Can tips still be taken of at guest services?

[wernew2cruising]

On the other side of the scale, once final payment has been made can you prepay gratuities? I just booked a cruise for the end of Sept and I would like to prepay the gratuities but I can't find that option on the my cruise website. Is it not an option?

[mark22mac]

On the other side of the scale, once final payment has been made can you prepay gratuities? I just booked a cruise for the end of Sept and I would like to prepay the gratuities but I can't find that option on the my cruise website. Is it not an option?

 

 

I'm sure you can call and have them

Pre paid.

[GUT2407]

On the other side of the scale, once final payment has been made can you prepay gratuities? I just booked a cruise for the end of Sept and I would like to prepay the gratuities but I can't find that option on the my cruise website. Is it not an option?

 

 

I've never tried to after final payment, but if not just gift yourself some OBC, enough to cover the grats.:D

[BonTexasNY]

Folks, the OP posed a simple question. I think he got his answer... and then some!

[Ourusualbeach]

On the other side of the scale, once final payment has been made can you prepay gratuities? I just booked a cruise for the end of Sept and I would like to prepay the gratuities but I can't find that option on the my cruise website. Is it not an option?

 

Royal is happy to take your money either before or after final payment.

[ReneeFLL]

This argument doesn't fly with me. If you don't want to follow US customs (tipping), don't cruise on a U.S. Owned cruise line.

 

Totally agree with this.

[ReneeFLL]

I like to remove my tips also because I want to make sure the people I come in direct contact with get way over and above what they are expecting to get. My wife and I are both in sales and we both know how important tips are.Thats how we survive we depend on tips.paying just $12.95 for a regular cabin or $15.95 for a suite a day for everyone you deal with is peanuts. We probably tip 4 x that so if someone asks to remove their tips doesn't mean they are cheap it just might mean they are more generous than you.

 

I disagree with this. By removing the tips it affects the people who you don't come in contact with. There are many people you don't see who also make your cruise enjoyable. Why don't you just leave the gratuities and then tip extra to the ones you want to?

[ReneeFLL]

The OP is not from the US. Tipping is not customary in many countries. Just because I live in the US and choose to tip does not give me any right to force my customs on those outside the US.

 

Maybe those countries have a higher minimum wage than we do here.

[ReneeFLL]

So your saying that your room steward would rather you leave him his measly $4 a day on the automatic tips then give him more at the end of the cruise. That is just an insane statement. And we leave it on the last day not handing it to him mid cruise so I feel good about myself you are being ridiculous.

Where in the world do you get $4.00 a day?

[GUT2407]

I disagree with this. By removing the tips it affects the people who you don't come in contact with. There are many people you don't see who also make your cruise enjoyable. Why don't you just leave the gratuities and then tip extra to the ones you want to?

 

 

But none of those "people you don't come in contact with" are mentioned in the breakdown provided by royal as to who gets what.

[ReneeFLL]

Totally agree with this.

Disregard my comment. I misread Seandre2 comment.

[UNV-IT!!!]

Maybe those countries have a higher minimum wage than we do here.

 

Where in the world do you get $4.00 a day?

 

Learn to multi quote please.

 

As mentioned the tips your paying are already broken down. They are not going to the people you don't have contact with. Those people get tips from their various sections that do get tips. Rear of bar gets tips from bar tip pool which comes from every drink purchased etc. I'm not advocating not tips. I always prepay and tip extra where I feel it's warranted.

[brillohead]

But none of those "people you don't come in contact with" are mentioned in the breakdown provided by royal as to who gets what.

 

Here, I'll bold it for you....

 

 

what I listed came directly from the rccl site..

 

The automatic gratuity is $12.95 USD, or $15.95 USD for suite guests, applied to each guest's SeaPass® account on a daily basis. Here's how it is shared between your onboard service team:

•Dining & Culinary Services: $7.75 USD

•Stateroom Attendant: $3.85 USD OR Suite Attendant: $6.10 USD

•Other Housekeeping Services: $1.35 USD OR Housekeeping and Suite Services: $2.10 USD

[GUT2407]

Here, I'll bold it for you....

 

 

But I come into contact with all of those. [bTW I leave auto tips on and tip extra if I think the service get is worth it].

[mandymac]

:cool:

 

Oh dear lol! didnt expect to waken up to find all this. Think we may have a troll in our midst, this is why i said i dont wont to spark a big debate, I thought i might just get a straight answer lol!( Like i did at first Thank You.)

 

Anyway as to all people that have made an opinion about why I asked the question in the first place, then guess what? lol I aint going to tell you.. :p

 

I will treat this with the contempt it deserves and let you all get on with it :D

 

Over and out :confused:

[backsbanny]

Ncl on a press conference said that one of the reasons they will move the epic back to usa is because most of europeans dont pay dsc discretionary service charge this CUT INTO THE PROFITS of the company!!!!you still believe all these gratuities or 18% beverage service charges go to the crews???No way they go to the companies as revenue

 

 

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[tattedbarbz]

I like to remove tips also, I like to pay cash and pay different amounts to different people. I really don't care if anyone disagrees. For example the last time I went we used prepaid tips but I think we had some sort of vouchers to put in envelopes, I think that was just before they stopped doing the vouchers. Anyway the amount the suggested we gave to the the guy that seems to be in charge of your actual waiters was ridiculous. I can't remember his role, but he only ever seemed to introduce himself on the first night and then the last couple of nights he decided to suck up to us. He was really rude and cocky and seemed to look down on the other waiters. However the assistant waiter and the guy who bought our drinks to the table were so so nice and really lovely with the kids. So we decided to remove some vouchers from the head guy and give them to the people who were actually serving us, we also gave them extra cash. Since then we have decided to remove tips from account and just give as much cash as we like to the nice people who actually seem to work, which is generally everyone, but I worry I will get the odd rude person again who I don't like and felt they were rude to the other staff and I didn't feel benefited me at all :)

[GUT2407]

I like to remove tips also, I like to pay cash and pay different amounts to different people. I really don't care if anyone disagrees. For example the last time I went we used prepaid tips but I think we had some sort of vouchers to put in envelopes, I think that was just before they stopped doing the vouchers. Anyway the amount the suggested we gave to the the guy that seems to be in charge of your actual waiters was ridiculous. I can't remember his role, but he only ever seemed to introduce himself on the first night and then the last couple of nights he decided to suck up to us. He was really rude and cocky and seemed to look down on the other waiters. However the assistant waiter and the guy who bought our drinks to the table were so so nice and really lovely with the kids. So we decided to remove some vouchers from the head guy and give them to the people who were actually serving us, we also gave them extra cash. Since then we have decided to remove tips from account and just give as much cash as we like to the nice people who actually seem to work, which is generally everyone, but I worry I will get the odd rude person again who I don't like and felt they were rude to the other staff and I didn't feel benefited me at all :)

 

 

Prepare to be called names.

[GUT2407]

Ncl on a press conference said that one of the reasons they will move the epic back to usa is because most of europeans dont pay dsc discretionary service charge this CUT INTO THE PROFITS of the company!!!!you still believe all these gratuities or 18% beverage service charges go to the crews???No way they go to the companies as revenue

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

 

Can you give us a link to this, interesting if so.

[papaflamingo]

I like to remove tips also, I like to pay cash and pay different amounts to different people. I really don't care if anyone disagrees. For example the last time I went we used prepaid tips but I think we had some sort of vouchers to put in envelopes, I think that was just before they stopped doing the vouchers. Anyway the amount the suggested we gave to the the guy that seems to be in charge of your actual waiters was ridiculous. I can't remember his role, but he only ever seemed to introduce himself on the first night and then the last couple of nights he decided to suck up to us. He was really rude and cocky and seemed to look down on the other waiters. However the assistant waiter and the guy who bought our drinks to the table were so so nice and really lovely with the kids. So we decided to remove some vouchers from the head guy and give them to the people who were actually serving us, we also gave them extra cash. Since then we have decided to remove tips from account and just give as much cash as we like to the nice people who actually seem to work, which is generally everyone, but I worry I will get the odd rude person again who I don't like and felt they were rude to the other staff and I didn't feel benefited me at all :)

 

Nothing is more annoying than a Head Waiter that doesn't stop by your table until the night before "tip night." I quite agree. But I believe that the Head Waiter gets $.75 per person per day. So for 7 days he only gets $5.25 per person. So, why tip at all? Well, the Head Waiter doesn't just "wander around." They are the one's who coordinate the service of their section of the dining room. If you are getting great service, then likely there is a good Head Waiter in charge. Possibly there are enough issues throughout the week that keeps the Head Waiter from getting to your table. Great Head Waiters visit all their tables many times. They help expedite, I've had them fill water glasses, open wine, pour wine refills, remove lobster from the shell. One friend of mine eats Cesar Salad every night and loves anchovies on it. So the Head Waiter on a couple of cruises would show up every night with a plate of anchovies for him. So just because you don't see him, doesn't mean he isn't serving you. I think $.75 per person per day is pretty measly. It's the price of a burger meal at a fast food restaurant. If the Head Waiter does things for us, like bring anchovies, then he gets an additional tip. If we don't see him, he gets his $.75 per day.

[evitacruiser]

The ship's are not registered for US tax, they do not follow US employment law, but they try to ensure the US passengers follow their customary generous tipping regime to circumvent having to pay their staff a living wage. That is the truth of it, and it is working really well for them!

 

We leave the tips in place, but I can see through the policy and cannot blame others who want to take a stand.

Edited August 14, 2015 by evitacruiser

[sgmn]

Hi - I also come from a country where there is no custom of tipping EVERYONE. I work in service industry at the airport and we never get tipped nor would we expect it - the few times people have offered me something - I say 'no, thanks anyway but its ok its part of my job.'.... I

I get a decent wage and don't need to make it up with tips. In fact in the UK we have a reasonable decent minimum wage. Having said that we still rountinely tip in restaurants - 10-15%, taxi's, hair dressers and a few other professions. BUT I know it is a big deal in USA and therefore I would never remove my auto tips on a cruise ship, but I do think that everyone deserves a living wage from their employer. A fair days wage for a fair days work !!