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Paid too much

Painter

By Painter,
in Royal Caribbean International

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grandgeezer

grandgeezer

Posted
Posted
Removing tips should be allowed on the first day only. Then the non tipper would not have a room steward, no one to clean the room, no clean towels and so forth.

Denied access to the main dining room, charges for room service and buffet.

 

Cheapo service for cheapstakes.:cool:

 

This is one of the most asinine posts I've ever seen on a board.

Those services are built into the cost of the cruise. If you don't receive them the price should be adjusted accordingly. Tips are for exceptional service, if you aren't getting it, why reward the person who isn't doing their job? If you are, they should be rewarded.

I agree that you shouldn't stiff the crew because of your mistake.

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WaveSplasher

WaveSplasher

Posted
Posted (edited)
Just found out I paid too much for a cruise on the new Ovation. Can I have the Gratitudes removed and can I not pay for them at all? Thanks.

 

What cabin did you get? If you don't have a budget for higher class cabins you could take the inside staterooms and still enjoy the same benefits as everyone else on the ship. This way you could use the extra money for gratitudes...

 

Given the Ovation is new, and its technology onboard is much more sophisticated than the rest of the other ships. You generally pay a higher price.

 

Ps: Don't tell me you didn't know what kind of response you are going to get? I always wonder how many of this threads are going to pop up in a month and how many pages it will get to.

Edited by WaveSplasher
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tomatosauce

tomatosauce

Posted
Posted

For the record Princess cruises out of Australia don't require gratuities so this may be the first time that the OP is having to deal with the whole tipping on cruises issue.

 

My advice to the OP would be to just accept it as a cultural phenomenon and leave the gratuity on and don't worry about it anymore.

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mafig

mafig

Posted
Posted
For the record Princess cruises out of Australia don't require gratuities so this may be the first time that the OP is having to deal with the whole tipping on cruises issue.

 

My advice to the OP would be to just accept it as a cultural phenomenon and leave the gratuity on and don't worry about it anymore.

 

I just did a quick search and it seems that Princess does not charge gratuities from Australia, however, they are INCLUDED in the price. Probably too many people were removing them. I also recall reading that the cruiselines raised their drink prices on cruises from Australia.

Didn't some of the Royal Caribbean cruises from the British Isles do the same?

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TravelerThom

TravelerThom

Posted
Posted
This is one of the most asinine posts I've ever seen on a board.

Those services are built into the cost of the cruise. If you don't receive them the price should be adjusted accordingly. Tips are for exceptional service, if you aren't getting it, why reward the person who isn't doing their job? If you are, they should be rewarded.

I agree that you shouldn't stiff the crew because of your mistake.

You don't list where you are from, but unfortunately on cruises out of the US on mass market lines (and on most cruises run anywhere in the world by those lines) it is simply not true that service costs are built into the cost of the cruise. In the US wait staff are not paid a living wage (and indeed they are paid at less than minimum wage scales, which are already less than a living wage). Standard suggested gratuities on these cruises is the vast majority of the compensation for the individuals involved, and is equivalent to a service charge for competent (not exceptional) service. Do I think that it would be better if service cost were built into cruise prices? Absolutely. Do I think that you are deluding yourself if you think contact service employees on a cruise ship are receiving decent compensation directly from the cruise line? Again absolutely (the only option other than deluding yourself is that you are too cheap to pay for the service you recieve - but I'm sure that's not the case:rolleyes:)
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squadron

squadron

Posted
Posted
I do not want to pay gratitude's....I paid lots more for cruise at this company then on other sites. Trying to get it to a more reasonable cost.

 

Don't buy until you are happy with the price! Maybe the other company is cheaper but not the room type or sailing date you want. It is not the fault of the staff that you think you paid too much! Cancel the cruise or if you used a NCC transfer it to another - at what you want to pay.

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papaflamingo

papaflamingo

Posted
Posted (edited)

Maybe the OP has a point. I think that I pay too much for... say... a new car. So let's just remove the wages of the workers from the price and not pay them. Yeah.... that's a good idea! I wonder what job the OP has? Maybe if I go into her business I can use the same logic. I'm sure she'll understand that she should give up her pay so that I can get her product at a price I'm more happy with. Good idea... as long as you don't expect that from me of course. In fact I should get a raise!

Edited by papaflamingo
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TDubz

TDubz

Posted
Posted
With 1344 posts on this site I expect the OP knows exactly how the system works and what 'gratitudes' are for.... If you can't afford the 'gratitudes' then don't cruise. Don't stiff the crew.

 

 

Well spotted Little Britain!

 

Its not fair to take it out in the staff who do a great job!

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grandgeezer

grandgeezer

Posted
Posted
You don't list where you are from, but unfortunately on cruises out of the US on mass market lines (and on most cruises run anywhere in the world by those lines) it is simply not true that service costs are built into the cost of the cruise. In the US wait staff are not paid a living wage (and indeed they are paid at less than minimum wage scales, which are already less than a living wage). Standard suggested gratuities on these cruises is the vast majority of the compensation for the individuals involved, and is equivalent to a service charge for competent (not exceptional) service. Do I think that it would be better if service cost were built into cruise prices? Absolutely. Do I think that you are deluding yourself if you think contact service employees on a cruise ship are receiving decent compensation directly from the cruise line? Again absolutely (the only option other than deluding yourself is that you are too cheap to pay for the service you recieve - but I'm sure that's not the case:rolleyes:)

 

One of us might be delusional and it's not me. Retread my post, nowhere did I refer to them being paid a livable wage. What I said was the services alluded to are built into the base cruise price hence to hold back these services would be a breach of contract. Look up tips or gratuity and you will find no mention of payment for competent service. Where did I say I stiffed the crew? We have over 400 days at sea and I have never cut the suggested tips. My 10 year old grand son rolls his eyes too but I hope they outgrow that when they get older.

And by the way, it's immaterial where I'm from and, boo hoo boo hoo, my feelings are hurt that you think I'm cheap.

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BekkaW

BekkaW

Posted
Posted
I just did a quick search and it seems that Princess does not charge gratuities from Australia, however, they are INCLUDED in the price. Probably too many people were removing them. I also recall reading that the cruiselines raised their drink prices on cruises from Australia.

Didn't some of the Royal Caribbean cruises from the British Isles do the same?

 

Yes the published drink prices are higher in Australia. Over here, it is illegal to publish a price but then add extra costs if those costs are compulsory.

 

So for example, the advertised price of all goods includes the tax, which is 10% for us. This is all the time eg on the sticker, on the shelf labeling, in all catalogues etc. You cannot show a price and then add tax at the register as happens in the US. It's the same with the drink gratuities of 18%. Because that is compulsory it must be factored into the published price.

 

Now service gratuities are a bit different, because technically they're not compulsory. You can go to guest services and remove them. I guess this happens too often, or people find gratuities confusing, so some lines did start including them in the advertised price. Our first cruise we booked with a travel agent and gratuities were included in the price that the agent advertised. Basically you're just pre-paying them.

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TravelerThom

TravelerThom

Posted
Posted
...What I said was the services alluded to are built into the base cruise price hence to hold back these services would be a breach of contract....
The RCI cruise contract may be seen at http://media.royalcaribbean.com/content/en_US/pdf/RoyalCaribbean_Cruise_Ticket_Contract_013114.pdf

 

I am unable to see where it promises ANY services related to food or cleaning, so I fail to understand how these services are built into the base cruise price as you claim. I admit that my eyes glaze over reading this legal wording, so maybe I missed it. I'd appreciate if you can direct me to the paragraph(s) promising these services.

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avalon007

avalon007

Posted
Posted
I know that tipping is quite rare in Australia - there is a cultural difference and I understand that. When I come to Australia the prices are so much higher and I was told that is because the waiters are paid a much higher wage than the US..............OK, so the "tips" are included in the total costs of meals and goods.

 

My question to the OP..........if you receive less than good service in a restaurant or a store - do you automatically reduce the bill by a percentage??? This will help me for future trips to Sydney to go on a cruise.

 

Thanks

 

I realise your questions may not have been ones you seriously wanted answered if I read your tone correctly - but just in case.....

 

Yes, here in Australia tipping is seen as a bonus for services above the expected average, not included though in the price as it is not seen as being a requirement. Our minimum wage is currently $17.59AUD with a 25% loading on top for casual workers, which many wait staff for example could be.

 

So some of us tip if we had good service, but it's not expected although no doubt appreciated & it is usually done subtly, like walking out & not waiting for change - it's rare you would actually hand someone a tip as separate from the bill payment. I actually find the practice of handing money to people as demeaning to them & awkward for me, it took some getting used to when travelling in the US. It's cultural though, so when in Rome .... as they say. :)

 

We always pay gratuities on board cruises, we prefer to pay them upfront - I just see it as part of the price & we also leave an extra tip on the coffee table for our cabin steward at the end.

 

We do MTD so don't tip the waiters extra as we don't get the same waiters every time.

 

I think the OP's post was not genuine as suggested by some.

 

But regards Ovation - we have booked on her when she comes to Australia & we have paid loads more than normal for the privilege, the price is about 50% more for the same cruise length on other Royal ships out of Sydney. But hey, we accept that it's a limited supply with only 4 cruises here that season & decided we are willing to pay the price they asked, that's just the business of supply & demand. :)

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EZ Cruisin

EZ Cruisin

Posted
Posted
Just found out I paid too much for a cruise on the new Ovation. Can I have the Gratitudes removed and can I not pay for them at all? Thanks.

 

Removing the gratuities is like buying a steak dinner and refusing to tip the server because you decided (after ordering) the steak was too expensive.

 

The servers/waiters/staff on these ships work very hard to ensure your enjoyment. IMHO, you should not take away their earned gratuities due to your lack of satisfaction with your agreed upon rate. I would take issue with your travel agent, or whomever you booked this trip through.

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tomatosauce

tomatosauce

Posted
Posted
Removing the gratuities is like buying a steak dinner and refusing to tip the server because you decided (after ordering) the steak was too expensive.

 

After reading this statement I decided to think back to all of the steak dinners that I have had and except for the 5 weeks I have spent in the US and my time on cruise ships I have never tipped the server any more than rounding to the nearest dollar.

 

I agree that you should leave the gratuities on cruises but some analogies, like this one are cultural and don't translate so well to other countries.

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