Is the 'bump' coming to Carnival ? How will YOU feel about joining it ?

[ontheweb]

38 minutes ago, elcuchio24 said:

Man, lets take a moment to reflect on how great it is we are back to complaining about gratuities policies and menus again! Things must really be getting back to normal, and I love it. 🙂

 

 

Just take a look at the following tip thread over is Ask a Cruise Question. 1100 posts, if it had not just been locked, it would have gone on forever. 😉

 

Tipping now more important than ever - Ask a Cruise Question - Cruise Critic Community

 

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

Just got off Celebrity Reflection last week.

 

Their bookings are now all (except guarantees I think) "Always Included" :

 

Now, every Celebrity cruise always includes drinks, Wi-Fi, and tips* on every sailing, in every room, every time. It’s that simple.

 

In suites, that includes their premium beverage package and streaming Wi-Fi, tips, AND $300 pp OBC. Frankly, I really like the AI approach !!

 

Tom

[cruisingguy007]

17 minutes ago, Tom-n-Cheryl said:

Just got off Celebrity Reflection last week.

 

Their bookings are now all (except guarantees I think) "Always Included" :

 

Now, every Celebrity cruise always includes drinks, Wi-Fi, and tips* on every sailing, in every room, every time. It’s that simple.

 

In suites, that includes their premium beverage package and streaming Wi-Fi, tips, AND $300 pp OBC. Frankly, I really like the AI approach !!

 

Tom

 

I do too honestly. It's actually a good idea. They could even sell it as a package at first, to get everyone used to it. The "all in package" or something like that, that includes drinks, tips, wifi, OBC or meals etc. Interesting angle. Thanks for the info on Celebrity, I know NCL has something similar but it's gimmicky and has games and gotchas as far as I can tell.   

[Joebucks]

If gratuities need to be raised, then raise them.

 

However, we all know they don't need to be raised. Hell, I'd bet they could even go DOWN and still collect more if it was required for everyone.

[scoobysnacks70]

18 hours ago, cruisingguy007 said:

It will just make more people remove gratuities IMO. I saw a video by the Lido Loca guy about removing gratuities and was surprised by the large amount of people in the comments who say they remove them and feel they are too expensive already, on top of 18% for pretty much everything else. That was a two year old video when things were rocking and there wasn't as much price pressure on the basics in life. It's irritating to think a bunch of folks are paying a lot less by removing tips, pretty much a $100 PP savings if they remove them on seven day. For a family of five that's nearly $500. Some even mention waiting until you eat your final meal in the MDR and check your bags and other tips to evade poor service as a result of removing them. The system is clearly broken IMO. I thought the consensus here on CC was more universal than it was. That apparently, isn't the case at all. People are much more hostile to the system as it is.   

 

I think something will eventually give and they will find a way to have them included. It''s obvious by the huge lines at guest services that people don't like them and more and more are removing them. Not sure what the answer is but this whole system seems to be a mixed bag of those who pay, those who don't and those who reduce them much lower. Raising prices will only effect those who pay and not the other two groups. It will also convert some in the former group, into the latter two groups. I'm not sure what the answer is to be honest. It's a quagmire to be sure.    

You can remove it before hand but you will be charged on your sail and sign before you get off the ship...The only way to remove it is to go to guest services and argue it.  Unless the service was extremely awful and you can prove it then they won't remove it is my understanding.  It actually says that you have to give them the opportunity to make it right.  I always pay mine ahead of time because I want as much paid for as possible.  I give my cabin steward  and the MDR staff extra.  

[Oceansaway17]

18 hours ago, jasong38501 said:

I just wish they would call is a service fee and make it mandatory. Just wrap it into the port fees and call it a day. If anyone feels the need to tip extra they will still have that option.

yes this makes sense to me.

Or they creatively slip it in with the base room rates which change so often anyways.

 

I do not care how they handle the accounting just treat the crew fairly, pay them fairly and do not call it out as tipping.  I like service fee.  and it should NEVER be allowed to be removed by customer services.

anyone cheap enough to go and ask for this should not cruise. 

[ontheweb]

1 hour ago, cruisingguy007 said:

 

I do too honestly. It's actually a good idea. They could even sell it as a package at first, to get everyone used to it. The "all in package" or something like that, that includes drinks, tips, wifi, OBC or meals etc. Interesting angle. Thanks for the info on Celebrity, I know NCL has something similar but it's gimmicky and has games and gotchas as far as I can tell.   

yes, NCL is gimmicky. For instance, drinks are free on their offers, but you are charged for tips as if you drank the absolute maximum allowed. We have an NCL cruise booked and had our TA take that off as it would come out to more than we would ever buy.