why some pre paid tips for some, but not for others?

[cruisegirl1]

I don’t get it. I know you have to pre pay tips for my time dining, but not traditional dining – why the difference?

 

I know RCCL generally likes to have the appearance of a lower price cruise and does not include the tips in pricing, but it is added for MTD.

 

At this point, why doesn’t RCCL have all dining tips pre paid? If would be so much better for the staff and easier for the passengers.

M

[Gracie115]

because in MTD you could have different wait staff every night(although we didn't) and in traditional you have the same....it's probably as much a reassurance to the staff in the MTD section that they will get their tips....am sure they would be concerned about being stiffed by some otherwise....

[Merion_Mom]

because in MTD you could have different wait staff every night(although we didn't) and in traditional you have the same....it's probably as much a reassurance to the staff in the MTD section that they will get their tips....am sure they would be concerned about being stiffed by some otherwise....

 

I think that it's to eliminate confusion for the passengers, who wouldn't be sure who or how to tip their waitstaff in the situation of My Time Dining.

[cruisenfever]

Forms are delivered to your cabin midway through the cruise for you to add gratuities to your SeaPass Account. So, if you chose to add them to your account you are pre-paying for traditional dining.

[Kurbanfan]

I have no idea what the reasoning is behind it........Princess and Carnival don't make you pre pay.....

[cb at sea]

The PRICE of your cruise is the same, whether you do traditional or MTD--it's just that you will pay your tips UP FRONT with MTD...if you choose traditional, then you pay your tips at the end....the cost ends up to be the same.

[BND]

We have traditional late dining and our gratuities are prepaid. Our booking confirmation has them on it as part of our total final payment. On Carnival, we've done it both ways-prepaid at final payment and put on our S&S. We don't book directly with the cruiseline, we have friends that are TA's who do all our travel booking for us.

[Merion_Mom]

I have no idea what the reasoning is behind it........Princess and Carnival don't make you pre pay.....

 

On Princess and Carnival, everyone's gratuities are automatically charged to their onboard account.

 

I don't understand what you are saying.

[Kurbanfan]

On Princess and Carnival, everyone's gratuities are automatically charged to their onboard account.

 

I don't understand what you are saying.

 

Yes they are........but on RCCL we had to pre pay for my time dining..........in other words we had to pay at booking.......

[Gracie115]

Yes they are........but on RCCL we had to pre pay for my time dining..........in other words we had to pay at booking.......

 

 

Well...actually it's just "charged" at booking...doesn't have to be paid till final due date for cruise.

 

Still I think it's as much for the staff as anyone else....probably was a selling point to wait staff to move to MTD stations...I can hear their supervisor saying: "You are guaranteed the minimum suggested tips in MTD...see we charge them before they even get on the ship..." so they know how much they will be earning at a minimum...

 

I suspect though that some wait staff are doing very well in this area as it appears from majority on these boards that passengers really like this new option which may mean that staff is receiving tips above and beyond the minimum...they certainly did from us!!:)

[Mark_K]

Yes they are........but on RCCL we had to pre pay for my time dining..........in other words we had to pay at booking.......

If that's really such a concern for you, just wait until you're on board to sign up for it.

[Bobal]

The PRICE of your cruise is the same, whether you do traditional or MTD--it's just that you will pay your tips UP FRONT with MTD...if you choose traditional, then you pay your tips at the end....the cost ends up to be the same.

 

That's not strictly true though. With MTD you MUST pay the tips upfront or you don't get to do MTD. With traditional dining you CHOOSE to pay, whether upfront or at the end. Unfortunately some people often choose not to pay the full recommended amount (or not to tip at all in some cases) :(

 

We always pay upfront anyway but I have to agree that it would make it a lot simpler if the tips were included in the overall price as with some other cruise lines.

[DonnaK]

I don’t get it. I know you have to pre pay tips for my time dining, but not traditional dining – why the difference?

 

I know RCCL generally likes to have the appearance of a lower price cruise and does not include the tips in pricing, but it is added for MTD.

 

At this point, why doesn’t RCCL have all dining tips pre paid? If would be so much better for the staff and easier for the passengers.

M

 

Please, no!!! Anyone who wants to pre-pay, even if they do not have MTD, is free to do so by arranging it at the customer service desk.

 

But, leave the option open for those of us who prefer NOT to pre-pay tips. It is certainly not easier for this passenger, who wants the freedom to choose to pay in CASH directly to the staff member. I strongly believe that service is adversely affected when the staff already has their tip in hand, rather than having to earn it throughout the cruise.

[Gracie115]

I strongly believe that service is adversely affected when the staff already has their tip in hand, rather than having to earn it throughout the cruise.

 

I thought that too until we did MTD last November and of course had prepaid tips.....the service was at least equal to if not better than any cruise we have been on......

[cruisegirl1]

Seems unfair to the traditional dining staff who are at the mercy of the passengers and do not have a guarantee for tips. There are even some in traditional dining who mention that they remove a night of tips if they go to an alternative restaurant or the buffet one evening.

 

The MTD staff seem to be compensated (yeah) regardless if the passengers eat in the MTD section of the dining room or eat in the alternative restaurant or buffet.

 

I know there is an opportunity during the cruise to add the tips tp the sea pass – but theoretically the tipping is optional. I do not consider this the same as the MTD and the traditional dining passenger has the (unfortunate for the staff) option of not tipping.

M

[Gracie115]

Seems unfair to the traditional dining staff who are at the mercy of the passengers and do not have a guarantee for tips. There are even some in traditional dining who mention that they remove a night of tips if they go to an alternative restaurant or the buffet one evening.

 

The MTD staff seem to be compensated (yeah) regardless if the passengers eat in the MTD section of the dining room or eat in the alternative restaurant or buffet.

 

I know there is an opportunity during the cruise to add the tips tp the sea pass – but theoretically the tipping is optional. I do not consider this the same as the MTD and the traditional dining passenger has the (unfortunate for the staff) option of not tipping.

M

 

 

agree with you...no one should stiff a "tip class" employee unless the service was consistently awful..

[lady_cruiser]

Yes they are........but on RCCL we had to pre pay for my time dining..........in other words we had to pay at booking.......

 

Because it is a way to make sure that the MTD dining staff gets their tips since there is no guarantee that you will have the same wait staff every night as in traditional dining times. All the MTD pre-paid tips goes into an account and everyone working in that area will get the exact amount that this due to them at the end of the cruise. Does this help explain it?

[Bobal]

I may be wrong on this (and I know someone will quickly put me right if I am ;)) but I understand that the 'best' waiters and waitresses are put in the MTD section so are ones who would theoretically be getting guaranteed tips anyway (because of consistent good service). This would make sense since they have to be able to be more flexible when it comes to dealing with tables all arriving at different times.

[DonnaK]

I thought that too until we did MTD last November and of course had prepaid tips.....the service was at least equal to if not better than any cruise we have been on......

 

I should clarify my post. On cruiselines that have prepaid tips for all passengers (Carnival and Princess), it's been our experience that service is nowhere near the level that it is on RCI where most passengers tip at the end.

[TRadle]

I should clarify my post. On cruiselines that have prepaid tips for all passengers (Carnival and Princess), it's been our experience that service is nowhere near the level that it is on RCI where most passengers tip at the end.

 

This could just be because RCL has better service.:D

[numberguy]

I strongly believe that service is adversely affected when the staff already has their tip in hand, rather than having to earn it throughout the cruise.

 

I think you should have the option to do whatever you want when it comes to tipping. However, with MTD, the gratuities should be prepaid, because, unless you specifically ask for it, there's a good chance you won't have the same waiter every single dinner. And there's no way RCCL or any other line can accommodate the "OK, I want MTD, and I promise to ask for the same waitstaff every night, so can I pay my tips in the envelopes in cash?" request.

 

However, I believe that the workers on the ships are among the hardest working people on the planet sometimes, and they have the work ethic to match (or they wouldn't stay around very long). Therefore, I truly cannot believe that one or any of them will say, "OK, I've got my tips, so now I'll give crappy service, because there's nothing these pax can do about it." I just can't believe that these staff give less with prepaid gratuities.

 

I think prepaid gratuities leads to an upfront expectation of their service, and that we assume they will reach that level. If they don't, I'll speak to the proper supervisor. I don't want anyone spending their every waking moment trying to please me like some puppy vying for affection, which is how it comes across to me that some of the waitstaff do, based ONLY on what I've read.

 

One thing to bear in mind while reading this--I've never cruised where tips are given out at the end of the cruise; only prepaid through NCL. But I also don't think that if I give my waiter at a land-based restaurant $15 before the meal starts that I'll get worse service than if I give it to her/him at the end. Same holds true on a cruise ship, to me, anyway.

 

I'm not trying to start a flame war (honestly), but I try to see the best in everyone I deal with. Maybe that'll come back to bite me in the aft one day. But it hasn't yet.

 

--Michael

[Kurbanfan]

If that's really such a concern for you, just wait until you're on board to sign up for it.

 

I never said it was a concern.....I have no problem with it. I was just wondering why RCCL is the only one doing this.......Princess and Carnival both have my time dining and it is just automatically charged to our onboard account........

[cruisenfever]

I strongly believe that service is adversely affected when the staff already has their tip in hand, rather than having to earn it throughout the cruise.

When you pre-pay your gratuities, the crew will not receive the money entitled to them for the cruise you are on until at least two weeks after your cruise is over. That's how RCI sets it up for the crew to collect their gratuities. So they do not have your tip in hand when you start your cruise.

[Gracie115]

This could just be because RCL has better service.:D

 

 

That's a nice thought.....

[Kurbanfan]

Because it is a way to make sure that the MTD dining staff gets their tips since there is no guarantee that you will have the same wait staff every night as in traditional dining times. All the MTD pre-paid tips goes into an account and everyone working in that area will get the exact amount that this due to them at the end of the cruise. Does this help explain it?

 

No........I am fully aware how my time works;) Just wondering why RCCL does it different then the other cruiselines.......