The solution to the great tipping debate

[pfm18]

Make the cruises $12 per night more expensive(not a service charge just more expensive cruise)

 

No official gratuities.

 

Pay the staff a proper wage.

 

And feel free to leave the waiter and room steward 10 or 20 dollars as an extra little thank you for excellent service.

 

 

 

There. Fixed. I don't know why some people get so worked up about it :p

[Moonlitherial]

Unless all cruise lines do the same it's a competitive disadvantage for Royal. There is slow progress in that direction from some restaurants but I would bet on it taking decades to change this particular social oddity.

[Paul65]

Cue the new tipping debate on how much extra is appropriate to leave for the waiter and room steward.

 

If people didn't like to argue for their point of view, there would be no debate. Everyone would just go with the current recommendations, and if they wanted to leave extra or not, it would be their business. :D

 

(By the way, if you want confirmation, look up the many threads about how much extra to tip at places like Chops or Portofino, where the gratuities are already included in the cover charge.)

[Merion_Mom]

It is not just that. There are other things that are based on "cruisefare" that the average passenger is not aware of. Putting the gratuities into the cruisefare makes a mess of that, too.

[voyager70]

Make the cruises $12 per night more expensive(not a service charge just more expensive cruise)

 

No official gratuities.

 

Pay the staff a proper wage.

 

And feel free to leave the waiter and room steward 10 or 20 dollars as an extra little thank you for excellent service.

 

 

 

There. Fixed. I don't know why some people get so worked up about it :p

 

You might think, but get ready to take cover;)

[pfm18]

Unless all cruise lines do the same it's a competitive disadvantage for Royal. There is slow progress in that direction from some restaurants but I would bet on it taking decades to change this particular social oddity.

 

Why? If you're going to have to pay the tips then it works out the same anyway. Unless they're deliberately appealing to the people who won't pay the tips.

[Paul65]

Why? If you're going to have to pay the tips then it works out the same anyway. Unless they're deliberately appealing to the people who won't pay the tips.

 

 

Because some people will realize this and weigh the total cost of one vs. the other when making their decisions. Others will just see that one cruise fare is lower than the other.

[reallyitsmema]

Because some people will realize this and weigh the total cost of one vs. the other when making their decisions. Others will just see that one cruise fare is lower than the other.

I am not sure the OP actually knows what the total cost of a cruise vacation actually is to begin with.

[avalon007]

Funny thing to me being Australian from a culture where we do not tip as a rule but do so in the US or on RCCL, is that it seems most tip threads are full of Americans arguing about tipping or not when it is part of the culture?

 

In Australia the price, is the price, is the price, no gratuities required or tax added at the checkout.

 

People get paid a good wage by law & if they happen to offer great service some people may leave a tip, but service isn't dependant on tipping.

 

I just add the gratuities onto my cruise price & consider that the total cruise price, wish they would just do that in the first place, our system is so much easier!:)

 

Also, if you consider we Australians are in general paying more for the same cruise than US passengers then we would have good reason not to tip - but we still do.

[ryano]

Here is what I wish and yall can flame me if you want to.

 

I wish Royal Caribbean would call it a service charge, make it mandatory for everyone just like they do for the MTD customers and NOT give the option to remove them :o If you dont want to pay the service charge, then you simply dont cruise on Royal Caribbean. Period.

 

People would say that gives no ambition to give good service from the crew but I do NOT believe that for one minute. I have NEVER received anything other than excellent service on a Royal Caribbean cruise on the few I have been on anwway and I have always prepaid my gratuities.

 

I realize people have bad days and service may be off but I dont think it happens as much as some let on that it does. Thats where the comment cards can come into a bigger play and Royal caribbean can deal with the situation.

 

Thats JMO.

[LuckiStac13*Majesty*]

Here is what I wish and yall can flame me if you want to.

 

I wish Royal Caribbean would call it a service charge, make it mandatory for everyone just like they do for the MTD customers and NOT give the option to remove them :o If you dont want to pay the service charge, then you simply dont cruise on Royal Caribbean. Period.

 

People would say that gives no ambition to give good service from the crew but I do NOT believe that for one minute. I have NEVER received anything other than excellent service on a Royal Caribbean cruise and I have always prepaid my gratuities.

 

I realize people have bad days and service may be off but I dont think it happens as much as some let on that it does. Thats where the comment cards can come into a bigger play and Royal caribbean can deal with the situation.

 

Thats JMO.

 

I'm sure it will come to this eventually.

[Merion_Mom]

Funny thing to me being Australian from a culture where we do not tip as a rule but do so in the US or on RCCL, is that it seems most tip threads are full of Americans arguing about tipping or not when it is part of the culture?

 

In Australia the price, is the price, is the price, no gratuities required or tax added at the checkout.

 

People get paid a good wage by law & if they happen to offer great service some people may leave a tip, but service isn't dependant on tipping.

 

I just add the gratuities onto my cruise price & consider that the total cruise price, wish they would just do that in the first place, our system is so much easier!:)

 

Also, if you consider we Australians are in general paying more for the same cruise than US passengers then we would have good reason not to tip - but we still do.

That has not been my observation at all.

 

Tipping threads are most often started by British, Scottish, Irish or Australian cruisers,and they are heavy participants in those threads.

[awhcruiser]

Excellent idea! We always choose MTD and prepay tips. I have no problem doing so. If other cruise lines follow suit there will be a drastic reduction in the number of cruisers.

Here is what I wish and yall can flame me if you want to.

 

I wish Royal Caribbean would call it a service charge, make it mandatory for everyone just like they do for the MTD customers and NOT give the option to remove them :o If you dont want to pay the service charge, then you simply dont cruise on Royal Caribbean. Period.

 

People would say that gives no ambition to give good service from the crew but I do NOT believe that for one minute. I have NEVER received anything other than excellent service on a Royal Caribbean cruise on the few I have been on anwway and I have always prepaid my gratuities.

 

I realize people have bad days and service may be off but I dont think it happens as much as some let on that it does. Thats where the comment cards can come into a bigger play and Royal caribbean can deal with the situation.

 

Thats JMO.

[awhcruiser]

I have no problem with it.

I'm sure it will come to this eventually.

[avalon007]

That has not been my observation at all.

 

Tipping threads are most often started by British, Scottish, Irish or Australian cruisers,and they are heavy participants in those threads.

 

 

I didn't say Americans started the tipping threads, but if you read through most tipping threads there are plenty on their discussing the pros & cons.

 

It would be expected for non Americans to discuss this more since tipping is not part of our culture, yet my point is that even though it's very much part of their culture, it seems a hot topic amongst Americans.

 

It's not a criticism, just an observation.:)

[davenew]

Funny thing to me being Australian from a culture where we do not tip as a rule but do so in the US or on RCCL, is that it seems most tip threads are full of Americans arguing about tipping or not when it is part of the culture?

 

In Australia the price, is the price, is the price, no gratuities required or tax added at the checkout.

 

People get paid a good wage by law & if they happen to offer great service some people may leave a tip, but service isn't dependant on tipping.

 

I just add the gratuities onto my cruise price & consider that the total cruise price, wish they would just do that in the first place, our system is so much easier!:)

 

Also, if you consider we Australians are in general paying more for the same cruise than US passengers then we would have good reason not to tip - but we still do.

I also fit your shoes. In UK, we pay the price and pay fair wages - so only tip for good service.

We tip as the norm in the US, but some servers or services do not deserve to be tipped. That said, I have never received a service with RCI or Carnival where I felt cheated with the per paid tipping.

We also pay more for the cruises :mad:

[Merion_Mom]

I didn't say Americans started the tipping threads, but if you read through most tipping threads there are plenty on their discussing the pros & cons.

 

It would be expected for non Americans to discuss this more since tipping is not part of our culture, yet my point is that even though it's very much part of their culture, it seems a hot topic amongst Americans.

 

It's not a criticism, just an observation.:)

 

Oh, heck, there are PLENTY of American cheapskates, too!

 

;)

[awhcruiser]

Totally......LOL

Oh, heck, there are PLENTY of American cheapskates, too!

 

;)

[ticktoneer]

Make the cruises $12 per night more expensive(not a service charge just more expensive cruise)

 

No official gratuities.

 

Pay the staff a proper wage.

 

And feel free to leave the waiter and room steward 10 or 20 dollars as an extra little thank you for excellent service.

 

 

 

There. Fixed. I don't know why some people get so worked up about it :p

And I didn't even start this tipping thread :)

 

Prepare to be flamed for doing so ! :eek:

[mbjboyle]

Pay the staff a proper wage.

 

Which nation/currency/economy of the world do you base a proper wage?

[Merion_Mom]

I also fit your shoes. In UK, we pay the price and pay fair wages - so only tip for good service.

We tip as the norm in the US, but some servers or services do not deserve to be tipped. That said, I have never received a service with RCI or Carnival where I felt cheated with the per paid tipping.

We also pay more for the cruises :mad:

 

What do you mean, "we also pay more for the cruises"?

 

That makes no sense. Sometimes you get a good break on a fare, sometimes you don't. But there is no vast conspiracy to make British cruisers pay more than other nationalities.

 

:confused:

[k9x8]

I didn't say Americans started the tipping threads, but if you read through most tipping threads there are plenty on their discussing the pros & cons.

 

It would be expected for non Americans to discuss this more since tipping is not part of our culture, yet my point is that even though it's very much part of their culture, it seems a hot topic amongst Americans.

 

It's not a criticism, just an observation.:)

 

Your observation is correct. My in-laws leave $1 per diner. On the rare occasion the bill is over $40, they'll count out 10% to the penny. The hubs or I always stash a few ones in a pocket. Funny thing is, last time we each surreptitiously left cash on the table, and the server ended up with a 35% tip.

[dorisis]

I would like to see everyone on board a ship paid a decent wage and then tip those who go over and above the normal sevice.

[papaflamingo]

Unless all cruise lines do the same it's a competitive disadvantage for Royal. There is slow progress in that direction from some restaurants but I would bet on it taking decades to change this particular social oddity.

 

I respectfully disagree. If Royal Caribbean included tips in it's price (a no need to tip policy), I believe it would give them a great advantage. The cost of cruising is all over the map. I can get the same basic itinerary on Carnival, Royal Caribbean, NCL, Celebrity, Princess, etc. The cost per cruise line varies greatly. I cruise Royal Caribbean because I like it. I pay more than I would on NCL or Carnival, but I like it much better. An extra $12 per day ($84 per week) is effectively unnoticeable, and if it was promoted as "gratuities included," it would be seen as a good deal.

It would also lead to "up tipping" for great service. Probably more than normal. But if you didn't want to "up tip," there would be no reason to. I think the crews would love it as they would probably see greater tips than they do now.

Just my humble opinion.

[mbjboyle]

I would like to see everyone on board a ship paid a decent wage and then tip those who go over and above the normal sevice.

 

What is a "decent wage" and on which economy/nation/currency do you base it?