Gratuities on RCCL

[Ourusualbeach]

3 minutes ago, invision said:

 

Oh so you have first hand knowledge.?   Boats have 2500-6000 folks onboard.  Don't take much to add up to big money.

 

LMaxwell  TY for that info.  So if I give my waiter $100 cash he keeps cash?  Or has to turn it in if I don't prepay gratuities. 

 

 

I never said it didn’t add up to big money.  I said there is no way they are taking $12 out of $17.50 amd you don’t need first hand knowledge to figure that out.

[LMaxwell]

6 minutes ago, invision said:

 

LMaxwell  TY for that info.  So if I give my waiter $100 cash he keeps cash?  Or has to turn it in if I don't prepay gratuities. 

 

 

The waiter keeps the $100.  Doesn't matter if you prepaid grats.  Doesn't matter if you stop the autocharge.  Doesn't matter if you hand money out to 50 people on day one, or to one person on the last day.  You handed the waiter cash, that is now his cash.  Whatever else occurs has no impact on your direct transaction with the waiter.  

[nelblu]

1 hour ago, Thorben-Hendrik said:

Australia and some European markets quite recent....

There is a whole world out there! 😁

 

So in those markets, do we know if those crew members are getting higher pay than those where grats is prevalent.

[invision]

28 minutes ago, LMaxwell said:

The waiter keeps the $100.  Doesn't matter if you prepaid grats.  Doesn't matter if you stop the autocharge.  Doesn't matter if you hand money out to 50 people on day one, or to one person on the last day.  You handed the waiter cash, that is now his cash.  Whatever else occurs has no impact on your direct transaction with the waiter.  

 

This is good news.  Our plan is to forgo pre-paid gratuities, cancel daily auto gratuities and tip in USD cash for steward, head waiter, waiter, asst waiter, concierge & bar wait staff and concierge.  Plus have $1s & $5s for spot tips for great service.  Senior officers that are friendly and helpful will get one of our personal Rhinestone pins as were told that they frown on money tips.  We were told this 1st hand.

 

Thanks for everyone replies !!

 

M

Edited January 2, 2019 by invision

[Thorben-Hendrik]

53 minutes ago, nelblu said:

 

So in those markets, do we know if those crew members are getting higher pay than those where grats is prevalent.

It is the same sailings out of the US.... just the point of sale is not in the US!

They are just taking advantage of US habits...! 😉

 

Edited January 2, 2019 by Thorben-Hendrik

[invision]

Doh !!

 

[Thorben-Hendrik]

1 hour ago, Ourusualbeach said:

I can have it removed and do as I please. 

👍

[Ourusualbeach]

5 minutes ago, Thorben-Hendrik said:

👍

Way to use only part of a quote to suit your agenda.🙄

[proggieus]

On ‎12‎/‎31‎/‎2018 at 8:24 AM, invision said:

Yes this is true.  We tried that on the last cruise.  Gave out $700 usd cash in tips to outstanding crew.  Promised a refund of the $560 usd pre-paids within 7-10days by both concierge and customer service.  Have not seen any refund in 16 days yet.  No answered emails, no returned calls by RCCL.

 

M

how did you get the tips to the dozens of dishwashers, laundry, kitchen staff, Etc that were also a part of making your trip what it was?

 

or did you just stiff them?

[proggieus]

1 hour ago, invision said:

 

This is good news.  Our plan is to forgo pre-paid gratuities, cancel daily auto gratuities and tip in USD cash for steward, head waiter, waiter, asst waiter, concierge & bar wait staff and concierge.  Plus have $1s & $5s for spot tips for great service.  Senior officers that are friendly and helpful will get one of our personal Rhinestone pins as were told that they frown on money tips.  We were told this 1st hand.

 

Thanks for everyone replies !!

 

M

yeah, who cares about the staff we never see  ,Its not like they work very hard or have family's as well-

 

if you want to tip extra go ahead but be aware that there are more people that you will never see involved in making your trip great that also rely on those tips

[springfire]

The staff we never see should not have to rely on tips.   

[not-enough-cruising]

2 minutes ago, springfire said:

The staff we never see should not have to rely on tips.   

AMEN

[not-enough-cruising]

4 hours ago, invision said:

 

This is good news.  Our plan is to forgo pre-paid gratuities, cancel daily auto gratuities and tip in USD cash for steward, head waiter, waiter, asst waiter, concierge & bar wait staff and concierge.  Plus have $1s & $5s for spot tips for great service.  Senior officers that are friendly and helpful will get one of our personal Rhinestone pins as were told that they frown on money tips.  We were told this 1st hand.

 

Thanks for everyone replies !!

 

M

Has anyone ever had a head waiter do anything deserving of a tip?

 

I know i haven't.

[Clarea]

7 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

Has anyone ever had a head waiter do anything deserving of a tip?

 

I know i haven't.

 

Sure, we've had them arrange Indian entrees for us at dinner, set up our dining table for the next cruise on a B2B, find our C&A wine, etc.

[not-enough-cruising]

Just now, Host Clarea said:

 

Sure, we've had them arrange Indian entrees for us at dinner, set up our dining table for the next cruise on a B2B, find our C&A wine, etc.

There you go then.

 

Good to know

 

Thanks!

[FLACRUISER99]

1 hour ago, springfire said:

The staff we never see should not have to rely on tips.   

Make sure you don’t give the folks backstage any applause when you see a great preformance in the theatre. If you don’t see them you shouldn’t appreciate them.

[Bee Guy]

4 minutes ago, FLACRUISER99 said:

Make sure you don’t give the folks backstage any applause when you see a great preformance in the theatre. If you don’t see them you shouldn’t appreciate them.

Strawman

[LMaxwell]

4 minutes ago, FLACRUISER99 said:

Make sure you don’t give the folks backstage any applause when you see a great preformance in the theatre. If you don’t see them you shouldn’t appreciate them.

Doesn't make sense.  The backstage folks for production shows are paid their worth; those in hotel and maintenance should be paid their worth as well, fairly.   Take your average cruiser who has never heard of CC and they'd probably assume the company pays their staff reasonable wages.  Just because its a really bad system doesn't make us the bad people.  Some of us used to cruise before automatic gratuity as well, and cash given to people was just fine.  How did those behind scenes get paid then?  

 

Either way, like many others, I prefer to put cash in someones hand.  I learned a good friend of mine, a bar tender, would have a portion of credit card tips taken by management, but not a portion of cash tips.  And not just the credit card processing fee, but an actual share of the credit card tips.  That is unethical if not illegal.  I've never, ever had a person in a service industry refuse cash or ask me to tip in a manner besides cash.  Whatever arrangement they have with their support staff is up to them, no? 

[springfire]

11 minutes ago, FLACRUISER99 said:

Make sure you don’t give the folks backstage any applause when you see a great preformance in the theatre. If you don’t see them you shouldn’t appreciate them.

Are you saying I should just clap and cheer for them?  I would think they would like to be paid more like the folks backstage.

 

 

[time4u2go]

1 hour ago, springfire said:

The staff we never see should not have to rely on tips.   

Great point.

[invision]

   2 hours ago,  springfire said: 

The staff we never see should not have to rely on tips.   

 

I agree with this.  Unfortunately what others are saying is that it is not a gratuity or tip, it is a subsidizing of cruise workers salary.  The system is broke.  If they are calling it a gratuity then it should be a gratuity for great service.  I have never tipped dishwashers, laundry staff, kitchen staff here where I live.  That would be ridiculous.  

5 hours ago, proggieus said:

how did you get the tips to the dozens of dishwashers, laundry, kitchen staff, Etc that were also a part of making your trip what it was?

 

or did you just stiff them?

 

M

Edited January 2, 2019 by invision

[proggieus]

8 hours ago, invision said:

Simply questions -

 

Why call them gratuities?

 

Why not give detailed breakout of whom gets what?

 

I am pretty sure the answer to the 2nd question is confidential for a reason.  WAY TOO MUCH OVERHEAD !!  But prove me wrong RCCL.  Kind of reminds me of old mafia movies 🙂

 

M

You don't like the way the cruise lines handle it, we get it- here is the problem

 

taking away auto gratuities does not hurt the cruise line, it only hurts the crew, if you really feel that strongly about it then DONT CRUISE.

 

 

 

 

 

If you continue to cruise then you obviously don't care that much if you are willing to stiff some crew so that you can get the recognition of handing a tip to somebody in person.

 

If your OK stiffing people just to feel like a big shot that's up to you, personally I couldn't live like that and would never set that example for my daughter.

 

 

 

 

 

[HBE4]

33 minutes ago, invision said:

   2 hours ago,  springfire said: 

The staff we never see should not have to rely on tips.   

 

I agree with this.  Unfortunately what others are saying is that it is not a gratuity or tip, it is a subsidizing of cruise workers salary.  The system is broke.  If they are calling it a gratuity then it should be a gratuity for great service.  I have never tipped dishwashers, laundry staff, kitchen staff here where I live.  That would be ridiculous.  

 

M

 

After reading this thread, I'm beginning to feel that I need to tip everyone I've ever met, including the cop that pulled me over for speeding.

 

Seriously you are right. A tip is subsidizing a wage. That's is why in the U.S., it's "okay" (not really) to start a waiter salary at less than minimum wage.  The government (and tradition) expect customers to tip. And the tip will be taxed as income.  And the cash tip left at a land-based restaurant will be shared with the bartender, bus boy, dishwasher ,etc.  

 

This is slowly changing as in some states it's now a law to pay waitstaff at least minimum. But as any societal change, it'll take a while for it to filter thru the industry. How it affects the cruise industry (and how Americans tip) remains to be seen.

 

In the meantime, you can view the auto-gratuity as part of the cruise fare - like port fees and taxes - pay it and then tip accordingly if someone exceeds your expectations.  Or remove the auto-gratuity and tip as you see fit.

 

 

[invision]

43 minutes ago, proggieus said:

You don't like the way the cruise lines handle it, we get it- here is the problem

 

taking away auto gratuities does not hurt the cruise line, it only hurts the crew, if you really feel that strongly about it then DONT CRUISE.

 

 

 

 

 

If you continue to cruise then you obviously don't care that much if you are willing to stiff some crew so that you can get the recognition of handing a tip to somebody in person.

 

If your OK stiffing people just to feel like a big shot that's up to you, personally I couldn't live like that and would never set that example for my daughter.

 

 

Take a pill dude !!  Gees...

 

 

Quote

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 2, 2019 by invision

[invision]

It is hard to tell who you are hurting when nobody knows for certain where the gratuities are going.  Shrug