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Gratuities on royal caribbean


Happycooler2
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Hi all

 

I thought I should post on here instead of the royal Caribbean board because most Americans on there get very angry around this subject. So, I thought the majority of brits on this forum page would answer my question without putting emotions into the answer.

 

Can we still remove the auto gratuities and just tip by cash to the people we think deserve it at the end of the cruise?

 

Thanks

 

 

 

 

Sent from my SM-G930F using Forums mobile app

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Yes, you can.

But it's probably pointless because it's my understanding that if your auto-tips are removed, those to whom you instead give cash tips are obliged to hand them over into the pool along with the auto-tips - from there they're shared out amongst hotel-side crew - stewards, waiters, galley-staff, laundry staff, etc.

(not bar staff, because their "tips" come from the mandatory 15% service charge on drinks/wine prices).

 

As you're probably aware, in the USA tips are the primary (only?) income for servers in restaurants etc.

Cruise lines take that a stage further, and apply it to (virtually) all hotel-side staff including backroom.

American cruisers take the view "when in Rome..........." altho' perhaps that should be "when on a US ship, even if it's parked near Rome..........".

And yes, far too Americans reckon that what America does is what everyone else should do, and it's impossible to get them to understand any other viewpoint. I gave up a while ago.

 

When Brits, Aussies, Europeans etc do tip, it's at a lower level than in the US, and we don't tip unseen backroom staff. So a $50 tip to the cabin steward and the same amongst your waiters for a 14-day cruise seems to be pretty generous by UK standards. But that'd be little more than a quarter of the removed auto-tips.

So to some extent I kinda understand Americans' complaints of "cheap-skating".

 

If you want to show your appreciation you should leave the auto-tip in place and give chosen staff extra in cash.

But like me you probably won't, regardless of the hard work and helpfulness. You've already auto-tipped, so why tip twice :rolleyes:

 

IMHO, if you knew nothing about the expectation of daily "tips" or the high level of those tips when you booked (cruise lines & T/As generally aren't up-front about them) you should ask that they be removed - and tell them why.

 

But I get the impression you're savvy about RCI tips.

So I suggest you avoid complications and simply leave them in place.

 

JB :)

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We too just don't get the American zeal and hysteria of tipping, especially when we dare to question it. We just leave the auto tips in place but we NEVER tip any extra as the autotips are way more than we'd give in the real world. I really wish the major cruise lines would just pay their employees a decent wage and not add gratuities on top of our cruise fare. I'd rather just pay the extra as part of my regular cruise fare. Don't Thomson/Marella Cruises not charge extra for gratuities?

 

We're not long off the Symphony of the Seas and were bemused to find a tip was automatically added when we got a drink from the Bionic bar ... it's not a human, it's a bloody robot for God's sake!!!!

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We Aussies face the same type of conflict about tips as the British. I know there is nothing I can do to make the situation better, so I just pay the auto tips and don't stress who gets it or what they get paid.

BTW, Royal charge 18% gratuities (not 15%). This is on anything purchased on board like drinks, spa services, specialty restaurants etc.

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Hi,

 

We always leave the auto gratuities in place, it is so much easier.

It does seem as though Americans do see giving tips as a way to better service - we were on a Princess cruise departing from San Francisco a few years ago, we were sat in one of the bars and on the next table there was an elderly American gentleman who every time he wanted a drink he would hold up a dollar bill to attract the attention of the waiter who would take his order but not the money. After a few drinks order the waiter said to the American "please stop holding up cash as we are sometimes watched and we get told off if we take the money as we have to give the same level of service to everyone"

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I know many US citizens that tip at the start of a cruise as they say it ensures good service, I do not and I get good service. I suggest people do as they please when it comes to the tipping, whatever works for them.

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We always used to leave the auto tips in place until last year when on the last night our table mates who'd all cancelled their tips, handed out envelopes to our servers.

We'd paid more in autotips but were treated like lepers by the servers. From now on its envelopes all the way.

 

Sent from my CUBOT MAGIC using Forums mobile app

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We always used to leave the auto tips in place until last year when on the last night our table mates who'd all cancelled their tips, handed out envelopes to our servers.

We'd paid more in autotips but were treated like lepers by the servers. From now on its envelopes all the way.

 

Sent from my CUBOT MAGIC using Forums mobile app

We've got into the habit of putting a little extra cash into an envelope and writing on the front that we've paid the auto tips, and here's a little extra to thank you. We've had waiters/stewards who've replied "Yes, I know", so they've obviously seen the list.

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We always used to leave the auto tips in place until last year when on the last night our table mates who'd all cancelled their tips, handed out envelopes to our servers.

We'd paid more in autotips but were treated like lepers by the servers. From now on its envelopes all the way.

 

Sent from my CUBOT MAGIC using Forums mobile app

I am surprised the waiters didn't know you had left the auto tips on, they usually know.:D
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We've got into the habit of putting a little extra cash into an envelope and writing on the front that we've paid the auto tips, and here's a little extra to thank you. We've had waiters/stewards who've replied "Yes, I know", so they've obviously seen the list.
Likewise if any of the staff have gone above and beyond for us.:D
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I’m an Aussie and have a strong dislike for Crus style tipping.

 

But it is, what it is.

 

We leave the auto tip in place.

 

Write to management about any crew that make our cuisespecial frequently be while still on board.

 

And may tip a bit extra.

 

Staff assure us that the personal letter saying how great they are is worth way more than any tip as it leads to renewed contracts and promotions.

 

Never pre tip, don’t tip per drink, have a soft drink (Soda) package so they don’t expect to earn much out of us at the bar, say please and thank you, maybe have a chat if things are a bit quiet, always get great friendly service.

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I know many US citizens that tip at the start of a cruise as they say it ensures good service, I do not and I get good service. I suggest people do as they please when it comes to the tipping, whatever works for them.

We have noticed this happening more and more in RCI Diamond Lounge during Happy Hour. At first it did not effect the service we got. However on our last cruise on Indy in May if we wanted a drink we had to go to the bar ourselves. The only time the waiters came to us was when the Hour was nearly up and the Diamond Lounge was mainly empty.

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We have noticed this happening more and more in RCI Diamond Lounge during Happy Hour. At first it did not effect the service we got. However on our last cruise on Indy in May if we wanted a drink we had to go to the bar ourselves. The only time the waiters came to us was when the Hour was nearly up and the Diamond Lounge was mainly empty.

As long as I was still getting a drink that wouldn't worry me too much, but they wouldn't be getting any extra tip at the end of the cruise either.

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