Downlining

What is the rule for downlining: should we pay tips for the whole trip - even though we'll disembark 4 days early ?

You can have a an appropriate response on the specific gratuities policy from the cruise line's forum.

Thanks for your reply. I didn't find what I need in the cruise line (RCI) forum, this is why posted this thread under the general forum

If you are not going to be on the ship for 4days I would not pay the tips for those days

jmo

How are you disembarking 4 days early? I am not aware of any RCI itineraries that allow people to get off before the endpoint of the cruise.

It has nothing to do with itineraries. You have to get approval from the cruise line. We already obtained such.

What is the rule for downlining: should we pay tips for the whole trip - even though we'll disembark 4 days early ?

I never heard that term before but will assume it just means you are getting off early.

When you do that, I doubt that there is any way a ship could fill those beds with new passengers. So it is ok if your departure scheduled for your convenience happens at the expense of others? Granted, your steward and head waiter aren't working as hard now that you are gone, but they are given no choice about taking a 8.75% reduction in their gratuity income in order to have an 8.75% lighter workload.

In short, I think the fair thing to do is to tip as though you were there for the full time. In a variation on the theme, if I dawdle over a meal at a shoreside restaurant, resulting in only one seating rather than two at my table, I am a little more generous with my tip to compensate for the waiters' lost opportunity income.

OP also posted in the RCI forum and has entered into quite a lively debate there.

How are you disembarking 4 days early? I am not aware of any RCI itineraries that allow people to get off before the endpoint of the cruise.

It can be done when arranged ahead of time, with the line's permission.

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/customersupport/faq/details.do?pagename=frequently_asked_questions&pnav=5&pnav=2&faqType=faq&faqSubjectId=322&faqSubjectName=Before+You+Purchase+&faqId=623

I never heard that term before but will assume it just means you are getting off early.

When you do that, I doubt that there is any way a ship could fill those beds with new passengers. So it is ok if your departure scheduled for your convenience happens at the expense of others? Granted, your steward and head waiter aren't working as hard now that you are gone, but they are given no choice about taking a 8.75% reduction in their gratuity income in order to have an 8.75% lighter workload.

 

In short, I think the fair thing to do is to tip as though you were there for the full time. In a variation on the theme, if I dawdle over a meal at a shoreside restaurant, resulting in only one seating rather than two at my table, I am a little more generous with my tip to compensate for the waiters' lost opportunity income.

I agree. Tip for the whole cruise.

How are you disembarking 4 days early? I am not aware of any RCI itineraries that allow people to get off before the endpoint of the cruise.

Don't assume that every cruise leaves from the US. The OP is sailing from the UK to the Canaries. EM

Don't assume that every cruise leaves from the US. The OP is sailing from the UK to the Canaries. EM

I did not make that assumption. We mostly cruise outside of the US. I did not realize that such arrangements could made for certain areas. Learned something new.

It has nothing to do with itineraries. You have to get approval from the cruise line. We already obtained such.

Yes, you do have to (and often can) get approval from the cruise line; but it certainly does have something to do with itineraries. If early debarking would result in passage between two U S ports, the line could not give approval.

Yes, you do have to (and often can) get approval from the cruise line; but it certainly does have something to do with itineraries. If early debarking would result in passage between two U S ports, the line could not give approval.

Additionally, the itinerary would have to involve stops at ports with facilities to accept debarking passengers.

If I was not there to receive service, I'd probably only tip for the days I was on the ship and getting service! Don't forget, the staff is having to do less work with you gone.

If I was not there to receive service, I'd probably only tip for the days I was on the ship and getting service! Don't forget, the staff is having to do less work with you gone.

I'm sure the employee's would much rather do the work to earn their gratuities.....or why else would they be there? They have families to feed and bills to pay. Do you honestly think they are saying: " Oh boy, this cabin left four days early!!!!! I have four days of not taking care of these people!!!!! Oh....wait, now I don't have the gratuities for those four days. Yipeeeeeee!!!" REALLY?????? Money is EVERYTHING to these hard working people. It was not THEIR choice that you are leaving 4 days early....it was YOURS.

If I was not there to receive service, I'd probably only tip for the days I was on the ship and getting service! Don't forget, the staff is having to do less work with you gone.

If you do not get a discount on your cruise fare for leaving early, do you think you should get a discount on the service charge - which many posters believe should not be removable, but should be considered part of the fare.

The "less work" argument can be used by people who believe they are neater than the average - thus making less work for the cabin steward, or those who never ask for appetizers or desserts, making less work for dining room stewards.

The justifications for removing/reducing service charges are numerous indeed.

The justifications for removing/reducing service charges are numerous indeed.

I agree with you. It's an interesting debate, one I hadn't pondered before. :confused:

.

Considering the daily gratuities are a small part of the cost of the cruise, I say yes, you should provide the recommended tip. That's like saying, I didn't eat breakfast in the MDR, had dinner on shore one night, and another time ate in the buffet so I shouldn't tip the wait staff X%.

If you do not get a discount on your cruise fare for leaving early, do you think you should get a discount on the service charge - which many posters believe should not be removable, but should be considered part of the fare.

 

The "less work" argument can be used by people who believe they are neater than the average - thus making less work for the cabin steward, or those who never ask for appetizers or desserts, making less work for dining room stewards.

 

The justifications for removing/reducing service charges are numerous indeed.

We do actually try very hard to be less work. But we also leave at least the FULL tip, if not some extra if the service is above and beyond.

And if I were the OP, I'd still tip for the days that I wasn't there.

Considering the daily gratuities are a small part of the cost of the cruise, I say yes, you should provide the recommended tip. That's like saying, I didn't eat breakfast in the MDR, had dinner on shore one night, and another time ate in the buffet so I shouldn't tip the wait staff X%.

Sorry but it's actually not quite like that; the passenger is still on board the ship. In the cases you mentioned where I have emphasized them in red, the staff are still working to provide service, whether someone ate in the dining room or in the buffet (for instance). On RCI (OP's line) the same staff cover those areas.

Sorry but it's actually not quite like that; the passenger is still on board the ship. In the cases you mentioned where I have emphasized them in red, the staff are still working to provide service, whether someone ate in the dining room or in the buffet (for instance). On RCI (OP's line) the same staff cover those areas.

I think the PP was being factitious.

It is 4 days, if I received reasonably good service while I was on the ship, I would leave the standard gratuities for the days I am not there. In general, I leave extra for everyone anyway. I appreciate what they do & I know that they have difficult jobs that a lot of people fail to appreciate.

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If you don't want to pay gratuities (e.g. if you go to Guest Services and remove them) altogether or if you want to not pay them for the 4 days you're not there that's up to you. There's no "rule", and what you "should" do is pretty much whatever you think is right. If you don't want to pay them then you shouldn't. If you do want to pay then you should. It's pretty simple.