Breaking News !! RCCL to review Gratuities

[tbear2762]

I just read a thread on another board where someone claimed to have done the automatic gratuities on RCI and had no vouchers at the end to hand out. They insisted this is the way RCI does it.

 

How is this done? Since having it available, I have always added the gratuities to my account, but have always gotten the paper vouchers at the end to hand out?

 

I have always gotten the vouchers as well. The other reason I don't like NCL's program is my money just went into a money vacum and their employees are "reward" for doing a good job. Sorry but I like to give my money or voucher as is on RCI myself.

[tbear2762]

Doesnt sound right to me. We were on the Navigator last month and had prepaid gats.

 

We got vouchers. Gave the cabin steward his and trashed the rest.

 

Bill

 

If you trashed the rest where did your money go?????

[The_Big_M]

If you trashed the rest where did your money go?????

 

It's already been paid.

 

I did the same last time on Celebrity, though didn't worry about the steward's either. After all, he was the one who left the vouchers in the cabin with a 'thanks' note, so there's not much point giving it back.

[insulationbabe]

We have a better idea about gratuities - we get the voucher envelopes as well and put in the envelope what we feel is deserved - only once in twelve cruises did we not pay more than what was required - one room steward and one waiter was horrible and they got the minimum amount designated. We would never pay the gratuities ahead of time for that reason - we've often given the assistant waiter more than the waiter and often paid the head waiter more than designated - so its up to the individual and the service they give

[redhot1]

Years ago we we first started cruising on Hal the tip was min the cruise [rice supposeably. We ngot great service and they didn't expect any additional. we did usually tip extra to some , some eevn we a little embarassed or refuse to take an axtra tip.So in my opinio0n tipping ahead of time does not decrease servive. Today howeveer Its a different dynamic. I would prefer to see the tips in the cruise fare even if its more, over and done with a it comes out the same, but then you may get those who then expect aN ETRA TIP and thats completly discressional. For instance on our next cruise we will probably eat in chops and portofinos at least 4 nites and then have room service maybe 1 nite so how do tip the dinning staff hen you may onlly eat there 1 nite or maybe lunch 2 days, don't give me they work in other areas of the ship either I don't buy that argument. So my preference would be to just include it as overall par tof the cruise fare.

[S.S.Oceanlover]

On our recent cruise we had an informal Q&A with the CD and his asstiant. They said that indeed those from other countries are paid tax free but those Americans working on board do have to pay taxes.

 

and how many Americans did they say work onboard? About 6 maybe?

 

Bill

[tbear2762]

and how many Americans did they say work onboard? About 6 maybe?

 

Bill

 

Actually there were many more than I have ever seen in the past. They even said there was more and more Americans coming onboard for jobs. I suspect in these days of high unemployement that many are happy to get any job. I was just stating that it isn't necessarily tax free.

[S.S.Oceanlover]

Actually there were many more than I have ever seen in the past. They even said there was more and more Americans coming onboard for jobs. I suspect in these days of high unemployement that many are happy to get any job. I was just stating that it isn't necessarily tax free.

 

good point about the unemployment.

 

Well good for them. I certainly could never work those hours. Maybe when I was 20 years old but that was so long ago I can't even remember.lol

 

I've seen Canaidians and a sprinkling of Americans in the camp settings but not stewards or waiters.

 

Like you said any job is better then not working at all.

 

Bill

[TravelerThom]

...don't give me they work in other areas of the ship either I don't buy that argument...

Since you don't buy that argument, please explain who you think works in the Cafe and how you think they get paid:confused:

 

Thom

[jackdiamond]

We have never cruised NCL, but I understand that their auto tips are mandatory and cannot be removed or adjusted. If that is so, we will be happy when the lines we cruise (Celebrity, Royal, Princess and HAL) do likewise. This will assure fairer treatment of the crew and render the cruise experience more convenient for the passengers. Additionally, it will reduce the threads on this topic, since the chronic complainers will be somewhat silenced.

[melbur]

We have never cruised NCL, but I understand that their auto tips are mandatory and cannot be removed or adjusted. If that is so, we will be happy when the lines we cruise (Celebrity, Royal, Princess and HAL) do likewise. This will assure fairer treatment of the crew and render the cruise experience more convenient for the passengers. Additionally, it will reduce the threads on this topic, since the chronic complainers will be somewhat silenced.

 

NCL do let you remove all or part of the auto tips = I heard more people at the Guest Services desk wanting their whole tip removed because of some singular minor incident (IMHO) and the staff were allowing it.

[tbear2762]

NCL do let you remove all or part of the auto tips = I heard more people at the Guest Services desk wanting their whole tip removed because of some singular minor incident (IMHO) and the staff were allowing it.

 

Wish I had know that cause I would have asked for the portion for Wait staff be given all to one person as he was the only one worth a flip. Room steward was great but other wasn't.

[Borderman]

RCCL will be the second cruise this year where we got less for more. We were put on a wait list (HAL) for fourteen months for first dining and did not get it. Now it's happening with RCCL. We do not like to eat dinner late and as a result will have to eat at the buffet. Waitlisting is becoming a trend. We refuse to be dictated to by a cruise line to pay a tip for a service we do not get. This would have been unheard of just a few years ago. We have always tipped well but RCCL and other lines are making the wonderful experience of cruising a thing of the past.

[Classynfun1]

What, exactly, are you complaining about?

[smoosh21]

I just have to get his off my chest - The one person I usually hate tipping is the Matre D. In almost all of my cruises no matter what line it is - we don't see the Matre D at all - never comes to the table - except for the very last night when - yes when we are handing out tips. Perhaps I don't understand what that job entails. We still tip him, but not sure what it is for. He should be on salary instead. My 2 cents.

 

I agree. the only cruise I ever saw the Maitre D was on Princess. He earned every penny.

[smoosh21]

I really wish they would just include the tips in the price, like they do the port charges, then if people wanted to give more they could, but everyone would get the suggested amount, lots less confusion

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I would rather not have it listed out separately. To me, that seems cheap. I would rather just see them raise the fare by $10 a day per person and be done with it.

[MisterBill99]

\

I would rather not have it listed out separately. To me, that seems cheap. I would rather just see them raise the fare by $10 a day per person and be done with it.

Then they'd have to pay commissions on it.

[Able Seaman H]

It is indeed a hell of a thread revival, that said a topic which is close to many people's hearts.

 

For European cruises pre-paid gratuities are the norm and speaking with staff if everyone did that they would be delighted. Not handing out vouchers on the basis of saving the planet is not good. It makes you feel very cheap and / or forces you to over tip. As it is you still get a sheet of paper which could have been the vouchers!

 

What is painful is 15% added to all drinks on top of 18% tax for our recent cruise out of Barcelona. In Europe all retail (ie non trade to trade) businesses will generally quote gross figures inclusive of tax. The fact a gratuity of 15% is added clearly shows the service is not trade to trade !!

 

I think that rather smacks of Royal Caribbean's arrogance to pricing. We want our money, any tax is down to you poor buggers.

 

Anyway, we had a Great time and for us the Royal Caribbean Diamond Plus loyalty programme makes taxes, gratuities nd so on easy to justify.

 

Henry :)

[spookwife]

I just have to get his off my chest - The one person I usually hate tipping is the Matre D. In almost all of my cruises no matter what line it is - we don't see the Matre D at all - never comes to the table - except for the very last night when - yes when we are handing out tips. Perhaps I don't understand what that job entails. We still tip him, but not sure what it is for. He should be on salary instead. My 2 cents.

 

We've been lucky, we've seen the Maitre D' nightly.. even if he jsust stops by for 15 seconds to ask how every thing, at least he stops by.

 

I tend to treat him as Insurance.. something you pay for in the hopes that you never really need to use. While we have yet to actually have any issues.. either with food, service or table mates, he's there to facilitate any issues that may arise.

 

Story: last cruise it just so happened that our table mates had a co worker who was on the cruise as well( one of those they had no idea they were going to be at the same place until a day or two before). she too had late seating and was seated at a large table with unruly small children. the customer went to the Maitre D before dinner was done the first night and said: this is NOT working.

 

the next night, when she arrived, the maitre D personally escorted her/them to a new table( ours was full or we would have invited them to join us)

[Jeannie333333]

Royal Caribbean International vice president and UK managing director Robin Shaw disclosed that the payment of gratuities to renumerate cruise ship employees had become a “significant issue”.

 

Speaking at the first Cruise Forum as part of the ABTA Travel Convention in Barcelona, Shaw said the company was experiencing a “huge cultural difference” between US passengers who are used to tipping for service and those from the UK who are not. He admitted that cruise ship staff received far less tips when British passengers are on board.

 

Full story http://www.travelmole.com/stories/1138836.php

 

 

 

 

Great idea !!

 

 

 

 

jj.....

 

 

I'm confused...that story is 3 years old ? Have I missed something / reading the wrong thing? (Date at the bottom of the article..2009)

 

:confused:

[littlesteelo]

I'm confused...that story is 3 years old ? Have I missed something / reading the wrong thing? (Date at the bottom of the article..2009)

 

:confused:

 

Yes, because the thread is 3 years old. Borderman decided to dig it up to moan about service, and it is now confusing people.

[dreamer976]

I personally never "got" why the Head Waiter deserved a tip at all for just being present at dinner and perhaps (although not always) just coming around table to table interrupting conversations just to introduce himself and asking if everything was okay - of course RCI should have someone seeing that everything is okay with food as well as service! . . .

 

And THEN my family shared a table with another family where one of the daughters was extremely gluten intolerant. The Head Waiter was at our table every night with the menu for the next night's dinner and he, the Waiter and passenger would go over the menu, figure out what was going to be edible, sometimes ordering her a special plate or plates. It was always done with a smile, a lot of patience and knowledge about food products used. When he didn't have answers about what might be present in the food, he would get that information from the kitchen staff, I'm assuming the Head Chef.

 

That Head Waiter was incredible and I'm sure that he and our Waiter were handsomely rewarded above and beyond the "recommended" tips and deserved every penny.

 

I'll never again not give more than the recommended amount for the head waiter again. You never know where in the vast dining rooms on these ships the Head Waiter is spending a large amount of time helping passengers who may need special attention.

[foxesden1]

With the Oasis and Allure coming out tipping will become even more of an issue.More and more will be choosing one of the many other eateries on board and opting out of tipping the dining staff.In the old days when the MDR was the place to go for a premium meal the current tipping policy worked but no more

 

:cj

 

 

they are going to europe?