Prepaid Gratuity for MTD... why?

[SunshineCruiser24]

What is the logic behind forcing auto grats to be prepaid for My Time Dining? Everyone automatically gets billed the auto gratuity on board if they haven't prepaid, so it's not like they're thinking MTDers will skimp out on auto grats by not giving their server an envelope...

[Ourusualbeach]

It was originally put in place when tips were still given in cash directly to servers at the end of the week. As you had different servers every night it was a way of ensuring that all MTD servers received appropriate gratuities.

 

With automatic daily gratuities now being added to the seapass here remains no logical reason for it to be continued this way, but you must know RCI and logic do not go well together.

[SunshineCruiser24]

What does having the same wait staff have to do with it if they could just bill auto gratuity? On carnival prepaying is an option no matter what dining time you have.

 

My concern is I don't understand the logic, and as its my money I think I have a right to know the reasoning behind parting me with my money earlier than I need to be.

 

Do the auto tips billed during the cruise for traditional diners not include all the others who need to be tipped??

Edited January 9, 2015 by SunshineCruiser24

[LMaxwell]

There is no valid reason why they still do this. If you have MTD can't use OBC for tips.

[Clarea]

...Do the auto tips billed during the cruise for traditional diners not include all the others who need to be tipped??

The auto tips and prepaid tips are exactly the same amount and include the same crewmembers.

[Langley Cruisers]

What does having the same wait staff have to do with it if they could just bill auto gratuity? ..My concern is I don't understand the logic, and as its my money I think I have a right to know the reasoning behind parting me with my money earlier than I need to be.

 

The answer to this was mentioned by Ken in comment 2. This is an old system which is still in place. Indeed, it is now unnecessary as auto-tip has come into place. When they first started My Time Dining, auto-tip did not exist.

[SunshineCruiser24]

There is no valid reason why they still do this. If you have MTD can't use OBC for tips.

 

 

Hmmm. Interesting.

[bighairtexan]

And why are they doing it now? Because... they can.

[SunshineCruiser24]

The answer to this was mentioned by Ken in comment 2. This is an old system which is still in place. Indeed, it is now unnecessary as auto-tip has come into place. When they first started My Time Dining, auto-tip did not exist.

 

 

Thanks to both of you!

[LMaxwell]

Just curious, you will have to pay X now or X later. In the end, you pay the same.

I think it is the inconsistent policy that irks people, not the amount.

[yogimax]

In the beginning, it was a lot easier to stiff the staff if tips were required to be paid to different people each night. Unfortunately, there were significant numbers of people who justified in their own minds that they didn't have to tip. In addition, it was a lot more difficult for folks who wanted to tip each night to have the correct amount of money for various servers.

 

Auto tips, or prepaid tips, makes it a whole lot easier for everyone and discourages the cheapskates.

[LMaxwell]

In the beginning, it was a lot easier to stiff the staff if tips were required to be paid to different people each night. Unfortunately, there were significant numbers of people who justified in their own minds that they didn't have to tip. In addition, it was a lot more difficult for folks who wanted to tip each night to have the correct amount of money for various servers.

 

Auto tips, or prepaid tips, makes it a whole lot easier for everyone and discourages the cheapskates.

The cruise line could not care less if you tip a worker or not. But they love the prepaid setup because they keep millions of dollars on float.

[3dog]

The cruise line could not care less if you tip a worker or not. But they love the prepaid setup because they keep millions of dollars on float.

 

Indeed!

[rolloman]

I think the simple explanation is that it is a way to get more of your money up front. They get your money in advance and then proceed to draw interest and utilize those funds. Many times recently I have booked a cruise and they said oops all out of first seating, you will have to have my time dining and pay the tips up front. I then proceed to say I am D+ and have priority seating and most of the time they have said okay no problem we have space.

[awhcruiser]

What is your source of information? Why does being D+ give you top priority? :rolleyes:

I think the simple explanation is that it is a way to get more of your money up front. They get your money in advance and then proceed to draw interest and utilize those funds. Many times recently I have booked a cruise and they said oops all out of first seating, you will have to have my time dining and pay the tips up front. I then proceed to say I am D+ and have priority seating and most of the time they have said okay no problem we have space.

[Coralc]

What is your source of information? Why does being D+ give you top priority? :rolleyes:

 

It is a listed benefit of the C&A level.

 

I don't mind pre-paying the gratuities. The only time I was really irked was when a reservationist wanted to collect them along with the deposit for a cruise. (18 months in advance)

 

I refused. And she said, "Okay, you can pay them at final payment, no problem." :rolleyes:

[iheartbda]

I see priority waitlist seating and preferred location and size of table but no priority for time, either MTD or traditional. :confused:

[Coralc]

If you are priority waitlisted and they are trying to steer you into MyTime or traditional for whatever reason, I would guess it is probably highly likely that your requested preference would be granted.

 

I wouldn't know, we have never actually experienced a problem with whichever we have requested. Since MTD began, we have always chosen it. :D

[krisko]

I think the main reason is Royal gets to hang on to your money for a year or longer if prepaying grats.

[setsail]

I think the main reason is Royal gets to hang on to your money for a year or longer if prepaying grats.

 

Tips are paid at final payment:rolleyes:

[leinhto]

Aside from the folks who don't think tipping is required why doesn't RCi just factor the subsidy automatically into the fare cost and get on with it. The forced tipping takes a little something out of the joy of giving. Tipping is a form of saying thank you to the wait staff/cabin Stewarts and any other individual that provides service. The auto tipping is somewhat like the auto gratuity at restaurants for parties of 6-8 or more so it is not uncommon. But recall when we felt glad and responsible to tip knowing there was no other way to reward these individuals beyond their salary. I always pick prepaid gratuity since it came out, but I miss handing those envelopes and seeing the smiles on those folks faces.

[SunshineCruiser24]

It is a listed benefit of the C&A level.

 

 

 

I don't mind pre-paying the gratuities. The only time I was really irked was when a reservationist wanted to collect them along with the deposit for a cruise. (18 months in advance)

 

 

 

I refused. And she said, "Okay, you can pay them at final payment, no problem." :rolleyes:

 

 

That's what happened last night!! I called my TA company and was on hold FOREVER. when I finally got through she was telling me in order to change I had to pay the grats RIGHT then. I made her call the cruise line directly because I knew that wasn't true and I'd been on the phone for an hour and was not hanging up til I got what I wanted.

[TravelerThom]

I see priority waitlist seating and preferred location and size of table but no priority for time, either MTD or traditional. :confused:

The dining waitlists I know of are:

 

06:00 PM Traditional Dining Waitlist

08:30 PM Traditional Dining Waitlist

My Time Dining Waitlist

 

Since Ds and above have "Priority waitlist seating request" and two of the waitlists specify time, it seems there are priority requests for time.

[RocketMan275]

I think the simple explanation is that it is a way to get more of your money up front. They get your money in advance and then proceed to draw interest and utilize those funds. Many times recently I have booked a cruise and they said oops all out of first seating, you will have to have my time dining and pay the tips up front. I then proceed to say I am D+ and have priority seating and most of the time they have said okay no problem we have space.

 

I think you're over-estimating the amount of interest they make on this up-front money. Today's short-term interest rates are too low to make this all that profitable. Better explanations have already been provided.

[LMaxwell]

I think you're over-estimating the amount of interest they make on this up-front money. Today's short-term interest rates are too low to make this all that profitable. Better explanations have already been provided.

 

They hold tens of millions of dollars 60+ days before sailing and likely for some weeks after a sailing as well. We're talking about a company that stopped putting chocolates on pillows and took their logos off of napkins in order to save money. There is no single one thing a company can do to boost profitability, but several cuts and several clever interest earning ways all add up.

 

No other explanation other than to benefit the company bottom line makes sense. I'm not sure any better explanation has been provided as the operating expenses for crew are the same whether everyone tips the suggested amount, tips double, or tips zero.