lalalemon Posted September 13, 2016 #1 Share Posted September 13, 2016 Hi there, We'll be cruising soon and don't plan to use the main dining room as we love the windjammer. Would it be wrong to remove the gratuities from our account and just tip our room attendant? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biker19 Posted September 13, 2016 #2 Share Posted September 13, 2016 Depends on who you ask. Be ready for feedback.:eek: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lordnlkon Posted September 13, 2016 #3 Share Posted September 13, 2016 (edited) Remember your gratuities also go to those who serve you in the windjammer as well. Edited September 13, 2016 by Lordnlkon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lalalemon Posted September 13, 2016 Author #4 Share Posted September 13, 2016 Yeh I know I'm going to get mixed response! I've read that gratuities mainly go to dining room staff though so as we won't be using their services, I'd rather tip our room attendant! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subtchr Posted September 13, 2016 #5 Share Posted September 13, 2016 I'll start the ball rolling, why not? You will be served in the Windjammer, by the same pool of people who serve in the MDR. I would just leave my tips in place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
champagne123 Posted September 13, 2016 #6 Share Posted September 13, 2016 (edited) Just being sarcastic for a sec: Who do you think cooks, sets up, serves, carves, replenishes, and cleans up in the Windjammer? Little blue fairies? :) Edited September 13, 2016 by champagne123 fffff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
serene56 Posted September 13, 2016 #7 Share Posted September 13, 2016 I'll start the ball rolling, why not? You will be served in the Windjammer, by the same pool of people who serve in the MDR. I would just leave my tips in place. I vote to keep them inplace. Because of the people who work the dining room also work at the buffet area. Might I also suggest that you pick anytime dining that way you are not holding a table and any money on the account for the dining room that is not used will go to the people in the buffet area. and MAYBE- just maybe you will see yourself in the dining room one night Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dplusd Posted September 13, 2016 #8 Share Posted September 13, 2016 I've read that gratuities mainly go to dining room staff though so as we won't be using their services, I'd rather tip our room attendant! A portion of the auto gratuities go to "Dining Services"...not the main dining room staff. Since you will be eating on the ship in other venues it would be appropriate to leave the auto tips in place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beverland Posted September 13, 2016 #9 Share Posted September 13, 2016 Need to leave the tips in place for the dining room staff. They work in other venues, as well. And......like another poster stated. Let the dining room know you won't be using the table so other guests have access, if necessary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BNBR Posted September 13, 2016 #10 Share Posted September 13, 2016 (edited) The issue is the way gratuities are distributed on the ships. A typical American would assume the gratuities for the dining staff go to YOUR waiter and back waiter, nobody else. Why? Because in the US, it's flat out illegal to spread gratuities around to others. So if you aren't in the dining room, how does your gratuity make it to a random server in the windjammer? So this could be confusing for most. I have a gratuity thread of my own trying to figure it out, and the wording from Royal is pretty straight forward. Gratuities are shared with the staff throughout the ship. How they are directly distributed, nobody seems to know. Does your waiter get a larger share based on number of guests? Who knows. The cruise uses them to simply pay their wages throughout the ship. It's slimy, yes, especially compared to US labor laws and the fact that a restaurant would be publicly shamed and sued for doing the same.... But that's just how it works on a cruise ship. So, should you remove the gratuities because you aren't at MDR? Probably not, since that money is spread to staff throughout the ship which would almost certainly include the staff in the windjammer. Edited September 13, 2016 by BNBR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hansolosmom Posted September 13, 2016 #11 Share Posted September 13, 2016 Just being sarcastic for a sec:Who do you think cooks, sets up, serves, carves, replenishes, and cleans up in the Windjammer? Little blue fairies? :) As a Harry Potter fan, I would say house elves :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hansolosmom Posted September 13, 2016 #12 Share Posted September 13, 2016 The issue is the way gratuities are distributed on the ships. A typical American would assume the gratuities for the dining staff go to YOUR waiter and back waiter, nobody else. Why? Because in the US, it's flat out illegal to spread gratuities around to others. WHAT???? Since when? When I waited tables, we were expected/told to give X percent of our tips to the bus people, kitchen and bar staff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark_K Posted September 13, 2016 #13 Share Posted September 13, 2016 Yeh I know I'm going to get mixed response! I've read that gratuities mainly go to dining room staff though so as we won't be using their services, I'd rather tip our room attendant! If you already knew what responses you'd get, why did you start yet another thread on the topic? Sent from my iPad using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LilBlackDress Posted September 13, 2016 #14 Share Posted September 13, 2016 As others have said, leave the auto tip in place... I look at the Dining Staff the same as MOST casino dealers in Vegas. Vegas pools all the dealers tips over a 24 hour period and divides it equally over all the dealers that worked that day. For a cruise ship, pool all the waitstaff tips over the length of the cruise, divide it equally over all the waitstaff that worked that cruise. Keep in mind that you are eating 2 - 4 times a day regardless of where you are eating. The waitstaff is there to bus your table, bring you drinks, and/or serve you... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lordnlkon Posted September 13, 2016 #15 Share Posted September 13, 2016 (edited) WHAT???? Since when? When I waited tables, we were expected/told to give X percent of our tips to the bus people, kitchen and bar staff. Yeah no idea where they got it was illegal. When I waited tables back in college was the same way. Edited September 13, 2016 by Lordnlkon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
easyboy Posted September 14, 2016 #16 Share Posted September 14, 2016 Just leave your gratuities as is and treat it as part of your fare. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColoradoGurl Posted September 14, 2016 #17 Share Posted September 14, 2016 I have to say, this might be the least confrontational tipping thread of all time, lol. Please, original poster guy, just go read alllllll the other tipping threads that have ever existed on here, and let's let this one die before it goes downhill. Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Espn Posted September 14, 2016 #18 Share Posted September 14, 2016 I have to say, this might be the least confrontational tipping thread of all time, lol. Please, original poster guy, just go read alllllll the other tipping threads that have ever existed on here, and let's let this one die before it goes downhill. Yes this is a very calm thread. To the OP, as others have said, leave the tips in place and enjoy your cruise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
papaflamingo Posted September 14, 2016 #19 Share Posted September 14, 2016 in the US, it's flat out illegal to spread gratuities around to others. Wrong. Here is a quote from the Department of Labor. "The requirement that an employee must retain all tips does not preclude a valid tip pooling or sharing arrangement among employees who customarily and regularly receive tips, such as waiters, waitresses, bellhops, counter personnel (who serve customers), bussers, and service bartenders. A valid tip pool may not include employees who do not customarily and regularly received tips, such as dishwashers, cooks, chefs, and janitors. " As for leaving tips in place, as others have said the common understanding is they are pooled. But also consider this. If you have Traditional Dining, your space at the table is yours. No one else can sit there. Your waiters count on the tips for pay. If you aren't there, they are being shorted their pay. So as someone else pointed out, if you don't intend to use the MDR, then be sure to be on My Time Dining so places won't go empty. But keep the tips in place. Dining services get $6.35 per day. So that covers breakfast, lunch, dinner, any free eating area like Sorrentos. If you are on a 7 night cruise each person will pay a total of $44.45 per week for ALL the food you eat in the free venues for the cruise. Not much in the grand scheme of things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cb at sea Posted September 14, 2016 #20 Share Posted September 14, 2016 Your gratuities already tip the cabin attendant...and the waitstaff! Unless you plan NEVER TO EAT on the ship...leave the tips "as are"! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dasi11 Posted September 14, 2016 #21 Share Posted September 14, 2016 Your gratuities already tip the cabin attendant...and the waitstaff! Unless you plan NEVER TO EAT on the ship...leave the tips "as are"! If you never eat on the ship then you never would need to tip. But once you go to any venue to eat, that tip is used for wages for those that help you. Even if it is a Buffet, they still cleaned the table before and after you arrived. It is the cost of cruising. It is the wage structure on ships, like it or not. Why rip off the waiters to save a few bucks? They work so hard for the small tips we leave them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klct39lg Posted September 14, 2016 #22 Share Posted September 14, 2016 When I leave the auto tip in place, is that the end of it for me? Is it like it is on Carnival...it is taken care of and I am not handing anything out on the last night? Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarea Posted September 14, 2016 #23 Share Posted September 14, 2016 When I leave the auto tip in place, is that the end of it for me? Is it like it is on Carnival...it is taken care of and I am not handing anything out on the last night? Thanks. Correct, unless you want to hand out more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klct39lg Posted September 14, 2016 #24 Share Posted September 14, 2016 By handing out, I meant a voucher that represents the tip. I have never sailed with RCCL so I didn't know if prepaid gratuities worked the same way as what I am used to. Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarea Posted September 14, 2016 #25 Share Posted September 14, 2016 By handing out, I meant a voucher that represents the tip. I have never sailed with RCCL so I didn't know if prepaid gratuities worked the same way as what I am used to. Thank you. They eliminated the vouchers a while back. Nothing to give out anymore. They do leave some envelopes in case you want to give more, but that's totally up to you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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