Prepaid Gratuities Vs. Direct Tipping...Is there a way to do this?

[grapau27]

I'm sure it's no mistake your "friend" removes the tips at the END of the cruise [emoji57]

 

 

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We have always pre paid our RC tips but i think anyone removing tips at the end of the cruise doesn't sit right with me.

Anytime during the cruise with a genuine reason yes but not at the end.

 

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[grapau27]

I just want to understand one thing from the OP's original post. Are you saying you don't tip for what you determine is "generic" service and only tip for "exceptional" service? If that's the case, you are being unfair to those who provide a service for you but don't meet your definition of "exceptional."

 

I feel that the best way to handle tipping, having been on over 50 cruises, is to leave the daily gratuity charges, added to your on board account, as they are. To me, that takes care of those who provide good but not necessarily exceptional service. They do deserve a reasonable income after all. For those who provide excellent service for us, we'll give them additional money personally to recognize their service.

 

Doing it this way also saves you from standing in what can sometimes be a very long slow line at Guest Relations in order to remove the standard gratuity charges from your account.

I agree totally as will most of your fellow passengers.

 

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[grapau27]

NCL got brought up in this discussion because it is being used as an example of a company who doesn't allow guests to remove their tips. I think it's relevant and interesting info.

 

 

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I agree and it could apply to most cruise lines.

 

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[grapau27]

Curious as how your friend direct tips the buffet staff, the cooks, house keeping staff that washes and cleans your sheets, there are a lot of behind the scenes staff that takes part in the tip pool. Not to mention that those who are lucky enough to receive your tip are required to turn the tips into the pool, they get far less then you give them.. Kudos to NCL for making it difficult to be a non tipper cheapo.

I agree,i always question why people wait till​ the end of the cruise to remove tips so for me NCL have the right approach.

 

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[Thorben-Hendrik]

Removing gratuities is a nice discount on the cruise fare(y)

With all the service cuts that happened - I am not sure RCI deserves to be sponsored by gratuities.

 

 

They hang on to the grutuity system because it is such a money maker as the US passengers over-tip so much!:D:cool:

Which is good - just not everybody has to participate in that game....;p

 

Lets face it - if more people would remove the gratuities they would have to change the pay system FAST - and I am ALL for that!

[Thorben-Hendrik]

How to remove gratuities on NCL:

 

BTW it is illegal to force people into gratuities in may European countries - so there will always be a way to remove them!

[Candleonwater]

I just wish RCL would get rid of the tipping thing, and just build it into the fare. I am one that removes the tips - the first day, and tip as I see fit. But I tip, and tip very well for excellent service. (Don't lecture me on the people behind the scenes, I understand what you're saying, but I choose to do this, and RCL allows me to). That being said, on my last cruise, I saw the "evil" of this method as our sailing mates copied me, and had their tips removed... because they had no intention of tipping AT ALL. They just saw it as a discount on the cruise. That's not cool in my eyes.

[S.S.Oceanlover]

How to remove gratuities on NCL:

 

BTW it is illegal to force people into gratuities in may European countries - so there will always be a way to remove them!

 

Fortunately for those who wish to remove the DSC for whatever reason they no longer require you to send in the form AFTER your cruise is over.

 

It is now done the way it used to be done, while onboard. AFAIK this is correct from what has been posted on CC in the last few months.

 

Bill

[cb at sea]

Just leave the direct charged tips in place...that assures that EVERYONE who is supposed to be tipped by you, IS....and if someone goes "above and beyond", hand them a few extra bucks. I'm a good tipper, but there is no need to go overboard, so to speak!

[Thorben-Hendrik]

Fortunately for those who wish to remove the DSC for whatever reason they no longer require you to send in the form AFTER your cruise is over.

 

It is now done the way it used to be done, while onboard. AFAIK this is correct from what has been posted on CC in the last few months.

 

Bill

Thanks for the update...I was wondering how they would handle cash accounts and passengers from countries that do not allow mandatory grats.....

[Ocean Boy]

We always prepay our gratuities at the time of booking and give extra at the end to our stateroom Stewart. We eat at the buffet and already get charged a gratuity when we order drinks so no need to tip anyone else unless we eat at one of the pay venues.

 

 

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Isn't the gratuity for the specialty restaurants included in the charge? Why do you provide extra gratuity there?

[Bigbluegal]

We have always paid our daily tips as well as extra for staff we are directly involved with. I can see both sides however....when I go to a restaurant here at home, I tip my waiter or waitress but not everyone involved in preparing the meal. For others who add additional tip at weeks end (in the envelopes provided), what do you feel is appropriate for expected/exceptional service?

[cruisinggaga]

Isn't the gratuity for the specialty restaurants included in the charge? Why do you provide extra gratuity there?

 

 

 

The amount of money you have to pay for pre paid gratuity which isn't a lot is split up among everyone not just the people that serve you. The cooks, the wait staff, the bus boy/girl plus your cabin stewards plus the pay venues. So many go above and beyond we like to leave that little extra but it isn't necessary.

We also like to leave extra for our cabin stewards if they go above and beyond.

Last time I asked our cabin steward on the first night if he could bring me ice and he brought me ice every night after that. So we left him an additional $50.00

[Grandma Dazzles]

The amount of money you have to pay for pre paid gratuity which isn't a lot is split up among everyone not just the people that serve you. The cooks, the wait staff, the bus boy/girl plus your cabin stewards plus the pay venues. So many go above and beyond we like to leave that little extra but it isn't necessary.

We also like to leave extra for our cabin stewards if they go above and beyond.

Last time I asked our cabin steward on the first night if he could bring me ice and he brought me ice every night after that. So we left him an additional $50.00[/quote

 

I totally agree with daily gratuities and frequently say so on these boards; also giving extra where service has been particularly good.

 

I don't, however, consider getting daily ice as "above and beyond." Stewards usually ask if you want ice - that's part of their job. I would hate a fairly new cruiser to think they had to tip extra to get ice, or that it was a special chore, based on your response.

 

I often tip extra based on the interaction of the crew, their friendliness, and just general pleasant personality, more than what they actually did for me.

[the mistral wind]

Just leave the direct charged tips in place...that assures that EVERYONE who is supposed to be tipped by you, IS....and if someone goes "above and beyond", hand them a few extra bucks. I'm a good tipper, but there is no need to go overboard, so to speak!

I like your idea. I usually tell my TA to add gratuities to my cruise fare so i can pay this off in advance. I also feel that if you wish to tip more you can do so but the staff right or wrong do depend on these tips with that being said it still is at the customers discretion how much they want to tip. tips are supposed to be merit based not mandatory. But i prefer to tip the suggested amount in advance.:)

[cruisinggaga]

Well the ice was just an example of one of the many things he did for us. To each his own I guess. I was not suggesting anyone should have to tip for ice it was just one of many things he did for us. I have been on many cruises and have never been asked if I wanted ice. Everyone tips differently and if I find my cabin Stewart does something extra no matter how little I will tip them at the end of the cruise.

To all the first time cruisers, you DO NOT have to tip extra it is a personal choice. [emoji846]

 

 

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[tnt10]

So, for those who are adamantly against tipping, would you feel better if there is a "daily service charge" added to your cruise? That cannot be removed?

The cruise lines will get the money to pay staff from the passengers one way or another, as a "tip" or a "service charge" or whatever.

The way it is now, you feel as if you are getting a deal by paying a lower base fare for your cruise, but then with added service charges.

I know some European countries don't believe in tipping, but they sure do believe in service charges-in restaurants and a myriad of other venues.

Try getting a service charge removed from a bill in one of these instances-doesn't happen.

Not leaving a tip on a cruise ship, when you KNOW how the system works, is just being cheap and inexcusable. And frankly, if you don't feel it's right, then work to change it and don't support the system by continuing to cruise.

JMHO

[grapau27]

Isn't the gratuity for the specialty restaurants included in the charge? Why do you provide extra gratuity there?

I understand that a gratuity is included in the cost of the specialty restaurant but almost every time we have been in one the service and interaction has been excellent so i tend to give our waiter/waitress a $10 note.

 

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[Thorben-Hendrik]

 

Not leaving a tip on a cruise ship, when you KNOW how the system works, is just being cheap and inexcusable.

Why not take a deal while you can....?:cool:;p

[Misplaced Texan]

We have always paid our daily tips as well as extra for staff we are directly involved with. I can see both sides however....when I go to a restaurant here at home, I tip my waiter or waitress but not everyone involved in preparing the meal. For others who add additional tip at weeks end (in the envelopes provided), what do you feel is appropriate for expected/exceptional service?

 

 

 

You waiter or waitress probably has to share some portion of that tip with others (whoever busses the table, service bar, maybe the host/hostess).

 

Similarly, it's been reported that tips up to the daily charge are pooled even when you give them in cash. So removing the tips and tipping in cash does one of two things:

1) You wind up short-changing everyone if your total tips are less than the automatic amount would be or

2) You wind up paying the automatic amount to everyone and a small bit extra to whoever you actually hand the cash to, which you could do without ever removing the automatic amounts.

 

 

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[Redrobo]

So, for those who are adamantly against tipping, would you feel better if there is a "daily service charge" added to your cruise? That cannot be removed?

The cruise lines will get the money to pay staff from the passengers one way or another, as a "tip" or a "service charge" or whatever.

 

Not leaving a tip on a cruise ship, when you KNOW how the system works, is just being cheap and inexcusable. And frankly, if you don't feel it's right, then work to change it and don't support the system by continuing to cruise.

JMHO

 

RCCL on average make about 1/4 million $ from tips each 7 day cruise , more on longer cruises. Your fare should be sufficient to pay the staff, if it is not why should anyone be shamed into paying them.

[LMaxwell]

[emoji849] ok well whatever. The point is that someone said NCL had no relevance and I think it was a good example of another cruise line who has a similar daily charge (whether they call it the same thing or not) and they make it a lot more difficult to just go to guest services and remove it. I don't think that's a bad idea, and the person who originally posted about it was making the same point. And that was what my response was about.

 

 

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I had an incident with a bar tender on the Escape that I felt was particularly out of line and went to GS and halved my DSC charge while onboard. They gave me a paper to fill out and told me it would be processed that day. Half the charges refunded to my account that afternoon, mid-cruise. I left half the charge in place and gave additional in cash to some waitstaff and my cabin steward. December 2016. There was nothing difficult about it.

[Ocean Boy]

The amount of money you have to pay for pre paid gratuity which isn't a lot is split up among everyone not just the people that serve you. The cooks, the wait staff, the bus boy/girl plus your cabin stewards plus the pay venues. So many go above and beyond we like to leave that little extra but it isn't necessary.

We also like to leave extra for our cabin stewards if they go above and beyond.

Last time I asked our cabin steward on the first night if he could bring me ice and he brought me ice every night after that. So we left him an additional $50.00

I tend to tip extra to staff that I interact with multiple times during the week such as our steward, some bartenders, and even some staff in the Windjammer (we no longer use the MDR). But I probably would not be so inclined for a one time visit to a specialty restaurant unless they really did something above and beyond on that one time interaction.

 

I am not so sure that the auto gratuities are split with folks in the specialty restaurants. I'm pretty sure their grats come out of the fee that you pay.

[the mistral wind]

Why not take a deal while you can....?:cool:;p

Believe me i understand not wanting to spend the extra money but they depend on these tips like a waiter does in the US. Fair practice from the Cruise lines ,that's debateable. But it is what it is, and they certainly signed up for the tip money in their agreement to for their weekly salary. So please continue to tip unless your service was terrible which i have never experienced on any of my 30+ cruises.:cool:

[galavant3]

What if you don't use some of the services that is included in the direct tipping? for example, we don't use the main dining room at all. Why would I then tip for a service that I didn't use?

Tipping shouldn't pay for the salaries, cruise lines should. Tipping is an appreciation of a service received not a granted right simply because you are on board and they have access to your credit card information.

 

 

 

There are lines where gratuities are included in the cruise fare. If you object to the compensation system in place, you might check other lines out. By not tipping, or under tipping, you are not punishing the cruise line, just the worker.

 

My personal feeling is if you plan to remove gratuities, please let all who serve you know so that they can adjust their service accordingly. We have never gotten anything less than excellent service and objecting to the relatively small daily charge seems unreasonable.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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