Gratuities on the Royal

We are trying to figure out the "discretionary gratuities". It seems that everyone in our group (including our teenage son) has the option of a pre-paid gratuity. Is this a mandatory fee? It reads like it is mandatory but then uses words like "discretionary" We are wondering if it is a mandatory fee but is giving us the option to pay before boarding? Do we have to pay the set amount indicated for our son? It seems like a lot of money for a young teenager to pay. It also seems to be used just towards our room services with bar services and other services having other tip options. It works out to be $95 each. I don't mind tipping but $300 for room service seems a bit high.

the Princess FAQ answers it quite eloquently... so here you go! :)

http://www.princess.com/learn/faq_answer/onboard/experience.jsp

During your cruise, regardless of which Princess ship you choose, you will meet staff who provide you with excellent service. Crew members often rotate to different vessels within the Princess fleet which helps to maintain our high standards on every ship. These dedicated workers reflect our philosophy that all crew on all ships are but one family who share in our success.

To simplify the tipping process for our guests, a discretionary gratuity of $15.50 per guest for suites, $14.50 per guest for mini-suites and club class, and $13.50 per guest for interior, oceanview, and balcony staterooms. This gratuity will be shared amongst those staff who help provide and support your cruise experience, including all waitstaff, stateroom stewards, buffet stewards, and housekeeping staff across the fleet.

For your convenience, this gratuity can be pre-paid online via Cruise Personalizer. Alternatively, you may call us at 1-855-500-7690 and reference Special Services item number 0591. Pre-payment is available up to 2 days prior to departure.

A 15% gratuity is added to bar charges, dining room wine accounts, and Lotus Spa® services. This is shared amongst the beverage staff, their support staff and Lotus Spa® personnel.

Casino dealers and youth staff do not share in these gratuities. We know you will find these services onboard exemplary.

Please note gratuities will be deemed undisputed unless a request to modify is received prior to disembarking the ship.

It's all part of cruising. We paid the full tips (and then some) for 15 years for our family of 4. You just figure it in as part of your expenses. The crew aren't paid a normal wage. They rely very, very heavily on tips for their wages. If you remove them, your wait staff and cabin steward will know about it. I wouldn't even dream of denying them what they've earned.

What you are referring to is the tip that is charged automatically to you on board account. I believe it is $13.50 for a inside cabin and a balcony cabin. Suites are a little more.

This money goes to your cabin steward and dining staff, along with the people behind the scene that help make your vacation so wonderful. While it is automatic, you can increase it or decrease it. Just go to the front desk. I suggest you wait to do it until you see the service you receive. With over 40 Princess cruises, we have never felt the service warranted a reduction. Sometimes we give extra the last day to some of the staff.

As to your son, he will be getting the same service in the cabin and in the dining rooms. So the tip would be the same.

We are trying to figure out the "discretionary gratuities". It seems that everyone in our group (including our teenage son) has the option of a pre-paid gratuity. Is this a mandatory fee? It reads like it is mandatory but then uses words like "discretionary" We are wondering if it is a mandatory fee but is giving us the option to pay before boarding? Do we have to pay the set amount indicated for our son? It seems like a lot of money for a young teenager to pay. It also seems to be used just towards our room services with bar services and other services having other tip options. It works out to be $95 each. I don't mind tipping but $300 for room service seems a bit high.

Unfortunately this is a very touchy subject on CC. Yes it will be added to your stateroom account daily if you do not prepay and it can be adjusted while onboard. However please either prepay or leave the auto-tip on during your cruise. The tips are divided between your cabin steward, wait staff in the dining room AND all those behind the scenes that provide service during your cruise.

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In order to simplify the tipping process Princess will automatically apply a daily charge to each guest's folio. The charge is $15.50 for suites, $14.50 for mini suites and $13.50 for all other stateroom types. The charge is per person, per day.

These tips are distributed to all crew member who work to provide for your needs on your trip. ( the exception is casino staff, kids club staff and spa personnel. Additionally, purchased beverages will have a tip automatically added).

The tips are discretionary and you can go to guest services to have them removed or adjusted if you desire although we always leave them on because the crew works very hard and the auto tip does make it easier for us.

As for pre-paying, that is a personal decision. Some like to pre-pay so they have a smaller folio at the end of the cruise on the other hand sometimes if you have a lot of on board credit to use you may want to hold off and have the tips deducted from the OBC.

Hope this helps answer your question.

In order to simplify the tipping process Princess will automatically apply a daily charge to each guest's folio. The charge is $15.50 for suites, $14.50 for mini suites and $13.50 for all other stateroom types. The charge is per person, per day.

 

These tips are distributed to all crew member who work to provide for your needs on your trip. ( the exception is casino staff, kids club staff and spa personnel. Additionally, purchased beverages will have a tip automatically added).

 

 

The tips are discretionary and you can go to guest services to have them removed or adjusted if you desire although we always leave them on because the crew works very hard and the auto tip does make it easier for us.

 

 

As for pre-paying, that is a personal decision. Some like to pre-pay so they have a smaller folio at the end of the cruise on the other hand sometimes if you have a lot of on board credit to use you may want to hold off and have the tips deducted from the OBC.

 

 

Hope this helps answer your question.

Thank you. This was helpful. This is our first time on a cruise and to be honest it is a little overwhelming. We have no problem with tipping but were confused by some of the wording. We didn't understand how something could be an automatic charge yet also be discretionary. Thank you for explaining about the pre-pay option as we didn't understand the benefit of that.

Thank you. This was helpful.

You're welcome. Glad to have helped. Enjoy your cruise!

Unfortunately this is a very touchy subject on CC. Yes it will be added to your stateroom account daily if you do not prepay and it can be adjusted while onboard. However please either prepay or leave the auto-tip on during your cruise. The tips are divided between your cabin steward, wait stafin the dining room AND all those behind the scenes that provide service during your cruise.

 

 

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Ha, yes, I see I have unintentionally touched on a sensitive subject. We have never been on a cruise before and are trying to figure everything out.

What you are referring to is the tip that is charged automatically to you on board account. I believe it is $13.50 for a inside cabin and a balcony cabin. Suites are a little more.

 

This money goes to your cabin steward and dining staff, along with the people behind the scene that help make your vacation so wonderful. While it is automatic, you can increase it or decrease it. Just go to the front desk. I suggest you wait to do it until you see the service you receive. With over 40 Princess cruises, we have never felt the service warranted a reduction. Sometimes we give extra the last day to some of the staff.

 

As to your son, he will be getting the same service in the cabin and in the dining rooms. So the tip would be the same.

Thank you for the helpful response. The wording was confusing for us and it is good to know that we have control over it. I'm sure the service will be exemplary but have had bad experiences in the past when gratuities are automatically added.

Ha, yes, I see I have unintentionally touched on a sensitive subject. We have never been on a cruise before and are trying to figure everything out.

You will get used to it. We now treat gratuities as part of our cruise fare.

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Ha, yes, I see I have unintentionally touched on a sensitive subject. We have never been on a cruise before and are trying to figure everything out.

One reason it's "touchy" is that some pax will remove that tip & stick it right back in their pocket(real class act!)Some will remove it & give it to the people they wish to tip. Problem there is the staff then have to put it into the tip "pool". Some lines are now making this a "service charge"(which you can't remove)We're starting to do this in our catering business as well. Nothing is more of a PIA then people, who you bust your butts for, who just stiff you at the end of the night without even a thank you! Most jobs we do, the client will take time to make an announcement to thank us for a great job. Not the people last night at their anniversary. We did their wedding 15 years ago. It was fantastic. Wife, however, a total "beyotch!" This year they got the 20% service charge. Guests loved our food & service. Nothing from her, again. Some people...

One reason it's "touchy" is that some pax will remove that tip & stick it right back in their pocket(real class act!)Some will remove it & give it to the people they wish to tip. Problem there is the staff then have to put it into the tip "pool". Some lines are now making this a "service charge"(which you can't remove)We're starting to do this in our catering business as well. Nothing is more of a PIA then people, who you bust your butts for, who just stiff you at the end of the night without even a thank you! Most jobs we do, the client will take time to make an announcement to thank us for a great job. Not the people last night at their anniversary. We did their wedding 15 years ago. It was fantastic. Wife, however, a total "beyotch!" This year they got the 20% service charge. Guests loved our food & service. Nothing from her, again. Some people...

Many restaurants here add the service charge (typically 18-20%) for larger groups. We have yet to be bitten by bad service. Like on the cruise, we reserve the right to add on extra for outstanding service.

Yes, that makes sense OP. You'll get used to it. The charge will appear on your OB account every night but about the last 2-3 days, they'll usually put all of the final night's gratuities on your account so don't worry when you see that. If you have onboard credit, you can use that to pay for your tips.

Some people say, "I never used the dining room so why should I tip the wait staff there?" It's because you'll see your waiter from the dining room in the buffet. They work all over, not just in the dining room. They rely heavily on tips as their income since they're paid less than peanuts per hour.

If you want to give more than the tips that are already charged to your account, there are envelopes at the Purser's Desk on the last day or two. Just put the money in that, write your cabin number and name on the envelope so they know who the extra money came from and leave it on your pillow on the last night.

Many restaurants here add the service charge (typically 18-20%) for larger groups. We have yet to be bitten by bad service. Like on the cruise, we reserve the right to add on extra for outstanding service.

We've noticed in Florida that a gratuity is being added automatically. I've been told by staff(I'm in the industry)that many tourists left little or nothing & that students on spring break would actually try to skip out without paying! It's actually a pretty stiff fine if you skip off without payment(as it should be!)

Yes, that makes sense OP. You'll get used to it. The charge will appear on your OB account every night but about the last 2-3 days, they'll usually put all of the final night's gratuities on your account so don't worry when you see that. If you have onboard credit, you can use that to pay for your tips.

 

Some people say, "I never used the dining room so why should I tip the wait staff there?" It's because you'll see your waiter from the dining room in the buffet. They work all over, not just in the dining room. They rely heavily on tips as their income since they're paid less than peanuts per hour.

 

If you want to give more than the tips that are already charged to your account, there are envelopes at the Purser's Desk on the last day or two. Just put the money in that, write your cabin number and name on the envelope so they know who the extra money came from and leave it on your pillow on the last night.

We do that as well, but prefer to give it in person. Sometimes maintenance does routine work in cabins. I'd hate to see one of them walk off with the tip.

We do that as well, but prefer to give it in person. Sometimes maintenance does routine work in cabins. I'd hate to see one of them walk off with the tip.

I never thought of that! We always put it out right before dinner when we know the cabin steward is in the hall working but that's a good point. Think we'll hand it to him/her next time. ;)