Gratuity breakdown by position

[Merion_Mom]

Haven't been asked in over a year.

 

They do ask you to fill out the survey, but no request for a top score anymore.

 

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Two people doing live reports this past week stated that they were pestered for top ratings by their wait staff.

[John&LaLa]

Two people doing live reports this past week stated that they were pestered for top ratings by their wait staff.

What ship

 

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[CruisingNole]

Haven't been asked in over a year.

 

They do ask you to fill out the survey, but no request for a top score anymore.

 

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I suppose it's all in how you phrase the question. From what I recall, waiter in December said something along the lines of:

 

"Have you been satisfied with your dining experience over the past 7 days" and I answered "yes, everything was great." Waiter than proceeded with "Since you feel that I provided you with exceptional service, please indicate so on the survey."

 

So it wasn't a direct "please rate me as high as possible" but it might has well have been.

[Mikew0805]

Our experience also.

 

 

Here as well. Actually, I think the last time I remember it happening was on the Majesty in May 2017

[BEENSAILING]

Main dining room waiters on 2 cruises in April asked us to rate them a 10.

[John&LaLa]

What ship

Main dining room waiters on 2 cruises in April asked us to rate them a 10.

 

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[amsred2]

I am a manager in customer service. We routinely ask our customers if they received perfect "10" service. If so, we ask them to rate us 10 if they receive a survey. The reason for this is that we, as humans, find it difficult to give a perfect "10" even when the service is great. However, in the "business" only a "9" or "10" counts as a positive experience, we get no points for a 6-8 and negative points for 0-5. I can't tell you how many surveys we have received that said they loved everything about the service, goods, staff and experience but still rated an "8" overall which actually hurts our total average. We have to put the perfect "10" notion out there so that people have it in their minds when they do the survey. The numbered rating system really is not a valuable ( or fair) tool to improve service or make change. FYI ...The best way to help is to actually fill out the comment fields with as much detail, good or bad, as possible.

 

That said, on the thread topic. I really would love to find out definitively if the cruise lines truly disperse all tips to to employees and how they do it. Has no one ever done an "expose" on this?

[Toofarfromthesea]

What's next? Asking your accountant how the fee you pay to get your taxes prepared and filed how your fee is split up among the various employees and support functions.

Guess I'll never understand why this is a FAQ with some cruisers.

 

Frequently it is a step on their path to the perdition of removing the autograts.

[SRF]

I am a manager in customer service. We routinely ask our customers if they received perfect "10" service. If so, we ask them to rate us 10 if they receive a survey. The reason for this is that we, as humans, find it difficult to give a perfect "10" even when the service is great. However, in the "business" only a "9" or "10" counts as a positive experience, we get no points for a 6-8 and negative points for 0-5. I can't tell you how many surveys we have received that said they loved everything about the service, goods, staff and experience but still rated an "8" overall which actually hurts our total average. We have to put the perfect "10" notion out there so that people have it in their minds when they do the survey. The numbered rating system really is not a valuable ( or fair) tool to improve service or make change. FYI ...The best way to help is to actually fill out the comment fields with as much detail, good or bad, as possible.

 

That said, on the thread topic. I really would love to find out definitively if the cruise lines truly disperse all tips to to employees and how they do it. Has no one ever done an "expose" on this?

 

That is why I don't do most of those surveys. A 5 out of 10 is average. Not bad, not good. But like everyone else.

 

I know some places with a 1 - 5 rating system, anything other than a 5 is a fail. Sorry, a 5 means everything was more than perfect. Just isn't so.

 

As for the expose about cruise lines skimming grats, don't you thing they would have been outed by now?

 

And why would they? It could only hurt.

 

But I guess all those accusing the cruise lines of doing this, are telling use that is how THEY would run their business.

[BEENSAILING]

What ship

 

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Adventure in April. Freedom in March.

[CruisingNole]

That said, on the thread topic. I really would love to find out definitively if the cruise lines truly disperse all tips to to employees and how they do it. Has no one ever done an "expose" on this?

 

In the past, I worked about 10 years as a banquet server/bartender for several resorts. All group events such as wedding receptions, company events / holiday parties, things like that. Depending on the agreement, typically customer pays a flat rate per person plus 18% gratuity. This is for food/drink/service etc. And then there may be a rental fee for the facilities, etc. Anyways, the servers are paid the minimum tipped wage as required by law (at the time it was about $2 an hour). First order of business is for management to skim 2% - 3% off the top. Some of it goes "to the house" and some directly into the pockets of the sales manager for the event and the food and beverage manager. Then the rest is pooled and distributed among the employees actually providing the service. This is standard practice at your major resorts like Hilton, Marriott, Holiday Inn, etc.

 

I'd imagine the same goes for cruise lines, but I'm sure that is a well kept secret and even if that information was disclosed from the company, who knows if it's accurate. I guess you have to ask yourself this - every time the daily gratuities are raised, do the employees then get a raise? My guess would be no.

[nolesrule]

They don't need to skim grats. They can make money off the float from prepaid grats. 13-week Treasuries are close to a 2% yield.

[paton]

Gratuities = $14.50/person/day.

 

Does anyone know what is the $/day breakdown for the individual crew members.......Waiter, Asst. waiter, Stateroom attendant, etc?

 

Just curious.

 

 

I was on Majesty few weeks ago and they put letter in room stating the breakdown of the $14.50 per day.

 

 

Dining Room: $6.25

Other Dining Services: $2.60

Stateroom Attendant: $3.55

Other Hotel Services: $2.10

[newcruzer2]

What's next? Asking your accountant how the fee you pay to get your taxes prepared and filed how your fee is split up among the various employees and support functions.

Excellent point. And good job , thinking of the gratuities as a Fee ... because it IS.

[BEENSAILING]

Excellent point. And good job , thinking of the gratuities as a Fee ... because it IS.

 

 

This is not a fee. You can have it removed from your bill on board. Just go go to guest services on day 1. You do not need to pay pre cruise. You can tip who you want and how much you want. Gratuity is given for service provided and should never be mandatory. PS. If you buy a drink the tip is automatically added in. Same for spa service. We carry cash and tip as we go as we may not have the same waiters every night in the dining room. Many like to pre pay and then never give more to waiters or stateroom attendant. Some let it go onto sea pass and give extra - or not. But there are always those envelopes in your statroom along with the disembarkation luggage tags. This is an ongoing discussion on these boards.

[setsail]

Excellent point. And good job , thinking of the gratuities as a Fee ... because it IS.

 

It must be true, caps were used

[Mikew0805]

Excellent point. And good job , thinking of the gratuities as a Fee ... because it IS.

 

No... it isn't.

[salmonoftheseas]

A "befriended" officer from the financial dept onboard recently confirmed that 2 $ pp/day is kept by RCCL for "handling" purposes. Please do your own math basing your calculations on an average utilized capacity for ..how many ships?..

You may claim it is based on rumour but as long as RCCL lacks 100% transparency…..

[grapau27]

But there is a section on the survey asking if you have been specifically asked to score a 10.... and by what department. Presumably that mean they go on the naughty step that week and lose out on the pot?

 

 

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Everywhere you go nowadays in the UK we are asked to fill in surveys about our experience in shops,restaurants,garages etc etc.

When I am asked the question in RC post cruise surveys about has anyone asked me to give excellent marks I always say no because I don't want to get anyone disciplined.

I wonder if RC ask the crew to ask for excellent marks for marketing purposes and if we did mention names they might get a bonus rather than the sack?.

[maggie cruises]

This is not a fee. You can have it removed from your bill on board. Just go go to guest services on day 1. You do not need to pay pre cruise. You can tip who you want and how much you want. Gratuity is given for service provided and should never be mandatory. PS. If you buy a drink the tip is automatically added in. Same for spa service. We carry cash and tip as we go as we may not have the same waiters every night in the dining room. Many like to pre pay and then never give more to waiters or stateroom attendant. Some let it go onto sea pass and give extra - or not. But there are always those envelopes in your statroom along with the disembarkation luggage tags. This is an ongoing discussion on these boards.

 

 

 

Can you have it removed after day 1? Is it necessary to do it on day 1 or could I just do it on say day 5 or 6 when I notice no line at guest services?

 

I prefer the old way of tipping directly and certainly would tip our waiters and room steward sufficiently and more

 

I'm just anti auto grats ....on principle...and I do not believe in tipping for "other services" as listed in the breakdown of tips...again on principle

 

 

 

 

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[Peeker28]

What ship

 

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I was just on harmony last week and was asked by the wait staff to rate them a 10. I didn't mind them asking and I did rate them high.

 

 

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[BEENSAILING]

Can you have it removed after day 1? Is it necessary to do it on day 1 or could I just do it on say day 5 or 6 when I notice no line at guest services?

 

I prefer the old way of tipping directly and certainly would tip our waiters and room steward sufficiently and more

 

I'm just anti auto grats ....on principle...and I do not believe in tipping for "other services" as listed in the breakdown of tips...again on principle

 

 

 

 

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Yes u can have removed after day 1. It usually takes 24 hours for the charges to be removed from the sea pass card. I would not wait until day 5 or 6. I like to do it early on the cruise. You can go anytime - day or night. There is always someone working at guest services. At night they are working in the office - just ring the bell if you see it on the counter or just say hello in a voice where you can be heard.

[BonTexasNY]

Do waiters only pester passengers in the MDR during the 2 traditional dining times? We had MTD on our past Dec. Liberty cruise and not a word about giving a 10 score since we had different waiters each night.

 

 

Upcoming Oct. cruise is traditional dining so I'll see if there is a difference.

[John&LaLa]

I was just on harmony last week and was asked by the wait staff to rate them a 10. I didn't mind them asking and I did rate them high.

 

 

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If that happens to us, I'll report it

 

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[TEXASMUNK]

"I TIP to those that I get service from" Sorry, BS. Go clean your own table in Windjammer. Head down a few decks, wash your own sheets. Get behind the bar and re-stock the ice. etc, etc, etc. You just want to justify stiffing the staff!!!!!!