Retreat Tipping question

[RichYak]

46 minutes ago, wineoclock said:

If I pay tips in the U.K. it wouldn’t occur to me to tip more than 10% unless the bill stated I needed to.

If you pay a server 10% in the US, you are indicating they did a bad job and are quite literally reducing their expected compensation. On board gratuities for drinks, specialty restaurants and spa services are 20%, which is now fairly standard in the US.

[HMR74]

going back to my question of  when to tip extra on back to backs, can I assume (always dangerous)  if the Luminae (or Blu)  maiter'd knows I am b2b2b, he or she will set it up with the same staff, same table area  for me on following segments unless I object.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Gordoncruickshank]

1 hour ago, HMR74 said:

 

ABut they do get their base pay however small it may be, and same for thestewards, but people fprget ther are a lot of people in the background like maintenace people, the workers at Bacino and Oceanview et al who all get a cut of that 18 a day PP. 

 

 

Those workers in Blu, the MDR, Luminae and the speciality restaurants supply the cover in Oceanview on a rota basis when they are not working in their own restaurant. And those in the coffee place get gratuities on their sales just like bar people.

[ChefSha]

On 9/18/2022 at 3:22 PM, whirlybird3 said:

If I go to the slot machine and load it with onboard credit, play one slot, then cash it out …. Will there be a service fee?  I like handing out cash to the crew for their exceptional service. 

I was wondering that type of thing too. Like is that a way to cash out OBC? Not sure I would do it, but just wondering. 

[Gordoncruickshank]

1 hour ago, wineoclock said:

So are auto tips 15%? To me 15% is enough for tips. 
 

If I pay tips in the U.K. it wouldn’t occur to me to tip more than 10% unless the bill stated I needed to.

 

I can’t imagine what exceptional service merits people getting more.

 

Surely they are just doing their job? A good butler/waiter should anticipate the needs of their guest. That is doing their job & is not exceptional imo. 

 

It’s an interesting discussion & highlights differences.

 

However Gary does tip more & im not sure I agree with the concept of Doing so.

 

I’d rather my cruise fare was more & the staff have a decent wage than me subsidising the cruise line. I’d know then what I’d spent without having hidden extras. 

 

 

 

You can't compare what you would tip in the UK because you are not in the UK on a cruise ship which is US owned and the cruise company sets the rules. The auto tip is probably now 20% not 15% and that is on par with what you would be expected to pay if you were in the US in any hospitality setting.

 

If you are in a restaurant in the US the bill gives you a little schedule with different tip levels so that you do not need to take your phone out to do the calculations giving you a 15% tip as $$. an 18% tip and a 22% tip or it is added on before you get the bill. 15% is regarded as you have received poor service and it goes up from there and if you leave 15% I wouldn't try and go back there during your stay because you will go hungry and thirsty!

 

This is just part of your holiday cost. You paid for a PH in the past. The additional tips are so small in comparison to the PH cost that they are not worth getting upset about.

[HMR74]

53 minutes ago, Gordoncruickshank said:

Those workers in Blu, the MDR, Luminae and the speciality restaurants supply the cover in Oceanview on a rota basis when they are not working in their own restaurant. And those in the coffee place get gratuities on their sales just like bar people.

thats part of the factor-they are providing service whether at Oceanview or Sunset Bar or any dining room and if they move during the day (I saw Maiter D of Blu working  Oceanview one day at lunch) so its a long day for them. Constant work.

not just a morning 3 hour shift, a lunch 3 hour shift and dinner 4 hour shift.

 

 

The crew makes or breaks a cruise. The cruise lines are still sortng things out after the lockdowns. Which of the new crew are keepers or not.

 

 

Edited September 20, 2022 by HMR74

[DCPIV]

1 hour ago, HMR74 said:

going back to my question of  when to tip extra on back to backs, can I assume (always dangerous)  if the Luminae (or Blu)  maiter'd knows I am b2b2b, he or she will set it up with the same staff, same table area  for me on following segments unless I object.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tables aren't assigned in Luminae and (I assume) Blu.  While the Md' typically will seat you in the same area with the same waiter, it's more a matter of whether such a spot is available.

 

They are small, though, and the staff talk to each other.  The wait staff often will know what you want no matter where you sit.  If you're there b3b, they'll know you!

[wineoclock]

Thank you everyone for your views. It’s very useful to know what to do. 

[HMR74]

16 minutes ago, DCPIV said:

 

Tables aren't assigned in Luminae and (I assume) Blu.  While the Md' typically will seat you in the same area with the same waiter, it's more a matter of whether such a spot is available.

 

They are small, though, and the staff talk to each other.  The wait staff often will know what you want no matter where you sit.  If you're there b3b, they'll know you!

yeah, I know that from experience. and I did say same table area. We are never early to meals but I bet pre open they have a staff meeting to cover "things", like  what they are short or long on inventory.

 

 

 

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

I really don't understand all this fretting over extra tipping in the Retreat.  Surely if one can afford to cruise in a suite one can also afford to give extra tips to those who are serving them.  I get that many believe the crew should be paid a fair wage, but that isn't how it works.  The system is that they rely on tips for much of their income.

[Dolebludger]

Well, this thread is about the Retreat. The cost of a cruise in the retreat. Is sufficient to cover tips, as well as open bar on the ship.And Celebrity states “tips included” as to the Retreat. People who can afford the Retreat didn’t get that way by throwing money around.

[JFontaine]

2 hours ago, ChefSha said:

I was wondering that type of thing too. Like is that a way to cash out OBC? Not sure I would do it, but just wondering. 

People should be very careful with this. ALL of my on board credits (promotions, shareholder, and travel agent) have been nonrefundable.   Meaning, if I put $100 on my seapass card at a slot machine, it is charged to my cabin, and it comes out of my OBC, until I have none left (then charged to my credit card on file).  I play 20 hands of $5 video poker with that initial $100; whatever is left after I play the initial $100 I keep.

 

If I had no OBC, and i went to the casino cashier and asked that $100 be charged to my room (so that I could play craps or walk out of the casino with it) I would be charged a service fee (except for the highest suites, subject to change ).  

 

If I had no OBC, sat down at a slot machine, charged $100 to my Seapass card, and tried to cash it out immediately- - I don't know if that would work.  There are conflicting reports. 

[HMR74]

26 minutes ago, Dolebludger said:

Well, this thread is about the Retreat. The cost of a cruise in the retreat. Is sufficient to cover tips, as well as open bar on the ship.And Celebrity states “tips included” as to the Retreat. People who can afford the Retreat didn’t get that way by throwing money around.

IMHO its about being decent.

[dlh015]

31 minutes ago, Dolebludger said:

Well, this thread is about the Retreat. The cost of a cruise in the retreat. Is sufficient to cover tips, as well as open bar on the ship.And Celebrity states “tips included” as to the Retreat. People who can afford the Retreat didn’t get that way by throwing money around.

Speak for yourself...lol...I guess you keep yours under a mattress??

 

I hope I spend my last dollar the day before die...

[kirtihk]

On 9/18/2022 at 1:25 PM, vermonter16 said:

How do you transfer OBC into tips? 

 

I see it has been answered above.  Sorry, my Internet went out onboard.

There is no need to do anything (neither fill in any form nor "transfer "OBC into tips).  Unless 1. you prepay gratuities as part of the cruise final balance payment, and 2. any part of OBC is specified to be used for a particular item only (like for excursions on Azamara when you buy the "Experience More" Essential package ($300 Shore Excursions OBC) or Indulgence package ($700 Shore Excursions OBC) ), OBC will automatically will be used for gratuities on daily basis (you may check it on-going being applied and dated per person on the cruise ship account's invoice at any time from day 2 through the last day of the cruise), of course,  as long as there is enough to cover them.  And on the most cruise lines (as on Celebrity - someone quoted a screen-shot on this thread) the additional gratuities are neither required nor expected.

[kirtihk]

On 9/18/2022 at 10:39 PM, Dolebludger said:

When we cruised in the Retreat just a few years ago, documents said tip were included in the fare. Has there been a change?

correct, no change (the same was a few months ago for us).

[kirtihk]

6 hours ago, HMR74 said:

I can’t imagine what exceptional service merits people getting more.

 

Surely they are just doing their job? A good butler/waiter should anticipate the needs of their guest. That is doing their job & is not exceptional imo. 

 

UK and US---different cultures

The note was not about different cultures but rather about anyone performing their job properly and to the completion.  The wage on cruises for non-officer personnel, however is a different story, but again it's still not about different differences in cultures.

[kirtihk]

1 hour ago, dlh015 said:

Well, this thread is about the Retreat. The cost of a cruise in the retreat. Is sufficient to cover tips, as well as open bar on the ship.And Celebrity states “tips included” as to the Retreat. People who can afford the Retreat didn’t get that way by throwing money around.

Speak for yourself...lol...I guess you keep yours under a mattress??

 

I hope I spend my last dollar the day before die...

Do you know that day?  If it is too soon, you didn't "commit" to your expectation, and, otherwise (underestimated), how will you live the rest without your dollars?

[kirtihk]

5 hours ago, RichYak said:

If you pay a server 10% in the US, you are indicating they did a bad job and are quite literally reducing their expected compensation. On board gratuities for drinks, specialty restaurants and spa services are 20%, which is now fairly standard in the US.

Paying extra for a bad job?!  To encourage to continue working that way?

[prmssk]

7 hours ago, HMR74 said:

To me it seems like a small pie to cut up 1200 ways and I understand ther are 3000 people paying an average of perhaps 16 a day or 48k a day-but thats 40 a day PP.

 

Thats a show stopper for me--40 a day PP  base gratuity. On average. 12 hour shift 6-7 days a week.

 

Sure as heck makes me feel guilty. But extra tipping is still optional. 🙂

 

 

The per day per person gratuities are not split among the entire crew, nor are the split evenly among those that do receive a portion of it).  There is a decent percentage of crew that are not tipped crew (think officers, entertainment staff, etc) and bar staff receive their gratuities through a different pot of money (service charge on individual drinks, service charge on drink package purchases, and from the AI fares).  So it comes to a lot more than 40 a day per person base gratuity, especially when you are talking about your cabin steward and wait staff who are getting the largest portion of those daily gratuities.

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

2 hours ago, Dolebludger said:

Well, this thread is about the Retreat. The cost of a cruise in the retreat. Is sufficient to cover tips, as well as open bar on the ship.And Celebrity states “tips included” as to the Retreat. People who can afford the Retreat didn’t get that way by throwing money around.

 

Actually, some people who can afford the Retreat did get there by sharing with others less fortunate.  The last time I did not choose a suite, the experience was not good.  Getting waited on in the MDR was an impossibility.  So if I'm going to cruise, I'm going to do it in a way that is relaxing and provides a good experience.  And I factor large extra tips to those who serve me in the Retreat into the cost of the trip.  These people work insanely long hours for very little pay and I'm willing to share my good fortune with them if they help make my cruise an excellent experience.

[HMR74]

22 minutes ago, prmssk said:

The per day per person gratuities are not split among the entire crew, nor are the split evenly among those that do receive a portion of it).  There is a decent percentage of crew that are not tipped crew (think officers, entertainment staff, etc) and bar staff receive their gratuities through a different pot of money (service charge on individual drinks, service charge on drink package purchases, and from the AI fares).  So it comes to a lot more than 40 a day per person base gratuity, especially when you are talking about your cabin steward and wait staff who are getting the largest portion of those daily gratuities.

what difference does it really make splitting a relatively small pot among people. Entertainers do double duty  often times checking us in at port and other duties.

I'll do what I want to do and it gives me a level of comfort to reward for performance

 

 

[dlh015]

Scrooge isn't just for Christmas apparently...oh!...sorry, this thread is about Retreat Tipping, not Christmas...

[prmssk]

13 minutes ago, HMR74 said:

what difference does it really make splitting a relatively small pot among people. Entertainers do double duty  often times checking us in at port and other duties.

I'll do what I want to do and it gives me a level of comfort to reward for performance

 

 

I was not trying to discourage tipping.  We all should do what we feel most comfortable with.  The staff do work hard and so many of them are truly excellent at what they do.  

 

I just think it is helpful to make sure we are making those decisions based on a bit more accurate information.  Although I don't think the crew are paid necessarily well, I don't think they are paid quite as poorly as some like to imply.  And I'm not sure it is helpful to compare them to tipped staff in the US or any other country.  Their contract structure and situation is a bit unique.

[Gracie115]

4 hours ago, Happy Cruiser 6143 said:

I really don't understand all this fretting over extra tipping in the Retreat.  Surely if one can afford to cruise in a suite one can also afford to give extra tips to those who are serving them.  I get that many believe the crew should be paid a fair wage, but that isn't how it works.  The system is that they rely on tips for much of their income.

 

I agree completely.  The servers in Luminae begin their day before 7AM and don't finish until after 10PM at night.  Yes, they get a couple hours off in the afternoon.  They work hard and we appreciate it by not only saying so on a comment card, or in the case of my last cruise a letter to the CEO's office, but also by providing additional tips for a job well done.  The letter I sent was shared, almost immediately, with the staff involved and I received several "thank you's" from them.  But I am also sure they appreciated the additional tips.  

 

Ditto the above for our room steward.