Gratuities increasing from Jan 2nd.

Cabin stewards earn about $1,000 US per month (but you know how hard they work for that $1,000).

Last figure I saw the steward got about $4.65 pp pd that’s $9.30 per cabin if double occupancy, around 10-15 cabins, so about $93 a day, 7 days a week would be $641, a lot more than your $1000 a month.

Latvfigure I saw the steward got about $4.65 pp pd that’s $9.30 per cabin if double occupancy, around 10-15 cabins, so about $93 a day, 7 days a week would be $641, a lot more than your $1000 a month.

You’re assuming every cabin leaves the tips on. They don’t.

Let‘s face it... none of us would do the job they do - including the feat of dealing with us as cruise passengers ;)

So just be happy for them, have half a drink less a day if you want to make up for the increased cost... and live and let live!

The staff definitely deserve reward for their hard work but payment by gratuities falls short of good practice in this day and age. The sooner gratuities become history the better, and I for one will not support the system.

The staff definitely deserve reward for their hard work but payment by gratuities falls short of good practice in this day and age. The sooner gratuities become history the better, and I for one will not support the system.

Yeah, let‘s fight the system for a noble cause... and thereby hurt the ones who reserve the reward :mad:

Yeah, let‘s fight the system for a noble cause... and thereby hurt the ones who reserve the reward :mad:

Are you sure you know who gets the reward ?

Employer or the employee ?

I would suggest you reward in CASH until the discriminatory system is abolished.

The email says you have to prepay before 2nd Jan or pay the new rates onboard. I assume future bookings with pre paid gratuities included will stay the same even though not fully paid yet. No change to the 18% gratuity on drinks etc.

All celebrity cruises departing from Australia from Jan 18 will have gratuities included in the price

I think this is because we don’t have a tipping culture and many people asked for the gratuities to be removed

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All celebrity cruises departing from Australia from Jan 18 will have gratuities included in the price

I think this is because we don’t have a tipping culture and many people asked for the gratuities to be removed

 

 

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We don’t have a tipping culture in the UK either, but we seem to have to abide by the culture from USA.

I think that cruise prices will go up considerably if they are included in the price.

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Are you sure you know who gets the reward ?

Employer or the employee ?

Yes I know who gets the reward. :rolleyes: I happen to know quite a few people working on the ships...

Do you really think people would apply for contract after contract if the would not receive the money?

Don‘t use this lame argument as an excuse to save money.

I would suggest you reward in CASH until the discriminatory system is abolished.

Guess what... we reward in cash on top of the standard grats.

This way we make sure staff we never see also gets their share and the ones we see get an extra.

I think that cruise prices will go up considerably if they are included in the price.

As a logical consequence prices would go up... and the ones complaining about the system today would be the first ones to complain about the higher prices.

Are you sure you know who gets the reward ?

Employer or the employee ?

I would suggest you reward in CASH until the discriminatory system is abolished.

On my first cruise in 2006, one tipped in cash at the end of the cruise. Apparently so many people (including some US citizens) stiffed the hard-working staff that the cruise line implemented auto-gratuities by my second cruise in 2013. As someone who was a waitress while in university, I assure you that I agree that the tipping culture is flawed, but changing it isn’t as simple as you seem to think.

When I encounter things that seem odd, discriminatory or archaic while traveling in other countries - or doing business with their corporations - I do my best to follow the accepted practices. Should I not wish to do so, I can choose to take my business elsewhere.

I too would rather pay all tips directly, in cash. FWIW I queried several ship staff members about this very thing earlier this year. They assured me that staff and crew DO receive the auto-gratuities.

My TA called and asked if there was an increase the they told her they didn't know. I did not receive an email stating an increase. I guess we will all find out in January.

Tips are part of the salary. Others say that they do not receive a salary that they only receive tips. I think the increase is just because of the inflation that makes everything rise in price.

The policy of automatic tips is good because in the previous system many idiots did at the end of the cruise to not deliver the envelope with money.

Excuse me my words

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Inflation ? 7% increase? doesn't add up. And if they all received the increase, you're looking at about 1.92$/day per crew (used Equinox crew/passenger ratio).

And that doesn't say if X or other increase the price of items in the crew shopping area.

Inflation ? 7% increase? doesn't add up. And if they all received the increase, you're looking at about 1.92$/day per crew (used Equinox crew/passenger ratio).

 

And that doesn't say if X or other increase the price of items in the crew shopping area.

Okay, even if the prices in the 'crew shopping area' did not go up, what does that have to do with the fact that the crew gets an increase after so many years of 'possible' stagnation in their salaries?

Do you mean to indicated that $1.92/per day p/p is too much to pay towards gratuities?

I noticed, and possibly others, that a comparison of the increase as a percentage of an average fare paid by passengers. Was this deliberate or not thought about?

Or is it possible that I did not understand the comment as intended? If so, please clarify.

bon voyage

Other cruise lines (e.g. NCL) raised the gratuities, so Celebrity was sure to follow.

NCL did not just raise the daily gratuity but raised the service charge on all onboard sales from 18 to 20 %.

Yes I know who gets the reward. :rolleyes: I happen to know quite a few people working on the ships...

Do you really think people would apply for contract after contract if the would not receive the money?

Don‘t use this lame argument as an excuse to save money.

Just returned from a cruise aboard Silhouette and was told by the cabin steward that his workload had increase significantly - he now cares for 14 cabins alone. Simple mathematics : 30 days x 14 cabins x 2 passengers x $3.61pp/pd (current Celebrity gratuity distribution) = over $3000 /month and add the increase of 7% = >$3200/month.

No wonder they renew their contract after contract.

Total agree that gratuity system is not transparent and open to abuse - It is no wonder that more and more people cancel their Auto-Grats (unless they are free perk !) when it costs a couple an extra $400 for a two week holiday.

Are you sure you know who gets the reward ?

Employer or the employee ?

I would suggest you reward in CASH until the discriminatory system is abolished.

Yes, let us fight the system!

When I see a number of passengers coming topside from down below to 'reward' in cash those whom we do not see that serve us, that would impress me so very much that I would gladly do it your way without any question or thought.

bon voyage

Just returned from a cruise aboard Silhouette and was told by the cabin steward that his workload had increase significantly - he now cares for 14 cabins alone. Simple mathematics : 30 days x 14 cabins x 2 passengers x $3.61pp/pd (current Celebrity gratuity distribution) = over $3000 /month and add the increase of 7% = >$3200/month.

No wonder they renew their contract after contract.

 

Total agree that gratuity system is not transparent and open to abuse - It is no wonder that more and more people cancel their Auto-Grats (unless they are free perk !) when it costs a couple an extra $400 for a two week holiday.

Again, you're basing it on 100% compliance..that simply doesn't happen.

Can anyone provide a LINK to an actual X communication or page about this?

Just returned from a cruise aboard Silhouette and was told by the cabin steward that his workload had increase significantly - he now cares for 14 cabins alone. Simple mathematics : 30 days x 14 cabins x 2 passengers x $3.61pp/pd (current Celebrity gratuity distribution) = over $3000 /month and add the increase of 7% = >$3200/month.

No wonder they renew their contract after contract.

 

Total agree that gratuity system is not transparent and open to abuse - It is no wonder that more and more people cancel their Auto-Grats (unless they are free perk !) when it costs a couple an extra $400 for a two week holiday.

Well, if you think it is such a good and well paid job, why don´t you apply?

:confused: MMMhhhh, let me think... maybe because you do not feel like working 7-9 months away from home and your family. Or is it that you would have to work 7 days a week for 7 - 9 months without a day off? Or maybe because you just don´t want to do the hard and dirty work?

I openly admit that I wouldn´t! Which is why I gladly reward those who do and have a lot of respect for them.

BTW: It does not cost a couple 400 $ extra - unless that couple chooses to ignore and not include a well known and advertised sum into the maths from the day they choose to book a cruise.

If you can not accept the system, just cruise on ships where it is not applied - like P&O for example.

BTW: It does not cost a couple 400 $ extra - unless that couple chooses to ignore and not include a well known and advertised sum into the maths from the day they choose to book a cruise.

???? Double dutch - $14.50 x 14 x 2 - Maybe you can complete the maths

???? Double dutch - $14.50 x 14 x 2 - Maybe you can complete the maths

:rolleyes: You do not get it, do you?!

Grats are no EXTRA cost if you do not choose to ignore the fact that they will be added - and that is hardly a secret.

Consider them part of the cruise cost and be done with it.

Last figure I saw the steward got about $4.65 pp pd that’s $9.30 per cabin if double occupancy, around 10-15 cabins, so about $93 a day, 7 days a week would be $641, a lot more than your $1000 a month.

That could be. I don't know if X says the gratuity actually goes to the workers or not. Some lines do, and others like NCL say the daily charges "support" the crew. So I don't know.

The $1,000 a month I use is what cabin stewards self-report earning on X, RCL, Carnival and NCL on the website glassdoor dot com. It is consistent across all the cruise lines, and while there are variations in individual reports, the ~$1,000 a month is a good average.

Celebrity is signatory to the ILO union but I think each ship has a unique union contract. The basic pay and working conditions for members are shown on this page. We know that the cruise lines work people 7 days a week for their 6, 9 or 10 month tour of duty, so they don't get the benefit of the mandatory days off shown there. But, if you look at the grid on that page you see the total with overtime pay is just over that $1,000 a month.

So that's certainly not definitive, but it is at least based on some data points, and not just a guess. I come from a tipping culture so I always leave the gratuities in place. I try not to be judgmental about it, though.

We don’t have a tipping culture in the UK either, but we seem to have to abide by the culture from USA.

I think that cruise prices will go up considerably if they are included in the price.

NCL has done that for UK passengers. I think they include them in the fare for Australians too, but I'm not sure on that. Some Aussies have said yes and some have said no.