Prepaid Gratuities and Room Service

[cruisestitch]

If you order room service with an up charge item, you get a bill to sign. If you order standard room service, you get no bill. If you don’t want to give the server a dollar, or two, don’t.

[Jaxweb]

3 minutes ago, cruisestitch said:

If you order room service with an up charge item, you get a bill to sign. If you order standard room service, you get no bill. If you don’t want to give the server a dollar, or two, don’t.

 

When you get a bill for the up charged item, does it also have a spot to include gratuity to do they automatically add in a mandatory gratuity?

[PhoenixCruiser]

Are you planning to order something with an additional charge?

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[Jaxweb]

2 minutes ago, PhoenixCruiser said:

Are you planning to order something with an additional charge?

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If there there are premium items available on the room service menu that I would want to eat and drink and they can be paid with available OBC not better used for something else, then yes.

[chefchick]

Jaxweb, your original question has been answered (either tip or don’t, or easier still, don’t order room service and your prepaid gratuities will suffice for everything else)

 

now answer me this....am I the only person who didn’t know I was supposed to tip at Starbucks?

[Marelaine]

45 minutes ago, chefchick said:

Jaxweb, your original question has been answered (either tip or don’t, or easier still, don’t order room service and your prepaid gratuities wil

l suffice for everything else)

 

now answer me this....am I the only person who didn’t know I was supposed to tip at Starbucks?

 

Yes? Around these parts, Starbucks, as well as mom and pop type coffee/pizza/sandwich shops proudly display a mason jar with a 'tips' sign at the cash register. When I asked the counter person at the local Dunkin's where her tip jar was, she told me they don't accept tips. You could've knocked me over with a feather.

We rarely order room service, but on one occasion, our assistant waiter delivered our order. At dinner the following evening, he told me that he worked room service after the MDR closed on certain nights. It seems logical to me that a delivery tip is in order. But, as others have said, do what feels comfortable to you.

 

[Jaxweb]

4 hours ago, AmberCascades said:

D'oh!!!  Orator beat me to it.  🙂  

 

If the person delivering room service works in the kitchen/dining area and gets called to deliver room service meals as needed, why would they not be included in the pool of "dining services" staff that receive money out of the pool of default $14.50 to $18.00 per day, per passenger of prepaid gratuities?

[tompeter]

Does it ever end?

 

[Alakegirl]

Nobody here works for Celebrity.  You would need to ask them.  Make an appointment with the Hotel Director once you are on the ship, if it’s worth giving up some of your vacation time for this.  Then please come back and tell us what you have learned

[Jaxweb]

2 minutes ago, Alakegirl said:

Nobody here works for Celebrity.  You would need to ask them.  Make an appointment with the Hotel Director once you are on the ship, if it’s worth giving up some of your vacation time for this.  Then please come back and tell us what you have learned

People are saying that they know that people delivering room service don't get anything from the prepaid tips.  So, I'm trying to understand how that would work.  It doesn't make sense.

 

If I have OBC, is there anything preventing that being used for tips?

If I buy premium item add-ons with the "free" room service, it there a mandatory or optional gratuity that then goes to this person and can OBC be used for that?

[K12Guy]

4 hours ago, Orator said:

At one time the Stateroom Attendant was also responsible for room service

On those very rare occasions when we have ordered room service in a Royal suite a butler has always brought the meal. Ordered coffee one morning at 6 and our butler brought it. After that I went to Cafe al Baccio and fetched two cups of coffee for us. They work too many hours as it is. And, it gives me a reason to walk off some of my excessive indulgences from the evening before. 😎

[CHEZMARYLOU]

If you are that concerned and interested in how Celebrity handles operations, from tips to trash collection, as some one said make an appointment with the Hotel Director to see if you can get the answers you want. Or better still get a job with Celebrity in guest services.

Otherwise, tip or not as you see fit.

 

 

[hiccups]

1 hour ago, CHEZMARYLOU said:

If you are that concerned and interested in how Celebrity handles operations, from tips to trash collection, as some one said make an appointment with the Hotel Director to see if you can get the answers you want. Or better still get a job with Celebrity in guest services.

Otherwise, tip or not as you see fit.

 

 

I get the feeling it's going to be "or not."

[bikerunner]

That’s your prerogative but if your comfortable with that don’t tip. Simple. They don’t get tipped out by the way from the pool money or at least I know rccl does not.  I worked In The industry/hospitality for many years and knew some people who worked in cruise industry, was recruited for it.  There are cruise lines that you do not tip at all and do have completely all inclusive but they also cost much more on avg per day. Personally I know what happens in back of the house and how hard many of them work/  bad ones get weeded out fairly quickly and put off ship.  I personally don’t mind giving tips for a job well done expedient service etc. I do recommend like many others have said ask for the hotel director, he/she will meet with you if you want clarification. I always try to meet them onboard and introduce myself. 

[ipeeinthepool]

I didn't know that tipping for room service was an issue.  From my perspective, it's expected.  Based on this thread I think I'll start adding an extra buck or two to cover those that don't tip. 

[deliver42]

We usually get room service in the morning for continental breakfast, and I always tip $2.00 for the service. the delivery person appreciates it.

[gold1953]

13 hours ago, Marelaine said:

 

We rarely order room service, but on one occasion, our assistant waiter delivered our order. At dinner the following evening, he told me that he worked room service after the MDR closed on certain nights. ;

 

13 hours ago, Marelaine said:

All the dining room wait staff work other venues.. just part of the hours they need to put in daily. They are the same crew who work the buffet at breakfast if they are not in the dining room then and yes a few of them have room service duties as a part of their regular hours

 

[yorky]

I would say just pay everyone a decent living wage, but I know that’s outrageous and people need to live off tips. And yes I get wonderful service at my favourite restaurants where the staff are paid well and don’t have to rely on hand outs.

[happy cruzer]

1 hour ago, yorky said:

I would say just pay everyone a decent living wage, but I know that’s outrageous and people need to live off tips. And yes I get wonderful service at my favourite restaurants where the staff are paid well and don’t have to rely on hand outs.

And I know staff that will only work at businesses where tipping is allowed/expected.  They are good service providers and come out well ahead of a set hourly wage/living wage.  Neither is right or wrong.  It is helpful to know what is customary in different areas.

[Jaxweb]

5 hours ago, ipeeinthepool said:

I didn't know that tipping for room service was an issue.  From my perspective, it's expected.  Based on this thread I think I'll start adding an extra buck or two to cover those that don't tip. 

 

They should already be ahead based on the $14.50 to $18 per day automatic gratuities plus 20% mandatory gratuities on drinks and any other auto-gratuities for other things from every passenger other than those that specifically opt out of daily gratuities and also don't tip anything with cash. 

There are also plenty of people who are routinely tipping bartenders and room stewards above their automatic gratuities

I will really already be over tipping with the $14.50 a day minimum I will already be paying.  If I didn't pay the automatic tipping and instead only tipped the room steward plus people like the servers at each meal every day, it would add up to less than that even if I was also ordering room service and adding another $2 per meal there.

So, it's not the total money, it's the whole concept and principal of it.  If the cruise cost $20 night more than it already does and they used that towards the workers pay instead of expecting and semi-requiring passengers to tip, that would be a better system.  If some people still felt like tipping more on top of that "for exceptional service," or they just feel generous and want to flash their cash around, good for them.

 

 

 

[PhoenixCruiser]

You will be far from over-tipping

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[hcat]

Bet OP never  gives anything extra to bar servers, porters, waitstaff,  cabin attendants, shuttle drivers etc.

 

OP may not like the system but it is what it is...He can tip or not.

 

  Being cheap is his perogative so no need for debate..let the thread die out!

 

Edited July 17, 2019 by hcat

[ipeeinthepool]

9 minutes ago, Jaxweb said:

They should already be ahead based on the $14.50 to $18 per day automatic gratuities plus 20% mandatory gratuities on drinks and any other auto-gratuities for other things from every passenger other than those that specifically opt out of daily gratuities and also don't tip anything with cash.

 

I'm not sure that the person get's appropriate compensation for delivering the room service orders from the automatic tips.  Don't worry, I will continue to tip a couple of dollars for room service orders and I'll thrown in a another buck or two to cover for those who don't tip.

[Jaxweb]

7 minutes ago, hcat said:

Bet OP never  gives anything extra to bar servers, porters, waitstaff,  cabin attendants, shuttle drivers etc.

 

OP may not like the system but it is what it is...He can tip or not.

 

  Being cheap is his perogative so no need for debate..let the thread die out!

 

I don't use porters and go out of my way to not ask for special favors or anything out of the ordinary that causes them extra work. I also clean up and put all my personal things away in closets and drawers to make housekeeping's job as quick and easy as possible.

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[bikerunner]

People just need to do what will make them happy on vacation, personally I tip just feel its right.  If people don't feel that way don't tip.  But to over think this is crazy and do not see how you would be able to relax  Think of it this way for room service and the dining tips that are included in the basic auto tips.  Mostly what people said is correct it is delivered by dining staff but this is also above and beyond what the normal auto tips cover.  They cover the dining area buffet/rest etc.  Room service is an extra duty, I understand the idea just add more or put it in the price but there are reasons its not added into the price on US based ships.  Australia they are I think (someone can correct me on this) some cruise lines also do this.  Celebrity chooses not to add the tips into the total maybe its cultural for US people etc.  Who knows but its there choice to have it as a separate charge and that is whole different discussion.  The basic question was tips on room service should you or shouldn't you.  This just comes down to personal choice that's it. No right or wrong in it.