Tipping question

[Roce48]

My guess is that the vast majority who remove tips simply do not tip at breakfast and lunch. It is also my guess that some (not all) who remove tips simply do not tip at all.

I agree!

[nascar junkie]

I think I did mention seeing the 15% as an extra charge and would even tip extra for additional service beyond the norm I might request. What I like about individual tips is I know where that money goes. If it's automatic, some guy could work his butt off and someone else be a real slacker and they get the same amount. I assure you, anything you place via the cruise line will be put in a shared pool regardless of how you designate it. I'll leave my auto on as I really don't want to be bothered having to see to it that everyone I come in contact with is taken care of because I'm on the cruise to relax and enjoy it, not be digging in my pocket for every little thing someone does. :rolleyes:

[DrD]

If you hand someone cash, you can bet your bottom dollar that it goes into THEIR OWN pocket...it isn't shared or reported! Guaranteed.

 

How can you be so sure?

 

When I was a waiter we had to tip out to bar and busboys. I always gave the required amount even on my cash tips. Why? First, I thought it was the right thing to do. Believe it or not, some people are moral and have integrity. Second, it's pretty obvious when one person consistently holds out as that person winds up tipping out/ sharing significantly less than others. When that happens the victims can make the perpetrator's job much tougher, such that the person winds up making less money in the end.

 

One of my fellow servers thought he could get away with it, pretty soon his tables weren't cleared quickly if at all, and his drinks never seemed to get made. He quit after 2 weeks.

 

So while you may be correct I don't think it's to a degree of certainly to justify a "guarantee."

[NJcruisenewbie]

As I had stated before we cruised with two fellow carnival cruise workers who convinced us and several others that tips are not distributed fairly and it's better to hand them in person as she and her husband actually worked on a ship I figure her word is better than anyone's my only question was had people removed them on royal carribean and if so had they given you problems I work and have children so if I don't respond immediately I apologize!

 

 

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Actually IMO her word would be whatever is going to net her the biggest share of the pot. You just met this person on a cruise who professes to work for the cruise line and believe what you're being told?

 

IMO, if the cruise line isn't distributing tips fairly that's an issue the employees need to take up with management not customers. Holy moly, how innapropriate. I am continually amazed at the amount of discussion that goes on regarding the wages of cruise workers. Do people give this much thought to all those in the service industry?

[gerif]

We consider the basic gratuity just that - minimum amount for basic service - and just leave it in place. If servers go above just being basic, they get more in cash or added to the check. Much simpler. If we don't eat in the MDR some nights, so what? We're still having breakfast and lunch somewhere and don't have to worry about stiffing anyone. I'm on vacation and the last thing I want to worry about is tips so I'm grateful the cruiseline has simplified things for us. Remember all too well having to fill those envelopes and hunt down people to tip the last night.

[Stephluva2711]

Actually IMO her word would be whatever is going to net her the biggest share of the pot. You just met this person on a cruise who professes to work for the cruise line and believe what you're being told?

 

IMO, if the cruise line isn't distributing tips fairly that's an issue the employees need to take up with management not customers. Holy moly, how innapropriate. I am continually amazed at the amount of discussion that goes on regarding the wages of cruise workers. Do people give this much thought to all those in the service industry?

 

Agree with you totally. If they aren't being paid correctly by the cruise line, they should take it up with management!

[aussie cruzer]

As I had stated before we cruised with two fellow carnival cruise workers who convinced us and several others that tips are not distributed fairly and it's better to hand them in person as she and her husband actually worked on a ship I figure her word is better than anyone's my only question was had people removed them on royal carribean and if so had they given you problems I work and have children so if I don't respond immediately I apologize!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

I was recently told the same story by a Rccl employee.

 

Some wait staff are not happy that the tips are shared with other departments and they don't get there full share.

 

We had pre paid tips.....so couldn't take it off and tip in cash.

 

The room stewards get there full tips,but wait staff are getting stiffed by this new system.

[setsail]

I was recently told the same story by a Rccl employee.

 

Some wait staff are not happy that the tips are shared with other departments and they don't get there full share.

 

We had pre paid tips.....so couldn't take it off and tip in cash.

 

The room stewards get there full tips,but wait staff are getting stiffed by this new system.

 

Someone is pulling your leg. Certain crew always have a "story" in hopes of increasing the $$'s

[Merion_Mom]

Someone is pulling your leg. Certain crew always have a "story" in hopes of increasing the $$'s

 

^ This. :)

[SadmanCruiser]

Why don't Royal do the same with US guests as UK guests?

 

Below is the details for our Anthem copied from my invoice:

 

GBP Guest #1 Guest #2 Total

Cruise Fare 596.00 833.00 1429.00

On Board Service Charge 102.81 102.81 205.62

Taxes and fees 76.00 76.00 152.00

 

Total Charge 774.81 1011.81 1786.62

Amount Paid 300.00

Balance Due 1486.62

 

Note no mention of tips or gratuities. As we always do mytime it makes no difference to me but UK guests were given no choice on including the charge.

[Hoopster95]

What about the specialty restaurants? Do the prepaid tips apply to them as well , or should you tip seperately when dining there ?

 

Hello CC family:)

 

The above is a great question and I was going to post it in a new thread when I remembered this tipping thread from a day ago....

 

I have always dined in MDR, love meeting fellow cruisers nightly, etc. On my next Navigator 6 nighter I've decided to go totally out of character... new Sabor Mexican, Chops, Giovannis & Izumi are all on my list. I also really want to hit Windjammer one night as I haven't done that for at least 2 years at dinner.... that leaves one night in MDR.

 

Originally I thought I would opt out of the auto-grats and pay individually, but I did not realize of the auto-tip pool of the wait staff, nor did I consider the breakfast and lunch staff. I'll add that my last Chops bill on the Vision was about $95, including a bottle of wine, so the tip was around $15.

 

So my questions are this:

What staff see that $15 at Chops? If I leave an extra $10 bill, does that waiter keep it?

If I keep my auto-tips, do the specialty staff also share in that pool?

 

I think I would prefer to just do auto-tip and leave it at that... everyone gets their 15%. So the way I read it, the specialty staff also share part of the pooled auto-tips, correct? Conversely the Windjammer & MDR staff share the tip from the Chops/Giovanni's/Sabor charges as well in that general tipping pool... which means I don't have to tip anything extra at all at the specialty restaurants as they are also sharing in all the 15% tipping that is already precharged everywhere. Please correct me if I'm wrong or let me know whether that's the right idea.

 

Thx everyone :)