Beverage Package Gratuities Update: 15% to 18%

[chamima]

Karen the grat can not be kept by the employer. That is a labor law violation, period. Everything is 'coded' into the micro chip/strip tied to the big computer in the sky thru our sea pass card. The only time anything shows up on our statement was when we bought a drink over the limit. Which is why we had a slight:eek: balance last cruise!

 

Hope you're right! :D

[wallie5446]

Agree Wallie

We became pretty close to our waitress on our last Princess cruise.

She told us she LOVES working for Princess because she has free health care, they pay for her flights to and from the ship and there are only 2 people max to a cabin. She used to work for NCL and they had 4 -6 people in each cabin. :eek:

She sends money home to her 2 small children and misses them but is happy to provide a living for them.

No sob story there. Really nice woman and really hard worker!

 

That is about right. Our DD just had a friend come thru Dallas that still works on ship, he is single. There are 3 of them doing a 40 day coast to coast "see the USA in a Chevrolet"! between contracts. This is after he just paid off his second rent property back home.

[brfan]

Take what some staff say with the old grain of salt.

 

Our DD worked on ship for RCCL, there are NEVER 4 to a cabin, 2 is the max. And if an employee ever comes close to only making $400 in a week pay period, it is an indicator of a SLACKER not doing his/her job. If it happens often they are replaced.

 

An average cocktail server does 15+ drinks an hour, at an avg of $8.00 each, on a 10 hour shift that = 150 drinks with a 15% grat = $180.00 before tip out PER DAY.

 

Dont fall for the sad sob song n dance line. They do very very well, which is why they can afford to take 3 months vacation every yr.

 

I'm pretty sure the reference was to the pay they get from the cruise line and not tips - eg. they get so much from the cruise line, from what I understand a very minimal amount, the rest is from tips.

[wwcruisers]

Our next cruise is 10 days, and at the .30 cents per day incerase it is not worth the $6.00 total savings for both of us:eek: to not wait and use our OBC to pay for our upgrade.:D

 

Know what you mean -- but, looking at the two cruises we have booked, it starts to add up...

 

We'll give the Captain's Club a call later today, and see what we can do.

 

And, RickT -- thanks for breaking the numbers down for me. I'm never very good at math -- especially before my second cup of coffee! ;)

[brfan]

We cruise tomorrow, 1st February, and will therefore be subject to this extortion from Celebrity! Everything I read, and contracted for, before booking the cruise indicated my required tipping would be $12pppd; 15% for drinks; 18% for spa treatments.

 

Having always paid the autotips, I am seriously considering working out what the additional 3% on drinks costs me over the cruise and deducting that amount from autotips on final night. That way, my contract is honoured and I suffer no loss from this ill thought out increase....apparently acceptable to USA passengers.

 

For future cruises, not yet contracted, because I know that 18% is now the norm then that will be acceptable. What is unacceptable is a change in policy, following contractual agreement and final payment!

 

I hope you are joking because I don't understand why you plan to punish your wait staff and room steward for the tip increase to bar staff. The auto tips has nothing to do with the increase on the drink price.

[jhans24]

We just called and upgraded from the classic we got on the 123 to the premium. Only saves us $6 for our ten night cruise. But a kids meal at Bimini boatyard costs $5.95. Not much, but it's a free meal.

[wallie5446]

I'm pretty sure the reference was to the pay they get from the cruise line and not tips - eg. they get so much from the cruise line, from what I understand a very minimal amount, the rest is from tips.

 

If that was how it was intended then they are being paid very good.

 

My wife just started her 15th year with Hyatt Hotels. She is a server in the hotel resturant, and is at the max hourly rate Hyatt pays a food server, at a whopping $3.87 an hour.

 

If she made $400.00 plus tips I could quit working and get a paper route!

[Tark]

Tipping threads always get a lot of heat in them :)

As I said before I do tip and its rare I don't. One time in NYC a server was so unfriendly and borderline rude I left no tip. Every time though I will tip and have given more than expected if server really nice and helpful.

 

The problem for a lot of us Brits and some other countries is that tipping is not the norm for us! I get that when we visit a country we need to follow there customs etc. Yet it is a hard pill to swallow with the tipping thing at times when it is forced on you. Dare I let someone in a hotel open a door for me?? Damn too late am I meant to tip him?? Taxi driver takes bags out of car and wont let me do it. Another expected tip. It does get a bit much.

 

I resent so much that companies are allowed to pay such a terrible wage and expect others to tip so there staff get paid .

I think it is shameful how bad the the cruise lines pay there staff. I use the word pay very lightly. Shocking.

Yet it still feels a bit annoying when tips increased when it seems company should pay more!

To get a tip for handing me a bottle of water is shocking. Yet I accept that is the way it is. It does not mean though that we still find it easy to accept which I guess it is why these threads get heated.

 

I am hoping most Americans don't think all us brits just mean and stingy. Most of us are not. It is just we do find it hard to swallow some of the tipping stuff at times. We may grumble but we do tip :)

 

I still stand by that I think its is 1000% wrong for any employee to damage or do something to a passagers food or properly due to no tip 'ie missing suit case'. No excuse for that! Sure the person was a jerk no tipping but that does not make that kind of retaliation right in my book!

 

Anyway I would rather pay some more for a cruise and know that crew get a better wage but that is not going to happen.

 

Anyway just my thoughts

[OkanaganRon]

I upgraded 2 days ago..the gratuity was still at 15% not 18%

[LzyCruiser_NWA]

This is a subtle attempt at forcing People to upgrade to the premium package as something as a 3% change will bump most Classic package beverage who was at the tipping point be over the limit.

 

Let's seenof celebrity cruises will change the classic package limits to compensate

[floridafolks]

 

I think this poster might be from Australia where the gratuities are included in the drink price. If the gratuity goes up (ex: $10 drink before 2/1 is $11.50 in Aus. and after is $11.80 in Australia. ) If the limit is $11.50 then that little extra gratuity has priced that drink out of the package. (I know those aren't the limits but $10 was a nice round number to work with)

 

 

This situation was raised earlier and Celebrity Cruises recognized this had potential implication in Australia where the tip is included in the price.

 

One specific example in Australia was wine had a $10.50 limit which included the tip. This allowed for a pre-tip wine cost of $9.00 which is the limit for the classic package. Now with the 18% tip, the $9.00 pre-tip wine would not be included in the $10.50 limit. The classic beverage info on the celebrity site clearly states that one is entitled to wine up to $9.00 pre tip. Something's gotta give. Already there are very few wines available on the classic pkg, so to lose even more would not be good.

 

Celebrity Cruises said they would look into it and report back. I have not been able to see any update from Celebrity Cruises as yet.

[wallie5446]

This is a subtle attempt at forcing People to upgrade to the premium package as something as a 3% change will bump most Classic package beverage who was at the tipping point be over the limit.

 

Let's seenof celebrity cruises will change the classic package limits to compensate

 

What? The limit cap on both packages, classic @ $8/9, and Premium up to $14 are plus the grat. The cap limit DOES NOT INCLUDE THE GRAT!

[chamima]

What? The limit cap on both packages, classic @ $8/9, and Premium up to $14 are plus the grat. The cap limit DOES NOT INCLUDE THE GRAT!

 

But in Australia it DOES!

Read the previous poster carefully.

 

On Australia cruises the limit of the package is $10.50 (which reflects the same menu price as a $9 drink with the tip added).

If the tip is increased to 18% that $9 drink goes over the package limit of $10.50 and so is no longer included in the beverage package.

I understand what they're asking and I'm not sure how to explain it any better.

This problem ONLY exists for Australian and British cruises.

 

 

(And unless something has changed - the premium limit is still $13 for those of here in the US)

Edited January 31, 2015 by chamima

[20pluscruises]

Tipping threads always get a lot of heat in them :)

As I said before I do tip and its rare I don't. One time in NYC a server was so unfriendly and borderline rude I left no tip. Every time though I will tip and have given more than expected if server really nice and helpful.

 

The problem for a lot of us Brits and some other countries is that tipping is not the norm for us! I get that when we visit a country we need to follow there customs etc. Yet it is a hard pill to swallow with the tipping thing at times when it is forced on you. Dare I let someone in a hotel open a door for me?? Damn too late am I meant to tip him?? Taxi driver takes bags out of car and wont let me do it. Another expected tip. It does get a bit much.

 

I resent so much that companies are allowed to pay such a terrible wage and expect others to tip so there staff get paid .

I think it is shameful how bad the the cruise lines pay there staff. I use the word pay very lightly. Shocking.

Yet it still feels a bit annoying when tips increased when it seems company should pay more!

To get a tip for handing me a bottle of water is shocking. Yet I accept that is the way it is. It does not mean though that we still find it easy to accept which I guess it is why these threads get heated.

 

I am hoping most Americans don't think all us brits just mean and stingy. Most of us are not. It is just we do find it hard to swallow some of the tipping stuff at times. We may grumble but we do tip :)

 

I still stand by that I think its is 1000% wrong for any employee to damage or do something to a passagers food or properly due to no tip 'ie missing suit case'. No excuse for that! Sure the person was a jerk no tipping but that does not make that kind of retaliation right in my book!

 

Anyway I would rather pay some more for a cruise and know that crew get a better wage but that is not going to happen.

 

Anyway just my thoughts

 

It doesn't just happen (low pay) on cruise ships...in the USA the wait staff are paid well under minimum wage ...about $3.00 an hour and depend on the tips.

 

...and I agree, rude waiter equals lower % tip.

Edited January 31, 2015 by 20pluscruises

[wallie5446]

But in Australia it DOES!

Read the previous poster carefully.

 

On Australia cruises the limit of the package is $10.50 (which reflects the same menu price as a $9 drink with the tip added).

If the tip is increased to 18% that $9 drink goes over the package limit of $10.50 and so is no longer included in the beverage package.

I understand what they're asking and I'm not sure how to explain it any better.

This problem ONLY exists for Australian and British cruises.

Okie Dokie den! Now I see said the blind man:D

 

Then when someone from down under comes and sails the Caribbean they are all outta sorts!

[MR_T]

I just had a totally random thought.

 

Let's say you upgrade your package today at 15% and I upgrade on board Monday (which is what I plan on doing) at 18%.

 

Won't it be a nightmare trying to figure out internally what the crew members get ?

 

(I'm still the person who thinks the increase may not be passed on to crew. :rolleyes: )

 

 

I guess it's called a computer... They are quite clever bits of kit! 😊

[NLH Arizona]

Wonder if those who remove gratuities because it is not the norm in their countries, would have an issue if cruise fares were raised to include the gratuities, thus not giving them the option to remove them.

[Laurab23]

I upgraded 2 days ago..the gratuity was still at 15% not 18%

 

I would like to upgrade for our cruise in May but with $400 OBC will wait til we get on the ship.

 

Laura

[burrma]

It's unreal how many people remove their gratuities and the room stewarts and dining staff usually know as soon as they meet you; who you are. I agree; tips should be mandatory for all. On our Xmas cruise; our room stewart who we got to know quite well; asked to be moved out of suites and conceige (sp) as often they are the worst tippers. Finds the inside and outside cabins usually tip best. Does this same something! Not the first room stewart that we have meet that told us this. They also get the list in advance of those who take their tips off. Plus those that demand the most usually tip the least or nothing.

[wallie5446]

Wonder if those who remove gratuities because it is not the norm in their countries, would have an issue if cruise fares were raised to include the gratuities, thus not giving them the option to remove them.

The only time we sailed on HAL ( years ago ) there was no tipping. The level of service was no where near what we were used to on Princess, Royal, and Celebrity. I know it has changed, but because of it the wifester wont look at HAL.

[Wine-O]

Wonder if those who remove gratuities because it is not the norm in their countries, would have an issue if cruise fares were raised to include the gratuities, thus not giving them the option to remove them.

 

Isn't that why some Celebrity cruises out of Southampton the drink prices were what they were -- an all inclusive price which included the tip? I thought I read that somewhere. Not sure about regular gratuities.

[MR_T]

Wonder if those who remove gratuities because it is not the norm in their countries, would have an issue if cruise fares were raised to include the gratuities, thus not giving them the option to remove them.

 

 

We are from England and although we don't have the same tipping culture as our cousins across the pond and pretty much only tip in England if we go out for a meal we would never dream of removing our tips, we are aware we are cruising on an American brand ship and having travelled to the states quite a bit we fully understand the tipping culture in American...

 

We have never met a member of the crew that didn't deserve the minimum tip charged, we have met loads that deserve more and we do indeed tip extra when we come across these crew members! It's not in our culture to tip bar people but we don't give it a second thought on board 🍸😎

[uktog]

Would have been nice if you had told your direct bookers by email and given us a chance to upgrade, ok price difference is small but it's the principle Celebrity

I've only just discovered this thread too late

[bobsfamily]

Would have been nice if you had told your direct bookers by email and given us a chance to upgrade, ok price difference is small but it's the principle Celebrity

I've only just discovered this thread too late

You still have today...

[tommy2811]

I got in before the upage in Gratuity...

 

premium x 2 for 7 days.... 949.00.

 

plus i'm bringing 200.00 in singles for tips-