Can someone tell me if this is true?

[Lsimon]

All but one cruise I have done I have had prepaid grats or prepaid grats included (123go).

The other cruise, I did the envelope thing and probably paid out more than what I would have done with prepaid. Call me what you want, this is what I do.

 

 

Then I apologize if I got the wrong impression from your other posts above.

Edited January 30, 2015 by Lsimon

[NLH Arizona]

Coming from a country that does not traditionally tip, we actually like the auto gratuities. Takes away our uncomfortable feeling of what do we do now. We leave tips for our waiters and cabin attendants, but just leave it behind - no fuss. We always reward the staff we feel have made our holiday special with official feedback. This enhances their chances of a promotion or pay increase which in the long run is probably worth much more than a few $$ tip, especially if in Aussie $$'s. Cheers

 

Coming from a country that traditionally tips, I also love the auto gratuities. I know I've got everyone covered and then can give extra to those that go above and beyond and would never think of reducing or removing the auto gratuities.

Edited January 30, 2015 by NLH Arizona

[Iamcruzin]

I've often heard that a group can get a free cabins for booking a certain number of paid cabins. I've heard of some group organizers who keep that fact, and the free cabin, to themselves and others who pass on it and use the perk to exchange for other perks for everyone or to lower the average price. If the group got no special perks then I suspect the group organizer was doing it to cruise for free.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jveervers: I'm stunned by your comment.

 

First you try to hold the high ground by implying you don't think removing the tips is morally right then you justify the practice. Your other posts go on to justify it more due to differences in compensation practices in different parts of the world. I don't know your actual practice and character so I really don't want to judge you but reading your posts leaves us with the impression that you might be a bit of a hypocrite who would stiff the hard working staff even though you know it is not correct to do so. If so then shame on you!

 

That was my thought as well.

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[NLH Arizona]

I've often heard that a group can get a free cabins for booking a certain number of paid cabins. I've heard of some group organizers who keep that fact, and the free cabin, to themselves and others who pass on it and use the perk to exchange for other perks for everyone or to lower the average price. If the group got no special perks then I suspect the group organizer was doing it to cruise for free.

 

 

!

the community where I live has a travel club and a man that use to be the president of the club said they got free cabins/perks depending on the number of cabins booked. He was a stand up guy and shared what they got, by giving $'s back to the travelers to make sure no one (including himself) got a better deal than anyone else...he could have easily taken all the Free cabins/perks for himself, but didn't.

[andrew cooper]

Tipping is one of the biggest bones of contention for cruisers here in the UK . Routine tipping is just not part of the UK culture . Yes we may tip for exceptional service in a restauraunt but to tip someone for pouring you a drink or taking the screw top off your bottle is not the norm .

I have been on plenty of cruises where the guys from the UK have removed all gratuities . We do pay the daily gratuities but not for our 2 kids - paying 4 lots of tips for one shared cabin is just too much . Instead we give the staff in the kids club a tip in an envelope .

Many people who we speak to who may be considering their 1st cruise find it difficult to understand why a ship sailing all summer out of the UK has an American tipping procedure - they would much rather just pay a one off price and not have all this gratuities nonsense to contend with !

[archerniak]

Okay I decided to chime in here. Many years ago, when I took my first cruise - on HAL - they had a no tipping policy. If you tried to give one of the staff something extra they returned it to you. It was nice knowing that everyone was getting the same level of service since there was no additional tipping. I was young and didn't have a lot of extra money and it was nice to know that I didn't have to worry about someone's hand out (as other cruise lines at the time I had heard that the staff was continually looking for tips).

 

I like that the gratuities are added on automatically, as it is one less thing for me to worry about. Does it matter to me if they are tacked on as part of my cruise fare (built-in so to speak) or that they are a set amount charged to me daily - No. It's just makes my trip that much more stress-free - and who wants to be stressing on their vacation about tips.

 

If I get exceptional service, then I can always give that individual something a little extra.

 

My view only.

[Tark]

Passengers do that and like you say they do stiff the staff. They do that in restaurants all the time.

 

Chances are they could be put on a black or watch for list. I worked as a dealer for a short time in a casino. Our wages mostly consisted of tips. There was a belligerent customer that was rather rude and won a nice sum playing the tables. I colored him up and he left. The pit boss had to verify the amount because he was leaving with $500 chips and they watch those very closely. After he left the pit boss asked if I recieved any tokes and I told him nothing at all. He went into the computer and erased his comps for the day. Also tagged his account.

 

My best friend went on a cruise with his cheap a$$ brother in law. At the end of the cruise he stiffed the staff telling my friend f em I will never see them again. They got off the ship and he couldn't find his luggage. My friend and his wife stayed with them trying to find the luggage but left as to not miss their flight home. His brother in law and wife missed their flight and never did see their luggage again. My friend said they deserved it as the crew probalby tossed it over board.

 

Let them do as they please. As they have to live with themselves and karma will get even with them.

 

The person that wants to become a TA will soon find out how it feels to get stiffed as they will end up doing a lot of work with no pay as others will have them do all of the research and then book with someone else.

 

Happy cruising

 

 

 

Maybe because I am from the UK, but I do not find the staff doing something with a GUESTS luggage ok.. Vindictive and that is not something I can condone..

 

I get that tipping is the way its done in US. I do tip, but also hate that I am told I have too because cruise lines so stingy to there staff. I repeat I do tip and I think the attitude of the person that said F them was wrong also.

As said maybe because I am from UK but i don't think its ok for cruise line staff to do something with someones property.

 

Before I am flamed I will repeat I do tip when I am in US and if someone extra nice or helpful I always give me..

Edited January 30, 2015 by Tark

[wallie5446]

The guy is nothing but a cheapskate already traind!

.

 

And trying to big shot. He will probably break his on arm, patting himself on the back!

 

Tell your friend, she needs a new group of friends:(

[fleckle]

.......Many people who we speak to who may be considering their 1st cruise find it difficult to understand why a ship sailing all summer out of the UK has an American tipping procedure - they would much rather just pay a one off price and not have all this gratuities nonsense to contend with !

They can easily avoid "all this gratuities nonsense to contend with" by simply including the gratuities with their final payment.

Once and done.

 

The ship has an American tipping procedure because the company that owns it is under American management, regardless of where in the world the ship sails.

 

 

Several years ago there was a posting about a cruise location where the gratuities were packaged together with the cruise fare and everyone was required to pre-pay it all up front when the ship sailed from that location. It was done because the crew members had been complaining about frequently being cheated out of their tips on that itinerary and many were unwilling to work it.

(I don't recall where that was though, or which cruise line. Maybe someone else will remember.)

 

[RocketMan275]

I have a friend who is going on Celebrity with a group of friends. One of the friends makes all the travel arrangements...he's dabbling in TA.

Anyway, this is her first cruise and the group had a meeting to finalize plans and the guy that planned the cruise said they do not have to pay gratuities and they could tip staff as they saw fit...i.e., if someone isn't deserving of a certain % tip and someone is more deserving. Anyway the guy said if they go to the ship's purser when they board, and they can have the daily gratuities removed. :confused: Is this possible?

My common sense tells me it isn't....otherwise a lot of pax could do that and say they are going to tip and then don't.

No flames please...I told her I would post the question.

 

OK, quick question. Was this answer given in response to a question by someone in the group? Was the TA trying to give an honest answer to a question asked by a newbie? I'm just thinking there could be more to this story.

[hvsteve1]

You have to remember that if you are from Nth America, you have probably paid substantially less for your cruise, often received more OBC and in many cases, obtained cheaper Air costs to departure destination. The total cruise package may have cost you up to $2000 less than others from a not so mass market and you dont have to pay conversion fees on expenses charged to Credit Cards which typically runs at 3%. So to say that some stiff the staff is a bit rich if that person has already had total costs far in excess of what you paid. It is also stretching things to try and impose 1 countrys tipping traditions onto the rest of the world.

 

I know that in the tourism and hospitality industries there are certain nationalities that are avoided. I can now assume Aussies are one.:mad: How can you possibly justify not tipping because your airfare, cruise fare and exchange rates suck compared to Americans. So, the people who live on tips should have to pay your additional cost of vacationing? And, by the way, on the HAL boards one time someone who supposedly knew that facts said a printout of those opting out of the gratuities as posted in the back of the house. Hope you guys enjoy wondering what's in your food.:D

[tserface]

I want to believe this is just a horrible coincidence and no one on staff, or the cruise line, is going to throw your luggage overboard for not paying tips. If they do that they should be prosecuted as criminals. Leaving a tip = optional. Stealing luggage = felony.

 

I agree that if your brother in law did not tip the staff at least, as suggested, then his is pretty cheap. We just consider it part of the cost of cruising and have always had great service. Whether or not we see them again is irrelevant, but we have often seen staff on the same or other ships and they've remembered us.

 

I believe in the staff and in tipping them appropriately, but I don't want to believe they are that petty. If anyone on a Celebrity ship gets caught doing this imagine what that would do for Celebrity's reputation. I'm sure that would be all over the media.

 

Tom

 

Passengers do that and like you say they do stiff the staff. They do that in restaurants all the time.

 

Chances are they could be put on a black or watch for list. I worked as a dealer for a short time in a casino. Our wages mostly consisted of tips. There was a belligerent customer that was rather rude and won a nice sum playing the tables. I colored him up and he left. The pit boss had to verify the amount because he was leaving with $500 chips and they watch those very closely. After he left the pit boss asked if I recieved any tokes and I told him nothing at all. He went into the computer and erased his comps for the day. Also tagged his account.

 

My best friend went on a cruise with his cheap a$$ brother in law. At the end of the cruise he stiffed the staff telling my friend f em I will never see them again. They got off the ship and he couldn't find his luggage. My friend and his wife stayed with them trying to find the luggage but left as to not miss their flight home. His brother in law and wife missed their flight and never did see their luggage again. My friend said they deserved it as the crew probalby tossed it over board.

 

Let them do as they please. As they have to live with themselves and karma will get even with them.

 

The person that wants to become a TA will soon find out how it feels to get stiffed as they will end up doing a lot of work with no pay as others will have them do all of the research and then book with someone else.

 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌞

[themutis]

Since we always pay gratuities, I would not have a problem if they were always included in the cost of the cruise.

 

Then, if we have exceptional service, we could (and do) reward those people individually.

 

Just my two cents.

[jveevers]

I dont believe that crew know who has removed grats. They are often removed on the last day . What, do they update a list that is circulated to the crew whenever someone removes grats?

[GUT2407]

Coming from a country that does not traditionally tip, we actually like the auto gratuities. Takes away our uncomfortable feeling of what do we do now. We leave tips for our waiters and cabin attendants, but just leave it behind - no fuss. We always reward the staff we feel have made our holiday special with official feedback. This enhances their chances of a promotion or pay increase which in the long run is probably worth much more than a few $$ tip, especially if in Aussie $$'s. Cheers

 

 

Now that I agree with, because we don't tip much I actually feel somewhat uncomfortable doing so it's one thing to leave extra when you are paying your bill or saying "keep the change" I'm not comfortable with just handing over say $50.00 [ie $5 a day for 10 days for out steward].

[LuckiePuris]

I dont believe that crew know who has removed grats. They are often removed on the last day . What, do they update a list that is circulated to the crew whenever someone removes grats?

 

Perhaps the poster meant that crew are advised which guests have removed the gratuities prior to departure / do not have prepaid gratuities.

[LabGuy64]

The only thing with including it into the cost of the cruise is that it can start a second level of tipping (we are even seeing this with autotipping)......people feeling...or are made to feel that there should be a visible show by the individual that you are recognising the " effort " of the server (at the time service is given)....Personally, I think the whole tipping thing has gotten out of hand....the venue should be paying the server a wage for the job done...and a tip....should be extra....when DESERVED and not considered as it is now as an obligation by customers to supliment the servers income.

 

Tips given by custom encourages mediocre service. In my opinion....

 

 

Since we always pay gratuities, I would not have a problem if they were always included in the cost of the cruise.

 

Then, if we have exceptional service, we could (and do) reward those people individually.

 

Just my two cents.

[GUT2407]

The only thing with including it into the cost of the cruise is that it can start a second level of tipping (we are even seeing this with autotipping)......people feeling...or are made to feel that there should be a visible show by the individual that you are recognising the " effort " of the server (at the time service is given)....Personally, I think the whole tipping thing has gotten out of hand....the venue should be paying the server a wage for the job done...and a tip....should be extra....when DESERVED and not considered as it is now as an obligation by customers to supliment the servers income.

 

Tips given by custom encourages mediocre service. In my opinion....

 

 

Now with that I agree, pay a fair wage for the job then tps revert to being what they started as basically a "Thank you" for gong above and beyond that then encourages the worker to actually go above and beyond.

[swigso]

Tipping is one of the biggest bones of contention for cruisers here in the UK . Routine tipping is just not part of the UK culture . Yes we may tip for exceptional service in a restauraunt but to tip someone for pouring you a drink or taking the screw top off your bottle is not the norm .

I have been on plenty of cruises where the guys from the UK have removed all gratuities . We do pay the daily gratuities but not for our 2 kids - paying 4 lots of tips for one shared cabin is just too much . Instead we give the staff in the kids club a tip in an envelope .

Many people who we speak to who may be considering their 1st cruise find it difficult to understand why a ship sailing all summer out of the UK has an American tipping procedure - they would much rather just pay a one off price and not have all this gratuities nonsense to contend with !

 

Maybe the Pick 2 of 3 Promotions or all 3 for CC or above on

European sailings is Celebrities way of dealing with this

 

 

Also to the original poster, surely if he wants to be a TA hw would

be aware that he could have cancelled and rebooked to take

advantage of the 123 go promotion, also there is at least

one online TA that always includes Free Gratuities with

Most cabins above inside,

IMHO auto tipping is great but since Select Dining arrived

We always prepay anyway, unless I use the online TA

Where I get them included anyway.

[Iamcruzin]

Maybe the Pick 2 of 3 Promotions or all 3 for CC or above on

European sailings is Celebrities way of dealing with this

 

After reading some of the replies, My guess is that those who remove the auto tip probably pick the drink package and the OBC and continue to remove the gratuity at the end of the cruise.

[LabGuy64]

My guess would be that even thoughs that Mean to tip at the end often get distracted by their prep to leave the ship and start running short of time ...and end up just end up tipping their cabin stewart as they are near.

 

 

After reading some of the replies, My guess is that those who remove the auto tip probably pick the drink package and the OBC and continue to remove the gratuity at the end of the cruise.

[Bolthead]

I know that in the tourism and hospitality industries there are certain nationalities that are avoided. I can now assume Aussies are one.:mad:

 

Strangely enough in Australia we employ in the most Australians. I don't find any Americans working as cabin stewards or waiters on any ships I have been on.

 

can you possibly justify not tipping because your airfare, cruise fare and exchange rates suck compared to Americans. So, the people who live on tips should have to pay your additional cost of vacationing?

 

I agree with this statement. We choose to live in the best country in the world and there is a cost for that. No, people who rely on tips to supplement their wage should not have to pay our additional costs for vactioning. It is their employers responsibiliy to pay the additional costs. The employer inturns charges us a cost called a 'fare'.

 

, by the way, on the HAL boards one time someone who supposedly knew that facts said a printout of those opting out of the gratuities as posted in the back of the house. Hope you guys enjoy wondering what's in your food.:D

 

Maybe on HAL but I asked somebody who we know that has worked in the cruise industry and she said that was bulls%@t. (her words not mine) If that list made it to the pax. then hell would break out.

 

Tipping is an unneecaary toxic cancer that needs to be erradicated sooner not later.

[Champagne Cruiser]

If you type "An insiders guide to cruise tipping" in the search box there is an excellent article that explains the issue very clearly. We actually take this with us as our guide, but adjust the amounts as appropriate based on service.

[cjmayes51]

Some people will never change- my wife & I began cruising in 1988 on the Song of America- two years later on the Soverign of the Seas- - Both times we had large tables of 8 people who got along I thought very well- the waiter & server were both fantastic, but in both 7 days cruises my wife & I were the only people at dinner the last night- we though that odd. On our Soverign cruise it was the same thing- I asked our young waiter from Mexico if something was wrong & he explained about people not wanting to tip- not showing up the last night to hand out tip envelopes. Man did I feel bad for these guys. Our tables had been a mixture of first time cruises and those who had been on numerous prior cruises. I see why tips have now been added automatically by the cruise lines. By the way or table mates were all from the US and from what we could tell { if you could believe them }fairly well off. Yes each country will have different tipping guidelines but these people for the most part are not stupid & stiffing someone because you didn't get outstanding service or because they are making more money then others in their country is wrong..

[LabGuy64]

Well I don't know if i agree with part of your last statement.....Remember that although tipping has changed over the years.....it still is ToInsure PerfectService. it is not stiffing someone if they do not give good service....and remember this is there job and tips are a gauge of how well they do it.

 

 

Some people will never change- my wife & I began cruising in 1988 on the Song of America- two years later on the Soverign of the Seas- - Both times we had large tables of 8 people who got along I thought very well- the waiter & server were both fantastic, but in both 7 days cruises my wife & I were the only people at dinner the last night- we though that odd. On our Soverign cruise it was the same thing- I asked our young waiter from Mexico if something was wrong & he explained about people not wanting to tip- not showing up the last night to hand out tip envelopes. Man did I feel bad for these guys. Our tables had been a mixture of first time cruises and those who had been on numerous prior cruises. I see why tips have now been added automatically by the cruise lines. By the way or table mates were all from the US and from what we could tell { if you could believe them }fairly well off. Yes each country will have different tipping guidelines but these people for the most part are not stupid & stiffing someone because you didn't get outstanding service or because they are making more money then others in their country is wrong..