15% added to drinks ordered

Does anyone know if it compulsary to pay the 15% added to drinks orders on the Celebrity Eclipse?

We find it rather 'cheeky' of them to add this.

Jennie

Yes. You can't negotiate it. Don't think of it as a gratuity. Its really a tax. Only two things are certain in life....

Does anyone know if it compulsary to pay the 15% added to drinks orders on the Celebrity Eclipse?

 

We find it rather 'cheeky' of them to add this.

 

Jennie

This is customary on all cruiselines that I have been on. I do believe you need to pay it.

Does anyone know if it compulsary to pay the 15% added to drinks orders on the Celebrity Eclipse?

 

We find it rather 'cheeky' of them to add this.

 

Jennie

Princess do too. It's spread out for tips, otherwise even a head bartender would only get $730 a month pay. Is that about £480 in UK terms?

It is customary on many cruise lines to add a tip to the drink orders. You can remove the tip, but the bosses will take this as a signal that the server has done something wrong, so unless you are unhappy with the service, most of us believe that you should leave the service charge on the bill. Recognizing that tipping is looked upon differently in different cultures, Celebrity is not adding tips to those cruises leaving from Southampton, but instead is raising the price of the drink. So you are tipping one way or the other.

Does anyone know if it compulsary to pay the 15% added to drinks orders on the Celebrity Eclipse?

 

We find it rather 'cheeky' of them to add this.

 

Jennie

It's automatically added and is compulsory. American restaurant/bars/etc don't include gratuity in their prices, so Americans are used to seeing the 'before tip and tax' amount. I would imagine that's why they do it. It would make it easier on everyone if they included it in their drink prices.

I think it is cheap. $.75 for a drink that cost $5. Whenever I am in a bar and get a drink I will give at least a dollar. If the drink is $3.50 or more I give a $5 spot and say keep the change. I think most people do that. That part doesn't bother me. Dont agree with the prices but that is the cost of traveling and I do have a choice. I can accept the cost and drink or not drink. It is way for the cruises to generate income and try to keep the base price of the cruise low.

If you are sailing on Eclipse this summer, the cost of drinks includes the 15% charge, it is not added separately. Of course, the drink prices have been adjusted upwards to reflect this

If you are not familiar with cruising as others have said, service charges are part of cruising life and you would only remove them in exceptional circumstances, ie if the service has been so bad as to require this

Does anyone know if it compulsary to pay the 15% added to drinks orders on the Celebrity Eclipse?

 

We find it rather 'cheeky' of them to add this.

 

Jennie

You can always spend your precious vacation time at guest relations trying to get that $1 or $2 per drink removed. Or you can smile, enjoy the drink and your vacation.

If you purchased the drink package and order a drink, do they still charge you for 15% gratuity?

If you purchased the drink package and order a drink, do they still charge you for 15% gratuity?

The 15% is added when you purchase your package

If you purchased the drink package and order a drink, do they still charge you for 15% gratuity?

The 15% gratuity is added at the time of purchasing the package.

If you purchased the drink package and order a drink, do they still charge you for 15% gratuity?

15% is added to the package when you buy it. Your bar receipt (if given one) will be 0.00.

Jim

Does anyone know if it compulsary to pay the 15% added to drinks orders on the Celebrity Eclipse?

 

We find it rather 'cheeky' of them to add this.

 

Jennie

And this is why Celebrity is going through the charade of removing the 15% gratuity on drinks for sailings out of Southampton this year and raising the prices of drinks on these sailings by 15%...

And this is why Celebrity is going through the charade of removing the 15% gratuity on drinks for sailings out of Southampton this year and raising the prices of drinks on these sailings by 15%...

Well at least then they will know the "real' price.:rolleyes:

Some will say "its not about the money" which almost always translates to "its about the money".

And this is why Celebrity is going through the charade of removing the 15% gratuity on drinks for sailings out of Southampton this year and raising the prices of drinks on these sailings by 15%...

"When in Rome, do as the Romans do"

The post saying you can remove it is not correct in this tipping situation of drinks. It is part of the bill. If it makes you feel better, call it a Service Charge, and pretend they are breaking the cost of the drink down for you: $10 for the drink, $1.50 for the person who made it and who serves it.

And yes, I guess it would be nice for the Line to just charge one amount (as they do in some circumstances as I understand on the Eclipse out of Southampton), but then many of us who are use to giving tips would add it thinking it wasn't covered.

There's nothing cheeky about it, just think of it as how backward we Colonials are and roll with it.

Denny

There's nothing cheeky about it, just think of it as how backward we Colonials are and roll with it.

 

Denny

Backward? We're not the ones driving on the wrong side of the road! LOL!

The post saying you can remove it is not correct in this tipping situation of drinks. It is part of the bill. If it makes you feel better, call it a Service Charge, and pretend they are breaking the cost of the drink down for you: $10 for the drink, $1.50 for the person who made it and who serves it.

 

And yes, I guess it would be nice for the Line to just charge one amount (as they do in some circumstances as I understand on the Eclipse out of Southampton), but then many of us who are use to giving tips would add it thinking it wasn't covered.

 

There's nothing cheeky about it, just think of it as how backward we Colonials are and roll with it.

 

Denny

Last year on Eclipse out of Southampton some guests did manage to remove the drinks gratuity from their account. Unfortunately this was done by them making quite unbelievable claims about the lack of service. There was also so much backlash about the 15% charge- and this was audibly expressed by several guests to whoever would listen to them on our trip that they changed the pricing for this years cruises out of Southampton.

I think it is cheap. $.75 for a drink that cost $5. Whenever I am in a bar and get a drink I will give at least a dollar. If the drink is $3.50 or more I give a $5 spot and say keep the change. I think most people do that. That part doesn't bother me. Dont agree with the prices but that is the cost of traveling and I do have a choice. I can accept the cost and drink or not drink. It is way for the cruises to generate income and try to keep the base price of the cruise low.

That made me chuckle reading that...my husband has ALWAYS said you never leave a bartender less than $1.00 tip...even if you get a soda for $2.00!!!

But I think they shortchange themselves when they add 15%. Most people would give them more, but I have to say, when it is added in already, I usually don't (for alcohol drinks anyway).

Dawn