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

[SGilly]

"I think you are wrong about the sharing of the tips. The cleaners have never been part of the tipping process."

 

Not sure you're correct...On my Celebrity cruise 2 weeks ago there was a suggested tip of .75 per day for the "Asst Chief Housekeeper" Check out the cruise tip calculator http://cruisetip.tpkeller.com/ not yet updated with the new rates.

[I Fly]

The question I've been asking myself is why is Celebrity changing their tipping procedure? Maybe Celebrity is trying to look out for the hard working staff on their ships. With more and more alternative dining possibilities, many passengers are tipping the main dining room staff on the number of days they eat in the main dining room and not the number of days of the cruise. In the past I know there have been some passengers that stiff the staff on tips, but they knew what they were doing. People who want to stiff the staff will still be able to do that by cancelling their auto tips, but I have a feeling there are more and more passengers who were unwillingly stiffing the staff. I happen to enjoy dining in the specialty restaurant and seem to do so more and more on each cruise. Now with the Solstice Class, and multiple possiblities, I can see passengers dining in the main dining room less and less. There have been some cruises that I've dined in the main dining room less than half of my dinners. I know that the dining room staff work all three meals and while I might only see them at dinner time, they are working all throughout the day. Regardless of how many times I dine in the main dining room, I make sure that I tip them fully, as if I dined there every night. I think there are some passengers that calculate their tips differently, and may only tip on a pro-rated basis. Celebrity may see this happening too, and in order to keep their hard working staff fairly compensated, changed their tipping procedure.

 

Steve

[Lynnees]

"I think you are wrong about the sharing of the tips. The cleaners have never been part of the tipping process."

 

Not sure you're correct...On my Celebrity cruise 2 weeks ago there was a suggested tip of .75 per day for the "Asst Chief Housekeeper" Check out the cruise tip calculator http://cruisetip.tpkeller.com/ not yet updated with the new rates.

 

The head housekeeper and assistant head housekeeper have never been part of the gratuities I hand out. However, fyi the cleaning staff I was referring to are the ones who clean the decks and other places. I don't tip them and quite frankly, never will.

 

tpkeller is a cruiser and while he has posted helpful information, I am not interested in what a fellow passenger has to say about tipping. The gratutities I hand out anywhere, be it land or sea, are determined by me.

[Moeve]

Excuse me but luggage transportation onboard the ship is done by ships crew ONLY - shore personnel is not even allowed onboard!!! Or who did you think schleps your bags from the convayor belt to your cabin??? Now what about the pool guy I know the fewest of you actually tip them.

 

Often there are young waiters up in the buffet area who are new and still have to get to know how things work for a certain cruiseline therefore they don't have regular tables. They often get very little or no tips at all while working this area. I bet this is to include them as many people often avoid the DR and eat here with out actually using the casual dinning and paying the gratuity there

[Susan-M]

I found auto-tipping to be a convenience on our Azamara cruise, with one less form to fill out mid-cruise. Since I know that I am going to be paying at least the stated amount for gratuities, having the two options of pre-paying them or added to my account daily is fine with me. Those who I want to tip extra to, I can easily do so on board. I also trust the cruise line to be fair in distributing the tips to their employees.

[Lynnees]

The question I've been asking myself is why is Celebrity changing their tipping procedure? Maybe Celebrity is trying to look out for the hard working staff on their ships. With more and more alternative dining possibilities, many passengers are tipping the main dining room staff on the number of days they eat in the main dining room and not the number of days of the cruise. In the past I know there have been some passengers that stiff the staff on tips, but they knew what they were doing. People who want to stiff the staff will still be able to do that by cancelling their auto tips, but I have a feeling there are more and more passengers who were unwillingly stiffing the staff. I happen to enjoy dining in the specialty restaurant and seem to do so more and more on each cruise. Now with the Solstice Class, and multiple possiblities, I can see passengers dining in the main dining room less and less. There have been some cruises that I've dined in the main dining room less than half of my dinners. I know that the dining room staff work all three meals and while I might only see them at dinner time, they are working all throughout the day. Regardless of how many times I dine in the main dining room, I make sure that I tip them fully, as if I dined there every night. I think there are some passengers that calculate their tips differently, and may only tip on a pro-rated basis. Celebrity may see this happening too, and in order to keep their hard working staff fairly compensated, changed their tipping procedure.

 

Steve

 

Then perhaps it's time for Celebrity (and all other lines) to call it what it is. A service charge that is part of the fare. Or better yet, start paying their staff a decent wage.

[spearmint]

I resent having a "tip" called a "gratuity" when we all know that it is an expected charge, but I resent either of these two appellations being automatically added to my bill because then, as has been said, it becomes a "service charge". And I am being forced to pay it.

 

We are so used to being expected to tip, and at a percentage of the bill, rather than a set amount, that to say that we tip for service given, is actually erroneous. In the last few years, Celebrity and other establishments, in addition to charging an automatic 15% for drinks, is actually adding a space on the cheque for an "additional tip". So. They add a "service charge" and then want a tip on top of that. Ridiculous. If the service is poor or non-existent, the 15% is expected; if the service is good or wonderful (which it should be!) then more is expected.

 

Except for one occasion, we always tip in cash. We bring cash from home for each person that Celebrity suggests, with enough for an extra inclusion should the appropriate person warrant it...and there surely will be such, as we know, on a cruise. (Such as for the dining staff and room attendant.) We do not tip if the person has not shown up to personally help us (such as the maitre d', asst. chief housekeeper etc.) If Celebrity is going to force me to charge the full amount for all personnel that they deem worthy, then I am going to do only that. That means, that some personnel will lose out. Too bad, but sometime, somewhere, somehow we have to take a stand.

(I expect to be flamed for this, but I don't for a minute subscribe to the philosophy that wait personnel, everywhere, are underpaid and that tips really are part of their income which I am expected to not only underwrite, but to do so at someone else's direction and expectation.)

[I Fly]

Celebrity and other establishments, in addition to charging an automatic 15% for drinks, is actually adding a space on the cheque for an "additional tip". So. They add a "service charge" and then want a tip on top of that.

 

I generally agree with you on that statement. If they don't have enough confidence in their service or of me to give them a generous tip, and choose to add a "safe" gratuity, then I generally leave it at that. On a cruise ship, I add an extra gratuity when the service is special. Saying thank you doesn't make the service special. Regardless of what you call it, a tip, a gratuity, or even a service charge, there are certain areas of service in today's society where an added "fee" really isn't optional, and should be added unless the service is completely unacceptable.

[TravelerThom]

... I am not interested in what a fellow passenger has to say about tipping.... .

Uhhh..... If that's so, may I inquire as to why you read [and commented to] this thread?

[lysolqn]

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

 

- Those opting to eat in the specialty restaurants pay a fee, which as I understand it, is in fact a service fee.

 

- Those opting to take dinner in the alternative restaurant in the buffet area pay a $3/pp service charge for that option.

 

- Waitstaff working the buffet area during breakfast and lunch are the same waiters and assistant waiters who work the main dining room during dinner but whose breakfast/lunch assignment is the buffet; they are tipped by guests seated in their respective sections for dinner.

 

- Room service is usually handled by housekeeping/cabin crew who should be tipped per delivery, and are also tipped by pax whose cabins they clean daily.

 

- Bar/lounge peronnel are covered by an automatic 15% service fee added to all charges.

 

Other than the Spa Cafe and Cova Cafe, that pretty much covers all dining/drinking venues on X ships so I'm hard pressed to understand exactly which service personnel are losing out and therefore need to be compensated accordingly as a result of pax who choose to eat at locations other than the main dining room. Any employees who fall under the new category of "Other Service Personnel" are likely to be salaried employees who have never depended on tips. I'm curious and baffled.

[TravelerThom]

Then perhaps it's time for Celebrity (and all other lines) to call it what it is. A service charge that is part of the fare. Or better yet, start paying their staff a decent wage.

I agree with you on this one; indeed I think most of us do. The problem with this as I see it is that if only one cruise company does this, then their prices do not look competitive and would probably lose market share.

 

Thom

[Moeve]

@ lysoqn you are slightly mistaken about all the staff in the buffet area being DR staffers - they are not - see my other post.

 

We had table mates this year who came to dinner the first night and never again. We met them during the cruise and asked how the alternative dinning was and they admited they didn't go for dinner at any other venue but enjoyed the Susi. During the course of the conversation the lady reminded he husband to cut the tips for the dinning room since they wern't using it!!! Her words "Darling since we are saving those tips you can buy me another drink!!!" I bet they are not the only ones doing that!

[Eliger]

@ lysoqn you are slightly mistaken about all the staff in the buffet area being DR staffers - they are not - see my other post.

 

We had table mates this year who came to dinner the first night and never again. We met them during the cruise and asked how the alternative dinning was and they admited they didn't go for dinner at any other venue but enjoyed the Susi. During the course of the conversation the lady reminded he husband to cut the tips for the dinning room since they wern't using it!!! Her words "Darling since we are saving those tips you can buy me another drink!!!" I bet they are not the only ones doing that!

Attitudes like this is probably why automatic gratuities are being instituted. :(

 

Gerry

[Tranquil Waters]

I have to wonder how this change will impact service. If the crew knows that their tips are coming regardless - there will be little incentive to go that extra mile.

 

The same goes for the hopes of tips above and beyond. Many people will add extra to the tips when they are paying them at the end of the cruise. But some will see their tips as already covered (automatic on sea pass) and not take the time to add extra as they would before. And so another incentive for "special" service is gone.

 

And while it might be nice to assume that people do outstanding work for the "satisfaction" alone - I am thinking not so much........ :D

[Lynnees]

Uhhh..... If that's so, may I inquire as to why you read [and commented to] this thread?

 

 

Reading and commenting here is not the same as a cruiser who has a webpage that is giving information as definitive.

[Tranquil Waters]

Attitudes like this is probably why automatic gratuities are being instituted. :(

 

Gerry

 

But those sorts of people are the very ones who will have the tips lowered or removed anyway......

[Sky Sweet]

When we took our Mediterranean Cruise on RCCL's Brilliance of the Seas we were required to prepay our gratuities because we chose anytime dining and did not have assigned waiters.

 

Between prepaying our tips and not having an assigned wait team in the main dining room, I was concerned that we might not get good service.

 

However, to our pleasant surprise, every waiter we had in the main dining room was either very good or excellent. In fact, on some nights the service was better than we ever had on Celebrity.

 

Even though Celebrity does not have the anytime dining option that RCCL does, there are a lot of people who eat in alternate dining venues that probably feel they don't need to tip their assigned wait team. That is probably why Celebrity has instituted this policy.

[roygg]

 

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??

Hi UKTOG

I am concerned that where we have prepaid gratuities, they will come up with some scheme to gives us an onboard credit. But at what rate ? for all non US this is likely to be fleece time. UKTOG please see also posting re Fuel surcharge refund. Today, I was given zero choice but to pay the fuel surchage upfront now for TA in April when I was told I will then get a refund but you can bet your boots it will not be at $10 per day. The test will be on 31st Jan for Panama cruise where fuel surcharge and gratuities have already been paid upfront.

[Elaine0138]

The tipping debate rolls on.

I will be having the automatic tips removed from our account onboard and pay the staff I want to reward in cash. As a previous poster mentioned what exchange rate would they use to convert our money to US$

[lysolqn]

@ lysoqn you are slightly mistaken about all the staff in the buffet area being DR staffers - they are not - see my other post.

 

I respectfully disagree with you - the vast majority of waitstaff working the buffet at any given time are dining room staff with breakfast/lunch duty at the buffet. Re new waitstaff who (may) work the buffet area until they're ready to get regular assignments, they are either working the alternative venue and receiving a $3/pp gratuity for each pax to whom they serve dinner (just slightly less than the per day/per pax suggested tip for waiters in the dining room), clearing tables or working the line. If you multiply the suggested tip of $1.25/pp/per day to compensate "Other Service Personnel" by a conservative average of 1500 pax on each of X's seven ships, we're talking about collecting $12,325 per ship/per week or $86,625 fleetwide/per week for "OSP." If there are ten new waitstaff in training on each ship, that translates into fairly decent compensation for those who choose to work on cruise ships, knowing full well they will be in training before advancing to the dining room.

 

I'm all for tipping service personnel; we generously compensate waitstaff and cabin staff for their efforts. But it's X's use of the word "other" that confuses me because I can't imagine who, other than the obvious, is working for tips rather than salary and hasn't received those tips prior to the newly introduced "OSP" tipping. I'm not complaining about tipping "Other Service Personnel;" I'd just like to know who the "others" are. I can't help but feel that this new tipping policy is somewhat akin to the recent addition of TIPS jars on the counters at convenience stores, delis, gas stations, ice cream shops, etc. TIPS for what? Aren't those folks who've hopped on the bandwagon already being compensated by their employers?

[Oceangoer2]

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. :)

Can't agree more! We've auto tipped for the 1st time on this cruise and intended to give a little more to those who have made our trip more enjoyable. When did they slip in this new policy? I was under the impression this was a 'contract' and one that wouldn't be revised without consensual agreement. In future, we'll go back to tipping the old fashioned way. I know the 'unseen' staff have contributed also, but traditionally the employer pays the 'untippable staff' accordingly out of our cruise payment. Acknowledging that costs go up, then increase the fare and let the consumer decide. Every business today is trying to find a way to cut costs without affecting customer service. Tough job but I don't want it passed on to me in an underhanded manner.

[lysolqn]

Sorry...forgot to include Solstice - "If you multiply the suggested tip of $1.25/pp/per day to compensate "Other Service Personnel" by a conservative average of 1500 pax on each of X's EIGHT ships, we're talking about collecting $12,325 per ship/per week or $99,000 fleetwide/per week for "OSP." Multiply that by 52 weeks (as I'm sure the bean counters in Miami already have)!

 

OK, I admit it; I clearly have too much time on my hands (LOL!).

[hcat]

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

 

We pre-paid tips for our 1/25 Solstice cruise & have made final payment-- Wonder if they will add anything to our bill for the extra 1.00 pp/ per day? Seems like a great chance that our account will get messed up.. We are already nervous we will be double billed for the Tuscan which we also pre-paid..

 

We like to pre-pay whatever we can & then use cash for extra services given to us.. The hike is not that huge but the short notice for thse who already booked & paid their bill in full seems unfair..

[dkjretired]

- Those opting to eat in the specialty restaurants pay a fee, which as I understand it, is in fact a service fee.

 

- Those opting to take dinner in the alternative restaurant in the buffet area pay a $3/pp service charge for that option.

 

- Waitstaff working the buffet area during breakfast and lunch are the same waiters and assistant waiters who work the main dining room during dinner but whose breakfast/lunch assignment is the buffet; they are tipped by guests seated in their respective sections for dinner.

 

- Room service is usually handled by housekeeping/cabin crew who should be tipped per delivery, and are also tipped by pax whose cabins they clean daily.

 

- Bar/lounge peronnel are covered by an automatic 15% service fee added to all charges.

 

Other than the Spa Cafe and Cova Cafe, that pretty much covers all dining/drinking venues on X ships so I'm hard pressed to understand exactly which service personnel are losing out and therefore need to be compensated accordingly as a result of pax who choose to eat at locations other than the main dining room. Any employees who fall under the new category of "Other Service Personnel" are likely to be salaried employees who have never depended on tips. I'm curious and baffled.

 

Do you know for a fact that those in the Specialty restaurants get the full tip or any part of it. Also, as someone stated, not everyone in the buffet works in the DR otherwise there would be no one working in the buffet area at the pizza, grill, sushi, and other stations at dinnertime.

 

I think it also takes into account the larger number of Specialty restaurants on the Solstice and the rest of their class when they come out.

[lysolqn]

Do you know for a fact that those in the Specialty restaurants get the full tip or any part of it. Also, as someone stated, not everyone in the buffet works in the DR otherwise there would be no one working in the buffet area at the pizza, grill, sushi, and other stations at dinnertime.

 

I think it also takes into account the larger number of Specialty restaurants on the Solstice and the rest of their class when they come out.

 

We've been told by various maitre d's in the specialty restaurants on the M-class ships and on Century that the fee covers the gratuity. Whether it's the entire fee or just a portion thereof I can't say, and that's why we always add an additional tip on top of the $30 charge.

 

It's my understanding that those who work the pizza, grill, sushi and other stations are salaried kitchen staff. Perhaps they are now being considered "Other Service Personnel."