Ryder101

1 hour ago, Vibe said:

So sad that so many people are so upset about a 16.00 per day charge

It is sad for you. I'm not upset at all.

1 hour ago, Vibe said:

If they are caught.  I have many friends and family that work at Disney, if they receive a cash tip and do not turn it in, they will be reprimanded.  It happens often. 

You are not allowed to accept no less keep tips in jobs that are not tip related positions. Same for retail, etc. Because it can be seen as a bribe for a service or item, etc. Your comparing tipping and non tipping positions. 

1 hour ago, Vibe said:

BTW if a crew member receives cash from a person that removes their tips, they are supposed to turn in the cash to the tipping pool.  It is common knowledge among the crew and supervisors of who removes their tips.

They are not supposed to, and they don't. They keep the cash tips for themselves. I've asked them when handling it to them. Same answer every time.

So what about common knowledge. It just means try hard to get a cash tip from the person who removed the auto gratuity.

1 minute ago, Tatka said:

 

They already do this. They will discuss additional tipping.

But additional is additional.

 

Money really go to crew as salaries are paid from autogratuities. Crew is salaried.

 

What I really want is to stop smarty pants from removing it. They enjoy whole system because majority of people do not remove auto gratuities, but do not feel like contributing. Some also say that this was unexpected charge (and yes for some it is) and this is why they are removing it.

 

This is why amount should be included.

Everything additional is your choice which is a choice right now.

 

 

But why are the cruise lines or in this case Royal Caribbean OK with the current system? Maybe because it benefits them? They are paying themselves a fee just for processing automatic gratuities. AKA payroll. And part of the automatic gratuities pays that fee. That’s why we don't just get envelopes on the last night like years ago. The cruise lines wanted in on the action.

24 minutes ago, Husky1987 said:

 

Because the part I quoted was the only relevant part of your post that I responded to.

 

Just about everyone on here realizes that most (not all, most) of the people who use whatever reason/excuse they come up with to remove auto-grats and "tip in cash" actually don't tip anything in cash.  

 

To all the CC posters here that are exceptions to that?  Wonderful.

 

When I talk about those who tip in cash, I'm talking about those who tip in cash. I'm not speaking for everyone who removes auto gratuities, just those who choose to and replace with cash. We get a bad rap. And check out the posting I quoted from a few above on how scores of less then 10 don't get their full share of the automatic gratuities. It's a bad system. And the cash tippers get slammed. Slam Royal for screwing those with less than perfect scores out of their tips. Again, I'm only speaking for those cash tippers who do tip cash. But Royal not giving full automatic gratuities to those with scores less than perfect tens sucks as much as those who don't tip at all. At least cash tippers have good intentions. 

On 2/25/2023 at 12:41 PM, lazygal said:

My husband had in depth conversations with the head waiter every night and on the last night we asked how many people removed their tips and he responded with an overwhelming  "over 1000 people this cruise".  It was an Oasis class ship in Sept. and chances are still more were at guest services that night to do the same. Plus the  nagging persistence to score everyone a ten on the after cruise survey.  If they don't get tens, they don't get their full share of the tip.  Our waiters have told us that if there is a problem with the food on the survey that also screws their tip.  So the surveys are meaningless and I get so tired of the panicked speeches every cruise to score them with 10's.  BUT, the cruise question that asks if anyone discussed the survey with you, answer no.  All of this information has come from staff on numerous cruises.

"If they don't get tens, they don't get their full share of the tip". 

And the cash tippers are the bad guys? Why don't you all flip out over this sick rule. Does the rest of the tips go to those who got all tens? Or does Royal just keep the difference? 

4 minutes ago, Husky1987 said:

 

No one really wonders why most people who remove auto grats want to "tip in cash".

Why not quote everything I said?

Just now, Husky1987 said:

 

No one really wonders why most people who remove auto grats want to "tip in cash".

Ha! Only everyone talking here. 

1 minute ago, jacelyn said:

the Fair Labor Standards Act

Tip Regulations under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) | U.S. Department of Labor (dol.gov)

They don't operate under the US. So they don't have to follow there rules or taxes.

On 2/25/2023 at 12:41 PM, lazygal said:

My husband had in depth conversations with the head waiter every night and on the last night we asked how many people removed their tips and he responded with an overwhelming  "over 1000 people this cruise".  It was an Oasis class ship in Sept. and chances are still more were at guest services that night to do the same. Plus the  nagging persistence to score everyone a ten on the after cruise survey.  If they don't get tens, they don't get their full share of the tip.  Our waiters have told us that if there is a problem with the food on the survey that also screws their tip.  So the surveys are meaningless and I get so tired of the panicked speeches every cruise to score them with 10's.  BUT, the cruise question that asks if anyone discussed the survey with you, answer no.  All of this information has come from staff on numerous cruises.

I can't believe I missed this the first time I read it. If they don't score 10s they don't get their full share of the tips. And you people wonder why some want to tip in cash????

2 minutes ago, jacelyn said:

 

Thats illegal to keep tips, how do they manage that? 

All part of the wonderful system and contract they have to sign. So even if you keep automatic gratuities on, if they don't get a perfect score of 10 they don't get all the money apparently.

10 minutes ago, cruiselvr04 said:

Last night I called to add my auto tips for my March sailing.  Because I booked before the increase I paid the old gratuity of $14.50 pp per day.  I questioned it but that’s what happened.  I thought I had to pre pay by a certain date ( which I did for a couple late last year.) 

The problem I see with that is if you pre pay and get bad service, you have no recourse. Also Royal is making money on your money instead of it being in your bank account earning money till trip time.

1 minute ago, The Fun Researcher said:

Interesting,  I've never had anyone to my right or left requesting them removed as far as I could tell.  I'm not at guest services very often to be fair.

No, they pay me to make this up. LOL. It happened. Multiple times. 

Great review. Really felt very honest and genuine. The bad food has me concerned for my upcoming trip though. Was the beef/meats poor quality and fatty? Hard to chew etc? I've read here they are using low grade meat. 

Yes. Disney has much better quality. Never had a bad meal. Never went to guests services. No need to. Never a problem. Ever. Not even sure where it is. LOL.

33 minutes ago, grandgeezer said:

I doubt seriously that it is anywhere near that high. Don’t you think this may just be a ploy to get extra cash from you to make up for the shortage? 

No. Never. I've seen them make an entire separate line at guest services day 1 to handle the volume of people removing them. I've been ask at the start of the line why I was in line and sent to a line full of people just for this purpose. I've also had plenty of problems that have had me at guest services on various days and you can't help but hear what the people on either side of you are asking about. Read how many likes my posts have gotten. I really believe it is 10 to 15%. 

59 minutes ago, JeffT237 said:

Not taking a side but I'm just curious, to those who remove auto tips at GS what is the conversation like? Does the GS member try and discourage the practice?  It is my understanding from Royal's policy "is that in the unlikely event service is unsatisfactory auto gratuities can be modified", do they attempt to offer a remedy for the lack of service?  Or is the conversation something like "please remove the auto gratuities as we will be tipping in cash"? Legitimate question, I've never overheard it go down at GS although from these threads I know it happens.

 

Side note: I vowed to never comment on tipping threads, but a week of rain and cold in SoCal has made us all crazy out here

 

 

You don't even need to say you will be tipping in cash if you don't want to. That's up to each individual. Once I was ask "May I ask if there was a problem or particular reason I could maybe help with". I said no. They said OK, and we both moved on. The rest of the times no questions. It's nothing new or unique to them. I've never ever been at guest services where either the person on my right or my left wasn't doing it. Can't help but hear the conversation/request. 

1 minute ago, Vibe said:

Do what makes you happy. There are always those people who can justify trying to beat the system.  BTW. If I thought about it enough, I don’t like how the cruise line determines the tipping system, I still go with it because the employees are the ones to get screwed when that system is disrupted.  I just factor the tips into the total cruise cost.  
 

I just returned from a Princess cruise, they call it cruise appreciation 

I will. And you do you. 

3 minutes ago, Vibe said:

It kinda is my business because the cheap people that remove their tips cause the cruise line to raise that daily tip amount for the people that go with the system. 

Like that ain't gonna happen anyway. Didn't they just raise it because everything on planet earth went up? I must have missed the part about it being raised because of the 10% that choose not to participate. LOL.

3 minutes ago, Vibe said:

Doing that still disrupts the tipping system that it in place.  Someone is getting screwed out of compensation. 

I don't care. LOL. It's not my problem. And it's set up with the expectation that a certain % won't be participating. It disrupts nothing. They know it will happen.

7 minutes ago, A&L_Ont said:

I’d like that those who remove auto tips to do it on embarkation day VS the last night. I’ve seen it noted here on CC that they are concerned because they are concerned that they will get lesser quality service.  
 

If one is removing it preemptively in their minds before boarding the ship, then do it on boarding day. Go right to GS before the line is long.  Instead of waiting to the last day. Do it on day one, and own it. Maybe RC will learn something from this action as well. 

I truly believe more remove on day one to begin with. Probably because they don't ever want it on their credit card for even a few days.

For crew to than give less service would be shooting themselves in the foot. Up until the last day there is the chance of getting cash tips out of people's pockets, and they are fully aware of that possibility.

6 minutes ago, Vibe said:

 

The crew member is made aware of what, how and when they are bring paid. They accepted the job on those terms, just like people do when accepting a job on land. The tips are part of the system the cruise industry came up with to use cruise passengers' money to pad their employee's salary. Just like restaurants in the US

 

It would be less stressful for all of us, if your add the cost of the automatic tips to the cost of the cruise determine that is the true cost.  Go on the cruise and enjoy yourself and not obsess over how the cruise line and the the workers deal with the tipping system.  You will know that you contributed to that system and provided your share even if you may not agree with it,  it is really none of our business.
 

You probably don’t obsess over how employees get paid at the supermarket, doctors office, AC technicians, car mechanics etc. why stress over it for your vacation, it is what it is. If someone provides services that are over and above, you can reward them with some additional cash.

It really is none of your business how and when others tip. LOL.

2 minutes ago, Vibe said:

 

The crew member is made aware of what, how and when they are bring paid. They accepted the job on those terms, just like people do when accepting a job on land. The tips are part of the system the cruise industry came up with to use cruise passengers' money to pad their employee's salary. Just like restaurants in the US

 

It would be less stressful for all of us, if your add the cost of the automatic tips to the cost of the cruise determine that is the true cost.  Go on the cruise and enjoy yourself and not obsess over how the cruise line and the the workers deal with the tipping system.  You will know that you contributed to that system and provided your share even if you may not agree with it,  it is really none of our business.
 

You probably don’t obsess over how employees get paid at the supermarket, doctors office, AC technicians, car mechanics etc. why stress over it for your vacation, it is what it is. If someone provides services that are over and above, you can reward them with some additional cash.

I'm not stressing over it and never have. I don't care. At all. LOL. I tip who I see who actually does something for me (like on land) after that I move on. The rest is not my problem.

16 minutes ago, Mikew0805 said:

Agree, I do not think it is a large number. 

It's 10 to 15%. Crew members have quoted those numbers to multiple people on multiple occasions. 

25 minutes ago, uvadover said:

The good news is that everyone who declines the auto-gratuities comes on this board to boast how they over-tip, in cash, to all of the support staff, seen or unseen during the cruise.

I've never read anyone who tips cash say they give a dime to the unseen support staff.