Why not do away with the prepaid gratuity on Cheers altogether?

[ryanpatricksmom]

Same for Bottomless Bubbles. Wouldn't it make infinitely more sense to advertise the program as "Excluding Gratuity" and let people tip per drink.

I remember when Disney first came out with their dining plan, it included an 18% tip, and then it was amended to exclude it. I'm pretty sure that most people tipped appropriately from that point on. I have to believe that it would work in the server's favor.

[jimbo5544]

Same for Bottomless Bubbles. Wouldn't it make infinitely more sense to advertise the program as "Excluding Gratuity" and let people tip per drink.

I remember when Disney first came out with their dining plan, it included an 18% tip, and then it was amended to exclude it. I'm pretty sure that most people tipped appropriately from that point on. I have to believe that it would work in the server's favor.

 

Based upon many responses to tipping threads here, my guess would be the opposite of what you suggest.

Edited September 26, 2014 by jimbo5544

[ryanpatricksmom]

Based upon many responses to tipping threads here, my guess would be the opposite of what you suggest.

 

 

At first I thought that too, but then I realized that they are touting it as an all-inclusive package....so most pax, who wouldn't have given it nearly as much thought as Cruise Critic members (and probably have not done spreadsheets on the subject, lol!), would just buy it onboard and never give tipping extra another thought. The servers are guaranteed to be screwed if that's the case, so I wondered what would happen if you started off suggesting that a tip was in order.

[Mutumbojimbo]

I'm sure you can add to the tip if you feel like 15% isn't enough, but in my experience with automatic gratuities on land, few people that remove them follow up by tipping more than the amount removed.

 

I think every drink purchased has a gratuity added, Cheers program or not.

 

 

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[Orison]

18% of what?

 

In any case, the smart people have decided its included to make things easier for the passenger. Tip is included, so stop worrying about it, and making it bigger than it already is. They are already ripping you off based in what the liquor costs them and what their selling it to you, at different rates, but even the lowest rung is still at a couple of 100 percent.

[falkcor]

To ensure that 'frugal' people pay SOMETHING up front rather than nothing if it were fully at their discretion

 

 

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[ryanpatricksmom]

18% of what?

 

In any case, the smart people have decided its included to make things easier for the passenger. Tip is included, so stop worrying about it, and making it bigger than it already is. They are already ripping you off based in what the liquor costs them and what their selling it to you, at different rates, but even the lowest rung is still at a couple of 100 percent.

 

The 18% referred to what Disney used to tack on to the meal cost and was originally included in their dining plan. Disney used to absorb the gratuity, now they do not. It's expected that the customer add a gratuity.

I only use that as an example because at least in "The Happiest Place on Earth" people can manage to tip their servers even after pre-paying for the meal.

 

I'm quite sure that Carnival is doing the "smart" thing by adding the gratuity up front but make no mistake, they are doing it so that people will buy the package by keeping the advertised all-in cost low. If they are giving their servers a gratuity based on every drink delivered to a passenger then I would be impressed, but also extremely surprised.

[katiel53]

I don't think that if the 15% were not included that the servers would make any money from some of the purchasers of Cheers. Just look at how many want to remove tips so they can "tip the ones who served them" and in fact tip nothing or close to it.

 

Too many people are cheap and there are others who feel that tips aren't part of the budget so too bad, so sad. When we were on Liberty last week we loved a bartender in the casino bar and tipped her for every drink. It was only a buck a drink, but it was still something. I didn't notice if anyone else tipped and I am sure some did, but will guarantee that some felt they had tipped already and nothing more was necessary.

[bruadhin]

Carnival doesn't trust passengers to tip, period. They add tips to all bar bills and add all your standard cruise gratuities to your S&S bill.

 

Why in the world would they remove it from Cheers or Bottomless Bubbles and trust passengers to tip appropriate when they don't trust them anywhere else on the ship to tip?

 

About the only place they leave it up to the passenger is when it comes to room service and maybe the spa.

[jimbo5544]

At first I thought that too, but then I realized that they are touting it as an all-inclusive package....so most pax, who wouldn't have given it nearly as much thought as Cruise Critic members (and probably have not done spreadsheets on the subject, lol!), would just buy it onboard and never give tipping extra another thought. The servers are guaranteed to be screwed if that's the case, so I wondered what would happen if you started off suggesting that a tip was in order.

I agree with you, in fact, that is what I was trying to say.

[Pyrate13]

I only use that as an example because at least in "The Happiest Place on Earth" people can manage to tip their servers even after pre-paying for the meal.

 

Not necessarily so, having worked in one of their restaurants and knowing many others that did and still do, I can tell you that there are plenty of people that do not tip at all or under tip.

[ryanpatricksmom]

Carnival doesn't trust passengers to tip, period. They add tips to all bar bills and add all your standard cruise gratuities to your S&S bill.

 

Why in the world would they remove it from Cheers or Bottomless Bubbles and trust passengers to tip appropriate when they don't trust them anywhere else on the ship to tip?

 

About the only place they leave it up to the passenger is when it comes to room service and maybe the spa.

 

I don't disagree whatsoever. What I think should happen is that the gratuity should be added per drink, and excluded from the package. They can figure out how to add the tax per drink when that's applicable, so I'm sure adding 15% based on the cost of what the drink would be is do-able as well.

[cb at sea]

"Only" a buck per drink? I think that's very generous, considering that each drink already has 15% added to it!

 

At land bars with table service, we tip 20%, based on the bill. At bars where we get our own drinks from a bartender, we stick a $1 in the tip jar PER ORDER, not per drink. (This is for beer, mainly) Of course, the drinks are about 1/2 the price of those on the ships...but still....

Edited September 26, 2014 by cb at sea

[adriennerm]

I don't disagree whatsoever. What I think should happen is that the gratuity should be added per drink, and excluded from the package. They can figure out how to add the tax per drink when that's applicable, so I'm sure adding 15% based on the cost of what the drink would be is do-able as well.

 

So I understand you correctly, instead of adding the 15% to the total price of the Cheers package you want Carnival to add the 15% to each drink ordered in the Cheers package? When a person orders at the bar they do not pay for the drink because it is included in the cheers package but they will be responsible for the 15% tip for that particular drink.

[ryanpatricksmom]

So I understand you correctly, instead of adding the 15% to the total price of the Cheers package you want Carnival to add the 15% to each drink ordered in the Cheers package? When a person orders at the bar they do not pay for the drink because it is included in the cheers package but they will be responsible for the 15% tip for that particular drink.

 

 

Yes, exactly.

[DGP1111]

To ensure that 'frugal' people pay SOMETHING up front rather than nothing if it were fully at their discretion

 

^ ^ ^ ^ ^ In my opinion, a perfect answer. ^ ^ ^ ^ ^

 

.

[Orison]

Yes, exactly.

 

15% of what? Why not just leave what you want and leave everyone else to do what they like.

 

Reading tipping threads here make it sound like no one tips and tipping doesn't work, yet the workers fall over each other to move from the salary jobs to the tipping jobs. I never lose any sleep over it.

[ryanpatricksmom]

15% of what? Why not just leave what you want and leave everyone else to do what they like.

 

Reading tipping threads here make it sound like no one tips and tipping doesn't work, yet the workers fall over each other to move from the salary jobs to the tipping jobs. I never lose any sleep over it.

 

15% of the cost of the drink. They ring each drink up, and know exactly what the price would be. Anyone who was planning on tipping the customary amount should be fine with that.

[Orison]

15% of the cost of the drink. They ring each drink up, and know exactly what the price would be. Anyone who was planning on tipping the customary amount should be fine with that.

 

Sorry. When a table of two is eating out, and one eats a hamburger, and one eats filet mignon, and the two plates are delivered and served the same exact way, what do you base your tip on?

Edited September 26, 2014 by Orison

[sgttami]

Sorry. When a table of two is eating out, and one eats a hamburger, and one eats filet mignon, and the two plates are delivered and served the same exact way, what do you base your tip on?

 

The total bill!!

 

I've seen way too many cheapies on cruises (AKA frugal) so I'm glad that tips are included...

[kelkel2]

Not necessarily so, having worked in one of their restaurants and knowing many others that did and still do, I can tell you that there are plenty of people that do not tip at all or under tip.

 

I agree, After being a server in college I can tell you how many times I have seen co workers or myself tip-jiped. It's sad really. People think that they didn't order that much or it was a small bill I don't have to tip much etc. I mean yes there are great tippers out there but there are terrible ones too! I don't think Carnival trusts the consumer to tip and so they put that on there so guarantee that their servers will at least get something..

[Orison]

The total bill!!

 

I've seen way too many cheapies on cruises (AKA frugal) so I'm glad that tips are included...

 

So one waiter is serving one table 2 burgers, and another waiter is serving another table 2 filet mignon entrees.

 

Is one waiter getting screwed?

[Swampbabe]

Same for Bottomless Bubbles. Wouldn't it make infinitely more sense to advertise the program as "Excluding Gratuity" and let people tip per drink.

I remember when Disney first came out with their dining plan, it included an 18% tip, and then it was amended to exclude it. I'm pretty sure that most people tipped appropriately from that point on. I have to believe that it would work in the server's favor.

 

People do not tip appropriately at Disney when using the meal plan.

[tonit964]

So one waiter is serving one table 2 burgers, and another waiter is serving another table 2 filet mignon entrees.

 

Is one waiter getting screwed?

 

You bring up a very interesting point. I have never thought about this before.

[evanAction]

So I understand you correctly, instead of adding the 15% to the total price of the Cheers package you want Carnival to add the 15% to each drink ordered in the Cheers package? When a person orders at the bar they do not pay for the drink because it is included in the cheers package but they will be responsible for the 15% tip for that particular drink.

 

Perfect