Gratuities

[caribill]

Back when Princess was "The Love Boat", before the Carnival merger there were no auto gratuities. You tipped the last night of the cruise to your room steward, head waiter, assistant waiter and Maitre d, if you felt he went above and beyond. The service was stellar because everyone had to work harder for their tips. One of the Maitre d's told me that the women would fawn over the servers, "Oh, I want to take you home with me", etc. and he said it was all for tips, and the extra service or fawning over passengers was all for tips, so I would say the crew prefers cash over little trinkets or candy or whatever. He also said he felt sad for passengers that they had to cruise to get attention.

 

As nice as that sounds, the reality was that on the last evening there would be many empty tables in the dining rooms as a number of passengers would eat in the buffet to avoid handing out gratuities that night.

[BCCRUSINGCOUPLE]

He doesn't accomplish his purpose since all those tips will turned in to the auto-grat pool.

 

 

 

If his individual tips exactly equal the auto-grats all he will have accomplished is causing a great deal of bookkeeping work for nothing.

 

 

 

If less, then he is cheap.

 

 

 

If more, then he defeats his own purpose since the person he thought deserved more won't get it, since it will have to be turned in and pooled.

 

 

 

I agree however most don’t turn into the pool if you hand it to the person away from any other staff or other people’s eyes

 

 

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[Toofarfromthesea]

I agree however most don’t turn into the pool if you hand it to the person away from any other staff or other people’s eyes

 

 

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I don't believe that people would risk their job by doing this. And if you think that in the cramped crew quarters where they are with each other constantly for 5 months straight without a break that everyone doesn't know everyone else's business then I don't know what to say. Risking one of the best job opportunities open to them to score a little extra cash would be profoundly foolish.

[BCCRUSINGCOUPLE]

I don't believe that people would risk their job by doing this. And if you think that in the cramped crew quarters where they are with each other constantly for 5 months straight without a break that everyone doesn't know everyone else's business then I don't know what to say. Risking one of the best job opportunities open to them to score a little extra cash would be profoundly foolish.

 

 

 

I have 5 friends on 3 diffrent cruise lines it happens all the time this is from the telling me. I leave auto tips on I find it much easier.

 

 

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[scootie1964]

Princess has abolished auto gratuities on Australian Cruises and the prices don't seem to have risen. P & O as well as a couple of Carnival ships have are the same.

[funnybunny70]

My big question is , if you do remove the auto gratuities do the crew no?

 

 

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[GUT2407]

Princess has abolished auto gratuities on Australian Cruises and the prices don't seem to have risen. P & O as well as a couple of Carnival ships have are the same.

As have celebrity and royal Caribbean as of this year

[floridalover5623]

I don't believe that people would risk their job by doing this. And if you think that in the cramped crew quarters where they are with each other constantly for 5 months straight without a break that everyone doesn't know everyone else's business then I don't know what to say. Risking one of the best job opportunities open to them to score a little extra cash would be profoundly foolish.

That would be true if it was done in the open for others to observe but it's done when others are not around or in your cabin lots of tips are pocketed.

 

My big question is , if you do remove the auto gratuities do the crew no?

 

 

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Absolutely.

[funnybunny70]

That would be true if it was done in the open for others to observe but it's done when others are not around or in your cabin lots of tips are pocketed.

 

 

 

 

 

Absolutely.

 

 

 

That’s a good thing they know . I think it’s disgusting that people even think about removing them but I think it’s high time these cruise lines paid them a decent wage but unfortunately the big wigs just want profits to fund their lifestyle!

 

 

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[voljeep]

well, I've read on these boards that some people give a cash handshake to the M'D...

 

 

so does the McD get to keep that - or must it be turned into the pool...:rolleyes::beer-mug:

[land lover]

As nice as that sounds, the reality was that on the last evening there would be many empty tables in the dining rooms as a number of passengers would eat in the buffet to avoid handing out gratuities that night.

 

 

I certainly remember that, people will be people....just like I remember............. midnight buffets............and no jeans allowed.

 

 

My feelings on this money matter, with those who choose not to follow the guidelines is put up or shut up...stop trying to justify your free choice. If you truly believe you are correct do what you want...and move on..........

Edited July 17, 2018 by land lover

[WAMarathoner]

Before you condemn a cruise line for paying slave wages, you need to know that the wages are considered good in the home country of the employee.

Exactly. One waiter said he could bear being away from his wife because he earned enough to put his kids through college. Another said he bought a restaurant back home. And my last masseuse (who was surprisingly excellent) said that what she earned onboard meant her husband could stay home and raise their children. If it wasn't worth it to them, it wouldn't be so competitive. If you have a problem with what they're being paid, I hope you're consistent and don't purchase any products not made in the West.

[vmom]

Princess has abolished auto gratuities on Australian Cruises and the prices don't seem to have risen. P & O as well as a couple of Carnival ships have are the same.

 

How would you really know? Gratuities for a 7 day cruise would be about $135. Not much when looking at the total cost of cruising. Rates could easily go up by that much and not be noticed.

 

 

Further in the total scheme of things, $135 per week is not much extra compared to all the total costs of cruising, so for those who don't like to tip/pay the service charge...why not just pay it. I just can't justify not paying the suggested amount when the service is so excellent and the staff works so hard.

 

I don't know how people talk themselves into that its okay not to give the suggested amount. I love to save a buck, but I will not try to save money on the back of someone else.

[majortom10]

How would you really know? Gratuities for a 7 day cruise would be about $135. Not much when looking at the total cost of cruising. Rates could easily go up by that much and not be noticed.

 

 

Further in the total scheme of things, $135 per week is not much extra compared to all the total costs of cruising, so for those who don't like to tip/pay the service charge...why not just pay it. I just can't justify not paying the suggested amount when the service is so excellent and the staff works so hard.

 

I don't know how people talk themselves into that its okay not to give the suggested amount. I love to save a buck, but I will not try to save money on the back of someone else.

 

Carnival plc do by giving the staff such poor wages that they have to rely on gratuities to get a decent wage especially at the annual profits being made by Carnival plc.

[keithm]

well, I've read on these boards that some people give a cash handshake to the M'd

 

so does the McD get to keep that - or must it be turned into the pool...:rolleyes::beer-mug:

They get to keep it as they are not part of the tip pool.

[pablo222]

The Maître D is salaried & does not share in the tips. Some pax tip them for doing a service, such as providing a better table etc.

 

There was a princess maitre d' who was skimming from the tip pool a few years ago.

 

Some of the head waiters figured it out.

 

They sent a 'big cheese' (sorry, I couldn't resist) from Santa Clarita to investigate, and the

maitre d' was terminated.

[kruisey]

There was a princess maitre d' who was skimming from the tip pool a few years ago.

 

Some of the head waiters figured it out.

 

They sent a 'big cheese' (sorry, I couldn't resist) from Santa Clarita to investigate, and the

maitre d' was terminated.

I am very pleased he was caught out:D

[Colo Cruiser]

My big question is , if you do remove the auto gratuities do the crew no?

 

 

They sure do.

[cruzsnooze]

My big question is , if you do remove the auto gratuities do the crew no?

 

 

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No they do not know. How would they know before something even happened assuming you don't reduce them on the first day. It would not be controversial if Princess would be above board how much they take for administration and employee incentives and tell us what really trickles down to crew.

[Seestor1]

When we tipped our cabin steward in the corridor on our last Princess cruise I've never seen money disappear so fast.

He did a brilliant job for us, hence the additional tip.

 

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What did you ask for besides a clean cabin? I was raised poor Catholic and it is hard for me to ask ANYONE to go out of their way for me... I'd like to change this habit on the Ruby to Alaska. Perhaps ask for room service? An extra dessert?

[JimmyVWine]

No they do not know. How would they know before something even happened assuming you don't reduce them on the first day.

Purely a guess on my part, but an educated one based on human nature. I'm betting that the vast majority of people who remove the auto tip do so within 24-36 hours of stepping aboard the ship. Ample time for your steward to inquire. As for the rest of the crew, I doubt that individual waiters (especially those in ATD who see different guests each night) gather much intel on the subject. They learn your identity when you dine at their table, and if you give some cash at the end of the evening, they know to whom to attribute it. I suppose if a diner left a really big tip, they might want to inquire as to whether said diner was still auto-tipping so that they would know if that money was coming back to them after they turned it in, or if it was going to the pool.

[floridalover5623]

No they do not know. How would they know before something even happened assuming you don't reduce them on the first day. It would not be controversial if Princess would be above board how much they take for administration and employee incentives and tell us what really trickles down to crew.

I'm not so sure of that.

Here's an old article about a Carnival ship & I'm sure the other cruise lines do something similar but they just don't publicize it out in the open.

[Colo Cruiser]

No they do not know. How would they know before something even happened assuming you don't reduce them on the first day. It would not be controversial if Princess would be above board how much they take for administration and employee incentives and tell us what really trickles down to crew.

 

 

Whenever gratuities are removed a current list is generated or regenerated and distributed to crew dept. supervisors.

[paris r]

Hi,

can I ask that geatuities won’t be added automatically?

So I could choose on my own

 

yeah, i'm sure you will do that (that's meant to be sarcastic)

 

 

it never ceases to amaze me the cheap people who cruise - they spend thousands of dollars - and then "do their own tipping"

 

most decent people do as the ship asks - the tips go on your credit card, and then is shared amongst the staff - as it should be - you know this when you sign on to a cruise -

 

 

the same decent people also give in cash something extra to their waiters, cabin people - and anyone else who has been nice to them

 

 

go to the main desk - they will give you some nice envelopes in which you can put something extra in

[moki'smommy]

yeah, i'm sure you will do that (that's meant to be sarcastic)

 

 

it never ceases to amaze me the cheap people who cruise - they spend thousands of dollars - and then "do their own tipping"

 

most decent people do as the ship asks - the tips go on your credit card, and then is shared amongst the staff - as it should be - you know this when you sign on to a cruise -

 

 

the same decent people also give in cash something extra to their waiters, cabin people - and anyone else who has been nice to them

 

 

go to the main desk - they will give you some nice envelopes in which you can put something extra in

The only part of this that I'll differ with is that if you have paid the standard gratuity, you've done what is expected of you. Some decent people will choose to tip extra, others will take the view that they've paid what was expected. That doesn't make them a bad person.