WOW ! Up To 400 People Remove Gratuities

[novicetraveller]

HA HA I smell a set up. You can't possibly be serious.:eek:

If this is a joke LOL iT is funny.:)

On the chance you are not joking....:confused:.....Please start from the first thread and read what the fine folk here on CC have to say. At this point just about every angle has been covered.

 

You need help. Why joke at someone elses misfortune?

[storm1of4]

There are so many costs to cruising. Transportation to and from the ship, excursions, new clothes, new clothes for the kids, Adults can get by with old stuff but kids grow too fast. Taking a cruise has many hidden costs....these are just a few. Flat out not tipping is just not right. no matter what your social economic status is.

[reallyitsmema]

Unless you are in My Time dining the tips are listed as "suggested". That means you could tip whatever you want or can afford. I wouldn't give up the cruise because of it because they likely won't refund any of the costs and it could be a chance of a lifetime for you.

 

Tom

No, they aren't. They are charged to your sea pass account daily unless you have MTD.

[marielco]

HA HA I smell a set up. You can't possibly be serious.:eek:

If this is a joke LOL iT is funny.:)

On the chance you are not joking....:confused:.....Please start from the first thread and read what the fine folk here on CC have to say. At this point just about every angle has been covered.

 

Why on earth would you jump on this poster. The situation outlined is perfectly possible. Maybe in your world everyone has lots of money and has never been unemployed. But in the real world it happens!

[storm1of4]

Taking a cruise is not an entitlement...If you can afford it. you go.

No jumping. Anyway the person said the cruise was not free because he/she was supposed to pay for things like tipping. Sounds like one should thank their God for the opportunity and find a way to afford the trip. Not make their fortune a misfortune for the soul caring for them for 7 days.

In fact if there are any entitlements here, it' the steward ... he is entitled to expect that if he does his job and meets and exceeds expectations he will receive compensation that includes the gratuity RCI is adding to your sea pass account.

[halos]

Yes, there are many on these boards that believe just that. I am not one of them. I believe in merit based pay - tips included. Equal compensation brings everyone down to the lowest common denominator and that is a job poorly done in most cases.

 

Gina

TOTALLY agree!

[IrishDMBF]

HA HA I smell a set up. You can't possibly be serious.:eek:

If this is a joke LOL iT is funny.:)

On the chance you are not joking....:confused:.....Please start from the first thread and read what the fine folk here on CC have to say. At this point just about every angle has been covered.

 

I have read the thread from the beginning. It is not a set up. We are in a Family cabin. It gets to me that most people think that everyone can afford a cruise. While most people can, there is a small percentage that wind up on one that can't. I am going to be in that percentage. I never said I was removing the gratuity. All I said was its a lot of money when you don't have it.

[mr walker]

there are some people (not just here, but on all the boards ) where i think "hell i can just click ignore on this fool, but some poor sob has to live next door to them , work in the cubicle next to them, are related to them and has to deal with them on a daily basis" yikes!!!!!!!!!!! :)

 

like.

[storm1of4]

I have read the thread from the beginning. It is not a set up. We are in a Family cabin. It gets to me that most people think that everyone can afford a cruise. While most people can, there is a small percentage that wind up on one that can't. I am going to be in that percentage. I never said I was removing the gratuity. All I said was its a lot of money when you don't have it.

 

I could not agree with you more! :)

Enjoy your cruise.

[Jimmy Geegitz]

Where do you come up with this stuff? :confused:

 

My daughter works on a cruise ship.

[Jimmy Geegitz]

I can't believe anybody here has never seen their waiter from MDR working the buffet the next day. Nobody in Food and beverage just works in one venue. Except management. Sound like a lot of people on this thread remove their tips. Sad.

[reallyitsmema]

I can't believe anybody here has never seen their waiter from MDR working the buffet the next day. Nobody in Food and beverage just works in one venue. Except management. Sound like a lot of people on this thread remove their tips. Sad.

Read the thread.

[Aquahound]

I can't believe anybody here has never seen their waiter from MDR working the buffet the next day.

 

Sure I have. I've just never seen him cleaning the pool. ;)

[steveru621]

I can't believe anybody here has never seen their waiter from MDR working the buffet the next day. Nobody in Food and beverage just works in one venue. Except management. Sound like a lot of people on this thread remove their tips. Sad.

 

I have to admire your persistence. After getting caught stiffing the bar staff, you continue to accuse others.

[Ifoundmydream]

There is such a lot of cultural difference on this thread, I think that is the issue in general, rather than a general 'etiquette of cruising'.

 

I think if people would deal with tips/ service charge etc they way they would do outside of a cruise then all will be well.

 

One point though, being able to go on a cruise doesn't mean you have loads of money. We can just about afford this cruise (in fact my parents are paying for my daughter) because of other commitments. We really had to spend a long time looking for the best deal and to us it has to remain the best deal.

 

But I'm sure we'll still have a lovely time and whatever we decide we will have a good relationship with the crew.

[Eileen2]

I have read the thread from the beginning. It is not a set up. We are in a Family cabin. It gets to me that most people think that everyone can afford a cruise. While most people can, there is a small percentage that wind up on one that can't. I am going to be in that percentage. I never said I was removing the gratuity. All I said was its a lot of money when you don't have it.

 

Enjoy your cruise and tip what you can.:)

[Ifoundmydream]

We have a cruise upcoming but it was gifted to us as an extended family cruise/reunion. I have been unemployed and we are in the process of moving for a new job. Smack bang in the middle of all this is our cruise.

While I am looking forward to some relaxation, the tips going on our seapass account is killing me. The cruise was gifted but we were told gratuities would come out of our own pocket. It will be me, my spouse and 3 kids in the cabin for 7 days. $420 is more money than I have.

 

Good ways of saving money (in my opinion).

 

- get the kids a soda package, this means you won't have to buy them any drinks and that will take the stress away, and will probably cost you less than if you are staying at home for food and drink.

 

- research the ports before you go, stay on deck if you are in the middle of no where, but some you can definitely walk to or even catch local transport

 

- if you drink, limit this, take a couple of bottles of wine on board and perhaps the small wine package. If you don't drink alcohol there is free tea, coffee, lemonade (I think), water available all day.

 

- check your account every day.

 

You can still have a lovely time, just tip what you can, and enjoy what you have paid for already which is the cruise. Xx

[Ifoundmydream]

Well, one of our differences is I hate being waited on. I'd much rather get up and get my own food than have someone bring it to me. Even when the waiters in the Windjammer offer to get us drinks I decline and go get them myself.

 

Funny, I was talking about this with my husband last night. I don't like being waited on either, I find it really awkward. I end up helping them by moving plates and generally making it more hassle for the staff. I would go and wash my plate too if there was an option, maybe it's because I've camped so much!

[aquanaut1]

Good ways of saving money (in my opinion).

 

- get the kids a soda package, this means you won't have to buy them any drinks and that will take the stress away, and will probably cost you less than if you are staying at home for food and drink.

 

- research the ports before you go, stay on deck if you are in the middle of no where, but some you can definitely walk to or even catch local transport

 

- if you drink, limit this, take a couple of bottles of wine on board and perhaps the small wine package. If you don't drink alcohol there is free tea, coffee, lemonade (I think), water available all day.

 

- check your account every day.

 

You can still have a lovely time, just tip what you can, and enjoy what you have paid for already which is the cruise. Xx

 

Bravo! Like !

 

Also re the kids - bring a bottle of squash on board . And sports bottles.

 

Keep them active , get them to go to adventure ocean and the evening stuff for them ( Ie johnny rockets eves - save you paying the cover fee ) They will love It Steer them away from Ben n jerry and Utilise the free frozen yoghurt by the pool .

 

Re - in port , just go for a wander on foot or local transport , it's amazing what treasures you may find .

 

I think its wonderful that you have been given a cruise as a gift , and you will still have the most amazing time without breaking the bank .

 

Xx

 

 

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[Ocean Boy]

Where do you come up with this stuff? :confused:

 

My daughter works on a cruise ship.

 

Ok, then where does she come up with this stuff?

[Ocean Boy]

Let some people type long enough-you can really get a feel of true character around here!! :eek:

 

You got that right.

[MisterBill99]

I can't believe anybody here has never seen their waiter from MDR working the buffet the next day. Nobody in Food and beverage just works in one venue. Except management. Sound like a lot of people on this thread remove their tips. Sad.

But they're always at the same place for dinner, aren't they? And that's where their tips are based on, unless someone decides to slip them a dollar or two during other meals. You won't have a server in the MDR for main dinner seating one night and the WJ the next night.

Edited July 10, 2013 by MisterBill99

[Within temptation]

Agree totally that many staff operate in different venues, and the great ones

deserve to be rewarded by their company and us as passengers. However, lets not get carried away in this, our last cruises on Serenade and Mariner had some exceptional service mixed with dire service. I will reward staff who excel but not others who do not and are visibly not delivering the service expected.

 

If you do reward poor service that is your choice, not Royal Caribbean's.

[Debde]

But they're always at the same place for dinner, aren't they? And that's where their tips are based on, unless someone decides to slip them a dollar or two during other meals. You won't have a server in the MDR for main dinner seating one night and the WJ the next night.

 

A concept many can not grasp here, and why I have no idea. If I'm eating every night in the WJ and return to the same table and the same server each night-that is my dining room wait staff and that is where I want my tips to go. Not some server in the MDR I have never seen.

Or-

If I eat every night in a specialty restaurant and give them extra for any breakfast or lunch meals, why not? I'm sure they worked somewhere else too.

Edited July 10, 2013 by Debde

[bigboffs]

While some may choose to paint all service on RCCL ships as exceptional, our experience over the years is that this is not so. Even tho the vast majority of service personnel are in fact praiseworthy, on occasion we have had some that were at best poor. It is illogical to reward those bad with a gratuity which is given for good service provided.