15% Gratuity

[madforcruising]

Q.E.D. :rolleyes:

 

 

LOL, good one, though I´m not sure the message came across to all;):D

[madforcruising]

:confused: Alright, how about this: 15% is added...fine.

 

Say I order a $50 bottle of wine at dinner...the service involves getting the bottle, pulling the cork and pouring, and refilling glasses.

 

Another night is a special event for us, I order champagne before dinner, say $120, and a very good bottle of red , say $150.....same amount of work for the server, but far far more in tips ( auto 15%) .Is that fair?

 

What if I order one of the very top wines from the list, Lafite, Opus One etc at $350-500 per bottle....should they get $50 to $75 in tips for pulling one cork?

 

I personally don't have an opinion on this, but do invite you to share your views. What do you think?

 

 

Can´t see any difference here with going to a restaurant, where a percentage of the bill is given as a tip. It´s not a set amount either and the tip will be higher if I order the filet mignon instead of the chicken breast. The waiter still just serves me a plate with food. Same work load different tip.;)

 

BTW, if you order that special, expensive bottle of wine or champagne I´m almost sure it will not be right available with the standard bottles, but often it will need to be gotten out of storage and therefore it would be more work for the waiter.

[Mark_K]

I wonder why they can't add this into the pre pay tips in some way, coming from the UK we tip for good service mainly in restaurants IF they have provided good service, I can afford the meal and the tips but if the meal and service are sub standard I am not prepared to part with more of my hard earned cash. Happy to tip on cruise but believe there should be set tips as with all the other staff , I completely agree with the above poster that same amount of work goes into opening a house wine or vintage wine but the tip would vary massively.

Just pretend it's the VAT and they're showing you the breakdown.

[Kathykins56]

I see it this way - if you really can't stand the 15% added on - don't drink on the ship, enough said. My cruise in a couple days I am going on with a very tight budget and prob won't drink so I won't have to grumble about the 15%. If I decide to drink, at least I can price out the drink before ordering and decide if I want drinking to be apart of my budget or not.

[RUBBER DUCK]

I will agree that on higher priced bottles of wine, the tip exceeds the service necessary.

 

As for regular bar tips, they do more than pop a cap or pour, the bartenders collect the used glasses, they are in charge of all the twists and olives, etc. They take care of hauling ice for those drinks, cleaning thier utensils, and maybe most importantly, "barbacking" which is the constant refilling of the beer and bottled liquor.

 

If you want to make your tip count, get the chip off your shoulder and pay attention to what these people do. Many of them will entertain you and occasionally give you a long pour or on occasion "forget" to bill you. I have seen some make a drink for someone to try (new concoction or helping someone decide what to get) and only charge them for a lesser cost one. Usually on our trips, we make friends with a certain bartender or 2-it will pay you back. This is also why I can't drink most hard liquor-especially Long Islands. bartender took it as a challenge when I came back for #6 over about 3 hours with an occasional beer mixed in.

[Havingfun2010]

I have no problem with the auto tip since it makes life easy, however, I have noticed, not only on cruise ships, but anyplace that an auto tip is added, the service is usually worse. So I see a large downside on this.

[oldguysandgalls]

We sailed RCL a few months ago and we noticed something rather odd on the bar bill receipt for us to sign.

 

Here is what I mean; (this is a fake bar-bill, but am I seeing things or what?

 

Line 1. 2 Beer $ 10.00

Line 2. 2 Soda's $ 6.00

Total --------- $16.00

15% gratuity $ 2.40

TIP-------- $ __________ ( That's a new one??? )

Total ____________

 

Signature ________________

 

How is that again??? Is it 15% gratuity AND then some more?

[Scotty G]

Also, does the wine steward take the bottle from the table, then we have to wait for him to come back and pour for us? I HATE that. I like to the bottle on the table, and will pour my own refill, thanks.

 

Sally

 

On our last few cruises there was no wine steward in the MDR. The waiter and assistant do the honors. They also,leave the bottle at the table or in a chiller next to the table.

[John Henry on CC]

We sailed RCL a few months ago and we noticed something rather odd on the bar bill receipt for us to sign.

 

Here is what I mean; (this is a fake bar-bill, but am I seeing things or what?

 

Line 1. 2 Beer $ 10.00

Line 2. 2 Soda's $ 6.00

Total --------- $16.00

15% gratuity $ 2.40

TIP-------- $ __________ ( That's a new one??? )

Total ____________

 

Signature ________________

 

How is that again??? Is it 15% gratuity AND then some more?

 

As you have read (or can, if you haven't actually read) on this thread, some people like to add more when they get a drink. Some people slip cash into the folder - others add it to the bill. That's what the line is for: if you want to add more. Voluntary. Your choice. It's up to you.

[Scotty G]

We sailed RCL a few months ago and we noticed something rather odd on the bar bill receipt for us to sign.

 

Here is what I mean; (this is a fake bar-bill, but am I seeing things or what?

 

Line 1. 2 Beer $ 10.00

Line 2. 2 Soda's $ 6.00

Total --------- $16.00

15% gratuity $ 2.40

TIP-------- $ __________ ( That's a new one??? )

Total ____________

 

Signature ________________

 

How is that again??? Is it 15% gratuity AND then some more?

 

This not new. It is a place to do add a tip that has been on RCL bar receipts for as long as I can remember. Don't want to get into the tips vs. gratuities discussion; but, the gratuities that waiters, room attendants and bar servers receive on cruise ships as a significant portion of their wages (this is fact). Tips are for service above and beyond their required job.

[jackdiamond]

Sadly, there are a few cruisers who will utilize euphemisms to justify their attempts to stiff the cruise staff.

[Albert Ross]

Line 1. 2 Beer $ 10.00

Line 2. 2 Soda's $ 6.00

Total --------- $16.00

15% gratuity $ 2.40

TIP-------- $ __________

Total ____________

 

Signature ________________

 

To hijack your 'tab' - on the Independence last year the 15% was buiilt into the cost of the tab, so it couldn't be crossed out. So the tab would read:

Line 1. 2 Beer $ 12.00

Line 2. 2 Soda's $ 6.40

Total --------- $16.00

TIP-------- $ __________

Total ____________

 

Signature ________________

 

There was still the line to leave an extra tip if you wanted, but the main point is that the 15% was built in/hidden in the cost.

 

The same will be happening on Independence this summer season out of the UK I believe.

[Big Kev]

To hijack your 'tab' - on the Independence last year the 15% was buiilt into the cost of the tab, so it couldn't be crossed out. So the tab would read:

Line 1. 2 Beer $ 12.00

Line 2. 2 Soda's $ 6.40

Total --------- $16.00

TIP-------- $ __________

Total ____________

 

Signature ________________

 

There was still the line to leave an extra tip if you wanted, but the main point is that the 15% was built in/hidden in the cost.

 

The same will be happening on Independence this summer season out of the UK I believe.

 

 

WOW... Great calcs... Drink up while its HOT guys :D ????????????????

.

.

[Albert Ross]

WOW... Great calcs... Drink up while its HOT guys :D ????????????????

.

.

The prices are hypothecial...as is the bad maths.

[temple1]

I'm not defending it, because I think it is wrong, but as another poster pointed out as long as the cruiselines depend on American tourists for majority of their customers then American style tipping will be the norm.

 

In the US because we do not value the service industry wages are typically low. Most professional servers are the first ones to defend the current system.

 

I don't know about other Americans on this topic, but if I get a drink at a bar I tip a minimum of $1, no matter if it is a beer during happy hour for $2 or something requiring mixing.

[skatergirl]

We British do not tip bar staff normally so to have to pay an extra 15% on top of the inflated costs of the drinks on board a cruise ship is a shock to us. Some friends sailed on RCI out of Southampton last September and there were no gratuities on the drinks as it was sailing out of the UK.

Was this a one-off or is this going to be the policy in the future for British sailings?

[gonole1972]

FYI - The 15% is split among all the staff working in that area of service - i.e. all the pool area waiters. If you add any additional tip on that specific amount goes directly to that waiter, room service person, bar tender, etc. without splitting. I always add extra for good personal service.

[Albert Ross]

We British do not tip bar staff normally so to have to pay an extra 15% on top of the inflated costs of the drinks on board a cruise ship is a shock to us. Some friends sailed on RCI out of Southampton last September and there were no gratuities on the drinks as it was sailing out of the UK.

Was this a one-off or is this going to be the policy in the future for British sailings?

 

See post #61 above - the gratuities included in the price are for Independence only out of Southampton - does not apply for Jewel.