WOW ! Up To 400 People Remove Gratuities

[NJ&Ozzie]

We go down on the last day and have them make the changes. That way they can see we did not go to the MDR. They actually prefer you do this on the last day.

 

Sorry, I'm confused. Someone else said you should see Guest Services on the 1st or 2nd day???

 

Cheers,

NJ :)

[awhcruiser]

Gotcha...Just never heard the sea pass account referred to as a bill!

The sea pass account. The gratuities are added to your bill on a daily basis. :)

[Artemis]

stahlee, I'm just wondering how you apportioned housekeeping vs. dining/3, i.e., if the suggested auto grat is $12/day, and you deduct X for housekeeping, then what percentages do you apply to the Y balance to represent each of the three meals so when you deduct Y3 = dinner, you will know the dollar value of Y1 = breakfast and Y2 = lunch?! I am so math-challenged, I don't know if I could keep it all straight to be sure I was giving fair cash tips to each breakfast server and lunch server...not to mention the pre-cruise banking required to get the right wad of small cash bills and the bummer of having to always carry a purse! :confused:

[tinkr2]

stahlee, I'm just wondering how you apportioned housekeeping vs. dining/3, i.e., if the suggested auto grat is $12/day, and you deduct X for housekeeping, then what percentages do you apply to the Y balance to represent each of the three meals so when you deduct Y3 = dinner, you will know the dollar value of Y1 = breakfast and Y2 = lunch?! I am so math-challenged, I don't know if I could keep it all straight to be sure I was giving fair cash tips to each breakfast server and lunch server...not to mention the pre-cruise banking required to get the right wad of small cash bills and the bummer of having to always carry a purse! :confused:

Probably just tips the MDR servers....

[smoosh21]

I would like to see the daily tips become non-removable!! Then those who are cheap will either have to pay the tips or not cruise with Royal Caribbean.

 

I agree. I don't view this as an option. It is part of the cost of sailing. If you can't afford to tip, don't cruise. If you think your service is so bad it doesn't deserve paying the person anything, then you need to bring it up with Customer service way before the end of the trip

[novicetraveller]

I agree. I don't view this as an option. It is part of the cost of sailing. If you can't afford to tip, don't cruise. If you think your service is so bad it doesn't deserve paying the person anything, then you need to bring it up with Customer service way before the end of the trip

 

If anyone wants a cruise where gratuities are mandatory, there are plenty of other cruise lines that will accommodate. We can plat tit for tat if you want, but this argument of people must pay gratuities where it is optional is ridiculous. On all the cruises I have been on, I have paid the gratuities, however, I would prefer to exercise my right to remove it for a service is substandard.

 

I could complain to customer services, but from experience, complaints are seldomnly taken seriously, and the only way to get the point across is to make a stand.

 

If you believe gratuities should be mandatory, write to the CEO of RCCL and present a compelling business case for it and tell them why losing some loyal customers would be in their best interest.

[aquanaut1]

We returned from AOS beginning of August , and we were amazed on day one at the sight of the line at guest services of people getting their gratuities removed .

It was enormous !!!! And the cruise hasn't even left Southampton !!

 

Our waiter in the MDR was fabulous and was leaving for good in November to start his own business back home , so we asked him about the pooling of the tips, as we knew he'd have nothing to lose spilling the beans!

He stated that it does annoy them slightly , because some staff now take it for granted that they will get guaranteed tips even if they don't offer top notch service expected of them and I tend to agree that some service we received was really not that good , but the majority was still excellent , our waiter and cabin attendant were awesome , and went above and beyond when it came to our young kids and ourselves.

 

Before the cruise we were thinking of removing our kids tips and giving the majority of their tips to adventure ocean , but as the majority of the adventure ocean team were not that great , we decided to keep their tips on account

As the rest of the crew who looked after us deserved them !

 

On the final night we did also give the wonderful leandro in MDR and gorgeous ED on deck ten a little extra in an envelope as they so deserved it , and bravo to them and the majority of the rest of the Crew for being great .

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[Ocean Boy]

We returned from AOS beginning of August , and we were amazed on day one at the sight of the line at guest services of people getting their gratuities removed .

It was enormous !!!! And the cruise hasn't even left Southampton !!

 

 

How do you know what those folks were doing at guest services?

[tennboy1981]

Personally, I think the cruise lines should stop being cheap, and just pay their staff more instead of relying on guests to pay their salary. They should just incorporate staff pay into the cruise fare. I can understand gratuities for bar staff when you buy a drink, but as far as your stateroom steward, and dining staff, it should all be automatically included in the price, and just allow guests to tip cash if they feel their steward/dining staff deserve a tip above what they are already paid. it makes it impossible for guests to remove any charges, and gives the staff a reason to work harder for an extra cash tip. I feel auto gratuities make some staff members become lazy since they already know they are getting their tip. You dont pay to have your hotel room cleaned, so why should we pay our steward? As far as dining, you are not paying for your meals, so why should we have to pay gratuity? Id much rather have the ruise staff paid a salary, and allow guests to tip on top of their salary, if they feel they did a good job. Just my 2 cents.

[cot427]

Personally, I think the cruise lines should stop being cheap, and just pay their staff more instead of relying on guests to pay their salary. They should just incorporate staff pay into the cruise fare. I can understand gratuities for bar staff when you buy a drink, but as far as your stateroom steward, and dining staff, it should all be automatically included in the price, and just allow guests to tip cash if they feel their steward/dining staff deserve a tip above what they are already paid. it makes it impossible for guests to remove any charges, and gives the staff a reason to work harder for an extra cash tip. I feel auto gratuities make some staff members become lazy since they already know they are getting their tip. You dont pay to have your hotel room cleaned, so why should we pay our steward? As far as dining, you are not paying for your meals, so why should we have to pay gratuity? Id much rather have the ruise staff paid a salary, and allow guests to tip on top of their salary, if they feel they did a good job. Just my 2 cents.

 

Ever heard of the old saying, let sleeping dogs lie? ;)

[George C]

3 year old thread

Edited January 26, 2016 by George C

[legaljen1969]

I agree. It's part of the cruise cost really and an expectation.

 

It would just make it so much easier if they would make the "tips" a "service charge" and be done with it. Just build it in to the cost of the cruise.

 

I can sort of understand what the one poster was saying about the good crew members feeling slighted because the slackers get rewarded. It does seem a bit unfair that some of those people worked really hard to be good crew workers, and to move up within the company, and get really good tips.

 

But it all has to be equal now. LOL If you don't really like your job, or you don't want to do your job, it does take the incentive out of working hard if you realize that those who don't work hard will get the same amount of money for doing nothing OR for doing something with a crappy attitude.

[Aquahound]

Personally, I think the cruise lines should stop being cheap, and just pay their staff more instead of relying on guests to pay their salary. They should just incorporate staff pay into the cruise fare. I can understand gratuities for bar staff when you buy a drink, but as far as your stateroom steward, and dining staff, it should all be automatically included in the price, and just allow guests to tip cash if they feel their steward/dining staff deserve a tip above what they are already paid. it makes it impossible for guests to remove any charges, and gives the staff a reason to work harder for an extra cash tip. I feel auto gratuities make some staff members become lazy since they already know they are getting their tip. You dont pay to have your hotel room cleaned, so why should we pay our steward? As far as dining, you are not paying for your meals, so why should we have to pay gratuity? Id much rather have the ruise staff paid a salary, and allow guests to tip on top of their salary, if they feel they did a good job. Just my 2 cents.

 

There are cruise lines out there that do just that. Have at it. But be forewarned, judging by the cruises in your signature, you're probably going to suffer from some pretty serious sticker shock.

[ryano]

As far as dining, you are not paying for your meals, so why should we have to pay gratuity? .

 

Huh? :confused:

[nelblu]

Personally, I think the cruise lines should stop being cheap, and just pay their staff more instead of relying on guests to pay their salary. They should just incorporate staff pay into the cruise fare. I can understand gratuities for bar staff when you buy a drink, but as far as your stateroom steward, and dining staff, it should all be automatically included in the price, and just allow guests to tip cash if they feel their steward/dining staff deserve a tip above what they are already paid. it makes it impossible for guests to remove any charges, and gives the staff a reason to work harder for an extra cash tip. I feel auto gratuities make some staff members become lazy since they already know they are getting their tip. You dont pay to have your hotel room cleaned, so why should we pay our steward? As far as dining, you are not paying for your meals, so why should we have to pay gratuity? Id much rather have the ruise staff paid a salary, and allow guests to tip on top of their salary, if they feel they did a good job. Just my 2 cents.

 

Why are you resurrecting an old thread. Keep your 2c to yourself.

[steveru621]

I don't care.

I don't care.

I don't care.

 

 

Please stop with these tipping threads. :mad:

[Midwestgal]

 

Can you give extra cash tips to bartenders and others workers? We always give our room stew extra and I add extra at the bar but can I just slip my bartender some cash just for them?

[Clarea]

 

Can you give extra cash tips to bartenders and others workers? We always give our room stew extra and I add extra at the bar but can I just slip my bartender some cash just for them?

Absolutely.

[BillOh]

3 year old thread

 

 

Thank you for your work as an unsolicited moderator.

[Marylandteachergirl]

I'll bet it's mostly low life smokers and booze smugglers you know how them people are.

 

 

And people who eat from their plates AND lick their fingers while loading up AT the buffet in Windjammer. What good does Purel do when people do that??? I am sure these people also don't pay their tips.:rolleyes:

[Marylandteachergirl]

Actually, since someone brought up tipping, I do have a question for people who have more cruise experience. It's not incendiary!! Just wondering which is better...

 

We always prepay tips, and we often tip more - def. to room steward and and dining staff in cash.

 

We are not really drinkers, but on next cruise, I would like to have a few tropical umbrella drinks. I know there is a tip line to add when they charge sea pass account, and this is where I have always added a tip. But lately, I have seen that people just hand the server a cash tip. Is this better? Do the servers/bartenders prefer this over having to turn receipts in? I just don't know because I haven't ordered drinks in the past very much. Thank you in advance for any advice.

[BillOh]

But lately, I have seen that people just hand the server a cash tip. Is this better? Do the servers/bartenders prefer this over having to turn receipts in? I just don't know because I haven't ordered drinks in the past very much. Thank you in advance for any advice.

 

I'm glad you asked. People have reported with certainty (in their eyes) that the tip line on charges goes into a service pool for the week. Cash? Is there a rule about servers keeping that?

[Big_G]

I'm glad you asked. People have reported with certainty (in their eyes) that the tip line on charges goes into a service pool for the week. Cash? Is there a rule about servers keeping that?

 

On my last few cruises I've noticed the bartenders throwing cash tips into a tip jar or bucket. I don't know if I just wasn't that observant before or they've always done that. Although I'm thinking that really doesn't answer your question regarding other service workers.

 

I've also been told by one cabin attendant that they are 'forced' to pool cash tips. He spent most of our cruise trying to convince us the system wasn't fair. After a while I tuned him out to point where my DW was mad because I made it so obvious. She's a little too caring sometimes. Take it for what it's worth.

Edited January 26, 2016 by Big_G

[John&LaLa]

Laura always hands her favorite dealers an envelope on the last night. This is in addition to tipping as she wins. Which isn't all that often.

[penguinchick1985]

you can give cash as extra tips...the prepaid ones may be pooled, not sure about that.