GRATUITIES/TIPS/DAILY SERVICE CHARGE – ULTIMATE GUIDE

[PTC DAWG]

1 minute ago, FeliciaB said:

I think you can tip in whatever is convenient to you within reason.  The ship will always be able to convert it to USD (at a decent exchange rate)  if that is what they want and can probably change it into Euro or GBP depending on the itinerary if that is what they prefer.  

I have had crew tell me that they swap currencies with one another if it works for both..

[canderson]

14 minutes ago, the penguins said:

Sorry if I misinterpreted the post. Surely all tips above and beyond are in cash.

Not necessarily.  Cruise line OBC is another option, especially if it's in gross surplus for a particular cruise.  That's not as common as it was for a year or two where repricing was possible up to a couple of days before the cruise (came as OBC after final), but it's still possible.

 

One can also dip into any refundable OBC (perhaps provided by a TA) for this purpose if caught short on cash.

 

The forms for additional tipping using ones onboard account are available at Guest Services, and like all onboard charges in a guest folio, are first paid with non-refundable OBC, then refundable OBC, and last, whatever settlement method was arranged before the cruise - typically a credit card. 

 

It is possible to use the generic categories provided on the form to direct your extra tips, but it is also allowed to add by name specific beneficiaries.  The default options were Dining Services, Stateroom Attendant, Other Housekeeping Services, and Butler.

 

So if caught short for cash, or with a glut of OBC, the Guest Services form can be used in a pinch.

 

I always let any individual beneficiaries know if I've done this (phone photo of form) to be sure they know to be looking for this and that it doesn't get diverted/lost somewhere.

[Liao]

1 hour ago, the penguins said:

Sorry if I misinterpreted the post. Surely all tips above and beyond are in cash.

I was simply making the point that it doesn’t matter which currency the tips are in as the ship will convert it for the crew. When you were cruising in Europe you probably had some Euros or £ left which you might not need again and so rather than change them back into $ you can use them for extra tips.

Not always in cash, some transfer OBC to crew in lieu of cash tips.

[bikerunner]

Always a popcorn type of thread.  How one person tips vs another makes no difference to me, but I do/have noticed that the people who are stingy or remove tips when I go out or away, I tend to no longer associate with them anymore.  Not for that reason only..   Tho,  other thing that is an idiotic argument, is how one country does run its business vs another should make no difference at all.  I travel a lot, not as much as some here I'll admit, but at least a month a year in vacations, still work full time, between Caribbean, Europe and other places, cruises and land based.  I am very aware, and do learn the customs of places I go, and would never pretend how where I live is superior or better overall.  It's just how that country does it, and how people want it done in their country.  Just not worth discussing what is right and wrong there as there are so many opinions depending where you are from, but like said I honor how those countries I visit and how businesses are run. With all that, I watch service closely not just towards me but others also, long time Hotel and Restuarant exec habit. Next point is everyone has a different opinion on what exemplifies exceptional service, its not black and white, tis what is important to those individual that the service is given.   

[canderson]

29 minutes ago, PTC DAWG said:

I have had crew tell me that they swap currencies with one another if it works for both..

I've also heard it said that for ships with itineraries that will be based out of the U.S. (typically Florida, somewhere) for a considerable length of time, Amazon gift cards are much appreciated for individual, un-pooled tips, and don't ever have to be 'shared'.  Crew can sort what they need online at their leisure, and a pallet of Amazon packages are delivered to the ship each time it makes a turn in Florida. 

[Baron Barracuda]

A point that's seldom mentioned in these threads is how the number of crew participating in the tip pool has increased in recent years.  Prior to pre-paid service charges we were simply left envelopes for our hw, w, aw & cs.  A notice recommended amounts for each but what went into the envelope was totally our call.  This resulted in a meritocracy where those who provided exemplary service likely received fatter envelopes than those who simply went through the motions.  Now, all receive basically the same amount (before any extras we provide) plus a portion of the daily charge has been re-directed to laundry, kitchen and other non-customer facing crew who presumably had been totally on salary in the past, meaning their total compensation was built into our cruise fare.  The result is X has sneakily held down cruise fares by shifting some base pay to service charge which is excluded from advertised price.

[hcat]

14 minutes ago, Baron Barracuda said:

A point that's seldom mentioned in these threads is how the number of crew participating in the tip pool has increased in recent years.  Prior to pre-paid service charges we were simply left envelopes for our hw, w, aw & cs.  A notice recommended amounts for each but what went into the envelope was totally our call.  This resulted in a meritocracy where those who provided exemplary service likely received fatter envelopes than those who simply went through the motions.  Now, all receive basically the same amount (before any extras we provide) plus a portion of the daily charge has been re-directed to laundry, kitchen and other non-customer facing crew who presumably had been totally on salary in the past, meaning their total compensation was built into our cruise fare.  The result is X has sneakily held down cruise fares by shifting some base pay to service charge which is excluded from advertised price.

Since the advent of pooled tips, we do not tip as much extra cash as we used to.. We give a group extra tip to maitre d in BLU or Luminae.. and it depends on MdR on E Class if we stick with one venue..or set of servers

 

Drink servers get extra per drink and sommeliet at end..I do not think they  must share.

 

Room attendent gets small extra tips  ongping l,and at the end..it depends on level of svc..

 

[wwcruisers]

1 hour ago, Baron Barracuda said:

A point that's seldom mentioned in these threads is how the number of crew participating in the tip pool has increased in recent years.  Prior to pre-paid service charges we were simply left envelopes for our hw, w, aw & cs.  A notice recommended amounts for each but what went into the envelope was totally our call.  This resulted in a meritocracy where those who provided exemplary service likely received fatter envelopes than those who simply went through the motions.  Now, all receive basically the same amount (before any extras we provide) plus a portion of the daily charge has been re-directed to laundry, kitchen and other non-customer facing crew who presumably had been totally on salary in the past, meaning their total compensation was built into our cruise fare.  The result is X has sneakily held down cruise fares by shifting some base pay to service charge which is excluded from advertised price.

Good point! But you & I have been around long enough to remember the crew-lore of 'kicking up -- and down' when it came to those nice envelopes that we all stuffed, for the designated crew members. One of the stories went that you could always tell if your steward (or butler) wasn't 'taking care of' the laundry manager -- his/her cabins would always get the threadbare linens -- or maybe (at times) none at all!😱

[manmachine]

3 hours ago, Baron Barracuda said:

A point that's seldom mentioned in these threads is how the number of crew participating in the tip pool has increased in recent years.  Prior to pre-paid service charges we were simply left envelopes for our hw, w, aw & cs.  A notice recommended amounts for each but what went into the envelope was totally our call.  This resulted in a meritocracy where those who provided exemplary service likely received fatter envelopes than those who simply went through the motions.  Now, all receive basically the same amount (before any extras we provide) plus a portion of the daily charge has been re-directed to laundry, kitchen and other non-customer facing crew who presumably had been totally on salary in the past, meaning their total compensation was built into our cruise fare.  The result is X has sneakily held down cruise fares by shifting some base pay to service charge which is excluded from advertised price.

Exactly this.  And sneaky is a nice word for it.  It also, IMHO, negatively impacts service.

[the penguins]

5 hours ago, canderson said:

Not necessarily.  Cruise line OBC is another option, especially if it's in gross surplus for a particular cruise.  That's not as common as it was for a year or two where repricing was possible up to a couple of days before the cruise (came as OBC after final), but it's still possible.

 

One can also dip into any refundable OBC (perhaps provided by a TA) for this purpose if caught short on cash.

 

The forms for additional tipping using ones onboard account are available at Guest Services, and like all onboard charges in a guest folio, are first paid with non-refundable OBC, then refundable OBC, and last, whatever settlement method was arranged before the cruise - typically a credit card. 

 

It is possible to use the generic categories provided on the form to direct your extra tips, but it is also allowed to add by name specific beneficiaries.  The default options were Dining Services, Stateroom Attendant, Other Housekeeping Services, and Butler.

 

So if caught short for cash, or with a glut of OBC, the Guest Services form can be used in a pinch.

 

I always let any individual beneficiaries know if I've done this (phone photo of form) to be sure they know to be looking for this and that it doesn't get diverted/lost somewhere.

I had forgotten you you do that. By the end of the cruise the boss (Anita) has always invested any OBC not used to buy perfume in the casino

[the penguins]

4 hours ago, Baron Barracuda said:

A point that's seldom mentioned in these threads is how the number of crew participating in the tip pool has increased in recent years.  Prior to pre-paid service charges we were simply left envelopes for our hw, w, aw & cs.  A notice recommended amounts for each but what went into the envelope was totally our call.  This resulted in a meritocracy where those who provided exemplary service likely received fatter envelopes than those who simply went through the motions.  Now, all receive basically the same amount (before any extras we provide) plus a portion of the daily charge has been re-directed to laundry, kitchen and other non-customer facing crew who presumably had been totally on salary in the past, meaning their total compensation was built into our cruise fare.  The result is X has sneakily held down cruise fares by shifting some base pay to service charge which is excluded from advertised price.

true but the portion of the daily charge directed to the laundry staff etc is just $2 per day.

[eric4395]

On 9/2/2024 at 6:39 PM, the penguins said:

Sorry where do you live?

We are from the UK and neither we nor any of our UK friends ever remove/cancel the auto grats.

By all means make your objections/comments/suggestions to Celebrity but in the meantime don't penalise the hard working crew by removing or reducing what is in effect part of their wages.

If you don't like X's system don't book with X - there are lots of alternatives

Not sure if you have access to tiktok but search "Nicole/ travel & life do you give tips on holiday".   a UK resident I may add  who has come back from a royal Carribbean cruise and look at the comments and opinions on it. You may get your eyes opened?

[canderson]

Was curious to see what the numbers really meant.

 

Quickly divvying up the 'daily' in exceptionally round numbers just to see what we're all actually discussing here. Will use our upcoming M Class TA as an example.  These ships have a higher number of crew per passenger, so for the crew side of the calculation, this is worst case for a full ship:

 

Let's use a small bit over the lower number to account for concierge/aqua/suite, so using $18.50 per person per day.

 

Anticipate a full ship of 2170 pax (sold out, double occupancy) and full complement of 1000 crew (not all of whom are participants).

 

2170 x $18.50 = $40,145/day, or an average of about $1,200 per month per crew member, though not distributed equally.

 

I'll leave it to someone else to run the numbers for S and E class, but as S and E have a lesser number of crew per pax, the crew will make out a little better on those ships.

 

[the penguins]

7 hours ago, canderson said:

Was curious to see what the numbers really meant.

 

Quickly divvying up the 'daily' in exceptionally round numbers just to see what we're all actually discussing here. Will use our upcoming M Class TA as an example.  These ships have a higher number of crew per passenger, so for the crew side of the calculation, this is worst case for a full ship:

 

Let's use a small bit over the lower number to account for concierge/aqua/suite, so using $18.50 per person per day.

 

Anticipate a full ship of 2170 pax (sold out, double occupancy) and full complement of 1000 crew (not all of whom are participants).

 

2170 x $18.50 = $40,145/day, or an average of about $1,200 per month per crew member, though not distributed equally.

 

I'll leave it to someone else to run the numbers for S and E class, but as S and E have a lesser number of crew per pax, the crew will make out a little better on those ships.

 

A large proportion of the crew are not included in the Auto grats system:

1) those who are just salaried: entertainment staff, guest relations, finance/admin/captains club, all crew who "sail" the ship engineers/deck hands, ships officers etc.

2) staff who's tips come directly from sales/purchases: bar staff, cafe Al Bacio staff, somelliers, spa and shop staff.

 

The vast majority of the your $18.50 example goes to a comparatively few people: cabin steward, waiter, and assistant waiter (there is an additional amount for Butlers which is why the daily suite price is higher).

The non passenger facing staff in the hotel division (cleaners, laundry staff etc) get a share of the remaining $2.

 

If Auto grats are reduced the revised sum is split in the same proportions across everyone in the system I.e. reduce if by 50% and the $2 that would have gone to the non passenger facing staff is reduced to $1.

 

[the penguins]

11 hours ago, eric4395 said:

Not sure if you have access to tiktok but search "Nicole/ travel & life do you give tips on holiday".   a UK resident I may add  who has come back from a royal Carribbean cruise and look at the comments and opinions on it. You may get your eyes opened?

we don't use tiktok, X, facebook or any other social media site.

However I am happy with the knowledge gained over 50 (fifty) years working in the UK travel industry - my last position ended when the company closed due to covid - and the 30+ years of personal cruising.

[manmachine]

13 hours ago, the penguins said:

true but the portion of the daily charge directed to the laundry staff etc is just $2 per day.

 

 

Edited September 4 by manmachine

[manmachine]

So much for the ‘Ultimate Guide.’

[pete_coach]

15 hours ago, the penguins said:

true but the portion of the daily charge directed to the laundry staff etc is just $2 per day.

Where did you get the daily gratuity distribution information???

Laundry staff, $2 per day X 3500 pax = $7000?

[jwlane]

7 minutes ago, pete_coach said:

 

Laundry staff, $2 per day X 3500 pax = $7000?

I want to be the one guy doing laundry.

[pete_coach]

1 minute ago, jwlane said:

I want to be the one guy doing laundry.

 🤣 Point was $7K per day for laundry staff and where he got that info.

[RichYak]

11 minutes ago, pete_coach said:

 🤣 Point was $7K per day for laundry staff and where he got that info.

In Post 6 of this thread. $2 per day of the auto grats is designated for "Other Hotel Services". That should include, but is likely not limited to laundry staff.

Edited September 4 by RichYak

[PTC DAWG]

Nobody told me there would be math..  🙂

[bikerunner]

duplicate 

Edited September 4 by bikerunner
Not needed already answered

[the penguins]

3 hours ago, pete_coach said:

Where did you get the daily gratuity distribution information???

Laundry staff, $2 per day X 3500 pax = $7000?

Sorry I did put "etc" as it was detailed in Post 6 under the heading "other hotel services" the $2 includes laundry staff, rest room attendants etc. 

  Post 6 also shows the distribution of the auto tips by cabin class - this information is available from GR on every ship.

On a different thread Jim/Iain confirmed that the figure under the Suites breakdown shown as "Suite Services" is the amount the Butler gets.

[cruisegus]

On 8/31/2024 at 10:32 AM, Guindalf said:

It would be great if this could be a sticky in every cruise line. Please feel free to comment if I've missed anything. There is no need to go over old ground and debate whether or not you should partake. that's for another thread. 

 

Let’s try to end all the questions about the policies and actions concerning when and how much to tip and when to remove gratuities (if at all).

I Do not intend to preach or tell you what you should or should not do. That’s your decision, but I hope I can help you draw your conclusions with your eyes open and not with half-truths, rumors and downright lies.

 

We’ll start with a clarification of terms.

 

1.        Daily Service Charge (DSC).

 

This is the amount added to your account each day and is intended to supplement the income of various members of the crew including stateroom attendant and assistant, wait staff and people behind the scenes that you don’t see. The actual distribution of the DSC is not and should not be your concern. It’s usually something around $15-20 per day but can vary depending on the class of cabin, etc. Compare this to a ‘resort fee’, often charged by hotels, especially in tourist areas like the beach or Las Vegas.

 

The DSC is often called ‘gratuities’ or ‘tips’, which is technically inaccurate and adds to the confusion. Only education of the terms will help.

 

Maybe we should start the clarification of terms and education with the head office.

 

Since everyone of my invoices call it "Gratuities"