New gratuities by May 1st, 2016

[Ocean Boy]

What movie?

 

Animal House.

[LMaxwell]

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

 

Hardly mindless!

 

[Livvie]

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?"

Yes, having an 18% tip for any kind of drink on top of already heavily encouraged gratuities is highway robbery.

[land lover]

I am smiling from the last few posts.......memories...remember when we were given vouchers to hand to the staff......?

[Big_G]

Wow! Apparently this is big news. It made it to my local news station here in Rhode Island. They said the average tips for a family of four is now $400. :D

[Expat Cruise]

Yes, having an 18% tip for any kind of drink on top of already heavily encouraged gratuities is highway robbery.

 

And if someone tries to rob you on the highway what do you do? You don't pull over and say please rob me sir..... But some many people here seem to believe letting Royal rob you is OK and good. It helps the poor underpaid workers....

 

For those who believe this please forward your alarm and pin codes, so while your on the cruise some poor American citizens can charge you a vacation service fee, in the form of taking your money left at home and in the bank....

 

Stealing is stealing and what Royal does is absolutely no different than other stealing.

[Ocean Boy]

Wow! Apparently this is big news. It made it to my local news station here in Rhode Island. They said the average tips for a family of four is now $400. :D

 

I missed that. I think I went numb after they said the "snow" word for Monday and missed everything after that.

[NemoCrownie]

I have read most of this thread over the last couple days and, for whatever reason, been thinking about it. It isn't that much of an increase from 10 months ago but it is a 38% increase over the last 5 years. Please note, we have always paid the suggested gratuities, either pre-paid or daily, and given additional to our cabin attendant, wait staff, etc.

 

Our first cruise was in 2010 and the "suggested" gratuities were $9.75 per person per day with an additional 15% added to bar and spa services (same for our 2011 cruise). RCI specified the amounts which should be tipped to specified individuals - $3.50 to the cabin attendant and waiter, etc.

 

Under the 2016 gratuity structure the cabin attendant is to receive $3.85 which is only a 10% raise since 2011 but the remaining gratuities, rather than to specified individuals, are allocated to dining and culinary services and to housekeeping services. These gratuities have increased 54% (from $6.25 to $9.65 pp/pd).

 

My cynical side thinks it's a shell game and that most of these other service personnel have received similar 10% raises but the customers are now paying a larger percentage of the employee wages. This is a major score for RCI and their shareholders because RCI has figured out how to transfer the per passenger labor costs directly onto their customer. Add to that the fact that RCI has decreased staffing levels so the crew are working much harder and have only seen minimal wage increases...score, again.

 

This line of thinking also carries over to the bars where the drink prices have increased substantially and the automatic bar gratuity went from 15% to 18% yet the number of bartenders and servers have decreased...in theory bar staff should have received a hefty increase in income but I would bet they haven't seen it.

 

I guess what I am really saying is that I don't think most of the increases in gratuities over the last 5 years have been to increase the wages of the employees. Instead of calling it a gratuity just be honest with the customer and make it a mandatory service charge; the staff are then paid a fair wage and many customers will be more inclined to give additional tips for services that meet or exceed their expectations.

[Big_G]

I missed that. I think I went numb after they said the "snow" word for Monday and missed everything after that.

 

Welcome to the state formerly known as the 'Cooler & Warmer' State. It would be funny if it wasn't so sad. :rolleyes:

[Bocker3]

Stealing is stealing and what Royal does is absolutely no different than other stealing.

 

While I could, personally, give a rat's tutu what anyone else does in regards to tipping - auto, handout, nothing or some combo, people are free to do whatever they feel they should do.

 

I am simply tired of reading Donald Trump like garbage from posters.

 

Stealing is taking something without someone's permission - everyone who does auto-gratuities (or any other form of paying gratuities), is willingly paying it. Perhaps they are clueless about their ability to NOT do so, but that is on them - I find RCI quite clear on these things. So, debate all you want - but let's stop with the hyperbole -- because, to twist your quote:

 

"Lying is lying and what you are doing is absolutely no different than other lying"

 

Mike

Edited April 2, 2016 by Bocker3

[Desert Cruizers]

There was some confusion, if you already have your invoice with the gratuities added, but cruise will not be paid in full for another year and if we needed to pay the gratuities now or we are locked in at the old rate since your invoice already list the gratuities. I was told yes I needed to pay before April 14 and then no I didn't have to since we were locked in.

[Ocean Boy]

Welcome to the state formerly known as the 'Cooler & Warmer' State. It would be funny if it wasn't so sad. :rolleyes:

 

How much thought does the governor's office have to put into this? If you need a footnote to explain the meaning of a slogan it probably is not such a good slogan. And you are right, it's sad because they spent OUR money on this boondoggle. The workings up on that hill in Providence will never change.:rolleyes:

[Expat Cruise]

While I could, personally, give a rat's tutu what anyone else does in regards to tipping - auto, handout, nothing or some combo, people are free to do whatever they feel they should do.

 

I am simply tired of reading Donald Trump like garbage from posters.

 

Stealing is taking something without someone's permission - everyone who does auto-gratuities (or any other form of paying gratuities), is willingly paying it. Perhaps they are clueless about their ability to NOT do so, but that is on them - I find RCI quite clear on these things. So, debate all you want - but let's stop with the hyperbole -- because, to twist your quote:

 

"Lying is lying and what you are doing is absolutely no different than other lying"

 

Mike

 

And you are entitled to allow Royal to steal from you.... But you are not entitled or allowed to tell others what they must do or believe. Royal is stealing with the Auto Gratuity policy that they have in place. I will keep posting as I see fit and know is correct.

[Clarea]

How much thought does the governor's office have to put into this? If you need a footnote to explain the meaning of a slogan it probably is not such a good slogan. And you are right, it's sad because they spent OUR money on this boondoggle. The workings up on that hill in Providence will never change.:rolleyes:

What I would give to substitute your state's workings for our state's complete non-workings.

[foxgoodrich]

How much thought does the governor's office have to put into this? If you need a footnote to explain the meaning of a slogan it probably is not such a good slogan. And you are right, it's sad because they spent OUR money on this boondoggle. The workings up on that hill in Providence will never change.:rolleyes:

 

It could be worse, Ocean Boy! Years ago some genius here in Oklahoma came up with the slogan "Oklahoma, Okay!" (Like the words at the end of our Rodgers and Hammerstein state song.) For some reason it became quite popular. People started wearing lapel pins and hats and T-shirts and there were bumper stickers and all kinds of things.

 

All I could think about is...What a dumb slogan! Why should we be so terribly proud of mediocrity?:eek:

That PR firm who came up with the Warmer and Cooler thing for RI would probably have suggested Dumb and Dumber for us.:rolleyes:

Judy

Edited April 2, 2016 by foxgoodrich

[marci22]

While I could, personally, give a rat's tutu what anyone else does in regards to tipping - auto, handout, nothing or some combo, people are free to do whatever they feel they should do.

 

I am simply tired of reading Donald Trump like garbage from posters.

 

Stealing is taking something without someone's permission - everyone who does auto-gratuities (or any other form of paying gratuities), is willingly paying it. Perhaps they are clueless about their ability to NOT do so, but that is on them - I find RCI quite clear on these things. So, debate all you want - but let's stop with the hyperbole -- because, to twist your quote:

 

"Lying is lying and what you are doing is absolutely no different than other lying"

 

Mike

 

Well you sound like Sillary Clinton "WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE?"

 

I get his point in that Royal calls them tips but allocates the money as they see fit. Not everyone agrees with that.

[Ocean Boy]

Keep the thread on topic. No one cares about state slogans and other stuff

 

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Then skip over the posts. It takes little effort.

Edited April 2, 2016 by Ocean Boy

[Big_G]

Keep the thread on topic. No one cares about state slogans and other stuff

 

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Obviously you're wrong again. [emoji12]

 

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[SpainAlien]

I just have one question, if you remove your tips and reward your waiter/room attendant yourself, how do you tip the guy who washes your sheets/towels, prepares and cooks your food or washes the deck so that it looks nice for your when you get up in the morning and wander up to the pool? At least with auto tips all these guys get something to reward their hard work too

[Big_G]

What I would give to substitute your state's workings for our state's complete non-workings.

Careful what you wish for Bob. We offered 'Dumb & Dumber' and 'Mobsters & Lobsters'. Those are closer to the truth here.

 

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[Clarea]

Careful what you wish for Bob. We offered 'Dumb & Dumber' and 'Mobsters & Lobsters'. Those are closer to the truth here.

I'll take it!

[springaussie]

The part I do not understand is how can a crew member working on Voyager in Australia earn anywhere like the money thru tips as a crew member on Freedom with Americans on board who understand tipping.

[Clarea]

The part I do not understand is how can a crew member working on Voyager in Australia earn anywhere like the money thru tips as a crew member on Freedom with Americans on board who understand tipping.

The crew member would still be getting standard tips, right?

[springaussie]

The crew member would still be getting standard tips, right?

 

 

So is the tips divided through the whole fleet? Or just per ship.

Is a crew member on Voyager getting the same as Freedom per month?

My guess is about 80% of Aussies remove the auto tips. Most would give a tip to the room guy and waiter at well below the recommended amount.

[OTownNick]

Why do they have to be tipped? They get paid. Gratuity is for service. I don't tip the road sweeper or the or the shelf stacker in supermarkets

 

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...and all the waiters in dining room, windjammer, park cafe,and also stateroom attendants don't provide you service?!