NEW TIP POLICY - Automatic Charge & "Alternate Service" tip

[Lsimon]

I just noticed from a link on another thread that Celebrity has a new tip policy, for cruises after Jan 15, with slightly increased amounts and the addition of an "Alternate Service" tip of $1.25/day. Also the tips will automatically be charged to your sea pass daily - with adjustments made on request.

 

I don't mind the increase nor the automatic charge, but I sure would like to know what the "Alternate Service" tip for "Other service personnel" of $1.25/day is. I don't like the idea of providing an automatic tip for someone whom I don't even know who it is or what they do. I thought this might be for alternative food service but it is listed separately from "Restaurant Service".

 

 

http://www.celebritycruises.com/beforeyourcruise/heroSingleTxtSub.do;jsessionid=0000IfbcOhQAQJlzlMEpcIyZQ8b:12hdebcnj?pagename=payment_and_gratuities&cS=SIDENAV

Gratuities

Please note that for all sailings beginning on or after January 15, 2009, for your convenience, we will automatically add gratuities for your restaurant and stateroom services to your onboard Seapass account on a daily basis in the following amounts, which may be adjusted at your discretion: $11.50 per person per day for guests in staterooms ($12.00 per person per day for guests in Concierge Class and AquaClass staterooms and $15.00 per person per day for guests in Suites). These service gratuities are based on the following recommended amounts:

 

Restaurant Service*Per Person Per Day

Waiter $3.65

Assistant Waiter $2.10

Dining Room Management $1.00

 

Stateroom Service*Per Person Per Day

Butler (Suites Only) $3.50

Stateroom Service $3.50 ($4.00 for Concierge Class and AquaClass staterooms)

 

Alternative Service*

Other Service Personnel $1.25

 

*Please note that gratuities may be shared with other crew members depending on the particular service requirement.

[uktog]

Interesting - if you note the Housekeeper has gone so I suspect the Alternate includes him/her

 

I am assuming as we have prepaid our gratuities for our Jan 2010 within our agreed cruise price this increase will not be passed to us??

[lawk]

I do not like to tip people who I never see, and when the tip is for "alternate service" I don't even know who they are! I think that Celebrity should include an explanation on their website.

[FortyNinerLiz]

I do believe the increase is warranted because of the decline of the value of the dollar. I am still confused on the "alternative service". Is this part of the daily charge and what is it for?

[hylasgirl]

I do not like to tip people who I never see, and when the tip is for "alternate service" I don't even know who they are! I think that Celebrity should include an explanation on their website.

 

 

I would have them cancel the auto tip and disperse them how you want.

 

You can still do that right??

[cpj]

Whats going on with Celebrity ..In a bad ecomomy they seem to be making a lot of bad business decisions lately. Sounds like a company in trouble

[spearmint]

I would have them cancel the auto tip and disperse them how you want.

 

You can still do that right??

 

I hope so, because I do mind the automatic charge and the mystery charge of $1.25/day. Our next booking is a back-to-back for 28 days. An increase (which I can live with as far as the waiter and assistant waiter are concerned) plus the mystery charge adds up.

[ottawapuppy]

Whats going on with Celebrity ..In a bad ecomomy they seem to be making a lot of bad business decisions lately. Sounds like a company in trouble

 

How do you figure? The cruise line won't make anything off this...

 

Mike

[JimnKaren]

Our cabin attendant once told us that many times tips need to be shared with the guys who load and off-load all the luggage. They do work hard and generally are efficient to boot. I don't mind giving them something, but $1.25 per person per day seems a bit steep.

 

Also, could it be that too many room service folks are getting stiffed?

[the_dylaness]

Yikes... so now our 13 day cruise in a SS is going to have a bill for $390 in tips at the end? (When you add in all the extra that will be handed out personally we're talking about a fair bit of $.) I mean, I expected to tip well but when I am handing out that much money I like to see who it is going to.

[kitty9]

The people who load and off load the luggage are not employed by Celebrity, but are unionized dock workers. They don't get to share in ship crew tips.

[The_Big_M]

I do believe the increase is warranted because of the decline of the value of the dollar.

 

The USD has gone up substantially against many currencies (or others have fallen more). I doubt that it's due to that.

[Napi's Mom]

I do not like to tip people who I never see, and when the tip is for "alternate service" I don't even know who they are! I think that Celebrity should include an explanation on their website.

I think that folks didn't like the tipping people you don't see, is WHY they changed this, the rate actually inly went up 50c you realize. To answer other posters, if you think this is paying a lot "plus the rest I hand out, don't hand out any rest. This is supposed to make the tips as painless as possible, and also as equitable, so that the quiet little guy somewhere that does the polishing of the mirrors in Elevators, you never speak to etc. able to share in the tips. They ALL share in making the ship as clean & nice as you all want and complain about if you don't get, but aren't your PERSONEL attendant whatever. They deserve some of the money too! You just can't act as Lord or Lady Bountiful handing them the tips!

Actually on Azamara or Oceania you DON"T get to change this process..it is automatic. My guess it's because the ships are having empty cabins and the tips aren't equally shared, as some cabins are more likely to have passengers.

[hylasgirl]

I think that folks didn't like the tipping people you don't see' date=' is WHY they changed this, the rate actually inly went up 50c you realize. To answer other posters, if you think this is paying a lot "plus the rest I hand out, don't hand out any rest. This is supposed to make the tips as painless as possible, and also as equitable, so that the quiet little guy somewhere that does the polishing of the mirrors in Elevators, you never speak to etc. able to share in the tips. They ALL share in making the ship as clean & nice as you all want and complain about if you don't get, but aren't your PERSONEL attendant whatever. They deserve some of the money too! You just can't act as Lord or Lady Bountiful [u']handing [/u]them the tips!

Actually on Azamara or Oceania you DON"T get to change this process..it is automatic. My guess it's because the ships are having empty cabins and the tips aren't equally shared, as some cabins are more likely to have passengers.

 

Nobody is talking about wanting to act like the Lord and the Lady... but it is also crazy to think we should all be tipping everyone around the ship. It can't possibly happen. I don't have a problem tipping the people who wait on me... and I do. But... flame me here if you want... I don't feel like everyone shining the ship needs a tip from ME! I pay my fare... and I pay it for a clean ship... clean public areas... other aspects... and those that actually WAIT on me... I tip!!! Those that don't... don't.

[Shirley and Les]

Nobody is talking about wanting to act like the Lord and the Lady... but it is also crazy to think we should all be tipping everyone around the ship. It can't possibly happen. I don't have a problem tipping the people who wait on me... and I do. But... flame me here if you want... I don't feel like everyone shining the ship needs a tip from ME! I pay my fare... and I pay it for a clean ship... clean public areas... other aspects... and those that actually WAIT on me... I tip!!! Those that don't... don't.

AMEN!

 

If I went to a car dealership and asked the salesman if he shared his commission with the guy that preps the cars or the guy that washes the showroom windows, I would be greeted with a 'ROFLMAO' or a blank stare.

Paying your help for ship upkeep is the responsibility of the cruise line. Paying (tipping) for good service is my responsiblilty.

Another poster mentioned =X= has nothing to gain by going to an automatic tipping system. Obviously it will cost the cruise line some money if they have added bookkeeping and higher credit card commissions if everyone does the automatic tip and adds it to their shipboard account.

Celebrity is in business to make money. They will have some sort of a rakeoff to cover the added costs. At a minimum, they could hold part of the tip until the end of the contract to insure that employees do not jump ship early.

In addition, I suspect they will wind up with a higher average tip per customer ratio with the automatic system. This should lead to better employees if they can tell prospective employees they offer higher tips.

If you do the math, each passenger is going to pay an extra $1.00 per day in tips. If $0.50 of that went into a tip pool for all shipboard employees, every employee (2:1 pass/crew ratio) would be getting a $1.00 per day bonus. Not too shabby when your base pay is $50.00 per week (or is it a month)! It sounds like a fourteen percent raise :) to me.

Les

 

PS In another perspective, this extra cost probably is like peeing in the ocean :o when you think about bailing out the largest automobile manufacturer in the world.

[BurgerBits]

Well, there ya go.

 

For our upcoming cruise I pre-paid everyone's gratuities (nine people) up front. First time I've prepaid grats prior to boarding. Have no idea how the ship will handle that, but will definitely check into it. Will also ask my TA to check (she's a superhero). I do not have a great deal of confidence in the ability of the onboard accounts person to be able to accurately add the additional amounts that are now required to each account that has been prepaid.

 

And, for the record, I agree with Hylasgirl wholeheartedly on this one. We generously overtip as it is, and while I have no issue with handing a fiver to the guy who slings my luggage, it would make more sense for them to up the price of the cruise by $20 and leave it at that...

 

Hmph. :)

[geoherb]

I wonder how this will work with the phrase they included: "which may be adjusted at your discretion." When we've sailed on Princess, which has had autotips in place for half a decade, we've been allowed to leave the autotip in place, remove it and tip traditionally if we desired, or increase the amounts we wanted to give to particular people. What we have not been allowed to do is to decrease the amounts below the specified recommendation for anyone. It's either tip at least the recommended amount or cancel the autotip and do it the old-fashioned way.

 

We've taken the easy way out and left the autotips in place. Then we can give extra to anyone who has gone beyond. On our past Princess cruises, that has included our cabin steward, assistant maitre d', and our wait staff--not all of them on every cruise. It's never included the assistant head housekeeper.

[C 2 C]

Perhaps the extra amount allotted to "Other Service Personnel $1.25" is to generate some income for crew who are not fully employed because ships are not sailing full. There may be a few waiters and cabin stewards who are under-employed because of passenger count expectations not being met. With more empty cabins some of these employees may have substantially lowered incomes.

 

I agree with the general sentiment. Tips are for rewarding personal service, ticket fare for ship operating cost. Increase the cost of the ticket price; this is a ticket surcharge.

[Lynnees]

I think that folks didn't like the tipping people you don't see' date=' is WHY they changed this, the rate actually inly went up 50c you realize. To answer other posters, if you think this is paying a lot "plus the rest I hand out, don't hand out any rest. This is supposed to make the tips as painless as possible, and also as equitable, so that the quiet little guy somewhere that does the polishing of the mirrors in Elevators, you never speak to etc. able to share in the tips. They ALL share in making the ship as clean & nice as you all want and complain about if you don't get, but aren't your PERSONEL attendant whatever. They deserve some of the money too! You just can't act as Lord or Lady Bountiful [u']handing [/u]them the tips!

Actually on Azamara or Oceania you DON"T get to change this process..it is automatic. My guess it's because the ships are having empty cabins and the tips aren't equally shared, as some cabins are more likely to have passengers.

 

 

I think you are wrong about the sharing of the tips. The cleaners have never been part of the tipping process. Where did you get that idea from? And I think you have a bit of an attitude. The way others choose to disperse their gratuities is not lord and lady bountiful - it's their business.

 

Personally, I will remove all automatic tipping. I do my own at the end of the cruise and I will not allow any of this automatic nonsense. That is not a gratuity. A gratuity is a thank you for good service.

[lysolqn]

An increase of $1.00/per day/per pax amounts to a total of $14 per week/per cabin - yes, an additional expense but hardly what IMHO would be considered a budget buster likely to result in folks having to cancel cruise plans. I am, however, a bit curious re being asked to tip a new group of employees identified as "Other Service Personnel." Is that not the same as tipping waitstaff in a restaurant and then being asked to leave an additional tip for the chef, the dishwasher and the delivery guy?

[dkjretired]

An increase of $1.00/per day/per pax amounts to a total of $14 per week/per cabin - yes, an additional expense but hardly what IMHO would be considered a budget buster likely to result in folks having to cancel cruise plans. I am, however, a bit curious re being asked to tip a new group of employees identified as "Other Service Personnel." Is that not the same as tipping waitstaff in a restaurant and then being asked to leave an additional tip for the chef, the dishwasher and the delivery guy?

 

I think the other service personnel is a recognition that many are opting to eat at locations other than the main dining room.

[Hflors]

I disagree with "blanket auto tips" While I willingly go to the pursers desk and have our tips added to our onboard account that is MY CHOICE! I am offended by Celebritiy"s assumption that I will "stiff the staff" I know someone will say no that isn't their intention, but the bottom line is that when "tips" are automatically added to your on board account they are no longer "tips", but then become a service charge and I can't see any other reason to do it then they are afraid that I won't! What is with "alternate service" tip, how do people even know if they have used "alternate service" and a tip be for something specific? That description just defies any logic.

 

On every one of our cruises we have also slipped a bit at the end in an envelope for the people who we felt had done us real service during the cruise over and above what we charged on our account for their tips. (Room steward, and dining room staff plus the servers at verous lounges who went out of their way to provide us good service) We always tip the room service people for bringing our coffee every morning and its a bit more since I am an early riser and I feel that anyone who would be up as early as I am (between 4 - 5 am) and would bring me coffee deserves a bit more. Then at the end of the cruise we also slip them a bit extra. Like I said if they have to be up that early they deserve it.

 

I plan on calling Celebrity today to voice my objection to their policy change.

[the_dylaness]

I had been under the impression that the previously suggested tip amount was $11 pp/day. If this was higher for suites I was/am not aware as I'm still focused on my Eurodam cruise next week, so I could be totally wrong about that. If I'm not, an extra $4 per day per person on a 13 day cruise is $104- it is not going to make or break my cruise but that IS enough money for perhaps a shore excursion or a couple bottles of wine. Certainly not pocket change. I wonder if this increased autotip will reduce the amount of personal tips given out at the end- which would be a real shame for those who deserve extra recognition.

 

I agree that tips (to me) are for excellent service- the cost of cleaning the elevators is a "ship operating cost" and should be covered in my fare. Should I also attempt to tip the captain for driving me around so carefully? Perhaps the laundry room staff for making sure my sheets are clean? I do believe in rewarding a job well done, so don't think I'm a cheapskate, but tipping everyone who could have remotely been involved in the enjoyment of your cruise sounds kind of insane.

 

It seems X is making a PR mistake with the increased tips (with such short notice, too, for those sailing soon!)

 

-Lady Bountiful

[Cruise Arizona]

One of the things I liked about Celebrity was the "opt in" policy on the auto tipping. They are starting to become just like every other cruise line. I guess I'll have a lot more cruise lines to choose from if this trend continues.

[dkjretired]

I disagree with "blanket auto tips" While I willingly go to the pursers desk and have our tips added to our onboard account that is MY CHOICE! I am offended by Celebritiy"s assumption that I will "stiff the staff" I know someone will say no that isn't their intention, but the bottom line is that when "tips" are automatically added to your on board account they are no longer "tips", but then become a service charge and I can't see any other reason to do it then they are afraid that I won't! What is with "alternate service" tip, how do people even know if they have used "alternate service" and a tip be for something specific? That description just defies any logic.

 

On every one of our cruises we have also slipped a bit at the end in an envelope for the people who we felt had done us real service during the cruise over and above what we charged on our account for their tips. (Room steward, and dining room staff plus the servers at verous lounges who went out of their way to provide us good service) We always tip the room service people for bringing our coffee every morning and its a bit more since I am an early riser and I feel that anyone who would be up as early as I am (between 4 - 5 am) and would bring me coffee deserves a bit more. Then at the end of the cruise we also slip them a bit extra. Like I said if they have to be up that early they deserve it.

 

I plan on calling Celebrity today to voice my objection to their policy change.

 

I agree and I think one of the things we are not noticing is that it will be posted daily according to the policy. Does this mean if you have a terrible waiter from the first day onward and you go to customer relations on day three to adjust the tips that they won't adjust day one or two. Just an example but can you retroactively remove a tip...