Gratuities

[annestis]

Prepay or no and r they required?

[paul929207]

You do not specify a cruise line.

 

The answer will vary by cruise line. You would do best posting this in the section for the line you will be on

[jordanaire]

Prepay or no and r they required?

 

As for gratuities, you must remember that the crew member's only wages are from the gratuities. This is all that they make during each cruise. We always pre-pay on Carnival, and if one employee goes above and beyond during the cruise, then we add a little more at the end. So keep this in mind when you think about how well they kept your cabin spotless or how a waiter remembers your name throughout the cruise, etc.

 

:cool:

[CruiserBruce]

As for gratuities, you must remember that the crew member's only wages are from the gratuities. This is all that they make during each cruise.

 

:cool:

 

This is NOT true. Their pay, and what portion is from tips varies by cruise line, and their job.

 

And to be clear, we are not anti-tipping, we leave it in place and typically pay extra.

[cb at sea]

Jordaniare...who told you that? It's NOT so!!!

 

If you pay the suggested tips, whether pre-paying or on your shipboard account, you've done your duty and everyone is supposed to be tipped, will be tipped.

[kitty9]

Tipping is a very hot button topic here. Are they "required"? No, but if you don't tip, it's considered very, very rude. Most cruise ship employees are paid a very low monthly wage, and a vast majority of their pay comes from tips. They work very hard for you every day, some putting in 14 hour days.

 

Most now consider tips to be a service charge rather than a gratuity. Look at it that way. And, most consider this just a part of the cruise fare. So, it's probably best to just have it added to your cruise fare and pay it off right with your regular fare. And if someone goes above and beyond for you, you can always hand them a few dollars more at the end of the cruise. Also remember, there are lots of crew, that you don't see every day, who work very hard for you who also benefit from your gratuities.

[cruzeluver]

As for gratuities, you must remember that the crew member's only wages are from the gratuities. This is all that they make during each cruise. We always pre-pay on Carnival, and if one employee goes above and beyond during the cruise, then we add a little more at the end. So keep this in mind when you think about how well they kept your cabin spotless or how a waiter remembers your name throughout the cruise, etc.

 

Absolutely, positively untrue. The employees on Carnival who are receive any part of the gratuities are paid a base wage. The gratuities are on top of that base wage.

 

Gratuity polices and guidelines vary quite a bit by cruise line. Hopefully the OP will come back and specify which line they are booked on in order to received accurate information.

[annestis]

I'm sorry that I did not include the line. It's Carnival . Looking to book the Breeze for next May to western Caribbean out of Galveston. Trying to get good idea of $ needed. Thanks for all the info.

[CruiserBruce]

Some research on the portion of Cruise Critic devoted to Carnival, located here:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=215

 

would be very helpful.

[SadieN]

Gratuities are $12 per person/ per day. This covers your dining and room steward staff. Does not include room service, spa, kids clubs, casino etc. Bar Beverages incur a 15% gratuity.

 

Not paying gratuities is like going to a restaurant and not tipping your server.

[spookwife]

Prepay or no and r they required?

 

 

there is exactly ZERO LEGITIMATE reasons to not pay the suggested gratuity.

 

whether you do so up front or by letting them charge it daily is personal preference.

 

if you 'can't afford it' then get a cheaper cabin so that you can, or choose another form of vacation.

 

if your personal feelings are offended, then do not cruise at all

[GUT2407]

Tipping is a very hot button topic here. Are they "required"? No, but if you don't tip, it's considered very, very rude. Most cruise ship employees are paid a very low monthly wage, and a vast majority of their pay comes from tips. They work very hard for you every day, some putting in 14 hour days.

 

well it's considered rude by some here on CC mainly Americans.

 

Most now consider tips to be a service charge rather than a gratuity. Look at it that way. And, most consider this just a part of the cruise fare. So, it's probably best to just have it added to your cruise fare and pay it off right with your regular fare. And if someone goes above and beyond for you, you can always hand them a few dollars more at the end of the cruise. Also remember, there are lots of crew, that you don't see every day, who work very hard for you who also benefit from your gratuities.

 

Well let me ask what no one seems capable of answering, why don't they call it a Service Charge and not let people remove it or adjust it?

 

When in land how do you tip all those that you don't see?

[SantaFeFan]

On most of the cruise lines my wife and I travel on, gratuities are not included in the fare (unless some promotional offer is in play). We pre-pay them at our final payment time, even if they are not required. It's just one less cost to deal with at the end of the cruise.

 

I don't tip extra unless the service levels were better than what my expectations were when booking the cruise. I would say that about 50% of the time it was better than expected, and additional tips were given as a result.

 

I would never think to remove the auto-tips. I consider those to be part of the cost of cruising, just as I do transportation to and from the ports, and items purchased while visiting a destination.

[sloopsailor]

well it's considered rude by some here on CC mainly Americans.

 

I also consider not paying the appropriate tips to be rude, but more importantly, extremely selfish. It is all about greed, about saving a relatively small amount of money, money that the person can certainly afford if they can afford to be on a cruise ship in the first place.

 

Well let me ask what no one seems capable of answering, why don't they call it a Service Charge and not let people remove it or adjust it?

 

You know full well what the answer is. You are very active on every tip thread that comes up, with your typical sarcastic attitude towards the practice. You have been told over and over again the reasoning. You choose to ignore it for the sake of being combative to the point of belligerence. Your game of playing dumb has worn out long ago! :mad:

 

When in land how do you tip all those that you don't see?

 

I tip the people I do see who have provided service to me and trust that they will distribute the necessary percentages to those who support them. In almost all cases tips are pooled, and shared. This is no different than any other tipping environment.

 

Another bit of information that you already know, but choose to ignore for your convenience. :rolleyes:

Edited August 4, 2015 by sloopsailor

[GUT2407]

You know full well what the answer is. You are very active on every tip thread that comes up, with your typical sarcastic attitude towards the practice. You have been told over and over again the reasoning. You choose to ignore it for the sake of being combative to the point of belligerence. Your game of playing dumb has worn out long ago! :mad:

 

 

What the only reasons I have ever seen here are

 

It would put the fare up which is not supported by what happens in countries where they do just that. or

 

American Tax reasons, when as I understand it in America workers pay Tax on tips, yep makes a lot of sense now.

 

Or the recruiters will take a larger part of the wage, well the cruise lines need to tell the recruiters NO.

 

And combative talk about pots and kettles. I am yet to abuse anyone for having a different view on tipping.

 

 

 

I tip the people I do see who have provided service to me and trust that they will distribute the necessary percentages to those who support them. In almost all cases tips are pooled, and shared. This is no different than any other tipping environment.

 

Well why not the same on the ship, which I am told is an American Culture and things should be done the American Way.

 

Another bit of information that you already know, but choose to ignore. :rolleyes:

 

am so glad you can read minds over the internet. In all honesty I have no idea how the dish washer gets tipped, I only know what "some" people here claim to be fact.

[GUT2407]

there is exactly ZERO LEGITIMATE reasons to not pay the suggested gratuity.

 

 

 

What about poor service????

 

whether you do so up front or by letting them charge it daily is personal preference.

 

if you 'can't afford it' then get a cheaper cabin so that you can, or choose another form of vacation.

 

if your personal feelings are offended, then do not cruise at all

 

Well why do the lines allow you to remove or adjust it.

 

[i do pay the autos and tip extra at times] But it is my choice as it is someone else's choice to do otherwise.

[PTMary]

Well why not the same on the ship, which I am told is an American Culture and things should be done the American Way.

 

It is done the same way on almost all cruise ships. As that other poster has said, you know this because you have been told many times already. That you refuse to believe it is entirely your fault.

 

am so glad you can read minds over the internet. In all honesty I have no idea how the dish washer gets tipped, I only know what "some" people here claim to be fact.

 

And how do you know it doesn't work that way? What proof do you have that it doesn't? NONE! You have only your opinion. As the world renown American astrophysicist, cosmologist, author, and science communicator is fond of saying, "Everyone is entitled to his own opinions, but not his own facts."

 

Of course, since he is an American, according to you he can't know what he is talking about, right? :rolleyes:

Edited August 4, 2015 by PTMary

[Husky61]

there is exactly ZERO LEGITIMATE reasons to not pay the suggested gratuity./quote]

 

If the cruising person thinks it is a legitimate reason to not pay the suggested gratuity, the they make the choice, not you or any of the other tip police on this forum.

[kmkerr64]

We've always pre-paid, then leave our room steward a good tip. They work their butts off.

 

 

Sent from my LGLS990 using Tapatalk

[YubaSutter]

We let our conscience be our guide. We generally remove the auto tips and hand out tips to those who serve us. Sometimes it's more than the recommended and sometimes it's lower than recommended. We like the envelopes and a handshake.

[spookwife]

 

When in land how do you tip all those that you don't see?

 

 

the tip you pay for your meal is shared by the server with their support staff( busboy, water guy, etc)

 

also you pay for it in the price of the meal which pays the salaries() higher than what ships' crew get)

[spookwife]

What about poor service????

 

 

 

Well why do the lines allow you to remove or adjust it.

 

[i do pay the autos and tip extra at times] But it is my choice as it is someone else's choice to do otherwise.

 

poor service needs or be discussed IMMEDIATELY to allow them to rectify, not by withholding a tip at the end without giving them a chance

 

they let people adjust because there are people like you who will bitch and complain and cause a scene because you are sooo convinced that the rest of us who choose to abide by policy are sheeple.

 

don't like the policy, DON'T SAIL WITH THAT LINE.

 

In Japan it is considered a major insult to the owner to tip. so we didn't tip. In Oz it is considered normal to 'haggle' prices and bring your own bottles. so we do.

 

in other words, when in Rome....

[SantaFeFan]

We let our conscience be our guide. We generally remove the auto tips and hand out tips to those who serve us. Sometimes it's more than the recommended and sometimes it's lower than recommended. We like the envelopes and a handshake.

 

You do know that on many lines as soon as you remove the auto tips, the staff is notified and anything you give them in person has to be turned over to their supervisor to be added to the pool to be shared with the appropriate support staff? You have gone out of your way to make sure you "reward" only those you feel worthy, but in reality you are not doing anyone any favors in the least.

 

Only if auto tips are left in place will the individual staff you want to reward in ADDITION to the normal tips actually get to keep those excess moneys.

 

Why make it more work for you, for your the staff you deem "worthy", and their supervisor? Just leave those auto tips in place and give extra to those who excel.

[sloopsailor]

If the cruising person thinks it is a legitimate reason to not pay the suggested gratuity, the they make the choice, not you or any of the other tip police on this forum.

 

"Tip police" Some people sure like to toss that phrase around when they don't agree with those of us who believe that tipping is the appropriate thing to do. I would counter that the people who feel obligated to use that phrase should then be called "Tip Mafia". Bullying, name calling, intimidation, and passing judgment on those of us who encourage people to do the right thing - that to me certainly earns the "Mafia" label.

Edited August 5, 2015 by sloopsailor

[navybankerteacher]

"Tip police" Some people sure like to toss that phrase around when they don't agree with those of us who believe that tipping is the appropriate thing to do. I would counter that the people who feel obligated to use that phrase should then be called "Tip Mafia". Bullying, name calling, intimidation, and passing judgment on those of us who encourage people to do the right thing - that to me certainly earns the "Mafia" label.

 

Good point! It does seem that people who resent suggestions about leaving the service charge in place like to use derogatory language such as "tip police" as a defense mechanism -- much as similar-minded people who adhere to the "my vacation, my rules" concept like to toss in the "clothes police" perjoration at anyone who is so offensive as to suggest complying with the dress code.