Poll Based On Some Current Threads

[rusty nut]

Royal Caribbean gives OP the choice on who to tip and in what amount.

No, they don't. Tips are mandatory on all RC ships. You didn't know that?

[Cruzaholic41]

If the 3rd and 4th "adult" person in the cabin never leaves the cabin to eat and they sleep on the floor, then I suppose you've got a point.:rolleyes:

 

LIKE!!!

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=42754726#post42754726

 

Well, that explains alot! :eek:

[delirious9876]

LIKE!!!

 

 

 

Well, that explains alot! :eek:

If you read earlier in the thread I said to set sail -: "Dear setsail, I am very sorry that you have shown your ignorance by only posting a thread from May 2014. If you look at later threads you will see further posts from me saying that I have had a gratuities re-think, that I now tip and that I also now tip Diamond Lounge staff.

 

Quite a troll-ish nasty thing to do, to just throw an very old post in the mix"

 

I'm assuming you also want to group with setsail with the troll-ish ignorant behaviour

[TravelerThom]

No, they don't. Tips are mandatory on all RC ships. You didn't know that?

I'm trying to decide if you are serious or not.:confused:

 

I think they should be mandatory, but they are not (unless you have MTD). Auto-billed - yes; mandatory - no.

[LMaxwell]

No, they don't. Tips are mandatory on all RC ships. You didn't know that?

 

They are charged automatically to your account. They are not mandatory unless you have my time dining.

[Cel_cruise]

I'm trying to decide if you are serious or not.:confused:

 

I think they should be mandatory, but they are not (unless you have MTD). Auto-billed - yes; mandatory - no.

 

 

Can you not pay the auto billed ones?

 

I am taking my first cruise with children next month.

 

I don't like having to pre-pay to have MTD. I would rather see which staff groups actually end up working with my kids and allocate my tips accordingly. I would have preferred to save some budget for the adventure ocean staff as well.

 

I am a decent tipper in restaurants an daycare situations - and an exceptional tipper when service is exceptional. I also think that in our case - prepaying will likely mean reduced tips for those that are exceptional.

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[krisko]

Now that most cruise lines have pre-paid or automatic gratuities, why not just eliminate them and raise the cruisefare accordingly? I would rather go back to a true tipping environment where I may choose to tip someone for doing a particularly good job for me.

 

They have...they roll in the price of the tip without actually increasing the base fare of the cruise. It's kind of like the airlines, hold the line on prices of airfare but charge for luggage.

 

I agree that kids are often more work than adults and deserve a higher tip than adults. My kids were always good but I see some kids in the MDR tearing the place down.

[krisko]

I would have preferred to save some budget for the adventure ocean staff as well.

 

Tipping AO staff isn't necessarily customary but I know they really appreciate it. I used to give the staff $20 at the end of a cruise.

[TravelerThom]

If you read earlier in the thread I said to set sail -: "Dear setsail, I am very sorry that you have shown your ignorance by only posting a thread from May 2014. If you look at later threads you will see further posts from me saying that I have had a gratuities re-think, that I now tip and that I also now tip Diamond Lounge staff.

 

Quite a troll-ish nasty thing to do, to just throw an very old post in the mix"

 

I'm assuming you also want to group with setsail with the troll-ish ignorant behaviour

2014 is "very old post"??:confused: I wonder what qualifies to be merely "old" versus "very old"?

 

Your argument that you have had a "re-think" on tipping would be stronger if you posted links. Within the last week you have posted:

"Please feel free to remove the suggested tips from your account (without feeling guilty or pressured) if you feel, like I do that $12 per day for a child is too much in gratuities."

 

Having a poll in which the first six responses ALL involve reduced tips for children ("No tips for children under 16 yrs old" - seriously?), and "hiding" no reduced tips in last place is certainly an unsubtle attempt to skew the poll.

[Biker19]

Having a poll in which the first six responses ALL involve reduced tips for children ("No tips for children under 16 yrs old" - seriously?), and "hiding" no reduced tips in last place is certainly an unsubtle attempt to skew the poll.

Too bad most folks don't realize that poll results that they hear about in the news (and which can have a much more direct affect on their lives than this one) can be skewed as well.:cool:

[hizzo08]

There was no option in the poll about tipping more than the suggested rate for children. This is what we do. Kids tend to be more high-maintenance than adults, and we always show our appreciation by giving something extra to the people who go out of their way to accommodate our children.

[ryano]

If you sail, you pay. Period. In fact, i wish it wasnt even an option to have them reduced or removed.

 

 

JMHO.

Edited January 12, 2015 by ryano

[Starry Eyes]

If the 3rd and 4th "adult" person in the cabin never leaves the cabin to eat and they sleep on the floor, then I suppose you've got a point.:rolleyes:

HeHe. Good point. Though honestly, an adult who barely leaves the cabin would be quite a bother for steward. And if they eat in the cabin, they are likely making a mess for the steward. And if they are eating ship food, some crew member is likely serving that food somehow.

 

2014 is "very old post"??:confused: I wonder what qualifies to be merely "old" versus "very old"?

 

Your argument that you have had a "re-think" on tipping would be stronger if you posted links. Within the last week you have posted:

"Please feel free to remove the suggested tips from your account (without feeling guilty or pressured) if you feel, like I do that $12 per day for a child is too much in gratuities."

 

Having a poll in which the first six responses ALL involve reduced tips for children ("No tips for children under 16 yrs old" - seriously?), and "hiding" no reduced tips in last place is certainly an unsubtle attempt to skew the poll.

Thanks for posting this. To me May 2014 is a relatively recent thread;it is not at all troll-ish for a poster to link it.

 

I would have a bit of sympathy for a couple wanting to reduce tips for a little, breast fed baby who sleeps in (passenger supplied) bassinet. Then the biggest service provided for child might disposal of dirty diapers; if those are carefully bagged for disposal by parents, it could be a relatively minor service. It is also applies to very few passengers.

[LoveyHowell]

Whatever happened to tipping based on the quality of the services you received? And why do people now say it is wrong to tip on quality of service? A gratuity is a thank you to someone providing you service, it is not mandatory.

 

We've always tipped more than suggested amounts, but we do so because we receive great services and we want to, not because the cruise lines don't pay their crew properly or because anonymous people on the internet say we should.

 

And if we received bad service and it wasn't handled by management on the ship, we'd reduce our tips in lockstep with services received, just like we would at an establishment on land.

 

I don't anticipate ever receiving bad services, I expect great service, and I expect to pay for it. But if I get bad service I'll tip accordingly. That's how it has always and will always work.

 

Edit: I also could not vote in this poll. There is no choice that says give a gratuity in relation to services received.

Edited January 12, 2015 by LoveyHowell

[lisiamc]

It does not seem to be a divided topic at all! More than 3/4 of the people that responded believe all passengers regardless of age should tip for the services that are being provided to them. I will never understand the people that persist in trying to come up with any reason possible to reduce or eliminate tipping. Unbelievable!!!!!!

 

Yes, I was just about to point out that the split does not seem to be in the middle at all. Maybe it's the difference between those who post their opinions on the tipping threads, and the apparent majority who don't talk much about it, but feel they should tip for their kids. I don't cruise with kids, but I would give the full tip for them if I did.

[krisko]

The only troll I'm seeing in this thread is the op. You don't start a thread like this unless you're an antagonist, especially considering the Op's posting history on this topic. Grow up and quit being so damn cheap. :rolleyes:

 

Sounds like OPs recent thread are an attempt to justify reducing or eliminating gratuities. Have some courage in your conviction! If you don't want to tip, then don't. If he's having some trepidation and looking for folks to tell him he's in the right, it would be easier just to tip the standard amount and move on with the day. It's only $12 a day I think...don't each lunch out for a week and it's covered.

[TravelerThom]

Can you not pay the auto billed ones?

 

I am taking my first cruise with children next month.

 

I don't like having to pre-pay to have MTD. I would rather see which staff groups actually end up working with my kids and allocate my tips accordingly. I would have preferred to save some budget for the adventure ocean staff as well.

 

I am a decent tipper in restaurants an daycare situations - and an exceptional tipper when service is exceptional. I also think that in our case - prepaying will likely mean reduced tips for those that are exceptional

RCI's policy:

The gratuity is automatically added to each guest's SeaPass® account on a daily basis. In the unlikely event that a guest onboard being charged the daily automatic gratuity does not receive satisfactory service, the guest may request to modify the daily amount at their discretion by visiting Guest Services during their cruise.

 

One of the reasons that cruise fares are as low as they are is that ship employees who normally get tips are paid very little by the cruise line (like US$50/month, plus of course room, board, etc). Their income is almost exclusively tips. I, like many (not all) regular cruisers, think of the auto-billed tips as a service charge that provides basic income for those employees. IMO outstanding service deserves a tip beyond the service charge (a "pourboire" in French).

 

Adventure Ocean employees are paid a higher amount than waiters and stewards (but still not a lot). I have no doubt that they also deserve a pourboire.

 

Please consider that the auto-tips should in fact be thought of as a cost of cruising, and then additionally tip as you see fit.

 

Thom

[LoveyHowell]

Royal Caribbean stock is at a high and they are flush with profits. Why is it my fault they don't pay their employees? Like I said, I tip well and expect great service but it's up to a company to pay their employees a fair wage.

[Tyler80]

If you can afford to cruise, you can afford to tip. End of story.

 

I think tips should be tacked on to the total owed when you pay for the cruise in full. That way there is no further discussion on tips.

[LMaxwell]

If you can afford to cruise, you can afford to tip. End of story.

 

I think tips should be tacked on to the total owed when you pay for the cruise in full. That way there is no further discussion on tips.

 

Of course anyone that can pay for a cruise can afford to tip. That's like saying if you eat at a restaurant you can afford to tip. That's a foregone conclusion in almost every case.

 

Aren't you interested in the quality of the service you get though?

[delirious9876]

The only troll I'm seeing in this thread is the op. You don't start a thread like this unless you're an antagonist, especially considering the Op's posting history on this topic. Grow up and quit being so damn cheap. :rolleyes:

 

I am not antagonistic. I also object strongly to being called a troll. I haven't called people trolls just referred to behaviour as 'troll-ish'. I will accept your bully like behaviour though Aquahound.

 

I just say what I think - many comments of which fall in line with CC RCCL cheerleaders as I to am loyal to Royal.

 

Other comments that don't sit neatly within some CC people's psychy are usually deemed antagonistic, inciteful etc. etc. this is simply not fair. The 'frowners' always seem to be the multi thousand posting profiles. Almost like they think it is their CC and therefore not a place for free speech.

 

If you think a poll like this is antagonistic just do the decent and/or simple thing . . . Keep away . . . And post on a thread that meets your RCCL & cruising rose tinted glasses.

 

What is quite funny is I've met 3 people from on here over the past 2 years, all of who have flamed me quite a lot. In real life they really liked me and I got on well with them. Little did they know I was this 'not nice person' 'antagonistic' and 'troll like poster' from CC (or so people like you say!!)

 

Lol

 

Lol

 

Lol

 

:) :) :)

Edited January 12, 2015 by delirious9876

[delirious9876]

Sounds like OPs recent thread are an attempt to justify reducing or eliminating gratuities. Have some courage in your conviction! If you don't want to tip, then don't. If he's having some trepidation and looking for folks to tell him he's in the right, it would be easier just to tip the standard amount and move on with the day. It's only $12 a day I think...don't each lunch out for a week and it's covered.

I'm not wanting any of that. I SIMPLY wondered what a wider audience on cruise critic thought.

 

Simple, no hidden agenda really :)

Edited January 12, 2015 by delirious9876

[delirious9876]

If you can afford to cruise, you can afford to tip. End of story.

 

I think tips should be tacked on to the total owed when you pay for the cruise in full. That way there is no further discussion on tips.

I agree TOTALLY 100% with this comment :)

[delirious9876]

Of course anyone that can pay for a cruise can afford to tip. That's like saying if you eat at a restaurant you can afford to tip. That's a foregone conclusion in almost every case.

 

Aren't you interested in the quality of the service you get though?

I am but most CC'ers sadly are not :(

[Toddcan]

To the OP:

 

If you accept tipping for adults as OK, then...

 

Let's look at where the tips go. From Royal Caribbean's website:

 

Guest gratuities go to the following crew and staff members:

· Dining Services

· Stateroom Attendant

· Other Housekeeping Personnel

OK, so let's be logical about this by walking through an example. You and your spouse are sailing with your 12 year old child. All 3 are staying in the same cabin.

 

1. Dining Services

All 3 people will eat. In fact, the 12 year old may eat more food than you, but that's a different discussion. The 12 year old will use a plate, knife, spoon, fork, glass, etc. The 12 year old will sit in a chair at a table in one of the restaurants. Your 12 year old will receive the same service as you will. In fact, the 12 year old may want a special menu with some kids selections? Your waiter will take care of that for you - work that won't be done for the table beside you that has just 4 adults. When I have sailed with my kids - without exception (maybe we were lucky?) all of the waiters and assistant waiters all went out of their way to connect with my kids - even making napkin animals, etc.

 

So, the 12 year old, IF ANYTHING, should require MORE of a tip since they might be a special case. At a minimum, they require the same tip for this section.

 

2. Stateroom Attendant

This is where you MIGHT have a case for reduced tipping in your mind, but let's look at this more carefully.

 

Let's look at what the stateroom attendant actually does, and does a 3rd person add more work? In all cases, I am assuming that the 12 year old is as neat/messy as an adult

Cleans bathroom - no extra work. Still only one toilet, one sink, one shower, one bathroom to clean.

Tidy the cabin - a little more work with 3 people. simply put, 3 people = more clutter.

Empties garbage - no extra work - still empties the same number of bins.

Makes up the bed, turns down the bed - lots of extra work here. A 3rd person sleeps on a couch or one of those drop-down ceiling beds(Are they called a pullman bed?). The couch, or the ceiling bed is not easy to set up and take down – they need time.

Brings Ice – no extra work, assuming 1 bucket of ice is enough for 3 people.

Vacuums floor/general cleaning – no extra work. Still the same amount of surface area.

Conclusion? Not sure... the beds are a lot more work, but other areas are really no extra work. You’ve obviously justified a reduced tip, likely based on some of the points I have brought up. But, in my opinion, the beds are a really big thing. So, I’m going to suggest in this one area, the 3rd person warrants maybe 75% of the room attendant portion of the tips.

3. Other Housekeeping Personnel

These are the ones who do all the other behind the scenes work on the ship. They clean the hallways, common rooms, restaurants, wash the towels, bedsheets, etc. No doubt that the 12 year old is a +1 to the head count- meaning that they warrant the full tip in this area.

 

 

The only possible reduction is in the room attendant – but this is only one person. The other areas, #1, #3 are many multiple staff on the ship who do things for your 12 year old. So, mathematically, the impact of the reduced tip on the Cabin Attendant section alone is reduced to a fraction of itself.

Conclusion

I know this was a long post, but when you break it down like this.. and actually assign numbers, I’ll bet the $12 per day would still be somewhere around $11 per day based on all of my assumptions.

Edited January 12, 2015 by Toddcan