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Australia Gratuities?


Regguy
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I saw some articles from a year or so ago that daily gratuities are included in the price for Australia and New Zealand cruises. Is this still the case? Does it apply for those who book from the US? Other than the articles, I see nothing on the web site.

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If you book through the Australian RC website or a travel agent the price includes gratitudes. This changed a couple of years ago. Just think of the gratitudes as a service charge. It's so much better just to see the advertised price as the total price you will pay. For excellent service you can still get envelopes from guest services to tip additionally.

 

 

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If you book through the Australian RC website or a travel agent the price includes gratitudes. This changed a couple of years ago. Just think of the gratitudes as a service charge. It's so much better just to see the advertised price as the total price you will pay. For excellent service you can still get envelopes from guest services to tip additionally.

 

 

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I never knew this. Perhaps it is why the drink packages are priced a lot higher than they are on the US cruises?

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I never knew this. Perhaps it is why the drink packages are priced a lot higher than they are on the US cruises?

No, it's because, according to the F&B manager on either the Explorer or the Voyager that Australians drink more pp pd than any other nationality, including the Russians. I noted that the Asia cruise on mariner had the same drink package for more than $20 AUD less than the Australian cruises I've booked.

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I never knew this. Perhaps it is why the drink packages are priced a lot higher than they are on the US cruises?

I believe the drink package prices on UK based cruises also include gratuities.

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I believe it is government regulation in some countries. Displayed prices should show total prices. Gratuities are deem to be compulsory.

 

It's simpler than that. A typical Aussie or Kiwi will simply refuse to pay gratuities. You are also right that in NZ and Australia the legislation does not allow the type of advertising that RCL engages in anyway.

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Australians and New Zealanders are not cultures where tipping is commonly expected. Our minimum wages are higher than some other countries. Service staff are not reliant on tips. I heard that Royal Caribbean staff were less keen to work the Australian routes as they received less income from tips. Gratitudes being part of the cruise fare makes it fairer for all. Australians and New Zealanders are not out to reduce the incomes of hardworking cruise ship employees and I am really happy that this is now included .I will give extra cash in an envelope at the end of a cruise to staff whom have helped me and deserve to have this recognised.

 

 

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I think the Australian drink packages are higher due to the value of the Australian dollar versus the American dollar, plus gratitudes are also included in the price.

 

And yes, Aussies like a beer or 12.......... Royal has gotta make their money some how to pay for their new ships.

 

 

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Drink packages on Australian ships have actually been cheaper than US ships for some time.

 

 

However, the price charged is gratuity inclusive, not exclusive. The price you see is the price charged, rather than getting extras charged when you go to pay. The same with drinks onboard. The price advertised includes gratuities, so you don't get charged that extra when you go to pay. Same price in the end, just it's one price instead of two.

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Based on above - then I guess the price limit for drinks included in the package is 15USD on the ship - same way as for cruises leaving from UK (12USD + 18% gratuity)?

That varies by ship. If there's a price listed on board, that's without grats, so it is better to discuss drink prices without grats.

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That varies by ship. If there's a price listed on board, that's without grats, so it is better to discuss drink prices without grats.

 

Are you sure? Above is stated otherwise: "The same with drinks onboard. The price advertised includes gratuities, so you don't get charged that extra when you go to pay. Same price in the end, just it's one price instead of two."

 

And if it is depending based on ship - what is Royal Caribbean policy? Have cruised on Celebrity from UK and they were showing price onboard including gratuity for drinks. Now we are talking about Australia and Royal Caribbean but was assuming they might have similar policy?

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Are you sure? Above is stated otherwise: "The same with drinks onboard. The price advertised includes gratuities, so you don't get charged that extra when you go to pay. Same price in the end, just it's one price instead of two."

 

And if it is depending based on ship - what is Royal Caribbean policy? Have cruised on Celebrity from UK and they were showing price onboard including gratuity for drinks.

Many times, there are no prices listed, hence my wording "if price is listed". I have not seen menus listing prices with grats included since that is usually some oddball amount (and when they are listed they are usually in USD which would lead to lots of conversions for the locals). Typically when the price is higher on a different ship, the drink package limit is raised to cover the same drinks.

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Many times, there are no prices listed, hence my wording "if price is listed". I don't see them making menus listing prices with grats included since that is usually some oddball amount (and in USD which would lead to lots of conversions for the locals). Typically when the price is higher on a different ship, the drink package limit is raised to cover the same drinks.

 

Well on Celebrity UK cruise they listed the price including 18% gratuity (rounding was made up / down to get full dollar prices) and limit was also raised for drinks package.

 

I guess best answer is to ask when entering the ship what is their policy.

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Well on Celebrity UK cruise they listed the price including 18% gratuity (rounding was made up / down to get full dollar prices) and limit was also raised for drinks package.

The pricing on many things seems to be so dynamic that RCI (does some things differently than Celebrity) may not want to print stuff with prices. I wonder what happens on a TA - do they switch out the menus with grats included for those that don't when they leave port?:rolleyes:

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The pricing on many things seems to be so dynamic that RCI (does some things differently than Celebrity) may not want to print stuff with prices. I wonder what happens on a TA - do they switch out the menus with grats included for those that don't when they leave port?:rolleyes:

 

I assume they will change price list after closing on night before disembarkation / embarkation morning when they start first cruise from different "pricing area". I guess it is not that big thing.

 

Hopefully someone who has cruised on Royal Caribbean from Australia could confirm how the prices are presented on board.

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Noticing that people in the USA are also concerned by gratitudes and ensuring all staff are fairly paid. If Royal can change the policy for Australian cruisers why can they change it for the USA as well?One price gratitudes included and no removal.

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Noticing that people in the USA are also concerned by gratitudes and ensuring all staff are fairly paid. If Royal can change the policy for Australian cruisers why can they change it for the USA as well?One price gratitudes included and no removal.

 

I really wish the cruise industry would head toward this model, but I just don't see it happening.

 

Put bluntly, I think the answer to your question is that the cruise lines want to mislead people. That's actually too strong. The better way to say it is that the cruise lines want to use marketing to make the cruises appear as cheap as possible to the consumer to induce them to try to book, but then to add on charges on the back end after the consumer has already committed. In addition, online travel agencies make comparison shopping much easier. When someone searches for a Caribbean cruise on one of the big box agencies, you want to get on that first page with a number that's as low as possible. It's the same impulse that makes hotels charge a resort fee. For whatever reason, more people will book a room advertised as "$99" with a $25 resort fee, than would book it if it were advertised as $124.

 

It's weird that such psychological forces work so well in marketing but they undoubtedly do. The difference between grocery stores marketing a product as $4.99 and $5.00 is worth literally billions of dollars -- even giving away the penny. It just works.

 

More people will book the $999 cruise, even if they know that tips will be extra, than will book the $1093.50 all included cruise.

 

Also, there are a significant number of first time or forgetful cruisers that forget about the gratuities are and genuinely misled by not reading the fine print until they are on board or past final payment. Even if that's only a small segment, it's millions or billions of dollars.

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