Gratuity increasing

[vjmatty]

3 hours ago, Mapleleafforever said:

I'm wondering if the staff, say the stateroom attendant, knows whether you're paying old or new gratuities rate just like they know when you remove auto grats?

 

 

 

Someone should start a thread about that.....

 

 

 

 

 

 

NOT

 

 

Edited August 24, 2022 by vjmatty
Typo made "threat" instead of "thread" and while it was tempting to leave it as it was I didn't want any accusations of harassment.

[vjmatty]

3 hours ago, sowhat said:

                                                            

 Why are people  asking about pre paying tips at the lower rate?



 

 

Um, maybe because Royal offered it?

[sowhat]

11 minutes ago, vjmatty said:

 

Um, maybe because Royal offered it?

They are taken money from the crew when opinions  on cruise critic  say they deserve  more money

[vjmatty]

6 minutes ago, sowhat said:

They are taken money from the crew when opinions  on cruise critic  say they deserve  more money



 

 

First of all, we don't know whether or not there will be individual differentiation between crew members based on what their specific guests paid.

 

Secondly, you seem to be claiming hypocrisy on CC.......the thing about calling someone a hypocrite, the two inconsistent statements have to actually come from the same person.  Not the entire website as a whole. There is no inconsistency just because some people say crew members are under paid and some people ask about avoiding an increase in gratuities.

[not-enough-cruising]

55 minutes ago, Bird82 said:

Just remove the auto gratuities the last night of your cruise. Problem solved. 

Or the first night, it doesn’t matter 

[Tatka]

8 hours ago, Illbcruzn4life said:

There was another poster earlier in the thread that agrees with you. 🤪

 

Oh wait, that was you.

 

There are two threads. 🙂

Yes, I posted in each.

[rudeney]

16 hours ago, rpbanks said:

My question is why did the amount go up $1.50  for for balcony and below and only $1.00 for suites?

 

I thought that was odd, too, and thought it should have either been equal dollars or percentage.  But the more I thought about it, I wonder if they were looking at a particular target number to increase gratuities for the crew, and given that there are so many more non-suite staterooms, that factored into the equation.  Another thought I had is that maybe they looked at when gratuities are removed by passengers and found that most removals are in non-suite staterooms.  This is just a guess, but I;d think people sailing for $400 in an inside stateroom might be more likely to remove the ~$200 in gratuities than people sailing in a $4,000 suite would be to remove the ~$250.  

[basicprincess24]

Is there a way to pre-pay gratuities online? We always like to pre-pay just to have it taken care of in advance, but I'm not finding the option in the planner. 

[Ourusualbeach]

15 minutes ago, basicprincess24 said:

Is there a way to pre-pay gratuities online? We always like to pre-pay just to have it taken care of in advance, but I'm not finding the option in the planner. 

No, you have to call

[Ourusualbeach]

19 hours ago, LuCruise said:

By pre-pay, that just means to add it to the invoice right?

 

I typically add gratuities when doing final payment....but if my understanding is correct, I'll call to have it added now to future cruises.

 

8 hours ago, little britain said:

So to clarify, there is no cut off date to pay by to get grandfathered in at the lower rate? 

As long as you add the gratuities to your booking prior to sail date (assuming 48 hours prior) the will be at the old rate.  This can even be done after final payment.  No need to rush out and call to have them added now.  This applies to any cruise booked prior to Sept 7th

[LuCruise]

4 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

 

As long as you add the gratuities to your booking prior to sail date (assuming 48 hours prior) the will be at the old rate.  This can even be done after final payment.  No need to rush out and call to have them added now.  This applies to any cruise booked prior to Sept 7th

Ah ok thanks...I misunderstood and thought the gratuities had to be added to the invoice prior to Sept 7th.  I just reread the email and I see what you mean...as long as you add them and pay them off prior to the cruise.  We have a few booked so this morning I just had them add them now.

[coaster]

Knew this was coming. Many of us got edocs with this new rate for sailings this week. Mine still show the new rate for our cruise leaving Sunday. Guess it was an error as nobody knew when you called Royal to try to prepay what we were talking about. We didn't get an email either ahead of time.

[ONECRUISER]

27 minutes ago, LuCruise said:

Ah ok thanks...I misunderstood and thought the gratuities had to be added to the invoice prior to Sept 7th.  I just reread the email and I see what you mean...as long as you add them and pay them off prior to the cruise.  We have a few booked so this morning I just had them add them now.

You're not alone, almost missed that one myself

[mitz18]

4 hours ago, sowhat said:

They are taken money from the crew when opinions  on cruise critic  say they deserve  more money



 

 

Not really taking money from the crew, just not giving the crew the same amount as someone who pays on board. 

 

In general (not responding to you directly)  We have PPD tips but will give additional in cash.  Others will give more than us, others will give less.  Either way does not bother me and is really none of my business.  Everyone should give  what they want to whomever they want and not be judged.  If you want to give the cabin steward nothing, so be it.  If you want to give them $20 pd, so be it.  What someone tips or doesn't tip does not impact any other guest - so don't worry about it.  As another said, you be you.

 

[Another_Critic]

18 minutes ago, mitz18 said:

What someone tips or doesn't tip does not impact any other guest - so don't worry about it. 

 

Actually it does in some cases.  I've seen that people that tip big get preferential treatment.  Staff saving tables, loungers, etc.  Bypassing other passengers in favor of serving the "tippers".

[wallyj]

1 hour ago, Ourusualbeach said:

 

As long as you add the gratuities to your booking prior to sail date (assuming 48 hours prior) the will be at the old rate.  This can even be done after final payment.  No need to rush out and call to have them added now.  This applies to any cruise booked prior to Sept 7th

Hi Ken @Ourusualbeach, I am currently on the Navigator and talked to NextCruise and they are saying you need to have booked AND pre pay by Sept 7 to lock in the current/old rate. I have a sailing in November that was booked long ago as it is a L&S from 2020. As it was booked prior to Sept 7 2022, your quote leads a person to think they can prepay before sailing date and NOT September 7, 2022 and still be charged the current/old rate? NextCruise is saying you need to prepay by Sept 7, 2022.
 

I believe the earlier mistake cruise docs for August sailings stating the increase in gratuities mentioned a book by date AND a pre pay by date. 

 

As a side note, a previous thread alluded to NextCruise is actually a third party company and not Royal employees. The agent at NextCruise said indeed he is a Royal employee and not a third party/contract employee and the only contract employees/third party on Royal is the Shops and the SPA. I was surprised as on most ships I have sailed the Casino and Photography department are third party. Ken, can you confirm?

[Ourusualbeach]

8 minutes ago, wallyj said:

Hi Ken @Ourusualbeach, I am currently on the Navigator and talked to NextCruise and they are saying you need to have booked AND pre pay by Sept 7 to lock in the current/old rate. I have a sailing in November that was booked long ago as it is a L&S from 2020. As it was booked prior to Sept 7 2022, your quote leads a person to think they can prepay before sailing date and NOT September 7, 2022 and still be charged the current/old rate? NextCruise is saying you need to prepay by Sept 7, 2022.
 

I believe the earlier mistake cruise docs for August sailings stating the increase in gratuities mentioned a book by date AND a pre pay by date. 

 

As a side note, a previous thread alluded to NextCruise is actually a third party company and not Royal employees. The agent at NextCruise said indeed he is a Royal employee and not a third party/contract employee and the only contract employees/third party on Royal is the Shops and the SPA. I was surprised as on most ships I have sailed the Casino and Photography department are third party. Ken, can you confirm?

Next cruise is wrong, simple as that and it does not surprise me.  The letter that came out was very clear that as long as the PPG are added to the booking prior to sail date the lower rate will apply.

 

Here it is direct from the letter.

 

"If you’d like to pre-pray your gratuities at the current rate before your sailing, we’re happy to extend this opportunity to you. If you’d prefer to pay onboard, your gratuity charge will be applied to your onboard account at the new rate."

 

Next cruise has always been employees.  I know the shops are contract.  Not sure about casino and photos and look at it as something that has no impact on me

Edited August 24, 2022 by Ourusualbeach

[bigeck]

Anyone got a breakdown on tips. Who gets what.

 

[binro01]

When oh when will they just add the freaking daily service charge into the cruise rate? Will it really be harder to sell a cabin at 562.00 per person for a 7N cruise vs 450.00, the number gets even more diluted in higher priced cabins. Just add it to the base fare already and stop with this silliness.

 

Then we as consumers can make a decision if we want to give any extra appreciation if service deems it.

Edited August 24, 2022 by binro01

[neverbeenhere]

What would half the CC conversations be about if the gratuity was added to the fare price?  Oh, the conversations would be about how much more expensive cruises are NOW than they were a few years ago.

[wallyj]

Thanks Ken @Ourusualbeachfor answering my question. I am not surprised NextCruise gave me incorrect info.
 

I remember reading a thread not too long ago where the OP stated NextCruise gave them a booking with OBC and it was not honored and a subsequent post in that thread stated NextCruise was a third party operation and NOT Royal employees. 

[thethreeofus]

On 8/23/2022 at 1:57 PM, MightyMike said:

 

The way I read it, people who are already booked can wait until just before sailing to pre-pay at the lower 

Edited August 24, 2022 by thethreeofus
Error

[thethreeofus]

8 hours ago, The Scurvy Pirate said:

Interesting question.  I am in a JS on an upcoming 10/1 cruise.  Gratuities have been pre-paid in full.  I have made a bid in royal up for Grand Suite.  If I "win" one of these a few days before boarding, I have to pay the difference in the gratuity.  I was wondering whether the amount will be the $17.50, which is the current prepaid amount for a full suite (since I pre-paid the initial amount) or will it be the $18.50, since I hadn't paid the "full suite" gratuity in full by the price increase deadline.  $1.00/day won't make a difference, but just thought it was an interesting situation....

 

Edited August 24, 2022 by thethreeofus
Error

[ALKID]

2 hours ago, Another_Critic said:

Actually it does in some cases.  I've seen that people that tip big get preferential treatment.  Staff saving tables, loungers, etc.  Bypassing other passengers in favor of serving the "tippers".

I agree.  We always remove the auto tips and tip as we go along.  After a day or two, it seems like the service gets better and we have never had an issue.  The waiters even say to request a table in their area when we come back, and the coffee flows freely at the buffet.  Sometimes at the buffet they even motion to us where the open table is when it is crowded….

[ALKID]

11 minutes ago, thethreeofus said:

I just had the same experience. Went from Balcony prepaid gratuities to winning Royal UP bid for Grand Suite.  The new gratuties were immediately charged to my credit card along with the bid up amount.  So I would guess you will be fully covered at the lower rate if your bid is accepted prior to Sept 7.  If after, I would assume they will charge the new rate for the additional “suite” gratuties. 

So your waiters salary and the room salary depend on when you booked your cruise?  In what world is that fair?