Soramor Posted February 7, 2017 #1 Share Posted February 7, 2017 Hi everyone! Hopefully a simple question... we are sailing in a month and are thinking of booking the deluxe drink package. My husband would MUCH rather tip (well) in cash with each drink to each individual bar tender than pay the 18% gratuity up front with the package. It's there any way to do this or are we stuck with prepaid gratuities if we book the package? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarea Posted February 7, 2017 #2 Share Posted February 7, 2017 Hi everyone! Hopefully a simple question... we are sailing in a month and are thinking of booking the deluxe drink package. My husband would MUCH rather tip (well) in cash with each drink to each individual bar tender than pay the 18% gratuity up front with the package. It's there any way to do this or are we stuck with prepaid gratuities if we book the package? You are stuck with the gratuity charge on the drink package. However, you can always add additional cash gratuity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Captain Funtime Posted February 7, 2017 #3 Share Posted February 7, 2017 Just off Celebrity Silhouette Sunday. We always tip additional. Two reasons. 1) The bartenders tend to quickly learn your name and regular drink. 2) I don't think the 18% makes it to your bartender. I observed a couple of things. Very few pax leave additional $$$. I saw maybe 3 pax do so in 7 days. On Celebrity, if you are on a package you don't sign anything. Almost everyone had a package. Saw very few pax sign. Sent from my iPad using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fouremco Posted February 7, 2017 #4 Share Posted February 7, 2017 Just off Celebrity Silhouette Sunday. We always tip additional. Two reasons. 1) The bartenders tend to quickly learn your name and regular drink. 2) I don't think the 18% makes it to your bartender. I observed a couple of things. Very few pax leave additional $$$. I saw maybe 3 pax do so in 7 days. On Celebrity, if you are on a package you don't sign anything. Almost everyone had a package. Saw very few pax sign. Where do you think it goes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soramor Posted February 7, 2017 Author #5 Share Posted February 7, 2017 Where do you think it goes? It gets split among all of them. Many people prefer to tip the individual who is actually providing the service Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
packercruising Posted February 7, 2017 #6 Share Posted February 7, 2017 Leave the gratuity prepaid and tip extra where you feel it is warranted. To remove gratuities means that someone you may not even be aware of, may be providing you a service and not getting tipped. Very unfair, IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spookwife Posted February 7, 2017 #7 Share Posted February 7, 2017 There is no way to not pay the 18% on the package. Just slip an extra dollar every other drink if you are so inclined. Sent from my iPad using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
setsail Posted February 7, 2017 #8 Share Posted February 7, 2017 Really, no body is forcing you to drink so if you don't want to pay then don't drink . Bar cash tips are also pooled Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fouremco Posted February 7, 2017 #9 Share Posted February 7, 2017 It gets split among all of them. Many people prefer to tip the individual who is actually providing the service Ah, now I see what Funship Freddy meant. I thought that he was suggesting that the 18% didn't get to the bartenders as a group. As others have said, the only way you can ensure that a gratuity goes to your bartender of choice is by paying an extra tip directly to the bartender. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
packercruising Posted February 7, 2017 #10 Share Posted February 7, 2017 Really, no body is forcing you to drink so if you don't want to pay then don't drink . Bar cash tips are also pooled Okay, question- I have read that if you tip extra on your drink receipt that the tips get pooled, but if you give the individual cash, they keep all of it. Is this true? Some bar staff will go out of their way to give you great service and others can walk right by your empty glass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarea Posted February 7, 2017 #11 Share Posted February 7, 2017 Okay, question- I have read that if you tip extra on your drink receipt that the tips get pooled, but if you give the individual cash, they keep all of it. Is this true? Some bar staff will go out of their way to give you great service and others can walk right by your empty glass. I've seen it both ways with cash tips. Bartenders sometimes put cash tips in a common jar, and sometimes put the cash tips in their pocket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark290 Posted February 7, 2017 #12 Share Posted February 7, 2017 (edited) Really, no body is forcing you to drink so if you don't want to pay then don't drink . Bar cash tips are also pooled You realize you are answering a question that was not asked ? Edited February 7, 2017 by mark290 Sp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daze6399 Posted February 7, 2017 #13 Share Posted February 7, 2017 I've seen it both ways with cash tips. Bartenders sometimes put cash tips in a common jar, and sometimes put the cash tips in their pocket. I would suspect that ALL tips are "supposed" to be pooled either with a bar team, or with all of the bar support staff (I can argue both ways on the "fairness" of that practice, but it's not relevant) but there are always some people that don't like pooling their tips for whatever the reason might be and just put the cash in their pocket. I have also known multiple bartenders that have customers that want to be sure their tips go to the bartender that helps them out, so they put the cash in their pocket and then put it in the communal jar when no one is looking. It's hard to say for sure what any specific bar staff does with a cash tip, no way to track it. I will say that I've worked in several bars in several positions and believe me, EVERYONE earns every bit of money they make from tips. If they don't earn it, they'll be run out of the team in short order. So remember folks...tip your bar staff! :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
setsail Posted February 7, 2017 #14 Share Posted February 7, 2017 You realize your are answering a question that was not asked ? Same answer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caribbean sailor Posted February 7, 2017 #15 Share Posted February 7, 2017 Leave the gratuity prepaid and tip extra where you feel it is warranted. To remove gratuities means that someone you may not even be aware of, may be providing you a service and not getting tipped. Very unfair, IMO. Royal's continual price rise is very unfair.The first thing i do on board is to remove the royal money grab.And tip as i please. :p :eek: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soramor Posted February 7, 2017 Author #16 Share Posted February 7, 2017 Really, no body is forcing you to drink so if you don't want to pay then don't drink . Bar cash tips are also pooled Prerry sure it was quite obvious that we have no qualms about "paying" but would prefer to tip the bar tenders (in cash - hence the question) when they serve us instead of electronically pre-paying. Did you have anything constructive to add? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soramor Posted February 7, 2017 Author #17 Share Posted February 7, 2017 Royal's continual price rise is very unfair.The first thing i do on board is to remove the royal money grab.And tip as i please.[emoji14]:eek: I agree... But Is this applicable to the drink package, though? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daze6399 Posted February 7, 2017 #18 Share Posted February 7, 2017 I agree... But Is this applicable to the drink package, though? No, it is not applicable to the drink package. I do not know of any way to remove the tips from the package. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cb at sea Posted February 7, 2017 #19 Share Posted February 7, 2017 No...it is NOT applicable to ANY "package"...18% is simply added to the cost. No way around it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoopster95 Posted February 7, 2017 #20 Share Posted February 7, 2017 I learned directly from staff on Harmony: the 18% and any extra cash tip you give them is the server's only wage. the 18% is distributed only within the team that they work for... so for example, Boleros + On-Air are one team, etc. If one "team" (aka one bar) is more popular than another (better drinks, better service, more cruisers go there, etc), that team will end up with more $ in their pocket than servers in the other team. a direct cash tip to a server is 90% kept by that server, 10% is supposed to be pooled into the team they work in. This is likely the reason why when you tip the extra buck to a particular server you do receive a little better service and ongoing attention throughout the cruise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisa8 Posted February 7, 2017 #21 Share Posted February 7, 2017 The prepaid gratuities on the drink package is already so little, so I see no reason to remove it. There is no way of removing it either. I always tip a couple of extra dollars on my drinks anyway even with the prepaid gratuities because its a couple of dollars spent well. These people work hard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soramor Posted February 7, 2017 Author #22 Share Posted February 7, 2017 I learned directly from staff on Harmony: the 18% and any extra cash tip you give them is the server's only wage. the 18% is distributed only within the team that they work for... so for example, Boleros + On-Air are one team, etc. If one "team" (aka one bar) is more popular than another (better drinks, better service, more cruisers go there, etc), that team will end up with more $ in their pocket than servers in the other team. a direct cash tip to a server is 90% kept by that server, 10% is supposed to be pooled into the team they work in. This is likely the reason why when you tip the extra buck to a particular server you do receive a little better service and ongoing attention throughout the cruise. Good to know! Thanks for this!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fouremco Posted February 7, 2017 #23 Share Posted February 7, 2017 I learned directly from staff on Harmony: the 18% and any extra cash tip you give them is the server's only wage. the 18% is distributed only within the team that they work for... so for example, Boleros + On-Air are one team, etc. If one "team" (aka one bar) is more popular than another (better drinks, better service, more cruisers go there, etc), that team will end up with more $ in their pocket than servers in the other team. a direct cash tip to a server is 90% kept by that server, 10% is supposed to be pooled into the team they work in. This is likely the reason why when you tip the extra buck to a particular server you do receive a little better service and ongoing attention throughout the cruise. Sorry, I don't believe a word of the bolded text. They may not get paid a high salary, but they do not work solely for tips. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
packercruising Posted February 7, 2017 #24 Share Posted February 7, 2017 I've seen it both ways with cash tips. Bartenders sometimes put cash tips in a common jar, and sometimes put the cash tips in their pocket. Us too. Sometimes the really good ones will get an extra tip at the end and we will make sure to comment it is for them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJporkroll Posted February 8, 2017 #25 Share Posted February 8, 2017 Hi everyone! Hopefully a simple question... we are sailing in a month and are thinking of booking the deluxe drink package. My husband would MUCH rather tip (well) in cash with each drink to each individual bar tender than pay the 18% gratuity up front with the package. It's there any way to do this or are we stuck with prepaid gratuities if we book the package? Stop bucking the system... pay it and move on. The right people get there money. If your so inclined tip additionally. Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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