Gratuity on top of Cover Charge

[Cruising Princess]

I am currently on the Summit. Went to Tuscan the first night.  When I got the bill I added $35 to the tip line. I didn’t look at the bill closely. 
Next day I saw an odd amount on my account.  I inquired and was told that starting about six months ago Celebrity is now adding an 18% gratuity on top of the cover charges. 
I was not aware of this new charge. 
Sorry if I’m posting a thread that might of already been hashed around but this was new to me.  So thought I’d share. 
I am booked in a sky suite on the beyond in 4 weeks and will probably cancel my specialty restaurant reservations. Luminae is good enough for me.

[jelayne]

Yes this changed about 5-6 months ago.  

[wrk2cruise]

I would talk to the Matre'd and have them adjust the tip amount.  This isn't the first time this has happened.

[mcrcruiser]

I do not ever understand why  the speciality   restaurant   management does not post the fact that a change in gratuity has taken place   .imo ,by not telling customers in a upfront way is dead wrong  . Years back I worked in a 5 star restaurant & every thing we did had to be upfront for our clients   .This is the right way .

  This policy of not telling people  up front is  tacky  .It remind me of  dining in a Italian Restaurant  in  Siena  Italy in 2008  ,the waiter never told us that his tip was included in the bill ,but ,i knew to ask at the cashier   & yes it was included . This type of not being up front is just another issue that   that can tear down   the validity of any business  .  Because we vwere tourists   does not mean we are stupid Americans  & oh yes I  talked with him in Italian 

[jelayne]

When did you book the first night at Tuscan?  We had 3 reservations booked  via the Cruise Planner before the change for our recent  sailing and those did not incur the additional charge.  The ones we booked after the change and the one booked on board all had the 18% added. 

[hcat]

What  was the cover charge amount? Is that tge cost to book the venue or another extra charge?

 

Too pricey for us!

[jelayne]

Tuscan on the Summit at regular price (not first night) is $55 pp + 18%.  The 1st night in the CP is $35.99+18%.  Currently in the CP for our sailing in April there is a 9% discount off the $55.

 

I agree it is too pricey for Tuscan which isn't our favorite.

Edited October 29, 2022 by jelayne
typo

[dlh015]

1 hour ago, hcat said:

What  was the cover charge amount? Is that tge cost to book the venue or another extra charge?

 

Too pricey for us!

Yep, too rich for my blood...sure, I can afford it...but I can afford it because I've made it a point not to spend big just for the sake of spending big...lol...need to get some value add...

[CaroleSS]

I am a bit annoyed with X for what I feel is "misrepresentation". They quote you a price then "suddenly" add a gratuity on top of the quoted price and hope you don't notice!

 

They do it with the upgrade from the classic to the premium drink package. I called and asked to upgrade. They quoted me a price of $X per person, so I said yes....next thing I see is a charge for more on my account. I called back to see why and they said the gratuities amount isn't added until it is put in the cart. I asked the agent why they don't just include the gratuities in the original quote as it is misleading that the first quote is the amount they tell you and they never tell you the second amount......they said it was "the way the system is designed".  I asked, so why don't you wait until you put it in the cart before you quote an amount to the client....I was told it was "too much work to back it out"

 

For X to quote you a price, which you agree to pay, then to charge you an additional amount without specifically telling you so is deceptive IMHO.

[hrhdhd]

Just dined in TG this evening on the Constellation. The gratuity is noted on both pages of the menu. The menu is dated 04/22.

[gizmodog]

I am glad that I have eaten and enjoyed dinner in almost all specialty restaurants, except Sushi on 5. always enjoyed although the prices were not cheap.

I will no longer dine in the restaurants with this 18% charge, we always left a cash tip after dinner and when you cruise and are charged gratuities or have gratuities pre paid I think it’s wrong to be charged 18% additional for a specialty dinner.

I travel with two other couples, there are always 6 of us and we all agree there are enough options on the ship we do not need to spend the extra money on a specialty restaurant. I’m sorry Celebrity has to keep adding charges I love their ships and their service but enough is enough.
 

[jelayne]

1 hour ago, CaroleSS said:

I am a bit annoyed with X for what I feel is "misrepresentation". They quote you a price then "suddenly" add a gratuity on top of the quoted price and hope you don't notice!

 

They do it with the upgrade from the classic to the premium drink package. I called and asked to upgrade. They quoted me a price of $X per person, so I said yes....next thing I see is a charge for more on my account. I called back to see why and they said the gratuities amount isn't added until it is put in the cart. I asked the agent why they don't just include the gratuities in the original quote as it is misleading that the first quote is the amount they tell you and they never tell you the second amount......they said it was "the way the system is designed".  I asked, so why don't you wait until you put it in the cart before you quote an amount to the client....I was told it was "too much work to back it out"

 

For X to quote you a price, which you agree to pay, then to charge you an additional amount without specifically telling you so is deceptive IMHO.

There has been a gratuity added to the purchase of beverage  packages, upgrade, purchase of a bottle of wine, drinks over the package limit for as long as we have had beverages packages. This is nothing new.   

[SusieAV8R]

2 hours ago, hrhdhd said:

Just dined in TG this evening on the Constellation. The gratuity is noted on both pages of the menu. The menu is dated 04/22.

Way back when, I spent many years as a server.  I was motivated to give excellent services and received great tips.  I am not certain I would have worked so hard if the tip was automatic.  (I understand adding an automatic gratuity to a large party, but not for tables of 2 or 4 persons).  Yes, I don't like the automatic tip system! 

[SusieAV8R]

43 minutes ago, jelayne said:

There has been a gratuity added to the purchase of beverage  packages, upgrade, purchase of a bottle of wine, drinks over the package limit for as long as we have had beverages packages. This is nothing new.   

I

 

1 minute ago, SusieAV8R said:

Way back when, I spent many years as a server.  I was motivated to give excellent services and received great tips.  I am not certain I would have worked so hard if the tip was automatic.  (I understand adding an automatic gratuity to a large party, but not for tables of 2 or 4 persons).  Yes, I don't like the automatic tip system! 

Tips automatically added to bottles of wine etc. is wrong, IMHO.  It is counter what "tip" means ("to insure promptness")

[CaroleSS]

1 hour ago, jelayne said:

There has been a gratuity added to the purchase of beverage  packages, upgrade, purchase of a bottle of wine, drinks over the package limit for as long as we have had beverages packages. This is nothing new.   

I am well aware of the added gratuities, what ruffles my feathers is when they quote you a price for something, then tack on the gratuity without telling you about it. If it is "included" in the cost, why not tell me the TOTAL cost up front.....be honest and not try to "hide" it?

 

Why not simply say, "the cost for X is $zzz plus the 18% gratuity makes your total $Y". Especially when it is not negotiable nor removable.

[jelayne]

24 minutes ago, SusieAV8R said:

I

 

Tips automatically added to bottles of wine etc. is wrong, IMHO.  It is counter what "tip" means ("to insure promptness")

The sommelier acts as the server, takes your order, brings the appropriate glasses, gets your bottle, opens and serves the wine.  Don’t see how that is different from a waiter who takes your order, gets the appropriate silverware, gets your food and brings it to your table.  The difference is the waiter get a share of the daily gratuity the sommelier doesn’t.

[carolina_yankee]

I was always understood the “gratuities included” fares to mean the standard gratuities - main dining, steward. On every line, I’ve tipped better when service really stood out, and I’ve always tipped in specialty restaurants if it wasn’t included. Now that it is, I won’t, unless service truly stands out for some reason because of our requests or the server was a just that special.

 

I don’t believe gratuities should be given in order to get good service - many countries don’t have a gratuity system and offer outstanding service.  I do understand the pay structure for the cruise staff, so I don’t mind the addition of a mandatory gratuity as long as it’s at a standard rate - I just want transparency.

[CaroleSS]

1 minute ago, carolina_yankee said:

 I just want transparency.

Bingo has just been called!

[SusieAV8R]

5 minutes ago, carolina_yankee said:

I was always understood the “gratuities included” fares to mean the standard gratuities - main dining, steward. On every line, I’ve tipped better when service really stood out, and I’ve always tipped in specialty restaurants if it wasn’t included. Now that it is, I won’t, unless service truly stands out for some reason because of our requests or the server was a just that special.

 

I don’t believe gratuities should be given in order to get good service - many countries don’t have a gratuity system and offer outstanding service.  I do understand the pay structure for the cruise staff, so I don’t mind the addition of a mandatory gratuity as long as it’s at a standard rate - I just want transparency.

If it's automatic, it's a fee, not a tip.

[D C]

Yes, they jacked up the price and then added a mandatory 18% on top of it. 

Specialty dining is WAY overpriced now, in our opinion. First night, maybe. Other nights? Not likely. 

[hrhdhd]

Just now, SusieAV8R said:

Tips automatically added to bottles of wine etc. is wrong, IMHO.  It is counter what "tip" means ("to insure promptness")

That is not the meaning of "tip." The supposed acronym is what's called a back formation. Some clever person made it up.

[markeb]

31 minutes ago, hrhdhd said:

That is not the meaning of "tip." The supposed acronym is what's called a back formation. Some clever person made it up.

 

Bingo. There's an entire Snopes page devoted to it, among others...

 

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/tip-sheet/

[CruisingWalter]

20 hours ago, Cruising Princess said:

Next day I saw an odd amount on my account.  I inquired and was told that starting about six months ago Celebrity is now adding an 18% gratuity on top of the cover charges. 
I was not aware of this new charge. 

That's honestly pretty standard across the cruise industry. Most cruise lines charge an automatic gratuity on the specialty dining meals just as they do for the cocktails. It might be new to some cruise lines since the restart, but we've sailed 8 cruise lines now and it's been a rather common thing for us at specialty dining restaurants. 

[Cruise a holic]

When we book the packages on line, it is clear that the gratuity is included.  If service is good, we also leave an extra $5.00 on the table.  But it is a choice.  We do it in Luminae also.

[basil1]

But if you prepay gratuities then that's a double gratuity charge, isn't it?