipe for disaster as the poster predicts!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
sandancer

sandancer

Posted
Posted
Exactly. And there are a lot of us who do just that, I'm sure, and will continue to do so. Including myself and my family.
The crew you tipped in cash would have had to hand over the money to be put in the pool. They are only allowed to keep anything over and above the recommended tips.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
mommabean

mommabean

Posted
Posted
The crew you tipped in cash would have had to hand over the money to be put in the pool. They are only allowed to keep anything over and above the recommended tips.

 

Not true. There is no pool for the crew as a whole as you are describing. Stateroom attendants and waiters who are tipped in cash turn NOTHING in. I verified this over the weekend.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
lfk60

lfk60

Posted
Posted
Not true. There is no way anyone knows who has been given cash or not. Even if tips are removed at guest services, this in no way indicates that the crew members have been given a penny. No one is turning out anyone's pockets. No one is being made to pay into a "pool" what they certainly haven't received.

 

There is no pool.

 

Gina

 

Actually, at least in some areas of some ships, there is a pool. Whether every employee abides by the rules, is a different story! :) On our recent cruise, we wanted to give the Casino Host a tip for being such a pleasure all week. He immediately went over to the pit boss and turned it in. We questioned him and he said that any tips received by casino employees within the casino had to be pooled. And DH had given it to him in a very discreet manner. We felt bad since we hadn't played any table games all week, yet that tip would be split up among all. Now we know to tip him when we see him at the coffee shop :D.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Travel R

Travel R

Posted
Posted (edited)
Hi, we recently returned from a 7 day Med cruise on the Navigator, all of the staff knew that their tips are now automatically guaranteed, perhaps this was the reason why we received by far the worst service that we have ever had on any cruise, and we have done quite a few. our food was continually cold, and their attitude was very poor,they did't really want to be there. Despite our continual complaints, our table of 8 didn't get a visit from the head waiter until the very last night. but they all still got their full gratuity, this can't be right.!

WE were on our vacation so we did not not want to spend our valuable time cueing at the customer desk complaining every day.

We have never failed to tip the full amount when we had the envelopes system in the past. but now it seems the staff have little incentive.

This new system might get money in the bank for rccl in the short term, but without doubt it will loose them a lot of customers in the near future.

 

I just returned from a 7 night Med cruise on the Legend. I had the best cabin steward I have ever had on a cruise during this itineray. Although I did have a horrible wait staff the first night in the MDR, the wait staff for the other 6 nights were fantastic (with the Assistant Waiter being superb). Tips were pre-paid, but extra was also given at the end of the cruise. For instance, I gave the cabin steward cash (because it was a Med. cruise, and this ship goes all over the world, I gave him half in U.S. bills and half in Euros); I also left him a full bottle of wine; as well as a book my DW had finished (either he can read it, or pass it onto the other English speaking members of the crew). Most importantly, in the evaluations I not only gave high grades, I also wrote notes specifically praising those that went above and beyong (IMHO).

 

I will admit, when I heard about the guaranteed tips, that the service would suffer. I was pleasantly surprised.

 

However, I will also mention that the service in the WJ was almost non-existent. But not sure if it was do to the pre-payment of tips (I used to leave a dollar or two when eating in the WJ on prior cruises - and did not do so because tips were pre-payed), or because the WJ on the Legend is fairly small and they had a lot of people eating there at once (finding a table was sometimes not very easy).

Edited by Travel R
Link to comment
Share on other sites
mommabean

mommabean

Posted
Posted
Actually, at least in some areas of some ships, there is a pool. Whether every employee abides by the rules, is a different story! :) On our recent cruise, we wanted to give the Casino Host a tip for being such a pleasure all week. He immediately went over to the pit boss and turned it in. We questioned him and he said that any tips received by casino employees within the casino had to be pooled. And DH had given it to him in a very discreet manner. We felt bad since we hadn't played any table games all week, yet that tip would be split up among all. Now we know to tip him when we see him at the coffee shop :D.

 

We are talking about the crew included in the pre-paid tips. Stateroom attendants and waiters. They do not share their tips with those who earn less and they do not turn in their cash in order to receive it back in even portions. They receive cash from some and keep all of what is given to them. But they do not seem worried, as I was, that the cruise line may not give them all of what we are told they are getting - per person. I was assured by several crew members who work in these capacities that they are happy with the system either way - pre-paid or cash.

 

In other areas not covered by our general tips, it may work different ways. I know that at times when there are overflow lounges for the concierge, suite or diamond and above guests, there may be multiple bartenders due to demand. Yes these people pool their tips and I've seen them do it - toss cash into a jar behind the counter. They split it among themselves since they all share the duties for the same guests. And they do not share that with other bartenders around the ship. It is shared ONLY among those who share working in bar services in that capacity.

 

There may be other sub groups of crew who have their own arrangement. But they are not part of the pre-paid or auto-gratuity system.

 

I am no longer worried about the auto-gratuity, I'll leave it on my account for the ff miles, and will leave extra cash as earned since that is what we did previously. And I know the extra I leave will stay in the hands of those where I place it.

 

Gina

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Charles4515

Charles4515

Posted
Posted (edited)
My mistake - wrong cruise line. I was told this by a crew member on a Celebrity ship. My humble and grovelling apologies.

 

Royal Caribbean has switched over to the same gratuity collection system as Celebrity. Despite what those who deny it in this threa claim... tips are pooled now on Royal Caribbean.

Edited by Charles4515
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Charles4515

Charles4515

Posted
Posted
Not true. There is no pool for the crew as a whole as you are describing. Stateroom attendants and waiters who are tipped in cash turn NOTHING in. I verified this over the weekend.

 

Well, I verified on my Allure cruise a few weeks ago that they are pooled. I guess it depends who you talk to....

 

Think about it logically. They have pre pay and automatic deductions. The reason they changed to automatic deductions is to pool all the tips. They are not going to let any crew get out of that. Any who have those removed and pay cash, that cash is going to be pooled too. If they did not require it to be pooled that would defeat the purpose of Automatic Deduction and Pre Pay gratuities.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
 Share
Go to topic listing
  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Cruise Critic News & Features
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...