New gratuities by May 1st, 2016

[UandMe4Ever]

Help me understand. Why is it so important not to let RCCL or any cruise line "hold" you money for several months? I know personally, I do not "borrow" money to cruise, and the definition of "borrow" is the use of a credit card and finance it for the next 12 months. Rather I pay for it with current money. Once I pay tips, I really don't care how long they have it. I paid it, and it's a done deal. Forgotten about. Totally irrelevant in my mind.

 

I go on many trips that I paid for it completely as much as 6 months early. My next trip, I paid for it 8 months early.

 

On another note, tips, are way too low for them. I have never found a reason to remove them. Maybe I can't grasp why it such a big deal to be in control of it.

 

I personally wish, they would include the "tips" in the cruise fare, and eliminate all the drama, and in particular from many that come from other countries that are confused about USA's way. I know when I travel, I get sometimes confused with European's ways. So just simplify it and bury it in the cost.

 

Just to clarify. I don't finance. Put down deposit. When that bill is in, paid off in full. Same thing with final payment....Also, we pay the charge for whatever we do or buy while away. Again, no finance or no finance charge....it's all good.

 

If there comes a good promo and the tips are already paid, we may not get that back if grats are a new promo. I don't need to fight with my credit card to dispute the charges for3 months after I'm home. I'd never remove the daily grats. The employees work so hard.

[champagne123]

Sorry about 'quoting you"....Didn't really mean to do that. Just spaced out and grabbed the first post about tipping Hope you have a great time. Please return the ship for us :-) Thanks, and again, my apology!

 

:):):)

[caribbean sailor]

I have never had a problem paying daily gratuities/service charge, and will consider to do so, and also tip extra.

 

However, judging by the number of posts from people on these boards who choose to remove their tips, perhaps we are in actuality paying extra because of them.

 

It is time RC stopped allowing removal of gratuities without reason and even if service was suspect it should be reported and corrected and not used as an excuse.

 

I just posted a comment on another thread where a passenger reported removing gratuities and paying $15 per person for the week. This is just not appropriate, nor fair to other people who take the service charge/tips seriously and do the right thing.

 

It's also time to use the phrase service charge.

 

 

Maybe you should worry more about what you do.I'm sure Royal will be glad to get your money.Maybe you should tip more to help Royal pay for all the new ships.They can also use few more bumper cars :D :p

[caribbean sailor]

I meant do they pay regular gratuities and then tip again for CK? And how much do they give? I have 5 people in my party.

 

Honestly, I don't think I am going to pay regular tips and then tip the normal amounts in CK for 5 people on 4 nights out of 5. The fifth night we will probably eat in specialty.

 

"Dining and culinary services" tip comes out to $8.30 pp per day. Not going to leave that twice a day. I may just end up removing tips and tipping those amounts to the people in those places.

 

That way you know were you money goes.I agree 100% :)

[Kynance103]

I must be honest we have pre-paid and removed gratuities. Our next cruise is approaching fast in Europe. On this cruise we have not pre-paid and will be joining the queues (On the first day) to remove the auto-tipping. As we have done before we will be bring on board dollars to tip individual staff members. We enjoy this process so much more. We hope we won't be questioned to much at guest services for removing the auto but it is our choice and do enjoy tipping cash on a daily basis and giving out bigger tips at the end of the cruise.

[Ocean Boy]

Maybe you should worry more about what you do.I'm sure Royal will be glad to get your money.Maybe you should tip more to help Royal pay for all the new ships.They can also use few more bumper cars :D :p

 

Have you lost your senses? This is Cruise Critic. People are more than happy to put their noses in your business and make sure that you are doing things to their liking.

[Big_G]

Maybe you should worry more about what you do.I'm sure Royal will be glad to get your money.Maybe you should tip more to help Royal pay for all the new ships.They can also use few more bumper cars :D :p

Ironic isn't it? You worrying yourself about what she should be worried about? [emoji15]

 

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[knight2096]

I am getting a bit tired of RCI telling me how much I'm going to tip. I always say I'm going to stop handing out extra on top of the auto tips but so far I keep right on doing it. Maybe I should start worrying about my own pockets just as RCI takes care of theirs.

 

Well said!

[Rigby the Dog]

Given so many non-tippers, I look forward to the great service that I always receive as someone who tips.

 

(Look for me - I'll be the guy who gets extra towels, the good pour from the bar and who won't have to wait for a drink or a table in the MDR)

[LMaxwell]

Given so many non-tippers, I look forward to the great service that I always receive as someone who tips.

 

(Look for me - I'll be the guy who gets extra towels, the good pour from the bar and who won't have to wait for a drink or a table in the MDR)

When you conspicuously tip heavy for preferential service it actually causes others to tip less or not at all. There have been studies done. It's a pretty interesting phenomenon along the lines of this guy bought his way to the top so why spend anything at all. I will see if I can find some articles to post a link

[Rigby the Dog]

When you conspicuously tip heavy for preferential service it actually causes others to tip less or not at all. There have been studies done. It's a pretty interesting phenomenon along the lines of this guy bought his way to the top so why spend anything at all. I will see if I can find some articles to post a link

 

Didn't say I tipped heavy for preferential service. I tip because I want to - after all, that's how I paid my way through college - it just happens that the result is I get great service. (I wonder why?)

[Ryansdaddy]

When you conspicuously tip heavy for preferential service it actually causes others to tip less or not at all. There have been studies done. It's a pretty interesting phenomenon along the lines of this guy bought his way to the top so why spend anything at all. I will see if I can find some articles to post a link

 

While I'm sure they have done studies on this it baffles me to think this is true but I'm not a scientist.

 

If I saw someone getting preferential treatment just by tippi g better I would think many would follow suite to see if it worked for them. Crazy humans.

 

I'll pay my gratuities as well as tip extra to the cabin stew and baretenders/waiters. It's just how I was brought up.

[time4u2go]

Help me understand. Why is it so important not to let RCCL or any cruise line "hold" you money for several months? I know personally, I do not "borrow" money to cruise, and the definition of "borrow" is the use of a credit card and finance it for the next 12 months. Rather I pay for it with current money. Once I pay tips, I really don't care how long they have it. I paid it, and it's a done deal. Forgotten about. Totally irrelevant in my mind.

 

I go on many trips that I paid for it completely as much as 6 months early. My next trip, I paid for it 8 months early.

 

On another note, tips, are way too low for them. I have never found a reason to remove them. Maybe I can't grasp why it such a big deal to be in control of it.

 

I personally wish, they would include the "tips" in the cruise fare, and eliminate all the drama, and in particular from many that come from other countries that are confused about USA's way. I know when I travel, I get sometimes confused with European's ways. So just simplify it and bury it in the cost.

 

It's bad for the same reason that getting an income tax refund is bad as opposed to owing tax (but not so much as to incur a penalty). You are letting someone else hold your money, which you could have invested in something else (like mutual funds) that could have resulted in financial gain.

Edited April 6, 2016 by time4u2go

[southnam]

They are not holding your money for 7 months. You can add the gratuities today and they will be showing on your bill as part of the total that is due at final payment. They are holding your money for around 90 days depending on when you make your final payment.

 

I added gratuities to my cruises for Dec 2016 and July 2017, the gratuities are now locked in at the current rate. I did not have to actually pay them now.

Can you clarify for me. So you can add gratuities now at the 12.95 rate and then post it at final payment? I'm still 10 months out so don't want to pay now yet but also don't want to pay the higher gratuities for my Feb cruise.

 

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[Paulette3028]

It's bad for the same reason that getting an income tax refund is bad as opposed to owing tax (but not so much as to incur a penalty). You are letting someone else hold your money, which you could have invested in something else (like mutual funds) that could have resulted in financial gain.

 

What you have brought up is why we won't pre-pay our gratuities with our final payment. I see no reason for Royal to have my money months in advance of taking my cruise. I do however, like that the tips are automatically added to our seapass account and paid that way....we do give our cabin steward extra in cash and it has always been our experience it is well deserved.

 

With the few drinks we purchase (we just are not big drinkers) we tip as well.

 

Only once or twice that I can think of in recent years have we felt it was warranted to give an additional tip to our wait staff....service was good, but not over the top. Once or twice, is has been and we did give an additional tip in person

[Let'sGo!]

I just received the email from my TA that we need to prepay our gratuities by April 8th if we want to lock in the current rate, or we can wait and do it on board at the higher rate.

 

Kind of interesting we got a 2 day notice. Guess I should have spent more time on Cruise Critic so I would have known it was coming :).

 

Our cruise in May 22.

 

Ann

[Mom2B&Z]

It's bad for the same reason that getting an income tax refund is bad as opposed to owing tax (but not so much as to incur a penalty). You are letting someone else hold your money, which you could have invested in something else (like mutual funds) that could have resulted in financial gain.

 

 

 

True, except if you're Canadian or from another country where you pay in USD. I prepaid the tips for our Jan/17 Anthem cruise because I don't think the Canadian dollar is going to go much higher. The increase in gratuities just made it an easier decision. Yes it's a gamble, but considering many are predicting the Canadian dollar to go back to the $0.60 range compared to the USD, I'm taking the risk.

Otherwise the only way I prepay gratuities is a week before I cruise, as on NCL it greatly simplifies your stateroom statement. This is our first Royal cruise so we shall see how it goes :)

[teacup317]

Ok, so I'm a little confused our cruise departs April 30, will our gratuities increase as well?

Thanks for any info.

[Clarea]

Ok, so I'm a little confused our cruise departs April 30, will our gratuities increase as well?

Thanks for any info.

I would think not, as your cruise starts before the increase.

 

FAQ says no: http://www.royalcaribbean.com/customersupport/faq/details.do?pagename=frequently_asked_questions&pnav=5&pnav=2&faqType=faq&faqSubjectId=415&faqSubjectName=Gratuities&faqId=5520

Edited April 7, 2016 by clarea

[DonnaK]

Ok, so I'm a little confused our cruise departs April 30, will our gratuities increase as well?

Thanks for any info.

No, only cruises that depart May 1 or later.

 

(We are also on a cruise that departs April 30)

[MNfamilycruiser]

That is how it used to work. We tipped the folks who served us. If they then had to split those tips that was their business and not mine. Now we give RCI the money to do what they want with it. Posters here often times say that Americans understand the culture of tipping better than people from other countries. However, the cruise lines have morphed the custom of tipping into something that many Americans actually find foreign. That is why there is so much difference of opinion on these threads.

 

See, I pretty much agree with you even if you don't like the periodic diversions from the topic of the thread.;)

This is what it is all about - what they CALL it. It is no longer really a gratuity, and anyone looking at the description can tell that it is not. Once they started automatically charging your account daily, and predetermining who gets what percentage, it became a daily service charge in my mind. I am not sure why they would still call it a gratuity, and still make it optional? I am assuming they have a reason. :rolleyes:

 

Maybe because most Americans and those who have cruised before are used to that terminology? Is it for the employees? So that from their point of view they see that their service to us directly affects their pay? So that the best employees that offer really exceptional service do end up getting more money? But as more and more cruisers are coming from other parts of the world - they might be better off changing the term.

 

One thing that I really don't get in these discussions.....ALL the money the cruise lines pay their employees comes from cruisers...ALL. As stated previously in this thread, there is a certain minimum wage the employees get paid - it really doesn't matter from our point of view what percentage comes as part of the gratuity system, and what percentage comes through the company as a base wage - the entire 100% is coming from us.

 

Why do people see a difference in whether that money is included in the price, listed as a daily service charge, or called an automatic daily gratuity? It is only how you are thinking about it, it doesn't change how the system actually works.

[AtleeH]

100% agree. I don't know if there are tax advantages to calling part of the crew's wages, gratuities or not.

 

But the fact remains, it's all part of their pay. I'd prefer that the so called gratuities just be rolled into the price of the cabin and be done with it.

 

This is what it is all about - what they CALL it. It is no longer really a gratuity, and anyone looking at the description can tell that it is not. Once they started automatically charging your account daily, and predetermining who gets what percentage, it became a daily service charge in my mind. I am not sure why they would still call it a gratuity, and still make it optional? I am assuming they have a reason. :rolleyes:

 

Maybe because most Americans and those who have cruised before are used to that terminology? Is it for the employees? So that from their point of view they see that their service to us directly affects their pay? So that the best employees that offer really exceptional service do end up getting more money? But as more and more cruisers are coming from other parts of the world - they might be better off changing the term.

 

One thing that I really don't get in these discussions.....ALL the money the cruise lines pay their employees comes from cruisers...ALL. As stated previously in this thread, there is a certain minimum wage the employees get paid - it really doesn't matter from our point of view what percentage comes as part of the gratuity system, and what percentage comes through the company as a base wage - the entire 100% is coming from us.

 

Why do people see a difference in whether that money is included in the price, listed as a daily service charge, or called an automatic daily gratuity? It is only how you are thinking about it, it doesn't change how the system actually works.

[Dunfer]

Wish I would have read the website instead of depending on the first Post. Said deadline is April 14, so I waited until today. The price change actually came into effect today-- so the deadline was April 13. Oh well, it's only $7.70 more for my 7 day cruise in February. I'll hold on to my money until then.

[Firsttimerspk]

We are first time cruisers and opted not to pre pay gratuities. Will an automatic amount be added to our room or can we tip as we go along?

 

 

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[LMaxwell]

We are first time cruisers and opted not to pre pay gratuities. Will an automatic amount be added to our room or can we tip as we go along?

 

 

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An automatic amount will be added. You can opt out at guest services and tip as you go. Your choice

 

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