Royl Genie Tipping

Interesting thread.....while I have never booked a "Genie" cabin,I was thinking $1000 for a cabin,I paid over 10K for.......Just my thought.

 

I think it is awful some paid him/her NOTHING...........wow........cheap.

I would think that the Genies keep in contact with one another. They know return cruisers who tip well and those who don't tip at all. I'm not saying those non tippers don't receive good service from their Genies but just like in everyday life, word gets around.

Why would a Genie go ALL out for a return client when they know in the end their tip will be a big fat zero!!!

Why would a Genie go ALL out for a return client when they know in the end their tip will be a big fat zero!!!

And this is why some cultures find tipping to be offensive. The idea that a person will not do their best unless bribed.

And this is why some cultures find tipping to be offensive. The idea that a person will not do their best unless bribed.

Who says that people do their best when there is NO incentive?

Have you ever been to restaurants or cafes in some of the other countries that don't tip? You don't always get great service as their IS no incentive!

Who says that people do their best when there is NO incentive?

Have you ever been to restaurants or cafes in some of the other countries that don't tip? You don't always get great service as their IS no incentive!

Sorry. Bad grammar.

"there"

Who says that people do their best when there is NO incentive?

Have you ever been to restaurants or cafes in some of the other countries that don't tip? You don't always get great service as their IS no incentive!

Actually, I have. I've been to multiple countries where tipping is not the norm. In every one, the service was equal to or better (mostly better) than in the US.

I disagree.

It would be nice to hear from more people who had genies, their experiences and how much they tipped.

OK, so we sailed last year on the Anthem, we were in a sky loft suite ( last year genies were included in these rooms) before we sailed we had several conversations by email, Derek our Genie asked us a lot of questions about "us and our likes and dislikes". When we showed up to Cape Liberty Derek told us to get a Royal rep and let them know we were there, he took us right through security and to a private area of the terminal. We were escorted on the ship and asked us where we would like to go before our rooms are ready, he then pick us up in a short time and escorted us to our suite. All week long Derek made dinner reservations, reserved seats for shows, highlighted and then books things in the daily paper, he just seemed to know where we were and what we needed, he had gifts for our girls all week and got us first in line for bumper cars and anything else we would otherwise wait for. He made sure any request was taken care of and just generally made sure we were happy. My Sister and Brother in Law joined us on this cruise and he treated them like gold! disembarkation was a breeze. I would recommend a genie to anyone, we are taking our whole company on the Anthem this December and I would book a room with a Genie in a heartbeat!

https://www.britishbutlerinstitute.com/recruitment/positions/royale-genie-2018-and-beyond/

This is very interesting, thank you

We are not sailing until November in Star Class. Thank you all for your comments, I've been thinking about what to tip the Genie as well as the cabin stewards. This thread is giving me food for thought.

MadamG2U

https://www.britishbutlerinstitute.com/recruitment/positions/royale-genie-2018-and-beyond/

So, they do get paid a salary.

So, they do get paid a salary.

Of course they are paid a salary. They are in a highly trained position dealing with clients that spend the most money. Does anyone think they only are there for tips?

Of course they are paid a salary. They are in a highly trained position dealing with clients that spend the most money. Does anyone think they only are there for tips?

It's worthy of noting the salary. You know as well as I do the comments about how cruise lines should pay a salary rather than having the crew rely upon tips for their wage.

It's worthy of noting the salary. You know as well as I do the comments about how cruise lines should pay a salary rather than having the crew rely upon tips for their wage.

Everyone onboard is paid a salary. Tips supplement that base salary. It is absolutely preposterous for anyone to think a job at this level would be unpaid and tipped only.

But $2150/month for 10months a year (isn’t that roughly the contract time?) is not a lot of money...even if they make $1000/week in tips, that amounts to just $60k/year salary...

New college hires make more than that where I work!

So hopefully these highly trained butlers are making closer to $2000/week in tips that they get to keep!

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Who says that people do their best when there is NO incentive?

Have you ever been to restaurants or cafes in some of the other countries that don't tip? You don't always get great service as their IS no incentive!

What absolute rubbish - Australia, New Zealand - don't tip. Are you saying every restaurant in the country has terrible service because we don't tip. If we have terrible service, we don't go back, and they close down.

Service has nothing to do with the wages, but the direction the management give. If management lets bad service slide, then no one will go there.

I'm one of those that come from a culture that thinks that tipping is abhorrent and nothing more than a bribe. However, when travelling in countries that has shifted the wage component from the base product to the customer, I play along and tip on top of the bill.

But still feel ripped off when I have to pay extra just for people doing their job. Comment above, the Genie making reservations - that's their job, holding seats for shows, that's their job. Telling them I don't want a reservation then half an hour before show time, saying yes I want to go and they make it happen - that's above and beyond.

In Australia, if you want something in a Restaurant, such as a top up of a soda or water, you ask anyone walking past with a jug and get it done. In the US, with a full jug they say hold on, I will get your server! Nothing gets done until your server turns up, in case they do something for you that won't get compensated, I mean bribed, I mean Tipped.

According to the Royal Caribbean Web site - the FAQ's for Star Class state that Gratuities are included. To an Australian, if something is Complimentary it means its FREE - nothing extra, no more to pay. If you supply a complimentary shuttle service, what do you mean you have to tip the driver, it said it was complimentary, they did their job and drove us there.

This was so much of a problem in Australia, that there is no such thing as a daily gratuities charge now. Nothing can be removed as its included in the base cruise fare.

Doing a Star Class Cruise out of Australia, the Genie is likely to get not much if anything as Gratuities are included and you may tip if you feel like it. The Genie would need to something pretty special to get a tip.

Doing a Cruise out of Miami at the end of the year, yes we will tip our Genie as this is expected from this location, but I can tell you now, it won't be US$700.

But $2150/month for 10months a year (isn’t that roughly the contract time?) is not a lot of money...even if they make $1000/week in tips, that amounts to just $60k/year salary...

 

New college hires make more than that where I work!

 

So hopefully these highly trained butlers are making closer to $2000/week in tips that they get to keep!

 

 

 

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Let’s not lose sight of the fact that these are not people living in North America. They are coming from countries where the cost of living is a fraction of what it is in the US. You can’t equate the two.

Sorry but I find the idea of tipping someone $1000 for a week preposterous.

But $2150/month for 10months a year (isn’t that roughly the contract time?) is not a lot of money...even if they make $1000/week in tips, that amounts to just $60k/year salary...

 

New college hires make more than that where I work!

 

So hopefully these highly trained butlers are making closer to $2000/week in tips that they get to keep!

 

 

 

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They also get free room and meals, access to duty free (Tax free) goods and can be based anywhere in the world and get flights home at the end of their contract. It doesn't say if that amount is tax free or in what location the money is taxed. (Home country or in the US.) Potential for other benefits such as free Gym Membership?

Do the new college hires where you come from for US$60K, get free room and board included as well? My last Genie was from the Philippines, US$60K would be a lot where he came from.

They also get free room and meals, access to duty free (Tax free) goods and can be based anywhere in the world and get flights home at the end of their contract. It doesn't say if that amount is tax free or in what location the money is taxed. (Home country or in the US.) Potential for other benefits such as free Gym Membership?

 

Do the new college hires where you come from for US$60K, get free room and board included as well? My last Genie was from the Philippines, US$60K would be a lot where he came from.

Just looked it up. The average salary in the Philippines is just under $17,000 per year.

https://www.averagesalarysurvey.com/philippines

$60,000 per year would put them in the top 5% of the population.

Lol people tipping $1,000 for a week is crazy.

Lol people tipping $1,000 for a week is crazy.

Depends. Some posters will have six people in their cabin. We will have four in ours.

And, these star class cabins often go for more than $4K PP.

I'm one of those that come from a culture that thinks that tipping is abhorrent and nothing more than a bribe. However, when travelling in countries that has shifted the wage component from the base product to the customer, I play along and tip on top of the bill.

 

 

 

But still feel ripped off when I have to pay extra just for people doing their job. Comment above, the Genie making reservations - that's their job, holding seats for shows, that's their job. Telling them I don't want a reservation then half an hour before show time, saying yes I want to go and they make it happen - that's above and beyond.

 

 

 

In Australia, if you want something in a Restaurant, such as a top up of a soda or water, you ask anyone walking past with a jug and get it done. In the US, with a full jug they say hold on, I will get your server! Nothing gets done until your server turns up, in case they do something for you that won't get compensated, I mean bribed, I mean Tipped.

 

 

 

According to the Royal Caribbean Web site - the FAQ's for Star Class state that Gratuities are included. To an Australian, if something is Complimentary it means its FREE - nothing extra, no more to pay. If you supply a complimentary shuttle service, what do you mean you have to tip the driver, it said it was complimentary, they did their job and drove us there.

 

 

 

This was so much of a problem in Australia, that there is no such thing as a daily gratuities charge now. Nothing can be removed as its included in the base cruise fare.

 

 

 

Doing a Star Class Cruise out of Australia, the Genie is likely to get not much if anything as Gratuities are included and you may tip if you feel like it. The Genie would need to something pretty special to get a tip.

 

 

 

Doing a Cruise out of Miami at the end of the year, yes we will tip our Genie as this is expected from this location, but I can tell you now, it won't be US$700.

I have been in star class and when it says gratuities are included that means the regular gratuities that you would pay if you were paying them. My understanding is the genie is not included in those gratuities.

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Depends. Some posters will have six people in their cabin. We will have four in ours.

And, these star class cabins often go for more than $4K PP.

More like $6,000 pp....

Depends. Some posters will have six people in their cabin. We will have four in ours.

And, these star class cabins often go for more than $4K PP.

So many reasons why these higher numbers are in line with what’s appropriate:

1) A family of 4 - would tip about $500 in a junior sweet - with no genie service. Tipping the genie this amount or more seems very aligned.

2) typically - a star class suite will be on the order of 15k for a family of 4. Tipping $100 USD/day is a small fraction of the cruise price.

As for those that are saying the Genie gets room and board - that’s true, but their families at home in the Philippines are probably not living rent free - so I don’t think that should be considered.

As for the college kids getting $60k/year? Well - MANY of them are living at home with parents or with roommates because that is just not very much before taxes where we live!

And as for tipping people to do their job - I think that there are a lot of ways to do your job, but I think that anyone who does their job as a genie such that it makes my day better/easier/happier - they will get noticed for that. It’s not just about what they do - but the attitude in which they do it.

My family believes in rewarding strong performance and not poor performance - this is how we are treated at our corporate work environments as well with results based incentives. It’s not a bribe.

I am curious though if the price of a cruise booked in Australia where tipping is now included in the cruise price also factors something in for the Genie? Anyone able to check to see the price of the same star class suite booked from US Vs AU to see?

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Let’s not lose sight of the fact that these are not people living in North America. They are coming from countries where the cost of living is a fraction of what it is in the US. You can’t equate the two.

 

Sorry but I find the idea of tipping someone $1000 for a week preposterous.

Neither should we lose sight of the fact that the crew may well prefer a system of mixed compensation (tipping and salary).