Removing pre paid gratuities while on the ship

[DennysDad]

1 minute ago, TwoMisfits said:

 

The generic pool of all the folks continuously filling the buffet line, cleaning the buffet line, clearing the tables, cleaning the tables, cleaning and refilling the soda machine, cleaning up spills, etc, etc.  This is why you leave tips on your account.  Every one of their restaurant server staff takes shifts making sure the buffet is a pleasant, clean, and healthy experience for you.

Not my problem. I tip cash to those who directly wait on me. I cannot subsidize the salary of two thousand employees. 

[OBX-Cruisers]

The cruise lines would save a lot of grief if they just raised the cost of the cruise $20-$30 depending on cabin type and did away with what they call "gratuities" but are actually wages for THEIR staff.  So until they do that, it would be mentally beneficial to just consider that extra amount as being the cost of the cruise.  We have ALWAYS tipped in addition to that amount because of the excellent care we have gotten on 98%+ of our 35 cruises (Norwegian being that outlier).  Interacting with the crew has been one of the highlights of most of our cruises, particularly the one where RCI had a contest to find crew members from a list of different countries.  THAT was the best experience of all of our cruises and the staff seemed to love the attention too.

[not-enough-cruising]

26 minutes ago, TwoMisfits said:

 

The generic pool of all the folks continuously filling the buffet line, cleaning the buffet line, clearing the tables, cleaning the tables, cleaning and refilling the soda machine, cleaning up spills, etc, etc.  This is why you leave tips on your account.  Every one of their restaurant server staff takes shifts making sure the buffet is a pleasant, clean, and healthy experience for you.

Maintaining the Windjammer is part of my cruise fare - no need to pay extra 

 

Just like clean laundry and clean dishes. 

Edited April 20 by not-enough-cruising

[OBX-Cruisers]

22 minutes ago, DennysDad said:

Not my problem. I tip cash to those who directly wait on me. I cannot subsidize the salary of two thousand employees. 

My brother and law and his wife went on one cruise and HE was similarly SHOCKED about gratuities and that he actually had to pay extra for a Soda.  They never went on another cruise...........fortunately.

 

[DennysDad]

16 minutes ago, OBX-Cruisers said:

The cruise lines would save a lot of grief if they just raised the cost of the cruise $20-$30 depending on cabin type and did away with what they call "gratuities" but are actually wages for THEIR staff.  So until they do that, it would be mentally beneficial to just consider that extra amount as being the cost of the cruise.  We have ALWAYS tipped in addition to that amount because of the excellent care we have gotten on 98%+ of our 35 cruises (Norwegian being that outlier).  Interacting with the crew has been one of the highlights of most of our cruises, particularly the one where RCI had a contest to find crew members from a list of different countries.  THAT was the best experience of all of our cruises and the staff seemed to love the attention too.

Honey, the cruise lines have raised the cost of cabins by 40% over last year. And not a dime went to the crew. Wrong, yes. My problem, no. 

[jean87510]

43 minutes ago, TwoMisfits said:

 

The generic pool of all the folks continuously filling the buffet line, cleaning the buffet line, clearing the tables, cleaning the tables, cleaning and refilling the soda machine, cleaning up spills, etc, etc.  This is why you leave tips on your account.  Every one of their restaurant server staff takes shifts making sure the buffet is a pleasant, clean, and healthy experience for you.

You can use this argument to tip basically anywhere - movie theater employees for handing you popcorn and cleaning the bathrooms, grocery store employees who bake cupcakes or slice meat for you and keep store cleaned.  The reason you don't tip them is because they have a salary.  As does fast food places.  And Starbucks.  And the cruise ship employees who clean the Windjammer.  

[Ferry_Watcher]

Maybe this thread could be moved to the UK Cruising CC sub group post since it concerns a UK passenger on an European sailing.  I don't think involving US passengers in this drama is needed.

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/543-uk-cruising/

[KarlK]

2 hours ago, DennysDad said:

Not my problem. I tip cash to those who directly wait on me. I cannot subsidize the salary of two thousand employees. 

Exactly. We are among those that do not pre pay any gratuities and have them removed. We tip directly who we see fit. We also do not use the MDR. We are on vacation so I only pack shorts and it takes too long. We buffet all the way. Did MDR only our first cruise of the 4 we have done and have never done specialty sit down restaurant due to cost.

[not-enough-cruising]

3 hours ago, TwoMisfits said:

 

Buffet service is absolutely a tipped position in the US.  All buffet restaurant meals should be tipped at US restaurants.

 

So, if you cruise in the US, the expectation is ALL meals are tipped meals - breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

If Golden Corral changed you $200 per person per day to visit the buffet; would you still consider it a tipping situation?

Comparing a land based buffet to the Windjammer just doesn't work, on so many levels.

[DennysDad]

7 minutes ago, KarlK said:

Exactly. We are among those that do not pre pay any gratuities and have them removed. We tip directly who we see fit. We also do not use the MDR. We are on vacation so I only pack shorts and it takes too long. We buffet all the way. Did MDR only our first cruise of the 4 we have done and have never done specialty sit down restaurant due to cost.

Too long yes. But remember you can go to the MDR in shorts if you want.

[A&L_Ont]

 

3 hours ago, Saoa0318 said:

I completely agree. It needs to stop being publicly debated. 

 

Only way this will happen is if RC rolls all tips into the actual cruise cost, and not as an additional charge prior to boarding the shop or a daily charge during the cruise.  Until then it will be debated weekly, if not daily. 

[TwoMisfits]

1 hour ago, not-enough-cruising said:

If Golden Corral changed you $200 per person per day to visit the buffet; would you still consider it a tipping situation?

Comparing a land based buffet to the Windjammer just doesn't work, on so many levels.

 

RCCL doesn't charge you $200/person/day to visit the buffet, nor do you tip on a $200/person per day concept.

 

You tip, what $6/day, to waitstaff in the mandatory tips (with the other $10-$12 to stateroom and then general staff)?  So, per meal, if you eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner, you're leaving an equivalent $2/tip per person on the table for all the service you received at your meals.

 

That's about the tip you'd leave at a land-based Golden Corral for a meal, not a served sit down meal, so they've pretty much put tips at the lowest tipping rate restaurant type for US restaurants.

Edited April 20 by TwoMisfits

[not-enough-cruising]

6 minutes ago, TwoMisfits said:

 

RCCL doesn't charge you $200/person/day to visit the buffet, nor do you tip on a $200/person per day concept.

 

You tip, what $6/day, to waitstaff in the mandatory tips (with the other $10-$12 to stateroom and then general staff)?  So, per meal, if you eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner, you're leaving an equivalent $2/tip per person on the table for all the service you received at your meals.

 

That's about the tip you'd leave at a land-based Golden Corral for a meal, not a served sit down meal, so they've pretty much put tips at the lowest tipping rate restaurant type for US restaurants.

OK.......................

[Tree_skier]

5 hours ago, not-enough-cruising said:

 however fast food in my area are starting to ask for tips as well.  No Thank You!!

I'm seeing that more and more in my area (CA home of the $20 per hour fast food wage). Hard pass from me.

[grandgeezer]

2 hours ago, A&L_Ont said:

 

 

Only way this will happen is if RC rolls all tips into the actual cruise cost, and not as an additional charge prior to boarding the shop or a daily charge during the cruise.  Until then it will be debated weekly, if not daily. 

I’ve been on these boards for over twenty years, and the tipping situation has been a subject the whole while. It seems like an easy fix, just roll them into the total price, so why hasn’t it been done? I’m betting it has something to do with $$$$ in the cruise lines bottom line, what it is I couldn’t even guess. Until then nothing is going to change. 

Can anybody say, with certainty that the cruise price dropped when the prepaid gratuities was taken off the AI and suites and passed on to the customer? Why not? I’ll give you three guesses and the first two don’t count.

[DennysDad]

1 hour ago, TwoMisfits said:

 

RCCL doesn't charge you $200/person/day to visit the buffet, nor do you tip on a $200/person per day concept.

 

You tip, what $6/day, to waitstaff in the mandatory tips (with the other $10-$12 to stateroom and then general staff)?  So, per meal, if you eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner, you're leaving an equivalent $2/tip per person on the table for all the service you received at your meals.

 

That's about the tip you'd leave at a land-based Golden Corral for a meal, not a served sit down meal, so they've pretty much put tips at the lowest tipping rate restaurant type for US restaurants.

There is no "mandatory tip". 

[Qextor]

6 hours ago, jean87510 said:

The reason you don't tip them is because they have a salary

I agree they aren't tipped positions, but they don't earn a salary.  Just an  hourly wage.

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

1 hour ago, grandgeezer said:

I’m betting it has something to do with $$$$ in the cruise lines bottom line, what it is I couldn’t even guess.

I'm betting it has something to do with showing a lower fare for passengers.  Tell me which would you book?

 

$1000pp for a seven day cruise

or

$1126pp for a seven day cruise

 

Of course, if you purchase the $1000 cruise, later on you find out they want to tack on an extra $126.  So you're paying the same, but $1000 looks better.  

[grandgeezer]

1 hour ago, S.A.M.J.R. said:

I'm betting it has something to do with showing a lower fare for passengers.  Tell me which would you book?

 

$1000pp for a seven day cruise

or

$1126pp for a seven day cruise

 

Of course, if you purchase the $1000 cruise, later on you find out they want to tack on an extra $126.  So you're paying the same, but $1000 looks better.  

Looks better? The only one you’re fooling is yourself. A person could book the $1,000 p.p. and remove the grats at the front desk at the end of the cruise like they are currently doing. Your example gains nothing.

[jean87510]

1 hour ago, Qextor said:

I agree they aren't tipped positions, but they don't earn a salary.  Just an  hourly wage.

An hourly wage is a salary, isn't it? Or am I missing something?  I had an hourly wage which I referred to as my salary.

[time4u2go]

1 hour ago, S.A.M.J.R. said:

I'm betting it has something to do with showing a lower fare for passengers.  Tell me which would you book?

 

$1000pp for a seven day cruise

or

$1126pp for a seven day cruise

 

Of course, if you purchase the $1000 cruise, later on you find out they want to tack on an extra $126.  So you're paying the same, but $1000 looks better.  

Agreed. I'm sure that there are some new cruisers that don't even know about the gratuities being added on later. They only see that $1000 price and it looks better to them.

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

33 minutes ago, grandgeezer said:

Looks better? The only one you’re fooling is yourself. A person could book the $1,000 p.p. and remove the grats at the front desk at the end of the cruise like they are currently doing. Your example gains nothing.

You're missing the point.  The $1000 price is BEFORE gratuities.  At issue is why Royal doesn't just up the cruise fare to include gratuities.  Because they want to advertise the price without the grats.  It looks better when people are shopping.

 

Look at how many people ask "Is 30% off the best deal on the ultimate drink package"?  

[DennysDad]

40 minutes ago, S.A.M.J.R. said:

You're missing the point.  The $1000 price is BEFORE gratuities.  At issue is why Royal doesn't just up the cruise fare to include gratuities.  Because they want to advertise the price without the grats.  It looks better when people are shopping.

 

Look at how many people ask "Is 30% off the best deal on the ultimate drink package"?  

No, Royal Caribbean keeps a small percentage of automatic gratuities as a processing fee. That's why they keep it this way. 

[Mum2Mercury]

We strongly prefer My Time Dining.  Our experience: 

- It does start a little later than we'd prefer, but -- like you -- we consider Early Dining too early and Late Dining too late.  

- We always make reservations, and we've always been seated within 5-10 minutes.  100% of the time, though we only sail in low-season when it's not so crowded.  My Time is somewhat flexible: If you show up 15 minutes early /late, they'll still seat you quickly.  This is not true with Traditional Dining -- everyone arrives at the same time.  

- We get the same wait staff each evening, though we've been seated at different tables in the same general area -- maybe because we tend towards choosing the same time every evening?  

- Our service has been excellent regardless of whether we have My Time or Traditional Dining. 

- Don't write off the buffet for dinner.  We enjoy a fancier dinner, but maybe not seven nights in a row.  Typically we hit the buffet two nights out of a week-long cruise.    

- Now, for tips:  Chances are really good that you'll receive excellent service, but -- if you're this nervous about it -- CALL NOW and remove your tips.  Anything you CAN do ahead, DO ahead.  Then bring along cash money to tip as you see fit on the last night.   

[Billy Baltic]

8 hours ago, A&L_Ont said:

 

 

Only way this will happen is if RC rolls all tips into the actual cruise cost, and not as an additional charge prior to boarding the shop or a daily charge during the cruise.  Until then it will be debated weekly, if not daily. 

I think you’re being optimistic. If it gets rolled into the initial cost, it will just become “I can’t believe you are only tipping what is included’. There is a group of gratuity police on CC who will be never be happy.