GRATUITIES

[Phxazzcruisers]

2 hours ago, ghstudio said:

We all keep reading these threads about tipping and the common thread is that almost no one says how much extra they give.....so we have hand wringing vs useful information. 

 

Not sure if anyone else wants to post, but I'll post what we tip in addition to the standard gratuities.

 

Cabin attendant: $20 plus $10 at embarkation if we ask for something special which we seem to do more often than not.

 

waiter: $20 if we have had the same waiter for multiple nights in select/aqua

 

asst waiter: $10 if we tip the waiter

 

wine steward $20 if he refills our glasses and doesn't try to pass classic wine when we have the premium package (unfortunately, this means we often don't tip him)

 

bartender: varies...usually $10-20 if we use the same bartender often....and he doesn't try to put house vodka in the martini

 

 

 

OK, maybe we seem to over tip, we are always in Suites and we always get exceptional service.  Our usual extra cash tips at the end of the cruise or each leg of a B2B cruise for exceptional service have been:

 

Cabin attendant - $5.00 per day

Waiter - $5.00 per day as we always have the same waiter in Luminae

Asst waiter - If they do a good job, some do not  $20.00 for a 10 day cruise

Somilier - $5.00 a day for excellent service, less of not so good

Butler - $5.00 a day for excellent service, we usually do not require much so sometimes $3.00 day.

 

We do not tip the Consierge, as we never use him/her, but will give the Michael's Club host and CC Host about $20.00 if they have gone above and beyond, as most do.

 

I know these seem high in comparison, but for example, in the past there were  be 2 stateroom attendants per room, now only one.  We know how hard they work and feel the extra is justified.  Our waiters, by the 3rd night, always know what we like, how we want it prepared and always make excellent suggestions and give excellent service.  We expect the Asst waiter to remember which breads we like and how many, most do, some do not.

 

And of course, we always mention, by name, the people who give us such excellent service, even those that we do not give extra tips to.

 

 

[Bo1953]

1 minute ago, Fouremco said:

I have an email from Celebrity with exactly the same "before you sail" wording. That actually makes more sense than the "pay by January 6" interpretation, as many passengers' final payment would be after that date. It would be senseless IMO to demand a payment for the gratuities in advance of payment for the cruise.

 

As I have the free gratuities perk for both of my booked Celebrity cruises, I don't really have a dog in this fight.

f - I do not see it so much as a 'demand' for payment as opposed to an offer to receive a 'lower rate' on Gratuities.

 

They provided the option, either now or later... Just depends on how much 'money' one needs to save on the new rate... LOL

 

bon voyage

[Fouremco]

Just now, Bo1953 said:

f - I do not see it so much as a 'demand' for payment as opposed to an offer to receive a 'lower rate' on Gratuities.

 

They provided the option, either now or later... Just depends on how much 'money' one needs to save on the new rate... LOL

 

bon voyage

LOL. OK, it's not a demand, it's a quid pro quo: you pay early and they'll give you the old rate! 

[Pinboy]

1 hour ago, ONT-CA said:

 

 

The Cruise Line is only providing a " guideline " --- Not " extorting " anything from you.

They will not know what you leave or don't leave .

However, the staff members that did their best to ensure you had a good time will.

You are free to do whatever you think is fair .

 

[drakes2]

1 hour ago, Fouremco said:

LOL. OK, it's not a demand, it's a quid pro quo: you pay early and they'll give you the old rate! 

I heard gratuities went up January 6th. 

[Fouremco]

42 minutes ago, drakes2 said:

I heard gratuities went up January 6th. 

Quite true for bookings made on or after January 6th.

 

For those who booked prior to that date, however, Celebrity has advised us (see below) that the old rate will be used if we pre-pay before the sailing date. The new rates apply if you wait until you are aboard to pay.

 

[ghstudio]

when did Celebrity start to charge an automatic gratuity on specialty restaurants???  

[SNJCruisers]

On 1/29/2020 at 2:32 PM, ROYALBOY said:

Please don’t beat me up but $400 for a 10 day cruise seems like a lot, since I do not know where most of it is going. Thanks

If you're staying in standard accommodations,  15.50 x 2 is 31.00 per day or 310 for a 10 day cruise.  Suites are 19 pp or 38 per day and 380 for 10 days.  Your numbers don't  jive and if you rounded up the 380 to 400, you're staying in a suite and have zero reason to complain about gratuities.

 

Cruise on MSC or Carnival and see the length of the line at guest services on the last day as tips are removed for every bogus excuse under the sun.

[ROYALBOY]

5 minutes ago, SNJCruisers said:

If you're staying in standard accommodations,  15.50 x 2 is 31.00 per day or 310 for a 10 day cruise.  Suites are 19 pp or 38 per day and 380 for 10 days.  Your numbers don't  jive and if you rounded up the 380 to 400, you're staying in a suite and have zero reason to complain about gratuities.

quite the mathematician... my reservation was made prior to Jan 6 and my automatic gratuities are 15 pp x 2 is 30 per day or 300 for a 10 day cruise. MY EXTRA HUNDRED IS GIVEN BY ME TO THOSE WHO PERSONALLY PROVIDE A SERVICE FOR ME EACH DAY.

So yeah my numbers do jive...maybe you should take a class.

 

I was actually asking if people felt that the automatic deduction was enough, without giving extra...but the opinionated smarties on here can’t have a decent conversation.

[Loracpin2]

7 minutes ago, ROYALBOY said:

quite the mathematician... my reservation was made prior to Jan 6 and my automatic gratuities are 15 pp x 2 is 30 per day or 300 for a 10 day cruise. MY EXTRA HUNDRED IS GIVEN BY ME TO THOSE WHO PERSONALLY PROVIDE A SERVICE FOR ME EACH DAY.

So yeah my numbers do jive...maybe you should take a class.

 

I was actually asking if people felt that the automatic deduction was enough, without giving extra...but the opinionated smarties on here can’t have a decent conversation.

 

This is your Original post. You might want to re-read your last 2 original sentences again and then re-read your last sentence in the post above.

 

"We ave never been cheap, we have already prepaid our February cruise gratuities, and we always give extra to our room steward, and restaurant staff. However, it seems like Celebrity is beginning to use these as salary for their staff, instead of what I believe gratuities should be for. I understand that you can avoid the daily debit to your onboard account by speaking with guest services. Do people do that and just pay those who you want to personally? Please don’t beat me up but $400 for a 10 day cruise seems like a lot, since I do not know where most of it is going. Thanks."

[drakes2]

On 1/29/2020 at 2:32 PM, ROYALBOY said:

Please don’t beat me up but $400 for a 10 day cruise seems like a lot, since I do not know where most of it is going.

This is the last sentence from your original post.  Where did you indicate that you were giving an additional $100 over and above the standard gratuities? And it does not take a mathematician to figure it out. 

[Jim_Iain]

6 hours ago, ghstudio said:

We all keep reading these threads about tipping and the common thread is that almost no one says how much extra they give.....so we have hand wringing vs useful information. 

 

Not sure if anyone else wants to post, but I'll post what we tip in addition to the standard gratuities.

 

Cabin attendant: $20 plus $10 at embarkation if we ask for something special which we seem to do more often than not.

 

waiter: $20 if we have had the same waiter for multiple nights in select/aqua

 

asst waiter: $10 if we tip the waiter

 

wine steward $20 if he refills our glasses and doesn't try to pass classic wine when we have the premium package (unfortunately, this means we often don't tip him)

 

bartender: varies...usually $10-20 if we use the same bartender often....and he doesn't try to put house vodka in the martini

 

 

 

Helpful but really would be helpful to know how many night cruise this would be.  

[Jim_Iain]

6 minutes ago, drakes2 said:

This is the last sentence from your original post.  Where did you indicate that you were giving an additional $100 over and above the standard gratuities? And it does not take a mathematician to figure it out. 

I believe in message 6 the OP posted -

 

"not in the suite league... we are paying 15 per day per person since we booked prior to Jan 6, plus 100 that we give to our cabin steward and wait staff... that’s $400 and not a paltry sum. "

[drakes2]

11 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

I believe in message 6 the OP posted -

 

"not in the suite league... we are paying 15 per day per person since we booked prior to Jan 6, plus 100 that we give to our cabin steward and wait staff... that’s $400 and not a paltry sum. "

Oh I see. I didn't read message #6. $100 over the standard gratuities for a 10 day cruise is still $5 pp per day. Nothing to really complain about. 

[DrKoob]

5 hours ago, Bo1953 said:

I do not know 'who said'/told you this, yet everything I and others saw in writing it was clear that they were to be pre-paid by 6 January 2020 the old rate would be honoured, if not paid by that date then the new rate would apply.

 

bon voyage

 

I am a travel professional and talk to X just about every day. I was told by two different X people in the last week that as long as you booked prior to January 6 then you can still get the old price on gratuities for as long as you keep that booking as long as you prepay the gratuities. 

 

Jim

[DrKoob]

1 hour ago, ghstudio said:

when did Celebrity start to charge an automatic gratuity on specialty restaurants???  

 

The charge you pay IS the gratuity. It's always been that way.

[MEcruzr]

2 hours ago, ghstudio said:

when did Celebrity start to charge an automatic gratuity on specialty restaurants???  

Yes... when did this happen? I'm... happy about it... in a way. It was always a mystery if the surcharge included gratuity or not. Some would say yes, others no. Even when you asked onboard they were very vague and often just replied that we were welcome to leave a gratuity for service. 

 

NOW... what if you're gifted a dinner or it's complimentary? Do they bill your for the gratuity? 

[MEcruzr]

9 minutes ago, DrKoob said:

 

The charge you pay IS the gratuity. It's always been that way.

Read the letter from X attached to post #81. It says that 20% is added to specialty dining reservations.

[drakes2]

5 minutes ago, MEcruzr said:

NOW... what if you're gifted a dinner or it's complimentary? Do they bill your for the gratuity? 

If it's a gift or comped the gratuities are built into the cost of the meal, however, in that case I would leave an extra generous tip. 

[Pinboy]

1 hour ago, ROYALBOY said:

quite the mathematician... my reservation was made prior to Jan 6 and my automatic gratuities are 15 pp x 2 is 30 per day or 300 for a 10 day cruise. MY EXTRA HUNDRED IS GIVEN BY ME TO THOSE WHO PERSONALLY PROVIDE A SERVICE FOR ME EACH DAY.

So yeah my numbers do jive...maybe you should take a class.

 

I was actually asking if people felt that the automatic deduction was enough, without giving extra...but the opinionated smarties on here can’t have a decent conversation.

I'm on your side 100%  regarding " opinionated smarties "  can't have a decent conversation.--- 

Since I am new to posting I have made some " real serious " ( ??? ) errors of what is permissible and not and heard about it from several posters.  

Some have been very polite and I appreciate that. 

Others, well --------

 

[MEcruzr]

7 minutes ago, drakes2 said:

If it's a gift or comped the gratuities are built into the cost of the meal, however, in that case I would leave an extra generous tip. 

That's what I've always done, but the letter posted above makes it sound like they are adding 20% to reservation and NOT including the gratuity in the surcharge. 

[Bo1953]

17 minutes ago, DrKoob said:

 

I am a travel professional and talk to X just about every day. I was told by two different X people in the last week that as long as you booked prior to January 6 then you can still get the old price on gratuities for as long as you keep that booking as long as you prepay the gratuities. 

 

Jim

Okay, I was not that aware of your occupation status... My apologies.

 

Now we know who provided the information to you.

 

I could only go by what was in the written statement from X.

 

Apparently I mis-understood your post and again do apologize for this.

 

If you statement meant that anyone who booked after 6 January would be subject to the new rates and those who booked before 6 January and pre-paid their gratuities would not be subject to the new rate. As I understand the policy was to have been. Correct me if I Am incorrect in this thought.

 

bon voyage

[wrk2cruise]

8 minutes ago, MEcruzr said:

Read the letter from X attached to post #81. It says that 20% is added to specialty dining reservations.

 

I believe it was incorrect.   I've not head of anyone being charged a line item gratuity for specialty dining.  When the cover charge was introduced years ago one of the justifications was that included the base gratuity.

 

They send out so much crap that nobody is checking it over carefully.

 

If you were to believe all their emails, this is the second round of the "It's all Included" promo starting today.  Anybody notice that both last time and and this time here is what's listed as included?

 

INCLUDED BONUSES:
Classic Beverage Package • Unlimited Wi-Fi
Prepaid Tips • $150 to spend on board*
 

The term and conditions clearly states it's Premium Beverage Package like you would always expect with 4 Perks

 

" Each of the first two guests in an inside through AquaClass® stateroom receive four amenities: Premium Beverage Package, Unlimited Internet Package, Prepaid Gratuities, and $150 per person onboard credit (“OBC” "

[Loujul]

On 1/29/2020 at 2:32 PM, ROYALBOY said:

I am asking for opinions. We have never been cheap, we have already prepaid our February cruise gratuities, and we always give extra to our room steward, and restaurant staff. However, it seems like Celebrity is beginning to use these as salary for their staff, instead of what I believe gratuities should be for. I understand that you can avoid the daily debit to your onboard account by speaking with guest services. Do people do that and just pay those who you want to personally? Please don’t beat me up but $400 for a 10 day cruise seems like a lot, since I do not know where most of it is going. Thanks

You are absolutely right. I’m sure Celebrity stockholders are loving the fact that we’re now supplementing salaries, which in turn means greater dividends. On a ship with 3,500 passengers at $15.50 per day for gratuities, you do the math.  Then add in the 20% gratuity for drinks.  On the last cruise we never saw our steward.  There used to be a steward and an assistant.  They cut that and the cleanliness of the room has suffered. Take a look under your bed. 

[Bo1953]

1 minute ago, Loujul said:

You are absolutely right. I’m sure Celebrity stockholders are loving the fact that we’re now supplementing salaries, which in turn means greater dividends. On a ship with 3,500 passengers at $15.50 per day for gratuities, you do the math.  Then add in the 20% gratuity for drinks.  On the last cruise we never saw our steward.  There used to be a steward and an assistant.  They cut that and the cleanliness of the room has suffered. Take a look under your bed. 

Hopefully you pointed this out to your Steward and wrote it on the Guest Comment Card during the sailing...

 

bon voyage