Gratuities

[FamilyCruiserUK]

12 hours ago, LGW59 said:

If you know before you book, what is unfair about it?  No one forces you to hit the purchase now button.

I can tell you now a lot of people (UK) dont know about the grats and that you can pay/cancel them later before you book. Ita only when you have gone through most of the booking you get informed, before final purchase of cruise

[vacationlover_mn]

On 2/8/2022 at 2:39 PM, Hogbay said:

I'm also so confused is covid over ? Can we unlock the doors ? Are the chairhogs back 🤔..🙃🇦🇺

On odyssey last week- yes, the chairhogs are back 🙂

[SRF]

22 hours ago, pcur said:

I’m just finishing up a b2b on the Navi, and bought the Unlimited Dining Package for both cruises.  If one wants to tip extra for the truly exceptional service in the specialty restaurants, then I suggest cash.  
 

This way your server gets to keep all of it.  If you add it to the “zero” bill you sign, it’s divided among the entire staff in the restaurant.

 

And how do you know this?

 

I was always told, tips on the bill go to the server.

 

Some restaurants or bars on board may pool tips, but that is the choice of the staff at that venue.

 

I know at bars I have seen bartenders toss cash tips into a common tip bucket.

[SRF]

14 hours ago, brillohead said:

You also have different laws related to purchasing travel packages, which affects the cost of selling those packages.

 

One way around this whole thread, would be for RCI to require that the country of booking be the same as the county of residence of the person.

 

It seems a lot of UK people book through the US site or TA, but then complain when the price, with gratuities, taxes, and drink package is the same as booking in the UK. 😄

 

 

[pcur]

12 hours ago, SRF said:

 

And how do you know this?

 

I was always told, tips on the bill go to the server.

 

Some restaurants or bars on board may pool tips, but that is the choice of the staff at that venue.

 

I know at bars I have seen bartenders toss cash tips into a common tip bucket.

I'm referring to specialty restaurants.  My first time in one of them  the waiter explained it to me.  All tips on the bill get divided among the staff.  Direct cash tips the individual crew member in the restaurant can keep it.

 

I hand the tip directly to my waiter when the bill is delivered to sign.  You have to sign, even if it's a zero total with the UDP.

Edited February 19, 2022 by pcur

[SRF]

15 hours ago, pcur said:

I'm referring to specialty restaurants.  My first time in one of them  the waiter explained it to me.  All tips on the bill get divided among the staff.  Direct cash tips the individual crew member in the restaurant can keep it.

 

I hand the tip directly to my waiter when the bill is delivered to sign.  You have to sign, even if it's a zero total with the UDP.

 

I am not sure that is across all ships.

 

[xxHadleyxx]

On 2/18/2022 at 2:29 PM, SRF said:

 

One way around this whole thread, would be for RCI to require that the country of booking be the same as the county of residence of the person.

 

It seems a lot of UK people book through the US site or TA, but then complain when the price, with gratuities, taxes, and drink package is the same as booking in the UK. 😄

 

 

that gets tricky though, people book 1-2 years out and move, etc.  My son (resides in Gemrany) often cruises in the same cabin as a friend who lives in the USA, etc.

 

 

[pcur]

2 hours ago, SRF said:

 

I am not sure that is across all ships.

 

I'm sorry to hear this, because this waiter is just flat out amazing on the Navigator.  I wouldn't want anyone else to get the tip, except the CHEF!  Holy-moly what great food!!!

 

A cash tip on top of the 18% I already paid is for something exceptional, and not for the person that refilled my water glass.  

[Akkers]

I am sorry I dont believe in this 'pay if you like'. No, if I buy something or take a service then I would like to pay a fair price for it; tell me what it is and I will pay it. What I dont like is this notion that staff are not properly paid and have to look at us to top up their wages with tips. To me that is demeaning. The staff do a professional job and we have to be professional in rewarding them - a proper cut from the cruise price. Put up the cruise price, I am not concerned about that; at least I will know where I stand what to budget for.

Incidently, UK customers have to pay VAT and there is no getting away from it. If you try to book with a foreign travel agent then they have to charge you VAT or refer you to UK based agent.

[goldfish65]

^^^^OK respectfully I think it's clear that you don't like the gratuity system that is used by most of the cruise lines. 

[brillohead]

4 hours ago, Akkers said:

tell me what it is and I will pay it.

Why is this soooooo hard for you to understand. 

 

It is CLEARLY spelled out on the booking confirmation:

A $14.50 per guest, per day gratuity will be automatically added to each guests SeaPass account on a daily basis to be shared among dining, bar & culinary services staff, stateroom attendants and other hotel services teams who work behind the scenes to enhance the cruise experience. Suite guests will see a $17.50 daily gratuity. Guests who prepaid gratuities prior to boarding their cruise will not see a daily charge onboard. An 18% gratuity is also automatically added to beverage, mini bar, spa, and salon purchases



You've been told that it's $14.50USD/day/person for a regular room.  Just pay it and be done with this for crying out loud.

[RNRcruisers]

5 hours ago, Akkers said:

I am sorry I dont believe in this 'pay if you like'. No, if I buy something or take a service then I would like to pay a fair price for it; tell me what it is and I will pay it. What I dont like is this notion that staff are not properly paid and have to look at us to top up their wages with tips. To me that is demeaning. The staff do a professional job and we have to be professional in rewarding them - a proper cut from the cruise price. Put up the cruise price, I am not concerned about that; at least I will know where I stand what to budget for.

Incidently, UK customers have to pay VAT and there is no getting away from it. If you try to book with a foreign travel agent then they have to charge you VAT or refer you to UK based agent.

I think it is understood that you don't like it. You asked for an explanation and have gotten it. It is not going to change any time soon. Now you just have to make the decision about whether to accept it or not. 

[sgmn]

Or as said before add it at time of booking, see the TOTAL amount before you commit

prepay it with your final payment.....easy

No sweat....don't overthink it

If you still don't understand get your travel agent to explain 

If you still don't like it, book with another cruise line that includes it in the basic fare like Celebrity 

Simples

[katiel53]

On 2/9/2022 at 2:11 PM, UNCFanatik said:

 

No one is "stiffing the crew". Its not my responsibility to pay the crew for a job they are contracted to perform. Its wrong for Royal to charge automatic gratuity on drinks of 18%. Is someone handing me a beer worth 18% of the price of the beer? 

Perhaps I have missed something, but I don't see the difference in tipping the requested amount of approximately $100 per 7 day cruise at the end of the trip or adding the same $100 to the cost of the trip to start.

 

Either way, the consumer is paying for the salary which is how most businesses run.  I'd like to see it as a service charge that can't be removed unless a problem is reported and not able to be fixed.  In that case, a partial removal may be in order.

[Akkers]

Now that we have been discussing the topic here for a while, I now know what Gratuties are and  how they work. But they are not always transparent.

I just gone to 2 of the biggest cruise sitesand checked a cruise to carribean. It quotes the price and for various cabins but nowhere does it mention gratuties/tips.So anyone not in the know who is shopping around and comparing deals is being misled. Will that person get to hear about the gratuties and other extras after he has made the booking? A bit late then.

[kernow]

17 minutes ago, Akkers said:

Now that we have been discussing the topic here for a while, I now know what Gratuties are and  how they work. But they are not always transparent.

I just gone to 2 of the biggest cruise sitesand checked a cruise to carribean. It quotes the price and for various cabins but nowhere does it mention gratuties/tips.So anyone not in the know who is shopping around and comparing deals is being misled. Will that person get to hear about the gratuties and other extras after he has made the booking? A bit late then.

No, every time I have booked in the UK you always get the option to add them when booking before you are given the final price. No one comparing deals is being misled as whoever you book with, the gratuities will always be the same price ($14.50 pp per day converted to Sterling with no additional VAT).

Simple.☺️

[Akkers]

So if you are browsing and comparing prices to choose a cruise for your budget would you know there are extras to be added later? I guess YOU will know from experience but does everyone?

[SRF]

On 2/21/2022 at 8:12 AM, Akkers said:

I am sorry I dont believe in this 'pay if you like'. No, if I buy something or take a service then I would like to pay a fair price for it; tell me what it is and I will pay it. What I dont like is this notion that staff are not properly paid and have to look at us to top up their wages with tips. To me that is demeaning. The staff do a professional job and we have to be professional in rewarding them - a proper cut from the cruise price. Put up the cruise price, I am not concerned about that; at least I will know where I stand what to budget for.

Incidently, UK customers have to pay VAT and there is no getting away from it. If you try to book with a foreign travel agent then they have to charge you VAT or refer you to UK based agent.

 

That is YOUR culture.  It is NOT the culture everywhere.

 

Either book though a UK agent or accept that the US culture is different if you book through a US agent.

 

You are NOT going to change the US culture.

 

And BTW< when I have tipped in the UK, NO ONE has ever said, "No, I will not accept it, I am paid a professional wage for my job."

 

Hmm, this is what I found:

 

"Are you supposed to tip in the UK?

 

It is customary to leave 10 to 15% of the bill when eating out. However, restaurants often add on a service charge (usually 12.5%), especially if you're in a large group, so it's worth checking your bill if you don't want to tip twice."

 

This if from the Visit London.com official London visitors site.

[kernow]

24 minutes ago, Akkers said:

So if you are browsing and comparing prices to choose a cruise for your budget would you know there are extras to be added later? I guess YOU will know from experience but does everyone?

I get what you are saying but it is not really later is it? You know the final amount before you actually make your purchase, you could say the same for lots of foreign holidays, they don't include things like tourist taxes, visa costs, foreign airport departure tax etc. When I purchase anything at all I always do a bit of research so I know the final price before I make my decision. 

 

When we did our first cruise back in the 90s I honestly can't remember being shocked to find out tips were expected and we certainly paid them (in cash on the ship in those days). If service has been satisfactory we usually leave around a 10% tip in UK restaurants so to me around £10 pppd on a ship seems like good value for the level of service we usually get, for exceptional staff we always give more in cash onboard too.

[Akkers]

1 hour ago, SRF said:

restaurants often add on a service charge (usually 12.5%)

Hmmm....I have never seen a restaurant add a service charge here in the UK. They may do it in the super expensive restuarants in London but never seen it out in the woods.

In normal restaurants you get a menu with the price of each item and thats the price you pay on the bill.

Maybe I have been going to the el-cheapo eateries.

[Akkers]

3 hours ago, kernow said:

the gratuities will always be the same price ($14.50 pp per day converted to Sterling with no additional VAT).

Thats a new one to me; I will have to check. Any goods or service sold in the UK attracts VAT (there are only a few exceptions like essential food, kids clothing, sanitary products etc). The UK taxman frowns upon tipping and expects everything to be put through the books.

Anyway, why do we have to tip waiters and hotel staff? I work in a regular job and get paid fixed amount from which all taxes are deducted. My employer never gives me a tip never mind a tax-free tip.

IMO cleaners are the one  group universally poorly paid. Yet they get a fixed hourly rate and they pay tax on those earnings. They never get tax-free tips.

So whats this culture which allows waiters to earn extra in tax-free tips? Is it that they are poorly paid? But cleaners are also poorly paid.

If I pay taxes on very penny that I earn then some, why not everybody else?

Apologies for going on about this topic but I have strong opinions on this issue. I cannot stomach the justifications put forward so far.

[LGW59]

11 minutes ago, Akkers said:

Thats a new one to me; I will have to check. Any goods or service sold in the UK attracts VAT (there are only a few exceptions like essential food, kids clothing, sanitary products etc). The UK taxman frowns upon tipping and expects everything to be put through the books.

Anyway, why do we have to tip waiters and hotel staff? I work in a regular job and get paid fixed amount from which all taxes are deducted. My employer never gives me a tip never mind a tax-free tip.

IMO cleaners are the one  group universally poorly paid. Yet they get a fixed hourly rate and they pay tax on those earnings. They never get tax-free tips.

So whats this culture which allows waiters to earn extra in tax-free tips? Is it that they are poorly paid? But cleaners are also poorly paid.

If I pay taxes on very penny that I earn then some, why not everybody else?

Apologies for going on about this topic but I have strong opinions on this issue. I cannot stomach the justifications put forward so far.

we know already, you've said the same thing in all 18 of your posts.  Just don't tip, end of discussion.

Edited February 22, 2022 by LGW59

[kernow]

1 hour ago, Akkers said:

Thats a new one to me; I will have to check. Any goods or service sold in the UK attracts VAT (there are only a few exceptions like essential food, kids clothing, sanitary products etc). The UK taxman frowns upon tipping and expects everything to be put through the books.

Anyway, why do we have to tip waiters and hotel staff? I work in a regular job and get paid fixed amount from which all taxes are deducted. My employer never gives me a tip never mind a tax-free tip.

IMO cleaners are the one  group universally poorly paid. Yet they get a fixed hourly rate and they pay tax on those earnings. They never get tax-free tips.

So whats this culture which allows waiters to earn extra in tax-free tips? Is it that they are poorly paid? But cleaners are also poorly paid.

If I pay taxes on very penny that I earn then some, why not everybody else?

Apologies for going on about this topic but I have strong opinions on this issue. I cannot stomach the justifications put forward so far.

The staff on the ship that your gratuities go to are not in the UK, that is why they do not have to pay UK tax. Part of your gratuities goes to housekeeping so does include some of the 'cleaners'.

 

Out of interest, do you never tip anybody anywhere when you are at home in the UK?

[Biker19]

2 hours ago, Akkers said:

So what's this culture which allows waiters to earn extra in tax-free tips?

FYI - on land in the US, the waiter tips are NOT tax free - they are supposed to declare all that income and be taxed on it.

 

Biker, who is glad to see some entertainment in a tipping thread - they were getting boring.

[sgmn]

19 hours ago, Akkers said:

Hmmm....I have never seen a restaurant add a service charge here in the UK. They may do it in the super expensive restuarants in London but never seen it out in the woods.

In normal restaurants you get a menu with the price of each item and thats the price you pay on the bill.

Maybe I have been going to the el-cheapo eateries.

Lots of restaurants in the UK automatically add a service charge and not just in London. I live in the country and probably about a quarter to a third automatically add the service charge. And I do not go to High end restaurants.

If I was going to gripe about anything to do with auto tips on cruises it's the 18% that gets added to drinks. It's a bit on the high side IMO just for opening a beer bottle or pouring a glass of wine. But it is what it is, so 🤷 

Edited February 23, 2022 by sgmn