Breaking News !! RCCL to review Gratuities

[Bigtex1622]

I love going to a bar, and tip nice for every drink.

I get better drinks!

On the other 2 cruises we have gone on,

I always start the cruise with a talk.

I tell them not to change the towels,

unless we put them in the tub.

Not to change the sheets, unless we ask.

I then give them a $50 bill, and tell them that this is not their tip.

That is just a taste, You will be surprised what all we get out of them.

[Brit-Cruiser]

Actually, you said this before:

 

"This seems to be because on the last 4 cruises we have been on, at least 25% of the passengers that choose to eat there all cruise eat in the Windjammer on the last night - tip night....very mysterious! On our last cruise on 7 Dec, less than 5% of the passengers were of non-us origin, so this is just not an issue about Europeans not tipping -"

 

I still don't get how one couple telling you that they don't tip leads to this 25% absence equally us all not tipping. The logic isn't there. I know that not all Americans tip. I don't dispute that at all.

 

Makes perfect sense to us - we will have to agree to differ.

[The_Big_M]

Each sailing was full , on which sailing do you think had the fullest gratuity drop box in the Windjammer on the final night of the cruise? It made me proud to be British , it was the first one , the box was practically stuffed with dollars and envelopes.

When we left the Windjammer on the last night of our 30 night epic sailing on Independence we were embarrassed , the gratuity box was practically empty. This was a sailing full to capacity with 95% Americans onboard who got the cruise for a steal , stuffed themselves stupid for 6 nights and then didn't leave a tip . If we hadn't seen it for ourselves we wouldn't have believed it. I will leave you to draw your own conclusions.

I am off to bed now so flame all you want:D:p

 

Lots of American use auto-tipping, plus there's also a prepaid option. Assuming service is the same on each cruise, all that can be said is that more people used cash tips on the first than the others, not what overall tipping was like.

[Morecruisesplz]

Don't be too quick to believe a 'staffer' as they have been known to try & increase the size of their tips by getting sympathy which is what that one was doing when u were told that they pay for their room & board - this is not true...

 

I love when this argument comes up every time wages and tips are discussed. They staffer simply can not be trusted to tell the truth and as long as you are crusing for $70/day keep quiet and don't make waves. The money they earn goes a long way in their third word countries PLUS they get free room and board!

 

You might be cruise crazy but what do you think of your fellow human beings on the planet?

[Ripley's Lady]

I would like to add what we witnessed recently on a B2B2B on Independence . We were on the ship for 30 nights, first cruise round trip from Southampton , second cruise Transatlantic from Southampton to Fort Lauderdale and final cruise round trip from Fort Lauderdale.

 

At night we always eat in the Windjammer for all meals and reward service accordingly. The first evening of the first cruise we sat by chance at the station where the assistant waiter remembered us from a previous sailing, he looked after us well and we reciprocated, we also put a gratuity on the final night in the drop box.The demographic on that sailing was probably 90% British.

 

The second sailing we knew our assistant waiter was back in the MDR so we changed area for a different view. No particular member of staff went above and beyond their basic duties so we put a gratuity in the drop box on the last night. Demographic on sailing - Americans and British held the majority with an even split, the others 'rest of the world' :)

 

Third sailing - The Windjammer was the busiest on this sailing so crew had to work harder in some areas. We put a gratuity in the drop box. Demographic- 95% American, only 250 British onboard.

 

 

Each sailing was full , on which sailing do you think had the fullest gratuity drop box in the Windjammer on the final night of the cruise? It made me proud to be British , it was the first one , the box was practically stuffed with dollars and envelopes.

When we left the Windjammer on the last night of our 30 night epic sailing on Independence we were embarrassed , the gratuity box was practically empty. This was a sailing full to capacity with 95% Americans onboard who got the cruise for a steal , stuffed themselves stupid for 6 nights and then didn't leave a tip . If we hadn't seen it for ourselves we wouldn't have believed it. I will leave you to draw your own conclusions.

I am off to bed now so flame all you want:D:p

 

NO flames from me Heather - just a thank you for sharing your experience.

As DH and I eat in the dining room 95 % of the time, we have never been in the Windjammer the final evening of a cruise- so we had NO IDEA there was a gratuity box there. I do thank you for explaining that piece of info.

 

I appreciate all of the honest opinions given on this thread - they give me food for thought. Wishing you all a happy and healthy new year.

[andrzej5914]

Makes perfect sense to us - we will have to agree to differ.

 

So, for our next cruise we chose MTD and had to prepay our tips. If we chose not to show up on our last night, you will assume we did it for a reason?

 

Get a grip.

[marci22]

It annoys both myself & my DH, when others post comments about Europeans "not understanding" about tipping - I am not the one putting people under the same umbrella - I am simply pointing out that just the same as not all Europeans DON'T tip, not all Americans DO tip. Simple as that.

 

I said "lots (but not all)" do not understand tipping specifically because I know that everyone in an area will not behave in the same way.

After posting on these boards for 3 years and lurking a few years before that, I have read thousands of tipping posts (sad, I know) and it does really seem to me that you can explain the American concept of tipping until you're blue in the face to Europeans and Australians and whatever other non-American group and they will still say things like: "nobody told me when I booked my cruise so I won't" or "Royal should pay a decent wage so I won't" or "they're just doing their job so I won't" and you know what? That annoys me. Excuses upon excuses of why one shouldn't tip the suggested amounts.

 

I could have said a lot of other phrases besides 'they don't seem to understand' but I thought that was a rather nice way of putting it.

[bluegirlum]

Thanks Bluegirlum! Sometimes you just get a stalker though, lol, I'm not offended! Guess I'm just 'lucky' that someone feels the need to look at my pics every time I post....:rolleyes: I guess I just got a new person for my ignore list :p

 

If I looked like you, I'd put pictures up too!!! :) Different strokes for different folks.

 

Have a great time on your cruise!!!

[negc]

I love going to a bar, and tip nice for every drink.

I get better drinks!

On the other 2 cruises we have gone on,

I always start the cruise with a talk.

I tell them not to change the towels,

unless we put them in the tub.

Not to change the sheets, unless we ask.

I then give them a $50 bill, and tell them that this is not their tip.

That is just a taste, You will be surprised what all we get out of them.

And you might be surprised at all you would have gotten out of them if you hadn't given them that $50 bill. I am sure that money is a great incentive for some, but many others take greater pride in the quality of the service they provide than in the monetary reward they might receive for providing that service. It is not their raison d'etre.:rolleyes:

[Morecruisesplz]

Posted by: luckyprincess

On: December 28th, 2009 12:59 AM

--- Quote---

Lol - sorry but if you can't follow, don't blame me! I didn't say I would be happy to work their hours - I always defend the staff. I'm saying that their wage is base + tips, not base and then whatever tips they get is extra. Sadly, some folks can't seem to separate how it works in their neck of the woods with how it works on a cruise ship. Base + tips for waiters, per the website that hire them, works out to about $2000 per month. That's an okay salary - certainly not worth condemning, as the person was that I was responding to (you know, the snippet you took from my long winded inaccurate post!:rolleyes::p).

My info is completely accurate because it is based on the facts of my working life. I have found that the people that own the restaurants don't often know or care how their tipped staff gets paid. Regardless, if you don't like what I post then stop reading it, I guess. And if my pics are too much info for you - ummm....not sure how that is (do you dislike parasailing? Or would you rather I wear a full length dress on the beach?:confused:) Anyway - you could always put me on your ignore list - and I'll return the favor!:D ---End Quote---

 

I was following, that is why I felt obligated to respond to another thread where you talk about how well paid the ship staff is. But, that was a question. (See the ? at the end?: So you would be happy to work the hours the staff on these ships work in return for the pay they receive?)

 

Would you?

 

You might defend the staff on everything except pay but I know where you post on that subject. Telling everyone the speciality restaurant fee goes to the server; inaccurating posting your $2000 month figure (how many years do they have to work for much less to become a waiter and what percentage of ship staff are waiters?) then claiming what an expert you are because you have waited tables. Give me a break. Your working life has absolutely nothing to do with pay standards or calculations onboard a ship. Nothing.

 

FYI, restaurant owners must keep track of all tipped employees and file reports on their income with the federal government. (It is the way they are able to continue paying them as tipped employees.) Thinking restaurant owners don't know or care about tipped employees is just another example of your inaccurate one-sided posts of which there are many. You are simply mis-informed and then you pass on that information as fact.

 

I do apologize for taking a swipe at your photo album at the end of your post as your only reason for posting. Personally I wish folks would limit it to one or two and put the rest on shutterfly with a link for those who might be interested. Your signature is not the place for every cruise photo you have ever taken.

 

Enjoy your cruise ~ and please be fair with the staff onboard. Just because they were born in 3rd world countries does not make them "less than."

[HARP]

NO flames from me Heather - just a thank you for sharing your experience.

As DH and I eat in the dining room 95 % of the time' date=' we have never been in the Windjammer the final evening of a cruise- so we had NO IDEA there was a gratuity box there. I do thank you for explaining that piece of info.

 

.[/quote']

I was told after looking for it on the Majesty the Indy is the only ship that is authorized to have a "TIP BOX" outside the Windjammer. Others are not. Now why you ask. Read the posts and remember where she spent the summer. Now that the ship is in the Crib I am surprised they have not removed it.

[S.S.Oceanlover]

So, for our next cruise we chose MTD and had to prepay our tips. If we chose not to show up on our last night, you will assume we did it for a reason?

 

Get a grip.

 

I didn't show up for dinner any nights. Should I have taken my tips off?

 

Bill

[andrzej5914]

I didn't show up for dinner any nights. Should I have taken my tips off?

 

Bill

 

huh?

 

I was simply replying to a post from a Brit who believes that many Americans don't tip just because they don't show up on the last night.

 

I already tipped and have not been on the cruise yet. If I chose to not show up the last night don't assume I'm doing it for a reason.

[S.S.Oceanlover]

huh?

 

I did not eat in the dining room all week. Should I have removed my tips for the dining room staff since we never ate there?

 

Bill

[andrzej5914]

I did not eat in the dining room all week. Should I have removed my tips for the dining room staff since we never ate there?

 

Bill

 

what is your point?

[S.S.Oceanlover]

just asking a question. I want to make sure I did the right thing since everybody is talking about tipping.

 

Bill

[andrzej5914]

just asking a question. I want to make sure I did the right thing since everybody is talking about tipping.

 

Bill

 

why did you use my post to ask this question?

 

It was pretty clear that I'm all for tipping and pre-paid all my tipping for our upcoming cruise. I was just replying to the Brit that assumes many Americans don't tip just because they don't show up on the last night in the main dining room. I ALREADY TIPPED, so I was just trying to explain to him that just because I didn't show up at the MDR it didn't mean I'm trying to skip on tipping and it was very presumputous of him to assume that many Americans don't tip just because of his observation of many not showing up on the last evening.

[bluegirlum]

So, for our next cruise we chose MTD and had to prepay our tips. If we chose not to show up on our last night, you will assume we did it for a reason?

 

Get a grip.

 

Thank you for getting my point...

[brfan]

I did not eat in the dining room all week. Should I have removed my tips for the dining room staff since we never ate there?

 

Bill

 

No. The tip is for food service received for the entire day and not just for dinner. The wait staff who serve in the dining room during the evening also work the various food venues at breakfast and lunch.

[andrzej5914]

Thank you for getting my point...

 

You welcome,

 

unless s/he knows for a fact that somebody skipped the last night just because of tipping then don't assume... we all know what happens when we assume... ;)

 

btw, where from in WI?

[bluegirlum]

You welcome,

 

unless s/he knows for a fact that somebody skipped the last night just because of tipping then don't assume... we all know what happens when we assume... ;)

 

btw, where from in WI?

 

I agree, that's why I NEVER assume. I've just never understood that whole point of this whole skipping-dinner-so-you-don't-tip thing! Just unreal.

 

I actually would love if there was a tip box in the WJ. I often think the service in the WJ is better than in the MDR, but i know that is another thread on it's own!

 

I'm in Madison. It's so cold!

[andrzej5914]

 

I'm in Madison. It's so cold!

 

I've lived in Chicago for 25 years and still have family and friends there so I know you folks up there have been hit hard this winter.

 

Loved Madison, Milwaukee, Kenosha for quick weekend getaways in the summer time. Loved skiing in Alpine Valley and Devil's Head. And just like any Chicago family, we did go up to Wisconsin Dells and actually had a great time as a young boy.

 

Keep warm!

 

(if it makes you feel any better we have a (sort of) cold snap down here in Florida. Highs in low 60s and lows in low 40s, at least for couple of more days. We love it, but I do feel bad for all the tourists staying here this week)

[bluegirlum]

I've lived in Chicago for 25 years and still have family and friends there so I know you folks up there have been hit hard this winter.

 

Loved Madison, Milwaukee, Kenosha for quick weekend getaways in the summer time. Loved skiing in Alpine Valley and Devil's Head. And just like any Chicago family, we did go up to Wisconsin Dells and actually had a great time as a young boy.

 

Keep warm!

 

(if it makes you feel any better we have a (sort of) cold snap down here in Florida. Highs in low 60s and lows in low 40s, at least for couple of more days. We love it, but I do feel bad for all the tourists staying here this week)

 

Funny, b/c my family is from Chicago too, and my aunt and uncle in Florida are complaining about how "cold" it is down there! So are all the Badger fans in Orlando right now for football. I'd take 60 over 16 any day! WI has actually gotten it worse than Chicago, I think--at least I like to complain about that to my dad. :) It was really hard coming back from the Majesty last week.

[Jo2310]

Good morning,personally I refuse to eat in a resraunt that adds the tip to your bill and now refuse to sail on a ship that does the same.In days of old I found that eating in a place that added the tip resulted in poor service generally.I found the attitude to be that they were getting there tip to spite the sevice.I find the suggested tipping onboard to be dirt cheap,the people work there butts off and deserve so much more than the base suggested.Think about it I think it comes out to 975 a day ,this includes your tips for at least 3 meals,when was the last time you went out for 3 meals to your favorite stommping grounds and only paid a total of 975 for tips on 3 meals,to break that down this would mean that if your night on the town at a fine dining place you would pay what 333 for your dinner tip?Add to your meals your snacks,the pool lady,and never mind that they do your room not once but twice a day,even in the best resorts they dont do your rooms twice a day.I think to suggest all of that for 975 is an insult to there employees.On our last cruise we had a lady with us that chose not to do sign and sail for her tips and I thought that odd,we travel as a large group of 20 to 30 people and this was her second time to cruise with us.Now she felt like she knew the ropes.We explained to people this was a guide line only and I know for sure we all put extra in that envelope.Back at home and back to work,we now found out this girl on the last night put 5 bucks in her envelope for the waiter.She was laughing with other people at work about it and telling how smart she was.I approched her {furious}her respose was that they wouldnt know who did it.After I pointed out that every ones name were on the sign and sail vouchers she realized now that they would know.Our waiters were awesome and worked very hard to make our experience pleasant.As a result I was now in a position to wipe the smile off of her face because I made it clear infront of our co_workers that she would never travel with us again.The rest of our group was in agreance with this as we all felt embaraced.She is not sailing with us on the Oasis in Jan and tried hard to find out when we are booked to go but mum has been the word.The bottom line for her is this she didnt pay the price that night {but she is paying the price now}Sorry this has been so long winde I just had to get that off my chest.

 

Canuck - I hope she does not read this forum lol....because in your signature your date is there!! I don't blame you....leave her at home.

[mochuck]

lucky just give up, LOTS (but not all) of people from Europe do not like to tip because they don't understand it and even if you explain it they still don't want to understand it.

 

If Royal did pay a "living wage" as many say, your cruise fare would just go up a corresponding amount, probably by $10pp per day is my guess. At least this way you do have the option of potentially witholding or adjusting your tips if someone gives awful service (which I have never had on any cruise ship but I agree it may happen on occasion).

 

Those who remove their tips because they think it's Royal's problem and not theirs are only penalizing those who least deserve it.

 

Well I pre-pay gratuities and pay the stateroom attendant the recommended plus a little bit more and the others the recommended amount. I don't like doing it but accept that they don't get paid decent wage and rely on that money. I will admit I really don't understand how North American came to this situation but please explain.

 

I find it demeaning how the stateroom attendants think they have to make towel animals to get a tip - what a waste of time! I also find the ingratiating manner of the waitstaff in MDR embarrassing.

 

Please explain to me how this system came about not just on cruise ships but in the service industry in general. Does anyone pay tax on tips - does the Inland Revenue assume a general level of tips on people who work in the service industry.

 

You say that non Americans don't "want" to understand - I can tell you that no one has ever explained it to me satisfactorily.