Drink Package, OBC, Gratuities ????

[az_tchr]

If you cancel the automatic gratuities, you are liable to have your room steward ask you "what did I do wrong, why did you cancel the tips?" because their supervisors are likely to make the assumption that you are displeased with the service. That's really not fair, and the best thing to do is to simply leave the gratuities in place, so no one is missed and no one is concerned that they won't get their share.

 

What? I have often cancelled the gratuities and received envelopes. It could not reflect poorly. Only the review after the cruise an do that. I then simply hand them out to the appropriate people. There are I think 5 categories and those involved then share like waiter and asst. waiter in proportion. We have sometimes left them in place and then usually offer additional gratuity when they have done something special. Not hard at all to give gratuities to restaurant and housekeeping. Those divisions have a way to share tips for those involved behind the scenes.

Edited February 13, 2016 by az_tchr

[Aussie One]

Princess Cruise ships that depart Australian ports and return to Australian ports do not charge Gratuities. Gratuities are charged on drinks. When in Rome Aussies

[grandgeezer]

Before you get your undies in a bundle, I have never cut or eliminated tips on a cruise. My concern is how a tip is calculated, it shouldn't be calculated on the cost of the merchandise. For example, two people go to a restaurant, first person orders burger and fries and the cost is $10. The second person orders steak and fries and that cost $50. Their food is served at exactly the same time. Person #1s tip comes to $1.80 and person #2s tip is $9. Is that fair? If the foods outstanding maybe the tip should go to the cook. Maybe it should be a flat rate, per person.

[LabGuy64]

It has nothing to do with how many a person serves....it's all pooled and distributed equally.

 

 

 

so with a drink package, a server gets a gratuity based on how many guests they serve? I always hoped for that, the most attentive server making more in tips than done one who never approaches us.

[LabGuy64]

And that statement is the REAL problem with the auto gratuities system....first it makes the salary of the people on board between the passengers and crew....including the possible guilt trip because the passengers have disposable income and the majority of the crew come from 3rd world nations.

 

This should not be something we should have to concern ourselves with on our vacation. Wages should be between Celebrity and their employees. Also, those that choose for whatever reason to cancel the auto gratuities then have to deal with the did I do something wrong from the stewards another guilt trip ...plus you can't tell me service is not effected, even if the passenger was to tell them they would be taken care of at the end. Some would think they were going to be stiffed. As it has been pointed out many passengers come from countries where tipping is not ingrained into the culture.

 

Celebrity should work out what is a fair to pay the employees and cut the auto tipping. So that if some employee DOES give EXCEPTIONAL service a passenger can tip if they desire. Not because they are wondering if some crew members poor child is starving in Estonia or wherever.

 

 

If you cancel the automatic gratuities, you are liable to have your room steward ask you "what did I do wrong, why did you cancel the tips?" because their supervisors are likely to make the assumption that you are displeased with the service. That's really not fair, and the best thing to do is to simply leave the gratuities in place, so no one is missed and no one is concerned that they won't get their share.

[Maverick911]

In the UK / Ireland we have an airline company called Ryan Air who advertise air fares at a really cheap price. BUT when you book there's numerous extras which pump the price up.

 

In my opinion this is what the Cruise Lines are doing. Great Price on a cruise BUT Gratuities are added daily to your account, 18% Gratuity on Bar Bills ( just because the server takes the cap off a Bud ) and all the other extras ie Speciality Restaurants, How to fold a towel, Excursions etc.

 

I would love to do a Cruise where it is genuinely fully Inclusive the price you see is the price you pay. I can but Dream:rolleyes:

[dkjretired]

In the UK / Ireland we have an airline company called Ryan Air who advertise air fares at a really cheap price. BUT when you book there's numerous extras which pump the price up.

 

In my opinion this is what the Cruise Lines are doing. Great Price on a cruise BUT Gratuities are added daily to your account, 18% Gratuity on Bar Bills ( just because the server takes the cap off a Bud ) and all the other extras ie Speciality Restaurants, How to fold a towel, Excursions etc.

 

I would love to do a Cruise where it is genuinely fully Inclusive the price you see is the price you pay. I can but Dream:rolleyes:

 

Gratuities are nothing new, they have been around for decades, pretty much unchanged, just part of the cost.

[north29]

For the life of me, I just cannot understand why people insist on meddling with a perfectly workable gratuity system. Am I missing something?

 

I have never had BAD service on a Cruise, I have had OK Basic, good, better and great but never poor enough not to tip. PPG is a great method to take the worry out of who to tip, I have always used it since it was averrable.

[jbuch02]

On tipping aboard a cruise ship: I've been told by wait and bar staff aboard Celebrity that the worst tippers are Russians, Germans, Australians and British. Americans tend to be generous, so do cruisers from the Netherlands. This is not meant as some condemnation of a nation's citizens. Its a matter of culture.

 

Having said that, in most cases and for us, tipping is simply a matter of recognizing good service. We also joke that we are doing our part for income redistribution in a labor pool where the cruise industry is exploitive to a certain degree. In the case of the staff on cruise ships, the gratuities and service charges that are added to your onboard account become part of the intended staff's pay. The cruise line, in actuality, is transferring some of the cost burden of staff payroll to us. OK, so I just consider it a part of the cost of the cruise.

 

Do I like that sort of thing? No and like other's I'd just rather see one all inclusive price when I'm shopping for a cruise - and some cruise lines do this - but that doesn't market or sell well so, you have the current situation with the majority of cruise lines and which is present travel industry wide. It is what it is.

 

Case in point. For outstanding service that you might have been provided, either tip in cash (or add it to your bill that you sign) at the time of service. If you prefer, tip those individuals who served you well at the end of the cruise in cash at the point of last service (e.g., a great Martini Bar Tender).

 

Note that with Bar Service, a tip added to your bill goes to the person who serves you and presents you the bill. It doesn't happen all the time but, for example, if you hand a cash tip to a bar server, he can either pocket it himself or share it with others he is working with. After one remarkable Martini Barr experience, I left a tip on our last night there, a bell was rung, and the tip went into a jar behind the bar (and it had a ton of bills in it!). When I asked, I was told, "yes, it got shared among the flair bar tenders and their assistants."

 

As well, do this in a fashion that you are comfortable with and is consistent with your culture. i.e., don't feel compelled to tip. I get that there are plenty of cruisers enjoying vacation time on a tight budget.

[dkjretired]

Princess Cruise ships that depart Australian ports and return to Australian ports do not charge Gratuitiese to . Gratuities are charged on drinks. When in Rome Aussies

 

You're on an American ship so that's just an .excuse to get out of doing the right thing.

[villauk]

 

I would love to do a Cruise where it is genuinely fully Inclusive the price you see is the price you pay. I can but Dream:rolleyes:

 

I believe there are cruise lines that in fact do this, however, their base line pricing is considerably more than the Royal brand ;). I'm sure others will confirm which particular lines do market in this way :).