Pre paid tips

[wilfking]

Just returned from Mariner 2 week back to back and would like to relate an incident and welcome comments.

At the end of the first week we gave out our pre-paid tip vouchers as per norm, service in the dining room was brilliant. However the dining room staff are rotated round so we had different ones the second week and they were very poor, they seemed as though they were not interested, it was only at the end of the week when we gave them the vouchers did the waiter comment before even looking at the envelope that he "had looked at the sheet on the first day to see if we had pre-paid our tips" I think this is disgusting and RCCL should make sure staff have no access to such information. I am sure had he not known we had pre-paid we would have received better service.

[OliverTheCat]

This doesnt surprise me a bit unfortunately.

[Tyler80]

This seems very unfortunate, and I agree this should not be the case. Cruising staff makes the vacation an enjoyable one, so no matter if tips are pre-paid or paid at the end of the cruise, service should always be excellent. Very sorry this has happened to you, I would recommend that you contact Royal Caribbean directly to make a complaint and tell them who your wait staff was and what they said, and express that this has impacted your quality of service!

[MarciaL]

One reason I never pre-pay tips. I choose to take some traveler's checks, cash them on board and give out the tips at the end of the cruise. Tips are for service and I have no way to knowing what kind of service I will receive.

[PhoenixCruiser]

That is just wrong! Another reason why we will not pre-pay our tips.

 

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[megessey]

it was only at the end of the week when we gave them the vouchers did the waiter comment before even looking at the envelope that he "had looked at the sheet on the first day to see if we had pre-paid our tips"

 

What was the waiters purpose in telling you this??? was it to explain why he was such a poor server, or to make you feel like a loser? :confused:

 

That is just rude, and I highly encourage you to pass this on to customer service. If anything, so they can tell this waiter to suck it up and say nothing but "thank you" when they get an envelope from any passenger--no matter what's inside. I'm sorry you had a bummer service.

[wilfking]

Many thanks, I have Emailed Customer Services with all the details and it will be interesting if any action is taken. This was our 5th cruise with RCCL and pre-paying our tips always worked in the past but from now on it will be done as it should be done, a reward for good service!!

[MargaritaPlease]

Many thanks, I have Emailed Customer Services with all the details and it will be interesting if any action is taken.

 

What sort of "action" would you expect? A refund of your tip? You'll get a "we're sorry and we'll work to correct" response.

[wolfcathorse]

The 2 ships I've been on, you couldn't pre-pay tips until the 2nd or 3rd night of the trip. I also thought I read (or heard) that if you prepay, read the fine print on the pre-pay sheet. It says the prepay tips will be divided among all those in that area (ie, your cabin steward's pre-paid tip will be divided between him and his assistant). Only extra money over the minimum pre-pay is that persons to keep. So this last cruise I paid in cash and I paid more than the minimum. Our waiter, ass't waiter, head waiter were wonderfully attentive, our cabin steward was efficient (it was just his attitude that had me concerned about how RCI treats their 3rd world employees). To make sure they were justly compsensated I gave our cabin steward $10 at embarkation, plus a gift bag with toiletry items in it with $2 cash (1 for him and 1 for his ass't). I also gave our dining room wait staff gift bags with cash in it (as well as extra cash the last night in the "envelope"). My mocha maker girl got a gift bag with cash and the 1 bar guy I had by the pool got just extra cash. All of them were surprised, humbled, profusely grateful, and 1 almost cried. I hope I brightened their life.

[LindaandJeff]

A waiter shouldn't assume that just because you prepaid that you might not be willing to give a little extra at the end for extraordinary service...They should never prejudge...they have no way of knowing what they might be missing. ;) Having the pre-pay information should make them happy to know that you are not going to stiff them especially if you don't eat in the main dining room every night. Be sure to let us know what happens with RCCL. This waiter definitely would have lost out with us as my husband and I use the recommended amounts as a baseline and reward handsomly for excellent service.

[sas80]

That's really good to know!

 

I'm calling RCCL right now to remove that from our reservations for the mariner in May!

We're not stingy but tips should definitely be earned. If pre paying them could have this effect then we are better off getting cash at the casino to pay tips with.

 

Thanks!

[Daycare Provider]

We took our first cruise aboard the Conquest last August. They automatically charge tips to your cabin before you board. There were times that our cabin didn't get freshened up until 10: p.m. at night:confused: .

At the end of the week I had all of the 15% gratuity (oops) taken off because I was tipping my bar boy directly. With every drink he got a dollar tip. My husband told Enyoman(bar boy) that if he took care of us we would take care of him. At the end of the week we gave him an additional $50.00.:D My glass was never empty when I was by the pool.

[cage keeper]

That is what tipping is all about. A reward for GOOD service. I have been a server and bartender on and off, part time for the past 34 years. I always try to give excelent service, there fore I expect a good tip. When I have a bad day, I wonder why anyone would leave me a tip at all. If you pre tip, Why would they go out of there way to take care of you. They already know what they are getting. Unless it's a really big tip.:D

[parrotthead]

The 2 ships I've been on, you couldn't pre-pay tips until the 2nd or 3rd night of the trip. I also thought I read (or heard) that if you prepay, read the fine print on the pre-pay sheet. It says the prepay tips will be divided among all those in that area (ie, your cabin steward's pre-paid tip will be divided between him and his assistant). Only extra money over the minimum pre-pay is that persons to keep. So this last cruise I paid in cash and I paid more than the minimum. Our waiter, ass't waiter, head waiter were wonderfully attentive, our cabin steward was efficient (it was just his attitude that had me concerned about how RCI treats their 3rd world employees). To make sure they were justly compsensated I gave our cabin steward $10 at embarkation, plus a gift bag with toiletry items in it with $2 cash (1 for him and 1 for his ass't). I also gave our dining room wait staff gift bags with cash in it (as well as extra cash the last night in the "envelope"). My mocha maker girl got a gift bag with cash and the 1 bar guy I had by the pool got just extra cash. All of them were surprised, humbled, profusely grateful, and 1 almost cried. I hope I brightened their life.

What kind of 'gift bag' did you give? What was in it? (I read what you put, but still wondered) and when did you give these out? I think it is a neat idea and would like a bit more detail , if you dont mind.:)

[Alexis]

Just returned from Mariner 2 week back to back and would like to relate an incident and welcome comments.

At the end of the first week we gave out our pre-paid tip vouchers as per norm, service in the dining room was brilliant. However the dining room staff are rotated round so we had different ones the second week and they were very poor, they seemed as though they were not interested, it was only at the end of the week when we gave them the vouchers did the waiter comment before even looking at the envelope that he "had looked at the sheet on the first day to see if we had pre-paid our tips" I think this is disgusting and RCCL should make sure staff have no access to such information. I am sure had he not known we had pre-paid we would have received better service.

 

Questions?

I am curious as to how many others were at the table you had.

Did all of you receive bad service?

How many of them pre tipped like you?

How many of them did he tell that to?

I do hope all of you filled out your comment sheets at the end of the cruise and turned them in? If so, I believe he will be moved to the worst location for awhile and lose his days off in port..

Thanks in advance. ;)

[wilfking]

My wife and I were on a table for 4 with another couple who were friends of ours. Service was terrible for all of us and all 4 were present when the remark was made regarding "having seen the sheet" We filled in the guest comments and handed it in but omitted to tell them about the comment the waiter made, just that service was terrible.

[jwlane]

looked at the sheet on the first day to see if we had pre-paid

We prepay, but do it onboard---thus, no name on a sheet.

 

My guess is you would've received poor service regardless of when or how you tipped. You received great service the first week, but did you know whether or not that waiter had seen the sheet? Also, we've never had a waiter do anything other than put the envelope in a pocket and say thanks.

[Alexis]

My wife and I were on a table for 4 with another couple who were friends of ours. Service was terrible for all of us and all 4 were present when the remark was made regarding "having seen the sheet" We filled in the guest comments and handed it in but omitted to tell them about the comment the waiter made, just that service was terrible.

 

Definitely tell RCCL all about the comment. He will get some type of punishment from the head waiter in one form or another. The one that hurts them the most is they lose their time off from lunches while in port. That is what a couple of waiters have told us is the one they hate the most. They receive that when people complain about them. No time off for ports.

[wolfcathorse]

What kind of 'gift bag' did you give? What was in it? (I read what you put, but still wondered) and when did you give these out? I think it is a neat idea and would like a bit more detail , if you dont mind.:)

 

I went to Wal-mart got a pack of 20 clear gift bags with silver twist ties. Then I went to the travel size section. In the mens bag I put: 1 lip balm, 1 bar Irish Spring, 1 men's disposable razor, 1 toothpaste, 1 toothbrush, 1 0r 2 ink pens, 1 mini-pad sticky notes, $2 cash, and about 5-6 pieces of individually wrapped candy. The womens bag got the same thing except a women's disposable razor and a sampler size of body wash (or hand lotion)from Bath 'n Body. My mocha maker got hers when nobody was in line for a coffee, my head waiter got hers at the beginning of our 2nd seating (she was greeting people coming thru the doors), I left 2 bags on the desk labeled for the cabin steward and his assistant, and my waiter and ass't waiter got theirs after dinner the 3rd night, I lingered and after everyone had left I pulled them out of my pocket and gave it to them.

[Captain Crunch]

Just returned from Mariner 2 week back to back and would like to relate an incident and welcome comments.

At the end of the first week we gave out our pre-paid tip vouchers as per norm, service in the dining room was brilliant. However the dining room staff are rotated round so we had different ones the second week and they were very poor, they seemed as though they were not interested, it was only at the end of the week when we gave them the vouchers did the waiter comment before even looking at the envelope that he "had looked at the sheet on the first day to see if we had pre-paid our tips" I think this is disgusting and RCCL should make sure staff have no access to such information. I am sure had he not known we had pre-paid we would have received better service.

 

I'll make ut up to you, I won't tip the dining staff at all.

 

How can you chose not to pretip or have auto tip, but to just pay cash at the end.

 

It's always been my habit to tip the room maid on a daily basis.

[Cruising89143]

What sort of "action" would you expect? A refund of your tip? You'll get a "we're sorry and we'll work to correct" response.

 

Maybe that's all the OP is looking for. Letting them know they have a problem with a certain wait staff and it needs to be looked into.

[Boo Boo]

Thanks, this is interesting, I was wondering about pre-paid tips - I think that RCCL are adding them, automatically, to passenger prices at booking (although I could be confused and it may be another cruise line I have been looking at lately...).

 

That answers my question (or, at least, gives me enough doubt).

 

Have so far (fingers crossed) never had bad service on a cruise - always good... although we have only done 6 cruises. Infact during our back-to-back we enjoyed the dining room service so much the first week that when our servers offered to move us to the same table with them for the second week, we jumped at it! We had great service both weeks :). So that is my recommendation for back-to--back cruises: if you get great service, ask if you can keep the same table/servers the second week - they are VERY likely to accomodate you... (since they like pleasant diners and good tippers).

 

Will make sure I don't prepay tips - will just pay them on board and increase them as required (hoping I never have ANY cause to ever want to decrease them...)

 

Boo

[wrp96]

Thanks, this is interesting, I was wondering about pre-paid tips - I think that RCCL are adding them, automatically, to passenger prices at booking (although I could be confused and it may be another cruise line I have been looking at lately...).

 

 

Royal Caribbean gives you the option to pre-pay tips at booking, but it is not required. You can also put your tips on your SeaPass account once you get on board or pay in cash.

[JCSM-Mom]

A waiter shouldn't assume that just because you prepaid that you might not be willing to give a little extra at the end for extraordinary service...They should never prejudge...they have no way of knowing what they might be missing. ;) Having the pre-pay information should make them happy to know that you are not going to stiff them especially if you don't eat in the main dining room every night. Be sure to let us know what happens with RCCL. This waiter definitely would have lost out with us as my husband and I use the recommended amounts as a baseline and reward handsomly for excellent service.

 

This is what we did also, my last cruise was the first time I used pre-paid tips. We got such great service there was extra in the envelope on top of

the prepaid tip. Since it worked out so well, I've prepaid the next two trips.....I hope I didn't make a mistake. I think I can still change the June Cruise to not prepaid! I'll wait and see how this weekend goes!

[MonDreamr1]

Comment cards on board I think are the easiest way to give direct feedback. If there is no one in charge that you can speak to directly. Our last cruise on Radiance, our waiter reminded us to fill them out the last night and explained that RC at least on Radiance (which is probably why they keep getting ranked as best crew) takes them very seriously. We asked what affect the cards had on him directly and he said that if they don't get the excellent top marks their sections can/will be cut for the next cruise. We gave him excellent marks, but we would have given him the same without him saying that we was awesome. We normally charge our tips to our seapass cards for the min tip and then add in cash depending on level of service.

The only time I had a problem with service (other than the purser's desk the last night of the cruise but that is to be expected by now) was on Labadee and I asked another waiter for a supervisor told him what had happened and got an apology from the offender right there.