Can prepaid gratuities be removed once you're on the ship?

[JeffT237]

12 minutes ago, FamilyCruiserUK said:

Has anyone actually answered the OP or it it just 3 pages of you must tip, no you dont, yes you do, no you dont,but you must, no i dont.......etc etc

 

Yes, the question was answered on post #2.  But this is a tipping thread, it must go to the minimum required 10 pages of opinion and rants, or post gets locked....whatever comes first!

 

Edited March 1 by JeffT237

[travelberlin]

14 minutes ago, FamilyCruiserUK said:

Has anyone actually answered the OP or it it just 3 pages of you must tip, no you dont, yes you do, no you dont,but you must, no i dont.......etc etc

Yes we have. Have you looked at the posts?

[toxicfairy]

Just make sure he knows they will still charge him per day. And he'll just have to pay when he pays his tab at the end of the cruise. Not sure you can simply not pay any gratuities for cabin. Don't have to pay extras but I think there are ones that do have to be paid. Silly they should stop calling it gratuities. 

[Another_Critic]

9 minutes ago, toxicfairy said:

Not sure you can simply not pay any gratuities for cabin. Don't have to pay extras but I think there are ones that do have to be paid. 

The $18/day gratuities are optional.

[Ocean Boy]

15 minutes ago, toxicfairy said:

Just make sure he knows they will still charge him per day. And he'll just have to pay when he pays his tab at the end of the cruise. Not sure you can simply not pay any gratuities for cabin. Don't have to pay extras but I think there are ones that do have to be paid. Silly they should stop calling it gratuities. 

Yes they can. This has been discussed over and over and.. 

[ah33919]

The whole idea of tipping prior to receiving any type of servicing is nuts.

But I do believe in tipping accordingly after you have received such service. 

[toxicfairy]

1 hour ago, Ocean Boy said:

Yes they can. This has been discussed over and over and.. 

Ok ...thanks. wasn't trying to.put your panties in a bunch. 

[cruiseboy89130]

1 hour ago, toxicfairy said:

Not sure you can simply not pay any gratuities for cabin.

Yes you can!😁

[Ocean Boy]

15 minutes ago, toxicfairy said:

Ok ...thanks. wasn't trying to.put your panties in a bunch. 

I don't wear panties so no need for you to worry about them. Just seems that someone who has been around here as long as you would not be posting false information on the subject.

[BecciBoo]

On 2/28/2024 at 1:28 PM, sheezsmith said:

, if you can afford a cruise, you can afford to pay all of the crew a small gratuity!! 

Wow

Edited March 1 by BecciBoo

[Biker19]

3 hours ago, kruzerci said:

They can be removed whether prepaid or not. 

When was the last time you experienced removal of prepaid grats on board?

[kruzerci]

1 hour ago, Biker19 said:

When was the last time you experienced removal of prepaid grats on board?

2023. The only time I have ever removed gratuities. 

[cruiseguy1016]

4 hours ago, FamilyCruiserUK said:

Has anyone actually answered the OP or it it just 3 pages of you must tip, no you dont, yes you do, no you dont,but you must, no i dont.......etc etc

 

Yes, there have been a few direct answers to the question. Unfortunately, some have said it can definitely be done and others have said it cannot. He has seen the answers (and all the other comments as well) so now he'll have to decide what he wants to do based on what he has read.

 

[cruiseguy1016]

On 2/28/2024 at 2:28 PM, sheezsmith said:

 if you can afford a cruise, you can afford to pay all of the crew a small gratuity!! 

 

If you can afford to own a cruise ship (or 28) you can afford to pay the crew a decent wage.

[d9704011]

14 minutes ago, cruiseguy1016 said:

 

If you can afford to own a cruise ship (or 28) you can afford to pay the crew a decent wage.

If you can figure out ways to get people to work for minimal wages and have your customers 'top them up', you'll be able to own/operate more cruise ships.

[Ocean Boy]

2 hours ago, cruiseguy1016 said:

 

If you can afford to own a cruise ship (or 28) you can afford to pay the crew a decent wage.

Don't forget being able to afford to pay your top execs multi million dollars a year.

[S.A.M.J.R.]

On 2/29/2024 at 9:41 AM, UNCFanatik said:

Edited to Add: When I tip at restaurants at home, I have less concern that the server will get the tip vs cruises where no one is really positive if the $18/day is all making it to the crew

OK, when you tip at restaurants, you do so one of two ways...

Cash Leaving cash on the table, you have no idea what happens to it.  Maybe the server picks it up, maybe the bus boy picks it up, maybe the hostess does.  Even if you hand cash to the server, you have no idea what they do with it.  They may keep it all, or they may "share" with others.

Credit Card.  You REALLY have no idea how the company disperses it.  Just like on a cruise.  

[kirtihk]

On 2/28/2024 at 2:28 PM, sheezsmith said:

So all the crew that clean up after you, hallways, stairways, restrooms etc get nothing, if you can afford a cruise, you can afford to pay all of the crew a small gratuity!! 

If paying by cash a cruise line suggested amounts, the total is the same as prepaid or daily onboard.  So, it’s not about affordability.  

[tserface]

On 3/1/2024 at 4:21 AM, stuart2468 said:

You have either not ventured outside of the London area, or have visited high end restaurants or with a party size greater than 8. Because outside of these stipulations, nowhere in the UK puts a non optional 'service fee' onto any bill. It simply isnt the culture here in the UK to be paying tips, and certianly wouldnt be accepted England wide, even UK wide for that matter. 

 

If a service charge is added to any bill, it should be stated on the menu, but even then it cannot be enforced. Thats not to say cheeky restaurants dont try, but as soon as they do this with me, it is removed and they are given a verbal bashing about how we are not the US and we will not be going to a compulsary tipping regime. Do not assume you gave me good service. You will wait until i confirm it with what ever monetary value i deem acceptable.

 

Now, when im abroad, i take a softer stance on this dependant upon the country I visit. But i will not hesitate to remove or deny a tip if i consider the service to have been poor.  

 

My money, my choice. And thats how we all should be.

We were in London... but that is England right 🙂

[rolloman]

Almost" Mandatory Tipping on a cruise ship is annoying, it did not used to be this way. We  literally put money in an envelope on the last day of the cruise and dispersed accordingly. Clearly the change made many moons ago to the current structure is a boon for the cruise lines. However, to me, even more annoying, are the Blow-Hards on this site who preach no amount is enough to throw the crew. Funny thing is, over the years I have made good friends with crew and each of them tells the story of doing quite well. So much so they Soley provide back to their homelands not just for immediate family but extended family. I personally leave the tips in place and reward extra "at my choosing" but I don't hesitate to light someone up on a survey if necessary. But for those of you who like to tell the tale of how you trot around the ship (like the scene on the movie Dumb and Dumber) wiping your nose with hundred dollar bills and flicking them in the air...by all means, continue to have at it!

[not-enough-cruising]

3 hours ago, rolloman said:

Almost" Mandatory Tipping on a cruise ship is annoying, it did not used to be this way. We  literally put money in an envelope on the last day of the cruise and dispersed accordingly. Clearly the change made many moons ago to the current structure is a boon for the cruise lines. However, to me, even more annoying, are the Blow-Hards on this site who preach no amount is enough to throw the crew. Funny thing is, over the years I have made good friends with crew and each of them tells the story of doing quite well. So much so they Soley provide back to their homelands not just for immediate family but extended family. I personally leave the tips in place and reward extra "at my choosing" but I don't hesitate to light someone up on a survey if necessary. But for those of you who like to tell the tale of how you trot around the ship (like the scene on the movie Dumb and Dumber) wiping your nose with hundred dollar bills and flicking them in the air...by all means, continue to have at it!

And those crew members that are doing very well will tell you, without exception, they much prefer cash tips over the prepaid shell game. 

[ReneeFLL]

On 2/28/2024 at 2:28 PM, sheezsmith said:

So all the crew that clean up after you, hallways, stairways, restrooms etc get nothing, if you can afford a cruise, you can afford to pay all of the crew a small gratuity!! 

You can look at it the other way also. If Royal can afford to run a business and make money then they can afford to pay the crew a decent wage. Have you thought of that? Probably not.

[ReneeFLL]

On 3/1/2024 at 10:00 AM, FamilyCruiserUK said:

Has anyone actually answered the OP or it it just 3 pages of you must tip, no you dont, yes you do, no you dont,but you must, no i dont.......etc etc

Have you read the last 3 pages? That will answer your question.

[gavvy]

On 3/2/2024 at 12:16 PM, d9704011 said:

If you can figure out ways to get people to work for minimal wages and have your customers 'top them up', you'll be able to own/operate more cruise ships.

 

It is called inclusive cruising, you build the tip into the trip cost, and others already do it successfully and have done it for years, indeed even RCL do it in Australia as they are forced to showing they already know how to do it and have the systems in place to implement it overnight, they choose not too for corporate reasons and because they know the USA folks will stump up a tip regardless

[d9704011]

8 minutes ago, gavvy said:

 

It is called inclusive cruising, you build the tip into the trip cost, and others already do it successfully and have done it for years, indeed even RCL do it in Australia as they are forced to showing they already know how to do it and have the systems in place to implement it overnight, they choose not too for corporate reasons and because they know the USA folks will stump up a tip regardless

Thanks for the unnecessary lecture.