Pre-Paying Gratuities Results in Better Serivce Than Auto-Grats? Please Explain How

[PAPERBKWRITER]

I bet alot of people remove tips.

 

Good question for John, if he'd really tell us. I still think only a very small number of people do.

[watermelonqueen99]

On our last cruise, just out of curiosity, I asked guest services if the stewards know if you prepaid your gratuities or not, and the guy said no. Seems to be a lot of conflicting info out there. We always prepay, and also leave a tip on the first night, asking for our ice bucket to always be full. We've always had wonderful service.

[Elaine5715]

Good question for John, if he'd really tell us. I still think only a very small number of people do.

 

Next cruise, grab a drink at the Lobby Bar on the last sea day and watch them line up.

[cruizinisthebest]

Next cruise, grab a drink at the Lobby Bar on the last sea day and watch them line up.

Lol. Exactly.

 

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

[First and Ten]

Next cruise, grab a drink at the Lobby Bar on the last sea day and watch them line up.

 

So true....on my last cruise, the Atrium Bar is right by the guest services desk....spent a lot of time at that bar, :D....GS desk was essentially empty for the cruise with the exception of the last night....it was then there was a huge line. Sitting at the bar for only about 30 mins, cant help but overhear people walking away saying things like "Are they kidding with that much in tips, I wasn't about to pay that....got that removed and I will take care of him on my own if I see him"....people like that need to be added to the "Do Not Cruise List"

Edited August 3, 2016 by First and Ten

[Elaine5715]

So true....on my last cruise, the Atrium Bar is right by the guest services desk....spent a lot of time at that bar, :D....GS desk was essentially empty for the cruise with the exception of the last night....it was then there was a huge line. Sitting at the bar for only about 30 mins, cant help but overhear people walking away saying things "Are they kidding with that much in tips, I wasn't about to pay that....got that removed and I will take care of him on my own if I see him"....people like that need to be added to the "do Not Cruise List"

 

"If I see them"...funny how they don't see their wait team while eating on Lido the last dinner...

[BellaSweet]

I always see a lot of threads about gratuity/tips here..it kinda baffles me. I've never really contemplated it. Is it really this involved? :)

 

I pre-paid for my first and upcoming cruise. Then I gave extra cash to the steward/waiters because I wanted to and that's the end of it. If I would ever have an issue with a staff member or was unhappy about something, I would go to guest services to address the problem right after it happened. I don't worry about not having better service than the guy next to me.. as long as I am treated kindly and my room is clean, I'm happy.

Edited August 3, 2016 by BellaSweet

[StolidCruiser]

I was away for a few hours and hoped that upon returning to this thread I might find that someone had come forth to support the insupportable. But I suppose this is just a CC myth or game of telephone after all. Or possibly those who contend it to be true just haven't seen this thread yet?:rolleyes:

 

Come on, who out there in Carnival CC Land has claimed this? 'Fess up.:cool:

 

Hey Beef... I'm trying to figure out how a singular reference in a post (a gratuity post no less) claiming "people have said this" has gotten you so ruffled.

 

You've been bitten by the "National Enquirer" bug that can be CruiseCritic at times. I'm disappointed in you. :D

[ShakyBeef]

Hey Beef... I'm trying to figure out how a singular reference in a post (a gratuity post no less) claiming "people have said this" has gotten you so ruffled.

 

You've been bitten by the "National Enquirer" bug that can be CruiseCritic at times. I'm disappointed in you. :D

 

I'm so sorry to have disappointed you. Knowing that I have done so will certainly keep me awake tonight, wallowing in remorse and self-loathing.:cool:

Let me assure you I am in absolutely no way "ruffled". I haven't been bitten by anything other than a perplexity over the utter lack of logic behind such a claim and a curiosity to hear what possible argument those who make the claim could present to support it. I was also interested in having an intelligent debate with such a claimant, if any were to present himself.

 

Rest assured, I am not for a moment taken in by this ridiculous Enquirer-esque claim. I was just hoping to get anyone who has actually touted this piece of bullpucky to engage in the defense of it.

 

What can I say, it's been a slow week around here and I'm bored.:rolleyes:

[funinthesun1964]

Next cruise, grab a drink at the Lobby Bar on the last sea day and watch them line up.

 

That's for sure. And I've heard made-up excuses WHY they are there, I KNOW why they are there!

[PAPERBKWRITER]

Next cruise, grab a drink at the Lobby Bar on the last sea day and watch them line up.

 

I know about the line but it's usually an erroneous charge. I've been in that line until Carnival started putting SS accounts on in cabin TV.

[Elaine5715]

I know about the line but it's usually an erroneous charge. I've been in that line until Carnival started putting SS accounts on in cabin TV.

 

Maybe a few, but those people have a printout to show what charges are in error.. the awful gratutuies removers cause pained looks on GS while they spin stories and huff/puff

[PAPERBKWRITER]

Maybe a few, but those people have a printout to show what charges are in error.. the awful gratutuies removers cause pained looks on GS while they spin stories and huff/puff

 

Sadly, you're probably right.

[terri-eddie]

We have done prepaid gratuities. We have done pay-at-the-end gratuities. And once, my husband even removed gratuities....don't judge, don't heckle, don't even go there. He thought it was an error when he saw it on the in-room tv account listing, and went without me to the service desk and had it taken off.

 

On every cruise, no matter how the gratuities were billed [or not, in that one instance] we received exemplary service. I don't know how it could have been any better.

 

So....in our experience, the timing of your gratuity charges does not matter. Whether the stewards know or not is irrelevant.

[buddylover]

No matter how they tip, some people get lousy service because they are lousy guests.

 

...and some get lousy stewards too!! We have mostly encountered wonderful stewards, but have had a handful of pretty poor ones too. It has made no difference if we pre-pay or auto pay.....luck of the 'draw', and don't believe it is contingent on how one pays their gratuities.

 

When we prepay, it is for one of 2 reasons: to lower S&S cost in advance, or to 'grandfather' in lower gratuities when they are raised by cruise lines. Have never noticed any difference due to how we have paid.

[buddylover]

Interesting theory. I see it differently.

 

Many who prepay don't add more on, they have prepaid and it is one less thing to think about and they are done.

 

Anyone who has not yet paid the room attendant or wait staff may feel they have an opportunity to earn more than they would from the prepaids. Just an idea. Never rule out the opportunity to earn more (don't count chickens before they hatch sort of thing).

 

If anything, I think prepaid would actually get the shorter end of the stick here (no risk of it being removed if steward just phones in the job, so to speak).

 

This theory is FAR from being true....prepaying in NO WAY determines extra cash tipping at the end...it is just one way of paying off the cruise 'bottom line' for us. We ALWAYS tip more for service that is excellent...and prepaying tips does not preclude this from happening. They are TWO different cost considerations!!!:confused:

[dabear99211]

In another thread, the OP had been informed that pre-paying one's gratuities was recommended to get better service from one's Room Steward.

 

"People were posting that the room steward has a list and can see whose pre-paid and they seem to get better service?"

 

My question, to those that feel that pre-paying grats results in better service, is: Why would a steward possibly be motivated to give better service to a guest whom he knows (based on the existence of the notorious "List") has already paid his tip, than to the guest whom he knows has just left auto-grats in place? Please explain the logic behind this claim. :confused: It just sounds so Bizarro-World illogical to me that I can't wrap my head around it.

 

This is not meant to be a pre-pay vs. auto-grat debate. I understand and embrace the fact that we all have different opinions, priorities, and ways of looking at and doing things. I'm not trying to argue against your way of tipping or win you over to mine. I'm not looking to read, yet again, all the reasons why people do it one way or the other.

 

I just want to know, from those that believe it to be true, what makes you think that pre-paying results in better service than auto-grats?

 

Thank You.

 

There is NO difference, I have a very good relationship with one of the Housekeeping managers and his wife who is a long time server in the Steakhouse, and he has told me that neither he or the stewards know who has prepaid or taken away the tips until the end of their pay period (once per month) when they get paid.

[firemanbobswife]

There is NO difference, I have a very good relationship with one of the Housekeeping managers and his wife who is a long time server in the Steakhouse, and he has told me that neither he or the stewards know who has prepaid or taken away the tips until the end of their pay period (once per month) when they get paid.

 

 

That is not true. They do have a list of who has prepaid. They find out right after the cruise who paid auto tips and and who removed them.

[dabear99211]

That is not true. They do have a list of who has prepaid. They find out right after the cruise who paid auto tips and and who removed them.

 

I'm sorry you must be correct, after all why would the Housekeeping Manager know anything.

[firemanbobswife]

I'm sorry you must be correct, after all why would the Housekeeping Manager know anything.

 

 

You don't have to believe me. I have seen the list more than once on both the Conquest and the Glory with my own eyes. My Room Steward went over it with me both times and there is a column that states whether you prepaid or not.

 

I have had some of the same crew embers such as room stewards, waiters, and bartenders (who may also have been married to someone high ranking on the ship) more than once and they told me that they in fact do find out as soon as the cruise is over who paid their auto grats and who had them removed.

 

But just to make you feel better I'll ask one more time on my next cruise and see if I can take a pic of the list. I'm not going to be obvious though as I'm sure they really don't want that sort of thing out and about like the other infamous list. Maybe you should talk to the people that get paid directly from gratuities and see what they say. I'll bet you a Cheers Package that you will hear the same thing I'm telling you.

[rjrpar]

In another thread, the OP had been informed that pre-paying one's gratuities was recommended to get better service from one's Room Steward.

 

"People were posting that the room steward has a list and can see whose pre-paid and they seem to get better service?"

 

My question, to those that feel that pre-paying grats results in better service, is: Why would a steward possibly be motivated to give better service to a guest whom he knows (based on the existence of the notorious "List") has already paid his tip, than to the guest whom he knows has just left auto-grats in place? Please explain the logic behind this claim. :confused: It just sounds so Bizarro-World illogical to me that I can't wrap my head around it.

 

This is not meant to be a pre-pay vs. auto-grat debate. I understand and embrace the fact that we all have different opinions, priorities, and ways of looking at and doing things. I'm not trying to argue against your way of tipping or win you over to mine. I'm not looking to read, yet again, all the reasons why people do it one way or the other.

 

I just want to know, from those that believe it to be true, what makes you think that pre-paying results in better service than auto-grats?

 

Thank You.

 

 

Do you believe everything you hear? Makes no sense

[Rh2458]

You don't have to believe me. I have seen the list more than once on both the Conquest and the Glory with my own eyes. My Room Steward went over it with me both times and there is a column that states whether you prepaid or not.

 

I have had some of the same crew embers such as room stewards, waiters, and bartenders (who may also have been married to someone high ranking on the ship) more than once and they told me that they in fact do find out as soon as the cruise is over who paid their auto grats and who had them removed.

 

But just to make you feel better I'll ask one more time on my next cruise and see if I can take a pic of the list. I'm not going to be obvious though as I'm sure they really don't want that sort of thing out and about like the other infamous list. Maybe you should talk to the people that get paid directly from gratuities and see what they say. I'll bet you a Cheers Package that you will hear the same thing I'm telling you.

 

Isn't it kind of silly to be arguing about this? If the list is available AFTER the cruise maybe it's available so that the room steward is made aware they may not have serviced their guests as well as they had thought they did and it might just lead to future better service? Then again, it seems some remove the tips because they are just plain cheapskates so finding out after the fact really means squat, doesn't it?

[firemanbobswife]

Isn't it kind of silly to be arguing about this? If the list is available AFTER the cruise maybe it's available so that the room steward is made aware they may not have serviced their guests as well as they had thought they did and it might just lead to future better service? Then again, it seems some remove the tips because they are just plain cheapskates so finding out after the fact really means squat, doesn't it?

 

 

What you say makes perfect sense to me. Obviously in the eyes of Carnival, they would want to address the removal of tips with the crew member right away while its fresh in their mind who the guest was to address the issues. If they are servicing 20-30 some cabins each cruise, it would be impossible to remember them all at payday.

[OCruisers]

Your room steward will know and appreciate your not removing the "auto tip".

Seems they get questioned when you do.

[VASOXFANN]

Who cares?

 

Do what you want, and if you get bad service complain and/or adjust the tips accordingly. All of this fuss is a little silly, don't ya think?