Gratuities to Increase

[keithm]

Bruin Steve has helped to make a point that I was raising earlier. There is significant confusion for this whole cruise tipping question as the many "customs" vary significantly within the U.S. and especially around the world. Who sets the "standard" and makes the "rules"??? Even within the U.S., there are major variations as to how some in the food/dining industry are compensated, what tipping if any, is required and/or appropriate. Not everyone on Celebrity cruises is from just California or New York.

 

And, an added layer of "confusion" is brought up for catering companies by keithm. It is hard for consumers to understand and know about all of these various internal business compensation practices and details. Are you tipping to compensate the person doing the direct service to you and/or others in the overall food/dining room process? Or, for example, how Wendy's versus Panera pays their staff. Is it 15%, 18% or 20% of the food/beverage bill . . . OR . . . the total bill AFTER the 7-10% sales tax is added on top of the basic cost?

 

People should be able to discuss and raise legitimate questions without being attacked personally as being "too cheap" and/or not appreciating the staff. Overall, there are many good "sharings" of info and viewpoints on this thread.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Enjoyed a 14-day, Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Sydney to Auckland adventure, getting a big sampling for the wonders of "down under” before and after this cruise. Go to:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

for more info and many pictures of these amazing sights in this great part of the world. Now at 107,820 views for this posting.

Terry...This is what we DO in our company. Others companies set their own pay scales. I only included it as what some do. Celebrity had a form that showed how the auto tip is disbursed. It was right near "guest relations". It does not however show what the "salaries" are.

[keithm]

Why not just included the service charge in the orginal bill ?

I feel adding a service charge makes the owner look petty.

In my service company , I charge a flat rate for each job

 

If I am buying something , I really do not care what the break down is , if I think it is a fair price

the service charge we charge IS included in the bill. We go on to explain that it is given to those of our employees who prepare the food..Chop the veggies/cut the various meats & so on at our business. If the client wishes to tip the staff who are on site doing the job,that's up to them. You'll find in the food industry that this practice is fairly common.

Edited May 13, 2015 by keithm
adding some more info.

[mcrcruiser]

LOL phoning X's Captains Club regards to the tip increase --over 15 minute wait .YEAH GREAT SERVICE & MODERN LUXURY:eek:

 

Yes the tips are going to $12.95 .Since both the tips & cruise prices have increased let us hope that both the food quality & service have also proportionately increased as well .Yes I made that point with X on the phone.;)

[GottaKnowWhen]

Yes the tips are going to $12.95 .Since both the tips & cruise prices have increased let us hope that both the food quality & service have also proportionately increased as well .Yes I made that point with X on the phone.;)

 

You told 'em by golly!:rolleyes:

[grandgeezer]

Yes the tips are going to $12.95 .Since both the tips & cruise prices have increased let us hope that both the food quality & service have also proportionately increased as well .Yes I made that point with X on the phone.;)

 

I wouldn't hold my breath. It's going to get worse before it gets better.

[Keys Kathy]

Yes the tips are going to $12.95 .Since both the tips & cruise prices have increased let us hope that both the food quality & service have also proportionately increased as well .Yes I made that point with X on the phone.;)

 

I believe that when you are quoted a price, that should be the price. First it was in increase in the cost of the beverage package that sent people into a tizzy, causing many to prepay the cost of the package increase. If they had 20,000 people pay that extra $10.80 by May 1, figuring 2 in a cabin on a 7 day cruise, that is over a million and a half dollars now resting in X's bank earning interest.

 

Now people are talking about paying tips early to avoid this increase. Figuring a similar 20,000 pay their gratuities early to save the increase, using the same 7 night calculation, an additional $1,680,000 could be in X bank account by June 1st.

 

Brilliant! 3 million in their coffers from people wanting to avoid increases!

 

Now we all know how the drink package upgrade ended up, but I am sure those who had already prepaid did not cancel their upgrade. This will probably come out the same, people will rush to prepay and then they will announce that it is not retroactive to cruises that were already booked.

 

You have to just LOVE the new CEO!

[upwarduk]

You still have interest in USA?

Ours is so not worth it.

Even our TA waved the final payment date from 14 weeks prior to the cruise to 12 weeks ( Celebrity is 8 weeks before)

[The_Big_M]

The link says that RCCL is increasing gratuities and at the bottom of the story a Celebrity spokesperson said the line has no announcement to share. I don't see this as a confirmation that X is raising gratuities.

 

It's not confirmation, but if they weren't, don't you think they would deny it???

[The_Big_M]

"When asked about the increase, a Celebrity spokesperson said the line had no announcement to share."

 

That's rather odd, and disappointing.

 

Why would they not confirm, or deny, what has been reported. Unfortunately, it's the same poor response as has been done in the past; leave those on the ground to find out and customers only find out after implementation.

[kelmac]

Celebrity and all other cruise lines are structured to allow the best possible experience for the lowest cost*:

 

--all service workers onboard are contract labor and they receive a small monthly stipend + their share of the gratuity pool.

 

--no matter what the cost of the cruise, they will get paid as long as the ship sails full. Example: 31 Oct 2015 the Celebrity Reflection does a TA for 15 nights; inside cabin cost $1,400 (Celebrity is losing money on the fare, but the contract service workers will make their daily rate) 26 Dec 2015 the Celebrity Reflection does a 7 day cruise to the Caribbean; inside cabin cost $1,400 (Celebrity is making money on the fare, and the contract service workers will make their daily rate)

 

--the contract service workers are getting a very small raise. Good for them, they work very hard for their money.

 

*Working around international laws, tax laws, US laws, and industry standards. Completely different than standard US, Canadian, UK or European practices.

 

Kel:)

[cruzsnooze]

 

--the contract service workers are getting a very small raise. Good for them, they work very hard for their money.

 

 

 

Kel:)

where does it say they are getting a raise. I think that's not the case. I think the money will go to whatever the cruise wants it to go to. That's why cash is king and I'll tip those that serve me in cash and remove the DSC as long as it's still allowed to be removed.

[dwhe]

At the end of my sentence about being called OP I placed a smiley face. Most people understand that means you're kidding or happy. It can be used so people don't misunderstand your tone. I'm sorry you don't know that.

 

Yes and very funny it was to, no need to be sorry for my ignorance :):confused::eek:

[dwhe]

Maybe you guys will believe this, http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=6359.

 

 

Cruise Critic members also are reporting that Celebrity Cruises, which is owned by the same parent company as Royal Caribbean International, will raise its recommended gratuity guidelines

 

Isn't that you they are talking about :D

[kelmac]

where does it say they are getting a raise. I think that's not the case. I think the money will go to whatever the cruise wants it to go to. That's why cash is king and I'll tip those that serve me in cash and remove the DSC as long as it's still allowed to be removed.

 

So it's okay to stiff a whole host of people that serve you, just so you feel better giving a few workers cash, which they are required to turn in to the pool anyway. Why not join us and pay the daily gratuity, and then give cash to those you feel deserve an additional amount?

 

Passengers pay the salaries of these contract service workers -- that's the way it works. It's a different form of compensation plan compared to what we experience in the US, in Canada, in the UK, or in Europe. It's a different way to doing things.

 

Play the game or stay away from this form of travel. :)

 

Kel

[vulcan1971]

where does it say they are getting a raise. I think that's not the case. I think the money will go to whatever the cruise wants it to go to. That's why cash is king and I'll tip those that serve me in cash and remove the DSC as long as it's still allowed to be removed.

 

From the Celebrity Cruises FAQ:

 

Q: How are gratuities handled onboard?

 

A: For your convenience, we automatically add gratuities for your restaurant and stateroom services to your onboard SeaPass® account on a daily basis in the following amounts, which may be adjusted at your discretion:

• $12 per person per day in staterooms
  
• $12.50 per person per day in Concierge Class and AquaClass® staterooms
  
• $15.50 per person per day in suites
  

 

This gratuity is shared by your stateroom attendant, dining services staff, and housekeeping staff members who help enhance your vacation experience.

 

At your discretion, the gratuity payments may be adjusted onboard at Guest Relations, in which case they will not automatically be added to your onboard SeaPass® account.

 

An 18% gratuity will be automatically added to all beverages, mini bar purchases, spa and salon services. Additional gratuities may be added at your discretion.

 

I know I have seen an actual breakdown of the amounts given to each of those categories listed above in RED. I think the breakdown is probably given while on the ship to help remind you what the DSC goes to.

 

Okay.... so the amounts are going up a little bit. I think the last raise was about April 2013. It's been two years. How long do you want to work without an increase in your base compensation?

 

I'm not here to verbally scold you or flog you in public (don't worry, others will do that :D:eek:).

 

Based on your comments, the impression you leave other readers that come to this thread is that you don't have much understanding of all the different folks that work together to make your cruise go smoothly, even when those individuals are not directly interacting with (or serving) you.

 

Oh, by the way..... I suspect if more people did/do what you say you are going to do (re: remove DSC, tip in cash, etc), the gratuity will no longer be at your discretion to adjust, it will be incorporated into the overall cruise fare.

 

Just my opinion. ;)

[james3161]

Ok, so can I just clarify and try to work out the situation currently. We've booked and paid gratuities for our 10 Night cruise already (about £65 each) and on booking our beverage packages yesterday, were charged £76 grats for a premium package and £60 for a classic package. Should that now be them all paid up and the only other thing to consider would be cash tipping on board if we felt it was deserved? I'm still getting my head around sea pass accounts etc!!

[GottaKnowWhen]

The message Vulcan 1971 just quoted in turn quoted a portion of the Celebrity FAQ:

At your discretion, the gratuity payments may be adjusted onboard at Guest Relations, in which case they will not automatically be added to your onboard SeaPass® account.

 

This got me thinking. The implication is that is that the "adjustment" allowed by Celebrity are all expected to be reductions.

 

Does anybody know if Guest Relations will allow me to add to the gratuities? In other words, lets say I want to see an extra $50 go to my cabin attendant and her assistant, another $20 each to waiter, assistant, and sommelier in the MDR, and $300 to the SkyBar bartender who not only made me good drinks but also found and turned in my iPad. But I don't have the cash. Can Guest Relations add those tips to my account and disburse the money to the intended recipients?

[JERSEYGIRL1983]

Good morning my fellow CC'ers!

Can someone please just clarify something for me? OP, Bill did so early on, but now the language seems to be a little different in the "press release"

 

So I just want to clarify: we booked in February of this year for a December cruise (also this year)

 

Will we be charged the new, higher gratuity rate or are we locked into the original gratuity rate?

 

Would one or some of you very kind souls answer that for me without jumping down one another's throats? :D:D:D

 

Thank you! - now on to more important threads like the brushing teeth with ship water!

[vulcan1971]

The message Vulcan 1971 just quoted in turn quoted a portion of the Celebrity FAQ:

At your discretion, the gratuity payments may be adjusted onboard at Guest Relations, in which case they will not automatically be added to your onboard SeaPass[emoji768] account.

 

This got me thinking. The implication is that is that the "adjustment" allowed by Celebrity are all expected to be reductions.

 

Does anybody know if Guest Relations will allow me to add to the gratuities? In other words, lets say I want to see an extra $50 go to my cabin attendant and her assistant, another $20 each to waiter, assistant, and sommelier in the MDR, and $300 to the SkyBar bartender who not only made me good drinks but also found and turned in my iPad. But I don't have the cash. Can Guest Relations add those tips to my account and disburse the money to the intended recipients?

 

GottaKnowWhen -

 

When I made my comment and quoted a previous poster, I also included the FAQ text (word for word) as a "quote" so that people would understand that it wasn't my language.

 

It is sometimes good to remind folks of the information and resources that are freely available when they take the time to actually read it or look for it.

 

I believe that if you choose to "adjust" your DSC at guest relations, your option is really to pay it in cash at amounts higher/lower than what it would be normally split OR leave the auto-gratuity in place and make no changes.

 

I'd be interested to hear from other folks and what their experiences are.

Edited May 14, 2015 by vulcan1971

[GottaKnowWhen]

Ok, so can I just clarify and try to work out the situation currently. We've booked and paid gratuities for our 10 Night cruise already (about £65 each) and on booking our beverage packages yesterday, were charged £76 grats for a premium package and £60 for a classic package. Should that now be them all paid up and the only other thing to consider would be cash tipping on board if we felt it was deserved? I'm still getting my head around sea pass accounts etc!!

 

Other than any totally ad hoc voluntary tipping e.g. for room service, sounds like you are done. As far as your Sea Pass account, it is a mechanism that allows for an onboard cashless society. Everything you buy goes on that account, and at the end of the cruise the charges are applied against your credit card or other form of guarantee you've provided Celebrity. If you buy a drink that is outside your package or if you have a specialty-dining meal or if you buy a $6000 Picasso print (valued at $675 on the open market), it goes onto your SeaPass account. Note that I don't have personal experience with the large art-work purchase, I am just speculating based on personal experience with large jewelry-store purchases. Also note that the truly picky might point out that the charges on your SeaPass may be booked with your credit card company day-to-day rather than at the end. Maybe. Doesn't matter. One way or another, if you buy, you pay.

[vulcan1971]

Good morning my fellow CC'ers!

Can someone please just clarify something for me? OP, Bill did so early on, but now the language seems to be a little different in the "press release"

 

So I just want to clarify: we booked in February of this year for a December cruise (also this year)

 

Will we be charged the new, higher gratuity rate or are we locked into the original gratuity rate?

 

Would one or some of you very kind souls answer that for me without jumping down one another's throats? :D:D:D

 

Thank you! - now on to more important threads like the brushing teeth with ship water!

 

 

what press release??

[james3161]

Gottaknowwhen-

 

Thanks for that. We've had the grats paid-for since booking (was within 12 weeks of the cruise so TA took full payment) and our drinks packages went on to the CC's last night (immediately debited off)min clouding grats totalling £950 odd (don't think I've ever spent nearly 1k on alcohol!)

Thanks for clarification on the sea pass also...I assumed it was something along those lines. As someone who hasn't spent a large amount of time looking at fine art, I'm hoping to not give Mr Credit Card a further scare by hitting it too hard onboard!

[The_Big_M]

The message Vulcan 1971 just quoted in turn quoted a portion of the Celebrity FAQ:

At your discretion, the gratuity payments may be adjusted onboard at Guest Relations, in which case they will not automatically be added to your onboard SeaPass® account.

 

This got me thinking. The implication is that is that the "adjustment" allowed by Celebrity are all expected to be reductions.

 

Does anybody know if Guest Relations will allow me to add to the gratuities?] those tips to my account and disburse the money to the intended recipients?

 

Yes, when they say adjust, it can be either up or down.

[chamima]

Good morning my fellow CC'ers!

Can someone please just clarify something for me? OP, Bill did so early on, but now the language seems to be a little different in the "press release"

 

So I just want to clarify: we booked in February of this year for a December cruise (also this year)

 

Will we be charged the new, higher gratuity rate or are we locked into the original gratuity rate?

 

Would one or some of you very kind souls answer that for me without jumping down one another's throats? :D:D:D

 

Thank you! - now on to more important threads like the brushing teeth with ship water!

 

what press release??

 

 

 

JERSEYGIRL - Good question. I wondered the same thing.

So far there is no press release - just people who have "heard from people". :confused:

 

 

And vulcan - We always leave the gratuity on our account and will continue to do so in the future but you can also count me in on cruzsnooze's opinion (maybe concern, rather than opinion) that these increases will stay with corporate rather than going to the hardworking people who we would like to see get it. :(

Edited May 14, 2015 by chamima

[caladezi]

Here's kind an off the wall question. If one has pre-paid grats either as a perk or from a TA, can those grats be canceled on board and the amount added to your seapass account? I do not plan to do this so don't get excited, but I was just wondering if this would be possible