RC gratitudes

[Esilef]

Yes I know that this has been asked 1 million times but since our last cruise it seems to have changed on the RC website.

 

Do you all pay the gratitudes? Will this be added to our account on board? Do you remove these?

 

I paid them last time at point of booking.

 

I want to do the right thing by the staff whom work so hard.

 

 

 

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[MicCanberra]

Yes I know that this has been asked 1 million times but since our last cruise it seems to have changed on the RC website.

 

Do you all pay the gratitudes? Will this be added to our account on board? Do you remove these?

 

I paid them last time at point of booking.

 

I want to do the right thing by the staff whom work so hard.

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

 

We always prepay, I consider them a service charge rather than a gratuity as they a part of the wage structure but this is my opinion and I do not care what others do or don't do in this regard.

Ultimately, you should do what you feel is best. :D

 

These topics tend to get the better of some people and they argue either for or against, and the thread ends up closed.:(

[Aus Traveller]

We always prepay, I consider them a service charge rather than a gratuity as they a part of the wage structure but this is my opinion and I do not care what others do or don't do in this regard.

Ultimately, you should do what you feel is best. :D

I agree with you. On ships where tips are payable, passengers should pay these tips. The stewards rely on these tips to make their fairly low wages up to a reasonable level.

 

On Princess where tips were removed in 2011, stewards are paid at a much higher rate.

[MicCanberra]

I agree with you. On ships where tips are payable, passengers should pay these tips. The stewards rely on these tips to make their fairly low wages up to a reasonable level.

 

On Princess where tips were removed in 2011, stewards are paid at a much higher rate.

 

Or it is built into the fare price.:D

[The_Big_M]

Yes I know that this has been asked 1 million times but since our last cruise it seems to have changed on the RC website.

 

Do you all pay the gratitudes? Will this be added to our account on board? Do you remove these?

 

I paid them last time at point of booking.

 

Yes, I pay them.

 

You can ask your TA or RCL to add gratuities in advance if you want to pre-pay them. For me, I just have them added to my onboard account, which is done day by day automatically by RCL if you haven't prepaid.

[MicCanberra]

Yes, I pay them.

 

You can ask your TA or RCL to add gratuities in advance if you want to pre-pay them. For me, I just have them added to my onboard account, which is done day by day automatically by RCL if you haven't prepaid.

 

If you wanted to, it is a good way to use any OBC.:D

Edited February 5, 2015 by MicCanberra

[tillydog]

We prepay the gratuities but adding them into the price of the cruise, one less thing to think of as it's all been paid.

[MicCanberra]

We prepay the gratuities but adding them into the price of the cruise, one less thing to think of as it's all been paid.

 

Exactly my attitude.:D

[GUT2407]

I prefer them simply in the price, but otherwise prepay them, but then also try and pre pay drinks packages so there is less to pay at the end, the last day is bad enough but a lower bill makes it all seem so much easier to deal with getting kicked off, never had enough OBC to worry about, someone who I love very much always seems to be able to take care of any I do have.

[retyredgreynomad]

We pre pay at time of cruise purchase, and then select 6.00pm Dining (our preference) not MyTime Dining...

 

Tipping...l hate it:eek:...but reward some 'infectious' drink servers AND always tip the room attendant, waiter and drinks waiter in the dining room...they look after many special requirements and attendances that we ask of them. Happy to see the look on their faces at the end of the cruise.:D

[GUT2407]

We pre pay at time of cruise purchase, and then select 6.00pm Dining (our preference) not MyTime Dining...

 

Tipping...l hate it:eek:...but reward some 'infectious' drink servers AND always tip the room attendant, waiter and drinks waiter in the dining room...they look after many special requirements and attendances that we ask of them. Happy to see the look on their faces at the end of the cruise.:D

 

Yep happy to tip those that make it special, prefer to pre pay, but still object to being "forced" to tip.

[tangogulf]

Also if you do pre-pay they do keep track of what/where you dine etc. Last year on Solstice we pre-paid our gratuities but one night we decided to eat in the Ocean View Café and next day I saw a refund on our account for the Dinning room tips that would normally have been payable for that night. Was quite surprised.

[cruisine21]

Also if you do pre-pay they do keep track of what/where you dine etc. Last year on Solstice we pre-paid our gratuities but one night we decided to eat in the Ocean View Café and next day I saw a refund on our account for the Dinning room tips that would normally have been payable for that night. Was quite surprised.

 

 

That was not the case when we cruised on the Radiance and ordered room service instead of the dining room.

[aussiedisneyfan]

On the Rhapsody they charged us all (including the kids) $12 per day no matter where we ate. Also was automatically added to our account daily.

[The_Big_M]

Also if you do pre-pay they do keep track of what/where you dine etc. Last year on Solstice we pre-paid our gratuities but one night we decided to eat in the Ocean View Café and next day I saw a refund on our account for the Dinning room tips that would normally have been payable for that night. Was quite surprised.

 

That was just a coincidence.

 

The refund was likely a credit for port fee changes.

[Royalty X]

We always prepay them as part of the fare. That way we don't need to stress about it once onboard. It does amaze me how many people are put off by the fact that there are grats. I once had a lady call me at work, simply so she could tell me that she would never sail RCI because of the grats. I told her that P&O, Princess, Carnival, etc simply adjusted their fares to include them. She didn't like me suggesting that. LOL!

[MicCanberra]

Also if you do pre-pay they do keep track of what/where you dine etc. Last year on Solstice we pre-paid our gratuities but one night we decided to eat in the Ocean View Café and next day I saw a refund on our account for the Dinning room tips that would normally have been payable for that night. Was quite surprised.

 

Perhaps Celebrity run it different to RCI, although how would they know you ate in the Ocean View Cafe' (apart from not showing up in the MDR or another restaurant).

[MicCanberra]

We always prepay them as part of the fare. That way we don't need to stress about it once onboard. It does amaze me how many people are put off by the fact that there are grats. I once had a lady call me at work, simply so she could tell me that she would never sail RCI because of the grats. I told her that P&O, Princess, Carnival, etc simply adjusted their fares to include them. She didn't like me suggesting that. LOL!

 

Yes, we pay them no matter how, some people just prefer them to be included and not a added extra. This is why I prepay and also to avoid a larger bill at the end of the cruise.:D

[tangogulf]

Perhaps Celebrity run it different to RCI, although how would they know you ate in the Ocean View Cafe' (apart from not showing up in the MDR or another restaurant).

 

 

Not sure.. But I guess if you do prepay and don't use a full service dinning venue once or twice, which is likely on longer cruises, then makes me wonder where those Dinning room gratuities actually go!

 

 

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[MicCanberra]

Not sure.. But I guess if you do prepay and don't use a full service dinning venue once or twice, which is likely on longer cruises, then makes me wonder where those Dinning room gratuities actually go!

 

 

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I would say it goes into the pool of tips to be distributed, were you Select dining?

Edited February 8, 2015 by MicCanberra

[tangogulf]

I would say it goes into the pool of tips to be distributed, were you Select dining?

 

 

Yes we were.

 

 

 

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[MicCanberra]

Yes we were.

 

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That makes even less sense to me, because if you were traditional the waiter would have noticed you missing but as select that wouldn't be the case. additionally, I do not know why they would refund you the day's tips as the tips cater for more than the dining room waiters, however, just be happy they gave you money back for whatever reason.:D

[The_Big_M]

That makes even less sense to me, because if you were traditional the waiter would have noticed you missing but as select that wouldn't be the case. additionally, I do not know why they would refund you the day's tips as the tips cater for more than the dining room waiters, however, just be happy they gave you money back for whatever reason.:D

 

They don't refund an individual day's tips. As said, it was likely port fees.

[GUT2407]

They don't refund an individual day's tips. As said, it was likely port fees.

 

 

 

Agree

[MicCanberra]

They don't refund an individual day's tips. As said, it was likely port fees.

 

Most likely.