Reducing Tips

[AdamsND04]

I'm going to Bermuda in October will be there 3 nights is it acceptable to reduce the tip amount if during the 3 nights we eat dinner on the island?

[bouhunter]

No it isn't.

[Ken at the beach]

Those tips are also for the staff that help you with breakfast and lunch.

[schmeed]

No it isn't.

Why do you say that? Tipping should be commensurate on service, not obligatory. If you don't eat in the dining room, why should the staff be tipped? Because they stood there holding the water pitcher?

[CaribeDiver]

Those tips are also for the staff that help you with breakfast and lunch.

 

Really, then who got those tips when we used to hand the MDR staff their tips in cash on the final night. And, I have taken 18 cruises and have rarely had anyone in the buffet do anything for me other than take a plate or two away. If I am not eating onboard then I don't feel it necessary to tip as I am tipping the servers on the island.

[spookwife]

I'm going to Bermuda in October will be there 3 nights is it acceptable to reduce the tip amount if during the 3 nights we eat dinner on the island?

 

no it is not.

 

at the very least you will still eat breakfast each day on board, will you not? maybe even lunch? room service late night?

 

the tips cover ALL your meals and snacks on board, not just dinner int he MDR.

[schmeed]

no it is not.

 

at the very least you will still eat breakfast each day on board, will you not? maybe even lunch? room service late night?

 

the tips cover ALL your meals and snacks on board, not just dinner int he MDR.

Room service has gratuity automatically added separately.

 

I am a VERY generous tipper. I always give more cash beyond the automatic gratuities...but only for good service. I don't tip at McDonalds just because they are walking around cleaning the tables.

 

If I want to tip for service in the windjammer (breakfast/lunch) I am free to do so.

 

I do not like the new mentality of "tipping is mandatory". I recently purchased the non-alcoholic beverage package for my cruise next week. There was a gratuity (tip) automatically included with the charge. I ORDERED IT ONLINE! Who got the tip? The website creators? Adam Goldstein?

 

Automatic tipping is wrong. IMO, just as wrong as people who stiff the servers when they DO provide good service.

[SingleDad636]

I recently purchased the non-alcoholic beverage package for my cruise next week. There was a gratuity (tip) automatically included with the charge. I ORDERED IT ONLINE! Who got the tip? The website creators? Adam Goldstein?

 

Automatic tipping is wrong. IMO, just as wrong as people who stiff the servers when they DO provide good service.

 

If it was possible to preorder my MDR meals online, would I be exempt from tipping?

[schmeed]

If it was possible to preorder my MDR meals online, would I be exempt from tipping?

No, because someone still has to bring you the food in the MDR. :)

[foxgoodrich]

Room service has gratuity automatically added separately.

 

 

Uhhh....No! There is no gratuity for room service automatically added. There is a service charge if you order room service between midnight and 5:00AM. The only gratuity for room service from 5:00AM to midnight is the buck or two you had the guy who delivers it.

[schmeed]

Uhhh....No! There is no gratuity for room service automatically added. There is a service charge if you order room service between midnight and 5:00AM. The only gratuity for room service from 5:00AM to midnight is the buck or two you had the guy who delivers it.

My apologies. Thanks for the correction.

[pcur]

Room service has gratuity automatically added separately.

 

I am a VERY generous tipper. I always give more cash beyond the automatic gratuities...but only for good service. I don't tip at McDonalds just because they are walking around cleaning the tables.

 

If I want to tip for service in the windjammer (breakfast/lunch) I am free to do so.

 

I do not like the new mentality of "tipping is mandatory". I recently purchased the non-alcoholic beverage package for my cruise next week. There was a gratuity (tip) automatically included with the charge. I ORDERED IT ONLINE! Who got the tip? The website creators? Adam Goldstein?

 

Automatic tipping is wrong. IMO, just as wrong as people who stiff the servers when they DO provide good service.

 

The gratuity you paid with your pre-order goes to the tipping pool for the servers who will bring you your drinks. The drinks don't just magically appear: someone puts the liquid in the container and brings it to you.

[pcur]

To the OP:

 

The problem is there is no way for your to remove the $2.2166666 per person from your onboard account to not tip your waiter, assistant waiter, or head waiter in the dining room for the one night's meal you won't eat there. That's their share of one night's tip.

 

So, I guess you'll have to go ahead and pay the $4.433333 for that night you eat off the ship if there are two people in your cabin.

 

Maybe you are not aware that your daily tips cover all your meals AND your cabin attendant, too. I was only using 3 meals a day above. If you eat snacks, then the amount you would be "justified" in removing would be even less.

[cocod08]

Are you really gonna quibble over what is it a 5.00 a day tip that the waiter would get out of the 12.00 charge? I think you could leave it whether they are serving you or all the rest these people work very hard to take very good care of all of us passengers. :-)

[LeeBe]

The way I look at it.... your wait staff is assigned to you in the MDR, the fact that you won't be there is not anything they can control. They can't work another location to make up the lost income. Since the money is going to them and not into some corporate bottomless pit, I would go ahead and tip them even though I ate elsewhere.

[pcur]

The way I look at it.... your wait staff is assigned to you in the MDR, the fact that you won't be there is not anything they can control. They can't work another location to make up the lost income. Since the money is going to them and not into some corporate bottomless pit, I would go ahead and tip them even though I ate elsewhere.

 

(applause)

[springfire]

I am also not a fan of automatic tipping!

[sn2792]

The way I look at it.... your wait staff is assigned to you in the MDR, the fact that you won't be there is not anything they can control. They can't work another location to make up the lost income. Since the money is going to them and not into some corporate bottomless pit, I would go ahead and tip them even though I ate elsewhere.

 

I agree. We are doing specialty restaurants every night on our upcoming Allure cruise and I have no problem with the tips I prepaid going into the pool for the MTD waiters. Those folks work hard and the tips are not that much in comparison to the price of the cruise.

[budmeister]

The dining crew count on those tips. We are lucky enough to be on a cruise, them to be serving us. I just do not believe in skimping on the basic tips. I do, however, get annoyed when tips are added to individual drinks during the day. Maybe I do not make sense.

[pcur]

The dining crew count on those tips. We are lucky enough to be on a cruise, them to be serving us. I just do not believe in skimping on the basic tips. I do, however, get annoyed when tips are added to individual drinks during the day. Maybe I do not make sense.

 

I understand what you mean. However, if someone is working to provide you with the drink, then why is it annoying to tip them? They work for tips just like the dining staff, especially those guys out on the pool deck in the hot sun all day long!!

[leaveitallbehind]

No, because someone still has to bring you the food in the MDR. :)

 

You seem to overlook the fact that the prepaid or automatic gratuities also cover the stateroom attendants (and assistants), not just the MDR wait staff. The MDR wait staff also work at the Windjammer as well, BTW.

[Pebbles468]

There needs to be an icon with the eyes bugging out of the head! WOW...

 

Are you that hard up for cash that you can't tip your waiter? Better yet, if you keep your cabin clean and straighten up your own bed -- do you have to tip the cabin steward??

 

Do you also realize that your server works in the Windjammer as well as the MDR and that they never get a day off? They are working hard for those tips you would like to remove from his/her pocket. So while you may not always be dining in the MDR, they are still working hard to serve all the people on the ship.

 

I've seen it all now ... It's no wonder they add them daily to everyone's account!

[pcur]

There needs to be an icon with the eyes bugging out of the head! WOW...

 

Are you that hard up for cash that you can't tip your waiter? Better yet, if you keep your cabin clean and straighten up your own bed -- do you have to tip the cabin steward??

 

Do you also realize that your server works in the Windjammer as well as the MDR and that they never get a day off? They are working hard for those tips you would like to remove from his/her pocket. So while you may not always be dining in the MDR, they are still working hard to serve all the people on the ship.

 

I've seen it all now ... It's no wonder they add them daily to everyone's account!

 

I am in agreement. This one really takes the prize in the ten years I've been on CruiseCritic. I even got up and walked out in my hubby's shop to tell him about it. I mean $4.23!!!

 

However, I'm going to give the OP the benefit of the doubt that he/she thought the entire $12 per day per person was going to the dining staff, so he/she thought he/she was saving $24 for two people.

 

I notice he/she hasn't been back, either.

[Maryscooking]

The way I look at it.... your wait staff is assigned to you in the MDR, the fact that you won't be there is not anything they can control. They can't work another location to make up the lost income. Since the money is going to them and not into some corporate bottomless pit, I would go ahead and tip them even though I ate elsewhere.

 

The part I bolded is what is key for me. Its not like other people will just be seated at your table as would happen in a land-based restaurant. You are holding that spot and therefore preventing your servers from serving additional guests and receiving their tips.

 

That said, I detest automatic gratuities. I think it is a way for the cruise line to increase the cost of the cruise without actually raising prices. Especially since they are sharing the tips with employees who don't even have face to face interactions with guests. If passengers were not tipping well enough for the employees to make a fair wage, then the company should have raised the wages, not invented auto-tipping.

[leaveitallbehind]

I've seen it all now ... It's no wonder they add them daily to everyone's account!

 

Agree. Never cease to be amazed at the many rationalizations for finding ways around paying gratuities. Endless threads.....