Tipping question

[jagsfan]

I feel the same way when I drive in London.

 

 

 

After driving on the right side of the road in the states for 59 years it has served us all very well. Why can't I just do it when I go to London?

 

 

 

Bill

 

 

One in the eye! Kudos!

[Cruizeee]

I feel the same way when I drive in London.

 

After driving on the right side of the road in the states for 59 years it has served us all very well. Why can't I just do it when I go to London?

 

Bill

 

The rest of the world doesn't pull guns on each other because they don't like what you've said, do we really have to continue in this game of why Americans need to get back down off their soap box and adapt to how the modern world has made changes for the betterment of all humans? We no longer have slave labour.

[Merion_Mom]

The rest of the world doesn't pull guns on each other because they don't like what you've said, do we really have to continue in this game of why Americans need to get back down off their soap box and adapt to how the modern world has made changes for the betterment of all humans? We no longer have slave labour.

 

This was totally and utterly uncalled for.

 

In the cruising world, tipping is expected. You may feel any way that you like about that, but ranting about it isn't going to change it.

[Cruizeee]

This was totally and utterly uncalled for.

 

In the cruising world, tipping is expected. You may feel any way that you like about that, but ranting about it isn't going to change it.

 

Whose ranting - I'm pointing out that it's about time you caught up with the rest of the world where wages are fair and there's no need for the slavery you call tipping. You feel it's your right to pay someone according to how many times they yes ma'am you. Oh, and drive on the right side of the road because that's just what you've been conditioned to think is the right way. I would most certainly love to see cruise staff paid a decent wage and not rely heavily on tips.

[dplusd]

If tips are included, and a particular service is terrible, can you have the included tip removed?

I tend to tip extra for good service and less for not so good service.

Is there any flexibility?

I ask because we have always had great service on RCI and have come to expect that it would never be any different, so we always make it a point to tip extra.

However there have been mixed reviews on consistency of food quality and service on Anthem.

My In-laws don't read the boards and so they didn't have any pre-disposition or thoughts about the service on their recently completed Oasis cruise.

They loved the ship compared to their previous Royal cruises, but said that the food quality had dropped and the service was not that great, compared to what they had experienced before on other Royal cruises.

So, it got me thinking that maybe the issue wasn't limited to Anthem, but maybe changes made higher up across the fleet.

There are definitely some great staff working for Royal, so I'm hoping that we're fortunate and this won't be an issue.

Should it be, I want to find out if there's a way to have guest services communicate that back to our waiter by decreasing their tip. I know that I have the option to increase it when they have me my check.

Can I put a negative number on the additional gratuity line?

Again, this may be a non-issue, but I'm curious what my options are.

 

If you set out looking for bad service...I suspect you will find something to complain about. If food is not to your liking there are better and more appropriate ways to communicate that other than reducing your waiter's tip...

[S.S.Oceanlover]

Whose ranting - I'm pointing out that it's about time you caught up with the rest of the world where wages are fair and there's no need for the slavery you call tipping. You feel it's your right to pay someone according to how many times they yes ma'am you. Oh, and drive on the right side of the road because that's just what you've been conditioned to think is the right way. I would most certainly love to see cruise staff paid a decent wage and not rely heavily on tips.

 

Who here has argued the point that they think the staff should not get paid a fair wage without tips.

 

What we are saying is that is the system in place. When in Rome you do as the Romans do.

 

Bill

[Tatka]

Towards the end of the cruise (at least the last two RCL cruises I was on) 'vouchers' were distributed to us to place in an envelope and present to our stateroom steward and our dining staff. This voucher would then need to be turned in so they could 'collect' their share of the tips.

 

 

 

If no vouchers were produced for a stateroom, the stewards would know that the auto-tip was removed. And just like any other place of employment, the 'employees' would talk to each other and share who tipped automatically and who didn't.

 

 

We did not have vouchers on Allure two weeks ago and we did not remove tips.

We don't give extra as we feel that almost $13 pp per day is enough.

 

I would love for tips to be included in the fare as they are not real tips anymore, but automatic charge.

 

The reason I want them to be included, so people won't remove them just to save money. Some in the very first day! We never do this, but why should we pay for us and somebody-cheap-else.

[pjnj40]

Absolutely. Our MDR dinner service was extremely slow for the first two nights on my most recent sailing (main seating, 17:30). As in, we weren't getting dessert until around 19:45 both nights, and were one of perhaps 5 tables remaining. I assure you this wasn't because we ate slowly as a table. It was so late both nights that they obviously weren't able to reset our table on time for the second seating at 20:00. I have no idea why it was so slow.

 

On the morning of Day 3, I went to see the maitre d about the slow service. He assured me it wouldn't be a problem any more.

 

That evening after I sat down at the table in the MDR, the waiter came over to me and apologized for the slow service. I was a little taken aback that the maitre d had "thrown me under the bus", so to speak -- I don't think he should have identified to the waitstaff who had made the complaint.

 

But anyway, every subsequent night in the MDR, dinner service went smoothly and quickly. The waiter bent over backwards to make sure we were satisfied from that point forward. He even provided some special attention to us multiple times in the MDR at lunch, although we weren't seated in his assigned area on any of those occasions.

 

We gave him an extra gratuity and a WOW card in an envelope on the last evening; he earned it for sure.

 

This happen to us as well but breakfast time. We are not a big fan of buffet. Anyway, everyday we sat down, the service was great even tho a little slow, but not too slow to say this is ridiculous. Few days later the service got really ridiculous in the morning. I order the Benedict and my dad ordered fried eggs. My benedict came out and my dad did not get his eggs. The waiter kept saying 5 more minute. My benedict was not that hot to enjoy it. After, I finish we waited just another 5 minutes then gave up. We talk to the hostess Alison that morning asking to speak to manager. The manager came over and we told him your service was good till today. he ask for room number and stuff. Later that night , we told our assigned waiter our bad experience that morning. He was shock. The next morning, the service was back to normal and everyone was jumping on us like we are VIP. Our waiter at night was an expediter in the morning and he came to see if our service was up to standard. For the rest of cruise he check on us. He deserved extra tip for making sure we are not getting another bad service even tho he not the manager. I heard that that waiter have an verbal argument with each other, but never saw them two after that morning.

There was thread floating around and that person could have done the same thing, but that person think they should know better. Instead of talking to the manager on duty, that person kept mouth shut and wrote to corporate instead. That wasn't necessary till you go up the ladder first. Corporate is last person to get in touch if no one resolved along the way up.

[caribbean sailor]

This all reeks of slavery and bribery - why the staff aren't paid reasonably and tipping isn't abolished is beyond me. The rest of the world functions just fine without the agony and mind games associated with tipping.

 

TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU 1OO %.We always take off so called auto tips. Tips are given not taken.With the high price of a Royal cruise,they should be included.:)

[caribbean sailor]

We did not have vouchers on Allure two weeks ago and we did not remove tips.

We don't give extra as we feel that almost $13 pp per day is enough.

 

I would love for tips to be included in the fare as they are not real tips anymore, but automatic charge.

 

The reason I want them to be included, so people won't remove them just to save money. Some in the very first day! We never do this, but why should we pay for us and somebody-cheap-else.

 

You sound like you wanted to take off your tips.Maybe you should stop worrying about what other people do.:p

[FLACRUISER99]

The rest of the world doesn't pull guns on each other because they don't like what you've said, do we really have to continue in this game of why Americans need to get back down off their soap box and adapt to how the modern world has made changes for the betterment of all humans? We no longer have slave labour.

I think you should get off your soap box.

[Tatka]

You sound like you wanted to take off your tips.Maybe you should stop worrying about what other people do.:p

In 27 cruises we never thought about removing tip because we know how hard crew works and respect that. I don't know from where you got this impression.

 

However I know for sure from their own words that people do it and for reasons that have nothing to do with a quality of service, but to afford better category or excursions, or other things. I do not feel it is fair for other passengers to subsidize their cruises. They do use the same services as us at our expense.

 

I personally preferred 100% cash tips as it was when we started cruising, but if this does not work with international pax and tips are charged automatically anyway I would like it to be charged (included) with a fare.

 

And in current system it does not make sense to remove tips and give it as cash to crew as they have to turn them into common pool.

Edited February 1, 2016 by Tatka

[Havingfun2010]

Tips on cruise ships are extremely low, and in no way reflect what might be a normal amount. They are nothing more than a service charge. I feel they are too low.

 

Regardless of what system of pay a certain group of people make, I consider it non of my business, just like my pay would be non of their business.

 

I would never take away the daily tips. It gets split between many people. However, if I chose to do so, and remove it, it becomes no one's business but I would have an explanation to the person's supervisor of why. So it would be between me, and the supervisor and no one else (except for the under performing employee).

 

Next if the tips are so low, and you feel they deserve more, than give more, and leave it at that. No need to tell me, or others of what you did. Because it is a private manner between you, and the employee that you are rewarding.

 

The only person that I feel associated with a cruise is the longshoreman that toss my bag on a cart. They are not tipped people, make more than enough, and basically do nothing but move a bag 5 feet, and put out their hand. Note they do not share tips, and they do not load the bags. The guy on the fork lift loads it, and transfers it to the ship, who than and only than, have ship people deliver it. They are the workders, sorting out all that luggage!

[moopetguy]

Ideally (to me), the pseudo-mandatory gratuities wouldn't exist. We could just reward excellent service based on merit with tips where appropriate, and the crew wouldn't need to depend on them to receive a decent (or as close as it can get to decent) wage.

 

I doubt this will happen, so the next best thing is to make them truly mandatory. I suspect this will not happen either, but I have another reason for wanting the cost of gratuities to be rolled in.

 

Having them separate lets RCI advertise a lower per-passenger fare, just as the port fees and taxes being a separate line item does. It's a bit of deceptive marketing. Similar to how many airlines advertise airfare; all those fees and taxes add up, often to a significant percentage of the original fare.

 

For transparency, the number advertised should be inclusive of gratuities, port fees, and taxes (though continuing to advertise the double-occupancy rate per person makes sense).

[Tatka]

I agree about deceptivness part. In some countries it is prohibited to advertise lower prices and then charge more. But in case of port fees and taxes at least they are included in cruisefare. Service charge (gratuity) is not included at all. I wish it was, as cruise companies use it at their discression anyway. I would include them and then if somebody wants to reward staff individually let them do it.

[RiotAct]

And here we go, once again.

[moopetguy]

But in case of port fees and taxes at least they are included in cruisefare.

 

Sort of -- in the basic booking total, the port fees and taxes are included while the gratuities are not, but in the advertised per-pax, double-occupancy fare, they are not included. This is what I was referring to.

 

An example for Adventure 7-night Southern Caribbean:

 

"From $749.00 CAD* Valid for 16 Apr 2016 Sailing

was $999.00 CAD* You Save an Average of $250.00 CAD per person

+ Taxes, fees and port expenses $85.00 CAD*"

 

So the $749 CAD pp does not include the port fees and taxes.

[Tatka]

I think this discussion makes a lot of sense.

[Tatka]

Sort of -- in the basic booking total, the port fees and taxes are included while the gratuities are not, but in the advertised per-pax, double-occupancy fare, they are not included. This is what I was referring to.

 

An example for Adventure 7-night Southern Caribbean:

 

"From $749.00 CAD* Valid for 16 Apr 2016 Sailing

was $999.00 CAD* You Save an Average of $250.00 CAD per person

+ Taxes, fees and port expenses $85.00 CAD*"

 

So the $749 CAD pp does not include the port fees and taxes.

But at least when you are paying final payment you know that it is included. You are not discovering it during the cruise.

I know people who found out that they have to pay $500+ more for a family of four. They were not experienced cruisers and were not aware of this charge. And did not budget it.

[moopetguy]

And here we go, once again.

 

Are you reading us the Riot Act? :D

 

Yes, there are a lot of threads on tipping...does that matter? New people join the community all the time, of course there will be repetition of "popular" topics. I'm not sure what the purpose of your post is...? :confused:

[RiotAct]

Are you reading us the Riot Act? :D

 

Yes, there are a lot of threads on tipping...does that matter? New people join the community all the time, of course there will be repetition of "popular" topics. I'm not sure what the purpose of your post is...? :confused:

 

I know. Just gets tiresome seeing the same topics on the thread overview page, time and time again.

[moopetguy]

But at least when you are paying final payment you know that it is included. You are not discovering it during the cruise.

I know people who found out that they have to pay $500+ more for a family of four. They were not experienced cruisers and were not aware of this charge. And did not budget it.

 

I don't know how they wouldn't have known, but I'm sorry that happened to them. If they worked with a TA, the TA should have told them. Or if they called RCI and booked over the phone, the certified vacation planner should have told them. If they booked online, it should have been mentioned somewhere, although it may or may not have been very prominent (these days it's pretty obvious during booking when the site asks you if you want pre-paid gratuities).

 

Anyway this just goes back to my point about advertising an inclusive price, to avoid situations like this :(

[MisterFidgetpants]

I know. Just gets tiresome seeing the same topics on the thread overview page, time and time again.

 

Most topics on this forum are regurgitations

 

Is a drink package worth it

How much do cabanas cost

can I bring XYZ on the ship

Has anyone done ABC excursion

 

Most can find relevant answers via search.

 

All the mass market cruise lines collect an automatic gratuity, and they all also allow the guest to opt out and handle things however they wish. So long as that's the policy set by the company people will choose what to do. It's not worth what a stranger says getting you aggravated. If you don't like a topic, skip it.

[jagsfan]

Having them separate lets RCI advertise a lower per-passenger fare, just as the port fees and taxes being a separate line item does.

 

For transparency, the number advertised should be inclusive of gratuities, port fees, and taxes (though continuing to advertise the double-occupancy rate per person makes sense).

 

 

Port taxes and fees need to be separate because they can fluctuate. Holland just lowered them on a Canada New England cruise by $23. Oil prices have an effect on them, as does itinerary changes.

I agree with the people who would like to see gratuities added to the cruise cost as a separate line item labeled hotel surcharge.

Resort hotels charge fees separate from the room rate, and if you wish to stay there, you pay it. No argument, no removing it.

[moopetguy]

Port taxes and fees need to be separate because they can fluctuate. Holland just lowered them on a Canada New England cruise by $23. Oil prices have an effect on them, as does itinerary changes.

 

I'm not sure I understand your comment. I'd argue that fares fluctuate more frequently than port fees and taxes for a specific itinerary, as fares could change daily (or even more frequently than that).

 

I'm not saying that everything should be rolled into one final number without disclosure or itemizing the cost for each line item. I'm saying the advertised per-passenger, double-occupancy price should be inclusive of all the "mandatory" charges so there are no surprises. That way for two people, you should just multiply the advertised price by two, and that's it unless you want to add stuff on (like the drink packages, excursions, and other things that are optional).