New gratuities by May 1st, 2016

[tserface]

I kind of wonder if this might turn out to be a bad deal, overall, for the people they are trying to help. If lots of people give extra tips and feel less inclined to do so because of this change being fresh on their mind the staff may end up with less overall (since it's only $.55/day split up. For example, if someone was giving the room attendant an extra $20 for the week and they don't the room attendant may get the extra couple of bucks from the increase, but lose out on the extra.

 

Maybe it works out for them if most people don't tip extra and over time. They must have smart people working on the issue and they certainly know more than I do about it.

 

The higher the "gratuities" goes the more I am inclined to just let it be my total. If someone brings me a drink and they are already getting 18% to carry it over to me, it's starting to sound like enough where I may have given them and extra $1 or so in the past. 18% sounds like a lot more than 15% even though it really isn't.

 

In places like the Diamond Club where I'm getting freebies I always feel like it's fair to tip some.

 

I also noticed that the cruise lines never really push the idea of cash tips as "extra" so maybe they don't really like that happening and that's why they keep pushing the prices up on the included gratuities. Maybe they want us to not do cash tips? I'd guess they'd recommend them if they wanted it to happen.

 

Tom

 

 

I surely don't believe a cruiser should have to discuss with someone from management why they feel they need to 'remove tips' during a cruise, just like in a local restaurant I would not want to discuss it with the manager of the locale either.

 

Like you, we don't prepay our gratuities with our final payment. I have no problem with it being added to the sea pass account on board. What has reduced in our experience is the 'extra tipping' to wait staff -- most of the time, there is just no reason to go above the amount that they will already receive from us via the gratuities being paid on our seapass. Our cabin steward is usually a different situation. We still have found that they go over and above with a wonderful attitude for the few things that we ask to have in our cabin throughout our cruise.

[LMaxwell]

I kind of wonder if this might turn out to be a bad deal, overall, for the people they are trying to help. If lots of people give extra tips and feel less inclined to do so because of this change being fresh on their mind the staff may end up with less overall (since it's only $.55/day split up. For example, if someone was giving the room attendant an extra $20 for the week and they don't the room attendant may get the extra couple of bucks from the increase, but lose out on the extra.

 

Maybe it works out for them if most people don't tip extra and over time. They must have smart people working on the issue and they certainly know more than I do about it.

 

The higher the "gratuities" goes the more I am inclined to just let it be my total. If someone brings me a drink and they are already getting 18% to carry it over to me, it's starting to sound like enough where I may have given them and extra $1 or so in the past. 18% sounds like a lot more than 15% even though it really isn't.

 

In places like the Diamond Club where I'm getting freebies I always feel like it's fair to tip some.

 

I also noticed that the cruise lines never really push the idea of cash tips as "extra" so maybe they don't really like that happening and that's why they keep pushing the prices up on the included gratuities. Maybe they want us to not do cash tips? I'd guess they'd recommend them if they wanted it to happen.

 

Tom

 

When you pay the cruiseline, the cruiseline decides how and when they give it out.

[tserface]

Yeah, that's kind of what I'm saying. Maybe they like that control and don't like people getting cash. I have nothing to base that on except that they kind of act that way.

 

It's like they want to call it "gratuities" for some reason, but want you to pay them and let them pay the staff rather than you just giving it to the staff. I'm sure there's some political or accounting reason for doing it that way.

 

Tom

 

When you pay the cruiseline, the cruiseline decides how and when they give it out.

[aprime23]

Hello All, New to RCI, When I booked our cruise we prepaid the gratuities, cruise fare everything paid in full in advance . Will we now be billed the for the difference?:confused:

[tserface]

If you already paid then you won't be charged any difference (at least according to what they are saying). I think that's why they're giving people a chance to sign up for pre-pay now.

 

Tom

 

Hello All, New to RCI, When I booked our cruise we prepaid the gratuities, cruise fare everything paid in full in advance . Will we now be billed the for the difference?:confused:

[oldguysandgalls]

I wonder how much RCI deducts in 'administration costs ' from our collective Service Charges/Gratuities before being distributed to the crew? Who gains the most and who loses the most? ;)

[aprime23]

If you already paid then you won't be charged any difference (at least according to what they are saying). I think that's why they're giving people a chance to sign up for pre-pay now.

 

Tom

 

Doh!! if had just read down the RCI Statement a little further I would have answered my own question.

 

Sorry and Thanks. Happy sailings:D

[KansasK]

So for a while, staff will get a higher or lower amount each week based on when the gratuities are paid. Actually, the amount must vary each week depending on whether someone removes the tips from their account.

 

I decided to just pay the gratuities when I booked the cruise, so we paid for them before the cutoff date.

[hapster85]

Ok,I called back....was told,it is like in the past.........You just have to add them on now(before the 14th) and not have to pay them until your final payment date.........

Thanks for following up. Good to know, especially for those with multiple future cruises booked.

[Ocean Boy]

So for a while, staff will get a higher or lower amount each week based on when the gratuities are paid. Actually, the amount must vary each week depending on whether someone removes the tips from their account.

 

I decided to just pay the gratuities when I booked the cruise, so we paid for them before the cutoff date.

 

Doesn't the amount vary each week anyway depending on how many cabins are booked and how many people are in each cabin?

[oldguysandgalls]

Doesn't the amount vary each week anyway depending on how many cabins are booked and how many people are in each cabin?

 

I also ask if RCI takes a cut (administrative costs) from the total amount of all the Service Charges/Gratuities before distribution to the crew?

[Ocean Boy]

I also ask if RCI takes a cut (administrative costs) from the total amount of all the Service Charges/Gratuities before distribution to the crew?

 

And maybe market it to the crew as a service to enhance their cruise experience.

[jonbgd]

Are you Frickin kidding me I have to come to CC to find out about this

 

Raising gratuities WTH ,our cruise is on May 1st and final payment has been made we cant back out now:eek:

 

Our cruise is less than 30 days so since they said they wont be lowering cruise prices 30 or less of cruise date they decide to raise Gratuities

 

 

So the 55cents a day x2pax x13days is about $14 not a big deal

But it would be nice if RCCl would have sent me an email to inform us just incase we arnt on CC

THey sure sent enough other emails this past week concerning Bvg pkg or Dining pkg oh and 2 National Geographic emails:cool:

 

SO my complaining isn't about the amount just the fact I never received the email:o

Edited April 1, 2016 by jonbgd

[Expat Cruise]

I will not pay the outrageous amount requested. I believe the extra is not going to the staff but going to RCL'S bottom line.

 

Royal says no all to the staff.... But I have talked to staff members off the ships outside the control of Royal and they all say the same thing. They do not get the total amounts Royal includes may "crew members" that are not really tipped employees mangers, and takes a cut.

 

Many will read and say its only a small amount and they are poor and hard working. But by allowing cruise lines to steal with auto gratuities, and not pay fair wages, hurts the crews much more. I always remove them and tip direct as I see fit and correct.

[Ocean Boy]

The last time that I booked a cruise I am pretty sure there was a disclaimer that adjustments could be made if there was an increase in taxes by a government agency or if a fuel surcharge was put into effect. I don't remember any mention about the possibility of adjusting gratuities after the reservation was made.

 

My next cruise I may just ask my cabin attendant if he prefers auto tips or if he would just like me to take care of him myself. I might just do whatever he prefers.

Edited April 1, 2016 by Ocean Boy

[Expat Cruise]

If everyone started removing auto gratuities, service would improve employees that really earned tips would made more. The company uses auto tipping to steal, others here can choose to be sheep and allow this to happen but I will not. No auto daily fees here, remove them every single trip.

 

Please post back how I am mean and should not cruise... etc...etc... the more others tell me how wrong I am the happier it makes me. Removing the Auto daily gratuity is a highlight of the cruise.

[LMaxwell]

The last time that I booked a cruise I am pretty sure there was a disclaimer that adjustments could be made if there was an increase in taxes by a government agency or if a fuel surcharge was put into effect. I don't remember any mention about the possibility of adjusting gratuities after the reservation was made.

 

My next cruise I may just ask my cabin attendant if he prefers auto tips or if he would just like me to take care of him myself. I might just do whatever he prefers.

I will bet my house he or she says cash

[tserface]

That might be what the staff likes, but I'd bet the company prefers having control.

 

Tom

 

I will bet my house he or she says cash

[LMaxwell]

Complete agreement

[Clarea]

... My next cruise I may just ask my cabin attendant if he prefers auto tips or if he would just like me to take care of him myself. I might just do whatever he prefers.

Good idea.

[mickeymouselam]

So after reading the thread in length I have seen 2 main themes those that are opposed to the auto tips and those strongly for them.

 

I personally do not agree with the auto tipping. This is a free ride for both RCL to get away with cutting back the pay of the staff as they say that they will be getting the difference in tips. I think of this like service staff in a restaurant situation.

I am also not fully convinced that RCL does not take any of that money and that 100% goes to all the staff.

 

How much was the tip suggestions per staff category before they went to the auto tips?

 

If someone removes the auto tips is it now that the staff know this and will not serve them or mess with their food and drinks? wouldn't this backfire on them because if caught that would be grounds for automatic dismissal and than they would be without a job and no job reference? How do they know that the customer would not tip them directly?

 

Also if they have automatic tips than why are they begging or strongly suggesting that they get tipped extra? I get it that if service is exceptional but I would need to be wowed or have experienced something that goes above and beyond the regular job requirements.

 

Why would we look down upon someone that wants to remove them and than tip each person automatically?

 

Why does every position need to be tipped that is on the boat? Do you tip the bus driver, the person that cashes you out at the grocery store, the doctor the dentist etc. for exceptional service? Do you tip all the support staff that make your restaurant meal on land the exceptional meal it was? I am guessing not so why do we need to do it on the ship. RCL needs to make sure that they are paying a good wage and not relying on our tips to supplement these wages. If they need to than they need to raise the cost of cruise fares and than remove the option of auto tipping all together.

 

 

At the end of it all I think I will tip on my own and remove the auto tips from the account and make RCL pay a proper wage and then personally line the pockets of the service staff that I encounter with cold hard cash that they can use right than and there or send it home or save it. This way I know if I tip the 25.90 for our cabin per day that It is because I received good service, and that they served me.

 

Sorry for the novel but these are the thoughts running through my head.

Lauren

[Clarea]

Auto gratuities were put in place in March of 2013, and at the same time were raised from $11.65 to $12.00 for a non-suite stateroom.

[kerryincork]

I am from a non tipping culture and find tipping embarrassing. I'm glad they have auto tips so I don't have to worry about it. I leave it in place and if service is exceptional (not just doing there job) I leave money behind when I leave the ship.

I don't understand why so many people are constantly worry about the staff pay. They don't have to work for cruises. And it is up to the workers to negotiate there pay.

[Ocean Boy]

Auto gratuities were put in place in March of 2013, and at the same time were raised from $11.65 to $12.00 for a non-suite stateroom.

 

According to many on these boards the auto tips were put in place to help make sure that more people are paying their fare share. If that is the case then more money would be flowing in AND they increase the amount of the tip on top of it. This sounds a lot like raising drink prices AND increase charged gratuities from 15% to 18%. Hit it from both angles. And it gets topped off by the fact that I still keep handing out some cash on top of the auto tips.

 

This reminds me of a quote from one of my favorite mindless movies... "Thank you sir, may I have another?"

Edited April 2, 2016 by Ocean Boy

[Clarea]

According to many on these boards the auto tips were put in place to help make sure that more people are paying their fare share. If that is the case then more money would be flowing in AND they increase the amount of the tip on top of it. This sounds a lot like raising drink prices AND increase charged gratuities from 15% to 18%. Hit it from both angles. And it gets topped off by the fact that I still keep handing out some cash on top of the auto tips.

 

This reminds me of a quote from one of my favorite mindless movies... "Thank you sir, may I have another?"

What movie?