Tipping for Spa Treatments

[Kathy130]

Do you tip the tradtional amt. for any spa treatments?? Do you include the tip on the seapass or give cash???

[Marley-Bop]

Do you tip the tradtional amt. for any spa treatments?? Do you include the tip on the seapass or give cash???

 

Hi Kathy

 

They automatically add 10% service charge to the price of the treatment. This is not advertised, it is just added on the bill when you come to sign it.

 

Chubbas XX

[AZjohn]

Hummm, another bit of great info I learned today. I would have probably never noticed and added more of a tip:cool: . Reminds me of when a restaurant adds 18% to a bill but doen't tell you about it, then I give an addional 15%:( .

Thanks for the tip....lol.

John

[skiiergirl]

I have never had them add a gratuity on to the cost of the service. I will have to watch out for this in the future but have never had it happen previously. I always (well...almost always depending on the service) give a 20% tip. Sometimes more...sometimes less.

 

One thing to remember, if you are using a C&A coupon and getting a reduced cost on your treatment, your tip should be based on the cost of the treatment before the discount rather than after.

[Kristin7701]

I always (well...almost always depending on the service) give a 20% tip. Sometimes more...sometimes less.

 

I have always read that 10% is customary for spa services (regardless of whether on a ship or not). Anyone care to weigh in?

[Marley-Bop]

Well I had the teeth whitening done last week at the port day offer price of $179. When they had finished they gave me a copy of the bill for $196.90 and said that 10% is automatically added :eek: I wouldnt have minded if the teeth whitening had made any difference but it DIDNT!!!

 

Chubbas XX

[cruisefanatic01]

I was also not aware of the included gratuity added to your bill. I didn't realize it until I got my bill on the last night. I had already tipped her $7, so in all she got $17. The massage was great though, so I didn't make a big fuss over it.

[threeofus]

My DH and I are finished with the pushy spa people.....they just push and push the products after the treatment. It's become too unpleasant - can't enjoy the treatment anymore.

[Marley-Bop]

My DH and I are finished with the pushy spa people.....they just push and push the products after the treatment. It's become too unpleasant - can't enjoy the treatment anymore.

 

Tell me about it!!!

 

After admitting that the teeth whitening didnt have any effect on me at all (because it doesnt work on everyone they admitted) - They then tried to sell me $588 worth of "enhancers" that if I rub on my teeth when I get home, I MIGHT see some improvement.

 

Needless to say, I have written to RCCL :mad:

 

Chubbas XX

[Clamett]

Tell me about it!!!

 

After admitting that the teeth whitening didnt have any effect on me at all (because it doesnt work on everyone they admitted) - They then tried to sell me $588 worth of "enhancers" that if I rub on my teeth when I get home, I MIGHT see some improvement.

 

Needless to say, I have written to RCCL :mad:

 

Chubbas XX

 

 

Thank you for posting this. I was ready to give the experience a try next week on the Enchantment. Now I won't.

[PhinsAndGills]

Do you think it would help at all if you told them up front you're not interested in buying any products?

[Marley-Bop]

Clamett you are more than welcome :) I feel completely "ripped off".

 

Chubbas XX

[angelsil]

I've actually found them less pushy on recent cruises. The last few cruises they've just handed me a brocheure with 'recommended' products rather than the previous tactic of a post-massage 'consultation sales push'.

 

I usually tip between 15 and 20% depending on service.

[yosh12]

Do you tip the tradtional amt. for any spa treatments?? Do you include the tip on the seapass or give cash???

 

If it was a great treatment I may leave more. If not the typical 10-15% (whatever it is they add on), is all I leave.

 

Not sure how others don't know this. The line above where you add your tip clearly states the % and amount of "gratuity". So there is no secret that they're trying to get past you.

[hcw80]

Well I had the teeth whitening done last week at the port day offer price of $179. When they had finished they gave me a copy of the bill for $196.90 and said that 10% is automatically added :eek: I wouldnt have minded if the teeth whitening had made any difference but it DIDNT!!!

 

Chubbas XX

 

I always wondered about that procedure. Sorry for your results but thanks for letting me know and saving me a few dollars.

[cruisePRN]

The tip is included at 10% of the cost you pay for service. If you use a discount coupon you tip on the actual cost not some hyperinflated "theoretical" cost. It has been added in already on the treatments I've had and like the bar bill I seldom tip extra.

[nmcrzer]

Do you think it would help at all if you told them up front you're not interested in buying any products?

 

In my experience, if you tell them up front that they won't be making any extra money at the end of the service, then they don't do their best job.

 

After the first spa service I got last year, the spa person brought the receipt to me along with a bottle of massage oil I had not asked to buy. But, I was so relaxed that I signed the receipt anyway even though the bottle of massage oil was more than the service itself! I had another service done on a port day, and I said before she began the service that I didn't want to buy any products. I swear, she gave me the worst massage ever. I'm pretty sure she fell asleep with her hand on my neck.

[*twinkle*]

Chubbas

 

Were you on Voyager of the Seas? This happened to me the other week too!! The teeth whitening was on special offer @ $159, but it ended up costing nearer $190. The girl said that the price didn't include a tip, so I assumed it was some sort of european tax. I gave her a small tip, but I felt a bit ripped off.

 

The teeth whitening was OK. She said I had improved by 6 shades, but I can't really see a difference.

 

She tried to sell me a course of goSmile at the end of the treatment. I was a bit embarassed to say no, because she was quite pushy, but it was going to be another $200!! Anyway, I declined.

 

Incidentally, I bought goSmile online when I got home (don't think it's available in the UK), and it works a treat.

[Marley-Bop]

Hi Twinkle, I will tell you the whole story :(

 

Onboard in the Navigator Spa - I in my stupidity opted to have the teeth whitening done onboard. It is advertised on the RC TV showing the entertainments manager having the procedure carried out and his teeth "apparently" went 6 shades lighter and was "given" aftercare sticks to use for seven days after the treatment. Now because I have a stained stepped back tooth, I actually went into the spa before booking to show them the tooth with the stain and ask them about the procedure. I was told that another passenger had exactly the same as me and had got excellent results from having it done.

 

Now I might be a bit naive but I booked it for the next day and was given an appointment card but nothing else to take away and read or sign. When I went back the next day, I was shown into the spa and told to take a seat. A girl came in with an A4 page and said I had to fill in some questions about my teeth like, did I have any cracks or cavitys or have any allergies. I filled in the form with her and she asked me to sign it as she was ready to start. I was not given this form the previous day or asked to bring my glasses with me so could not read the form but naively and trustingly signed it after asking loads of questions. The cost of the treatment was $179 dollars as it was a port day special offer. When she looked at my teeth she held up a colour chart against them and laid it back down on the side without selecting a colour. She painted some liquid onto my teeth and the I had to put glasses on and sit with a light on my teeth for approx ten minutes.

 

After this time she came back and painted more stuff on my teeth and put the light back on the another ten minutes or so. When she returned, she turned off the light and held the colour chart against my teeth again. She then said, you have gone up about one to two shades lighter than you were and selected a before and after colour from her chart at that point. She gave me a cup of water and told me to rinse and then without her offering to show me, I looked into a mirror on the wall and saw no difference whatsoever.

 

I pointed out that the stepped back tooth had not even lifted slightly and she said, Oh no it wouldnt, you will have to get the dentist to do that for you, we are not allowed to scape your teeth. I told her that I had asked the previous day when I booked and she just said you must go and see your dentist. She them explained that I now needed to "BUY" the aftercare sticks starting at $147 USD going up to $588 USD which is what she would recommend for me. She gave me a slip to sign and after I signed it (still without having a proper look at my teeth), she told me that 10% gratuity was automatically added making the total price $196 USD.

 

She gave me a price list for the additional aftercare sticks and I went to show my DH and have a good look to see if we could see any difference at all. He agreed that he could not see the slightest difference and we both felt that I had been conned after what I had been told when I made the appointment.

 

I went straight down to guest services and explained what had happened. They said they would ask the spa manager to contact me. She rang late afternoon the following day after a reminder from guest services and I told her that although the girl said my teeth were one or two shades lighter, it had made no difference whatsoever and the main reason I went had not been sorted as I had been told it would.

 

I disputed (politely) that there has been any change at all and had not agreed a before and after shade with the girl. All she said was, some people have no change at all and I was probably one of them, she said it was in the small print that I had signed and there was nothing she was prepared to do about it. I feel totally conned and think this is bad practice by RCCL and will be writing to them very soon to request a refund.

 

Chubbas XX

[skiiergirl]

If it was a great treatment I may leave more. If not the typical 10-15% (whatever it is they add on), is all I leave.

 

Not sure how others don't know this. The line above where you add your tip clearly states the % and amount of "gratuity". So there is no secret that they're trying to get past you.

 

Maybe this is something new...or maybe it varies from ship to ship....or even therapist to therapist...because I have never had them add it. I know what the treatment is supposed to cost. I give them my coupon. I review the receipt when it is ready for signature. I look at the original cost, the amount deducted for the coupon, and the final amount. I then add my tip and total. If they had "pre-added" their own tip they would not get anything else from me.

 

I agree that they aren't pushing the products like they used to. I agree you shouldn't tell them up front because they won't do as good a job. But as soon as they start the sales pitch, I very politely "interrupt" and tell them I am not interested and that I am saving them time and wasted breath by stopping them. They usually smile politely, and we finish with business and I'm off to other cruise fun!

[MAKEM]

Sorry to all with bad experiences of teeth whitening but my husband had his done by his dentist and it was just fantastic so as far as teeth are concerned leave it to the real experts.

 

mrs Makem

[skiiergirl]

Sorry to all with bad experiences of teeth whitening but my husband had his done by his dentist and it was just fantastic so as far as teeth are concerned leave it to the real experts.

 

mrs Makem

 

 

I do think it varies by the person. I think it is in the fine print (sorry). I had it done by my dentist. It was so-so. My MIL had it done and it was fantastic and raved about it. I had it done (by dentist at home) and you could tell a difference but not much of one. (And I paid $450 for it.)

 

What about the accupuncture? Who has done it and what do you think? (And for which "reason" if you are willing to share that.)